My 2012 movie countdown: worst to best

[SOS4Prez]

#110-91

Spoiler

#110: ANNA KARENINA

Plot: Set in late-19th-century Russia high-society, the aristocrat Anna Karenina enters into a life-changing affair with the affluent Count Vronsky.

Original Rating: 5/10
Quality: 6.5/10
Enjoyment: 3/10
Acting: 8.5/10
Memorability: 5/10
OVERALL: 5.6/10



#109: ON THE ROAD

Plot: Young writer Sal Paradise has his life shaken by the arrival of free-spirited Dean Moriarty and his girl, Marylou. As they travel across the country, they encounter a mix of people who each impact their journey indelibly.

Original Rating: 5.5/10
Quality: 5/10
Enjoyment: 5/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 5.5/10
OVERALL: 5.6/10



#108: HYDE PARK ON HUDSON

Plot: The story of the love affair between FDR and his distant cousin Margaret "Daisy" Suckley, centered around the weekend in 1939 when the King and Queen of the United Kingdom visited upstate New York.

Original Rating: 5.5/10
Quality: 5/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Acting: 6.5/10
Memorability: 4.5/10
OVERALL: 5.6/10



#107: WON'T BACK DOWN

Plot: Two determined mothers¬, one a teacher, look to transform their children's failing inner city school. Facing a powerful and entrenched bureaucracy, they risk everything to make a difference in the education and future of their children.

Original Rating: 5.5/10
Quality: 5/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 4/10
OVERALL: 5.6/10



#106: THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS

Plot: On the hunt for a fabled treasure of gold, a band of warriors, assassins, and a rogue British soldier descend upon a village in feudal China, where a humble blacksmith looks to defend himself and his fellow villagers.

Original Rating: 6/10
Quality: 5/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Acting: 6/10
Memorability: 4.5/10
OVERALL: 5.6/10



#105: KILLER JOE

Plot: When a debt puts a young man's life in danger, he turns to putting a hit out on his evil mother in order to collect the insurance.

Original Rating: 5/10
Quality: 4.5/10
Enjoyment: 5/10
Acting: 8.5/10
Memorability: 5.5/10
OVERALL: 5.7/10



#104: AMERICAN REUNION

Plot: Jim, Michelle, Stifler, and their friends reunite in East Great Falls, Michigan for their high school reunion.

American Reunion never reached that next level. In general, the American Pie series (the trilogy, not the straight-to-DVD releases) is something you either like or don't, there's not a lot of middle ground. The original, the sequel and "Wedding" all had their moments of disbelief, whether they were at poor Jim's expense or something else just as shocking. Of course, the films were mostly smut, but there was always a bit of cheesy sincerity behind their sexual endeavors. Reunion reunites the characters for their high school reunion and the cast for the first time since Wedding in 2003. Unfortunately, the American Pie series has its audience and not a lot of new fans were to be won over by Reunion. There were a few decent Jim moments, an acceptable reintroduction to Stifler and light shock moments, but nothing quite over the top. The characters have grown up and the fans of the series have as well. Sadly, that leaves empty gags with nothing but the usual adult problems to fall back on. Everyone likes teenage/young adult sentimentality, no one likes marital sentimentality.

Original Rating: 6/10
Quality: 5/10
Enjoyment: 7/10
Acting: 5.5/10
Memorability: 5/10
OVERALL: 5.7/10



#103: DARK SHADOWS

Plot: An imprisoned vampire, Barnabas Collins, is set free and returns to his ancestral home, where his dysfunctional descendants are in need of his protection.

Beyond creating a character for Johnny Depp to have fun playing in Barnabas Collins, doomed, cursed vampire, Dark Shadows doesn't quite reach for the skies. In fact, the film is probably one of the weaker turns for Tim Burton and should point to the growing staleness in the collaborations between Depp and Burton. Dark Shadows is about family and the strength of a running bloodline, which mirrors the whole vampire thing rightfully. There's plenty of room for the film to stretch its wings, but nothing is built beyond a lustful jealousy from the villain, a legless love story and a bunch of rather comical, but equally empty timed moments. Ultimately, there really isn't even a story to Dark Shadows. The film comes to a road with multiple forks in it and cuts right across all of them as opposing to picking a couple and sticking with them.

Original Rating: 6/10
Quality: 5.5/10
Enjoyment: 6/10
Acting: 6.5/10
Memorability: 4.5/10
OVERALL: 5.7/10



#102: CONTRABAND

Plot: To protect his brother-in-law from a drug lord, a former smuggler heads to Panama to score millions of dollars in counterfeit bills.

Given the reputation of January/February movies, I'd say Contraband was better than expected. I kind of get the vibe that Mark Wahlberg is becoming one of those actors that will always hover around the mediocre to good reviews while very rarely taking on a big hit or a big dud. It's a long year, I don't remember a lot about Contraband, which is a negative in itself. I do remember that it was entertaining enough.

Original Rating: 6.5/10
Quality: 5.5/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 3/10
OVERALL: 5.7/10



#101: THE GUILT TRIP

Plot: As inventor Andy Brewster is about to embark on the road trip of a lifetime, a quick stop at his mom's house turns into an unexpected cross-country voyage with her along for the ride.

Original Rating: 5.5/10
Quality: 5/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Acting: 6.5/10
Memorability: 5.5/10
OVERALL: 5.8/10



#100: THE DICTATOR

Plot: The heroic story of a dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed.

Original Rating: 5.5/10
Quality: 6/10
Enjoyment: 5/10
Acting: 6.5/10
Memorability: 6/10
OVERALL: 5.8/10



#99: TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE

Plot: An ailing baseball scout in his twilight years takes his daughter along for one last recruiting trip.

Original Rating: 6.5/10
Quality: 4/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 5/10
OVERALL: 5.8/10



#98: NOW IS GOOD

Plot: A girl dying of leukemia compiles a list of things she'd like to do before passing away. Topping the list is her desire to lose her virginity.

Original Rating: 6.5/10
Quality: 6/10
Enjoyment: 6/10
Acting: 7.5/10
Memorability: 3.5/10
OVERALL: 5.9/10



#97: ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT

Plot: Manny, Diego, and Sid embark upon another adventure after their continent is set adrift. Using an iceberg as a ship, they encounter sea creatures and battle pirates as they explore a new world.

