My Top Films of 2012.

There were so many good movies in 2012! It was quite hard to come up with this list of my favorite ten. I could have easily made a Top 20, there were so many creative, innovative, beautiful, funny, sad, and original movies--there was something fresh about movies this year.

01 Anna Karenina

As I sat in the theater watching the opening minutes of Anna, there was a huge smile on my face. I had no idea what was happening or why, exactly, but I loved what I was taking in because it felt new even though it was based on an old story. Director Joe Wright takes one of my favorite novels of all time and sets it in a theater--on its stage, mezzanine, rafters, and lobbies. Screenwriter Tom Stoppard does justice to the emotions and characters of the novel and so do all the players from Keira Knightley to Jude Law to Domhnall Gleeson. It is different and above all beautiful. I saw it twice in theaters just to witness its power again.

02 Looper

This film also blew me away in a completely different genre. I'm so excited that director/writer Rian Johnson was nominated for Best Original Screenplay for the Writer's Guild Awards. I can only hope the same honor is bestowed when it comes to the Oscar nominations this Thursday! I really do love smart action films (see also: Hanna). Johnson's vision was spectacular, and his story riveting. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emily Blunt, and Bruce Willis were all superb. I enjoyed every minute and surprise in this movie.

03 Zero Dark Thirty

I wasn't quite sure the movie I would be seeing when I sat down to watch this, but ultimately it was engrossing. The story unfolds methodically and sharply, and Jessica Chastain is brilliant. The story is told so objectively, I don't think there should be any media fuss about this 'politics' of this film. It's a great film, based on a true, intense story and I couldn't--and still can't--stop thinking about it. I will probably want to see it again in theaters.

04 Moonrise Kingdom

Joyous, magical, funny Wes Anderson! I remember seeing this opening weekend and sitting next to my best friends grinning from ear to ear for most of the movie. Having just rewatched this on New Year's Day, I have to say the word for it is: delightful. And the story is fun and it looks great--I enjoy Anderson's aesthetics. His casts are always superb, too. (Sidenote: on the blu-ray, there's an special feature called "Set Tour with Bill Murray" and it's hilarious. I recommend watching it!)

05 The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I remember reading the novel years ago, but seeing it come to life was a strange experience--it may be the best novel-to-film rendition I've seen. Perhaps because it was directed by and written for the screen by the novelist himself, Stephen Chbosky. I wanted to embrace Charlie, played by Logan Lerman, just as I had when I read the book. I loved Patrick (Ezra Miller) and Sam (Emma Watson), and wanted them to be my friends, too. Just like the book, the film understands high school and doesn't condescend towards its teenage subjects. One of the best, and emotionally true, movies set in high school.

06 The Avengers

How to get a super-big action movie with tons of superhero characters done right? Call Joss Whedon! Not only did the characters each get their fair share of the story, but it was told well and looked great. Even Scarlett Johansson's character of Natasha Romanoff was improved 1000% from her introduction in the Iron Man series (leave it to the creator of Buffy to finally get a female character right). But above all, the action! The pace and special effect were incredible! Exclamation points!

07 Prometheus

RIDLEY SCOTT, y'all. Visually, this movie ruled. The wide shots alone were stunning. Scott's scope is truly 'epic' and I'll say it here now, if Disney wants a great director for their upcoming Star Wars film, Scott should be their first choice. The story really angered some people, but I wasn't bothered at all while watching the film. I was grossed out at times, but I totally loved it. Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender were great.

08 Amour

I only just recently saw this, but it has an entrancing power that takes hold. I've seen director Michael Haneke's films before, and I was not expecting something so sad. The film is about an elderly Parisian couple, Georges and Anne, whose relationship is tested when the health of one begins to falter. Haneke's shots quietly astound from beginning to end--the viewer is brought into these lives through lens. It's a depressing movie, for sure, but I like that it doesn't gloss over emotions or become melodramatic. It resonates.

09 Life of Pi

I love Ang Lee, but I wasn't sure whether I would take to this story of a boy lost at sea with a tiger. However, as soon as the movie began, I was swept away by Pi(scine), the tiger, his tale, all the philosophical questions it asks, and the wonderful, beautiful way the movie looked. I was audibly gasping at points during the movie--and I saw it in 3D and loved it in 3D, as a person who hates and avoids 3D whenever possible. A truly awe-inspiring experience.

