Countdown to 2013: 2012 Movies

I saw 34 movies this year–more movies than last year (last year the count was 29)! This reverses what was a continuing downward trend, as this is the first time the number has gone up from the previous year. I believe this has to do with the number of films I saw at MoMA when I was unemployed, as well as a few programs I saw at the Paley Center. I am again counting the movies I saw at MoMA (both old and new) and also the movies I saw on the Hudson River Park pier (although I unfortunately didn’t get to any of those this year, but usually they are counted in this), as well as the operas in HD, the film programs a the Paley Center, and other museum programs and events.

a better life stillThe film A Better Life

I only saw 14 NEW movies this year (the same as last year!)–7 in regular movie theaters (3 more than last year!), 1 at the New York Film Festival (same as last year), 4 at the Paley Center (same as last year) , and 1 at MoMA (3 less than last year). Of the 7 I saw in a regular movie theater, I paid full price (either in NYC or PA) for 1 of them and used passes or got discounts for 6 of them. In total, I saw 14 films a MoMA, 7 at The Paley Center, 1 at The Whitney, 1 at the New York Film Festival, and 2 operas in HD. Of the 34 movies I saw this year, I saw 29 for the first time.

My rating system uses stars and equates as follows: 1=bad, 2=ok 3=really good 4=great.

My favorite new movies (4 stars) this year were:
Moonrise Kingdom

Runners up (3.5 stars):
A Better Life
Carol Channing: Larger Than Life
Ruby Sparks
Ginger and Rosa

My favorite old movies I saw for the first time:
Walkabout
On the Waterfront

My favorite old movies I loved seeing again in the theater/outside:
Titanic (3D IMAX)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (IMAX)

Some Extra Fun Favorites:
Ginger and Rosa Post-screening discussion with Sally Potter, Elle Fanning, and other cast members at the New York Film Festival and my encounter with Sally Potter before the scenning

Worst new movie:
None.

Worst old movie:
Black Swan (Finally saw it and found it well-done but manipulative and a bit exploitative)

The Big List:

The Descendants **1/2
Into The Abyss*** (MoMA)
The Artist**1/2
Oscar Hammerstein: Out of My Dreams*** (Paley Center)
Undefeated*** (Paley Center)
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front*** (Paley Center)
Hell and Back Again*** (Paley Center)
A Better Life***1/2 (Paley Center)
The Hunger Games***
Titanic 3D IMAX****
Meek’s Cutoff***1/2 (Whitney)
Beginners*** (MoMA)
Milk***1/2 (MoMA)
Carol Channing: Larger Than Life***1/2 (Paley Center)
Oklahoma*** (Paley Center)
I Confess*** (MoMA)
Moonrise Kingdom****
Roman Holiday***1/2 (MoMA)
Days of Heaven*** (MoMA)
Zoo in Budapest*** (MoMA)
400 Blows*** (MoMA)
The Conspirator*** (MoMA)
Walkabout**** (MoMA)
Ruby Sparks***1/2
Black Swan** (MoMA)
Films by Albert Lamorisse and Edmon Sechan: White Mane, The Red Balloon, The Golden Fish*** (MoMA)
Palindromes*** (MoMA)
Don Giovanni*** (Met HD Festival)
On the Waterfront**** (MoMA)
Salome***1/2 (Met HD Festival)
Raiders of the Lost Ark IMAX****
Ginger and Rosa***1/2 (New York Film Festival)
Silver Linings Playbook***
Les Miserables**1/2

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