When talking about film franchises that should never have gone the route of trilogies, it's hard to argue against Ice Age. Enter the fourth film of the Ice Age collection: Continental Drift. Look, we all have our movies that we just like for no apparent reason. Ice Age has always had a place in my heart. There's nothing overly impressive about the films, save for maybe the original. There are iconic characters that are dripping with naive-bred optimism and sarcastic-ridden cynicism. The clash brings out the best in comedy of it all. Ice Age is made up off an oddball group that physically and mentally don't work. Continental Drift doesn't change up much. The story is still an adventure that brings the group up against a tall task. There's still bickering, laughs, suspense and heart. It goes without saying that this film is a far cry from the first installment. That said, it's not bad.

Original Rating: 6/10
Quality: 4.5/10
Enjoyment: 7/10
Animation: 7/10
Memorability: 5.5/10
OVERALL: 6/10



#96: RAMPART

Plot: Set in 1999 Los Angeles, veteran police officer Dave Brown, the last of the renegade cops, works to take care of his family, and struggles for his own survival.

Rampart might actually had been one of the best of 2012 if the filmmakers had given us the benefit of seeing just a little bit more. Rampart revolves around a cop whose throwback, renegade methods are dated, questionable, unorthodox and a little wrong. The cop, played by Woody Harrelson in a role basically made for him, balances his work-life and his home-life, but it's not exactly how you'd perceive it to be. A menace on the streets, Harrelson's depiction of the father figure at home is an exact contradiction to the man behind the uniform. It's a challenging position to be put in as an audience. On one hand, a normal guy. On the other, a police officer whose tactics don't reflect on what the ideal, modern day police officer is. Properly named "Rampart," the film is a less-than-fluid character study. The man is more interesting than the story and the story in turn is chopped to bits.

Original Rating: 6/10
Quality: 6.5/10
Enjoyment: 5/10
Acting: 8/10
Memorability: 4.5/10
OVERALL: 6/10



#95: DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: DOG DAYS

Plot: School is out and Greg is ready for the days of summer, when all his plans go wrong. What on earth is he going to do all summer?

Sometimes you just need a kid's movie that exaggerates childhood. Diary of a Wimpy Kid has been the solution for the past couple of years. The formula for the now trilogy is mostly the same and involves learning valuable, but redundant life lessons that every child growing up eventually learns. The humor, like the stories, are far from sophisticated and rely mostly on gags and slapstick to keep the gears turning. There's been nothing special about the Wimpy Kid movies and there's nothing overly special about Dog Days. The only way to explain it is that there are just some films that make you feel relaxed. The Wimpy Kid series is a guily pleasure of mine and I don't feel ashamed to admit it. Dog Days isn't anything greater than average, but it provides some laughs, some entertainment, and a moral to the story.

Original Rating: 6.5/10
Quality: 5/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Acting: 5/10
Memorability: 5.5/10
OVERALL: 6/10



#94: THINK LIKE A MAN

Plot: Four friends conspire to turn the tables on their women when they discover the ladies have been using Steve Harvey's relationship advice against them.

Original Rating: 6.5/10
Quality: 5.5/10
Enjoyment: 7/10
Acting: 6/10
Memorability: 5/10
OVERALL: 6/10



#93: THE CAMPAIGN

Plot: In order to gain influence over their North Carolina district, two CEOs seize an opportunity to oust long-term congressman Cam Brady by putting up a rival candidate. Their man: naive Marty Huggins, director of the local Tourism Center.

The Campaign works best as a striking, if heavily-exaggerated satire of American political campaigns from debates to ads. The film is not a full-blown satire though. Instead, the film only goes as far as its two stars, Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, will let it. The presence of the two heavyweights almost tends to handcuff the script and as a result The Campaign never quite spreads its wings. The film is watered down by forced self-revelations through awkward morals stemming back to childhood. On the other hand, the film, even though it has a habit of pandering to some low-brow comedy bits the stars are notorious for, carves out a balancing act between its two sources of comedy: political satire and weak gags. It goes without saying that The Campaign has trouble finding equal grounding, but there's some humor to be found in it and the rollercoaster ride that comes with the pairing of Ferrell and Galifianakis in a spoof of American politicians is amusing enough.

Original Rating: 6.5/10
Quality: 5.5/10
Enjoyment: 7/10
Acting: 6/10
Memorability: 5/10
OVERALL: 6/10



#92: FAT KID RULES THE WORLD

Plot: A dropout comes to the aid of a chubby and suicidal high-school kid by recruiting him as the drummer for his upstart punk-rock band.

Original Rating: 6.5/10
Quality: 6/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 4/10
OVERALL: 6/10



#91: CHRONICLE

Plot: Whilst attending a party, three high school friends gain superpowers after making an incredible discovery underground. Soon, though, they find their lives spinning out of control and their bond tested as they embrace their darker sides.

The found-footage/handheld style has overstayed its welcome ever since Paranormal Activity became the modern day Blair Witch Project, but that's not to say it hasn't produced some positive results. Chronicle was a surprisingly down-to-earth movie about super powers, especially how they'd be utilized if fallen into the hands of some immature high schoolers and how social status can impact how they use the powers. Still, the film didn't maintain its momentum. Let's be honest, how much staying power did Chronicle have? It's unfair to ask if it's in many people's top 20 of 2012. Hell, it'd probably be unfair to ask if it were in the top 20 even back in June. Some movies are good, but just get lost in the chaos of it all. Side note: aside from the character that causes all the problems, there's not a lot of depth.

Original Rating: 7/10
Quality: 6.5/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Acting: 6/10
Memorability: 4/10
OVERALL: 6/10

[SOS4Prez]

#90-71

Spoiler

#90: CASA DE MI PADRE

Plot: Scheming on a way to save their father's ranch, the Alvarez brothers find themselves in a war with Mexico's most feared drug lord.

Casa De Mi Padre is a mockery through and through. It's a joke in itself by casting Will Ferrell as a Mexican rancher and also pokes fun at intentional film mistakes, continuity gaffs, Mexican stereotypes and relies on drawn out moments of normalcy and awkwardness for the majority of its non-mocking laughs. The film is stupid, which isn't a surprise to anyone that saw the trailer and found out it wasn't a joke. The true prize of the film isn't Ferrell or the humor, it's the involvement of Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal and how they go about making cheap satire out of the film's similar to the genre they've dominated in Mexican cinema since the turn of the millennium. If you keep an open enough mind and enjoy a surplus of self-reflective gags, there's something to be found in Casa De Mi Padre.

