**WARNING-IN THE INTEREST OF FAIRNESS I HAVE ONLY INCLUDED THE MOVIES I'VE
ACTUALLY SEEN. AS A RESULT, I HAVE EXCLUDED MOVIES THAT ARE POSSIBLY MORE
DESERVING CANDIDATES SUCH AS THE HOBBIT OR ZERO DARK THIRTY. PLEASE DON'T MISTAKE THEIR
ABSENCE FROM THIS LIST AS A DISAPPROVAL.
10. Bernie- Yet another winner from indie director Richard Linklater. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this one, knowing it was based on a real murder but somehow Linklater made this into the best comedy nobody saw. In case you need another reason to watch, this contains easily the best performance of Jack Black’s career.
9. The Hunger Games- I liked this one far more than I thought I would.When I first heard this was being released I assumed it was some kind of Twilight rip-off (there are some hard to ignore similarities). But thanks to typically great performance from Jennifer Lawrence and a surprisingly good supporting cast, The Hunger Games pleasantly surprises me by finding a spot on this list.
8. Les Miserables- The decision by director Tom Hooper to have the actors sing live was a bold decision and surprisingly it works.Anne Hathaway is a virtual lock to win Best Supporting Actress this year and for very good reason. Also worthy of recognition from the Academy are Hugh Jackman and Samantha Barks but really the acting is good all-around. I have to admit that I have never seen the stage musical or read the book but after seeing the movie I suddenly want to change that.
7. Lincoln- Even if you haven’t Lincoln yet you’ve probably been told by somebody how well Daniel Day-Lewis plays one of our most beloved presidents.I’m here to tell you right now that those claims are not exaggerated and unsurprisingly Day-Lewis winning his third Oscar this year is pretty much a foregone conclusion.Also not to be overlooked is the Oscar worthy performance from Tommy Lee Jones.
6. Life of Pi- Producers had been trying to adapt Life of Pi into a movie for years but it had long been considered “unfilmable.” Thankfully, Ang Lee was not only able to prove them wrong but create a technical masterpiece.If this doesn’t walk away with the Best Visual Effects Oscar I may lose my faith in the Academy.
5. Django Unchained- I have to admit I thought this was about 30 minutes too long and not Tarantino’s best work (to be fair it’s hard to compete with Reservoir Dogsand Pulp Fiction).However, he makes yet another movie with great characters, quotable dialogue, and his trademark violence that has made him one of Hollywood’s most respected directors.
4. Wreck It Ralph- The video game nostalgia alone made this worth watching. Luckily, Wreck It Ralph has much more going for it like charming characters, great voice-acting, creative scenery and one of the most original stories I’ve seen in years. Bravewill probably win as the Best Animated Feature this year but as far as I’m concerned Wreck It Ralph wins hands down.
3. The Avengers- After four years and five movies worth of buildup The Avengers was finally released and proved to be well worth the wait. If there is one fault to really find about this movie is that the rest of the summer blockbusters seemed to be a little disappointing by comparison (they know who they are).
2. Cabin in the Woods- If you’re looking for a standard horror movie then this isn’t the film for you. This is possibly the best satire I’ve seen in years not to mention the best horror movie. This serves as an effective indictment on not only the laziness and lack of originality that has been plaguing the genre but also the audience that pays to watch it.
1.
Argo- Over the last few years Ben Affleck has
been showing audiences just how good a director he is with movies like Gone Baby Gone and The Town, but Argo is definitely
his best film to date. It’s
intelligently written, well-paced, and powerfully acted by the entire cast. I cannot wait for the DVD release just so I
can watch it again.
Honorable Mention
The Raid: Redemption
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Sleepwalk with Me
