2012 was the best year as
far as blogging is concerned for me. Well, the fact that this was the ONLY full
year of blogging I have had thus far made it very easy. But, Still it was pretty
incredible year. First full year of blogging, documenting and cataloging the
movies I have seen throughout the year and my brief thoughts on them and off
course, other bloggers that have already done similar lists made me want to do
this list. So, this is the list of 20 movies that I liked the most out of 305
movies that I saw in the calender year of 2012 for the first time. In all
likelihood, as and when I update my Top 100,
most of them will make it into that list, if they already aren't. Most interesting part of making this list was sifting through all the movies I have seen and realizing that it has been less than a year since I have seen, City Lights(1931) or The Game(1997). For a strange reason, I feel like I have loved these movies for a long, long time. And yes, I have left all the 2012
releases out of the list since at some point of time, most likely mid-February,
I will eventually do the list of my favourite 2012 movies. So, they will have
there time in limelight. It's time for some older movies to shine. Lets get to it then.
20. Black Narcissus(1947): After watching The Red Shoes(1948) last year, which really impressed me and introduced me to the duo of Powell and Pressburger, Black Narcissus took it a step further. I am arguably a little partial towards it because of the Indian settings and using them well but then I look at that last scene and it feels like it deserves it. It really does.
19. Paths of Glory(1957): Let me start with the usual. Not a big Kubrick Fan but that's what makes Paths of Glory special that despite not belonging to the Kubrick camp, I loved it. It is Kubrick at its usual acerbic best. He still uses the platform to criticize but it is little restrained and is for the right cause which makes it exploratory and not exploitative.
18. The Birds(1963): I live less than 100 miles from Bodega Bay and the fact that this happens on that location made me scare for my life. Not Really, just
joking but this is true that I was more scared while watching this
movie than most of the so called scary/horror movies I have seen. Over
the time, this has even made into my favourite Hitchcock's as well.
17. Life of Brian(1979): After being long overdue, I finally caught up with Monty Pythons last year. This year, I caught up with Life of Brian. It sure still is one of the funniest movies of all time but I have been amazed by its power to infuse a discussion and to prove my point I will point you to the only thing that is even better than this film is this interview.
16. The Discreet Charm of Bourgeoisie(1972): Bunuel's movies are a challenge. However the fact that this is not the only Bunuel in the list should certify to the fact that I like this challenge. Walking into this movie, almost without knowing anything about it makes it an even bigger challenge and I think I almost gave it up but I realized what's happening at the last image. It all suddenly made a lot more sense then. I have rarely had such 180 turns based on 1 still.
15. A Separation(2011): Last year at around this time everyone was getting excited about this movie. As usual, I arrived little late but this movie hit me equally hard, just like everyone else. I flat out deny to draw any conclusions from this about Iranian policies but what I really do admire is earnestness and honesty of the script and in the performances. It is also really hard to believe that there is absolutely no sappy melodrama in it.
14. The General(1926): I can say that one of the highlights of my self movie education this year will be my introduction to Buster Keaton. What I appreciate the most about this movie is that it is not just a collection of some gags but there is a real story to it. I still belong to the Camp Chaplin but if Buster Keaton can make anything as funny and fluent as The General, the other side has got a damn strong case too.
13. The Double Life of Veronique(1991): After his Three Colours Trilogy last year, this was the next logical step for Kieslowski for me and personally, this was even better than anything in the trilogy. Even in the trilogy, Red was my favourite and there is one big reason for that - Irene Jacob. There is something in her face or the way Kieslowski presents her that keeps me fixated on her, almost hypnotized.
12. Viridiana(1961): As I said, there are more than one Bunuel on the list. Cynicism of this movie astounds me. There really isn't much worse that you can do to defame any regime. Spanish authorities promptly banned this movie right after they saw the final cut. I wouldn't have been surprised if they tried to kill it completely and we never would have known that such a film once existed. But it takes real courage to make such movie and do it so well.
11. Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf(1966): In the past year, quite a few of my fellow bloggers turned in their lists of various favourite performance. Truth be told, I won't be able to do such a list. I only know that my favourite male performance is Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will be Blood(2007) and its female counterpart would be Elizabeth Taylor in this movie. I swear to god that I never imagined in my wildest dream that anything like this was ever possible.