Original Rating: 6.5/10
Quality: 6/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Acting: 6.5/10
Memorability: 5/10
OVERALL: 6.1/10



#89: PEOPLE LIKE US

Plot: While 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.

People Like Us requires a bit of belief. The whole plot is a bit absurd and the characters' waywardness when it comes time to deliver is frustrating. The film isn't phony, however. Even though it's shakily construct, People Like Us works with what it's given and goes about producing in a realistic manner. The characters are real and genuine, lacking any sort of unbelievable quirks or corniness. Truth be told, the film presents its story and waits to be judged. There's no catch, it is what it is. The end result is rather predictable. There's tension, closeness, happiness, decisions to be made and conclusions to be reached. With everything comes some expected melodramatic moments where you'd wish people would be more understanding and others to be more straightforward. People Like Us is nowhere near perfect, but it's fine for what it is. Good turns by Pine and Banks.

Original Rating: 7/10
Quality: 6/10
Enjoyment: 6/10
Acting: 6.5/10
Memorability: 5/10
OVERALL: 6.1/10



#88: BIG MIRACLE

Plot: In small town Alaska, a news reporter recruits his ex-girlfriend - a Greenpeace volunteer - on a campaign to save a family of gray whales trapped by rapidly forming ice in the Arctic Circle.

How likely is it to make a solid family-oriented, non-animated, mainstream movie these days with the likes of a story surrounding a bunch of people coming together to save trapped whales? Well, to pull it off would take a big miracle. (So funny!) While it was first and foremost family-fare, Big Miracle actually was infused with significant politics from an environmental and corporation standpoint at least. One major reason it didn't become the gooey bit of trite as expected was its ability to be unbiased in any stance. Safe, yes, but ultimately the right move in a film that, after all, was most importantly a feel-good story of humanity coming together to save their animal brethren. Drew Barrymore is adamant about animal safety. Almost to a fault. It's a small-time family movie, girl. Tone it down.

Original Rating: 6.5/10
Quality: 6.5/10
Enjoyment: 7/10
Acting: 6.5/10
Memorability: 4.5/10
OVERALL: 6.2/10



#87: CORIOLANUS

Plot: A banished hero of Rome allies with a sworn enemy to take his revenge on the city.

There's not a lot to say about Shakespeare adaptations. At least from this standpoint. Whenever a Shakespeare work and is tinkered to seem more modern with the original old English language dialogue, it's difficult to find the right way to put it all together. The world built from the combination of elements is crucial. Of course, I'm just basing this off of Romeo + Juliet, so it really holds no merit. That said, Coriolanus does a fine job of avoiding silliness with a gritty tale of an unhappy nation that turns their backs on their fiery leader. It's undeniably hard to follow thanks to the lighting quick delivery of the dense dialogue, but benefits from a passionate turn by Ralph Fiennes on-screen and off. Fiennes vision in the director's seat is clear, but not for a lot of people.

Original Rating: 7/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 4.5/10
Acting: 7.5/10
Memorability: 5/10
OVERALL: 6.2/10



#86: THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT

Plot: One year after meeting, Tom proposes to his girlfriend, Violet, but unexpected events keep tripping them up as they look to walk down the aisle together.

I have to be honest, I don't remember a whole lot from The Five-Year Engagement and that's probably not a positive. I do remember the bitter taste of disappointment. When all is said and done, the film dies by its inability to scrape out consistent enough laughs. Anyone that saw the trailer knew exactly how the film would play out. The likes of Jason Segel and Emily Blunt are a strange combination, but they managed to find just enough sweetness to make the whole thing not entirely unconvincing. Had it been released a year later, perhaps Chris Pratt's and Alison Brie's characters would have more involvement. Show-stealers in other venues, they command the screen whenever they're on it in the film, which isn't nearly enough. Not everything is wrong with Five-Year Engagement: there's honesty, struggle, life issues, financial problems and, yes, some laughs, but there's not enough of any of it.

Original Rating: 7.5/10
Quality: 6/10
Enjoyment: 7/10
Acting: 6.5/10
Memorability: 4/10
OVERALL: 6.2/10



#85: HITCHCOCK

Plot: A love story between influential filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock and wife Alma Reville during the filming of Psycho in 1959.

Original Rating: 6/10
Quality: 6/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Acting: 8/10
Memorability: 5/10
OVERALL: 6.3/10



#84: FRIENDS WITH KIDS

Plot: Two best friends decide to have a child together while keeping their relationship platonic, so they can avoid the toll kids can take on romantic relationships.

Original Rating: 6.5/10
Quality: 6/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Acting: 7.5/10
Memorability: 5/10
OVERALL: 6.3



#83: GET THE GRINGO

Plot: A career criminal nabbed by Mexican authorities is placed in a tough prison where he learns to survive with the help of a young boy.

Original Rating: 6.5/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 4.5/10
OVERALL: 6.3/10



#82: LOCKOUT

Plot: A man wrongly convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage against the U.S. is offered his freedom if he can rescue the president's daughter from an outer space prison taken over by violent inmates.

Some movies rise and fall with their star. Lockout rose with Guy Pearce. Lockout, which takes place in a prison in outer space, is a little stupid, but I think that can be worked out just by repeating the whole "prison in space" thing. Lockout is only as good as Pearce and co-star Maggie Grace let it become. Pearce is the embodiment of an 80's action hero - fresh with sass, wit, charm and an innate ability to kick butt and take names - struts around for the majority of the film, acting like his whole existence is one big bore. Grace compliments with by being the pretty face that's out of her element, yet surprisingly useful in the face of danger. Together, they do what they do, string together some one-liners, spark some romantic interest and call it a day. It's really not as bad as it sounds. Quite entertaining, actually.

Original Rating: 7.5/10
Quality: 5/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Acting: 6.5/10
Memorability: 4.5/10
OVERALL: 6.3/10



#81: PREMIUM RUSH

Plot: In Manhattan, a bike messenger picks up an envelope that attracts the interest of a dirty cop, who pursues the cyclist throughout the city.

Original Rating: 6.5/10
Quality: 6/10
Enjoyment: 7/10
Acting: 6.5/10
Memorability: 6/10
OVERALL: 6.4/10



#80: BUTTER

Plot: In small-town Iowa, an adopted girl discovers her talent for butter carving and finds herself pitted against an ambitious local woman in their town's annual contest.

