Best Movies of 2012: #1

For me, this was an easy decision. Looking at a list of all the movies I saw, I already knew this would be #1. 

When you go see a movie, there are always expectations. A comedy movie is supposed to make you laugh, an action movie is supposed to keep you entertained and a horror movie is supposed to scare you. When a  movie like Life of Pi comes along, you're not too sure what you're going to get and maybe that's the beauty of it.

Life of Pi is a brilliantly told story about an Indian man' journey to America and how it all went wrong, how he became shipwrecked with a tiger and did everything he could to survive.

We've certainly seen movies where people have been shipwrecked and abandoned before, but this one is unique in the sense of its storytelling. It's hard to say what I love about this movie without giving away too much, but I will say the analogies made in the story are perfect.

The story created and fully imagined on screen are wonderful to watch, even though most of the film is pretty doom and gloom. The ending may leave some confused at first, but with time it all makes sense and is a pretty good twist on everything you had seen. 

Best Movies of 2012: #2

You've got to be pretty damn special to be ahead of the 2 most hyped movies of the year, and Looper was.

Besides providing Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt in their tremendous cast, the sci-fi setting and story presented was some of the best around in 2012, if not a long time. The idea of time travel has been around for a while and seen in movies plenty of times, but I can't remember seeing it like this.

Looper stars JGL as a hired gun, hired to kill people who are sent from the future who have done something detrimental. JGL discovers that they've sent his future self for him to kill, meaning his "loop" is over and he'll be dead in 30 years. From the shock of it, he doesn't do it, allowing his future self to go free, creating a big problem with the mob.

I don't want to confuse you and go on into detail about the next motives in the movie and whatnot, i'll say that is clever storytelling, and a good amount of action takes place. Each actor played their role perfectly, playing up the drama of the film.

With the perfect blend of storytelling, action, drama and a few shocking moments, Looper is #2 and there is only one movie that beat it out. 

Best Movies of 2012: #3

It's only mere coincidence that I have The Dark Knight Rises right ahead of The Avengers. I think.

It's easy to compare both movies just because of the comic book company rivalry, both movies are superhero movies and both came out just a couple months apart. TDKR won the critics war, getting slightly better reviews than The Avengers won the financial war, beating out TDKR by $500 Million dollars.

Nonetheless, I do have TDKR ahead by a small margin. After The Dark Knights tremendous success in 08', most thought it would be difficult to follow up that performance as a whole and of course, going to a 3rd movie in a franchise has seemingly been a death threat to the franchise involved. For Batman, it may not have been the best movie of the trilogy, but it was still great.

The drama of this film was certainly heightened as the movie progresses, with Bane (Tom Hardy) planning the demise of Gotham City and with Selina Kyle (Anne Hathway) lurking around, doing her business, it's an unsettling time for Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale). And it was a different twist for a superhero movie to see a superhero, especially one of Batmans stature, in a such broken state. By the end of The Dark Knight, we see Batman has lost the woman he loves, has lost Gothams respect and is now turned into a fugitive. Eight Years later and it seems that Batman is gone, but Bruce Wayne remains as the broken shell of what he once was. It's rare to start a superhero movie with such gloom.

From here on out, we get great acting from the whole cast, some surprises (that are somewhat seen coming) and the climax to probably the best trilogy for a Superhero of all time. In the end, we know there will be more Batman films. Seemingly, none will reach the emotional level or even dramatic level that TDKR reached. 

Best Movies of 2012: #4

So many years in the making, having to sit through some great (and not so great) Marvel films, all for it to culminate into a full fledged Avengers film. Between 2000-2008 we sat through 3 X-Men films, 2 Fantastic Four movies, 2 Blades, 3 Spider-Mans, 1 Hulk, 1 Punisher, 1 Daredevil, 1 Elektra and a Ghost Rider film. Most of the movies above didn't do so well, and an Avengers film seemed unlikely.

Out comes Iron Man in 2008 and everything changed. Not only did we get a great introduction to Iron Man, but the ending sparked the beginning of what became the Avengers. Out came the Hulk, Thor and Captain America films (along with a 2nd Iron Man flick) and so assembled The Avengers.

With so much hype, with so many different characters and storylines, how could each character get enough time to shine and would it be a jumbled mess anyway? Thankfully, what we got was the complete opposite of that.

All the important characters got their time, all the secondary characters got their time, the action was great, the villain was top notch, tidbits of comedy here and there, and lots of potential for future movies were revealed (even if not so clearly). The acting was top notch and at this point, it seems pretty easy to believe that no one else can play these characters anymore. They've been cemented into these roles and cannot and should not be replaced.

Whatever is in store for future Avengers flicks and Marvel flicks as a whole, this movie is a superhero classic.

