The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland into the Past: 2012

Welcome to The Wasteland into the Past! Join this journey backwards in time as I take a cinematic look at years past. Each article will focus on a singular year and my Top 5 films from that year. Turn back the clock with me…and let’s get started! 

2012

Skyfall

What is the greatest James Bond film of all time? That is a big ask for a franchise that includes 25 films over the course of 60 plus years. There are plenty of the original run with Sean Connery that are iconic like Dr. No, From Russia with Love, and Goldfinger. Roger Moore has a crown jewel in The Spy Who Loved Me. George Lazenby even had On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Dalton was underrated and Brosnan had a banger like Goldeneye. The Daniel Craig era even started off so well with Casino Royale. But there is one Bond film that expertly combines the modern sensibilities of the Brosnan/Craig eras as well as the classic feel of Connery originals…Skyfall. This Bond film has it all and Sam Mendes delivers so much with his top-notch direction. This 143-minute epic delivers a perfectly paced and engrossing cinematic experience that delivers the action, narrative twists, and emotional resonance that we all want out of an espionage thriller. This is also arguably the best shot Bond film ever thanks to the legendary skills and effort of cinematographer Roger Deakins. The use of shadows (even from the opening shot) is incredible and the fight between Bond and an assassin in Shanghai is one of the most visually striking scenes in the franchise. Thomas Newman’s score hits real hard from the cold open in Istanbul (which is one of the best action set pieces in the franchise as well). There are plenty of compelling narrative beats with Bond feeling his age and the whole existence of the 00-program coming under investigation. Judi Dench’s M gets a whole arc and story this time around. She struggles to keep her job with Ralph Fiennes’ Mallory looking to take over. The antagonist has a personal grudge against her, and we see M become part of the whole climax of the scene. Speaking of the antagonist, Silva is top tier with a deviously demented performance by Javier Bardem and his blonde hair is so unnerving. He has one of the coldest introductions in the franchise and has a personal vendetta that delivers plenty of emotion. Throw in a climax that explores Bond’s past and deliver a stripped-down thriller set piece in the lochs of Scotland feels fresh and interesting. Sprinkle in some great nods to some of the most beloved elements of the classic entries and you have yourself one of the richest and most balanced entries in this beloved series.

Looper

How do you shake-up the time travel sub-genre which has been done in so many ways over the years? Rian Johnson had quite the fantastic idea to shake things up (as he always does). Take a mobster crime-thriller, inject time travel, and tease a horrific post-apocalyptic future. Johnson is a talented filmmaker who excels at subverting the tropes and expectations of cinema. Looper is a film that navigates great genre elements with thrilling twists and turns, compelling storytelling, and creative way to manipulate time and the world of the film. Johnson takes some impressive stabs at time manipulation to deliver incredible thrills and haunting moments in the film. The sequence centered around Paul Dano’s character and how the mob tortures Dano to manipulate the body of his future self is one of the most haunting and inventive sequences in time travel films. The action (specially the violence of the film) is so visceral and impactful and to be honest…it is quite shocking. The way Johnson weaves this story of our protagonist going toe-to-toe with his future self is a fascinating idea and how their perspectives and priorities throughout time shape their conflict is quite compelling. You have this tender and tragic connection that Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) develops with Emily Blunt’s Sara and her son whose insane power is destined to shape the future. Old Joe (one of the best performances that Bruce Willis had delivered in a long time) is motivated by the loss of his wife at the hands of a future overlord. The horrific future and loss have created Old Joe as a hardened and dangerous man and the intensity that Willis brings to the character. Johnson delivers a sharp and striking cinematic experience as well with minimal but impactful visual effects as well as impressive camerawork from Steve Yedlin’s cinematography. This film is drenched in emotion, character work, and genre elements that makes this such a well rounded and impressive feat of filmmaking.

