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Top 10 Films
With “The Hobbit” and “Les Misérables” yet to be released, here are this year’s most memorable screen gems so far.
 
A Separation (Iran)
A Tehran couple’s small domestic issues spin out of control against a complex web of social issues in Iranian writer-director Asghar Farhadi’s remarkable drama. The relatively mysterious Iranian culture and Iranian people have never been so relatable. Despite its title, the movie ultimately transcends regional and cultural differences and brings people together.
Argo (USA)

Based on an incredible true story that was only declassified 15 years ago, this immensely engrossing Tehran hostage crisis-themed thriller reveals the timeless truth: Hollywood solves all of our problems! Ben Affleck is so phenomenal as a director that it makes me feel sorry for all the time he’s wasted in front of the camera.
The Artist (France/Belgium)

French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius’s black-and-white silent film is simple, funny and fascinating, a playful throwback and an earnest love letter to early cinema. Starring a charismatic Jean Dujardin and following the careers of and romance between a veteran silent star and an emerging talkie-era darling, it takes us on an enchantingly nostalgic trip back to 1920s Hollywood. This one is for all the fuzzy cinephiles.
Hugo (USA)

From hardcore New York gang-slaying to a strictly PG, kid-friendly movie, Martin Scorsese proves that if you are a great director, you can direct anything. The 1930s Paris-set fantasy adventure pays a hearty homage to the godfather of sci-fi cinema, Georges Méliès, while masterfully utilizing state-of-the-art 3D technology. A warm and cute break from old Marty’s usual mob crime-biz stuff.
Looper (USA/China)

Time travel is cool again in “The Brothers Bloom” director Rian Johnson’s US-China co-produced new effort, a mind-bending existential cat-and-mouse game between a hitman and his younger self. If you can get over Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s heavily made-up prosthetic face, this gripping, humanistic slow-simmer will probably be one the most engaging sci-fi films you’ve ever seen.
Love in the Buff (Hong Kong/China)

An epic typography fail (or win, depending on your standpoint) sent the entire country buzzing in anticipation, ready see a lot of “Butt” in writer-director Pang Ho-cheung’s sequel to his mega-successful “Love in a Puff.” The total absence of buttocks aside, we’re treated to another hilarious rom-com that, despite a different city setting, is deliciously raunchy.
Melancholia (Denmark/Sweden)

Danish misanthropist extraordinaire Lars von Trier reaches a new personal high with his fatalistic vision of the annihilation of Earth and humanity. A masterpiece featuring a career-best Kirsten Dunst, the film is aphoristically operatic and sublimely beautiful. Its use of Wagner’s music and hints of Nietzsche’s philosophy also offers a glimpse of where von Trier’s infamous Nazi-sympathizing remarks come from.
Moneyball (USA)

Take me—a baseball idiot—at my word: you don’t have to be a fan of the game to understand and enjoy this unconventional sports movie, which is based on the true story of how the Oakland Athletics’ GM Billy Beane revolutionized baseball in 2002. With Steve Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin’s top-notch screenplay and the ingenious comic pairing of Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, the film hits a home run.
Shame (UK)

An occasionally clothed Michael Fassbender (“F” pronounced silently) giving nakedly lustful long stares with his piercing, cadet-blue eyes—what more can you ask for from a movie?! “Hunger” director Steve McQueen’s awe-inspiring drama takes an uncompromising look at a Manhattan sex addict’s downward spiral. Fassbender and Carey Mulligan’s joint performance is simply revelatory.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (UK/France)

John le Carré’s celebrated Cold War espionage novel gets a superb adaptation at the hand of Swedish auteur Tomas Alfredson. With a labyrinthine plotline and a stunning ensemble headlined by the ever-great Gary Oldman, the story of spymaster George Smiley is a stylishly somber and chillingly realistic mind-teaser that requires your full concentration and begs the question: James Bond who?
Five other Honorable Mentions:












The Avengers (USA)
The Intouchables (France)
The Raid: Redemption (Indonesia/USA)
Moonrise Kingdom (USA)
Life of Pi (USA)





 
Top 10 Albums
OK, let’s face it, 2012 has not been a great year for music, but here are some albums that definitely deserve a spin.
Adventure in Your Own Backyard
	Patrick Watson
	The Canadian singer-songwriter, whose ever-graceful-sounding music mixes experimental, chamber pop and indie rock, brings an array of comforting, intimate songs. His ethereal vocals can do no wrong.
’Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
	Godspeed You! Black Emperor
	Just when their American protégé Explosions in the Sky takes a break, Montreal’s legendary post-rock collective reunites for their new release after a 10-year hiatus. This four-track wonder is fueled by meticulously orchestrated chaos and loud, epic, ominous instrumentation.
Blue Chips
	Action Bronson & Party Supplies
	Breaking out into the scene just last year, Queens emcee Action Bronson has quickly ascended into the leagues of the hottest rappers around. His sharp, profrane lyricism is accompanied by impressive musical arrangements.The Idler Wheel…
	Fiona Apple
	The daring and sometimes baffling singer-songwriter returns with her first album in seven years, which has a 23-word title and sizzles with creativity, quirks and highly confessional lyrics. Yup, it’s still the Fiona we remembered, full of piano awesomeness.
Kaleidoscope Dream
	Miguel
	R&B wunderkind Miguel’s sophomore output is definitely not short of sexual, seductive energy. Prepare to be wooed with songs from groovy opener “Adorn” to mellow simmers “Do You…” and “Pussy Is Mine” (okay, maybe that last one is somewhat less romantic).
Locked Down
	Dr. John
	What happens when a New Orleans legend meets a new-generation blues hero? Dr. John’s latest album, produced by a longtime fan, The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, proves to be an inspired collaboration. Inject a dose of the Keys’ garage stylings into Dr. John’s “Night Tripper”-era fonk sound, and you get voodoo magic.
Lonerism
	Tame Impala
	Australia’s finest psychedelic songsmiths craft another mind-bending album following their splendid 2010 debut. Boasting gorgeous riffage, soothing echoes and organic songwriting, the album shines with Impala’s signature lo-fi aesthetics and effortless brilliance. You don’t even need to be stoned to enjoy it.
Swing Lo Magellan
	Dirty Projectors
	Toning down the artsy-fartsiness of their 2009 critical darling “Bitte Orca,” the Brooklyn art-rockers present a new set of tunes that are their most straightforward yet. From the brilliantly bizarre opening harmony to the closing folky ballad, the song-based album has a handful of great moments.
Twins
	Ty Segall
	Blending Nirvana’s melodic accessibility, Jack White’s dirty guitar edge and even some of The Beatles’ psychedelia, the San Francisco garage rock-reviver’s exhilarating sixth studio album makes one wonder why the world has only just learned his name now. Take this 35-minute blast as a preview of his rock stardom to come.
The Seer
	Swans
	Yes, it’s scandalously long (lasting two hours, including the 32-minute titular track), but experimental veteran Swans’ newest effort is never boring. Leader Michael Gira, who’s pushing 60, says the album took 30 years to make, and its brooding dynamic, eerie atmosphere and grand beauty surely feel that way.

	Five other honorable mentions:
Celebration Rock
	JapandroidsChannel Orange
	Frank OceanThe Haunted Man
	Bat for LashesShields
	Grizzly BearW.E. OST
	Abel Korzeniowski


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The Best Movies and Music of 2012

Magazines

Arts Editor Penny Zhou picks the best movies and tunes from this year’s Hong Kong releases.


The Best Movies and Music of 2012

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Arts Editor Penny Zhou picks the best movies and tunes from this year’s Hong Kong releases.

Top 10 Films

Arts Editor Penny Zhou picks the best movies and tunes from this year’s Hong Kong releases.