Matt Adcock picks his top 10 (and some others that you really need to check out too)
10. Skyfall
This is Craig's moment as Bond, the good work he did in Casino Royale is cemented to icon status here, even making up for the weaker Quantum of Solace. The whole package delivers on all fronts – Skyfall comprehensively trounces Taken 2 and The Bourne Legacy – it is by far the best spy action film of the year and should sure up the Bond franchise for some future adventures. Welcome back Mr Bond! Darkmatters Review
9. Seven Psychopaths
Seven Psychopaths is an excellent full frontal blast of Tarantino-esq pop culture and in-movie jokes that subverts every action kidnap thriller ever made and yet still manages to forge it’s own place in the ‘cult classic’ hall of fame. Highly recommended. Darkmatters Review
8. End of Watch
Lock and load for David ‘Street Kings and Harsh Times’ Ayer's powerful found-footage cop-drama-em-up. End of Watch is an awesomely kinetic free flowing tale of two likeable cops who get marked for death. High impact filmmaking - highly engaging film watching! Darkmatters Review
7. Sightseers
Step this way for a pitch black comedy caravan road trip into the very heart of darkness that beats behind a sensible woollen jumper and ginger beard… Sightseers blows the Formica lined doors off the darkness of the human soul - and plays it for laughs. Ben ‘Kill List’ Wheatley delivers a fantastically nasty but also extremely funny caravan-em-up, which sees oddball British couple Tina (Alice Lowe) and Chris (Steve Oram) cutting a murderous swathe through the lesser-known tourist attractions of the Midlands. Darkmatters Review
6. Dredd
DREDD 3D is an action packed thrill ride that doesn’t pull its punches. The filmmakers, who include Luton’s finest Steve Worsley on assistant editing duties, bring the action to eye-watering life, making fine use of the 3D too in the process. Everything works in fine, brutal style, making DREDD 3D a highly recommended viewing! Darkmatters Review
5. Prometheus
Scott does a fantastic job of re-shuffling the basic elements from his classic Alien film – including Rapace as the strong female who must pit wits against an alien foe wearing just her underwear. But Prometheus is less a straight horror prequel and more as a fascinating glimpse into a fantastic exploration of the Alien universe. Darkmatters Review
4. Looper
Everything comes together in a superb slice of sci-fi action that brings whoops of appreciation from the audience and effortlessly delivers cult cool iconic status. It’s been a long time since Bruce Willis kicked this much ass – this is a ‘must see’ movie! Darkmatters Review
3. Avengers Assemble
Comic book fans the world over rejoice and behold the Avengers – the ultimate superhero team – finally unleashed on the big screen in an epic super-smackdown that sets a new standard for all superhero films. Darkmatters Review
2. The Dark Knight Rises
Sheer joy... Seeing Batman take to the sky in his new plaything ‘The Bat’ or streak through the city on his awesome Batpod Motorbike. Even as the odds against him grow, the plot deftly brings in elements such as brave cop John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), which offer tantalising glimpses of hope. Darkmatters Review
As a director, Nolan is at the very top of his game here and he delivers a worthy, darker rival to wham-bam action fun of The Avengers. 2012 is proving to be a vintage year for superhero flicks and The Dark Knight Rises is potentially film of the year, but just pipped by a younger, first time director...
DARKMATTERS FILM OF THE YEAR IS:
1. Chronicle
“Telekinesis: The ability to move, lift, vibrate (that's my favourite), spin, bend, break or impact objects through the direct influence of mental power or other non-physical means."
You want to see some ‘direct influence’? Go and see Chronicle, this is a pitch perfect tale of three high school kids who acquire telekinetic superpowers from a strange possibly alien artefact. So what are these young guys going to do with the power to move things, fly and attack people just with their minds?
Chronicle is a great film, it deconstructs the standard super hero genre in a similar way to the excellent Kick Ass or Super did and manages to play it both for laughs and packs a darker undercurrent. My teenage son loved it and proclaimed it to be ‘awesome’ which is high praise for a relatively low ($15m) budget film.
Darkmatters Review
Director Josh Trank is my 'director to watch' and for achieving such an incredible debut - CHRONICLE is my film of 2012! Can't wait to see what Trank directs next - rumours of a Fantastic Four reboot or Spiderman Baddie Venom movie could both be amazing...
Honourable mentions (you really need to see these too!):
The Sweeney- Review
Argo - Review
Life of Pi - Review
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Review
The Cabin In The Woods - Review
God Bless America - Review (coming soon)
Jack Reacher - Review
Sinister - Review
Lock Out - Review
The Raid - Review
21 Jump Street - Review
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