10. The Game(1997): It feels a little weird that it has been less than a year since I saw The Game for the first time. It feels like it has been quite a while because it is the movie that made me fall in love with the city of San Francisco. Off course, it does have a great concept executed exquisitely which keeps your adrenaline pumping and which doesn't fail you in the end, once the secret is revealed.
9. Shame(2011): Just like A Separation(2011), Shame never made into my Top 10 in 2011 just because I wasn't able to catch up with it anywhere close to the end of last year. I got to it almost 6 months into 2012 but once again, just like A Separation, realized that it indeed is that damn good. Carrey Mulligan and Michael Fassbender's performances, only topped by very harsh and honest representation of an addiction.
8. Judgement at Nuremberg(1961): It was more than two years ago that I heard such movie existed. I spent almost one year trying to find a copy of this movie until I finally found it by complete off chance. I spent some more time before watching it even after owning a copy of it but when I did watch, I understood why people recommend it so highly. Since the day I have seen it, I haven't been able to shake off Burt Lancaster's monologue in the court.
7. Metropolis(1927): Thanks to Netflix, I saw the most complete version of it and I am thankful I did because I had no idea about the existence of multiple versions when I saw it. I am sure that many agree with me when I say that what amazes me the most about it is the vision of this movie. In my opinion, making this movie in 1927 was an exceptional feat. However, making it in such a way that it remains relevant even after so many years is nothing short of miracle.
6. Boogie Nights(1997): I had heard a lot of good things bout this movie and I found most of them to be true when I actually checked it out. It has the amazing opening tracking shot that introduces almost the whole cast in a single shot, it also has one of the most incredible ensemble cast assembled where every one delivers. However, what I find interesting about it is these are great actors playing bad actors on screen and doing a great job at that.
5. Pather Panchali(1955): Satyajit Ray is probably the most well-known Indian director in the world and his Apu Trilogy is his most well-known work. I was really glad when I got a chance to watch them this year because of a friend. Like lot of others, I really think this is one of the Best Trilogies in the history of cinema but out of the three, Pather Panchali made a greater impression on me because of the way it celebrates the small joys of life. It made me nostalgic.
4. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans(1927): If it wasn't for that ending, I would have killed everybody related to that movie. It should be a crime that they get us to care so much for the characters in such a little time and then send us home as a blabbering mess that I would have been, if not for that ending. But they did the right thing and so I am doing it too by including it in this list. Seriously, one of the most iconic silent movies.
3. Dr. Strangelove(1964): Did I say that I am traditionally not a Kubrick fan? And then sound like a hypocrite putting two movies on this list? Well, that's an occupational hazard I guess. But this was the perfect place, perfect scenario for all the criticism, cynicism that Kubrick's movies are full of; up to the brim. There are very few films that take a dead serious issue, turn it into a broad comedy and do in successfully. It also has one of the most iconic dialogues ever.
2. The Seventh Seal(1957): 1957 was an amazing year. There are so many movies made around the world in that year which are still considered as some of the best works of art. However, even if we only look at Ingmar Bergman, he made The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries. Two of my favourites and I love that they are really deep but at the same time so accessible. For a movie that is primarily about death, I was surprised by how much of hope there is in it
1. City Lights(1931): I have been watching Chaplin since I was kid. That's why I was really surprised when I realized that it has been less than a year since I saw City Lights. It seems like I have known him much longer. His Tramp has an uncanny ability of making you laugh so hard that it would make your stomach hurt but then do something so innocent, so pure, so beautiful that a single drop of tear would drop out of your eyes and you wouldn't even know it. Watch the last scene of this movie if you need any proof.
There are two things that bring us to this post. First of all, Wes Anderson's profile that I did last month. That was the first profile where I saw every movie in his filmography and wrote about it. After that, I was thinking about which director to cover next, which brings us to the second thing. That would be release of P.T. Anderson's The Master(2012) which reminded me that I still had not seen Boogie Nights(1997) by then. I had all the time in the world to see it before but I guess, I needed to set this target for myself - watching all the movies PTA did to do another profile, Wes Anderson style. Over the next month, I got hold of all the PTA movies that I had not seen(that would be 3 including Boogie Nights) which brings us to this post right here, right now. I really don't think that there are many people in the industry who have as much knowledge of the craft as much as Paul Thomas Anderson and that's even more remarkable if you take his age into account. Born and brought up on '70s cinema; which in my opinion was probably the best decade for American Cinema; he not only seeped everything he possibly can from the likes of Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola and most notably for him, Robert Altman but more remarkably even developed his own distinctive style. There must be something in the water in '70s since, for better or for worse, almost every director from that school has his own distinctive style. Think Quentin Tarantino or Wes Anderson. Let us get right into the filmography of Paul Thomas Anderson.
