WHAT I HAVE WATCHED THIS MONTH / ISSUE 6 / 2013
the oscars were wrong
w.i.h.w.t.m issue #6
best of 2012 cover art
bradley johnson words, design
richard walker guest artist
bradley johnson wihwtm.tumblr.com youtube.com/wihwtm bmj-nuca.blogspot.com
6. best picture 8. best t.v series 10. best actors 17.rewatch
prometheus. liberal arts. 2 days in new york. eastbound & down. skyfall. tom hardy. the walking dead. how i met your mother. spartacus. its always sunny in philidelphia. javier bardem. the office. 30 rock. jessica chastain. creul summer. not everything. not yet. joseph gordon-levitt. 7 pychopaths. donald glover. dan harmon. the big bang theory. streets ahead. fight milk. disney star wars. ann perkins. looper. keeping up with the kardashians, what a crap show. royalty. emma stone. the avengers. scarlet johansson. danny devito. 300
prequel? ho. christian bale. american pie. j edgar. clint eastwood. new girl. danny pudi. philip seymour hoffman
SCREW THE OSCARS. tina fey. louis c.k. will arnet and amy pheoler split up. no. grumpy cat. bryan cranston. argo. total recall. the over use of adele songs in films. emily blunt. the hobit. safety not guaranteed. adam scott. THE D IS SILENT. JT. LET US ALL REMEMBER r.i.p tony scott.
The Amazing Spider-man Dir M. Webb Star A. Garfield E. Stone Seven Pychopaths Dir M. McDonagh Star C. Farrell C. Walken Django Unchained Dir Q. Tarantino Star J. Foxx C. Waltz L. Decaprio Young Adult Dir J. Reitman Star C. Theron
Killing them Softly
Best Picture
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10. The Amazing Spider-man. The old Spiderman films were so bad that no matter what Marc Webb did for this one you knew it’d be better. Garfield and Stone gave this film the true spirit of Spiderman that fans had longed for. Lets get excited for Spiderman 2. 9. Seven Pychopaths. Christopher Walken is a genius and so is Martin McDonagh. 8. Django Unchained. Argueably Tarantino’s best film since Pulp Fiction. Foxx is a sensationand Leo is a welcome addition to the Tarantino film family. 7. Young Adult. Jason Reitman has a gift. His past films Up in the Air, Juno, Thank You for Smoking are beautifully heartbreaking and thats what Young Adult delivered in buckets. It goes darker than previous Reitmans but he pulls it off to the usual high standard. 6. Killing Them Softly. Brad Pitt has come into his own in this film, the best mob film since Drive that is truly worthy of the praise it has received. 5. Martha Marcy May Marlene. It’s one of those films you watch and are left speechless at the end. Olsen and Hawkes are superb and Durkins direction is flawless making for one of the best debuts in history.
Dir C. Nolan Star B. Pitt
4. Detachment. Probably the most depressing film of the year but fascinating at the same time. Lucy Lui is the suprise gem in Detachment that tops it off. 3. The Dark Knight Rises. Ok we all knew it was going to be awesome but who knew it would be this good. I don’t think I even need to justify why its on the list. 2. Rust & Bone. You know Audiard isn’t about to start making bad films but Rust & Bone just blows you away. It’s a film where each part is to such a high quality the end result is nothing short of perfection. 1. Shame. What else could it be. Shame had it all, McQueen, Fassbender and that incredible story. This was a risky film to make that many stupidly snubbed. McQueen is a genius, enough said.
You come in here and you’re a weight on me. Do you understand me? You’re a burden. You’re just dragging me down.
