Best of 2012 - From my perspective

And so it is... Another year is coming to an end and as usual I share with you my "best of" list, which consists of my top 10 movies and albums of the year.

For 2012, I've decided to go the extra mile by compiling another top 10... which will consist of my favourite tracks heard over the last 366 days (yes, that's right. It's a leap year).

I have to warn you though... I've struggled to make each of these lists because a lot of the names below didn't appeal to me like other projects in previous years. There was plenty of quality to go around for everyone, regardless of their particular taste, however, it did not fit the standards that I believe to be used to.

Evidence of that is the fact I won't be able to complete my top movies, simply because I don't think there are enough films worthy of making the cut. A vacant spot was left, almost like a sign of protest...
Sure I've enjoyed the likes of The Hobbit, Lawless, Prometheus, Arbitrage, Killing Them Softly, 21 Jump Street... but not enough to be "rewarded" on my top 10 and I missed watching some movies such as Amour, Les Miserables, Flight, Cloud Atlas, Django Unchained, Lincoln, End of Watch, Rust and Bones, among many others (many of these haven't been released in the UK)... therefore, don't be surprised with the absence of some of these names. 

Having said this, please take some time to see my list, which by the way, are not in any particular order.

Top 10 Movies

Dark Knight Rises

Looper

Argo

The Hunt

Skyfall

Moonrise Kingdom

Ruby Sparks

The Avengers

Chronicle
- vacant spot -

Top 10 Albums

Hot Chip - In Our Heads
Twin Shadow - Confess

The Walkmen - Heaven

Tame Impala - Lonerism

Delta Spirit - Delta Spirit

Alabama Shakes - Boys and Girls

Lotus Plaza - Spooky Action at a Distance

Alt-J - An Awesome Wave
Frank Ocean - Channel orange

Passion Pit - Gossamer

Top 10 Songs

Twin Shadow - Five Seconds

Fanfarlo - Deconstruction

Santigold - Disparate Youth
Hacienda - Don't turn out the lights

Delta Spirit - Money Saves
Clock Opera - Belongings

Alt-J - Breezeblocks

The Walkmen - The Line

 Lotus Plaza - Strangers
Mumford and Sons - I Will Wait

* Bonus tracks *

Tame Impala - Feels Like We Only Go Backwards
Mystery jets - Someone Purer

2012 Filmography

It's that time of the year where a lot of really cool edits displaying the best movies in 2012 start to surface

Not very accurate as there are a lot of movies from 2011 in the list (such as the crowd favourite "Intouchables")

But still very good to watch...

It's The End of the World

by: REM

Hollywood meets Fashion

Celebrities Read Mean Tweets

Movie 43 - Trailer

Ok... you got my attention!

The One (Live KCWR)

by: Twin Shadow

(the song is actually called The One and not The Ones as the YouTube clip suggests)

The Hunt (2012)

Intense, provocative and sometimes emotionally disturbing, this Thomas Vinterberg Danish film called The Hunt (2012) has just guaranteed his spot on my top 10 list of 2012, which I'll soon be releasing.

Mads Mikkelsen gives out an amazing performance - awarded in Cannes for "Best Actor" -  as a kindergarten teacher who's wrongfully accused by a child to have done what "is meant for only adults to do".

I recommend watching it with two or three friends so that you can discuss it by the end of the movie. I'm sure it will lead you to some serious thinking.

A Verdade (@ Terraço do Colaço)

by: Capitao Fausto

Portuguese wonder kids going at it!

Man of Steel - trailer

For personal reasons, probably the movie I'm looking forward to the most in 2013...

"My name is Jay"

Loving this guy even more...

On a class of his own

In the day he broke the record for most goals scored in a year...

... I salute you Messi!

Civilian

by: Wye Oak

People

Written by Alan Bennett, People is bound to make you laugh and also think... 

A reflection of the most important things in life to the most trivial ones.

It's a great, great play!

★★★★★
The Times

★★★★
City AM, Daily Telegraph, Evening Standard, Guardian, Independent, Sunday Express, Sunday Times, Time Out

‘Wonderfully funny... a grand evening. Dorothy is Frances de la Tour, in the best part Alan Bennett has written for her.’ The Times

‘Outrageously funny and provocative.' Independent

‘A richly enjoyable evening. Provocative fun... entertaining, funny and touching. Frances de la Tour is on wonderful form. Top notch performances, too, from the splendid Linda Bassett and Selina Cadell.’  

Daily Telegraph

‘Moments of tenderness and droll social insight that show Bennett at his best.’ Independent

Lover of The Light

by: Mumford and Sons

All Over It

by: Jamie Cullum

Comptine d'un autre ete: La Demarche

Yesterday I heard it about 30 times in a row and I'm still going at it!

Comptine d'un autre ete: La Demarche is one of Yann Tiersen's most beautiful compositions taken from the movie Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001) soundtrack. Even though this is one between four bonus tracks on the album, it is certainly one of the main highlights for anyone to hear.

Meanwhile, I couldn't find Yann Tiersen's version online, so had to settle with a cover. With plenty of these available all over YouTube and DailyMotion, I chose this one, not only because it came up first in my search but also because it pretty much sounds like the original.

Hope you enjoy the beauty that is Yann Tiersen's fabulous work.

UPDATE: Actually, I found it... but just under a different name.