Best of 2012: 4-2

4. Chronicle:

In discussing “The Dark Knight Rises,” I touched on the fact that although the average caliber superhero film has gone up today, there are still few people willing to truly take risks with the genre. Although I praise Marvel Studios for finally being able to distill the perfect formula for superhero movies, the fact of the matter is that getting something nontraditional and of quality is still a rarity.

For all the praise I heap on something like “Captain America: The First Avenger,” all they did was take a World War II adventure story starring a superhero and give it to the man that previously directed a World War II  adventure story starring a superhero. It’s great to finally see Hollywood thinking logically but this essentially like praising a mathematician for figuring out 2 + 2 = 4.

“Chronicle” provides a fascinating deconstruction and character study of superhero tropes as we know and understand them today but even serves as an intriguing science fiction story and a brilliant evolution of the found footage concept which has been getting progressively more tired out.

The twists and turns of the origin story that unfolds onscreen makes for an interesting study of the tropes and dynamic between superheroes and super villains, showing how easy it can be for the same circumstances to lead to 2 completely different outcomes and truly showcasing how dangerous power in the wrong hands can be no matter how good a person is on the surface. The film even makes its own nods to the nature of the conventions that it pays homage to, such as costumes and a climax that is the single most compelling argument for a live action “Akira” movie.

As if the central concept and performances of the newly super powered teens wasn’t strong enough to hold the film together, the framing of the film and the very justification for its found footage style steal the show in ways that I could have never imagined. Right when I thought pretentious bullshit like “Paranormal Activity” had run this trend into the ground, my mind gets blown in ways that I haven’t experienced since I first saw the concept done in “Cloverfield”

3. Silver Linings Playbook:

My process for constructing these lists typically involves tracking where a potential film’s viewing belongs on a list at any given moment of its running time. Some come in high, others low, more shift as the film continues to play out and the rest tend to rise or fall as I think about them. “Silver Linings Playbook” is the only film that leaped across the entire list to take its place below the only 2 films that top it, from second one.

Bradley Cooper stars as Pat Solitano, who upon release from a court mandated sentence at a mental health institute, sets out to win back the wife who left him an come to terms with his own status as bipolar with the help of the separate yet equally insane Tiffany, played by the lovely Jennifer Lawrence. In true David O. Russell fashion “Silver Linings Playbook” is a deceptively simple plot told with characters of highly unpredictable complexity that makes for a romantic comedy that is the calculated opposite of the garbage that the genre is loaded with across any given year.

The wild chemistry between Cooper and Lawrence alone could have held the movie afloat as an entertaining time passer. They’re funny, impulsive, sympathetic, quirky, and likeable leads with an uncommon attraction to one another that proves to be highly compelling to play out. The rich supporting cast however is what truly steals the show. I never would have thought that Robert De Niro would genuinely surprise me but his relationship with his recovering son garnered and chemistry with Jacki Weaver contributed to a heart that goes unmatched in any other film this year.You know you have a special piece of work on your hands when you successfully make Chris Tucker, a lovably endearing character.

To simply say that this is a good film, would be a major injustice; “Silver Linings Playbook” is the feel good film of the year not simply because of its emotional payoff and endearing characters but because it manages to please and satisfy in every respectable facet of storytelling without talking down to a lesser audience. It isn’t simply great; it is everything that every film of its type should strive for.

2. Argo:

“Silver Linings Playbook” took me by storm by crawling its way up my list during every second of its running time. Were it not for the more personal connection that I feel for my number one pick, “Argo” would have easily and undoubtedly swept film of the year, without a second thought.

It’s truly remarkable how straightforward “Argo” is despite the sheer brilliance of its premise. Following a former exfiltration expert’s mission to get 6 Americans out of Iran under the guise of making a movie provides for many an opportunity for the film to mercilessly poke fun at the business of Hollywood.

Ben Affleck doesn’t miss a beat, affectionately displaying the conventions, contradictions, and general quirks of working in the film industry. However, in choosing to focus on the mission of saving innocent lives from becoming victims of an international crisis, the jabs at showbiz become welcome lighthearted jabs to loosen the high tension of an incredibly sensitive operation that can easily end in death for everybody involved.

Even in the high stakes of the Iranian exfiltration, the pervasive sense of emotion is what really locks you into what’s going on. These 6 Americans and their Iranian allies are not simple character archetypes and plot devices; they are living people with real lives waiting for them, facing consequences for their actions, and rarely ever acting in the manner of their apparent stereotypes.

“Argo” was jaw dropping from start to finish. Ben Affleck has really proven himself a man to be taken seriously, directing a film so tense yet with so much human emotion, you almost forget how simple the actual plot is. Between tight direction leading to one of the most tense climaxes that I have seen in my life, a snappy screenplay that knows just how to balance heavy drama with a bit of dark humor, and an all around excellent cast, “Argo” isn’t quite my favorite film of the year but it came pretty damn close to toppling the juggernaut that did.