(Updated 2/27/13 to include films that I didn’t get to see until 2013, but ones that came out in 2012.)
Between our Sunday morning Cinema Club, Ellen’s love for movies, and my freedom to go to a film any day, any time, I saw a lot this year.
Below is a list of the just the ones I gave four, four and a half, and five stars. For many of these I wrote brief, mini-reviews and have linked to those reviews. I’m not sure I can define my distinctions between the three categories any more than to say all three are films I enjoyed. The five stars and the four and a half ones I recommend without reservations.
In retrospect, I might adjust my ratings up or down on a few just a bit, but I decided to leave the ratings I gave the films shortly after I saw them.
There are a few more still on my ‘to see’ list (Zero Dark Thirty, The Waiting Room, Flight, Amour), and all of which I suspect would get one of the three top ratings.
Five Stars *****
- A Separation
- Footnote
- Hermano
- Beasts of the Southern Wild
- Queen of Versailles
- Intouchables
- Searching for Sugarman (or this)
- The Sessions
- West of Memphis
- Lincoln
- Chasing Ice
- A Royal Affair
- The Central Park Five
- Amour
- Live Action Short Films, Oscar Nominations
- Best Documentary Short Subjects, Oscar Nominations
Four & A Half Stars ****1/2
Four Stars ****
- The Hunter
- We Need to Talk About Kevin
- The Kid with a Bike
- Where Do We Go Now
- Margaret
- Five Broken Cameras
- Elena
- Detropia
- Seven Psychopaths
- Silver Lining Playbook
- A Late Quartet
- Life of Pi
- Django Unchained
- Jack Reacher
- Flight
- Rust & Bone