Original Rating: 6.5/10
Quality: 6.5/10
Enjoyment: 7.5/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 4.5/10
OVERALL: 6.4/10



#79: 2 DAYS IN NEW YORK

Plot: Manhattan couple Marion and Mingus, who each have children from prior relationships, find their comfortable family dynamic jostled by a visit from Marion's relatives.

Bringing a French family into the home of a French-American woman hitched to a black man in New York City creates a wee bit of a culture clash. Julie Delpy's 2 Days in New York is about family no doubt, but how we can alter our behavior in the presence of our family's is even more prevalent. Delpy constructs a petite dramedy that strikes on some cords, but misses the mark on others. The film is a consistent playful ragfest that pins family against family and issues against issue. The thin line between playful and sinister is appropriately toed, though some scenarios feel forced and out of the realm of possibility. 2 Days in New York is a film about adapting to the elements, whatever they may be, and whether or not you can come out fine at the end. The chaotic nature of the family makes for a story that can seem exaggerated and sometimes hard to get a grip on, but is mostly earnest.

Original Rating: 6.5/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 5.5/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 6/10
OVERALL: 6.4/10



#78: THE GIANT MECHANICAL MAN

Plot: An offbeat romantic comedy about a silver-painted street performer and the soft spoken zoo worker who falls for him.

Original Rating: 7/10
Quality: 6/10
Enjoyment: 7.5/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 4.5/10
OVERALL: 6.4/10



#77: LAWLESS

Plot: Set in Depression-era Franklin County, Virginia, a bootlegging gang is threatened by a new deputy and other authorities who want a cut of their profits.

Original Rating: 6/10
Quality: 6/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Acting: 8.5/10
Memorability: 5.5/10
OVERALL: 6.5/10



#76: GOD BLESS AMERICA

Plot: On a mission to rid society of its most repellent citizens, terminally ill Frank makes an unlikely accomplice in 16-year-old Roxy.

More than a bit of shock-filmmaking, God Bless America is a black comedy on the verge of something better than what it turns out to be. There is no deny that this is a piece of compassionate filmmaking from director Bobcat Goldthwait, but it's far from the most carefully put together work. At the heart of its characters lies a growing, then maxed out intolerance. For what, though? Certainly, America and American citizens and ideals have something to do with it. But as the film plays out, you can't help except wonder if maybe Goldthwait lost his way and forgot what his characters were so against in the first place. God Bless America starts as a message against what's wrong with America. It develops into something a bit more sinister: hate for the sake of hate. Depending on which section of the film sticks with you, it's either a fantastic, but misguided work or a misguided work with some fantastic elements.

Original Rating: 6.5/10
Quality: 6.5/10
Enjoyment: 7/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 5.5/10
OVERALL: 6.5/10



#75: THE WORDS

Plot: A writer at the peak of his literary success discovers the steep price he must pay for stealing another man's work.

Original Rating: 6.5/10
Quality: 6.5/10
Enjoyment: 7/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 5.5/10
OVERALL: 6.5/10



#74: 10 YEARS

Plot: The night before their high school reunion, a group of friends realize they still haven't quite grown up in some ways.

Original Rating: 7/10
Quality: 6.5/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 4/10
OVERALL: 6.5/10



#73: MAGIC MIKE

Plot: A male stripper teaches a younger performer how to party, pick up women, and make easy money.

Even as a hetero male, I had to admire the showmanship that came with Magic Mike. Channing Tatum clearly hasn't forgotten everything about his life pre-acting and put it to good use in this Steven Soderbergh semi-hit. Magic Mike features an able cast highlighted by Tatum's sincerity and Matthew McConaughey's presence. It also features a through-and-through wooden performance from lead female Cody Horn. The film is about staying true to yourself, keeping your ego in check, not succumbing to a lifestyle and holding on to your greater aspirations in life. That said, there's not a lot about it that makes it better than movies similar to it. It's a solid watch and a surprise hit, but the praise has to end there.

Original Rating: 6.5/10
Quality: 6.5/10
Enjoyment: 7/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 6/10
OVERALL: 6.6/10



#72: JACK REACHER

Plot: A homicide investigator digs deeper into a case involving a trained military sniper who shot five random victims.

Original Rating: 7.5/10
Quality: 6/10
Enjoyment: 7.5/10
Acting: 6.5/10
Memorability: 5.5/10
OVERALL: 6.6/10



#71 THE RAID: REDEMPTION

Plot: A SWAT team becomes trapped in a tenement run by a ruthless mobster and his army of killers and thugs.

Original Rating: 7/10
Quality: 6.5/10
Enjoyment: 7/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 6.5/10
OVERALL: 6.8/10

[pooh555]

I despised the first half of "The Raid: Redemption", due to the lack of any martial arts in what I thought was supposed to be a martial arts movie, but the second half was pretty kick-ass

Also, I had to read the plot to "Coriolanus" while I was watching it, because it really made no sense to me through the time period they decided to use, not the best movie

[SOS4Prez]

#70-51

Spoiler

#70: MEN IN BLACK 3

Plot: Agent J travels in time to M.I.B.'s early days in 1969 to stop an alien from assassinating his friend Agent K and changing history.

I can't say a lot for Men in Black 3 in comparison to the previous two installments. I haven't seen the other two, at least not in their entirety. What Men in Black 3 decides to do (to its benefit) is get a little side-tracked. For the most part, the aliens are left in the background and it becomes a character-centric film. Set in an agency doused in secrecy, audiences are treated to having the curtain pulled back. The character background and development is what holds the film together. Again, I can't comment on the first nor the second, but Men in Black 3 was pure entertainment. Though the time travel angle has been overplayed, the film doesn't let down on the thrills or the excitement. It also helps that Josh Brolin doesn't miss a beat while doing his Tommy Lee Jones impression.

Original Rating: 7/10
Quality: 6.5/10
Enjoyment: 7.5/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 6/10
OVERALL: 6.8/10



#69: CLOUD ATLAS

Plot: An exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution.

Original Rating: 7/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 5.5/10
Acting: 7.5/10
Memorability: 7/10
OVERALL: 6.8/10



#68: KNUCKLEBALL!

Plot: A documentary that showcases baseball's most unpredictable pitch.

