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

Five Autumn Films Worth Falling For

You can probably tell from the lack of posts the last four months that I didn't see many movies this summer. Odds are you didn't either as seasonal grosses were down and theater attendance was the lowest it's been in 20 years.

Of the 209 films released from May through August this year, I caught nine of them, roughly two a month. Of the nine, I enjoyed five: The Avengers, Bernie, The Dark Knight Rises, Moonrise Kingdom and Robot & Frank.

Was it the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado that draped a dark shroud over the season and kept people at home? Perhaps (I can tell you I sure felt uncomfortable going to movies and writing about them after that). Perhaps it was just the rising costs of seeing a crappy, uninspiring film in the company of a bunch of inconsiderate, text-happy patrons; especially when you can wait 90 days and see it in the comfort of your own home for virtually the same price, if not cheaper.

Whatever the reasons, the studios have four months to get moviegoers back in theaters and help their bottom lines. The good news is they've got some worthwhile offerings this fall that just might bring the masses back. Below are five I'm putting my money on (in order of release).

The Master: Paul Thomas Anderson, the acclaimed auteur of Boogie Nights, Magnolia and There Will Be Blood, returns with his first original feature in five years. This one takes place in the '50s and centers around a volatile WWII veteran (Joaquin Phoenix) and his relationship with a magnetic author and spiritual guru (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Hoffman denies the reports that the film is inspired by L. Ron Hubbard and the early days of Scientology. Whoever or whatever the muse, anything Anderson does is worth seeing in a theater opening weekend. As an added bonus, select locations will screen 70mm prints. (Sept. 14)

Flight: Robert Zemeckis returns with his first traditional live-action film since 2000's Cast Away. This one features Denzel Washington as a airline pilot who miraculously saves a plane-load of passengers from certain doom only to have his alcoholism placed on trial. Sounds a little depressing, I know, but Zemeckis is a true craftsman who knows how to make tough subjects entertaining as well as thought-provoking. And Washington is....well, he's Denzel. (Nov. 2)

Lincoln: Sure it's directed by one S. Spielberg, sports a script by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner and features a cast that includes David Stathairn, John Hawkes and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. But all you really need to know is how utterly amazing Daniel Day-Lewis looks as our 16th president (take a gander at the poster above for proof). As far as the story, I don't care if Honest Abe is hunting vampires, selling vacuums or teaching yoga, I'm there opening week, as you should be. (Nov. 9)

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Peter Jackson returns to Tolkien's Middle Earth for this Lord of the Rings prequel, this time telling the story of hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he accompanies a group of dwarves on a perilous journey to reclaim a dragon-guarded treasure. Guillermo del Toro was initially attached to direct but bowed out due to scheduling conflicts. While I'm a fan of del Toro's work, this was always Jackson's story to tell. If there's one film the rest of the year that will bring people back to theaters, this is it. ( Dec. 14 )

Django Unchained: It's hard to believe it's been 20 years since video store clerk Quentin Tarantino exploded on the scene with Reservoir Dogs. Seven films and an Oscar later, he's still one of the most wildly entertaining and original filmmakers working today. His new one's a spaghetti-infused Western and features Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds) as a bounty hunter who enlists the help of a slave called Django (Jamie Foxx) to help track down his quarry, the same men as it turns out who abducted Django's wife. Throw in that great Tarantino dialog and Leonardo DiCaprio as a nefarious plantation owner and we've got a Christmas present that won't require a gift receipt. ( Dec. 25 )

Five more that look intriguing: Trouble With the Curve (Sept. 21), Looper (Sept. 28), Argo (Oct. 12), Killing Them Softly (Oct. 19) and Hyde Park on Hudson ( Dec. 7)

Five Summer Films You Should Care About

With the release of Marvel's The Avengers, today marks the start of the summer movie season. Over the next four months, Hollywood will trot out close to 100 films for your approval, stacking them up each week like jetliners quietly awaiting takeoff.

Unless you have a box of unused theater gift cards lying around from the holidays, chances are you're not going to make the studio execs' year and see them all. I mean, you have taste, right? You can't be bamboozled into paying twelve bucks for a blatant Transformers remake conveniently named after an iconic board game? Right? Sure. You want to see fresh stuff, movies that entertain as well as endure. Well, I'm here to help. Below are five films that promise to do both (listed in order of release).

Moonrise Kingdom: Wes Anderson, the writer/director of Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums, returns with his first original film in five years. This one features Anderson vets Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman and concerns two young kids who fall in love, run away together and send their small New England town into turmoil. Throw in Edward Norton, Francis McDormand, Tilda Swinton and Harvey Keitel and you've got the makings of another irreverent masterpiece. Anderson's films are like Norman Rockwell paintings fused with Peanuts TV specials. (May 25)

Prometheus: Ridley Scott's "don't call it an Alien prequel" sci-fi thriller follows a band of futuristic space explorers as they investigate a mysterious planet with ancient ties to Earth. One look at the trailer and you know we're going to get some face-hugging-induced terror circa 1979. With Scott returning to both the franchise and genre that made him a legend, get ready for one hell of a cinematic ride. (June 8)

