Best of 2012, So Far

by A.J. and Lani


It's about halfway through the year, so a recap of the cinematic highlights so far feels appropriate. 2012 had a slow start, and though we haven't been to the movies as often as usual, there have still been some pretty good ones, such as:

Damsels in Distress

A.J.: The previous film from writer-director Whit Stillman, The Last Days of Disco, was released in 1998, and at last after 14 years his 4^th film, Damsels in Distress, made its way to theaters in April. I had been eagerly awaiting this film for quite some time and even with all that built up anticipation Damsels in Distress did not disappoint. It follows a group of girls at a college in the Northeast that are trying to raise the level of sophistication of the other students. It takes place in a world that reminds me of movies from the 30's and 40's. Violet, played by Greta Gerwig, thinks that best way for her to change society for the better is to create an international dance craze. There's off-beat but substantial characters, Fred Astaire references, smart comedy, and not one but two dance numbers at the end. This is movie is simply a great time.

21 Jump Street

A.J.: I went to see 21 Jump Street in part because I had not been to the movies in so long that I just needed to go, and this big screen comedy version of an 80s TV show seemed like the best bet. I was expecting a dumb but funny movie, but what I saw was a pretty solid comedy. I laughed out loud many, many times. Jonah Hill is funny as you might expect, but Channing Tatum is the real comedic stand out here. You might think that adults going back to high school in disguise has been done a lot, and it has, but as the characters quickly learn a lot has changed since the start of the millennium, like which clique is the popular one and which ones are looked down on.

Bernie

Lani: Richard Linklater's latest film uses a semi-documentary style to tell the story of Bernie Tiede, a funeral director in small-town Carthage, Texas, his friendship with a local widow, and her shocking murder at Bernie's hand. The film is based on true events; however, this is not The Thin Blue Line. Bernie is played by Jack Black and Shirley MacLaine plays the widow Mrs. Nugent; however, many of the characters are played by actual residents of Carthage. Their often hilariously candid thoughts are captured in talking-head segments which make up a good portion of the film. Linklater smartly realized that this is the kind of stuff you just can't make up and the town's genuine love of Bernie and dislike of Mrs. Nugent comes across loud and clear. Bernie, while dealing with a dark subject, maintains a light tone in keeping with the sunny personality of its title character.

Safety Not Guaranteed

A.J.: I was skeptical, but intrigued by the premise of Safety Not Guaranteed. A journalist takes two interns to investigate a classified ad seeking a partner for time travel. Aubrey Plaza is one of the interns and though her character doesn't stray too far from the moody-outsider she's played before, this role does let her play a more realized character. She finds and befriends the person that placed the ad, played by Mark Duplass, and as they train for a journey back in time she begins to wonder if his claims about time travel might be serious. Safety Not Guaranteed is a funny, offbeat character movie that doesn't fall into the traps that stunt so many other indie movies.


The Five-Year Engagement
Lani: When I heard the title of this film I groaned a bit. Great, another romantic comedy about people who can't "commit," perhaps my least favorite film cliche of recent years. However, this film surprised me by portraying a couple who were so comfortable in their commitment that they weren't afraid to cancel their wedding, often the mark of death for a movie couple. After their engagement is announced, Tom and Violet (played by Jason Segel and Emily Blunt) find that a cross-country move, the rigors of a post-doctorate program, and other family events prevent them from planning their perfect wedding. In our culture obsessed with elaborate weddings, the couple becomes completely overwhelmed by party planning and loses sight of what they really want--just to be together.


Lockout
Lani: As the resident action connoisseur around this blog, I have to give some love to Lockout, a fun and scruffy film which doesn't take itself seriously for a moment. Guy Pearce plays former CIA agent Snow, who is tapped to break in to a maximum security prison in space, rescue the President's daughter, and do all this in the middle of a massive prison riot. Pearce is delightfully wry, never missing an opportunity to crack a joke whether he's under interrogation, performing first aid, or beating up crazed killers. Among the overblown action films this year based on comic books & board games and pseudo-intellectual sci-fi bores, Lockout stands out for knowing exactly what it is (a fun 90 minutes at the movies) and getting the job done.