Martha Marcy May Marlene Dir S. Durkin Star E. Olsen J. Hawkes Detachment Dir C. Nolan Star A. Brody C. Hendricks The Dark Knight Rises Dir C. Nolan Star C. Bale T. Hardy Rust & Bone
Shame
Dir J. Audiard
Dir S. McQueen
Star Carey Mulligan Michael Fassbender
Star C.Mulligan M.Fassbender
10. Game of Thrones. Winter is coming, G.O.T makes it’s way onto this list because it’s season 2 finale was out of this world bat-shit crazy. White walkers? Yes! 9. Futurama. Season 7 was a little hit and miss but the episodes that were good were seriously good. 8. Community. It continues to be one of the funniest shows on TV with some of the most interesting one off specials. However the Dean and Troy and Abed continue to dominate all the good humour. 7. Curb your Enthusiasm. Larry David. What a guy. 6. Parks & Recreation. I was nervous for season 5 after 4 was so good but P&R raises the bar even further with amazing character development and comedy. 5. Mad Men. Season 5 had more scandal, lies and affairs than ever before. This show is not afraid to take risks and make major shake ups that completely change characters and the show. Bring on season 6. 4. Boardwalk Empire. Season 3. It’s just incredible,
words fail me. So good. 3. It’s Always Sunny. Hands down the funniest show on TV. A comedy show should be judged on how much you quote it. If you don’t quote it at least once a day I’d be suprised. Me? I’m just a guy who totally got off bro. 2. Breaking Bad. Schemes on schemes on schemes. Heisenberg knocks it up several notches in season 5. B.B continues to be the best drama series on TV. 1. Louie. Louis C.K is a genius. S3 of Louie blows you away with it’s shear quality. Everything is so well done from the writing to the camera work. Nice one Louis.
10. Game of Thrones
8. Community
9. Futurama
7. Curb your Enthusiasm
best show (i know they don’t do tv but they should)
6. Parks & Recreation
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5. Mad Men
3. It’s Always Sunny in Philidelphia
2. Breaking Bad
4. Boardwalk Empire
1. Louie
ACTORS OF THE YEAR
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10. JARED HARRIS
9. JAVIER BARDEM
Mad Men is a show that only gets better but one of the reasons season five was incredible was this man. Like he was born to play the part of Lane Pryce. His performance stands out in a cast of excellent actors such as Jon Hamm and Christina Hendricks, this is why he magnificently starts off our list of the top 10 actors of 2012.
Ok. Skyfall. Pretty good film. Excellent acting. Javier is no stranger to stealing a film just watch Vicky, Christina, Barcelona or No Country for Old Men and you will know what I mean. In Skyfall Daniel Craig was very impressive but Bardem walks in and goes it’s ok I’ve got it from here and leaves you stunned.
8. JACK HUSTON
7. ELIZABETH OLSEN
Say the name Richard Harrow near any Boardwalk Empire fan and they will make some sort of adoring sound. It wasn’t simply enough for Jack Huston to have the best character on Boardwalk Empire he had to out perform Steve Buscemi as well. In the finale of season three he was simply outstanding in a Django Unchained style shootout.
2012 was a good year to be Elizabeth Olsen. Her debut performance in Martha, Marcy, May, Marlene went down very well and her follow up performances in Silent House and Liberal Arts were also impressove. She may be the sister of Mary Kate and Ashley but she’s actually good and is here to make some seriously good films.
^6. Joseph gordon-levitt
5. adrien brody
Looper and The Dark Knight Rises JGL has been on a roll this year. His role in Looper as the young Bruce Willis was a highlight of the year for W.I.H.W.T.M he is proving he can take any role and own it. With his first acting/directing feature Don Johns Addiction coming in 2013 JGL isn’t hanging about.
Need someone to be super depressed in your film? Who you gonna call? Adrien Brody that is who. Even though he’s becoming a little type cast now it doesn’t stop him being incredible. Detachment was a fantastic film that Brody gave one of the best performances of his career in.
4. Carey mulligan If you have seen Shame it’s no surprise why Carey Mulligan is this list and if it wasn’t for Breaking Bad she’d be in the top three. You have to respect Carey, her choice for roles is un-faultable: Drive, Shame and next year The Great Gatsby. She is really an actress to be admired, not just for her choice in role but how committed she becomes to
each role. In Shame her portrayal of Michael Fassbenders insane sister is hands down the best performance by an actress in 2012 and it is criminal that she has been snubbed by the Oscars. I for one am very excited to see how she will follow up that performance in Shame with The Great Gatsby, you know she’ll be good but will she be Shame good.