10 Silver Linings Playbook

I didn't know much about this movie going into it, except that it had a pretty good cast and it was directed by David O. Russell, he who last made The Fighter. I didn't realize I was watching something that could be categorized 'romantic' until halfway through the movie. I liked the odd characters and the way they interacted (I'm a Sorkin fan, so I know how to suspend disbelief when it comes to dialogue) and I laughed out loud a lot. Also, I think I may have fallen in love with Jennifer Lawrence during this movie.

On another day perhaps these ten would be switched around, depending on my mood, and you might see some of these Honorable Mentions in the top ten as well --

Lawless
The Sessions
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Magic Mike
21 Jump Street
The Deep Blue Sea
The Cabin in the Woods
Argo
Skyfall
Chronicle
The Impossible
Oslo, August 31st
Safety Not Guaranteed
The Hunger Games

Pretty good:

Django Unchained, The Amazing Spiderman, The Beloved, Compliance, Headhunters, Friends with Kids, Take This Waltz, Snow White & the Huntsman

Okay:

The Master, The Dark Knight Rises, The Loneliest Planet, 28 Hotel Rooms, The Paperboy, Premium Rush, The Woman in Black

Didn't Like:

Les Miserables, The Lucky One, This is 40, Smashed, Sinister

The Worst:

Ted

Still haven't seen: Cloud Atlas, Lincoln, Flight, Rust & Bone, Seven Psychopaths, Holy Motors.

I saw a lot of movies this year! Sometimes the mark of a good year is how many movies I actually make sure to see. I should note that there were some great performances even in the movies I didn't like--Anne Hathaway in Les Miserables and Leslie Mann in This is 40 were wonderful, but the directors of their movies were the culprits of my disdain for the films as a whole. And I loved Joaquin Phoenix in The Master, but the film failed me in its story (I also may be the only person that didn't like Phillip Seymour Hoffman in it). Ann Dowd in Compliance was one of the top performances of the year, and I hope she gets more recognition for it. Nicole Kidman in The Paperboy, Tom Hardy in Lawless, both Helen Hunt and John Hawkes in The Sessions were all wonderful. And I don't understand why Michael Fassbender's David from Prometheus is getting no love from the awards this year, either.

My entertainers of the year, however, are without a doubt Channing Tatum and Jennifer Lawrence. Who knew Tatum could be as funny as he showed in 21 Jump Street? Or smart with bringing Magic Mike to Steven Soderbergh? Lawrence impressed me immensely years ago in Winter's Bone, but this year as Katniss in The Hunger Games and Tiffany in Silver Linings Playbook she's won me over completely. Not to mention all her late night and red carpet interviews; the girl's witty and hilarious, and I want desperately to hang out with her.

I don't think my top ten would match anyone else's--which is why I love this diverse year of movies--so what were your favorite films of 2012? If you have a list posted somewhere, please link it! What was your worst film of 2012? Let's talk movies!

Some of my past top film posts: 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011

My Year in Books: 2012.

Ever since I challenged myself in 2009 to read 52 books in the year, I established some good reading habits to keep up the momentum. I've relaxed on the challenge aspect of reading, since I don't want to deter from reading longer books just because they may take more time. This year I managed to read 30 books; this guy read 366. Whatever.

I wish I could keep up with books as they are published--that I could make a 'Best Books of 2012' list, but I don't have the money (or desire) for hardcovers and I have enough unread books on my shelves--which is the main reason I try not to buy new books on my Kindle or at a store. (I cheat sometimes.) And my family does a good job of gifting me books! I think I read one novel that was released this year, and that was because of the hype, which it lived up to. I would recommend it to anyone: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

Here are the rest of the books I read this year in chronological order, the star rating I gave them on Goodreads, and those that are bold became all-time favorite books of mine.