Original Rating: 7.5/10
Quality: 6.5/10
Enjoyment: 8.5/10
Subject Interest: 6/10
Memorability: 5.5/10
OVERALL: 6.8/10



#67: THIS IS 40

Plot: A look at the lives of Pete and Debbie a few years after the events of Knocked Up.

Original Rating: 7/10
Quality: 6.5/10
Enjoyment: 7.5/10
Acting: 6.5/10
Memorability: 7/10
OVERALL: 6.9/10



#66: THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL

Plot: British retirees travel to India to take up residence in what they believe is a newly restored hotel. Less luxurious than its advertisements, the Marigold Hotel nevertheless slowly begins to charm in unexpected ways.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel isn't an Oscar-caliber movie. It fits the definition of a Golden Globers comedy nomination perfectly. Honestly, the film itself was middle of the road. A spiritual and cultural eye-opener for elderly people looking for a last hurrah or a new beginning isn't quite a new plot line. Part of me believes that this film is no deeper than the cast of huge British stars. Thing is, those huge British stars are larger than life and know how to show it. The characters shouldn't be special. They're all dealing with their own things, stuff like death, new experiences and broken marriages. That's where the depth comes in. The strength of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is that the film knows its characters back-and-forth and it's not a matter of what we learn from them, but what we expect from them. Brilliantly written characters and touchingly funny performances from some of England's best make this film of note.

Original Rating: 7/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Acting: 8.5/10
Memorability: 6/10
OVERALL: 7/10



#65: A LATE QUARTET

Plot: Members of a world-renowned string quartet struggle to stay together in the face of death, competing egos and insuppressible lust.

When a dynamic is disturbed, the delicate balancing of egos is thrown off once the glue that holds them together becomes disband. In a nutshell, that's how A Late Quartet moves along. There's some appreciate for the music, yes, but mostly the film chooses to delve into the brewing chaos that ensues among the quartet's members once it's leader is forced to retire. Though it's not unfair to call A Late Quartet a glorified soap opera and there's certain room to expand in parts, the film is striking in its handling of ego, selflessness and sacrifice when it comes to the quartet. The characters are all acted with a contained bit of eloquence that slowly begins to unravel. A Late Quartet is not an overly emotionally-gripping film nor is it particularly memorable and fun to watch, but there's some hidden beauty to be found in it and the filmmakers and actors combine to hit the right notes at the right times, much like the music that is performed.

Original Rating: 7/10
Quality: 7.5/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Acting: 8/10
Memorability: 6/10
OVERALL: 7/10



#64: RISE OF THE GUARDIANS

Plot: When the evil spirit Pitch launches an assault on Earth, the Immortal Guardians team up to protect the innocence of children all around the world.

Original Rating: 6.5/10
Quality: 6/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Animation: 9/10
Memorability: 6/10
OVERALL: 7.1/10



#63: KATY PERRY: PART OF ME

Plot: A documentary that chronicles Katy Perry's life on and off-stage.

The Katy Perry concert documentary is all or nothing. It rests on its star and its star alone. The documentary isn't the most informative piece of work out there and it's definitely more of a spectacle and ode to just how far Perry has come since her largely religious upbringing, but Perry herself is a larger than life character that commands the screen much like she commands the stage she's on. You can't help but be impressed with her presence as her performances are so dazzling unique and potentially distracting, yet she remains the focal point. It's a careful film from a PR standpoint and the touchy subjects in relation to Perry remain mostly untouched, but for a concert-based documentary, there's enough life and insight into Katy Perry the person versus Katy Perry the stage performer and pop icon to be a worthwhile and fun watch.

Original Rating: 7.5/10
Quality: 6.5/10
Enjoyment: 7.5/10
Visuals: 8.5/10
Memorability: 5.5/10
OVERALL: 7.1/10



#62: THIN ICE

Plot: An insurance agent looking for a way out of frigid Wisconsin is blackmailed by an unstable locksmith in the theft of a rare violin that belongs to a retired farmer.

If Thin Ice seems a lot like Fargo, it's because it's definitely a little like Fargo. The film is a black comedy about murder and cover-up over something odd such as the selling of a violin worth a lot of money. And it's located in the cold and snow. Thin Ice is lightning-quick as problem after problem arises for the devious main character played innocuously by Greg Kinnear. It doesn't give much time for soaking nor does it let stew just how ridiculous the whole ordeal is. For the film's entirety, it leaves the audience guessing and it's the right balance of off-the-rails funny and bleak to be too dense. The ending is a whirlwind, with anything and everything being brought full circle for both the audience and Kinnear's character. It's a lot to process and contradicts the lack of a stop-and-think mentality the film carries for the better of one and a half hours. Still, Thin Ice is darkly entertaining and is sure to be underrated.

Original Rating: 7.5/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 6/10
OVERALL: 7.1/10



#61: FRANKENWEENIE

Plot: Young Victor conducts a science experiment to bring his beloved dog Sparky back to life, only to face unintended, sometimes monstrous, consequences.

Original Rating: 7.5/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 7/10
Animation: 8/10
Memorability: 6.5/10
OVERALL: 7.2/10



#60: JEFF, WHO LIVES AT HOME

Plot: Dispatched from his basement room on an errand for his mother, slacker Jeff might discover his destiny (finally) when he spends the day with his brother as he tracks his possibly adulterous wife.

For as long as they're filmmakers, the Duplass brothers' movies probably won't reach far beyond small indie markets and their fan base. They may wind up with a cult classic or two when all is said and done. Jeff Who Lives At Home is as good a candidate as any to join the ranks. Suppressing the likes of Jason Segel and Ed Helms doesn't sound like a bright idea in theory. Both are at their respective bests when let wild. That's not to say that the film suffers because of it; rather, the off-beat humor keeps the story of the two slightly estranged brothers moving forward. No matter where the stories of fate or infidelity lead, there's almost a sense of light-hearted insistence that in the end, everything will work out. With its short run time and a fulfilling final act, this film was a 2012 sleeper.

Original Rating: 7.5/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 6.5/10
OVERALL: 7.2/10



#59: BRAVE

Plot: Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse.

