Happy Holidays! And may we all have a happy new year of movies, too. But as for 2012, here is my list of movies that I liked (including the blindingly obvious and the underrated); and the ones I practically hated (including ones that were simply underwhelming).
Here are some of the blindingly obvious Best Movies of 2012:
The Cabin in the Woods – Joss Whedon turns the horror genre on its head; and this awesome movie fell out!
Looper – Not perfect sci-fi time travel flick, but darn near close.
Marvel’s The Avengers – One all-around enjoyable, kick-ass flick! https://www.thereelplace.com/movie-review/rich-bonaduce-3
Moonrise Kingdom – Wes Anderson at his best. And excellent cast doesn’t hurt, either.
21 Jump Street – A surprise. If you haven’t seen it yet, don’t let either of its two leads scare you off. Funny stuff.
Beasts of the Southern Wild – Two powerhouse lead performances from two heretofore unknowns.
Argo – Ben Affleck continues to create great flicks. Check out Gone Baby Gone and The Town, too!
The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Hard to categorize, with a bit of a left-field, third act reveal. But still mighty good.
The Sessions – An interesting true story with an Oscar-worthy performance from John Hawkes. All this and Helen Hunt nekkid, too!
Wreck-It Ralph – Probably more entertaining for the adults who remember all of the video games it references. But still great fun for all due to how inventive it is, and the performances of the voice cast.
Lincoln – Great performances in a historical drama from some director, a newbie. Maybe he’ll make something of himself.
Silver Linings Playbook – The quirky script and performances really bring this one home.
Life of Pi – A bit uneven, given its switching back and forth between the actual story and the retelling of it; but that doesn’t keep it down.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – I loved this movie all-around. Go see it in IMAX 3D!
Jack Reacher – Another surprise. Cruise is perfect in a role for which he supposedly wasn’t a good pick. The opening shooting spree scene is harrowing.
Django Unchained – The D is silent.
Les Miserables – One of my picks for movie of the year, even with Russel Crowe!
Rust and Bone – Further proof that Entertainment Weekly is run by a bunch of hacks.
