"Calm down, crazy."- MY FAVOURITE EVERYTHING ELSE OF 2012

         I kind of went on a list-making frenzy when I started with my end-of-year lists. These are the ones I won't be making separate posts for because of time constraint, but they are awesome nonetheless. Also, my favourite performances and films will be up soon.

• Silva, Skyfall- A Bond film is only as good as its villain, and my god, I loved both of them.
• Bane, The Dark Knight Rises- Not easy following Heath Ledger's footsteps, but Tom Hardy did a great, powerful job.
• People, The Cabin in the Woods/ Paranorman/ The Hunt- People suck.
• Joe, Looper- Love the concept of your older self being the baddie. Bruce Willis was super cool.
• The Amazing Spider-Man- For being a shit, unnecessary film and wasting Emma Stone.
• Old Age, Amour- We are all going to die.
• Hugo Weaving characters, Cloud Atlas- Weaving is one of my favourite villain-playing actors and here, he goes from being an oppressive nurse to an assassin to the devil himself.
• Joe, Killer Joe- Oh Matthew McConaughey, you creepy, creepy man. Never set foot in KFC.
• Stephen, Django Unchained- I found him so much more villainous than his master Candie. A total bastard.

Biggest Villain of 2012- Loki, The Avengers

As I had written in my review, it isn't easy for a relative newcomer like Tom Hiddleston to hold his own against so many big actors playing such super persons, but he does it with a lot of snarkiness and aplomb. 

• Hushpuppy. Beasts of the Southern Wild- Brave, wild, amazing.
• Hulk, The Avengers- Mark Ruffalo and Joss Whedon have made me a fan of the big, green, rage monster. Smash all the aliens! And Thor! And Loki!
• Patrick, The Perks of Being a Wallfower- Oh god, I want a best friend like him!
• Selina Kyle, The Dark Knight Rises- Best part of the film by a batmile.
• Fat Amy, Pitch Perfect- Aca-awesome.
• James Bond, Skyfall- A human Bond is just that much cooler.
• Richard Parker, Life of Pi- Magnificent.
• Princess Merida, Brave- Pixar has given us a great first heroine.
• Tiffany, Silver Linings Playbook/ Weird Girl, Frankenweenie- Because they're both weird and awesome and are going to become my role models (hey, this is my list!).

Best Character of 2012- Marty, The Cabin in the Woods

A prophet and a badass? He is going to become a cult god. Great work by Fran Kranz.

• Cloud Atlas- Just look at all the actors and ALL the characters they portray.
• Django Unchained- Tarantino might just have outdid himself with this cast.
• Skyfall- Craig, Dench, Fiennes, Bardem, Whishaw. Stellar.
• Silver Linings Playbook- There is a reason why this is the first film in 31 years to get nominations in all four acting categories. Love the other supporting actors too, most notably, Anupam Kher.
• The Dark Knight Rises- I don't care about Batman half as much as I do about Alfred, Gordon and Fox. And in this we get Selina and Blake too. Plus, love it when Cillian Murphy shows up.

Best Ensemble of 2012- The Avengers

• Everything Suzy Bishop, Moonrise Kingdom- Another memorable Wes Anderson female character with a penchant for individualistic fashion.
• The surgery machine, Prometheus- When I was sick last year, I kept wishing for this machine so that I could get cured in jiffy. Mighty useful it would be.
• Joe's gun, Looper- Uber awesome.
• Shawarma, The Avengers- I, for one, am very happy that Shawarmas are getting the respect and love they deserve.
• Kirsten Dunst's bitchface, Bachelorette- To master that would be a dream.
• The Aston Martin, Skyfall- Try and tell me that your heart didn't skip a beat when this first appeared in the movie.
• The time machine, Safety Not Guaranteed- Because I need one. Woodstock is waiting for me!
• Bong cup, The Cabin in the Woods- Do I need to explain myself?
• The Bat, The Dark Knight Rises- Do I need to explain myself again?

Coolest Object of 2012- Princess Merida's Hair, Brave

I made this list so that I can have Merida's wondrous, fiery tresses topping a list. I can build an altar to them.

Favourite Quotes of 2012-

(in descending order)

"If you had a chance to change your fate, would you?"

         One of my dream wacky jobs is to wait tables at the cafeterias of Pixar since I'm not actually smart enough to "work" work there, but I'll get to be around pure geniuses and I'm also pretty convinced that I'll get to wear Pixar character costumes as part of my job. So from this one can deduce the following- 1) that I am, in fact, a crazy person, 2) that film and television has romanticized waitresses wayy too much, and finally and most importantly 3) that I love Pixar to death.


