MikeyB's Movie Night: Top 5 Films of 2012

MikeyB's Movie Night: Top 5 Films of 2012

Writer: MikeyB

Editor: Deanna

#5: Looper - Directed by: Rian Johnson

 In the year 2074 if the mob wants to kill someone they send them back in time 30 years to 2044 and have a "Looper" do the deed and dispose of the body. Our protagonist Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is one of these "Loopers" whos’ next mark is actually his future self (Played by Bruce Willis) who manages to escape from him and causes his employers to hunt down both of him. Director Rian Johnson has managed to deliver one of the most original and smart films in years and Bruce Willis gives one of the best performances of his career in this mind bending Sci-Fi/Thriller. Looper was not only one of the best films of 2012, but one of the best Science Fiction films of all time.

A Fun Fact from IMDB for Looper:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt had prosthetics to make him look more like Bruce Willis in order to play his younger self. He also watched a lot of Bruce Willis films in preparation for the role so that he could impersonate some of his mannerisms.

#4: ParaNorman - Driected by: Chris Butler, Sam Fell

 Norman is a misunderstood boy with a special gift: He can see and speak to dead people. He lives in a small town that has come under attack from a witch that was murdered centuries ago and must use his gift to save the town, his friends, and his family. Made by Laika Entertainment and utilizing the same brand of stop motion animation used on the company's last film Coraline, ParaNorman is simply breathtaking with its visuals. Add on a great voice cast and a smart script and you have an animated film that adults might just enjoy more than children.

A Fun Fact from IMDB for ParaNorman:

The film was shot using a Canon 5D Mark II DSLR Camera. To generate the 3D effects, the camera was mounted on a special rig that would take one shot, then slide to a slightly different viewpoint to take another shot.

#3: The Dark Knight Rises - Directed by: Christopher Nolan

 After an 8 year hiatus Batman/Bruce Wayne is drawn out into Gotham City by a new threat to the metropolis: A masked mercenary named Bane who has set up his home in the sewers of Gotham and is declaring war on the rich and powerful of the city. TDKR closes out Christopher Nolan's "Batman Trilogy" spectacularly and once again proves that he is one of the best directors working in Hollywood right now.

A Fun Fact from IMDB for The Dark Knight Rises:

While doing promotional interviews for the film Tom Hardy stated that the most difficult parts of the movie to shoot were the fight scenes. Not because of the physicality of them, but because he was such a huge Batman fan growing up that he said "it felt like I was beating up my childhood hero". However he also said that despite his worship of the character, the moment Chris Nolan yelled 'action' Hardy just started throwing punches as hard as he could.

#2: The Cabin In The Woods - Directed by: Drew Goddard

 The story is familiar: five friends go to a remote cabin in the woods and are killed off one by one in imaginative and gory ways until they discover......oh I can’t ruin the surprise for you, but suffice to say that if you are a fan of horror you will not be disappointed. The Cabin In The Woods is one of the most original and funny Horror/Comedies ever made and the most fun I had at the movies last year.

A Fun Fact from IMDB for The Cabin In The Woods:

The film's release date was postponed because the studio wanted to convert it to 3D, despite objections from Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard. These plans were eventually scrapped, and the film was released only in 2D.

#1: Cloud Atlas - Directed by: Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer

 Cloud Atlas is about how a person’s actions echo through the past, present, and future and how they affect and shape us all. It contains stories spanning centuries that are Sci-Fi, Period Drama, Comedy, Mystery, Romance. The cast plays multiple roles and the stories are all interwoven, though through brilliant editing the viewer is never lost . All the actors involved inhabit and portray their roles in stunning fashion and the score is the best I've heard all year. Cloud Atlas is an epic masterpiece of a film and moved me in ways that few movies do and I now count it as one of my top favorite films of all time, let alone of 2012.

A Fun Fact from IMDB for Cloud Atlas:

All cast members have several roles in the final film, spanning different times, races and even sexes. This was achieved through prosthetics, wardrobe and tight production times to switch actors between units. For instance, Halle Berry described the experience of filming as a Jewish woman in the 1930s under the direction of Tom Tykwer one day, then switching to an old tribal woman under the helm of the Wachowski siblings, and then again as a environmentalist in the 1970s, all in the same week.