Best Movies of 2012: #5

All 21 Jump Street was supposed to be was a buddy cop movie with a memorable "franchise" attached to it. What it ended up being, due to expectations being tremendously low, was a truly funny, more than decent action flick.

Complaints will always come Channing Tatum' way, but put him in a role where he isn't the sole focus and he can really thrive. Especially putting him with someone like Jonah Hill (who is funny as a skinny person I might add), Hill really takes the pressure off Tatum.

21 Jump Street is certainly one of the more complete movies of the year, featuring a nice balanced dose of action, comedy and drama.

Best Movies of 2012: #6

From the moment I saw the trailer for Wreck-It Ralph, I knew it would be something special. How could it not? It combines all the things in life that make it awesome. Animation, video games, video game characters in therapy, candy and John C. Reilly.

The clever and witty storyline put forth is part of what makes Wreck-It Ralph great, but its charm is really what gives it that extra push. How you could really feel for characters like Ralph, Felix and Vanellope and like when they succeed and feel sad when things go down hill.

Many animated movies came out in 2012, but none will entertain you like Wreck-It Ralph will.

Best Movies of 2012: #7

The legacy of James Bond was always cemented, Bond will always be the best secret agent, the man with the gadgets, the man who gets all the babes. Skyfall however, really changed the Bond formula we were used to seeing. That ended up being a good thing.

Skyfall was exceptional at being un-Bond like. While we're used to seeing Bond with tons of gadgets and almost using minimal force to get the bad guys, the Daniel Craig Bond really goes all out. Not many gadgets, big shootouts, being "old" and out of shape, and more importantly, it looks like he doesn't get a girl. Maybe out of being focused or losing his "mojo" but the man doesn't get a Bond girl.

The story and action are done very well, making it the best action movie of the year as well as one of the years overall best. On top of that, when you have a villain that can challenge Bond action for action, you have a great movie period. I'm hoping Craig does a few more Bond films.

Best Movies of 2012: #8

What happens when you mix the best actress of 2012 and a nominee for best actor of 2012? The #8 movie of 2012, Silver Linings Playbook.

A drama filled story following two young people in completely different situations, but sharing some common traits. Being alone, and being a bit off is something they regrettably share. In a movie like this, more important than anything is the chemistry between the actors. Does it look like it would truly work in real life, do they make it seem like this isn't a movie. For Cooper and Lawrence, it's flawless.

Throw in other great actors like Robert De Niro and the return (odd return) of Chris Tucker and you've got a great movie. If only the oscars cared about movies, Silver Linings Playbook and its stars would be recognized for it.

2012 Award Season: Most Disappointing

Every year, you look through the list of movies and you pick out a bunch that are going to be awesome. The most dejecting feeling as a movie goer is to spend the money on waste your time on movies you thought were gonna be awesome and end up bombing, sucking, stinking, under-performing, not living up to expectations.

This year, I got 4 movies that did that for me, only 1 did more than the rest.

Project X was built up to be this immense party movie, in the spirit of the Hangover, only for teens. While I still thought it was an OK movie, and somewhat did its job, it was over-hyped from the beginning and really only catered to young teens.

The Secret World of Arriety, from the makers of classics like Spirited Away, Ponyo and Howl's Moving Castle, lacked that same charm that made all of the said movies classics. It's still watchable, and not bad, but I expected a bit more.

Lastly, before we get to the winner.....loser..., American Reunion could have been more. 9 years after the original casts last film, too much time in between has meant a lot of things. Jason Biggs and Seann William Scott aren't funny anymore, Chris Klein was never funny and outside of Alyson Hanigan, everyone on the cast is past their prime for these kind of things.

LOSER:

After having a strong Paranormal Activity 3 showing, PA4 was supposed to be just as good, if not better. It was supposed to explain what the prior movies did not. Instead, what we got was more killing, less story and so much left unanswered. It seems like the producers and writers are leaving out enough to continue making more movies but not enough to keep their fans satisfied. 

2012 Award Season: Best Drama

         

I know that the sexiest movies around are the ones that either make you laugh or the the ones that pack the most action. However, it's usually the movie with the most drama and best story that end up being considered best movie of the year.

This year may or may not be different, but I will not spoil that for you.

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World was fitting for the year, with all the hoopla surrounding the end of the world as we know it. Of course, we're still here and Seeking a Friend was a great film.

Silver Linings Playbook does have a spot on our top 10 movies of the year, as you will see later and that's mostly due to the story and chemistry that Lawrence and Cooper have.

Looper, mostly considered to be a sci-fi brilliance is also a dramatic brilliance as well. The constant emergency surrounding JGLs character at all times is apparent throughout the whole movie and the drama it creates for the end is epic, but not winning this award.

