YNOT at the Movies

During the entire calendar year of 2012, I watched 310 feature films. Again, my top ten films are selected from the films I saw during the calendar year of 2012, not based on when they are released in the theaters. That is how I define "a film in 2012" for me. Allow me to explain the reason behind this: we are living in a small and more complicated world now. If I fly to Beijing or Europe and see a film that has not opened in San Francisco or New York City, does this film belong to 2011, or 2012, or 2013? Why should a film's year be based on a US release date?

Here are the top ten best feature films I saw in 2012.

1. I Wish (奇跡 | Japan 2011 | in Japanese | 128 min. | My review)

   Blended with gentle humor, renowned Japanese writer/director Hirokazu Koreeda (是枝 裕和)'s delightful family drama "I Wish," beautifully depicts how children perceive this complicated world while growing up.

   

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2. Beyond the Hills (După dealuri | Romania 2012 | in Romanian | 150 min. | My capsule)

   After the award-winning "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" (4 luni, 3 săptămâni şi 2 zile | Romania 2007), acclaimed Romanian director Christian Mungiu tells another unforgettable story in "Beyond the Hills," an engrossing, poignant, and unflinchingly realistic portrait of lives in Romania.

   

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3. The Master (USA 2012 | 137 min. | My review)

   Acclaimed auteur Paul Thomas Anderson's sixth feature film "The Master" is the most anticipated film in 2012 among cinephiles. This exquisitely beautiful film achieves a new height in the art of filmmaking, featuring a fantastic performance by Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

   

4. Argo (USA 2012 | 120 min. | My review)

   Director Ben Affleck's masterfully crafted third feature "Argo" is an awesomely entertaining political thriller about a grand escape scheme for six Americans hiding in Iran in 1979.

   

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5. Samsara (USA 2011 | 99 min. | My review)

   Two decades after filmmakers Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson created the astonishing "Baraka," once again, they bring us another visually striking film "Samsara." . Even without a single dialogue or any subtitles on screen, this documentary captivates us with its magnificent and lavish images that stay with us long after the movie is over.

   

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6. The Kid with a Bike (Le Gamin au vélo | Belgium/France 2011 | in French | 87 min. | My review)

   "The Kid with a Bike" is the latest fine work from Belgian auteurs Dardenne brothers: Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne. It tells a heartfelt story about a restless, stubborn, fierce looking 11-year-old boy Cyril (Thomas Doret) whom you will never forget.

   

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7. Cloudburst (Canada 2011 | 94 min. | My capsule)

   Director Thom Fitzgerald's hilarious "Cloudburst" is one of the funniest films I have seen in 2012. It tells a heartfelt story about a lesbian couple, terrifically played by Academy Award winners Olympia Dukakis and Brenda Fricker.

   

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8. Rust and Bone (De rouille et d'os | France/Belgium 2012 | in French | 120 min. | My review)

   Director Jacques Audiard's brilliant new film "Rust and Bone" unflinchingly expresses its characters' raw emotions yet surprisingly unsentimental, mostly. It tells a love story between a mesmerizing couple who become each other's source for strength and inspiration.

   

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9. Damsels in Distress (USA 2011 | 99 min. | My review)

   Writer/director Whit Stillman's outright funny comedy "Damsels in Distress" creates a few amusing characters. The film's witty, quirky, funny dialogue stands out as the most enjoyable aspect of the film. Those lines become extremely funny when absurdity in each line is expressed with absolute sincerity.

   

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10. Sister (L'enfant d'en haut | Switzerland/France 2012 | in French | 97 min. | My review)

    Director Ursula Meier offers us a glimpse of the "under-privileged" in her captivating new film "Sister." However, that's not the only focal point of this film. What's more remarkable is that while she uncovers that often ignored hush reality, she skillfully reveals the devastating inner world of a young boy who desperately longs for love, a family, and a future.

    

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Until next year...

During the entire calendar year of 2011, I watched 272 feature films, including screenings for the SFIAAFF 2012 that will be added to that list later.

Again, my top ten films are selected from the films I saw in the calendar year of 2011, not based on when they are released in the theaters. This seems to be the best way to define "a film in 2011." We are living in a small world now. If I fly to Beijing or Europe to see a film that has not opened in San Francisco or New York City, does this film belong to 2011 or 2012? Why should a film's year be based on a US release date?

Enough said.

Therefore, "Mother" (마더) is on my Top Ten Film in 2009, while it appears on many critics' top ten lists for 2010 or 2011. And, I am a little behind on viewing "Winter's Bone."

So, these are the top ten best films I saw in 2011.

1. Winter's Bone (USA 2010 | 100 min.)

   

2. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (USA 2011 | 128 min.)

