So, as much as I love movies (and I LOVE them), I don’t actually watch many new ones. I tend to view films when I feel like it, and my interest has little to do with release schedules. I do go to the theater, but not that often, and usually to see older stuff. (Also, I was sick for a really long time last year and didn’t get out much.) My top 10 for 2012 list is a little different than most because it’s what I watched in 2012—not what came out. The only rule: it cannot be something I have seen before. (Otherwise it would just be all Hitchcock and John Carpenter.) Runners up include In Name Only (1939), Ball of Fire (1941), Public Speaking (2010), Sound of my Voice (2011), The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007), Magic Mike (2012), 2 Days in New York (2012), Three Godfathers (1936), and Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2011). There is one movie that I saw, The Gatekeepers (2012), that would have made the list pretty near the top, but it is not being released for a while, so I’m leaving a space for it on next year’s list.

10. Trouble in Paradise (1932)

I could wax poetic about Ernst Lubitsch for just about forever. This move is an almost perfect expression of his art and exemplifies “The Lubitsch Touch.” It’s about two thieves (Miriam Hopkins and Herbert Marshall) who decide to fleece perfumer Madame Colet (Kay Francis). Also featuring the divine pairing of Edward Everett Horton and Charles Ruggles, every performer is on the top of their game: Marshall is suave, Kay is smoldering, and Hopkins is as light as a feather. Its fine directorial touch, hilarious screenplay, and strict attention to detail make this film a must-see. I am completely ashamed that I had not seen it before now.

9. Bernie (2011)

I like director Richard Linklater okay, but I’ve been hit or miss on watching his films, because they never seem to really grab me. So I was somewhat surprised by how much I liked Bernie. Jack Black is really good as the Carthage, Texas murderer who is so well liked in his community that no one wants to see him prosecuted. Hell, even I wanted to see him get away with it. Black plays Bernie as kind, effeminate, and completely henpecked by possessive friend Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine). This is a role that could have quickly turned into a caricature, but instead Black stays warm and real. Performances by MacLaine and Matthew McConaughey are also spot on, and the whole film is given an aura of authenticity by their hard work. I thought this film deserved a lot more mention than it received, so if you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend giving it a try.

8. The Queen of Versailles (2012)

The lives of the rich are not like ours, especially the lives of Jackie and David Siegal. David Siegal is the founder of Westgate Resorts (time shares), and when the economy was booming, David and his wife Jackie decided their house was too small, so they started building the largest single-family house in the United States using the Palace at Versailles as their inspiration. When the economy went bust, so did Westgate Resorts, as did the plans for their new home. This movie is more than just the story of their failed home aspirations—it addresses race, class, ethics, gender roles, trophy wives, grumpy old guys, bad parenting, kindness, what friendship really means, the cluelessness of the nouveau riche, tastelessness, and what happens when you have no boundaries. It is also very kind to the protagonists, and while I was appalled by many of their decisions, I was also moved enough to care about what happened to them.

(Cont.)

After the runaway critical and financial success of 1997′s Good Will Hunting, a reunion between actor and director was an exciting and somewhat inevitable prospect. Less expected was director Gus Van Sant’s experimental Gerry, a barebones effort pitting Matt Damon and Hunting co-star Casey Affleck against the unwielding devastation of mother nature. Gerry marks an interesting point in Van Sant’s career, as it was the first film to find him using his clout to fund clearly personal pet projects (Paranoid Park, anyone?). After suffering such duds as his ill-advised, shot-for-shot Psycho remake and the painfully pandering Finding Forrester, it certainly seemed a step in the right (if not always successful) direction. Let’s call Promised Land a happy middle ground then.

Damon stars in Promised Land, alongside Frances McDormand, as Steve Butler, a rising salesman for Global (ahem), a big-wig gas company sent to small rural towns in order to convince the residents to give over drilling rights of their properties. Butler and Sue (McDormand) have clearly been at this awhile, and administer a series of persuasive tactics to reach their end goal. Neither is depicted as ruthless or uncaring, and one couldn’t be faulted for buying into their carefully-worded promises of wealth. Only when objections arise from a respected schoolteacher (Hal Holbrook) at a town meeting do eyebrows begin to raise. Add to this the arrival of a gung-ho environmentalist (John Krasinski) with a convincing sob story, and their surefire endgame becomes decidedly less surefire.

Hampering matters further is the flirtatious relationship sparked between Steve and a young local teacher (a fetching Rosemarie DeWitt). She has been handed down a beautiful stretch of land from her grandfather, allowing the viewer a firsthand peek into the possible consequences of Steve’s and Sue’s “noble” intentions. The escalating rivalry between Krasinski and Damon becomes the centerpiece of the film, and Van Sant, wisely, is careful not to spoonfeed you in the choosing of a hero. We’re shown the power of manipulation orchestrated on both ends. Krasinski’s “aw shucks” approach to the fight often brinks on grating, while Damon’s occasional back-handedness in pursuit of this career is eye-opening in its own right.