3. bryan cranston It should be law that people who haven’t watched Breaking Bad are sent to jail and forced to watch it until they have watched it all through, twice. It is the best show ever made except for maybe The Wire but between Bryan and Aaron they put all other actors (TV or film) to shame. Bryan’s season five transformation from clumsly cook to all
round badass meth druglord is nothing short of acting perfection. Bryan didn’t stop in 2012 with Breaking Bad though he also went and out acted Ben Affleck in his own film, Argo. He was also in Total Recall in which he was the only good part. He’s come so far from Malcolm in the Middle and I know season five pt.II will be incredible.
2. aaron paul I’m not even going to try and pretend I don’t have a man crush on Aaron Paul. I mean come on, he’s incredible. His performances as Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad just get better and better and better with each episode that passes. His character in Breaking Bad was supposed to be killed off after the first season but after Aaron came in and did his thing
they rewrote the end of season one so they could keep in. It was hands down the best decision they made on the show. As Aaron starts to be in other projects Smashed for example he is showing that he is adaptable and in line for an Oscar or four during his career.
1. michael fassbender Haywire, Prometheus, Shame Michael Fassbender proves year in year out that he is just the best in the business. His role diversity shows his true talent, being able to go from a robot humanoid in Prometheus to a sex addicted businessman in Shame. That performance in Shame is the exact reason he tops this list. Not only is it the best film of 2012 but also the best acted. Fassbender falls straight into the difficult role with ease and is mesmirising everytime he comes on screen not to mention the intensity he creates during the couch cartoon
scene. Even though your not there you feel terrified. Compare this to the cold emotionless portrayal of David in Prometheus another incredible role that Fassbender completely owns and like Bryan Cranston in Argo makes all the other actors look like amateurs. There’s not much more I can say because if you’ve seen any of his films in 2012 you will just know how good he was and be looking forward to anything he will star in in 2013.
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1. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, 2012
2. Magic Mike, 2012
3. Looper, 2012
4. To Rome with Love, 2012
5. The Silver Linings Playbook, 2012
6. 21 Jump Street, 2012
7. Life of Pi, 2012
8. Moonrise Kingdom, 2012
rewatch We’ve said what our favorites are but there is stuff you should watch that didn’t make the list. 1. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Emma Watson co-stars in her first film since Harry Potter. Adapted from the popular novel it makes for a compelling and emotional film. 7* 2. Magic Mike, if you can sit through Channing Tatum being Channing Tatum it’s not a half bad film you know. 5* 9. The Hunger Games, 2012
3. Looper, JGL/Bruce Willis time travel spectacular. It’s pretty awesome and worth your time. 9* 4. To Rome with Love, Woody Allen’s follow up to Midnight in Paris. Alec Baldwin kills in this Italian comedy even Woody himself makes an appearance. 7* 5. The Silver Linings Playbook, this is a fantastic film that has cleaned up in awards season. We haven’t classed it up there in our top 10 because it has been massively over-awarded 8* 6. 21 Jump Street, When you expect a film to be terrible and it’s not it’s quite a nice feeling. Tatum and Hill give you just under 2 hours worth of jokes and letter jackets that will keep you entertained. 6*
10. Prometheus, 2012
7. Life of Pi, this film is generally bad but the FX are incredible. 4* 8. Moonrise Kingdom, Wes Andersons long awaited film that I found uncomfortable to sit through however Bill Murray is amazing, as always. 5* 9. The Hunger Games, an o.k rip off of Battle Royale but it’s a bit of fun. 5* 10. Prometheus, Ridley Scott on form. 9* 11. The Five-year Engagement, light hearted rom-com that is filled with friendly faces and just an all round nice time. 7*
11. The Five-year Engagement, 2012
12. The Lorax, come on Danny DeVito voices the Lorax. All through it I kept hoping he would recite some It’s Always Sunny lines. “Hey lorax you dropped something” “Ooops I dropped my monster condom for my magnum dong” 7*
12. The Lorax, 2012
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THAT’S ALL FOLKS seriously I’m not doing anymore of these. it was fun. i hope you enjoyed reading them. i enjoyed making them.