Top 5 Films of 2012

Well, it ended up being a record-breaking year for Hollywood in 2012. It was a little touch and go there for a while. Things started out great with blockbusters like The Hunger Games and The Avengers but cooled considerably over the course of the summer as seasonal grosses and attendance dropped to their lowest numbers in 20 years. Fortunately, the studios had aces like Lincoln, Skyfall and The Hobbit up their sleeves this fall to rescue the industry and ultimately deliver the kind of mind-boggling year everyone assumed was a forgone conclusion back in January.

2012 wasn't just a bank-bursting year for Hollywood grosses, it was tops for number of releases as well. A staggering 653 films filled the screens of multiplexes and art houses from January through Christmas. I did my part and caught roughly 30 of them. Below are five of my favorites.


1. Moonrise Kingdom: No other film put a smile on my face and kept it there like Wes Anderson's 1960s-set tale of two young, mismatched lovers who run away from home and send their small New England island into turmoil. Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand and Bruce Willis all give terrific, quirky performances and every shot offers some kind of wonderful little relic of nostalgia that engulfs you like a warm, snug blanket.

2. Bernie: Chances are you missed this comedic little gem from Richard Linklater about portly mortician Bernie Tiede (Jack Black) who befriends and then kills a wealthy Texas window (Shirley MacLaine). Black gives the performance of his career as the magnanimous, overtly effeminate Bernie, prancing through every scene with such infectious gusto you just can't help but root for him. Trust me, even with the subject matter, you won't stop laughing with this one.

3. The Dark Knight Rises: Christopher Nolan's thrilling, epic conclusion to his Batman trilogy just hit all the right notes for me. Even at 165 minutes, I walked out of the theater and instantly felt like seeing it again (I didn't, the wife wouldn't let me). And the ending just may be the best ever for a super-hero film. It still makes me smile just thinking about it.

4. Skyfall: Not just Daniel Craig's best turn as 007, the best Bond film in nearly 20 years. Just a slick, richly textured and highly satisfying piece of entertainment. Oh and Javier Bardem makes a pretty good villain, too.

5. Life of PI: Ang Lee's adaptation of Yann Martel's beloved novel is just a joy to behold on screen. Every shot penetrates the soul and reminds us just how powerful the art of cinema can be. This is definitely one to experience inside a theater.

If I Could Choose Five More: 6. Silver Linings Playbook 7. Robot & Frank 8. Lincoln 9. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen 10. Django Unchained

Happy New Year!

Top 5 Blu-rays of 2012

So did you finally get that Blu-ray player this year? No? If you've got an HDTV and love movies, Blu-ray really is the best way to replicate the movie-theater experience in the comfort of your own home.

The format continued to take some impressive strides in 2012. In addition to getting high-def editions of such classics as Lawrence of Arabia, Chinatown, Sunset Boulevard and Casablanca, cinephiles were treated to a 22-film James Bond 50th anniversary set, a 14-film Alfred Hitchcock collection and not one, not two, but five of Steven Spielberg's most beloved and iconic films.

If you're expecting a Blu-ray player this holiday season or plan to upgrade in the near future, you can't go wrong with the five releases below, my favorites of 2012.


1. Lawrence of Arabia - Sony Pictures Home Entertainment: Arguably the greatest widescreen epic of all time, David Lean's 1962 masterpiece has always been one of those films best experienced inside a theater, not your living room. Well if you can't convince your local cineplex to screen a print, Sony's new Blu-ray is the next best thing. Restored and remastered at 4K resolution, The 50-year-old film is truly a sight to behold on Blu. Everything, from the sand of the desert to Lawrence's white flowing robes, just sparkles anew and makes the once-exhausting 227-minute running time actually enjoyable.

2. Jaws - Universal Studios Home Entertainment: Steven Spielberg's 1975 thriller about a man-eating shark terrorizing a small New England island never gets old (I screen it every 4th of July) and thanks to Universal's new digital restoration, it's never looked or sounded better. Throw in the new feature-length documentary The Shark Is Still Working and you're definitely going to need a bigger screen for this one.