01 The Best American Magazine Writing 2011, ASME *****

02 Post Office, Charles Bukowski **

03 The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories, Joseph Gordon Levitt ****

04 East of Eden, John Steinbeck *****

05 Belle de Jour, Joseph Kessel ***

06 Important Artifacts and Personal Property from the Collection of Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris, Leanne Shapton *****

07 The House of Mirth, Edith Wharton ****

08 The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories, Ernest Hemingway *****

09 The Blind Assassin, Margaret Atwood *****

10 A Moveable Feast, Ernest Hemingway *****

11 Interpreter of Maladies, Jhumpa Lahiri *****

12 Victory, Joseph Conrad ****

13 The Golden Notebook, Doris Lessing ****

14 Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy Kaling ***

15 Norwegian Wood, Haruki Murakami *****

16 Three Lives, Gertrude Stein *

17 Evelina, Frances Burney ****

18 Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury *****

19 Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn ****

20 The Beautiful and the Damned, F. Scott Fitzgerald ****

21 Frankenstein, Mary Shelley *****

22 The Marriage Plot, Jeffrey Eugenides **

23 The Rest of Life, Mary Gordon ****

24 The Heretic's Daughter, Kathleen Kent ***

25 My Mistress's Sparrow is Dead, Jeffrey Eugenides ****

26 Monster: Living Off the Big Screen, John Gregory Dunne ****

27 On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King *****

28 1Q84, Haruki Murakami **

29 The Stand, Stephen King *****

30 The Best American Magazine Writing 2012, ASME ***** (even though I'm not done yet, this volume is already at five stars...)

I would recommend East of Eden to everyone. If you're looking for something weird and creative, Leanne Shapton's Important Artifacts and Personal Property..., structured like an auction catalog and made up of the remains of a fictional relationship was a fun experience. And for years I've been kind of 'meh' on Stephen King, but upon reading On Writing and asking my dad (a King aficianado) his favorite novel by the author, The Stand is a new favorite. In fact, my dad and I challenged each other to a 'cast that novel' challenge since there are rumors Ben Affleck wants to direct a film version (hopefully a trilogy). I even made a page of who I would cast, like a nerd.

My shelves have been replenished since Christmas, and I've got The Group by Mary McCarthy, The Liars' Club by Mary Carr, The Secret History by Donna Tartt, another Gillian Flynn, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, and The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller in the queue.

What was the best book you read last year? Have any recommendations? Any other The Stand fans or other books on this list? Contrarian opinions? Did anybody actually like reading Gertrude Stein? Any 2013 books you're excited about?

Ice breaks on the concrete in the city street.

Today we took down the Christmas tree. I took some final fun photos of our blue and gold decorations, and then Jesse decided to decorate me. Like he does.

Our place looks a lot more empty now.

In the mist of some sweet afternoon.

Last night I got home from work exhausted; I had even fallen asleep on the subway ride home, my book open in my lap as my head bobbed up and down. Jesse and I ordered arepas and tostones for dinner and then I sequestered myself in our room with Netflix and Pee Wee and chamomile tea.

Since I was sleepy, I wanted a light movie that I may not have to pay attention to completely. I chose Like Crazy, and I chose wrong for a light, romantic movie. After I was fully awaken by that movie, I delved into Take This Waltz. What's weird about these two movies is though entirely different, there were similar themes, or, maybe similar questions raised about relationships, love, 'soul mates,' and romantic decisions. Life decisions, really.

Like Crazy is about an American man and British woman falling in love during college in the United States. They are in love...like crazy. When her student visa runs out, Anna makes the mistake of staying in the U.S. an extra week with Jacob, effectively (and unknowingly to her until it's too late) banning her from re-entering the U.S. The movie is a heartbreaker--their lives must carry on and they have to figure out whether the long distance is worth it if their appeals to the embassy are never approved, if they can circumvent the ban by getting married, and what happens when they become attracted to other people. As someone who has been in long distance relationships, the emotions that come across felt realistic. The ending was ambiguous to a certain extent -- and it made me SAD. All caps sad. But I wonder if it's just me, personally, that is sad. Would someone else watch it and see hope and happiness? I wouldn't call myself a cynic, but when it comes to love and relationships, I'm a realist.

What I liked best about Like Crazy was how the story unfolded -- there was no dialogue or title cards that informed on their decisions or the passing of time. Instead, the movie would just show you. In one scene they're on the phone and she begs a question; you know his answer not because he says anything but because it cuts to him watching someone else leave with a box of things, and then he's on a plane. I enjoyed the way the director revealed these plot points, and how he trusted the audience to discern what had happened on their own.

After the movie was over, I went downstairs and explained everything to Jesse in a big huff and he looked kind of bewildered and then just laughed at me. I trudged upstairs for another movie.