The Dirk Diggler Story(1988)(short): This is where it all started. First short that PTA made set up the base for what he will make a full-length feature out of 10 years later and call it, Boogie Nights(1997). If you are a fan of movie(and who isn't), you can have a look at it here. As the name suggests and if you have seen the movie, you would know that this is the story of Life and Works of Dirk Diggler trying to make his mark on the porn industry. To tell you the truth, by no means it is anywhere close to Boogie Nights. Most actors working in it are really bad and look and act like actual porn stars(for all I know, they might actually be). But there is a good possibility that if we did not have this, there may not be any Boogie Nights and for that; it needs to be seen. Grade: B+
Cigarettes and Coffee(1993)(short): Another short that is worth your time that PTA did before getting into feature films. For a 24-minute short, it is remarkable to see how many storylines PTA handles in it and it is really exciting to see him slowly merge these seemingly different arcs into each other. A story that revolves around $20 bill and multiple characters that come in possession of the note, we soon realize that even though none of the characters know each other despite being in the same diner, only thing that they have in common with each other is that note. Featuring much better known actors like Phillip Baker Hall who also worked with him in couple of his next movies and Miguel Ferrer, this probably is the first example of great storytelling that PTA has become known for. Grade: A
Hard Eight(1996) aka Sydney: So, this is probably where it all really started. PTA's first full-length feature. It may not be a good idea to start with this but it is probably the weakest of his whole filmography. But then again, it isn't saying much considering I am a PTA Fan-boy through and through which should be clear once you see the ratings below. Basically it is a story of Sydney who is a professional gambler. One day, he meets John sitting outside some cafe somewhere in the vicinity of Reno. He buys him a coffee, lends him 50 bucks and also teaches him how to make the most of them. John - who has no money, no one and nowhere to go - follows Sydney from them on and becomes a small-time and moderately successful gambler. He even finds love in Clementine, part-time waitress, part-time hooker. But something Clementine does threatens to destroy their world. It is completely de-stylized, neither slows down at any point nor speeds up - completely monotonous in pacing and I do not mean any of this necessarily as a complaint. However, some of his characteristics are pretty evident from the very first film - excellent performances all round, simple but tight and interesting story and his photography. If you have seen it, the conversation between John and Sydney might remind you of the conversation in Cigarettes and Coffee but comparison stops there. Grade: B+
Boogie Nights(1997): This is as good as it gets and no, I am not talking about 1997, Helen Hunt - Jack Nicholson movie. This is as fine a movie you will get to see. I saw this movie very recently and promptly kicked myself for not having seen it early. It is a story of young man, who somehow gets drawn into the world of porn films after one of the directors finds him and thinks that he has a great potential in him. After some initial hesitancy, he follows him and that road takes him to the top very quickly but his ego takes him to the rock bottom equally fast and brings him right where he started it. As I already said above that PTA's first short was the test ride for this ultimate roller coaster of a ride that still makes everyone wonder, how did he do something as amazing as this at such a tender age?, including myself. For a movie about the porn industry, Boogie Nights maintains it's balance wonderfully well that it does not become a porn movie itself but at the same time never looses it's grip on the subject. Maintaining that balance would be a very delicate affair and it's very easy to fall off either way but PTA thrives on it. Another thing that I have to mention here about it is performances. First of all, there are so many wonderful performances in it that I will be here all day. So, I am not even going to bother listing them. Just Everyone, every single one that appears on screen, even for a second. But more importantly, they are all playing actors, bad actors and everyone does a great job of portraying bad actors. I do not know much about it but I presume making a great job of playing bad actor should be pretty damn hard. Grade: A+