WINNER:

Unlike the other movies nominated, Life of Pi is an emotional dramatic tale, not just dramatic. It's one that most of us won't be able to connect with, but just the idea alone and the concepts presented are enough to make you think and appreciate the story. 

10 Best Movies of 2012: #9

Normally the rom-com that's packed with so many characters and storylines ends up being too jumbled and a complete mess. With Think Like a Man, you still had the high amount of characters and storylines, but with a lot more connectivity and less mess.

I mean, just looking at the poster alone would make you think, "This movie is going to be a mess." But with a 2 hour runtime, each storyline was given enough time to play out.

Enough comedy and drama to fill the 2 hours, as well as just the pure entertainment of watching these storylines play out and thinking how these situations have played out for you or your friends, there was a good amount of realism here. Rom-Coms can be a bit over the top, but Think Like a Man manages to stay grounded.

Stay tuned as we continue to countdown to #1 on our best movies of 2012 list.

2012 Award Season: Best Comedy

Nominees: Ted, 21 Jump Street, Jeff Who Lives at Home, Five Year Engagement

My favorite kind of movie is one that can make me laugh. Every year there seems to be a couple that really stick out, but in 2012, it was hard to narrow it down to just 4 nominees, let alone pick one. But there is one clear cut choice. But we'll get to that.

You've already seen Ted on the top 10 movies of the year, so it has some high consideration already, but it's not the funniest movie of the year for us.

Jeff Who Lives at Home is a sleeper pick, a movie most people probably missed, but a movie with a great cast, a good story and of course, laughs. I enjoy an underdog story, but we don't have one here.

Another Jason Segal movie, Five Year Engagement Plan is also nominated, and while I love Segal (and Emily Blunt), it still didn't pack as many laughs as 21 Jump Street did.

WINNER:
      21 JUMP STREET

No one really expected much from this movie, which made it so much easier to love. Besides the fact that skinny Jonah Hill is funny and Channing Tatum in a role where he isn't the sole focus, it's just a silly comedy with a known name attached to it that worked. I saw the movie 3 times in theater, many times on TV and DVD, it's great. I can take even more happiness away knowing there's a sequel coming!

2012 Award Season: Best Actress

Nominees: Jennifer Lawrence, Scarlett Johannson, Anna Kendrick

We all know of the "golden girls" of Hollywood today. The Meryl Streeps and Michelle Pfeiffers and....Betty Whites of the world. They're still around, but it's certainly not their time anymore, a small crop of young actresses are making their way to the top.

Scarlett Johannson had a good year, co-starring (or super co-starring) in the Avengers and capping the year off with a role in Hitchcock. Solid performances in both, and a brighter future ahead, but she didn't win it this year.

Anna Kendrick, one of my personal favs, starred in a few movies this year that did well both critically and financially and has risen her star. Pitch Perfect, End of Watch, Paranorman and The Company You Keep are on her resume for this year, and she continues to show why she's one of the best actresses around. But only 1 woman had a better 2012 than her...

              WINNER:
                                    Jennifer Lawrence

In 2011, Jennifer Lawrence starred in her first mega franchise (X-Men). In 2012, she did it again with The Hunger Games. While the Hunger Games wasn't fully what it could have been, that certainly doesn't fall on Lawrence. She is the ideal Katniss. But her year didn't end there. With House at The End of the Street, and more notably, Silver Linings Playbook, we are witnessing a star in the making.

10 Best Movies of 2012: #10

A lot can be said about a movie that doesn't take itself seriously and succeeds at just entertaining the audience. Even more can be said when that movie involves a talking, volatile teddy bear.

Most people are quick to shit on movies like this because they see the concept as silly or flat out, dumb. But it's in these movies that you can find some of the funnier, more lighthearted comedy and Ted was full of it.

Being a slight fan of Family Guy and Seth MacFarlane as a whole will help make the movie funnier to you, as it did for me but looking beyond that, it stands alone.

Part of what made this movie work was having actors like Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis involved. People who have done comedy movies before, but you would never suspect had a funny bone in their body. I think it allowed for a more "realistic" kind of comedy, rather than casting 2 people that do comedies religiously.

Ted is #10 on the list!

2012 Award Season: Best Action Movie

Nominees: The Avengers, Expendables 2, The Bourne Legacy, Skyfal

The genre of Action movies has seen its ups and downs over the last decade or so. Gone are the cheap, one liner bad asses, replaced by what it is supposed to be more realistic fighters with decent acting chops. Now, that last part isn't always the case, but you can certainly see in the nominees above, it is the case.

WINNER:
                                     SKYFALL

Older James Bond flicks never featured much action, they've always prided themselves on having a debonair character with a gun and some gadgets. Fast forward to Skyfall and the evolution as a whole of the James Bond films, and you have the best action movie of 2012. From the opening sequence to the many fight scenes, shooting scenes and whatnot, it's a blast (literally). 