Take This Waltz has been on a few people's top ten lists this year (or, rather, last year's?), and so I knew I had to watch it before I made my own (coming soon!). The film is about Margot, a Canadian woman who lives with her husband Lou, a guy making a cookbook of chicken recipes. Their marriage seems happy if somewhat strange in its cutesy--she speaks to him in a baby voice sometimes ("I wuv you") and sometimes they act like two children playing games in a fort at summer camp. It's the most twee relationship I've ever seen depicted. It was kind of gross.

In the midst of this, Margot meets their neighbor Daniel who flirts with her a whole lot, even though she says she will be faithful to her wonderful husband. She's still curious, though. Let's be honest: Daniel is really, really, ridiculously good looking. Coincidentally last night, Amber was also watching Take This Waltz in her own home and we started texting about the movie (almost as good as watching a movie with my bestie!), and at one point we were just sending emojis to each other about how "balls hot" this guy was. And also, water aerobics.

I digress. So Margot is like, man, my marriage is awesome and I love my husband, and we've been married five years but... Daniel is different. Everybody, I think, can understand that feeling. At least the 'what if?' scenario. I have to be say, I'm not sure this movie would work--that Margot would work with the audience as well as she does--if she was not played by Michelle Williams. Williams is a likable, adorable woman. If Margot was played by someone that audiences didn't like as much, I think she'd come off completely differently, and most audiences wouldn't like her or what she does or this movie, at all.

The ending of this movie made me think of the ending of Like Crazy. I thought it was pretty sad and negative and depressing. There were a couple of things that signified that to me, even though it could be taken as wholly a happy ending. It was written and directed by Sarah Polley, and I enjoyed the movie overall, and liked her focus on Margot and her complexities. There was one particular scene in a cafe (one that made me burst out laughing so that Jesse could hear down below) that seemed so clearly written by and intended for women... it's seductive and funny, and I thought about that scene later during the ending sequences. The two together, the before and after, make me wonder and question--always good when watching a movie.

After the end, though, I did burst out with, "Ugh, RELATIONSHIPS!" I think that's a good reaction to these films. Had these two ended in traditional rom-com fashion, I would not have liked them as much. Who needs to see another tightly sealed happy ending? These movies give much more to work with, since they attempt to ask the audience something about themselves, I think.

Has anybody else watched these movies? I tried not to spoil either of them, but I recommend them. And also feel free to tell me what you thought of the endings. Were they happy or sad? What did you think overall? I'd love to discuss in the comments!

Everything I got in my cabinet brain.

Drinking tea, also part of my prescription.

I'm on day three of antibiotics, and the good news is that the supposed superinfection seems to have abated the pressure in one of my ears. The other ear, not so much.

The bad news is that I cannot visit my family this weekend since the stress of traveling and a party wouldn't be too conducive to the whole 'relaxing' thing I'm supposed to try. It's quite a sad day since a small group of my family from Panama just flew in to stay for the month. I'm bummed I won't be there this weekend, but I will definitely see them when they visit New York later in the month, and hopefully I can get another weekend home.

Still, sadface.

And also, Sickface.

Last night, in keeping with my prescription, my friend Amber came over and we watched The Loneliest Planet which was just added to Netflix Instant. It starts out with a shot that immediately begs about ten questions, and then it's all lush landscapes and eeriness and two or three moments. It's a meditative movie, and one that makes you think afterwards--maybe about relationships or trust or the meaning of being alone. It was okay; beautifully directed, but almost too restrained to fill two hours.

 

There have been a lot of movies I've wanted to see added to Netflix Instant (Oslo August 31st, Take This Waltz, etc.), coupled that with the handful of movies I got for Christmas, and you can probably guess what I'll be doing this weekend. Also, I'll probably finally post about my 2012 in books and film!

Funny story about my desk at home (where I write most of these posts, and where I'm pictured above, last night) -- for some reason my cat Pee Wee just loves to sit in my lap while I do computer stuff. It's real weird. He sits on my lap at other times, but as soon as I'm in my desk chair he scurries over and then jumps right up and usually I have to hold up either his butt or his chin to his comfort (he's a bit spoiled). So here he is last night:

He makes me feel like an evil genius while I read the internet.

He got so mad when I kicked him out so I could type this up! That is all. Here's to Friday and a full recovery this weekend, hopefully!