Best of 2012 - Movies

Cash was flowing into movie theaters this year, that's for certain. Even I spent more time in theaters than ever before. We all know there were some big hits this year, but did they live up to the hype? I think they did.

10. Men in Black 3

 

When I first heard about this delayed sequel, I wasn't interested at all. I didn't enjoy the first two much, but Men in Black 3 went in a much different direction with a lot of focus on causation, the underestimated effect of what we do today on what happens tomorrow. Griffin, one of my very favorite new movie characters, has the ability to perceive all possible realities at once and continually hopes the one our world follows is not as disastrous as some of the others. These concepts combine for some fantastic story telling.

9. The Woman in Black

Because of my experience with horror video games, horror movies have never really been able to genuinely scare me; it's so much more terrifying to be a contender rather than a witness. When it comes to jump-scares, the Woman in Black is the most successful horror movie I've seen and I found its creepy premise thrilling. Scariest movie of its type I've seen so far, kudos to it.

8. John Carter

At first glance, John Carter seems like a decent sci-fi film, but then you consider that the movie was made on the 100th birthday of the book it's based on. The man who built this world is Edgar Rice Bulloughs, who, if you didn't know, also created Tarzan. To see his stunning imagination portrayed on the silver screen in a time so distant from his own is like nothing we've seen before in the film industry. Much respect and admiration to Burroughs.

7. Bourne Legacy

If you asked me for me three favorite actors, I'd pick Edward Norton, Jeremy Renner, and Rachel Weisz, and that's before they joined together as my movie dream team for Bourne Legacy. As you can imagine, I was pumped to see what this, the best cast I could hope for, could pull off. Although I think it would have been a better movie if it didn't try so hard to be connected to Bourne's completely separate story, this crew of actors had me smiling the whole way through.

6. The Dark Knight Rises

I think Batman's latest installment will claim spot #1 for many movie-goers this year, but anyway you slice it, it's still about a man dressed like a bat. That said, The Dark Knight Rises, felt surprisingly epic and while Christopher Nolan's Inception is much more my style, he really did an extraordinary job with this character throughout the trilogy and provided a stellar example of how super hero movies should play out. Can't wait to see what Nolan has in store.

5. Chronicle

 

Chronicle's premise had the potential to be one of my all-time favorites. Shot entirely in realistic-camera style (much like Cloverfield), it delivers some outstanding moments. Unfortunately, the story wasn't quite to my taste and all of the unrealistic high-school boy antics dimmed the overall experience. Still, this movie is exactly the sort of thing I want to see more of: original.

4. Prometheus

Speaking of big, epic movies, Prometheus takes the cake for me this year. The vast majority of story ideas take comfort in being set in the real world. As many of my favorite stories do, Prometheus dares to venture beyond what is familiar, to challenge what is commonplace, and to create a reality in which humanity is only a small piece of the universe. It's too bad the movie, because of the extremity of what it tries to express, feels like it was cut short. I surely look forward to any sequels that may be in store.

3. The Avengers

Like I've said before, a story about a team or a group beats one with a main character any day. I liking being able to pick a favorite, considering the web of relations, and seeing the power of unity in these stories. The Avengers involves one of the greatest teams we've ever seen (and can you guess who's my favorite?) so of course I love it. In my mind, comic-based movies really struggle to be serious and, dare I say it, touching, but The Avengers was a big success.

2. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Think apocalypse and movies like 2012, War of the Worlds, and just about any super hero flick likely comes to mind. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World makes it seem real. After one final failed attempt at destroying an incoming meteor, the world resigns to the fact that there are 21 days left to live. The movie does an amazing job at depicting how I think people would actually choose to spend that time. NFL players continue playing games, even though random people walk freely on the field. People hire assassins to kill them so they don't have to face the notoriety of suicide. And of course, crazy parties are found on every corner. The directions the movie's story takes create an inspiring, eye-opening look on what life means to us all.

1. The Hunger Games

Before this year, the most I'd ever seen a single movie in theaters was twice. I saw The Hunger Games four times and, to be honest, I'd never thought it would happen that way. I wasn't crazy about the book and I wasn't one of the fanatics there at the premiere. I was, however, still very excited for the movie because its structure is very similar to a story I might construct myself. I will always have a special attachment to this tale because of its resonance with my own imagination. The desperate battle for superiority, the organization and portrayal of the fighters and their districts, the arguable ties to video gaming and virtual reality... it's a perfect concoction to me. Sad to say, I found this book far better than its sequels so I can't say I care much for the following movies. At least I know The Hunger Games will always be dear to me.

Winter break is usually my movie-watching crackdown time, but I'm fortunate enough to have had time to get to all the big ones earlier this year. Sure, the list may not be comprehensive of 2012, but I'm happy with my 2012 movie experience.