Hinging the film on a town vote seems a little pat, and a late-in-the-game twist feels more than a bit forced. The grounded performances keep Promised Land from drowning in schmaltz, though, and the steady pacing leaves you invested throughout. Based on this description, you might feel like you know right where the film is headed—and, for the most part, you’re probably right. That said, Van Sant is careful to keep these characters from being cardboard cutouts, and one particular character decision towards the end reads as both bold and true to life.

Promised Land is a little too slight to garner the awards attention it seems to strive for, but that doesn’t take away from the power it yields. It’s a timely yarn given our current economic climate and a true showcase for Damon and Krasinski both in front of and behind the camera (the two have writing credits, based on a story by Dave Eggers). Gus Van Sant has reached a very interesting point in his directorial career, and I for one can’t wait to see what else he has up his sleeve.

Final Grade: B

I’ve made no secret of my admiration for the work of Ben Affleck. Frequently I think he is the best part of the movies he is involved in—I’ve used the case of Good Will Hunting as an example numerous times. Despite winning an Academy Award for co-writing that film, I was curious to see how he would transition into directing, and I’m thrilled to see that after only three films he has already cemented himself amongst the best working today. This will become more clear as we head towards award season, where his latest project, Argo, is sure to garner a lot of attention.

Set during the Iranian hostage crisis, the film follows CIA exfiltration specialist Tony Mendez (Affleck) as, through the creation of a fictional film project, he attempts to extract six American consulate workers who are hiding at the home of the Canadian ambassador in Tehran. I came into the movie with a vague knowledge about the Iranian hostage crisis, but no knowledge of the core story this film is based on. I think this benefited me, because the film was able to succeed as a thriller, rather just being a historical drama. The story is probably unknown even to most of the people who lived through the hostage crisis, because it was classified until Bill Clinton’s administration released the details. Even still, the execution of the film is so well done that it would prove to be engrossing for those who are well-versed on the subject.

The work in recreating the Iranian revolution is incredible, and if you didn’t know better you would think that all of it was done using archival footage and that you were watching a documentary. In fact, the end credits of the movie are full of comparison still frames, and it looks like they were used for storyboarding. This kind of attention to detail adds so much depth to the film that it helps keep it firmly anchored in the realm of reality—and that much more terrifying because of it. Structurally, the film is like a horror movie. There is a slow burn for the first half or so, but when the action is put into motion it is pretty much relentless. As soon as the majority of the action shifts to Iran, the story proceeds like a ticking bomb. Much in the same vein as The Hurt Locker or the recent End of Watch, the film continues to build the tension throughout. This pacing compliments the material incredibly well and was a wise decision by the filmmakers.

For most great directors, it isn’t so much how much they grow in skill from film to film; their success depends on their project selection. As a director, Affleck jumped to the front of the class with Gone Baby Gone, and while I love that and his follow-up, The Town, Argo reaches another level. Not only has he left his comfort zone of present-day Boston, but he does a great job of spreading the story among all of the characters so it isn’t left on one person’s shoulders. Also, despite having worked on thrillers for his first two projects, Affleck continues to finds new ways to raise the tension in the story and keep it there, without having to turn to gimmicks. His growth as a director hasn’t been so much about big jumps forward in skill, but instead a continued refinement of the details that take a good movie and turn it into a great movie.

Affleck also toplines the cast and does an excellent job, but this is truly an ensemble-driven project. The cast that was put together is fantastic, and casting director Lora Kennedy deserves huge kudos. From important players like Bryan Cranston and Alan Arkin to small details like Rory Cochrane and Clea DuVall, the ensemble hits all the right notes. Great ensemble casts have been a recurring theme in all of Affleck’s movies—clearly one of his keys to success. I wish the movie had been longer simply because of the fact that I would’ve liked everyone to have more screen time. Unfortunately, the balance in the acting might hurt the film’s chance for acting awards, simply because they could split the vote.

My only “complaint” has nothing to do with the film itself. As talented as Affleck has shown himself to be as a director, he continues to work in thrillers. I would love to see him try different things, since he clearly has the skills. At the same time, I can’t fault him for making great movies; I just hope he isn’t trapped in the allure of big budget projects (much like he was as an actor). This was a phenomenal period piece and that just goes to show his ability to adapt to the project.

It is always fun to see a film that feels like it will be a strong contender at the Academy Awards, but it is even cooler when that film ignites your interest in history. Affleck has created an engaging thriller that sets a high bar for other films this year to live up to, and I’m already eager to see it again.

Final Grade: A

When you have the word “superhero” in your film title and open in Seattle on the same day as The Avengers, you run the risk of people thinking your movie is about a comic hero. That couldn’t be further from the truth, though, with Death of a Superhero, from director Ian Fitzgibbon.

