
2012 was a fantastic year for film. Whilst Ben Affleck was on a top secret mission, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence danced into our hearts. As The Avengers assembled, Bond came back on top form. So when the Oscars came, there were a lot of tough decisions; many were torn for their choice of Best Film. Was it to be Zero Dark Thirty or Les Miserables? Django Unchained or Lincoln? In the end, Mr. Affleck came out on top with thriller Argo. I've been saying this for months: Argo was good but Lincoln should’ve taken home the trophy. As of this morning, my mind has changed completely.
I stood in CeX for a good 20 minutes, holding Life of Pi on Blu-Ray and wondering if I should buy it. “£10? That’s a better price than anywhere else. But what if I don’t like it? That’s £10 I could’ve spent on films I do like....” I thought as 20 minutes went by. Eventually, I bit the bullet and handed my money over the counter. To be fair, Gangster Squad was riskier buy and THAT was awesome. So this morning I thought it was about time I popped it in. Cup of tea, bowl of Shreddies, no one in the house - let’s do this.
With this short story based plot, the sweeping trailer and a five star trailer there wasn’t enough to inspire keenness. But when Oscar Winner Ang Lee took to the podium to collect his award at this years ceremony, there was an inspiration to go see this movie. Oscars don’t necessarily mean a movie is good. But while Best Picture winners such as Slumdog Millionaire and Dances with Wolves are appalling winners, there was something about Ang Lee that made me sit up and take notice of his movie. I hate myself for missing the opportunity to see this in cinema, it is truly a masterpiece.

The story is immensely engaging; the fact that older Pi is telling the story obviously reveals that he eventually makes it out of the ocean, and yet you still sit there thinking that there is no hope for this boy and his tiger. You question constantly the fate of our hero. Ultimately, it is one of the greatest stories ever told.
Life of Pi is upheld by the fantastic and brilliant acting of Mr Suraj Sharma. Academy, shame on you. Sure, Daniel Day-Lewis, Hugh Jackman and Bradley Cooper all gave fantastic performances last year and it was great to see the nominations for Best Actor. But to not nominate one of the most incredible performances is a tragedy . It’s arguably one of the best of the year! Very convincing and very emotional, Sharma is a strong and formidable actor.
With an engaging plot, beautiful visuals and a performance for the ages, Life of Pi is certainly a highlight of 2012.
5/5