Looking back, you have to wonder if perhaps Disney had more of a hand in this one than the brilliant minds behind Pixar did. Brave is a good movie, but it's not great and definitely not in the same breath as other Pixar classics. Its core success is its dare to be different. It's Pixar's first female lead and though she may technically be some sort of a princess, Merida is not the ordinary heroine. She's a lady of action and bravery that knows what she does and doesn't want. Its core fault is also its dare to be different. In selecting a female lead, Pixar fell into the trap of forming a relationship between mother and daughter that isn't much different to the usual bickering and disagreeable we see often in film. The main story line is pretty much set up through an act of defiance in which Merida is acting rebel and disobeying her mother. Once you get past the disappointing outward relationship between mother/daughter, the curtain is pulled back and the true bond is put on display. There's genuine sincerity, restrictive, sadness and happiness. There's wit, charm, humor, sentimentality and suspense. Brave is a good movie, it's structure just leaves something to be desired.

Original Rating: 7.5/10
Quality: 6.5/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Animation: 7.5/10
Memorability: 7/10
OVERALL: 7.3/10



#58: CELESTE AND JESSE FOREVER

Plot: A divorcing couple tries to maintain their friendship while they both pursue other people.

Original Rating: 7.5/10
Quality: 6.5/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Acting: 8/10
Memorability: 6.5/10
OVERALL: 7.3/10



#57: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN

Plot: Peter Parker finds a clue that might help him understand why his parents disappeared when he was young. His path puts him on a collision course with Dr. Curt Connors, his father's former partner.

The Amazing Spiderman acts as more of an re-introduction a new era of Spiderman. By itself, the film is well-shot and well-acted, but isn't thought out to the best of its abilities. The story-lines of The Amazing Spiderman are eerily similar to Sam Raimi's Spiderman and while some new angles are introduced, this can't help but feel as nothing more than a starter vehicle. Still, The Amazing Spiderman has its fair share of new that gives hope for the future. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone have impeccable chemistry on-screen. Garfield brings a new form of swagger behind the mask as Spiderman that Tobey Maguire never quite brought. As Peter Parker, Garfield is riled up and full of teen angst - some of which is over the top and he seems to tear up at the slightest bit of conflict - while painted an uneasy balance between Parker and Spiderman. The reboot promises to be more inquisitive and perhaps more revealing. The Amazing Spiderman didn't prove itself that a reboot so soon after Raimi's trilogy was worth pursuing, but its material bodes well for the future.

Original Rating: 7.5/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 7.5/10
Acting: 7.5/10
Memorability: 7/10
OVERALL: 7.3/10



#56: END OF WATCH

Plot: Shot documentary-style, this film follows the daily grind of two young police officers in LA who are partners and friends, and what happens when they meet criminal forces greater than themselves.

Original Rating: 7.5/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 7.5/10
Acting: 8/10
Memorability: 6.5/10
OVERALL: 7.3/10



#55: HOPE SPRINGS

Plot: After thirty years of marriage, a middle-aged couple attends an intense, week-long counseling session to work on their relationship.

Original Rating: 7.5/10
Quality: 7.5/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Acting: 9/10
Memorability: 6/10
OVERALL: 7.3/10



#54: THE LORAX

Plot: A 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.

Just like other animated entries from Dr. Seuss, the oddity of it all can be off-putting. There are weird animals and weird people and weird trees and weird everything. At the heart of The Lorax is a real message of conservation though. Depending on your views, the film can be a bit preachy. Or a lot preachy. To be fair, the filmmakers do nothing to hide its stance on pro-environment, anti-establishment and big business. Had it been more subtle, it could be considered a fault. Instead, The Lorax is perfectly OK with what it is. And, hey, if you can't deal with the quirks or the messages, at least you can enjoy some decent musical numbers. Hell, I still listen to "How Bad Can I Be?"

Original Rating: 8/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 8.5/10
Animation: 6.5/10
Memorability: 6.5/10
OVERALL: 7.3/10



#53: DREDD

Plot: In a violent, futuristic city where the police have the authority to act as judge, jury and executioner, a cop teams with a trainee to take down a gang that deals the reality-altering drug, SLO-MO.

Original Rating: 8/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 8.5/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 6/10
OVERALL: 7.3/10



#52: SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD

Plot: As an asteroid nears Earth, a man finds himself alone after his wife leaves in a panic. He decides to take a road trip to reunite with his high school sweetheart. Accompanying him is a neighbor who inadvertently puts a wrench in his plan.

A lot of apocalypse movies suck. They focus on the sudden instead of the drawn out. There are blueprint scenarios that are played again and again such as the broken family that becomes whole or the failure that becomes a hero. Seeking a Friend For the End of the World changes it up. If the world were announced doomed a few weeks from now, would there be worldwide panic for the entire two weeks? This film knows the answer: no. The film finds the right balance between panic, chaos, regret, acceptance, adventure, and love. Seeking a Friend shows us that the end doesn't have to signify the end of everything, but instead can be the beginning of something. Steve Carell and Keira Knightley are undoubtedly an odd match, but if you can get past their random pairing, the two actually manage some chemistry. It's a film that gets the apocalypse right from start to finish.

Original Rating: 8/10
Quality: 7.5/10
Enjoyment: 7/10
Acting: 7.5/10
Memorability: 6.5/10
OVERALL: 7.3/10



#51: THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS

Plot: Pirate Captain sets out on a mission to defeat his rivals Black Bellamy and Cutlass Liz for the Pirate of the year Award. The quest takes Captain and his crew from the shores of Blood Island to the foggy streets of Victorian London.

The Pirates! Band of Misfits, the most recent release of Aardman Animations (which I knew nothing of since I hadn't seen a single release of theirs ever since not liking Chicken Run before seeing and loving Arthur Christmas), is a sleeping beauty. When all is done and said, The Pirates won't really be talked about. Up for an Oscar this February, no one is expected to pay it a mind even though it was just as good as any number of Braves or Wreck-It-Ralphs or ParaNormans. The film pushes the boundaries of child-based humor, which, in my mind, almost always constitutes a positive. Sure enough, the film is alarmingly witty, wonderfully written and funny all around. At the heart of its story are characters brimming with hopes, optimism and life and it's lit with a charm that's uniqueness is a little hard to describe. The only fault to find is that perhaps The Pirates is a little too light.

Original Rating: 7.5/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Animation: 8/10
Memorability: 6.5/10
OVERALL: 7.4/10

[G-men]

Is there a reason you haven't seen the other Men in Black movies?

[SOS4Prez]

I'm not a big gross, weird alien fan. Seen chunks of Men in Black, but none of 2. Only two Will Smith movies I haven't seen.

