My most anticipated films for the remainder of 2012

As we enter the final few months of 2012, the quality of new films should be significantly higher than that of the rest of the year. It’s almost a cycle of sorts, a few sleeper hits from January to April (although I wouldn’t call The Hunger Games ‘sleeper’ by any means), an endless spew of explosions, aliens and superheroes throughout the summer. The autumn and winter months are when things really pick up. The Academy Awards are just around the corner, and studios release their films accordingly, the closer the film’s release to Oscar season, the more likely it is to be nominated. The films below are those that have the most appeal to me, the potential warmth in the impending harshness of the winter.

5. Skyfall

As much as I enjoy the works of Skyfall director Sam Mendes (has he ever made a bad film?) I was a little worried when he was appointed the man behind James Bonds latest. He may be able to command the dramatic side of 007’s latest mission, but his filmography is relatively light on action, an integral part of and Bond film. Still, with villains played by the likes of Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes, Daniel Craig returning as Bond and Roger Deakins as director of photography, I feel that Skyfall is in safe hands, and easily be the finest action film of the year. 

4. Argo

Based on the reactions it garnered from Toronto International Film Festival, many have slated the Ben Affleck directed Argo to take the best Picture category at the Academy awards in February. Based on a true story, Argo is about a plan to save 6 Americans hiding in the Canadian embassy during the Iranian revolution in 1979. The rescue is executed by sending a mock film crew into Iran to scout locations for a Star Wars rip off. The crew is actually an ex-filtration team who intend to rescue the hiding Americans. If you told anyone 10 years ago that Ben Affleck would star in a film that is an Oscar contender and critical darling, they would have laughed in your face. And the thing is, they’d have every right to. But as a director, Affleck has improved dramatically, could he have a shot at winning best director? Only time will tell. 

3. Beasts of the Southern Wild

Debuting at Sundance and taking Cannes by storm, Beasts of the Southern Wild is one of the most acclaimed films of the year so far. Following the young girl Hushpuppy as she leaves her bayou community to find her mother as her father becomes ill in health. The 2 actors in the starring roles Quvenzhane Wallis and Dwight Henry are a bunch of unknowns, but according to many will be looking at Oscar nominations for their incredible performances. It’s certainly shaping up to be one of the most magical films of the year ahead of its October 19^th UK release date.

2. To the Wonder

This one is slightly cheating. While it’s finished filming and has been released to the usual chorus of boos and cheers as various film festivals (Venice and Toronto), the chances of it being released anytime soon seems fleeting. Director Terrence Malick’s has never been one to rush the release or production of his films, the 20 year gap between Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line supports this. While Magnolia pictures have stated To the Wonder will have a 2013 release, a year is a long space of time, and it could come at any point. The Tree of Life was a visionary masterpiece and the finest, most polarizing, film o f 2011; could To the Wonder replicate this feat for 2013?

1. The master

After the Dark Knight Rises had come and gone, there was only ever one other film I would crave with such feverous anticipation. While Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest effort will be considerably different in its definition of epic when compared to Nolan's explosive Batman finale, I'm no less intrigued about it. Much like Beasts of the Southern Wild, viewers in the USA have already seen it; its release was moved forwards to September stateside in order to improve its Oscar chances. In the UK, it was moved from the initial October release date to the middle of November, so understandably the extended weight has been arduous. 2012 has been the year I discovered PTA, starting with his finest (There Will Be Blood) being let down ever so slightly after watching Magnolia and having my faith fully restored with the excellent Boogie Nights. As far as performances go, the buzz around Joaquin phoenix’s turn in The Master has been at fever pitch, could he give something that could usurp Daniel Day Lewis’ performance in There Will Be Blood as the greatest of the 21^st century? In a little over a month I’ll be able to find out.