The story follows a 15-year-old named Donald (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), living in Ireland, who has brain cancer and dim hopes for survival. He is full of rage toward the world and escapes into an imaginary world in his mind where a superhero battles villains, all while hoping to lose his virginity before he dies. Along the way he meets Dr. Adrian King (Andy Serkis), a thanatologist (“death doctor”) who helps him deal with his feelings about his own mortality, and a kindred spirit in Shelly O’Riley (Aisling Loftus), who makes him start to forget about sex and think about love.

In essence, this is the story of a young man full of rage who turns to a therapist with a similar background to come to terms with his problems, while at the same time making an impact on everyone around him…sound familiar? Perhaps it sounds a bit like Good Will Hunting? I don’t consider that to be a bad thing, since I like that movie. In fact, I would say this film has taken the same formula and improved upon it. Ultimately, Good Will Hunting is about a guy who has all the ability in the world but is afraid to use it; this film is about a kid with brain cancer, and it has “death” in the title. You don’t have to be a mathematician to add up how that is probably going to end. The stakes feel higher, the tragedy feels greater…it is hard to watch at times.

The subject of cancer generally feels a bit clichéd in film and TV. It is an easy way to garner sympathy from an audience and is a simple visual queue that death is always present. Mostly, it seems to be used in a TV-movie-of-the-week type capacity, although we seem to be hitting a bit of a renaissance in terms of cancer-based projects, with things like 50/50 and The Big C coming to mind. Those are projects that treat the characters with humanity, with flaws and fears, hopes and dreams. Death isn’t a glamorous endeavor, but it doesn’t need to simply be sad, either.

A huge amount of credit needs to be given to actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster. The task of playing a teen stricken with cancer could easily become melodramatic, but he attacks it with an earnestness that feels totally relatable. He does a job on par with Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s work in 50/50. For such a young actor, he deftly balances rebelliousness and vulnerability, without coming across purely as a victim.

It is always a pleasure to see Andy Serkis act. He’s a master of motion capture acting (Lord of the Rings, King Kong, Rise of the Planet of the Apes), so it is nice to see him break away from that to actually appear on camera. But while he gets top billing in the film, since he is the biggest star, he is very much a supporting character. If anything, it would’ve been nicer to see more of him in the movie. The relationship between Adrian and Donald is touching, and it feels more natural than the one between Matt Damon and Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting. Similarly, Aisling Loftus is a breath of fresh air. Her character is a strong individual who won’t let her past circumstances define her, and who has an ability to see past the outer layers to discover who people really are inside. I will definitely be keeping an eye peeled to see what this actress does down the road, because she hits all the right notes with the character.

The film does a great job in having a lot of depth to the scenes; there are many layers that make it engaging.  The story is based on a novel by Anthony McCarten, and since I enjoyed the film so much, it makes me curious to check out the source material. From what I can tell, it is supposed to have a similar vibe to the film, which makes sense when you realize McCarten was responsible for the script adaptation. One of the coolest aspects of the film is its use of animation to tell the stories going through Donald’s mind. The animation is beautifully done and flows seamlessly in and out of the live-action portions. If anything, I was disappointed there wasn’t more of it, since it is so well done. Additionally, they use beautiful cinematography to capture the gorgeous locations they filmed in. And I loved the soundtrack; the music selection fits within the scenes perfectly and is quiet haunting.

This is an amazing movie that, while a bit predictable, will knock the wind out of you after you watch it…and leave you thinking about it well after it is over.

The film opens today at SIFF Cinema at the Uptown.

Final Grade: A-

Spencer and Greg discuss Steven Soderbergh in advance of Contagion, look back on the career of Matt Damon, and give their DVD picks of the week.

For his DVD pick, Spencer chose season 3 of one of the best sci-fi shows on TV, Fringe (DVD/Blu-ray). Greg selected season 2 of the hilarious comedy series, Community.

This episode is available on iTunes and Zune. It is also available on Stitcher and Miro, or you can find our podcast RSS feeds on our subscribe page and use whatever system you want.

You can follow all of the happenings on our website through our blog’s RSS feed.

Spencer and John are joined by special guests for the MacGuffin’s second anniversary. They look back at the evolution of the podcast and the website.

This episode is available on iTunes and Zune. It is also available on Miro and Stitcher, or you can find our podcast RSS feeds on our subscribe page and use whatever system you want.

You can follow all of the happenings on our website through our blog’s RSS feed.

Spencer and John look back at the careers of directors Ben Affleck and Rob Reiner, in anticipation of the release of their next films, The Town and Flipped, before ending the show with their DVD picks of the week.

For his DVD pick, John selected the Blu-ray release of the horror classic, Return of the Living Dead. Spencer chose season 2 of JJ Abram’s other great show, Fringe (DVD/Blu-ray).

This episode is available on iTunes and Zune. Additionally, we have a RSS feed and it is available on Miro.