Films I've Seen In 2012 - Best To Worst

"I am a bullet" as uttered by James Fox's pistol-wielding Chas, shortly after being on the receiving end of a brutal beating and an alleged gang-rape, is one of those rare, truly extraordinary moments that remind you of how powerful cinema can be. This is a film of many such moments, a violent, sex-filled, psychedelic trip through the mind (or minds) of a gangster on the run that poses questions about identity, gender, sexuality, dualism, vice and versa.On the surface, it's simply a swinging-sixties London-set tale of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, the embodiment of all that of course being Mick Jagger as a reclusive rock star. But there's so much more to it than that. Beautifully shot and scored, featuring music ranging from The Last Poets to Merry Clayton, an incredible performance from James Fox and a truly mind-bending ending, this is simply one of the greatest films I've ever seen and my brief review will not do it justice.

Admittedly I don't like the ending (it's far too abrupt, even by Hitchcock's standards) and it's far from my favourite film from the master of suspense but I can't help myself from being swept up in it all, particularly the majestic use of colour.

This is, simply put, one of the best and most compelling character studies ever put on film.

It is perhaps disappointing that Lewis Gilbert and Roald Dahl's screen adaptation of You Only Live Twice strays so far away from possibly Ian Fleming's greatest novel, but, nonetheless, this remains a terrific James Bond cinematic outing and a fascinating look at post-war Japan. Beautifully shot and boasting incredible sets, a luscious score, exotic women and action on a truly epic scale, You Only Live Twice holds its own alongside the other great Bond films of the sixties. Tetsuro Tanba and Akiko Wakabayashi stand out from the cast, turning in excellent performances. My estimations of this film have risen greatly.

I'm a big Joy Division fan, so seeing this biopic of lead singer Ian Curtis was a no-brainer.

Admittedly I'm not the biggest Christopher Nolan fan - the status that both The Dark Knight and Inception have gained is quite ridiculous. Both films are outstanding blockbusters, sure, and it's great that Nolan does not take cinema-goers for mugs, but are any of his films really among the greatest of all time? I don't pretend to be all knowledgeable in such matters, but I shouldn't think so. I enjoyed The Prestige immensely though. However, as is often the case with Nolan films, the proof in the pudding will be the second viewing. This is currently my favourite Nolan film by far (although as of time of writing, I have yet to see Memento or The Dark Knight Rises), it kept me guessing, it kept me on the edge of my seat and at it truly left me at the end thinking "Wow".

First time I've sat down and watched the whole thing properly. The ending doesn't work for me as a satisfying conclusion to a standalone film, but it does leave things open for the potential sequel based on Welsh's Porno. It's not as good as Shallow Grave for me but the characters are stronger and McGregor puts in an excellent performance (probably the highlight of his career). This is about as far as I'll go with Boyle - from the bits and pieces I've seen of Sunshine, that can remain unwatched for now.

It's not Alien and it certainly isn't Blade Runner but I found it to be one of the most enjoyable cinematic experiences I've had in a long time, although strictly a great visual experience as opposed to an intellectual one - the first act in particular and the introduction of David is amazing in 3D. But great visuals is something to be expected from a Ridley Scott film and they do not make up for a messy final act.

I don't agree that Prometheus is pretentious, I feel it does a noble job at trying to please both the thinking man and those who love blockbusters without trying to be predominantly one thing or the other. I like the faith and belief angle, even if it is only briefly touched upon. However, in trying to appease the blockbuster-hungry audience, Scott has yet again copped out, much like how Robin Hood became typical, mundane and by-the-book instead of the unique interpretation of folklore that was originally intended.

I liked Fassbender, I liked Rapace and I liked Elba. Beyond those three, the characters and performances are forgettable and AVP springs to mind. Even Resurrection has a stronger and more memorable supporting cast than this. Shaw and Holloway (and I mean the characters, not so much the actors) must be one of the most unbelievable screen couples I have ever seen. Holloway is an arsehole and Shaw is several classes above him. Also, the Scottish actress who plays the medic is utterly horrendous. Theron isn't much better, particularly in the scene between her and Pearce which comes across as a bizarre nod to the "I wan't more life, father" scene from Blade Runner. Her line delivery here is particularly awful and the supposed 'mystery' as to whether she is a robot or not is extremely poor, predictable and unnecessary, especially considering that you already have one robot who may or may not have sinister intent.
,
I won't say that this was disappointing as, after Robin Hood, I wasn't expecting much. I enjoyed the ride immensely and it's a satisfying prequel to the original film. But this could have been so much more and, outside of the cinema, this probably won't amount to much. Hopefully a director's cut may be one the way but, as it stands, it's not quite the return to form from Scott that I was hoping for.