2012 Movie Preview

Happy 2012, everyone! I hope everybody had a splendid (and safe) New Year's Eve and New Year's morning. I myself had work all through the night, but I am back and ready to tackle the new year of film. I'm sure you'll be seeing plenty of articles like this one over the course of the next week or so, as everyone will be telling you what films they think are worth your time in 2012. I, on the other hand, realize that everyone has their own taste in film, so my likes and dislikes are probably vastly different than yours, so the best I can do is tell you which movies I'm most excited to see this year and give you a little explanation as to why. And so, below you'll find the ten films I'm most eager to see in 2012 followed by a few others that almost made the cut. I hope you enjoy this post, and once again, happy new year everyone!

10. The Expendables 2
Release: August 17, 2012


Directed by: Simon West
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Chuck Norris, Randy Couture, Jean Claude Van Damme
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While the original film wasn't necessarily the greatest action movie to grace the silver screen, it was definitely one of my guilty pleasures of 2010. It's over-the-top ridiculousness was so brilliantly cheesy that it was hard not to like the film. Immediately, there was talk of a sequel, and it looks as though Sly Stallone might be pulling out all the stops for this one. When you have a cast list that includes names like Willis, Staham, Lundgren, Norris, Van Damme and Schwarzenegger, you can be sure that the filmmakers are going all out.

*****

9. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Release: December 14, 2012


Directed by: Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Cate Blanchett, Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis
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I may be vehemently hated for what I'm about to say, but I was not a huge fan of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy back in the early 2000s. Yes, I concede that they were finely-crafted films that held audiences captivated for three years, but in terms of the critical success they achieved, I'm not quite sure they were all that deserved. That being said, I can't help but be prepared for the first installment in The Hobbit, which has been split into two parts, the first of which will be released this December.

*****

8. The Amazing Spider-man
Release: July 3, 2012


Directed by: Marc Webb
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Martin Sheen, Sally Field
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Like The Lord of the Rings, I was never a massive fan of Sam Raimi's Spider-man franchise, mostly because of my issues with Tobey Maguire's ability to act. When I heard that the franchise was to be rebooted, I had my qualms, but the casting of Andrew Garfield truly excited me in the prospects. As the cast list continued to grow, I became more and more anxious about how good this movie might actually be. I went so far as to break down the above trailer, which you can find here and will hopefully answer any questions I had about the film.

*****

7. The Cabin in the Woods
Release: April 13, 2012


Directed by: Drew Goddard
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Richard Jenkins, Jesse Williams
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When I first saw the trailer for The Cabin in the Woods, I probably had the same thought as everyone else: "Great, not another one of these horror flicks." However, the trailer quickly gives us the following title cards: "You think you know the story. / You think you know the place. / Think again." Immediately, we're taken to a seemingly more sci-fi oriented piece, and I for one am eager to see just how it will all play out. For all I know, this will prove to be drivel, but with Joss Whedon producing and Chris Hemsworth as our lead, I'd bet that we're in for something a little bit different.

*****

6. Prometheus
Release: June 8, 2012


Directed by: Ridley Scott
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce
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What was originally going to be a direct prequel to the 1979 film Alien has become instead a preceding story that takes place in the same cinematic universe but doesn't directly reference any of the characters or events from the 1979 film. Despite this, we're getting Ridley Scott back in the director's chair, so my own personal excitement couldn't possibly be any higher. Let's just hope he still has that same magic touch he had thirty-three years ago.

*****

5. The Pirates! Band of Misfits
Release: March 30, 2012


Directed by: Jeff Newitt, Peter Lord
Starring: Hugh Grant, Salma Hayek, Jeremy Piven, David Tennant, Brendan Gleeson, Martin Freeman, Imelda Staunton
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Sure, this movie could end up being an animated remake of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, and I'm sure the success of those films were in part the reason behind making this little animated feature. Still, I've always been a fan of stop-motion animation, and this one actually looks to be a rather pleasing entry into the genre. And with vocal work from the likes of Grant, Hayek, Piven and Tennant, this should be a jolly good time on the high seas.

