…and with that, we’re halfway through 2012– so it’s once again time for my look-back at the best and worst movies of the past six months.
From January to July, I saw 50 movies at Essex Cinemas and Cumberland 12. And, yes, I missed a handful of movies… sometimes intentional (That’s My Boy, What to Expect When You’re Expecting), sometimes not (I was at least casually interested in The Woman in Black and Act of Valor).
Without further ado, away we go…
Top 5 movies of 2012 so far:
The Avengers
Brave
21 Jump Street
The Hunger Games
(tie) The Five-Year Engagement / Ted
Worst 5 movies of 2012 so far:
A Thousand Words
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
The Raven
Dark Shadows
And as for the rest:
Best ‘people kicking people’s butts’ movie: Haywire
Runner up: Safe
Everyone involved should get their butt kicked: Rock of Ages
Best ‘people kicking non-human butts’ movie: Underworld: Awakening
Runner up: The Grey
Kick your own butt for sitting through it: Wrath of the Titans
Best 3D: Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted
Runner up: Prometheus
Go figure, the 3D worked: Titanic (re-issue)
Most surprisingly decent movie: Chronicle
Runner up: This Means War
Most unsurprisingly mediocre movie: Contraband
Best thriller: The Cabin in the Woods
Runner up: Gone
Thrills? What thrills?: Man on a Ledge
Best movie you didn’t see: People Like Us
Runner up: The Secret World of Arrietty
Worst movie that everyone saw: Project X
Loved it though the critics hated it: American Reunion
Runner up: John Carter
Didn’t love it though the critics did: Pirates! Band of Misfits
Not a great movie, but great to look at: Mirror Mirror
Runner up: Journey 2: Mysterious Island
Bad movie, worse effects: Red Tails
Most romantic movie: The Vow
Runner up: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Nicholas Sparks needs a new career: The Lucky One
Not as good, now that I think about it: The Dictator
Runner up: Battleship
Even better now that I think about it: Wanderlust
Best one-two punch: Safe House (Ryan Reynolds & Denzel Washington)
Runner up: Men in Black III (Will Smith & James Brolin)
Someone punch Maggie Grace: Lockout
Most syrupy-sweet movie: Big Miracle
Runner up: Joyful Noise
Sweet lord, it’s bad: The Three Stooges
Best ‘based on a popular story’ movie: The Lorax
Runner up: Snow White and the Huntsman
Skip it, read the book: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter