Richard's 2012 Movie List
A list of the films I have seen in 2012, in the order I have seen them. Will continually be updated as I see movies.
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40 titles
- DirectorBrad PeytonStarsJosh HutchersonDwayne JohnsonMichael CaineSean Anderson partners with his mom's husband on a mission to find his grandfather, who is thought to be missing on a mythical island.Not a bad family film. I would say right on par with the previous film, with added bravado provided by The Rock and extra credit for bringing on Sir Michael Caine to play grandpa. 6 out of 10 stars
- DirectorMike McCoyScott WaughStarsAlex VeadovRoselyn SanchezNestor SerranoAn elite team of Navy SEALs embark on a covert mission to recover a kidnapped CIA agent.An absolute thrill ride of a film. By far what makes this film work is real Seals are on display. Saw this twice in the theater, enjoyed it even more the second time. 8 out of 10 stars
- DirectorGary RossStarsJennifer LawrenceJosh HutchersonLiam HemsworthKatniss Everdeen voluntarily takes her younger sister's place in the Hunger Games: a televised competition in which two teenagers from each of the twelve Districts of Panem are chosen at random to fight to the death.Nice to see a female-led action film that is smartly done. Performances are what makes this film a success. Jennifer Lawrence is the class talent of the new generation of actors. 8 out of 10 stars
- DirectorJoss WhedonStarsRobert Downey Jr.Chris EvansScarlett JohanssonEarth's mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are going to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity.Pure comic joy in one film. Joss Whedon does the impossible and takes characters and actors established in their own solo films and puts them together for a highly entertaining film. Mostly everyone gets their due in this film, save for Hawkeye. By far, the best CGI rendering of Hulk to date in film. Multiple viewings a must. 8 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorAsger LethStarsSam WorthingtonElizabeth BanksJamie BellAs a police psychologist works to talk down an ex-con who is threatening to jump from a Manhattan hotel rooftop, the biggest diamond heist ever committed is in motion.A good thriller that feeds you information bit by bit. It is almost undone by the ending, but is a fun and satisfying ride. 7 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorCameron CroweStarsMatt DamonScarlett JohanssonThomas Haden ChurchSet in Southern California, a father moves his young family to the countryside to renovate and re-open a struggling zoo.A whole lot of sugar and sweetness with no real threat of a downer ending. But sometimes it is good not to feel a good ending is in doubt. 7 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorNicolas Winding RefnStarsRyan GoslingCarey MulliganBryan CranstonA mysterious Hollywood action film stuntman gets in trouble with gangsters when he tries to help his neighbor's husband rob a pawn shop while serving as his getaway driver.This film received a lot of critic love online. A good flick no doubt, but not the game changer the critics built it up as, IMO. Still, there is something to be said about Gosling's minimal dialog performance here. 7 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorMcGStarsReese WitherspoonChris PineTom HardyC.I.A. operatives wage an epic battle on each other when they discover they are dating the same woman.A little unfocused in the editing department, reminds me a lot of the disjointed feeling I got with another McG vehicle, Charlie Angels: Full Throttle. Witherspoon alone makes this worth a watch and her fans will definitely enjoy. 6 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorGarry MarshallStarsSarah Jessica ParkerJessica BielAshton KutcherThe lives of several couples and singles in New York City intertwine over the course of New Year's Eve.Talk about sweet. A whole lot of sweet here. But you know, I am known for my affinity for sweet things. A lot of storylines that some how make sense together in the end. 6 out of 10 stars
- DirectorGuy RitchieStarsRobert Downey Jr.Jude LawJared HarrisDetective Sherlock Holmes is on the trail of criminal mastermind Professor Moriarty, who is carrying out a string of random crimes across Europe.A little more humor this go around. RDJ and Jude Law once again prove to be a fantastic duo. Richie seems a bit in love with the slow-mo action, my only real complaint, but beyond that another winner Holmes movie. 7 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorTarsem SinghStarsLily CollinsJulia RobertsArmie HammerAn evil queen steals control of a kingdom and an exiled princess enlists the help of seven resourceful rebels to win back her birthright.Not quite as funny as the trailers lead you to believe. It definitely gets better when the dwarfs enter the picture. In the end, a missed opportunity here. 5 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorMåns MårlindBjörn SteinStarsKate BeckinsaleMichael EalyIndia EisleyWhen human forces discover the existence of the Vampire and Lycan clans, a war to eradicate both species commences. The vampire warrior Selene leads the battle against humankind.Right on par with the series. Kate's reappearance is very much welcomed. If I have a complaint here it is the run-time. At just barely over 80mins, the 3rd act is cut way too short. I would have liked to seen it expanded a bit more. 7 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorRupert SandersStarsKristen StewartChris HemsworthCharlize TheronIn a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen.Borrowing from "Legend" and "LOtR", this version of Snow White is more fulfilling than "Mirror". The biggest complaint could be that we just get a small taste of the fantasy element and would have been great to see it expanded on. 6 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsJohnny DeppMichelle PfeifferEva GreenAn imprisoned vampire, Barnabas Collins, is set free and returns to his ancestral home, where his dysfunctional descendants are in need of his protection.This is for fans of Burton's querky side. It is not a mass audience movie. I enjoyed the 70's vibe and meladrama. Fans of the series may have nitpicks over many changes. This is a love or leave it movie. 