I like watching movies, but I don't like paying $10 to be blinded by the texting woman in front of me or grossed out by the guy behind me who is sniffling and slurping on soda. Unless it's a film I'm dying to see or I'm especially bored on a Saturday night, I typically avoid the theater and opt to pick up movies from the library (it's free!) or Redbox instead.
Because of this, I tend to be a little behind on catching the latest blockbusters or critical darlings. Since many of the movies I watched this year actually came out in 2011, my list of the top movies of 2012 is based is based on movies I saw this year, regardless of when then were released.
10. "Take Shelter" – In this movie, Michael Shannon plays a married father who becomes consumed with building a storm shelter after he begins to experience nightmares and terrifying hallucinations. Are his visions real premonitions or is he just losing his mind? This is the kind of gripping movie that you'll be thinking about for days after you watch it.
9. "End of Watch" – There are so many movies about police covering the mean streets of Los Angeles that it could be its own genre. "End of Watch" has many of the usual elements – drug cartels, car chases, police corruption – but the realistic, gritty filming and strong performances by Jake Gyllenhaal and a never-been-better Michael Pena make this one stand out.
8. "The Muppets" – I have a strong fondness for "The Muppets," so I was relieved that this film did them justice. The story line lacks the poignancy of some other recent kids' movies (think Pixar films like "Wall-E" or "Up"), but it was great to see the all the Muppets back together with their trademark puns, quirky humor and catchy tunes.
7. "Drive" – Like most heterosexual females, I enjoy me some Ryan Gosling. His character – a stunt driver and mechanic who moonlights as a getaway driver for criminals – doesn't say much, but this film, which explores what happens when his attempt to help out a pretty neighbor goes awry, didn't need a lot of dialogue to be intriguing. And I have to give a shout-out awesome soundtrack – the repetitive 80s-esque synthesizer music still haunts my dreams.
6. "21 Jump Street" – I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this film. There are a lot of buddy comedies, but this is one of the best and funniest in recent memory. Channing Tatum (who proved to be quite adept at comedy despite being cursed with chiseled abs and a pretty face) and Jonah Hill have great chemistry, and the jokes are fresh even though the film spoofs the corny 80s television series of the same name. I loved the cameo from Johnny Depp, too.
5. "Pariah" – This teeny-tiny indie film (it grossed only $750,000) is the engrossing story of a Brooklyn teenager quietly struggling to deal with her sexuality, family and future. It manages to avoid many of the typical coming-of-age clichés to give an honest — and ultimately uplifting — portrayal of girl who is just trying to figure out her place in the world.
4. "Safety Not Guaranteed" – This heartfelt, funny comedy is about two lonely, quirky individuals who form an unlikely friendship. The premise may sound contrived, but the well-written script (with some great one-liners) and chemistry between stars Mark Duplass and the wonderfully dead-panned Aubrey Plaza make it one of the most enjoyable romantic comedies of the year. And please don't let the phrase "romantic comedy" stop you from seeing it – this is no Katherine Heigl-esque corn-fest.
3. "Midnight in Paris" – "Delightful" is the best word to describe this dreamy Woody Allen comedy. A lovable Owen Wilson plays a struggling writer in an unhappy relationship who discovers a way to time-travel to 1920s Paris, where he hobnobs with the Fitzgeralds, Hemingway, Picasso, Gertrude Stein and others. I loved the nostalgic feel to this film; it made me want to sip old-fashioned cocktails while dancing to Cole Porter songs.
2. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" – Director David Fincher can do no wrong in my book (seriously, this is the man who directed both "Fight Club" and the video for Paula Abdul's "Straight Up"). From the awesome opening credits to Rooney Mara's Oscar-nominated performance to Trent Reznor's score, everything about this movie just worked. It's nearly three hours long, but it never drags or loses its suspense. Plus, it made me want to experience the clean, wintry Ikea-ness of Sweden.
1. "Silver Linings Playbook" – It's hard to adequately describe a movie that's plot revolves around mental illness, family drama, football, gambling and a dance competition. Oh, and it's a comedy. Let's just say that actors Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence have never been better, and Robert DeNiro hasn't been this good in years (if not decades). You will like it, I promise.
Honorable mentions: "50/50," "Ruby Sparks," "Flight"
Biggest disappointments: "Friends with Kids," "The Lorax," "The Campaign"
What were your favorite/least favorite films of the year?
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