3. Casablanca - Warner Home Video: The crown jewel of the Warner library got a new 4K digital scan and the result is nothing short of amazing for a 70-year-old black and white film. The image is exceptionally crisp, remarkably fluid and above all else, classically cinematic. With this one, Warner Brothers proves a perfect film can actually get better. Play it again, Sam.

4. Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures - Lucasfilm/Paramount Home Video: While it would have been nice to have this set for Indy's 30th anniversary last year, the Blu-ray debut of the intrepid archaeologist's first three cinematic adventures (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom and Last Crusade) is a welcome one. (Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was released on Blu in 2008 and is also included.) While each of the four films look and sound great, the true Holy Grail here is a new Raiders documentary that features several deleted scenes, including Indy's extended tussle with the Cairo swordsman.

5. E.T. - Universal Studios Home Entertainment: Everyone's favorite little alien turned 30 this year and to mark the occasion Universal and Steven Spielberg ditched the silly 2002 special edition and rolled out a newly remastered print of the original classic that looks and sounds as good as it did in theaters back in 1982. The real bonus, however, is the E.T. Journals, a newly discovered feature-length making-of documentary that puts you right on set and unfolds as a Spielberg-taught master class in filmmaking.

Next Week: Top 5 Films of 2012

Top 5 Albums of 2012

2012 was another satisfying year for music. Not only did we get great new albums from the likes of Dylan, Knopfler and Springsteen, but we were graced with long-overdue efforts from Neil Young and Crazy Horse (two albums, actually) and a David Lee Roth-fronted Van Halen. Throw in an eclectic rocker from Jack White and a welcome surprise from John Mayer of all people and my ears were kept happy pretty much most of the year. Below are five of my favorites:

1. Born and Raised - John Mayer: Never really considered myself a John Mayer fan until I heard the single Queen of California, liked its laid-back vibe, and thought I'd give the rest of the album a try since I had a few bucks left on a giftcard. That was in May and damned if I haven't played that disc at least once a week since. (I'm actually listening to it as I write this). Each of the 12 tracks is a soothing, melodic little gem, like a lost classic from the singer/songwriter era of the '70s. It's the perfect listen for a Sunday morning or a lazy day at the beach. Favorite tracks: Queen of California, Walt Grace's Submarine Test, January 1967

2. Privateering - Mark Knopfler: I've been a fan of the erstwhile Dire Straits frontman's solo work since 1996, have all of his albums and one thing has remained remarkably consistent over the last 16 years: the guy can not release a bad collection of songs. His new one, a 20-track, Celtic-infused double album, is no exception. This is another set I haven't stopped listening to since I got it. Favorite tracks: Miss You Blues, Go Love

3. Wrecking Ball - Bruce Springsteen: The Boss' 17th studio album, his fifth in the last seven years, is a timely 11-track mix of folk-tinged arena rockers and recession-themed ballads that prove America's favorite Jersey boy is just as relevant today as he was 40 years ago. I actually saw him perform live last week, my fifth such occasion over the past 20 years, and the 62-year-old is nothing short of a miracle: simply the best live performer on the planet. Favorite tracks: Shackled and Drawn, Wrecking Ball

4. Blunderbuss - Jack White: Jack White's first solo album since the White Stripes disbanded last year is an infectious, wildly original 13-song set that gets you moving from the opening track and doesn't let up until the needle slips off the disc 40 minutes later. We knew going in that White was a great musician. With Blunderbuss, he emerges an artist. Favorite tracks: Sixteen Saltines, I'm Shakin'

5. Tempest - Bob Dylan: My wife always laughs when I tell her a new Dylan album is coming out. Granted the 71-year-old's voice may a bit gravelly and incoherent at times, but there's no denying he's still a great musician and songwriter. His 35th studio album offers 10 richly textured folk tracks, half of which are over seven minutes in length, that seem just as pertinent and impassioned as anything he's done in the last 50 years. Favorite tracks: Duquesne Whistle, Tempest


Next Week: Top 5 Blu-rays of 2012