But I'm too lazy to go find out.
I thought 2011 was sort of a crappy year for film.
Meaning most films that were released at the end of 2011,
and awarded in 2012.
I mean the films that were nominated for the 84th Oscars in 2012.
The best was The Help,
and I could of gone without seeing the rest.
I think they picked it up in 2012 though
(films that we will see nominated in 2013)
So far these are my top favorites...
not in order...
because I am still trying to figure out which one I loved more.
1. Les Miserables: Ugh. It really was as good as everyone said. I am so glad they changed it up and had them sing live, instead of in a studio. Anne and Hugh were just incredible. (we are on a first name basis). I got full body chills more than once, and cried three times. I first saw the play when I was three. THREE. I didn't stir or whine through the whole thing. My mom played the music on a cassette TAPE in the car, and we would sing along. After seeing it a hundred times after that, it still has not lost its magic. I thought the director did a beautiful job. My ONE and only qualm is that I thought Russell Crowe was sort of a poor casting choice. I love him as an actor, but I thought his awful voice was really distracting. Stephen and my brother were Les Miserables.
2. The Impossible: GASP. Have you seen it? I was white knuckling it through so many scenes. I felt my heart strings being tugged on with brute force. I LOVED this film. I am always a fan of Naomi Watts, and the little boy? He was so wonderful. If you need a good cry, watch it. Oh and I never want to live near the ocean. It's confirmed.
3. Zero Dark Thirty: If you love Homeland (which, seriously, who doesn't?) then you will love this. It is so fascinating, and well done.
4. Django Unchained: whoa. This film was rough. Like, covered my eyes a couple times, rough. Now, I am not the type of person that won't see a film because its too gory, or has some sexy stuff in it...I can disconnect in that way for the sake of a good film...but this definitely is not for the weak stomachs or faint of heart. However, its Quentin Tarantino..so I was somewhat prepared for some brutal magic to happen on screen.
5. This is 40: I am usually not a big comedy person. But I love everything Judd Apatow does, and he did not disappoint here. Hilarious. We all loved it.
6. Silver Linings Playbook: I realised (thanks to all of you in the comments below) that I forgot to list this one earlier. This was the first film I went to see while in LA. It was completely not what I had expected it to be going into it. I am a huge Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence fan, and as per usual, I thought they were both so wonderful. It is a lot darker than the trailer suggests, and such an interesting and beautiful play on mental illness. The five films above I would maybe say I loved a little more, but this is still a worthy watch.
6. Silver Linings Playbook: I realised (thanks to all of you in the comments below) that I forgot to list this one earlier. This was the first film I went to see while in LA. It was completely not what I had expected it to be going into it. I am a huge Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence fan, and as per usual, I thought they were both so wonderful. It is a lot darker than the trailer suggests, and such an interesting and beautiful play on mental illness. The five films above I would maybe say I loved a little more, but this is still a worthy watch.
Tonight we are watching Argo.
I have heard it is great.
Has anyone seen it?
Any others I should know about?
Any of the above you liked or disliked?
This is honestly my favorite topic to talk about.
The last time you guys suggested TV shows I added like 10 to my list...
A special thanks to those who suggested Parenthood and Girls.
Well done.
I have heard it is great.
Has anyone seen it?
Any others I should know about?
Any of the above you liked or disliked?
This is honestly my favorite topic to talk about.
The last time you guys suggested TV shows I added like 10 to my list...
A special thanks to those who suggested Parenthood and Girls.
Well done.
I loved Argo. I'm a huge Ben Affleck fan, though, so it was expected. I haven't seen ANY of those 5 movies -- but they're all on my watch list.
ReplyDeleteI cried 4 times during les mis...beat you. I couldn't help but chuckle at a few of Russell's singing parts - love him usually, but needed his character to be a little more unlikeable;)
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see some of your suggestions. x
Argo was fantastic - I was literally on the edge of my seat and holding my breath frequently throughout the movie.