2012 Award Season: Best Actor

              

Nominees: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Strong male leads were not hard to find in 2012. A lot of household names starring in beloved franchises, a lot of A-list stars putting on inspiring performances.

Putting together this list, and its winner and reasoning behind it all wasn't easy, but I'm sure everyone can agree:


WINNER:

                   Joseph Gordon-Levitt

I enjoyed the work that all 3 actors put together this year, but JGL deserves this one this year. Bale's only movie this year, The Dark Knight Rises, was tremendous and I cannot discredit Bale for his work there, but he wasn't the noteworthy character in the film.

Bradley Cooper put together a string of great dramatic performances in movies that did well (The Words, Silver Linings Playbook) and is certainly breaking out.

But JGL put together one hell of a 2012. The obvious is that he was awesome in Dark Knight Rises. The not as obvious is that he probably had better performances in Looper and Lincoln and ultimately, has put his stamp on 2012. 

5 Movies That Didn't Make The Cut For The 10 Best Movies of 2012

15. Pitch Perfect
14. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
13. Prometheus
12. Expendables 2
11. The Bourne Legacy

5 good movies that didn't make the cut for the top 10 for various reasons.

Between missing some small element that would have taken it from good to great, to just not fulfilling its potential, each movie was still very good in its own right.

Some of these movies may be in your own personal top 10 for this year, and if that's the case, that makes this upcoming list that much more interesting, no?

So, stay tuned! Tomorrow we kick off the top 10 movies of 2012, as well as give out awards in specific categories.

2012 Award Season/Best Movies of the Year!

First off, Happy Holidays!!!

Now that business is taken care of, let's get to the fun.

Movies are big part of everyone's year, from the beginning of it to the end, they serve as many things for us. Entertaining, escape, time fillers, whatever they may be. Much like music, movies are essential to life. I got to watch close to 100 movies that were released this year and with a list so long and diverse as this years movies, it wasn't easy to rank them. That doesn't mean I didn't rank them! So without anymore wait I announce.....

The Movie Spot's 4th annual Award Season and Best Movies of the year!

It starts on Christmas day with a little sneak peek of the top 10 movies of the year, only by giving you 5 movies that were good but didn't make the cut for our top 10.

Things really kick off on Wednesday, December 26th. We'll release 2 movies from out list day by day, as well as award winners for categories we've created. All leading up to Monday, December 31st where we reveal the #1 movie of the year!

Awards like: Best Actor, Actress, Best Action movie and much more will all be given out in that 6 day span.

So get ready! We're almost at the finish line but there's so much to get to in the world of movies!

Fall TV Preview: The Rest

While the rest of these channels don't have much coming out, they do have some of the more watched shows, more beloved shows.

Comedy Central has South Park (Season 16), Showtime has Dexter (Season 7) and AMC has The Walking Dead (Season 3). Walking Dead Season 3 will be split up, 8 episodes airing before they break and air the other 8 episodes in the Spring of 2013.  

HBO
Boardwalk Empire: Sun, Sept 16th 9pm
Treme: Sun, Sept 23rd 10pm

Comedy CentralBrickleberry: Tues, Sept 25th 10:30
South Park: Weds, Sept 26th 10pm
Key & Peele: Weds, Sept 26th 10:30pm

Cartoon Network
Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Sat, Sept 29th 9:30am
Green Lantern: The Animated Series - Sat, Sept 29th 10am
Young Justice: Invasion (Midseason Premiere) - Sat, Sept 29th 10:30am

Adult Swim
Robot Chicken: Sun, Sept 8th

Showtime
Dexter: Sun, Sept 30th 9pm
Homeland: Sun, Sept 30th 10pm

USABurn Notice (Midseason Premiere): Thurs Nov 8th
Psych: Date TBA

AMCThe Walking Dead: Sun, Oct 14th 9pm

BBC AmericaDoctor Who: Sat, Sept 1st 8pm

Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Sat, Sept 29th 11am

SYFYHaven: Fri, Sept 21st 10pm

FX Fall TV Preview

Though battling against major TV companies, FX has always provided a solid lineup of fan favorite shows. Their heavy hitters: Sons of Anarchy and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia are back for new seasons.

Nothing new really premieres for FX but American Horror Story is still fairly new and now with AHS: Asylum, it could be gearing to go twice as hard as they did the first season.

NOTE: Bold means new show
FX
Sons of Anarchy: Tues, Sept 11th 10pm
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Thurs, Oct 11th 10pm
The League: Thursday, Oct 11th 10:30pm
Brand X With Russell Brand: Thurs, Oct 11th 11pm
American Horror Story: Weds, Oct 17th 10pm