BY MIRIAM RINN

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

It is that time of year again, time to look back and  pick out the best movies of the past 12 months. We are coming to the end of a less-than-fabulous year for films, in  my opinion, but  there were certainly worthwhile things to see, especially among independent films, and a few that were extraordinary artistic accomplishments.

For brilliant filmmaking both visually and thematically, nothing beat “The Master.” Paul Thomas Anderson told a uniquely American story of self-creation, of fathers and sons (the quintessential American family dynamic), of longing and despair, in one of the most visually gorgeous films to be seen in a long time.

Astonishing performances by Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, and Amy Adams gave a deeper sense of humanity to an enigmatic story that is as fascinating for what isn’t on the screen as what is.  

Michael Haneke’s “Amour” is as reserved and disciplined as “The Master” is sumptuous but shares some of the latter’s mysterious reticence. We may not know everything about Georges and Anne, the long-married elderly couple confronting illness and decline, but we feel deeply their attachment and the terrible sadness of their situation. Heneke proves that he’s as capable of tenderness and empathy as he is of moral severity.  

“Lincoln” is the best film Steven Spielberg has made in years despite its actually being a good play by a very talented playwright. Tony Kushner’s screenplay is filled with talk and not much action, but the talk is so interesting and the performances by a raft of character actors are so skilled that we are captivated by the drama of it all. Kushner presents politics at its highest and lowest--the most noble end achieved by the most degraded means. Spielberg’s great visual sense is on display and this time the language is a match. Even Spielberg’s chronic sentimentality cannot undermine Daniel Day-Lewis’s iconic portrayal of America’s greatest president.

The Israeli documentary “The Flat” tells an almost unbelievable story about the relationship between staunch Zionists living in Tel Aviv and a Nazi officer and his family in a style reminiscent of a “CSI” episode. Following the evidence where it leads, the filmmaker Amon Goldfinger uncovers the astonishing friendship between his grandparents and an SS officer both before and after the Holocaust. “The Flat” is part of a growing number of films by third-generation Israelis--the grandchildren of Holocaust survivors--examining the Shoah from a different, more dispassionate perspective and underlines the increasing sophistication of Israel’s film sector.

Richard Linklater’s “Bernie” is hilarious and horrifying at the same time, always a good combination. Jack Black is brilliant as Bernie Tiede, the sexually ambiguous undertaker who is the most popular man in Carthage, Texas, especially with the older ladies. When he befriends the town’s richest, meanest widow (played with unalloyed glee by Shirley MacClaine) people marvel at his patience, but when she disappears, they never suspect Bernie might be responsible. Linklater mixes actors with actual townspeople to tell this real-life story, and gets amazing results from both groups. Controlling the tone is the key to success with a film like this, and Linklater keeps it droll all the way through.

The marketing campaign for “Hope Springs” tried to sell it as a middle-age sex comedy, but this comic drama about a married couple who want to revive the passion in their lives is so much more than that. Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones are affecting and poignant as the man and wife who can no longer communicate verbally or sexually, but Steve Carrell is a revelation as the sex therapist they consult. Gentle and sincere, Carrell is totally convincing, at least until the very end. Written by Vanessa Taylor and directed by David Frankel, this film doesn’t assume that sex is only for people under 40 and treats the intimate lives of grownups with respect.

Another Holocaust film, this one fictionalized, proves that this episode in history is an unfathomable well of stories. “In Darkness” tells how a Polish thief and part-time sewer worker protected a group of Jews under the streets of Lvov from the Nazis for 14 months until liberation by the Allies. Director Agnieszka Holland doesn’t present her characters as heroic and doesn’t try to explain their behavior. A small time crook, Leopold Socha initially demands money from the Jews he finds hiding in the sewer, but over time develops a protective instinct for them. Shot in darkness for much of the time, the film creates an atmosphere of almost unbearable claustrophobia and dread while it ponders the nature of goodness.

Written and directed by Taika Waititi, “Boy” is set on the coast of New Zealand in 1984. A comic coming-of-age story, the film recounts how 11-year-old Boy is left in charge when his Gran has to take care of some other relatives and what happens when his no-count father comes back from jail to find some money he buried. Always warm and loving, the film avoids mawkishness through its high spirits and the extraordinary charm of the child actors. A wonderful family film.

A small, personal film, Michael Cuesta’s “Roadie” has a powerful sense of place and benefits from exceptional performances by a strong ensemble cast. Jimmy returns home to Queens after 20 years on the road with Blue Oyster Cult with no prospects, no marketable skills, and a lot of resentment. His mother, the amazing Lois Smith, is becoming forgetful, and his old crush is married to the jerk in high school. We get older, but things don’t change. Sensitive and evocative.

“Searching for Sugar Man” got a lot of attention for a documentary by a Swedish filmmaker about an obscure entertainer, and it is still screening in New York City. The ultimate feel-good movie, it deserves all the good press. The film chronicles the search by two South African fans for what happened to their musical idol, Rodriguez, who they are certain died flamboyantly on stage. What they discover is even crazier; the one-time singer is alive and well and still living in Detroit, with absolutely no idea that he ever became a star on the other side of the world. In addition to the extraordinary story, the film has interesting insights into the record business in the sixties and seventies and introduces Rodriguez to his native land.

Most of these films are available on DVD or via streaming, so happy viewing in the new year.