ReplyDeleteI had big plans of seeing many movies while back in North America but I didn't even make it to one. How did Stephen do with Les Mis? In other words, can I drag my husband to it and he'll still talk to me afterwards?
I agree with them all, you are so wise ;). however, i haven't seen Zero Dark Thirty yet and I'm dying to. About Argo, Sean went to see it and was somewhat disappointed with it. I guess the plot develops somewhat slow. Now don't fret darling... it seem 2013 will be a magical one more movies. Lots of alien movies coming our way... YES! (That's my huge inner nerd jumping up and down with joy hehe)
ReplyDeleteWe saw Life of Pi recently which is something I didn't anticipate enjoying, but I found myself walking out of the theater perplexed - which sometimes really bothers me with films, but for this one I was ok with it. I never read the book, but we both thought the film was good. Don't know if it would beat your top picks up there since I haven't seen most of them, but it's something worth seeing, I think.
ReplyDeleteAll of these movies are on my list, I wanted to see Argo so badly but we didn't get around to it. We did manage to see Skyfall last weekend though and it was very good. I was surprised by how much I liked it.
ReplyDeleteIll have to check out Skyfall. It wasnt something i was originally drawn to but maybe i should give it a chance.
DeleteArgo is amazing! So good!
ReplyDeleteI have heard it is SO good. cant wait.
DeleteArgo is almost too much to handle, but beautifully directed and written. You know the end result, but you are still anxious the entire 2.5 hours. I was amazed at how realistic the protest scenes were, and the conflict really echos what is going on in other countries today. It stuck with me, and I still think about some of the lines.
ReplyDeleteIf you want a slightly more upbeat movie, Silver Linings Playbook is a dark comedy, but is up there on some of my favorite movies of all time!
I saw Silver Linings! Im so dumb. haha. It was the first film we went to see when we got to LA. That was awhile ago so thats probably why i forgot because i really loved it. I am a huge bradley cooper fan ;)
DeleteAgreed Agreed. Les Mis made my heart flutter and it was magical. So good. Going to see Zero Dark Thirty this weekend...Here on the east coast we didn't get the early release, boo. Addicted to homeland so I know it will be a winner in my book. Homeland is filmed here in Charlotte so its super fun to see my city all over the show
ReplyDeleteI am a huge homeland fan. probably one of the best shows on tv. You will love Zero Dark Thirty
DeleteMy absolute favourite topic as well :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen most of the "Award Season" films yet, because well.. I live in Holland and we're slow here. But I absolutely loved Les Misérables. Eddie Redmayne, sigh.. <3
I'm seeing Gangster Squad tomorrow! And The Impossible next week - can't wait. X
The UK is just as behind as well. Hence why I had to see all of them when I got to the USA. BUT we have managed to get a few online. Its not the same as seeing in a theatre..but sometimes worth it ;)
DeleteArgo is amazing. So, so good. Silver Linings Playbook is also one you must add to your list.
ReplyDeleteP.S. After 5 months of living in the library -- away from the internet -- I may or may not be trying to do this blog thing again....if I remember how.
Argo is great. I highly recommend Silver Linings playbook. It was a bit different than was advertised, but not in a bad way. Great acting all the way around. Very real depiction of a person struggling with mental illness and the effects it has on family. Also, Lawless was great. I'm not usually a fan of Shia LaBeouf, but he was great in this film. Jessica Chastain and Tom Hardy also do not disappoint. It's a bit bloody at times (I had to turn my head a few times), but not too much so.
ReplyDeleteah yes!! I saw Silver Linings playbook! I loved it!! Was the first one i saw out of all of the above..probably why I forgot..was so long ago. So different than what I had expected, and I loooveeee Bradley Cooper ;)
Deletei still haven't seen les mis--i know i should hang my head in shame. but everyone says that russel crowe is a bad casting choice and now think i won't be able to think anything else.
ReplyDeleteoh and i am worried it doesn't do the musical justice, maybe i will just go to the west end one more time before i see the film.
Russell crowe was a huge let down for me. But it definitely didnt take away from how amazing the film is. Trust me..i am such a die hard les mis fan so went in preparing to be a little let down..but it was incredibly well down.
