2012: My year in review

- Some random awards I just made up for the 260 films I watched this year!

Welcome readers, I really enjoyed looking through all of the films I viewed to select the best and even the worst films for me in 2012. Thanks for reading and I'll hopefully see you all in 2013.

Best Animation:

Brave (2012)

While I wasn't completely blown away by the movie it is still probably the best animation I've seen this year. I was simply looking for more in Brave and it didn't deliver everything I hoped, still however the best of my year; you can read my full review here.

Best Sci-Fi:

12 Monkeys (1995)

I had over 40 movies that fell under the science fiction genre to pick from and I picked something I only watched not even a full 30 days ago. I think this is a strong science fiction movie that doesn't go too far sci-fi to ward off the general public while simultaneously not being too dumb.

Best Comedy:

Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)

I love black comedy so it shouldn't be too surprising that a movie where a man's desires to kill everyone in his family tree turns into a comedy is right up my alley. It isn't complicated in detail but it is still a smart and deadly movie. You won't be in a fit of laughter throughout but the general premise and execution is still worth a chuckle.

Best Drama:

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

I was all ready to give this award to Heat (1995) but then on Tibb's Eve I watched All Quiet on the Western Front and thoroughly enjoyed it start to finish. It's runtime of 136 minutes flies by as you get caught up in the travesties of war and the disillusionment of youth running around fighting for their country for reasons they never understand.

Best True Story:

Intouchables (2011)

I did a back-to-back of this with The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) and while both are really strong movies, seeing the human spirit overcome adversity is an easier movie to enjoy. The acting is also a bit better and Diving Bell has the annoying feature of having two actresses look very similar and it can be disconcerting to viewers.

Best Horror:

Les diaboliques (1955)

Not only a great thriller but this stands as possibly my favourite in all my years. Alfred Hitchcock was rumoured to have wanted this script but lost out by a couple of days. It makes sense; the story follows his style very closely. I loved every bit of the movie and while this isn't quite a horror flick in the most strictest of ways it's just better than any horror flick I watched this year; though [REC](2007) was runner-up.

Best Action:

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

I think you'd really have to not be paying attention to not have figured my award for best action would go to this or Skyfall (2012). Fantastic movie, with a lovely lovely fight choreographer. See my full review here.

The Worst Film:

The Room (2003)
This being the only 1/10 I gave this year it was a no-brainer that The Room gets the worst movie treatment. I rated some made-for-tv movies as low but I wanted to keep this list dedicated to theatre released films. You can see my full review here.

The Best Film:

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

I really enjoy boxing, I really like Hilary Swank. Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman are amazing. What could go wrong? Oh right it's a brutally soul-crushing movie that will leave you sad. I felt the movie did a great job of making me care for the characters within and feeling their heartbreak is a great sign to me that they did what they wanted to. The outro to the movie was my only real nitpick but felt it didn't detract from the movie in any reasonable way.

PS: So many of these were difficult to pick over another one, but I hope that perhaps if you haven't seen any of these (minus The Room) that you go and watch these ASAP!