Wednesday, December 19, 2012

2012 ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS: NO. 19

JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT
I remember watching Rian Johnson’s Brick back in 2006 and thinking to myself (as I’m sure many other people did) that this Gordon-Levitt kid I knew only from 3rd Rock from the Sun could really act. Cut to six years later, and his 2012 filmography reads like this: The Dark Knight Rises, Looper, Premium Rush and Lincoln. Throw in 50/50, which was released in Australia pretty close to 2012, and this is a man catching fire in a major, major way.

He’s not just in the right movies, either. I haven’t seen Lincoln yet, but his performance in Dark Knight is measured and complex and he might be even better in Looper. Even in Premium Rush, which isn’t a particularly good film, he’s admirably committed to a thin, even shallow character. He put in a great hosting stint on Saturday Night Live. He even does adorable duets with Zooey Deschanel. The guy has it all. Most importantly, a movie with Joseph Gordon-Levitt is now an event, and that's when you know you've really made it.

Honourable Mention: Stanley Tucci is probably my favourite character actor, one of those guys that tend to be the best thing about anything he’s in, no matter the quality of the film. This year, he stole the show as Caesar Flickerman in The Hunger Games and was fantastic in (2011 film) Margin Call. Next year he’ll be in the movie versions of two young adult books (Catching Fire and Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters) as well as Jack the Giant Slayer. I have every expectation he’ll be the best thing about all of them.

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