Eureka Street doesn't try to review every film that comes out, not by a long shot. Instead we aim to address well-made films that have something substantial to say about the human condition. Our list of ten essential films from 2012 could broadly be named 'Stories about people who want to do better'.
They are films about characters who try to transcend corrupt environments, or are themselves corrupt and seek absolution. In one film, the central character wishes to obtain a fuller experience of his own humanity, and takes steps to achieve that. Mostly they are films that in some way reflect the struggle and desire to live ethically.
1. Carnage (M). Director: Roman Polanski. Starring: Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, John C. Reilly. 79 minutes
Alan and Nancy's son has hit Michael and Penelope's son in the face with a stick. The couples meet to resolve the situation civilly without bitter legal wrangling. But as with Australian author Christos Tsiolkas' The Slap this act of violence among children acts as a catalyst to exacerbate the characters' unease about a range of social and relational issues. A black comedy containing some razor sharp acting, especially from Foster and Waltz.
Full review
2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (M). Director: Stephen Chbosky. Starring: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Paul Rudd, Johnny Simmons, Mae Whitman. 102 minutes
I sat with a lump in my throat for most of this film. It ploughed deep into my affective memory of being a high school 'wallflower', with the empathy and voyeurism and destructive self-absorption that entails. Part of the irony of such an existence is that while you feel deeply for others, sometimes being so deeply introspective means that you can miss the possible hurtful consequences of your own actions. Charlie learns this the hard way.
Full review
3. Shame (R). Director: Steve McQueen. Starring: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan. 101 minutes
The best films about addiction are not merely voyeuristic, but offer insight into the nuances of the character's emotional and psychological makeup, and their humanity. As a story about addiction, Shame follows the formula, though in this instance the addiction in question is not a drug or other substance, but sex. Director McQueen's background is as a visual artist, and as such the themes of Shame are expressed both frankly and artfully.
Full review
4. The