7 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorMarc WebbStarsAndrew GarfieldEmma StoneRhys IfansAfter Peter Parker is bitten by a genetically altered spider, he gains newfound, spider-like powers and ventures out to save the city from the machinations of a mysterious reptilian foe."Too soon" was the cry from many fans of Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (well, probably not including Spider-Man 3 in all honesty). Relax, the new Spidey film treads the origin waters again, but this is a totally new, and mature body of water. I loved Garfield and Stone in this. They embody my visions of Peter and Gwen, respectively. The action is much improved with less CGI Spidey and more practical action. 8 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorAlex KendrickStarsAlex KendrickKen BevelKevin DownesWhen a tragedy strikes close to home, four police officers struggle with their faith and their roles as husbands and fathers. Together they make a decision that will change all of their lives.From the Sherwood folks that brought us "Facing the Giants" and "Fireproof". Their latest is a call to all men to be 'courageous' fathers, no matter if we have biological children or not. Amen to that. These films are very predictable. Not a bad thing, but it would be nice to see them get outside their safe zone in the next film. 6 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorJoe CornishStarsJohn BoyegaJodie WhittakerAlex EsmailA teen gang in South London defend their block from an alien invasion.Another film from 2011 that I finally got around to seeing. Heard lots of great things via the net on this one. It was good, not great, but good. Like "Drive", I think this is another case of way too much love shown to what is a OK enough film. 6 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsChristian BaleTom HardyAnne HathawayEight years after the Joker's reign of chaos, Batman is coerced out of exile with the assistance of the mysterious Selina Kyle in order to defend Gotham City from the vicious guerrilla terrorist Bane.Wow, that is the word that kept running through my mind over and over. This is one of the best 3rd acts period. Many times, fans have been let down by the 3rd film in a trilogy. Not this time. Right on par with the series as a whole; Nolan and Co. take their saga out like a champion. 9 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorAdam ShankmanStarsJulianne HoughDiego BonetaTom CruiseA small-town girl and a city boy meet on the Sunset Strip while pursuing their Hollywood dreams.This is 100% absolute fun! If you are a fan of 80's music and like plenty of it, this is your movie. Tom Cruise is fantastic and his buddy "Heyman" steals every scene he is in, classic stuff. This is all about having fun. 8 out of 10 stars on fun alone.
- DirectorTimur BekmambetovStarsBenjamin WalkerRufus SewellDominic CooperAbraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, discovers vampires are planning to take over the United States. He makes it his mission to eliminate them.Crazy title, crazy premise and crazy action, equals to a crazy fun time. You gotta take the alternate history with a grain of salt, but this was a fun film to follow along the "what if" new history telling. 7 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorAndrew StantonStarsTaylor KitschLynn CollinsWillem DafoeTransported to Barsoom, a Civil War vet discovers a barren planet seemingly inhabited by 12-foot tall barbarians. Finding himself prisoner of these creatures, he escapes, only to encounter Woola and a princess in desperate need of a savior.You know what? This movie was not bad at all, in fact, it was a fun movie to watch. I have not read the book this is based on. But bad press and lackluster boxoffice had me gun shy. But finally seeing it, I have to say I really enjoyed it. 7 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorAlex KurtzmanStarsChris PineElizabeth BanksMichelle PfeifferWhile settling his recently deceased father's estate, a salesman discovers he has a sister whom he never knew about, leading both siblings to re-examine their perceptions about family and life choices.If you blinked, you missed this gem of a movie. It is a very quiet movie that came out at a very noisy time. If you missed this, be sure to catch it on disk or pay-per-view. Performances are great with an engaging story. 8 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorLen WisemanStarsColin FarrellBokeem WoodbineBryan CranstonA factory worker, Douglas Quaid, begins to suspect that he is a spy after visiting Rekall - a company that provides its clients with implanted fake memories of a life they would like to have led - goes wrong and he finds himself on the run.I'm a fan of the original. This one resembles the original, but is a totally different look and feel, which is really a good thing. I thought it did what a remake should, which is have the same premise, but carve out its own signature. 7 out of 10.
- DirectorTony GilroyStarsJeremy RennerRachel WeiszEdward NortonAn expansion of the universe from Robert Ludlum's novels, centered on a new hero whose stakes have been triggered by the events of the previous three films.Legacy ties into the previous Bourne films while setting up its own storyline wonderfully. Renner and Weisz are great, as expect. Norton is top-notch as the cat in the cat and mouse game. Can't wait to see where the franchise goes from here. 7 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorChris RenaudKyle BaldaStarsZac EfronTaylor SwiftDanny DeVitoA 12-year-old boy searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.Good heart, good intentions, not so good execution. It is entertaining enough. But it just all feels a little off, to include songs that are just not all that good. 6 out of 10 stars.