[SOS4Prez]

#50-31

Spoiler

#50: ARBITRAGE

Plot: A troubled hedge fund magnate desperate to complete the sale of his trading empire makes an error that forces him to turn to an unlikely person for help.

Original Rating: 8/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 7.5/10
Acting: 8.5/10
Memorability: 6/10
OVERALL: 7.4/10



#49: LIBERAL ARTS

Plot: When 30-something Jesse returns to his alma mater for a professor's retirement party, he falls for Zibby, a college student, and is faced with a powerful attraction that springs up between them.

Original Rating: 8/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Acting: 7.5/10
Memoraibility: 6.5/10
OVERALL: 7.4/10



#48: THE GREY

Plot: After their plane crashes in Alaska, six oil workers are led by a skilled huntsman to survival, but a pack of merciless wolves haunts their every step.

More than the expected Liam Neeson Kicks Wolves Ass movie, The Grey provided a sharp commentary on an upbringing and managed to relate more about a son's relationship with his father than other examples that dedicate much more time and effort to the subject. While it was entertaining, it also was an intriguing look into how some don't care about their survival until they're faced with something worth fighting for and against while others stop caring about their survival when the road ahead becomes too difficult to travel. It's one of the more tender performances of Neeson's career while not sacrificing his initial draw. The Grey is one you either see the beauty in or don't, there's no middle ground.

Original Rating: 8/10
Quality: 7.5/10
Enjoyment: 7/10
Acting: 8/10
Memorability: 6.5/10
OVERALL: 7.4/10



#47: TED

Plot: As the result of a childhood wish, John Bennett's teddy bear, Ted, came to life and has been by John's side ever since - a friendship that's tested when Lori, John's girlfriend of four years, wants more from their relationship.

Spotty, but wholly wicked humor aside, the real thing to take away from Ted is Mark Wahlberg's talent as a leading man. For a while, Wahlberg was nothing more than a drama guy than fits seamlessly into the role of a bad ass. In recent years and culminating in Ted, Wahlberg has shown as softer, funnier side that's remarkably sound in delivery and timing. Though the Seth McFarlane-voiced teddy bear is the centerpiece, Wahlberg's John provides the epicenter for the heart of the film: a boy that's caught between childhood and adulthood, one that wants to grow up, but doesn't want to lose the kid in him. Ted is full of laughs as well as full of swings-and-misses as McFarlane usually goes. It's in the film's tenderness, under-appreciated emotion and hidden charm that makes it stand out.

Original Rating: 7.5/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Acting: 7/10
Memorability: 7/10
OVERALL: 7.5/10



#46: PROMISED LAND

Plot: A salesman for a natural gas company experiences life-changing events after arriving in a small town, where his corporation wants to tap into the available resources.

Original Rating: 7.5/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Acting: 8/10
Memorability: 6/10
OVERALL: 7.5/10



#45: SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS

Plot: A struggling screenwriter inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends kidnap a gangster's beloved Shih Tzu.

Original Rating: 8/10
Quality: 7.5/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Acting: 7.5/10
Memorability: 6.5/10
OVERALL: 7.5/10



#44: THE BOURNE LEGACY

Plot: An 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.

Original Rating: 7.5/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Acting: 8.5/10
Memorability: 7/10
OVERALL: 7.6/10



#43: FLIGHT

Plot: An airline pilot saves a flight from crashing, but an investigation into the malfunctions reveals something troubling.

Original Rating: 8/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 7.5/10
Acting: 8.5/10
Memorability: 7.5/10
OVERALL: 7.7/10



#42: BERNIE

Plot: In small-town Texas, the local mortician strikes up a friendship with a wealthy widow, though when he kills her, he goes to great lengths to create the illusion that she's alive.

And the winner of the most unlikely good movie starring Jack Black is... Bernie. It is a real shame that so few people will ever get to experience Black at his most reserved because the reward may just be seeing him at his most purely comical. The story of a too-nice, almost asexual mortician that comes across an old lady that takes advantage of his kindness and ends up dead at his hands because of it, Bernie glides along at the proper pace for story-telling thanks to the perfect interviews and narration from some of the real-life residents that knew Bernie, some of them pinpoint actors. It's a film that is absurd, but delightfully so, and manages to get the very best out of all its performers. It's never as darkly funny as it should be for a dark comedy, but the film is well-crafted, intelligent and caring to the true story.

Original Rating: 8/10
Quality: 7.5/10
Enjoyment: 7/10
Acting: 9/10
Memorability: 7/10
OVERALL: 7.7/10



#41: GOON

Plot: Labeled an outcast by his brainy family, a bouncer overcomes long odds to lead a team of underperforming misfits to semi-pro hockey glory, beating the crap out of everything that stands in his way.

There's only so many times a sports underdog movie can be made. In fact, there are very few successful sports movies that aren't about underdogs. Like it or not, another underdog story, especially on the topic of hockey, would be white noise. Mighty Ducks pretty much owns that territory, or Miracle if you want something less nostalgic. Goon offered the people what they want in a hockey movie, a tough, violent, vulgar escapade that literally pulls no punches. Seann William Scott flips his normal script so seamlessly that the battling personalities of innocence and sweetness with the previously mentioned toughness seems not at all awkward. Goon is entertaining and weirdly touching. A man can find his calling and people who care about him, even if it all stems from him beating the pulp out of another man. It's nice to see Jay Baruchel playing a different role for once.

Original Rating: 9/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 8.5/10
Acting: 7.5/10
Memorability: 6.5/10
OVERALL: 7.7/10



#40: LES MISERABLES

Plot: In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after he breaks parole, agrees to care for factory worker Fantine's daughter, Cosette. The fateful decision changes their lives forever.

Original Rating: 7/10
Quality: 8.5/10
Enjoyment: 6/10
Acting: 9/10
Memorability: 8.5/10
OVERALL: 7.8/10



#39: BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

Plot: Faced with both her hot-tempered father's fading health and melting ice-caps that flood her ramshackle bayou community and unleash ancient aurochs, six-year-old Hushpuppy must learn the ways of courage and love.