         I have watched all the Pixar movies except Cars 2, because I don't want to ruin my perfect idea of Pixar. Okay I did fall asleep while watching Cars, but still. The other ten films have been amazing. Yes, some more than others, but all are brilliant and heartfelt in their own ways. So ever since the first news about their new film, Brave, was released, I have been going nuts with excitement. I finally saw it yesterday, first day first show, and have been pleasantly rewarded.

           Brave is about a free-spirited and tomboy-ish Scottish princess, Merida, who wants desperately to change her destiny of being a well-mannered and lady-like queen, like her mother Elinor. When suitors from the various clans come for her hand in marriage, Merida defies all the traditions and takes drastic steps to so that she can change the mind of her mother, but something goes terribly wrong and it's up to Merida to save her family, and the day.


           Now this synopsis is based on all the trailers so far. In the movie, the relationship between Merida and Elinor plays a huge role, but I don't want to ruin anything. Pixar has its own brand of the unexpected and new. While the whole tomboy rebellious princess thing isn't very novel, the way the movie handles it was. I truly feel that in terms of heart, Pixar movies are second to none, and Brave taps into this wonderfully complex and dynamic and beautiful bond between a mother and daughter and circles everything around it. Like when everyone kept comparing this to a Dreamworks animated feature, the film nerd in me wanted to clarify that the core difference between it and a Pixar feature is that the former is about great, magical adventures and the latter is about finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, and Brave will be no different. I was wrong. Brave is an adventure story- yes; it is about something relatively common like the relationship between a mother and her child- yes, but then that isn't something ordinary. It is among the most incredible things in the world! The fact that it takes something as extraordinary as that, and then makes the film about it, and not just rebelling and fighting and kilts and magic- that is why it wins for me. True it isn't as original as Ratatouille or Finding Nemo, or as impactful as Toy Story 3, but heart is heart, and Brave has loads of it. And I loved it for it.

            Speaking of love, Merida is the red-haired queen of my heart. I have been going crazy about her ever since the first concept art pictures were released. Her hair is a work of art. I recently wrote about the critical eye versus eye candy, and god, I love this film for her hair alone! But then again, she is super awesome even without it. I have written about my Disney-loving best friend many times on this blog, and she had a whole argument with me about how Merida isn't a Disney princess. My best friend is right- Merida is not one because she doesn't sing and doesn't have a prince, but who cares?! She is perfect the way she is. She is exquisite and feisty and funny and caring and independent. Right from the beginning her curiosity and joy entices us to fall in love with her, and as we see her grow up and be rebellious and make mistakes, but then change too, we are very much with her till the end. And beyond. Princes Merida is already a legend, being the first female protagonist in a Pixar film ever. Also as luck would have it, this is the year of Katniss Everdeen as well, and between the two of them, we have the beginnings of a new era of female heroes. Kelly Macdonald did a fantastic job of voicing Merida.


          I loved everyone else too. Emma Thompson voiced Queen Elinor, and she was at the other end of the spectrum of strong women. I mean yes she isn't adept with bows and arrows, but she is one respected and fierce lady. Billy Connoly was King Fergus and he was very funny, especially when he mimics Merida. Kevin McKidd, Robbie Coltrane and Craig Ferguson (!) voiced the various clan leaders, who were hilarious. Julie Walters voiced the Witch. My absolute favourites were Merida's three younger brothers Harris, Hubert and Hamish, who were just adorable.

          The story was by Brenda Chapman, who was also the co-director, along with Mark Andrews. She's the first woman director in Pixar's history so far, and she did an splendid job. The film looked absolutely gorgeous. The Scottish backdrop was rich with colour and details, everything brought more to life by Merida's hair (I'm sorry- I can't stop gushing about it!). The music was superb- very Celtic and appropriate. It just added so much to the feel of a film like this. The film was also really humorous, thanks to the mostly brilliant gags of the genius triplets.


          If I had to talk about any flaws, it would be the decision of showing the totally stunning La Luna before the movie, because that just drips with pure Pixar magic! I mean I was in tears before Brave even started. Brave is definitely less brilliant, but with a fiery-haired and fiery-hearted heroine for the ages and an excellent emotional story, it is definitely a return to form for Pixar and a really lovely experience.


          Go watch it :D

Thoughts

I am sorry I am late again. Okay thoughts.

1) So I introduced my younger brother to Ghostbusters this week. And he loves it! I feel proud. Also, he has declared that Stay Puft Marshmallow Man is the greatest villain of all time. Good stuff.

2) Woody Allen will be starring in John Turturro's new film, Fading Gigolo. This film will also star Sharon Stone and Modern Family's Sofia Vergara. I'm pretty psyched. I find the whole idea of neurotic and nervous Allen conversing with loud and occasionally incoherent Vergara incredibly hilarious. Also I love Turturro, though I haven't seen any of the films he has directed.  