*****

4. Brave
Release: June 22, 2012


Directed by: Brenda Chapman, Mark Andrews
Starring: Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Craig Ferguson, Robbie Coltrane
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I'm going to come out and say this right now: Brave looks to be one of the most beautifully-crafted animated films ever to grace the silver screen. I know I'm putting a lot of stock into this one at such an early date, but Pixar has yet to offer a real stinker (sure, Cars 2 wasn't fantastic, but I didn't hate it). This movie, however, could easily find its way into the annals of the greatest animated films ever to be released. It's basing a lot off the trailer, but there looks to be comedy, adventure, action and a bit of drama in this one. I'm sure Pixar will find a way to blend it together perfectly and offer yet another fantastic film.

*****

3. Django Unchained
Release: December 25, 2012

Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Samuel L. Jackson, Sacha Baron Cohen, Kurt Russell, James Remar, Christoph Waltz
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Growing up, I was never much of a fan of Tarantino's films. It wasn't until I saw 2009's Inglourious Basterds that I really started to see what all the hype was about. After going back and re-watching his other films, I'd have to say he's definitely one of the better directors of his generation. So when it was announced his next film would be Django Unchained, the story of a slave looking to exact revenge on his former master, I was ecstatic. And with a cast list that includes Foxx, DiCaprio, Gordon-Levitt, Jackson, Cohen, Russell, Remar and Waltz, I think we can all be a little bit excited.

*****

2. ParaNorman
Release: August 17, 2012


Directed by: Chris Butler, Sam Fell
Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, Leslie Mann, John Goodman, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Casey Affleck
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It's from the makers of Coraline and offers an awesome trailer that's sure to stick in your mind. It's looking to be a bit of a horror or thriller that's probably accessible to kids, which means it won't end up being scary. But if it's even half as good as Coraline, then we should be in for quite a treat. The story follows young Norman, who can speak to the dead and must save his town from an old curse that's come to fruition. Sure, it sounds a tad cliché, but with these guys at the helm, I'm expecting something marvelous.

*****

1. The Dark Knight Rises
Release: July 20, 2012


Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Juno Temple
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If this film isn't at or near the top of everyone's list of "must-watch" films in 2012, then there's something wrong with them. After crafting a brilliant film in 2008's The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan has quite the pedestal to reach. I've done a trailer breakdown for the film's two trailers, and even those aren't enough to answer any of the questions lingering in my mind. And even though my excitement level is off the charts, I think there's only two ways this movie could possibly turn out: it will either be one of the greatest movies ever to grace a silver screen, or it will be a disappointment in comparison to its predecessor. There's no gray area for The Dark Knight Rises, but I have every faith in Nolan's ability to toss up another bit of brilliance and cement himself as arguably one of the greatest directors of all time.

*****

Also be on the lookout for the following films in theaters this year:

Man on a Ledge
Release: January 27, 2012
Directed by: Asger Leth
Starring: Sam Worthington, Ed Harris, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell

Big Miracle
Release: February 3, 2012
Directed by: Ken Kwapis
Starring: John Krasinski, Drew Barrymore, Ted Danson, Kristen Bell

Chronicle
Release: February 3, 2012
Directed by: Josh Trank
Starring: Dane DeHaan, Michael B. Jordan, Alex Russell, Michael Kelly

Act of Valor
Release: February 24, 2012
Directed by: Mike McCoy, Scott Waugh
Starring: Roselyn Sanchez, Alex Veadov

Wanderlust
Release: February 24, 2012
Directed by: David Wain
Starring: Paul Rudd, Jennifer Aniston, Malin Akerman, Justin Theroux

The Hunger Games
Release: March 23, 2012
Directed by: Gary Ross
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Wes Bentley, Elizabeth Banks

The Avengers
Release: May 4, 2012
Directed by: Joss Whedon
Starring: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner

Men in Black III
Release: May 25, 2012
Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld
Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Emma Thompson, Josh Brolin

Rock of Ages
Release: June 1, 2012
Directed by: Adam Shankman
Starring: Tom Cruise, Mary J. Blige, Julianne Hough, Alec Baldwin, Paul Giamatti, Russell Brand, Catherine Zeta-Jones

Premium Rush
Release: August 24, 2012
Directed by: David Koepp
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Shannon, Dania Ramirez, Jamie Chung

The Great Gatsby
Release: December 25, 2012
Directed by: Baz Luhrmann
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Joel Edgerton, Carey Mulligan, Isla Fisher

Trailer Breakdown: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN

It's time to break down another trailer! In the past few days, I'd been hearing rumblings about a leaked teaser trailer for the upcoming 2012 film, The Amazing Spider-man, but I hadn't found it until it officially hit IMDb. With the release of a teaser trailer for another 2012 film some of you may recognize as The Dark Knight Rises, I'm sure that this particular trailer has taken a little bit of a back seat. However, I found quite a bit to talk about, so let's get to it, shall we? Here's the trailer for your viewing pleasure, and below will be my breakdown and analysis.