Beasts of the Southern Wild is the most imaginative film of the year and it's hard to debate against that fact. It's hard to classify a film like it other than to call it a coming-of-age drama, which still doesn't quite fit the bill given the main character is around 9 years old. Beasts of the Southern Wild is a difficult film to get through. It chugs along slowly and jumps around a bit so that it's unclear what's real and what's not. What helps is the direction is pure and sure of itself. The film is one that definitely pulls no punches and manages to jump back and forth between the humanistic and the surrealistic to create the fictional (yet, eerily familiar) world of The Bathtub and the father/daughter hard-knocks/tough-love relationship that everything else lays on top of. It's not a relaxing Friday night watch, rather it's insightful and something you can't quite get out of your head. Help won't always be available and sometimes you'll have to fend for yourself. What is a constant, however, is that there will always be people that care about you when community is built. At the least, Beasts of the Southern Wild is a visual marvel, fantastically acted and unwavering in its direction.

Original Rating: 7/10
Quality: 9/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Acting: 9.5/10
Memorability: 7.5/10
OVERALL: 7.9/10



#38: THE SESSIONS

Plot: A man in an iron lung who wishes to lose his virginity contacts a professional sex surrogate with the help of his therapist and priest.

Original Rating: 8/10
Quality: 8.5/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Acting: 9.5/10
Memorability: 7/10
OVERALL: 7.9/10



#37: RUBY SPARKS

Plot: A novelist struggling with writer's block finds romance in a most unusual way: by creating a female character he thinks will love him, then willing her into existence.

Original Rating: 8/10
Quality: 8.5/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Acting: 8.5/10
Memorability: 7/10
OVERALL: 8/10



#36: THE HUNGER GAMES

Plot: Katniss Everdeen voluntarily takes her younger sister's place in the Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death in which two teenagers from each of the twelve Districts of Panem are chosen at random to compete.

Even after a couple of watches, I still don't feel I can accurately rate The Hunger Games like a reader of the books may be able to. First and foremost, the makers struck the right notes when shooting the districts as opposed to the Capital. To say that the costume and make-up is elaborate is to put it lightly and the dressiness of it works well to reinforce the grittier tone of it all. There's no denying that the premise of The Hunger Games is brutal, barbaric and, for some, hard to watch, but the film hits the right notes when it needs to and lives mostly by Jennifer Lawrence's powerful, ass-kicking Katniss. The film did, however, suffer from the feeling that it was just an introduction to something larger, which is of course not its fault considering its a series.

Original Rating: 8/10
Quality: 7.5/10
Enjoyment: 8.5/10
Acting: 8.5/10
Memorability: 8/10
OVERALL: 8.1/10



#35: MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE'S MOST WANTED

Plot: Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman are still fighting to get home to their beloved Big Apple. Their journey takes them through Europe where they find the perfect cover: a traveling circus, which they reinvent - Madagascar style.

The Madagascar series has not only always been a guilty pleasure of mine, it's also exception to the rule of trilogies. Originally an underwhelming, if blandly animated feature, Madagascar has ripened with age to become an engrossing and beautifully animated piece of filmmaking that manages to wring some comedy and moments of sincerity out of four escape circus animals whose characters aren't the best nor the most original. In surrounding the characters with the likes of a traveling circus, the filmmakers allow themselves to show off their flair for visually astounding while also writing up a solid story that lets a pack of strange, lively circus animals take on the bulk of the comic and dramatic weight. In short, the folks over at Dreamworks put together a film that aligns everything involved so that it brings out the best in everything else.

Original Rating: 8/10
Quality: 7.5/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Animation: 9/10
Memorability: 7/10
OVERALL: 8.1/10



#34: THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY

Plot: The Clock family are four-inch-tall people who live anonymously in another family's residence, borrowing simple items to make their home. Life changes for the Clocks when their daughter, Arrietty, is discovered.

Original Rating: 8/10
Quality: 7.5/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Animation: 9.5/10
Memorability: 6.5/10
OVERALL: 8.1/10



#33: WRECK-IT RALPH

Plot: A video game villain wants to be a hero and sets out to fulfill his dream, but his quest brings havoc to the whole arcade where he lives.

Original Rating: 8.5/10
Quality: 6.5/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Animation: 9/10
Memorability: 7.5/10
OVERALL: 8.1/10



#32: PITCH PERFECT

Plot: Beca, a freshman at Barden University, is cajoled into joining The Bellas, her school's all-girls singing group. Injecting some much needed energy into their repertoire, The Bellas take on their male rivals in a campus competition.

I don't know how many people will rank Pitch Perfect among their favorites of 2012. Probably more than I'm suspecting. Don't overlook the power of one actor or actress and how they can take over a film. Pitch Perfect isn't anything special. It's a catchy, funny, flashy neo-musical that contains elements and conflict seen a million times before. Hell, it even tries its hardest to make its main character, played by Anna Kendrick, unlikable for the first half of the film. Mission impossible, in my opinion. Kendrick remains an underrated actor, but her appeal as a lead is more than strong. Her brash exterior and hidden sensitivity mixed with her great comedic timing launch Pitch Perfect from a decent movie to a good one.

Original Rating: 8.5/10
Quality: 7/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Acting: 7.5/10
Memorability: 7.5/10
OVERALL: 8.1/10



#31: SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN

Plot: A fisheries expert is approached by a consultant to help realize a sheik's vision of bringing the sport of fly-fishing to the desert and embarks on an upstream journey of faith and fish to prove the impossible possible.

It's so easy to throw the word "surprising" around. It's a word I feel I use way too often. Sometimes, there's no other word that sums up how I feel. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen was surprising. For goodness sake, it's a movie combining rom-com elements with salmon fishing and the Yemen. How does that sound for unappealing? Where the film got it's life was in how it carefully handled belief and faith. In the long run, both aren't only positives to carry with you for random miracles like bringing salmon fishing to a difficult area, but also for life in general. Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt showcased some of the best chemistry of the year and McGregor's painfully close-minded opinion on anything and everything combined with his cheeky sarcasm and negative outlook bring the script to life.

Original Rating: 8.5/10
Quality: 8/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Acting: 8/10
Memorability: 7/10
OVERALL: 8.1/10

[Robert]

Originally Posted by SOS4Prez

I don't know how many people will rank Pitch Perfect among their favorites of 2012. Probably more than I'm suspecting.

Count me among those people. It's easily my wife's favorite movie of the past year and it's up there me as well because of the major fun factor. While Anna Kendrick is amazing, there is a pretty stellar young cast at work here including Rebel Wilson, Skyler Astin and Anna Camp.