3) Pictures and posters- Johnny Depp's next two films have pictures out. First there is Tim Burton's Dark Shadows. It looks cool (Miss Pfeiffer is the SHIT), but I'm scared to expect a lot. In all fairness I have never not liked a Burton film except Planet of the Apes (I'm terrified of that one). But I was watching Edward Scissorhands last week, and both Burton and Depp together had so much potential then, and they seem to be just wasting it. Especially Depp. Gah!! His other film is The Lone Ranger, which also has Armie Hammer. It's so obvious Johnny Depp would be wearing a crow on his head. He needs to do something toned down and brilliant. He is one of the greats. It's about time he shows that again. Then poster-wise, we have the absolutely lovely Moonrise Kingdom. I had this Matt Smith black and white photo as my desktop wallpaper for about six months since it has the weeping angel and the Ood head and the bow tie and Matt's incredible bone structure etc. and I couldn't find anything to replace it with. But the poster has done it. It is so beautiful and childlike and romantic. I am completely in love with it.


4) I saw American Horror Story this week. It started out terribly. I hate it when things jump around in films and tv shows. I need a flow in things, or I get annoyed very quickly. Thankfully the show picked up its pace and started focusing on things. I really liked Jessica Lange in it, and Zachary Quinto was a pleasant surprise. Taissa Farmiga is really pretty and perfect for a Sofia Coppola film (her next role). Finally I'm in love with a ghost (Tate <3). This always happens. I'm looking forward to the next season in which everything will start anew. I like it when that happens because I generally cannot watch TV shows as they tend to drag on forever.


5) Trailers- Men In Black 3 which is starting to look decent-ish, though I can't really imagine Andy Warhol being an alien-fighting secret agent. Ice Age: Continental Drift has a trailer. Now logically speaking, how is it possible for the same group of animals to survive the Ice Age, the end of Ice Age, whatever the hell happened in the 3rd one (was it dinosaurs?) and now breaking up of the continents? Did it even happen this fast? I'm sorry but this is all I can think of. I don't hate these films and enjoy then adequately (I always cry at the end of the first one), but enough. Brave's Japanese Trailer is awesomeness itself. I almost want to watch it in Japanese now, but I love Scottish accents. Finally people will get off this film's back and stop comparing it to How to Train a Dragon. Pixar FTW.


6) Speaking of Pixar, an artist named Kyle Lambert has made a series of paintings entirely on his IPad, mashing up Toy Story and Stanley Kubrick's horror classic The Shining. It's pretty rad and well, makes one look at the cartoon film in a whole new light.


7) Finally, the Scorsese drinking game has gotten pretty famous. Let's hope we can start a new trend.

YASSS.

I like how I get excited by all this, even though I come from a family of teetotalers.

Okay byee.

Thoughts

July arrives...


1) Okay, so I had been talking about going all tear-jerky and sentimental and awesome for the end of the Harry Potter movie series for ages now. But honestly, I'm at a loss. I don't know what to do. I've been brainstorming for like a month now, and nothing. I had been all like July will be my HP month, except my college starts tomorrow. I have to return to the world of studies soon, and I just can't think of anything HP-related. The only thing I've done so far is make Harry Potter banners. Help, anyone?


2) This week was a great week for trailers. Steven Spielberg's Warhorse, Tomas Alfredson's Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy and my newest favourite thing in the whole wide world, Pixar's Brave- all released teaser trailers this week. I'm in love with Princess Merida...she's even my Facebook profile pic. The story though looks more Dreamworks-y than Pixar-y. Dreamworks' animated films are larger than life, while Pixar's are about extraordinary things in the seemingly ordinary. I think only The Incredibles was the exception, but Brave looks epic. Warhorse looks very beautiful, and though I am not a fan of animal-films (Black Beauty, with the horse talking...I had nightmares) I think this might just be good. Also I am so in love with Emily Blunt post-Breaking the Waves! And Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy looks super-cool. I have a lot of faith in Alfredson; he single-handedly made me proud of being a vampire-fan-person. Let's hope the fantastic Gary Oldman FINALLY gets the Oscar attention he deserves with this.


3) June was officially the month in which I blogged the most. I just hope to keep getting more prolific at this. I had a weird confused start, and didn't know about film blogs till about a year after I had started this blog. I am glad to call myself, with much humility and gratitude, a part of the film blogging community now. It is fun and oh so very educational.


4) Finally, I found the COOLEST THING EVERRRRRRRR on my Tumblr the other day. I would totally pay money to watch a film about the creation of this.

"Flip your Goddamn hair"- Alex, Charlie's Angels (2000)

Bbye.