Best Movies of 2012

1. Cloud Atlas

My favorite flick of the year.  Fascinating, moving, exciting, and visually stunning in equal measure.  Multiple storylines and genres taking place over different time periods, weaving in and out of each other with seamless ease.  The actors get to truly show off their chops by playing no less than 5 different roles each.  Adapted from a novel that many deemed un-filmable, I can't even imagine how difficult this movie must have been to make.  But co-creators Andy and Lana Wachowski somehow managed to pull it off.  A remarkable achievement that had me enthralled throughout the entire 3 hour running time.



2. Cabin in the Woods

Creators Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard take the age old horror plot of a group of college kids heading out to a remote cabin in the woods and completely rip it apart, turning it into a gleefully twisted satire and a clever homage to the old-school splatter-fests of the 1980s.  By far the most inventive and original horror film I've seen in years, with plenty of gore, scares, and laughs to satisfy any true fan of the genre.  The hilarious supporting performances by Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford are the icing on the cake.


3. Argo

Features the most nail biting, nerve-shredding final 30 minutes of any film in recent years, and the fact that this shit actually happened only heightens the tension.  The actors are all fantastic, particularly the wonderful supporting players John Goodman and Alan Arkin who almost steal the show.  Ben Affleck continues to amaze me with his talent behind the camera.  Since the release of 2007's equally brilliant Gone Baby Gone, he has quickly become one of my favorite modern directors.  Can't wait to see what he brings us next.



4. The Dark Knight Rises

A dark, thrilling, and emotional conclusion to the greatest comic book trilogy of all time.  It's always tough to try and outdo a masterpiece (2008's The Dark Knight), but director and co-writers Christopher and Jonathan Nolan come pretty damn close with this exciting & satisfying epic.  Dare I say this is Michael Caine's finest work as an actor, and I was pleasantly surprised by Anne Hathaway's excellent performance as Selina Kyle/Catwoman.


5. Django Unchained

A period piece, a spaghetti western, a blaxploitation film, a buddy picture, and a gory revenge flick all rolled into one, accompanied by a wonderfully inappropriate soundtrack for the period.  Only Tarantino could take a subject as serious and controversial as American slavery in the 1800s and turn it into 3 hours of joyous, blood-splattered fun, while at the same time never shying away from the grim horror of the topic.  It's a crazy balancing act, and Tarantino pulls it off with all the style and wild originality that has made him one of the most beloved and polarizing filmmakers of our time.  The violence is graphic and shocking at times.  But the cartoonish, over-the-top blood spray during the shootout scenes continually remind you that this is entertainment that doesn't take itself too seriously.  Much like his previous film, Inglourious Basterds, this movie knows exactly what it is and revels in its gleeful inventiveness.


6. Looper

Easily the most unique and intelligent sci-fi action movie to come out of Hollywood in quite some time.  Writer/director Rian Johnson's ingenious script miraculously covers all its bases and fills in the holes that tend to hinder a lot of time travel stories, and the results are surprising and effective, with excellent twists and a satisfying conclusion.


7. The Avengers

The biggest superhero movie of all time could have been an epic disaster.  In fact I was half expecting it to be terrible when they first announced it.  How can you give equal screen & story time to all these larger-than-life characters and still come out with a cohesive film?  Luckily director and co-writer Joss Whedon pulled off the seemingly impossible and delivered the ultimate summer popcorn flick.  A rollicking, whip-smart blast of a movie with great performances from the entire cast, mind-blowing effects and action sequences, and the same unique brand of witty humor he brought to his Buffy and Firefly TV series.  Summer blockbusters don't get much more fun that this.


8. Cure for Pain: The Mark Sandman Story

Amazing rockumentary on the late singer/songwriter Mark Sandman of Boston-based indie band Morphine.  Sandman died tragically on stage in 1999 when he suffered a fatal heart attack while performing at a music festival in Italy.  Combining live footage of the band during it's 90s heydey with intimate home movie footage provided by Sandman's family, as well as interviews with well-known musicians like Ben Harper, Josh Homme, and Mike Watt, the film is an incredibly moving portrait of a brilliant artist cut down in the prime of his career.  A must-see for any Morphine fan, and a terrific introduction for anyone interested in checking out the music of this criminally overlooked band.