   

3. A Separation (جدایی نادر از سیمین | Iran 2011 | in Persian | 123 min.)

   

4. The Descendants (USA 2011 | 115 min. | My review)

   

5. Incendies (Canada 2010 | in French/Arabic | in French | 130 min. | My review)

   

6. Shame (UK 2011 | 101 min.)

   

7. The Illusionist (L'Illusionniste | UK/France 2010 | 80 min. | My review)

   

8. Bi, Don't Be Afraid! (Bi, đừng sợ! | Vietnam/France/Germany 2010 | in Vietnamese | 90 min. | My review)

   

9. The Flowers of War (金陵十三钗 | China 2011 | in Chinese/English/Japanese | 145 min. | My review)

   

10. The Fourth Portrait (第四張畫 | Taiwan 2010 | in Chinese | 102 min.)

    

Until next year...

During the entire calendar year of 2010, I watched 215 feature films. I was planning to watch 20% less films compared to the 208 feature films in 2009, but accidently, I watched more instead. Ops.

Again, my top ten films are selected from the films I saw in 2010, not based on when they are released in the theaters. Why? Because this seems the best way to define "a film in 2010." We are living in a small world now. If I fly to Beijing or New York to see a film that has not opened in San Francisco, does this film belongs to 2010 or 2011? Why should a film's year be based on the US release date?

Enough said.

Therefore, "Mother" (마더) is on my Top Ten Film in 2009, while it appears on many critics' top ten lists for 2010.

So, these are the top ten best films I saw in 2010.

1. The Good, the Bad, the Weird (좋은 놈, 나쁜 놈, 이상한 놈 | South Korea 2008 | in Korean | 130 min. | My Review)

   

2. Solitary Man (USA 2009 | 90 min.)

   

3. Rabbit Hole (USA 2009 | 91 min. | My Review)

   

4. Blue Valentine ( (USA 2010 | 120 min. | My Review)

   

5. Inside Job (USA 2010 | 108 min.)

   

6. The Man Who Will Come (L'uomo che verrà | Italy 2009 | in Italian | 115 min. | My Capsule)

   

7. Agora (Spain 2009 | 127 min. | My Review)

   

8. The Disappearance of Alice Creed (UK 2009 | 100 min.)

   

9. Aftershock (唐山大地震 | China 2010 | in Chinese | 135 min.)

   

10. Undertow (Contracorriente | Peru/Colombia/France/Germany 2009 | in Spanish | 100 min. | My Capsule)

    

Until next year...

Even though I still watched a few bad films, there is little merit to focus on them any further. However, it is always a great pleasure to relive the magical movements watching some of the best films in 2009. After this list is completed, I realize a high percentage of Asian films. Not intentional, it is just the way it is I guess.

1. All Around Us (ぐるりのこと。 | Japan 2008 | in Japanese | 140 min. | My Capsule)
   
   
   
   
2. Inglourious Basterds (USA/Germany/France 2009 | 153 min. | My Review)
   
   
   
   
3. Still Walking (歩いても 歩いても | Japan 2008 | in Japanese | 114 min. | My Review)
   
   
   
   
4. Home (Switzerland/France/Belgium 2008 | in French | 97 min. | My Capsule)
   
   
   
   
5. Mother (마더 | South Korea 2009 | in Korean | 128 min. | My Review)
   
   
   
   
6. Artemisia (艾草 | Taiwan 2008 | in Mandarin | 85 min. | My Review)
   
   
   
   
7. Departures (おくりびと | Japan 2008 | in Japanese | 131 min. | My Review)
   
   
   
   
8. Séraphine (France/Belgium 2008 | 125 min. | My Review)
   
   
   
   
9. Tokyo Sonata (Japan 2008 | in Japanese | 119 min. | My Capsule)
   
   
   
   
10. Gigantic (USA 2008 | 98 min. | My Review)
    
    

Until next year...

In 2008, I watched a total of 260 feature films.

As always, because it has become very difficult to classify which year a movie should belong to, I put together my top-ten films among those I saw in 2008.

Top Ten Films in 2008

1. Never Forever (두 번째 사랑, South Korea/USA 2007, 90 min., Review)
   
   
   
   
2. And the Spring Comes (立春, China 2007, 101 min., Review)
   
   
   
   
3. Frozen River (USA 2008, 97 min., Review)
   
   
   
   
4. A Gentle Breeze in the Village (天然コケッコー, Japan 2007, 121 min., Review)
   
   
   
   
5. Solos (Singapore 2007, 77 min.)
   
   
   
   
6. Happy-Go-Lucky (UK 2008, 117 min., Review)
   
   
   
   
7. Che: Part One (USA 2008, 128 min., Review)
   
   
   
   
8. Glasses (めがね, Japan, 2007, 106 min.)
   
   
   
   
9. The Unknown Woman (La sconosciuta, Italy 2006, 118 min., Review)
   
   
   
   
10. Mommy Is at the Hairdresser's (Maman est chez le coiffeur, Canada 2008, 97 min.)