"I like the way you die, boy."- MY FAVOURITE FILMS OF 2012

        Oscars is tomorrow/today people (depends on your time zone)! What better time to finally post my list of favourite 2012 films? Enjoy.

Honourable mentions- Frankenweenie for showing us the awesomeness that Tim Burton is still capable of, Your Sister's Sister for being just so simple and lovely, Killer Joe for being just the opposite in all its perfect creepiness.

20.

The Dark Knight Rises (Dir: Christopher Nolan)

I have my issues with this film, but it is still one helluva action bonanza with a lot of things to say. The cast is excellent, and this is probably the best ending to the Dark Knight trilogy one could ask for.

19.

Beasts of the Southern Wild (Dir: Behn Zeitlin)

After having watched this film, I just was at a loss of words. Not so much as just being blown away but because I had nothing to compare it to. I have never seen anything of this sort. It's a modern fairytale. It's a commentary. It kind of glorifies poverty. All I know was that I loved whatever had transpired and that Quvénzhane Wallis is a tiny goddess.

18.

Looper (Dir: Rian Johnson)

One of my best experiences in the cinemas all year. I could feel myself gaping at moments. Takes the used-up time-travel plot and twists it to give us something new and memorable. Great performances as well.

17.

Talaash (Dir: Reema Kagti)

The big secret at the end had already been spoiled for me when I went to watch it. Still, I was quite surprised at it and how well-handled it was. It might not work for everyone, but the shady 70s thriller feel, a social commentary on prostitution in big cities and one gorgeous performance by Kareena Kapoor makes it a winner in my eyes.

16.

The Deep Blue Sea (Dir: Terence Davies)

This film haunts you with its melancholic beauty. As much as I love the period settings and the cinematography, it is the cast of actors led by Rachel Weisz that really seals the deal for me.

15.

Les Misérables (Dir: Tom Hooper)

I did not want to like this film, but I did. A lot. I loved most of the singing (ugh Russell Crowe!) and the settings and the story. The performances by Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway too were excellent. It's just a very pretty film.

14.

The Cabin in the Woods (Dir: Drew Goddard)

What an awesome, crazy film. One of the funniest, most original movies of the year that both mocks and embraces the horror genre. Has some of the greatest scenes and characters too.

13.

Brave (Dir: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, Steve Purcell)

Pixar is back on form with this completely unique princess tale that most magically focuses on the relationship between a girl and her mother and is not about some silly prince or glass slippers or anything of that sort. Princess Merida is too awesome for that. Also, absolutely gorgeous animation.

12.

Holy Motors (Dir: Leos Carax)

I desperately need to rewatch this film to fully form some opinion on what the hell this film is about. In spite of that, I had just such a great time watching all of the mysterious Mr. Oscar's adventures and Denis Lavant's performance is fantastic.

11.

Magic Mike (Dir: Steven Soderbergh)

OBJECTIFY ALL MEN! Also, thank you Mr. Soderbergh. More films like this should be made, and not just for all that. Could not stop smiling throughout its running time though.

10.

Bachelorette (Dir: Leslye Headland)

It's just one of those films that I end up loving more than others. I thought it was really smart and bitchy and was a very interesting insight into the lives and minds of these women. Brilliant cast!

9.

Moonrise Kingdom (Dir: Wes Anderson)

I have to find some other word to describe it other than 'magical' but I always end up with it or synonyms thereof. It is stunningly shot and designed, has a story about the magic of growing up and that first love, and it's just so funny and sweet.

8.

Argo (Dir: Ben Affleck)

Definitely the best made movie of the year. It is entertaining, smart, thrilling, uplifting. A cool period piece that is more about a situation than any political stands. I would be very happy if this won Best Film at the Oscars.

7.

English Vinglish (Dir: Gauri Shinde)

I was so blown away by the simplicity and the brilliance of this film. A film that I personally relate to being an Indian girl. It is incredibly well-made and balanced and I love all the messages that this film gives. I wish all Indian films could be as smart and socially aware and well-acted as this.

6.

Ruby Sparks (Dir: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris)

An adorable romcom that is also about the creative process and the inner workings of a male mind. It also breaks open the "manic pixie girl" mould. And I love Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan.

5.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Dir: Steven Chbosky)

I don't think any film this year has made me so simultaneously happy and sad. I turned 20 last year and I have been feeling so lousy about my life so far and here comes a movie about beautiful young people and feeling infinite and whatnot. Just makes me wish I could go back to being 16 and really do it right this time round.

4.

Skyfall (Dir: Sam Mendes)

Oh gorgeousity! I could have never fathomed being this in love with an action film's look, but here we are. It is also a fantastically made film with a great story line and very memorable performances. Bond has never been better in my eyes.

3.

Django Unchained (Dir: Quentin Tarantino)

It's not flawless, but it is very close to being so. Tarantino tackling slavery seems like such an absurd idea, but god, did he pull it off! It's brutal, it's honest, it's spectacular to look at. Added to that the quintessential Tarantino elements of killer dialogues, magnificent violence and unforgettable characters.

2.

Cloud Atlas (Dir: The Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer)

Pure entertainment and ambition. All the stories, all the lives, all the genres- it is just marvelous. It should have been impossible to pull off, but with a running time that clocks to nearly three hours, it is one of the most engaging and inspiring films of the year.

1.

The Avengers (Dir: Joss Whedon) and Silver Linings Playbook (Dir: David O. Russell)

Speaking of impossible stuff, I just could not choose between the two. While I am a bigger fan of The Avengers, a film I have been raving about ever since I saw it, the Bollywood spirit in me cannot allow a romcom like Silver Linings Playbook, that is about real people and ends with a dance number, to place anywhere but at the top. I have enjoyed and loved these two movies. The characters, the chemistry, the performances, the highly unlikely chances of either being this fucking good(!), and the final acts, all have led to me choosing both The Avengers and Silver Linings Playbook as my number 1 movies of the year.

       So there you have it. These are all my end-of-year lists.

My Favourite Performances of 2012

My Favourite Scenes of 2012

My Favourite Fight Scenes of 2012

12 Shots of 2012

My Favourite Everything Else of 2012

       What did you think?

HELLO OSCAR NOMS!

      The Academy for Motion Pictures and Arts are going to announce the nominees for the 85th Academy Awards soon. There are still a number of "Oscar" films that I still haven't watched yet like Silver Linings Playbook, Les Miserables, The Sessions, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and The Master, among others. So basically the following are my wishlist/predictions for the Big 5 and Supporting categories.

Best Film: Once again we do not know how many there will be. My gut says it will be less than last time (9 nominees).

Mine- 1) Cloud Atlas

2) Django Unchained

3) Argo

4) Beasts of the Southern Wild

5) Holy Motors

6) Skyfall

7) Moonrise Kingdom

8) The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Special wish that has no chance- The Avengers. Eat slugs, Avatar!

Theirs- From my list, I reckon only Argo will make it in for certain. Django Unchained, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Cloud Atlas, Moonrise Kingdom are maybes and Holy Motors, Skyfall and The Perks of Being a Wallflower will take a lot of effort and genuine love on the part of the Academy voters. Lincoln is probably the only definite nominee there is, which is a shame because I fell asleep in it. Zero Dark Thirty is a frontrunner too, though I was not all *that* impressed. I haven't seen other possibilities like Les Miserables and Silver Linings Playbook. Life of Pi is another strong contender. Amour seemed like a frontrunner some months back but I guess it will only prevail in the Best Foreign Film category.

Winner- I really don't know right now, and I kind of like it.

Best Director: The year of the returning winners and new hope.

Mine- 1) Wachowski Siblings & Tom Tykwer, Cloud Atlas

2) Ben Affleck, Argo

3) Wes Anderson, Moonrise Kingom

4) Ang Lee, Life of Pi

5) Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained/ Michael Haneke, Amour

Special wish that has no chance- For the fanboys out there, Joss Whedon, The Avengers and Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight Rises

Theirs- Past winners such as Steven Spielberg for Lincoln, Kathryn Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty and Tom Hooper Les Miserables are almost locks. From my list, I think Affleck and Lee might be locked. Michael Haneke's nomination for Amour is long-awaited, so it would be nice. 

Winner- I would choose either the Cloud Atlas team or Affleck. I think one of the past winners might get the big prize though, with a possible blindside from Affleck.

Best Actress: Old and new and everything in between. Haven't seen enough from this category.

Mine- 1) Quvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild

2) Rachel Weisz, The Deep Blue Sea

3) Marion Cotillard, Rust and Bone

4) Emmanuelle Riva, Amour

5) Jennifer Lawrence, The Hunger Games

Special wish that has no chance- Princess Merida, Brave (no, I do not accept the fact that she isn't real).

Theirs- Lawrence is getting nominated for her role in Silver Linings Playbook, for sure. The other decided nominee and frontrunner is Jessica Chastain for Zero Dark Thirty, who I liked but did not like enough. My favourite Wallis has very little chance unfortunately, and Weisz's powerful performance is also doubtful to make it through. Naomi Watts might get in for The Impossible. Helen Mirren and Judy Dench are possibilities too, for their work in Hitchcock and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel respectively. Keira Knightley is standing on shaky grounds for her role in Anna Karenina.

Winner- Wallis has blown me away and I doubt I will see a better female performance this year. For the Oscars, it is a fight between Chastain and Lawrence, with Riva being a dark horse.

Best Actor: I'm on the same boat with this as I am with the Best Actress category. Depressing.

Mine- 1) Denis Lavant, Holy Motors

2) Denzel Washington, Flight

3) Jean-Louis Trintignant, Amour

4) Mads Mikkelsen, The Hunt

5) Jack Black (I know, right?!), Bernie

Special wish that has no chance- Logan Lerman, The Perks of Being a Wallflower/ Daniel Craig, Skyfall

Theirs- Daniel Day-Lewis is our god etc. I liked him in and as Lincoln, but meh (please do not come to my house with pitchforks, please!). Only Denzel will make it through for my list, sadly. Even though I have not watched the film, I am really dying for Hugh Jackman to be nominated for Les Miserables. Other possibilities are John Hawkes for The Sessions, Bradley Cooper (I knowww, right?!) for Silver Linings Playbook, Richard Gere (eep!) for Armitage and Joaquin Phoenix for The Master, if he hasn't antagonised all the voters yet.

Winner- Lavant's performance is mindblowing, and too out there for Oscars. DDL's fandom knows no bounds, so yeah, he's probably going to pick up Oscar #3.

Best Supporting Actress: Uhhhhhhhhhh.

Mine- 1) Rosemary DeWitt, Your Sister's Sister

2) Anne Hathaway, The Dark Knight Rises

3) Rebel Wilson, Pitch Perfect

4) Judy Dench, Skyfall

5) Jennifer Ehle, Zero Dark Thirty

Special wish that will never happen- The three women of Bachelorette.

Theirs- Let's just say, none of mine. Hathaway will be nominated for Les Miserables. Sally Field for all that in Lincoln, Helen Hunt for The Sessions and my favourite unseen performance by Nicole Kidman in The Paperboy. Maggie Smith for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Amy Adams for The Master are big possibilities.

Winner- This award is Hathaway's to lose. I am already impressed with her, so I guess she is my pick too.

Best Supporting Actor: Once again, my favourite category.

Mine- 1) Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained

2) Ezra Miller, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

3) Matthew McConaughey, Magic Mike

4) Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
5) Michael Fassbender, Prometheus/ Dwight Henry, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Special wish that will never happen- Alan Arkin doesn't get nominated for Argo, because I do not understand this much love.

Theirs- Arkin. Ugh. Robert De Niro is apparently back in full form in Silver Linings Playbook, so good for him. Philip Seymour Hoffman is another film geek god, so he will probably be nominated for The Master. Leo might get ousted by or be competing against co-stars Christoph Waltz and Samuel L. Jackson. In the most unexpected turn of events, people are really rooting for Javier Bardem in Skyfall (love it).

Winner- It's time for Leo. Please! He bled his own blood for the role! And he plays a happy person (somewhat)! Called Calvin J. Candie! When will the stars align to give us something like this again?!

Best Original Screenplay: Interesting year.

Mine- 1) Wes Anderson, Moonrise Kingdom

2) Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained

3) Zoe Kazan, Ruby Sparks

4) Rian Johnson, Looper

5) Michael Haneke, Amour

Theirs- They love Zero Dark Thirty loads. I think everyone in my list except Ruby Sparks can make it through. Also The Master is a good bet.

Winner- It's between some of my favourite filmmakers this year- Tarantino, PTA, Wes Anderson

Best Adapted Screenplay: Can comic books prevail?

Mine- 1) Steven Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

2) Joss Whedon, The Avengers

3) Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer and Andy Wachowski, Cloud Atlas

4) Chris Terrio, Argo

5) Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Theirs- Silver Linings Playbook and Lincoln are sure bets. Adaptations of super famous books like Les Miserables, Life of Pi and Anna Karenina are possibilities too.

Winner- Chbosky wrote the script based on his own bestselling novel. He's already a winner in my eyes. Silver Linings Playbook and Argo are frontrunners for the Oscars.

These winners are preliminary. We'll see if and how my decisions change.

Making the Case for The Perks of Being a Wallflower

        
           So I know that I already made a post for Stevee Taylor's blogathon but the gracious Screen Actor's Guild awards and the AMAZING Amazing Spider-Man have already made it redundant. I am almost scared to write this post because clearly my favourites go nowhere, but once again, it has to be done.

       One of my most eagerly anticipated films of this year was The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and what a joy it is when the film meets all of your expectations head-on. I know Stevee wants singular aspects to be championed in this blogathon, but I have to focus on three things I absolutely loved in this movie, that I think are Golden Globe nomination-worthy at least.

Steven Chbosky wrote the famous coming-of-age book more than ten years ago and then he adapted and directed it himself. What more can one want? I love that the writer of the book wrote the film. He obviously knows the story more than even the most pious readers, and it was him who brought it to us. I read the book last month and I can safely say that the movie is better than it. I find it very hard to imagine epistolary novels into movies, and I am not particularly fond of them either. But The Perks of Being a Wallflower does away with that, while still keeping the essence of it.

Logan Lerman captures Charlie so beautifully in this movie. The outsider-ness, loneliness, friendliness, confusion, love that one would associate with Charlie is brought to life by him. He is both heartbreaking and incredibly relateable in this film. As my friend pointed out, it is a little hard to accept that someone who looks like Logan Lerman would be a loner, but he makes us believe that. One of the best roles that can be given to a young actor, and Lerman does full justice to it.

Now for this, I demand Oscar attention, like I did for Ezra Miller's equally brilliant performance in last year's We Need to Talk About Kevin. In that, he played the teenager none of us want to meet. In Perks, he might just be the teenage best friend of my dreams. As amazing as Miller is when he is being the outrageous and loud Patrick (that Dr. Frank-N-Furter routine!), he is just as incredible when he delves into the deeper and darker aspects of this glorious teen. I honestly think that he is one of the most exquisite young talents we have today, and Miller proves that yet again in Perks. I doubt I will see a better supporting performance this year.

        There you have it. Be infinite award voters! Give this truly excellent film what it deserves.

Thoughts

       Wazza people? Did you know that 'totes' and 'amazeballs' are words in the dictionary now? And this meme doesn't apply because they are an actual part of English. Memes, you have failed us. Personally I find 'totes' funny, but that's just me.

1) September has turned into unofficial Doctor Who month on this blog. Sorry if that inconveniences anyone. I'm just really in love with this show.