DeleteI've seen all these save for Zero Dark Thirty, which I plan to see soon. Same with Argo! I had been meaning to see this in theatres and time ran away from me! But I've now seen most to the Oscar buzzing films and you should add Silver Linings Playbook to your list and Hitchcock! That was really well done! :)
ReplyDeleteI cannot wait to see zero dark thirty! Looks so good!
ReplyDeleteI was kind of hoping your favorite topic was oreos. But this is cool, too.
Argo is amazing. AMAZING. And everything else on your list... i need to see ASAP. I'm slacking in the movie department. like... big time.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone, Argo was fantastic. Since I knew so little about the Iranian hostage situation in the 70s, the movie was extremely suspenseful for me because I couldn't predict the ending. One at the top of my list is Anna Karenina. So good! With the director from Pride and Prejudice and Keira Knightley, how could it not be great? You should also give the soundtrack a listen...it's fabulous! But the one I'm really waiting for is Great Gatsby, which was supposed to come out at Christmas, but Les Mis took it's place instead.
ReplyDelete-Jess
I can't beleve you posted about this!, because I watched "The Impossible" last night and it's still in my thoughts. It was an unbelievable true story!!
ReplyDeleteSO GOOD right?!!!
DeleteI haven't seen an of those yet! We rarely go to the movies anyway, and unlike you, I can't detach myself from movie brutality. This means I'll be waiting until Django and ZeroDarkThirty come on on video so I can close my eyes, fuss around in the kitchen, or mess around on the computer - whatever it takes to distract me from those scenes. I'm such a wuss.
ReplyDeleteHere are some of my favorites in no particular order, if you haven't seen them, you should give them a chance!
ReplyDelete1. Moonrise Kingdom
2. Bernie
3. Lincoln
4. Safety Not Guaranteed
5. Ruby Sparks
6. Your Sister's Sister
7. The Five Year Engagement
I loved Argo! I thought it was fantastic and I really appreciated the lengths they went to in order to represent the events as accurately as possible. Sometimes real life is more interesting than fiction and this is definitely one of those cases.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I love Judd Apatow (I'm even re-watching Freaks & Geeks right now...) I didn't enjoy This Is 40. Maybe it's because I'm less than a decade away from 40 but the freakin' movie just depressed the eff out of me.
hahaha. I could see that happening actually. If i watched it from that perspective, it is pretty depressing.
DeleteArgo is SO GOOD!!!!! I freaking loved it. You have to let us know what you think!
ReplyDeleteI will! I am even more excited to see it now after reading these comments!
DeleteI agree about this year- they've stepped it up for the movies! Especially this fall & winter. Argo was so good! And I'm obsessed with Les Mis .... and Eddie Redmayne now, haha. I may have rocked out to the cassette tape too :)
ReplyDeleteSeeing Silver Linings Playbook this weekend and am very excited!
Argo is awesome!!! Have you seen Moonrise Kingdom (Wes Anderson)? It's one of my faves of 2012 - I hope it gets nominated for something!
ReplyDeleteS and I watched it but I didnt like it! :( Stephen really liked it though. I fell asleep half way through. Just wasnt my kind of film..but could be just me.
DeleteI have to see Silver Linings Playbook and Argo--I hope you like it! The last movie I saw in theaters was a Danish film called A Royal Affair. If they have it in a theater there, go see it! It was a perfect historical (and true!) love story.
ReplyDeletelove these recommendations!! I haven't seen a movie for ages and obviously I am missing out!
ReplyDeleteAgreed on all counts! You will like Argo, as well! I really enjoyed Flight (I thought Denzel did an amazing job portraying an alcholic!) and I LOVED The Five Year Engagement...which is a good one to watch because you're engaged! Holla!!!
ReplyDeletei will have to watch Flight! I saw the five year engagement..i enjoyed it a lot...but definitely the ones listed above i enjoyed just that bit more.