Moonrise Kingdom

What is one of the most charming and innocent of all of Wes Anderson’s filmography? Moonrise Kingdom. This film is such a beautiful and engaging film that centers on the love between two young kids on an isolated island community. This is a trip into the wilderness with a whole bunch of incompetent adults which makes for such a fun and moving experience. The core of the film is the pair of young lovers who are outsiders in their own lives and find connection in each other. Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward each bring their own unique personality to their roles as Sam and Suzy, making for a strange but charming pair. Wes Anderson delivers all his trademark elements including symmetry, bright colors, and deadpan awkwardness that only he can deliver on. Anderson also delivers a somber yet quirky tone that sees the charm in this young relationship, but it never forgets the challenges laying in the way of these two lovebirds together. The rest of the cast is quite impressive too. Bruce Willis is the police captain on the island, and he brings a somber sadness to this lonely man which has some of the most nuanced elements than anyone else. That same feeling and vibe are present in the strong performances by Frances McDormand and Bill Murray who portray Suzy’s parents. Throw in Edward Norton channeling the same vibe underneath a façade of a smile and you have quite the veteran cast around our strong child performers as well. Anderson has always been great at crafting characters who are lonely and sad and seeing these adults must confront their own feelings in the face of this young relationship. Moonrise Kingdom captures an engrossing adventure through the elements that is paired with hilarious dry humor, clever storytelling elements (like Bob Balaban’s scientist who gives the greater contest to the incoming climactic storm), and great music. This might not get the attention on the same level of most of Anderson’s films…but it should. This is a wonderful mix of cinematic elements that delivers a loving and moving experience.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Were you ever the quiet kid in school? Stephen Chbosky’s classic tale of Charlie and his social awakening in high school is one that hits so deeply. Chbosky got the opportunity to adapt his own story to the big screen and direct it himself. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is an emotionally resonant journey of a young man who is quiet, lonely, and carries plenty of trauma. Logan Lerman brings plenty of empathy and heart to this lovable character. Charlie seeks a connection that he lacks outside of his family. The only person he initially bonds with at school is his nerdy cool English teacher Mr. Anderson…portrayed by Paul Rudd (genius casting for sure). But Charlie finally meets Sam and Patrick who change his life forever. Emma Watson is an elusive dream girl who is gorgeous and cool but certainly carries her own baggage. Outside of her iffy accent, Watson nails this performance perfectly and we can see why Charlie is drawn to her. But the real standout of the film is Ezra Miller (long before they got into plenty of trouble for themselves). Miller’s Patrick is a mercurial figure who is the humor of the film as well as a tragic figure whose story centers on challenging story lines about closeted homosexuality for the boy who Patrick loves. This film has such a richness in emotion and atmosphere thanks to some quality direction from Chbosky. There are some great moments including the iconic tunnel scene set to the incredible song “We Could Be Heroes” by David Bowie. This film has plenty of relatable elements regarding familial dynamics, relationships, partying, and friendship. But it is the emotionally devastating third act that takes this film to a whole other level. Charlie has his issues and as they bubble to the surface, the film takes a darker turn. The use of narration from Charlie (in the form of his journal) and subtle shots of memories soon converges in a moving and visceral emotional complex of the film. This is an all time coming-of-age story with a fantastic cast and buckets of empathy.

Django Unchained

Who would have thought that Quentin Tarantino would be so damn good at making spaghetti westerns? To be honest…it makes so much sense. Tarantino is the king of mixing top notch filmmaking with pulpy cinematic vehicles. His series of revisionist period pieces continues after the incredible effort that is Inglourious Basterds. To follow-up that Jews revenge flick, we get a slave revenge flick (Tarantino sure loves a good revenge flick) set in the post-Civil War South. Django Unchained draws upon a wide range of classic westerns including the original Django film (with a cameo from its star, Franco Nero). There is even the theme song from Django played at the beginning of Tarantino’s film along with a stacked soundtrack full of amazing tracks from Jim Croce to John Legend to Tupac. The story at the core of Django Unchained is both a revenge story and a journey for love. Our titular hero is portrayed with great swagger and charm by Jamie Foxx (delivering one of his best performances) and he wants nothing more to find his wife, Hildy (channeling some good old fashioned German mythology). But Django is not on this journey by himself as he meets Dr. King Schultz who is brought to life with such vigor and life thanks to an Academy Award winning turn by Christoph Waltz. Schultz is infinitely charming and makes for a perfect partner and confidant to Django. They go toe-to-toe with a pair of nefarious antagonists for sure. Leonardo DiCaprio delivers one of those most compelling performances of his career as the petulant and evil Calvin Candie (that bloody hand though…). But the strings are really being pulled by Samuel L. Jackson’s Stephen. This is one of his most underrated performances as he must deliver completely different facades while being so terrifying underneath the surface. Like any Tarantino film, there is an endless supply of great character actors from Walton Goggins to Dennis Christopher to James Remar to Don Johnson to Bruce Dern and so many more. The action is bombastic and exciting (the Candyland shootout is a whole other beast). The tone and atmosphere are just drenched in energy and style. This is a wild ride from start to finish and delivers quite a satisfying cinematic experience.