9. Skyfall

When talking about the Daniel Craig era of James Bond, I'm still partial to 2006's brilliant Casino Royale.  But Skyfall is definitely one of the best Bond films ever made, and a massive improvement over the mediocre Quantum of Solace.  The role is now firmly Craig's, and since he's now signed on for two more, it will be his for some time to come.  Audiences have now embraced his rougher, tougher, badass take on the character, and he really sinks his teeth into the role here to great effect.  Javier Bardem makes a terrific and creepy villain, and Judi Dench is brilliant once again as MI6 boss M.  Much more emotional and grounded in reality than any previous Bond film, director Sam Mendes confidently brings the series into a new era.  Here's hoping they bring him back for the next one.


10. This is 40

Writer/director Judd Apatow returns to comedic glory with this hilarious and heartwarming film.  Contains more laughs per minute than any recent comedy I've seen.  Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann are both charming and funny, and the supporting performances from Albert Brooks, John Lithgow, and a scene-stealing Melissa McCarthy are all terrific.


Honorable mentions:

Moonrise Kingdom
Might be the most pleasantly charming film Wes Anderson has ever made.  I had a huge grin on my face for the entire thing.

21 Jump Street
Much funnier than it has any right to be.  Channing Tatum is a revelation and shows a surprising amount of comic timing (never thought I'd say that in a million years), while the always endearing Johan Hill is the perfect foil in this hilarious and clever adaptation of the classic 80s TV series.

Flight
Denzel Washington delivers a brilliant, Oscar-calibre performance in Robert Zemeckis' dark & edgy return to live action film.

Searching for Sugar Man
One of the most fascinating music documentaries I've ever seen.  A remarkable and heartwarming comeback story about an underdog 1970s-era singer/songwriter who never had a career in the first place, but in a just universe, should have been as famous as anyone else.  Awesome film.

The Hobbit
Much has been made of the 48 frames-per-second film speed, and what its impact will have on the future of film, etc... but nothing takes away from the fact that this is a fantastic movie from a true master of the craft.  The story is involving, the acting is stellar, the action sequences are thrilling and well executed, and the scope of the film is nothing short of epic.  As a fan of Peter Jackson's original Lord of the Rings trilogy (not to mention the books), I really enjoyed re-visiting Middle Earth and its characters, and I'm looking forward to the two upcoming sequels.

Best Music of 2012

1. Heartless Bastards- Arrow

With their intoxicating mix of swampy blues, no frills garage-rock, and Appalachian-style folk, the Heartless Bastards have quickly become one of my favorite bands of the last few years.  Their fourth album Arrow is yet another generous helping of high quality rock n' roll with frontwoman Erika Wennerstrom in top form.  Her awesome Chrissie Hynde-meets-Robert Plant wail is on full display, and as a songwriter this is hands down her finest moment yet.  Out of all the music I bought this year, this is one of the only albums that I've had in constant rotation since its release.  My favorite album of the year.



2. Joel Plaskett Emergency- Scrappy Happiness



For his 7th album, Joel Plaskett decided to write and record a song-a-week at his home studio in Halifax and then release each one for free each week on CBC radio.  The full album was then released in stores a couple of months later.  The end result is a spirited, ramshackle pop/rock gem, and one of the best albums he's ever made.  The songs are simply outstanding, and the loose, carefree approach to the production and the performances only add to its undeniable appeal.



3. The Tragically Hip- Now For Plan A



After almost 30 years in the biz, these veteran alt-rock stalwarts continue to defy the odds and soldier on amidst a constantly changing musical landscape.  Partly inspired by singer Gord Downie's wife's recent bout with breast cancer, the Hip's 13th studio album is the rarest of gems.  A late career masterpiece from a band that refuses to rest on its laurels, featuring some of Downie's most personal lyrics to date and an emotionally-charged vocal performance.  Stylistically the record is kind of a synthesis of the Hip's entire career, with a few new twists thrown in.  It's all here:  fist pumping distortion-heavy rock (At Transformation), melodic power-pop (Streets Ahead, The Modern Spirit), atmospheric mood pieces (Now for Plan A), and even some classic Hip-style Canadiana (Goodnight Attawapiskat).  The album's standout moment is the stunning Man Machine Poem, with Downie channeling his inner Roy Orbison over a gorgeous chord progression.  Recurring themes of love, family, friendship, and survival thread their way through the record.  Dare I say, this is the best Hip album in over a decade.  Long may these greybeards run!