And now, to the thoughts that arose while I watched the trailer:

1) Will a franchise rebooted this quickly be able to grasp its former audience as well as a new generation of audiences?
It may not seem like it, but it's only been nine years since the first of Sam Raimi's Spider-man films hit theaters back in 2002. The most recent - and ultimately final - installment in that particular branch of the franchise was released in 2007 and sizzled in rather lackluster fashion, in my own personal opinion. Because of creative differences, the studio chose to part ways with the Raimi and Tobey Maguire-led films, instead choosing to restart everything. Now, we have seen quick reboots before (need I remind you of the 2008 film, The Incredible Hulk, which came only five years after Hulk), so I suppose it's not entirely unprecedented. However, Raimi's Spider-man franchise was (mostly) applauded, so taking something that worked and tweaking it so soon could spell certain doom. Fortunately, I have quite a bit of faith in this particular adaptation, for one particular reason...

2) ...which is the cast list for The Amazing Spider-man.
While the use of Tobey Maguire as our central lead in Raimi's films worked relatively well, I never could get past the fact that he was a little on the annoying side. Sure, he had some stellar actors working alongside him (with Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina and James Franco, just to name a few), but seeing him as the lead in this big-time action franchise never sat well with me personally. However, the reboot's cast list seems extremely promising. First and foremost, we're getting a high-caliber, uprising star in Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker, which would be enough to make me see the film. He first blew me away with his subtly dramatic performance in 2008's Boy A, and he reached the collective consciousness of the mainstream public in 2010's The Social Network. I think he'll take this role and run with it. The rest of the cast fills out rather nicely as well, if I do say so myself, with the likes of Emma Stone, Martin Sheen, Sally Field, Rhys Ifans and Denis Leary in lead or supporting roles. It's almost a little unfair when you think about it.

3) How will director Marc Webb perform with this much pressure?
If you don't instantly recognize the name of Marc Webb, I honestly wouldn't be surprised. The man made his career start by directing music videos for the likes of No Doubt, Green Day and 3 Doors Down. He only has one feature film to his name to date, but that one film - 2009's (500) Days of Summer - was a sheer act of brilliance. Still, there's nothing to say that he won't be a one-and-done director, and I'm sure there's a lot of speculation as to whether Webb can deliver in this particular situation. I have faith that he'll be just fine, but because it's only his sophomore effort, I can assure you that he'll have his skeptics.

4) Does this film seem a little bit darker to anyone else?
While Raimi's franchise always seemed a little cheesy to me, probably as a result of Maguire's inclusion, there's something about this trailer that makes me think that The Amazing Spider-man might be delving into a deeper and darker level. And how can you blame them for such? With the success of superhero films like Christopher Nolan's Batman franchise, there really shouldn't be anything stopping them from trying to get into the grit of the story. Will it work for this particular film? No one can really know for sure, but I know that Garfield is capable of reaching those deep emotional levels, so we could be in for quite a performance.

5) Hooray for exposition!
As you can see at the beginning of the trailer, we'll be getting at least a little bit of the back-story as to why Peter Parker ends up living with his aunt and uncle rather than his own parents. Now, I can't quite remember everything from the first of Raimi's Spider-man films, but I don't recall ever having any true discussion as to Peter's parents' whereabouts. If you know me at all, you'll know I'm a bit of a sucker for exposition and background, so this should play right up my alley. Kudos to the filmmakers already!

6) How will this film look visually?
There's moments in the trailer where I was already being wowed by what I was seeing. For example, I instantly fell in love with the beauty of the room where Peter is ultimately bitten. However, there are a few scenes in the trailer that made me scratch my head as well, most noticeably the final sequence where we see Spider-man weaving his way through the rooftops above New York City. I don't know about the rest of you, but that scene felt a little too much like a video game in its look and style, and although it was definitely a fascinating watch, there's a part of me that's quietly hoping the visual effects won't quite look like that. I realize the film's still a year away, but that's enough to give me reason to pause. At the end of the day, this will be a big-budget action flick, and it has to look the part.

The Amazing Spider-man is set to hit U.S. theaters on July 3, 2012.