Magnolia(1999): Back in the day when I first saw this movie, this movie was my prime example of 'Something that I never thought I would Like and ended up Loving'. I remember watching a little bit of Magnolia and turning it off, not because it was boring but because it felt too heavy to me then. For next six months or so, I kept its same impression and always opted for something else over it. The fact that it is almost 3 hours in length wasn't helping much either. One 'fine' day, I finally bit the bullet, sat in front of the TV and saw it but more importantly, instantly Loved It !! It is really difficult to summarize Magnolia because it is Cigarettes and Coffee's multiple inter-wining story lines concept at its grandest - PTA at his personal best. For the first watch, something which is easily one of the ultimate "WTF!!" moments in cinematic history (Do I even need to tell you what I am talking about ?)was probably the biggest highlight even though it took me some time to know the biblical reference and hence the actual meaning of that scene. Once again in typical Robert Altman style, there is a whole cast full of people with wonderful performances but the first time around Tom Cruize and Melora Walters took the cake for me. When I say that it has a cast full of wonderful performances, I really mean it because I have done its re-runs looking at just a couple of performances every time - Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Juliana Moore once, then William H. Macy and John C. Reilly and so on. I still haven't run out of them after multiple watches. Grade: A
Punch-Drunk Love(2002): Apparently, PTA is big fan on Adam Sandler and his type of comedy. So, he did a movie for him, in his style that will suit Adam Sandler as well. So he did this story of Barry Egan who has seven sisters and the way they treat him or almost abuse him, has had some psychological impacts like it has kept him away from everyone or unpredictable in a way he will react to any situation. However, he finally finds a girl that he likes and who even finds him interesting. But one call he made one day to a phone-sex line threatens to ruin all that. Ohh and I forgot to mention that there is a harmonium and lots of pudding in it as well. Some of the highlights of it were Adam Sandler which surprised me as well but he was really good in it, Emily Watson - Brilliant and it is weird but somehow I noticed her cloths a lot and most importantly, Tracking shots and lots of them. It was a fun movie and I liked it a lot and I do not mean it as a criticism against Punch-Drunk Love but it's such an odd-man-out in PTA's filmography. I actually wanted to check if they got the right Anderson since it is much more Wes Anderson than P.T. Anderson. You see, Barry Egan and his seven sisters, whole plot with Phillip Seymour Hoffman will fit perfectly well in Wes Andersonian world and even more importantly, music used in this. I have never seen anyone else use anything like that. Only real difference was any of the characters or everything around them is that they aren't that stylised maybe and hence feel like they belong to this world. To me, most of Wes Anderson films look like they belong in a completely different world. Grade: B+
So now, I can talk about Couch(2003) but Adam Sandler himself doesn't talk in it and now-a-days we have trailers longer than this or Blossoms and Blood(2003) which is just a collection of alternate takes or deleted material from Punch-Drunk Love which when put together, surprisingly makes a lot more sense than it should. And then there is also Mattress Man Commercial, commercial for a shop Phillip Seymour Hoffman's character runs in Punch-Drunk Love, which is actually quite funny. I like the way he falls off but I'll rather get to the next one.
There Will Be Blood(2007): I think this will be the shortest paragraph I have written for any movie. This is as close to perfection as any movie can ever get. In Every. Single. Aspect. This is my second favorite movie of all time and Daniel Day-Lewis' portrayal of Daniel Plainview is 'THE Best Individual Performance I have Ever seen' and the bowling alley scene is probably THE Scene as well. So, this is where I run out to the street and start screaming "PTA Is God !! PTA Is God !!". Grade:
A++(if there is any other Grade higher than that, I would give that too)
The Master(2012): After There Will Be Blood and all the gushing over it, it was imperative that wherever PTA goes, I will be there. Naturally, as soon as I knew that there is going to be a PTA movie in 2012, it went right into my most anticipated movies of the year along with Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises(2012), another director I obsessively geek over. Strange comparison eh? Wait till I tell you how much similar I think both their career paths are? They might be going in very different directions but I feel like they are following a very similar paths. I can even go as far as to say that PTA is Martin Scorsese to Nolan's Spielberg. Too far? OK. I will stop. So, The Master. Another movie with great cast. I am almost certain that all the three leads will have an academy nominations. Screenplay, Director and Movie nominations seem likely as well. If you ask me, watch the first 'processing' scene. Enough. Great work with Camera, stunning cinematography, haunting score. But as I said in my review previously, decisive factor here is the story. As you must have already seen; if you can connect with story in some way, people will call it a great cinematic achievement. If you don't, you might think of it as boat load of crap and even though I belong to the first group myself, I completely understand those in the other. Funny thing is until The Master, I never realized that PTA's movies can be as divisive. Now that I think back, I realize that every movie he did can be and to an extent, has been. Grade: A-