DeleteI loved Argo! And I definitely have these movies you listed on my list to see ASAP! Xoxo
ReplyDeleteThese movies are on my list and I have to see all of them...hopefully soon. sometimes i feel i don't have enough time to get everything done...but argo and silver lining playbook are a must.
ReplyDeleteand yay for parenthood. glad you like it.
If I told you I hadn't been to the movies in 4 years would you defriend me? I know...I'm hiding my head in shame. I will, however, be adding all of these to my Netflix queue and watch it say "release date unknown" for a few months ;)
ReplyDeleteDE-FRIENDED. jk. In scotland, we watch the majority of movies online. I took advantage while in the US and saw Les Mis, Silver Linings PLaybook, and This is 40...the rest i watched at home online in Scotland.
DeleteYou might even enjoy The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Seriously Oscar worthy!
ReplyDeleteArgo is a great movie! .... it was my hubby's choice to go see it and I loved it!
ReplyDeleteArgo came in the mail from SAG the other day (still keep up with my dues, ya know...just in case!)...Maybe tonight will be a movie night. Can't wait to compare notes! xx
ReplyDeleteArgo is great! I loved it (I loved it even more considering I got it as a screener so I got to watch it from the comfort of my own couch!) Cant wait to hear how you liked it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, so I pretty much live under a rock because I've seen none of those. Sooo bad. I really want to see Les Miserables though- maybe this weekend.
ReplyDeleteStephen and your brother were les miserables. Ha. I didn't like this is 40 which surprised me. Bummer. I want to see some of the others you mention here. And an English teacher at my high school (not anymore but taught there while i was there) wrote silver linings play book. Boom. And I haven't seen Lincoln but I think it'll be getting some awards.
ReplyDeleteI loved Argo. I think Ben Affleck got robbed with not getting an Oscar nom for director. Of the ones you've listed I've seen Les Mis, Argo, and Silver Linings Playbook. I would rank them 1) Les Mis (I mean come on, amazing), 2) Argo (I knew what happened and I was still on the edge of my seat), and 3) Silver Linings Playbook (acting was awesome, movie decent--I feel like they made it seem like finding the girl cured him.) Anyway, I really liked all 3. I want to see Lincoln now--I've heard it's really really good but I can't imagine it being better than Les Mis.
ReplyDeleteArgo is easily the best film I have seen in a really, really long time. Pitch Perfect was so bad it was good, so you know, defs worth seeing. I'm a bond fan, so you know, Skyfall probably needs to be recommended.
ReplyDeleteLet me know what you think of them!
Oh Girls... I can't wait for season 2 to start! It's just so... real!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you like it. :)
We never go to the movies so it will be a while until I see any of these movies.
I loved Les Mis and Django Unchained! Especially since my two favorite actors are Christoph Waltz and Anne Hathaway. I also thought Lincoln was spectacular. Abraham Lincoln is my favorite president, so I'm a bit biased. But they portrayed everything right down to the lighting to how I imagined times during the Civil War. Also it was filmed in central Virginia, where I lived, so I watched them film here and felt so inclined to loving it.
ReplyDeleteI've been a bad Oscar nominated movie fan this year. But I did see Les Miserables and Django Unchained. Whoa to both. I cried too much during Les Mis, especially at Anne's scene [we're on a first name basis too, duh]. Django was ridiculously good, minus two violent parts I couldn't watch and the gratuitous use of the "n" word. Snaps all around.
ReplyDeleteI want to see silver linings Playbook but I keep hearing that's it's really dark like you mentioned. I don't know if I can handle that for the mental illness.
ReplyDeleteI really liked Argo. Its American-ized, which is a shame considering the focus should be on the Canadian ambassador, but still very good. I liked Silver Linings Playbook, it was well acted but I just kind of expected more based on how much it was hyped up. Zero Dark Thirty was completely amazing. Loved it! Skyfall is also REALLY good, so good that I've actually rewatched it, which I never do. I've made it a goal to see all of the Oscar-nominated films for this year (ambitious, I know), so I'm sure I'll have some more suggestions for you as I make my way through them.
ReplyDelete