By Nia Edwards-Behi
I’m not very good at end of year lists, primarily because of my spectacularly bad memory. Another reason is that I’ll likely change my mind at any given second, making any list I make highly ephemeral. Regardless, I’ve gone right ahead and made an end of year list for 2012 anyway. Now – I say ‘2012’. That’s a fairly arbitrary way of grouping these films together, admittedly, given as half of them won’t be seen outside of festivals until 2013, and one of them I saw (for the first time) back in 2011. Confused? I know am. A great deal of the films below are ones I’ve seen at festivals, or through reviewing for this here fine website, and I’m quite proud of that. I’m incredibly lucky to be able to attend the festivals I do, in my capacity as a festival programmer, and coupled with the benefits (yes, benefits) of living in a town with no multiplex, the list below might have a tendency toward the ‘but that’s not even out yet!’ that usually so grates on me with end of year lists. Sorry about that. On to the films.
1. American Mary
Oh, don’t act like you’re surprised. While the rest of this list could be fairly changeable in the numerical order I’ve placed it, American Mary would proudly sit at the top of the pile irrespective of anything else. I’m not sure there’s much more I can say about the film, having briefly reviewed it back in May, and more recently and extensively in August. Many more people have seen the film by now, and the response seems to be overwhelmingly positive. It’s been one of the most highly anticipated and talked about films of the year. With hype, though, comes disappointment and backlash, and the film – quite fairly – has its naysayers. But – *dons hipster glasses* – some of us unreservedly loved the film before the hype machine took over, and for me the film stands up to multiple viewings, and so it shall stand to multiple more.
2. Kotoko
I don’t feel like Kotoko got the attention it deserved. The newest film from Tetsuo director Shinya Tsukamoto, Kotoko isn’t so much a horror film, or, necessarily, even a genre film. But it is unpleasant in the extreme, as it charts the downward spiral of a disturbed woman trying and failing to look after her infant son (and herself) while she suffers increasingly erratic delusions. Admittedly, this is a film I have yet to rewatch, and I wonder if it will be quite so impactful on second viewing. However, it still managed to shock and move me when I watched it on a big screen to a baying and unappreciative BIFFF crowd way back in April, and I think that’s fairly impressive in and of itself. Profoundly harrowing, Kotoko is one of those films that knocks the breath from you and then kicks you while you’re down.
3. Antiviral
Antiviral is the astounding debut film from Brandon Cronenberg, that while treading similar territory to his father, paves an original path through it. As much corporate thriller as it is body horror, much of Antiviral’s success, for me, lies in the hands of Caleb Landry Jones’ sickly portrayal of the central character. Looking genuinely ill for the duration of the film, his Syd March is an antihero only so much as he’s deeply entrenched in the distasteful cultural norm of this not-too-distant future. That we are thrust into this cultural norm, without any exposition, is another key strength of the film. It’s also rather refreshing to see Malcolm McDowell in a cameo appearance that doesn’t waste his considerable talent; I’m looking at you, second-least-favourite-film-of-the-year, Excision.
4. Berberian Sound Studio
One of the few films on this list that I actually saw at the cinema, Berberian Sound Studio managed to get a lot of attention (in the UK, at least) for being, well, a bit arty. Toby Jones plays a sound technician sent to Italy to work on a horror film. Such work does not seem to suit him, though, and the film unfolds a plot worthy of an Italian horror film itself. For a film that’s all about sound – and boy, is that sound design impressive – the film is memorably visual, too. The whole film looks sort of mucky, the horrible brown of the Four Flies-esque poster present in the film proper. The ending, I suspect, might frustrate some, but it’s one of those endings that I love for the sheer mettle of its inexplicableness.
5. Resolution
Speaking of endings I enjoy that frustrate others, Resolution has been doing the festival rounds this year to some acclaim. The debut film of Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson, Resolution is an interesting exploration of friendship. At the film’s core are the pitch-perfect performances of Peter Cilella and Vinny Curran as Michael and Chris. As Michael attempts to help his friend Chris go cold turkey, strange things start to happen at the remote lodge Chris has made home. Resolution is probably better described as a terror film than a horror film, as tension builds ever-so slowly, verging on the unbearable at times. As a feature debut, Resolution seems even more impressive, executed so precisely and effectively.
6. REC3: Genesis
I reviewed REC3 previously and more fully, but it’s worth restating just how much fun this sequel is. Completely different to the previous two instalments of the film series, REC3 is a rollercoaster ride of laughs and gore, all while retaining a considerable heart. Leticia Dolora’s performance is wonderful, and the image of a blood-spattered bride wielding a chainsaw is one of the most memorable and iconic of the year. The success of the film puts an immense amount of pressure on Jaume Balaguero and the forthcoming REC4, but with his own success this year (Sleep Tight), the franchise is at least in very safe hands.
7. Dead Sushi
I’d go so far as to say that Dead Sushi is a return to form for ridiculous Japanese splatter cinema. Though Dead Ball was already significantly better than the abysmal Helldriver, it doesn’t have quite so brilliantly ridiculous a central conceit as Dead Sushi. It’s certainly not a film to win anyone over who doesn’t already enjoy this particular brand of Japanese cinema, but for me it gives me hope that the subgenre hasn’t entirely stagnated. It’s slightly less CGI-reliant than recent similar fare, though it’s certainly still a presence, and the action sequences are much boosted by star Rina Takeda. And anyway – the film has a friendly piece of egg sushi as an actual character. What’s not to love?!
8. Lovely Molly
A far more serious film is Lovely Molly, another I’ve reviewed previously. I knew little about the film aside from its promotional artwork, and this was for the best. Boasting another stunning central performance from Gretchen Lodge, the film is not without its weaknesses, but is otherwise surprising and accomplished enough that missteps might be forgiven. Genuinely eerie in a supernatural sense, Lovely Molly is at its most impressively frightening in its depiction of one person’s very human breakdown.
9. Entity
Entity’s another debut feature film which proves itself accomplished and effective. Using what’s effective about found footage and adamantly not making a found footage film, Steve Stone’s film is a master-class in well-designed scares and tension-building. A great location and an incredibly precise soundscape makes Entity a film that begs to be seen on the big screen and played loudly. (Full review here.)
10. Midnight Son
Had I made a list such as this last year, Midnight Son would quite possibly have been right at the top of it. I saw the film in April 2011, at BIFFF, and had the pleasure of screening it at Abertoir 2011. Midnight Son was finally released in the States on DVD this year but it won’t be hitting DVD in the UK until February. That’s a long journey to a wide audience, but it surely deserves one. Annie has already sung the film’s praises, and I’m particularly excited for more people to see the film so that I can shout some more about how much I love THAT SHOT more than’s healthy. And please, UK DVD buyers: don’t be put off by the appalling DVD cover. It’s not even the wonderful Maya Parish, who packs in a nuanced performance, on the cover with lead Zak Kilberg!