2) Film Buzz- Ewan McGregor will now star in August: Osage County, along with Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Benedict Cumberbatch, Juliette Lewis, Abilgail Breslin, Chris Cooper, Dermot Mulroney, Sam Shepard, Margo Martindale and Misty Upham. Phew! Some cast that. Also Zero Theorem, the new Terry Gilliam film with Christoph Waltz in it, will now have Tilda Swinton too. If that isn't a dynamite trio, I don't know what. Then Christian Slater will join the Lars Von Trier's Nymphomaniac, which already has Shia La Beouf, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe. It sounds really fucked up. My thoughts are exactly that of Sati's. Ew.

3) Links- Read this uber-adorable post on Mette's Journey to Wes Anderson Land.

4) I didn't publish this last week because I thought about dedicating a whole post to it, but then it hit me that I have done a lot of Harry Potter tributes on this blog. Anyways, this is "Mischief Managed: A Harry Potter Retrospective"-

Needless to say I was in tears by the end of this. I have realised that I can no longer watch a Harry Potter film without feeling a little sad inside. These were such a special series of films; you can see it from the video. From the look to the music to the absolutely epic cast of actors, and the story itself is so great. I just wish that they would have been more appreciated.

5) TIFF news and reviews are pouring in from everywhere. So here is what I have surmised so far- To the Wonder is Terrence Malick's weakest film yet, Ben Affleck's Argo is probably the best out there (Roger Ebert has gon as far as to say that it will win the Best Picture Oscar this year)- both very unexpected. Mixed reviews for Cloud Atlas, The Place Beyond the Pines, Like Someone in Love, Seven Psychopaths and a lot of love for David O. Russells's Silver Linings Playbook though it's supposedly total sell-out on the part of the usually eccentric director. The Master too hasn't received the universal acclaim one would expect from a Paul Thomas Anderson film, which is the most surprising conclusion of all. The one I am now looking forward the most too, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, is getting really good reviews! Also the newly re-cut On the Road is supposedly better. I can't wait to see all these movies!

6) A Whole Lot of Trailers and an Ad- A second Cloud Atlas trailer has come out, that is half the length of the former. I am really looking forward to this film actually. It looks absolutely stunning. The new Elle Fanning film, Ginger and Rosa has a trailer out. It looks really beautiful and apparently Fanning has done a brilliant job in it. I'm a fan, so I really want to watch it. Midnight's Children, which is Deepa Mehta's adaptation of one of my favourite books ever. I think the trailer looks really good, and though different from how I imagined it would look like, I am really looking forward to see how this one pans out. A Late Quartet, which has a very impressive cast boasting of Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener and Christopher Walken. I am not entirely intrigued by the trailer- it's kind of meh. The new horror film with a very goth Jessica Chastain and Jaime Lannister (his real name is too big) Mama has a trailer out. It looks pretty bad. But that is forgiven because have you seen this ad for Yves Saint Laurent with La Chastain, directed by Nicolas Winding Refn? I want to marry it. Then there is Smashed with Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Aaron Paul. The trailer looks okay but word has it that the film is really good and Winstead has given a stellar performance. Lincoln, whose trailer had a teaser for it- lolwut? Anyways, it reminds me too much of the super-awful War Horse which wasn't that terrible in itself but for all the unnecessary praise it received. THAT NOMINATION BELONGED TO DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 2! Never forget. Daniel Day-Lewis is a shoo-in for an Oscar nom though. Duh. Finally there is the trailer to the much-awaited Aamir Khan-starrer Talaash that completely delivers on what we had expected. I am so glad such films are still being made. I really hope it is good. 

7) Btw, how do you like the new banner? It's one of my most favourite ones yet. 

8) Finally, continuing from the earlier Jessica Chastain appreciation-life avenue of thought, I give you this (Stevee must be overjoyed)-

She's making me fall in love with purple all over again. Votte goddess.

That's it for now I guess. Byee.