It’s hard to tell how much blood is on the floor when the red carpet’s rolled out.
Last year, the editors of The Beacon came together to discuss, debate, argue and ultimately trade fisticuffs over just which movie of 2011 deserved to win the “Best Picture” award at the 85th Academy Awards. They weren’t necessarily movies that were nominated; just the ones that we thought were the cream of the crop.
With the awards airing this Sunday, we’ve done it again. Only, this year, we decided to class things up. We got dolled up in our Oscar best and tried to act cordial, but it wasn’t long before dissension turned our snazzy soiree into an all-out war-zone.
Oh well, there’s always next year.
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Kirstin Cook, Editor-in-Chief
The magic of the “Lord of the Rings” franchise is legendary in the movie industry, and even in our culture. “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” had a lot to live up to, but the epic film deftly filled those giant Hobbit shoes and outdid all the anticipation and expectations. The special effects beautifully captured this fantasy world. The Hobbit humor and goblin antics brought back that whimsical feeling of “The Fellowship of the Ring.” The film was more about setting and sensation than a series of events in a plotline. Those tones were captivating for the entire 169-minute duration. Perhaps the most compelling sensation was the deep sense of adventure, summed up in the immortal words of Gandalf: “Home is now behind you. The world is ahead.”
Bryan Calabro, Managing Editor
“Looper” was my favorite movie of 2012. For a couple reasons: Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis are a badass team. One is young and spry, the other is old and well-wizened. There are boobs and drugs; not even a normal drug, one that they drop in their eye. So cool. Everyone likes boobs and drugs. They go together like peanut butter and jelly. There is nothing like watching futuristic, gang-like violence in a semi-post apocalyptic world where anything goes. Anarchy is kewl. Because I like violence, sex, drugs, boobs and the concept of time travel over vast periods of time, this movie provided me with all the essentials to be thoroughly entertained. The whole concept of a world dominated in chaos, as in “anything goes” also made me appreciate this film.
Christine Lee, News Editor
“Moonrise Kingdom” is a quirky, nonsensical comedy directed by Wes Anderson, of “The Royal Tenenbaums” fame. It is about two adolescent kids who fall in love and run away into the woods on a small New England island in the 1960s. The film focuses on their families’ and the island’s efforts to locate them, and the two kids’ desire to be together despite the adults’ protests. What I like most about this film is its non-sensibility. It has a certain quirk about it that makes it funny and it is up to the viewer to suspend their disbeliefs in order to truly enjoy it. That and its score, which uses music composed by Benjamin Britten, is truly fantastic.
Brandon Scott, Online Editor
“The Cabin in the Woods” is the perfect mix of horror and cerebral satire. Although many may dismiss this movie as a silly horror film, its underlying satirical tones skewer the horror movie genre with pin-point accuracy. That, along with its ridiculous over-the-top gore and monster-mash party scenes, make it an absolute must-see choice for the Oscars.
Carly Yamrus, Opinion Editor
I don’t watch many movies, but when I do I like to laugh until it hurts. That or drool over attractive actors. That said, “21 Jump Street” is the best movie of the year for two reasons: Because it was one of only two movies I saw, and because it was pretty hysterical. The story follows two cops, who are anything but good at their jobs, assigned to go undercover as students at a local high school to find the source of a popular synthetic drug ship. The movie mocks high school students pretty hard., and Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum were great. My new favorite actor is Dave Franco, who played a nonchalant hipster drug dealer. Boy, was he beautiful.
Alyssa Stencavage, Life Editor
I don’t go to the movies often anymore, but one movie I saw within this past year that I really enjoyed and was impressed by was “The Vow,” starring Rachel McAdams (Paige) and Channing Tatum (Leo). Paige and Leo were married and Paige ends up in a coma after getting in a car accident. She wakes up with severe memory loss but Leo doesn’t give up on her. He is determined to win her heart again, and works hard to do exactly that. I’m not sure what about this movie makes it my favorite. Though I love the characters, it’s not necessarily because of them. It’s more because I appreciate the realistic aspect of it, the fact that what happens in this movie can and does happen in real life. This kind of thing makes you appreciate the important people in your life and what they will do for you. While it was sad, it was also a great movie.
Frank Passalacqua, Sports Co-Editor
“Silver Linings Playbook” combines three of my favorite things: the Philadelphia Eagles, Robert De Niro and, of course, Jennifer Lawrence. The addict-romance/drama isn’t usually my cup of tea, but this movie is the only exception. The movie ended on a happy note that left me wanting more. There was certainly a share of comedic scenes, too, that helped draw me in as well. The acting was great by every character and the emotional scenes actually felt real. While some may be surprised the movie is about a dance competition, the story simply could not have been done better.
Jake Cochran, Sports Co-Editor
I think the movie that did the best overall for the year was a Quentin Tarantino movie, but it wasn’t “Django Unchained.” It was “Killing Them Softly.” I say this because it was vastly underrated and it underperformed at the box office, so many people passed it over, and was just a solid film overall. It was an interesting social commentary with an ultra-realistic vibe that made you feel everything they wanted you to feel and it didn’t have a happy ending, which is always a plus in my book.
Laura Preby, Photo Editor
My Oscar pick for the year is “Safety Not Guaranteed.” This movie, from the producers of “Little Miss Sunshine,” provided me with my dose of romance, comedy, drama and a little sci-fi all in an hour and a half. Mark Duplass plays a man intent on traveling back in time, who is looking for someone to accompany him. Not only is he devastatingly attractive, but he gets to display his amazing voice. I had to travel about a half-hour to see this movie, but it was absolutely worth it. It’s a perfect film with an ending that left me inspired and a little bit curious. What if we could time travel?
Bill Thomas, A&E Editor
When I vented my spleen over the “Twilight” series last year, I never thought said series’ icy, pursed-lip male lead, Robert Pattinson, would go onto to deliver such a mesmerizing, intense performance in what I consider the best film of 2012. Color me stunned, as “Cosmopolis” is something of an actors’ showcase, with Pattinson joined by Paul Giamatti and Sarah Gadon (among others), all of whom chew hungrily on meaty, magnetic, monologue-heavy roles. More so, though, “Cosmopolis” is a clearinghouse for ideas. Based on a book by Dan DiLillo and directed by longtime fringe auteur David Cronenberg, the film unspools a near-future narrative of a young, decadent, borderline-agoraphobic billionaire losing his fortune over the course of one long limo ride across New York City in pursuit of a simple haircut. In the process, themes of convergence, capitalism, sexuality, technology, morality, artifice and alienation are excruciatingly explored as the soul of modern society is vivisected with hypnotic hyperrealism and intoxicating intellect. All told, “Cosmopolis” is lyrical and subversive, and bound to get people talking. Just as great cinema should.