5. The Impossible
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| © 2013 - Warner Brothers |
Or as it should otherwise be known: the Passion of Naomi Watts. Watts
packs a huge punch of emotion as the battered, but strong in spirit Maria, a
mother whose tears of pain make the devastation of the Tsunami feel as real as
it looks. Boosted by strong direction from Spanish filmmaker Juan Antonio
Bayona and special
effects of the highest technical standard, the recreation of the Boxing Day Tsunami is terrifying
to behold. Supported by a good performance from Ewan McGregor and a
surprisingly strong film debut by theatre child actor Tom Holland. Not necessarily
a family film, but a film about family, both heartbreaking and heartwarming,
The Impossible teaches us there’s nothing stronger than the human spirit.
4. Django Unchained
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| Photo by Andrew Cooper, SMPSP |
Quentin. Quentin. Quentin. Django Unchained has Quentin Tarantino
written all over it – for better and worse. As expected, he has served up a violent,
funny and brilliantly acted spaghetti western that follows a freed slave (Jamie Foxx) who treks
across the United States with a dentist turned bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) on a
mission to rescue his wife (Kerry Washington) from a cruel plantation owner
(Leonardo DiCaprio). Amidst an excess of blood, guts and irresponsible fun, Tarantino’s
direction ultimately boils down to a 20-minute character-driven set
piece in which Calvin Candie gets into an intense
argument with Schultz (brilliantly acted by Waltz) over money, loyalty, love and politics.
Unfortunately, the film is far too long and by the time Tarantino shows up in
the third act for a cameo performance, we know it has all gone too far. Django
Unchained is a well-scripted and well-acted modern western, and may have made
it lower on the list had it been for a severe edit.
3. The Place Beyond the Pines
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| © 2013 - Focus Features |
Derek Cianfrance’s The Place Beyond the Pines is an
ambitious, thrilling and deeply intense psychodrama about fathers, sons and the
legacy of sins that are passed down through the generations. Luke Glanton,
played by Ryan Gosling, is a luxuriantly tattooed motorcycle stunt rider who
turns to a life of crime and undergoes a spiel of bank robberies to provide
money for his family. Beautifully and realistically shot, Cianfrance follows a
Greek tragedy element that pervades these stories, as we move from one to the
next, each character’s fatal choices causing consequences that reverberate down
generations. A real drama with meat on its bones, The Place Beyond the Pines
is a splendidly acted, gripping roller coaster ride, rife with daddy issues. Edge-of-your-seat
intensity makes for one of the most compelling watches of this year thus far.
2. Silver Linings Playbook
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| © 2012 - The Weinstein Company |
Who would have thought, a romantic comedy to make my
top five films of the year so far? Coming in at number two, Silver Linings
Playbook, a feel-good drama comedy about two tortured souls learning to love
again after two short lived marriages. Bradley Cooper shines as Pat Solitano, a man
trying to mend broken fences with his estranged wife by exuding confidence and
positivity, exemplified by his new life motto, “Excelsior”. Jennifer Lawrence
is both scary and sexy in her Oscar Award winning role as Tiffany, an angry and
bitter self professed "crazy slut" who has spiraled into depression after the
death of her husband. Pat and Tiffany form an unlikely friendship and examine
their relationships with each other while training to compete for a dancing
competition. It will make you laugh and cry in one sitting, Silver
Linings is a smart, clever, wacky, funny romance, and certainly one worth
seeing. Featuring a sincere supporting performance from Robert De Niro.
1. Anna Karenina
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| Photo by Laurie Sparham – © 2012 - Focus Features |
To take over 1000 pages of (what I consider to be) the greatest novel
ever written and adapt it into a feature length film of less than two hours seemed
an insurmountable task. If there was anyone suited for the job it was Joe Wright,
a man whose back catalogue is evidence of his exceptional ability to produce
original and stylish films without compromising on character or story. His bold
adaptation of Tolstoy's Russian classic romance is a triumphant and energetic
visual feast. Of course, to tackle every detail of the novel would be
impossible, but Wright gives naysayers a run for their money and directs with
nuance, and expert technical detail – his ingenious choice of setting the
characters on a stage, and following them with long tracking shots while the
set changes around them, is an inventive and rewarding stylistic choice. Some
critics have wrongly called it style over substance, but Wright utilises a
visually strong storytelling device to match Tolstoy’s rich and dynamic prose.
Featuring a bravura performance from seasoned period actress Keira Knightley,
Anna Karenina makes for a captivating thesis on love in all its forms. It’s not
everyone’s cup of tea, but the combination of beautiful sets, lavish costumes
and a strong cast is a feast for both the heart and the eyes. A sublime score by Dario
Marianelli, once again.
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