4. Bob Mould- Silver Age



I'm ashamed to admit I was late to the party when it comes to Bob Mould's remarkable solo career.  I always knew who he was, and I was aware that he began his career as one of the founding members of iconic indie-rockers Husker Du in the 80s.  But I didn't truly discover his music until about a year ago when I made it my mission to consume everything the man has ever done.  Needless to say I've become a huge fan ever since.  His new album Silver Age is a refreshing blast of high-energy, blow-yer-socks-off punk rock that will have you nodding along and playing air guitar for 38 glorious minutes.  The overall sound is most reminiscent of his 90s alt-rock project Sugar, but also manages to sound new and fresh at the same time.  His intimate lyrics convey a certain wisdom and world weariness that could only come from a man of his age and experience.  This is deeply personal stuff that could have easily turned into a quiet, introspective singer/songwriter type of effort.  But I love that he chose to deliver these tunes with ear-bleeding volume, big-ass drums and slashing power chords.  Nothing wrong with combining some kick-ass rock n' roll fun with your reflective middle-aged angst.  Accompanied only by bassist Jason Narducy and drummer Jon Wurster, this is probably the best power trio he's put together since his days with the Huskers.  The dude is 52 years old and he's still rockin' harder than most bands half his age.  You gotta love that.



5. John K. Samson- Provincial




Seriously, has this guy ever made a bad record?  Even a mediocre one?  Nope.  Samson is such a wonderfully gifted songwriter, and as a lyricist he's second to none.  His first solo album outside of his main gig, The Weakerthans, continues to mine the central themes that have made him one of the most beloved songwriters that Canada has ever produced:  tales of alienation and down and out characters struggling to find a sense of place and community as they drift through the frozen landscape of an unnamed Winnipeg.  But it's not all bleak.  He also spins heartfelt yarns about unappreciated hockey legends (Petition), teenaged nostalgia (Cruise Night), and secret office romances (The Last And).  It really doesn't sound all that different from a Weakerthans record.  In fact this album could easily slide right in as a natural follow-up to 2007's Reunion Tour.  But that's beside the point.  Bottom line, these are brilliant songs no matter which way you slice 'em.




6. Mark Lanegan- Blues Funeral

Lanegan's songs often sound like just rolled out of bed at 3 in the afternoon after a night of heavy drinking.  And that's what makes them so goddamn great.  As usual, his unique whiskey-soaked baritone is his best weapon, and it gives these songs a ballsy, menacing, lived-in feel.  It's essentially a blues album at heart, but with cool flourishes of spooky electronica and a good old splash of hard-rock borrowed from his stints with the Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age.  Blues Funeral grabs you by the gonads and doesn't let go.



7. Patterson Hood- Heat Lightning Rumbles in the Distance

Taking a well deserved break from his day job in the relentlessly prolific Drive-By Truckers, Patterson Hood gets to explore a quieter, more personal side to his songwriting on his latest solo album.  Full of sweet southern soul and introspective country-rock, these are some of the most intimate songs the guy has ever penned.  Highlights include the beautiful spoken work piece "Untold Pretties" and a touching tribute to the late singer/songwriter Vic Chesnutt, "Come Back Little Star."



8. Soundgarden- King Animal

If there's a top prize for best hard-rock album of the year, I'm giving the trophy to these guys.  Their first new material in over 15 years finds these grizzled Seattle vets picking up right where their 1996 swan song Down on the Upside left off.  It's like they never left.  Singer Chris Cornell's 48-year old pipes can still hit those high notes, while the ferocious drumming of Matt Cameron and Kim Thayil's face melting Middle Eastern-tinged guitar explosions are front and center.  An impressive and confident return.  Welcome back, boys.



9.  Jack White- Blunderbuss

White is a true rock n' roll chameleon.  I don't know of any other musician who can dip his toes into so many different genres on a single record and make it sound as effortless as this.  Whatever your pleasure:  rock, punk, delta blues, funk, soul, R&B, or country.  This guy does it all, and he does it brilliantly.  Easily my favorite Jack White project since his 2003 White Stripes masterpiece, Elephant.



10. Glen Hansard- Rhythm & Repose

Hansard is a terrific songwriter, but it's his passionate vocal delivery that really makes him stand out from the rest.   Anytime I've watched live footage of the guy, whether he's with his longtime band The Frames, The Swell Season, or just by himself, he absolutely sings his guts out and pours every ounce of his soul into his performance.  His beautiful songs always know how to hit me right in the gut.



Honorable mention:

Led Zeppelin- Celebration Day

The most talked about concert of the last 10 years finally gets a proper release, and it truly lives up the hype.  A powerful, ass-kicking reminder of why these guys are considered by many to be the greatest rock n' roll band of all time (all due respect the Beatles and the Stones, but it's true.)