Lights, Camera, Action!

 What's that? You didn't know Oscar nominations came out yesterday? Your boyfriend didn't jump out of bed at the crack of dawn like his pants were on fire and go straight for Twitter to complain about snubs and rejoice about smart choices with his movie people? You lucky dog.

All his movie talk yesterday got me thinking about the list I made last year - remember, when I sat down and counted out every single movie I saw in theaters last year and came up with a mind-blowing THIRTY FIVE films? Well, that was 2011, and I wanted to see how 2012 stacked up. So I sat down and started counting.

This year's total? Thirty three! That is a shitload of movies. (Rami is grumbling that my number should have gone UP, not down, but let's ignore him.) And once again I decided to be like the film geeks and compile my "Top Ten" list of the year. 

So, without further ado - MY favorite films of 2012. And once again, please remember that I am not a professional film critic - I just date one :)

10. Jiro Dreams of Sushi

It takes a very special documentary to hold my attention and I was riveted throughout the entire showing of Jiro. As a sushi lover, watching Jiro meticulously form each tiny piece of sushi was pure artistry, and I loved the backstory about Jiro's son's struggle to follow in his father's footsteps. Plus, my friend Grace's boyfriend Stefan produced it, and I was so proud of her/him throughout the whole thing!

9. The Dark Knight Rises

I am a total baby and am scared of everything but I got a kick out of Tom Hardy's Bane like nothing else - what a great villain! I saw this film in IMAX and thought Christopher Nolan did a great job of creating lush, sweeping backgrounds that filled the screen beautifully. Also, I loved the twist at the end involving Joseph Gordon-Levitt!

8. For A Good Time Call

If you blinked you probably missed this little independent film in theaters - but you should definitely Netflix it if you can! It stars Lauren Ann Miller (wife of Seth Rogen) and Ari Graynor (who I am pretty sure would be my best friend if we knew each other in real life) as roommates who start a phone sex business and the trials and tribulations they go through on the way. It was hilarious - AND, we saw it on my birthday, and when I tweeted about it, Ari Graynor tweeted birthday wishes back to me! I was dying of excitement. #girlcrush

7. The Avengers

Rami is a HUGE, DIE HARD comic fan. I think I picked up on his excitement about this movie because he was looking forward to it and talking about it nonstop for months! I liked the idea of the good guys fighting on a team against the bad guys. I always say "HULK SMASH!" to Rami now because the Hulk was my favorite :)

6. The Perks of Being A Wildflower

We randomly went and saw this late on a Friday night and I was blown away. Having never read the book, I didn't know what to expect nor did I have any idea of the plot, and thus had no idea it was going to affect me so much! This is probably one of the best "teen" movies I have ever seen - it was so authentic, I cried through most of it. The actors' performances are phenomenal.

5. Skyfall

I get my love of James Bond movies from my dad and this was probably my favorite one of the half dozen I've seen. I thought Javier Bardem was terrific and creepy as the villain and for once in my life, I loved all the explosions. Plus, Adele sang the shit out of that song!

4. Argo

I literally don't know anyone who didn't like Argo. I KNOW it is based on a true story but I am not exaggerating when I say that I was literally biting my nails and sitting on the edge of my seat for the last 20 minutes of the film. At one point I turned to Rami and said "I think I am going to throw up." I thought the story was so interesting and Ben Affleck really directed and shot it beautifully. I don't love watching movies at home but I definitely want to see Argo again.

3. The Hunger Games

KATNISS EVERDEEN FOREVER. I cannot even explain how excited I was for this film and it did NOT disappoint! I saw it twice in theaters (including once on opening night!) and then Rami bought it for me for my birthday - it was in our apartment for 30 minutes before I ripped open the package and demanded to watch it again. I thought this film was a fantastic interpretation of a very complex and intricate book and Jennifer Lawrence KILLED it as Katniss. 

2. Zero Dark Thirty

I love books and films that touch on real-life events and moments in history so I knew I was going to like ZDT, but I didn't expect to like it this much! I thought the filmmakers treated the material with a great deal of respect and really laid out the information in a clear and concise way for the viewers to see and process the film. I did NOT think the film makes the claim that the use of torture got the CIA information that led to them finding Osama Bin Laden - in fact, I think the OPPOSITE and I don't understand how anyone who sees the film could accuse it as such. Jessica Chastain was phenomenal and gives a very powerful, cold performance. Another film I want to see again.

1. Django Unchained

Funny enough, Django was the last movie of the year I saw - but it went straight to the top of my list. I think Quentin Tarantino is a genius - I don't always understand what he's doing or inferring, but I recognize genius when I see it. It's a tough subject but it's examined through a really unique lens, and all the parts of this movie fit together to create an amazing experience - the plot, the dialogue, the soundtrack, the actors, the editing... I was riveted the whole time and could have easily sat through another hour of the film. 

And there you have it! As for the Oscars themselves? I'm rooting for Christoph Waltz, Daniel Day-Lewis, Jessica Chastain and Jacki Weaver. And if (I really should say WHEN, ughhhh) Anne Hathaway wins the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, I am turning off my goddamn television. Yup.

Have a great weekend!