Brave: I have to admit that Disney and Pixar's tale of a medieval Scottish princess who forges her own identity while saving her kingdom from a nefarious witch (I know, is there another kind? Sue me, I needed an adjective) doesn't look all that appealing to me. But I said the same thing about The Incredibles, Ratatouille and Up upon their release. It's pretty much a given: Pixar makes a movie, you go and fall in love with it. (June 22)

The Amazing Spider-Man: I enjoyed Sam Rami's first two Spidey films, hated the over-bloated third one and hoped the franchise was done, at least for another decade or so. Then Sony announces a hasty reboot; I roll my eyes until I hear the name Andrew Garfield. This guy is a dead-ringer for the Peter Parker found in the comics, not to mention one heck of great actor (Red Riding Trilogy, anyone?). Throw in the director of 500 Days of Summer, the wonderful Emma Stone and the Lizard as a villain and you've got my attention once again. (July 3)

The Dark Knight Rises: Seriously, if this film isn't at the top of your list this summer, you just don't like movies. Christopher Nolan wraps up his Caped Crusader crime trilogy in truly epic fashion as billionaire Bruce Wayne must resurrect his tarnished, long-dormant alter-ego to rescue Gotham City from the clutches of ruthless terrorist Bane. Won't surprise me if the final cut is close to three hours long. (July 20)


Here's five more that look promising: Dark Shadows (May 11), The Dictator (May 11), Rock of Ages (June 15), Total Recall (August 3) and The Campaign (August 10).

That Other Titanic Movie

As this weekend marks the centennial of the Titanic sinking, I thought it might be interesting to revisit probably the least-known and easily forgotten cinematic tale centered around the doomed ocean-liner.

Sure, we've all seen James Cameron's 1997 Oscar-winning epic Titanic; a few of you may even remember Roy Ward Baker's A Night to Remember (1958) and Jean Negulesco's Titanic (1953). As one would expect, all three films focused on the ship's maiden voyage and its eventual sinking that chilly, ice-infested night in April 1912. There is one film, however, that actually concerns traveling the two and half miles to the ocean floor and bringing the ill-fated ship back to the surface with the help of a special foam pumped into her hull. Yes, you read that right: a special foam. That film is 1980's Raise the Titanic.

Based on Clive Cussler's 1976 novel of the same name, Raise the Titanic tells the story of a covert U.S. government plan to find the ship, raise it using the aforementioned foam and a few well-placed explosives and retrieve a rare mineral called Byzantium stored inside her hold. It seems this mineral is the crucial ingredient to a weapon-deterrent initiative, one that could render nuclear warfare obsolete.

The retrieval expedition is led by retired Navy captain and adventurer Dirk Pitt (Richard Jordan) and Naval Intelligence scientist Dr. Gene Seagram (David Selby). About as compatible as oil and water, both clash early but eventually put aside their differences as the ship is finally discovered and prepped for salvage. To complicate matters, the Soviets (this is 1980 afterall) get wind of the mineral and the operation to retrieve it and set in motion a final, winner-take-all confrontation aboard the resurfaced water-logged behemoth.

It's a bit hard to suspend disbelief when watching Raise the Titanic. While the salvage technology may exist, it's rather hard to fathom it being used on a ship of Titanic's size. Coupled with what we know today of the vessel's current physical remains via the Robert Ballard and James Cameron expeditions for National Geographic, ludicrous is a word that comes to mind frequently while watching the film, especially when the fully intact ship quickly rises from the inky depths and conveniently parks itself on top of the Atlantic Ocean. Not helping matters is watching everyone who resurfaces from two miles down just walk away from their submersibles as if exiting an automobile. Anyone ever heard of decompression?

As outrageous as the science may be, the film is fast-paced and undeniably entertaining (I still watch my crappy full-screen DVD every couple of years). Jason Robards, Sir Alec Guiness and Anne Archer provide nice supporting work and composer John Barry delivers one of his more memorable scores.

Raise the Titanic cost a then-whopping $36 million to produce, grossed an anemic $7 million and was quickly forgotten; it's now frequently mentioned as one of cinema's greatest turkeys. As producer Lew Grade would later say: "It would have been cheaper to lower the Atlantic."

Jaws Set to Arrive on Blu-ray August 14

You're going to need a bigger screen this summer as Steven Spielberg's classic 1975 chiller Jaws makes its long-awaited Blu-ray debut August 14.

According to Highdefdigest.com, the Jaws Blu will feature a new frame-by-frame digitally restored 1080p print and an upgraded DTS-HD Master 7.1 audio track. In other words, the film is going to look and sound better than ever before.

Extras include the following: a two-hour The Making of Jaws documentary; Jaws: The Restoration; From the Set; Jaws Archives that features "storyboards, production photos, and marketing materials, as well as a special segment on the Jaws phenomenon"; deleted scenes; outtakes; original theatrical trailer; and the all-new The Shark is Still Working: The Impact & Legacy of Jaws feature-length documentary.

The Blu-ray will also include a DVD and digital copy.

While it would have been nice to have the Blu in time for my annual 4th of July screening, finally having Jaws in glorious high-def is still cause for fireworks any time of year.