Alan's Top 10 Movies of 2012

It was a good year to be a movie lover. There were some duds, but there were also some well-deserved blockbusters as well. 2013 looks like it's shaping up to be a good year with releases such as 'Iron Man 3', 'Hunger Games: Catching Fire', 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug', and remakes of horror classics 'Carrie' and 'The Evil Dead'.

So now, I give to you, my pick for my favorite 10 new movies of 2012.


10. Brave

 'Brave' kind of went two separate ways with me. It is a really good movie. But as a Pixar movie, with expectations always held high, it can also be a little disappointing. Not 'Cars 2' disappointing, but it doesn't have the same "magic" (or plot) that makes most of the previous Pixar entries so memorable. Regardless of that, it is quite enjoyable, and the animation is stunning.

9. Moonrise Kingdom

This isn't a mainstream film, and sort of has that indie flick vibe to it, but if you haven't heard of the movie, I sympathize for you. It is such an odd, yet endearing, movie about young love and the lengths they go through to be together. It is definitely a dark comedy, so if that's not your thing, you may not be as impressed as I was. But there's a lot of heart in this movie, and has a great cast to go with it.

8. Ted

'Ted' could possibly be one of the most offensive and crude films made thus far. But what else would you expect from 'Family Guy' creator Seth MacFarlane? It had me laughing from the get-go straight through to the end.

7. The Amazing Spider-Man

I've made my criticisms of 'The Amazing Spider-Man' no secret. I liked this movie a great deal, but not even close to as much as I liked the original trilogy. I would've preferred a 'Spider-Man 4' in the previous series, but instead we got an unnecessary reboot. With that being said, it was still a very enjoyable movie, and the special effects are astounding.

6. Prometheus

This sort-of prequel to 'Alien' was one of the biggest surprises to me. I wanted to see it out of curiousity moreso than interest peaked by the trailer. But the movie had me totally engaged in it. This goes to show Ridley Scott CAN still make good movies.

5. The Hunger Games

I was kind of skeptical at how this would turn out. Another tween series adapted into a movie. I love the 'Harry Potter' movies, but as of late, the successful franchise of now seems to be the horrible 'Twilight' franchise. The plot is reminiscent of 'The Long Walk' by Stephen King, but aimed at younger audiences. The cool thing is that you can be over 15 and really dig this movie.

4. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

 Peter Jackson's much-anticipated return to Middle Earth yielded great results. Is it as good as the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy? Nah. And I'm still wondering how they're going to fill two more three hour movies without adding a ton of fluff, since it's all based on one book. But it was quite nostalgic going back to the Shire and embarking on another quest with familiar faces.

3. The Dark Knight Rises

After 'The Dark Knight', it was going to be hard to come up with a Batman movie that could live up to it. And while, in my opinion, 'The Dark Knight' is still the superior entry in the series, this one at many times gives it a run for it's money. At first I was pretty pissed about the casting of Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, because even though I think she's a terrific actress, she didn't look the part to me. Well, I ate my words. She nailed it. This is an example where reboots work. Of the older Batman movies, the only one I REALLY liked was 'Batman Returns', but Nolan's 'Dark Knight Trilogy' has been great from start to finish. Unfortunately, with the announcement of a Justice League movie, we can expect ANOTHER reboot of the character.

2. The Cabin in the Woods

'The Cabin in the Woods' is one of the smartest and wittiest horror movies I have seen in years. You take everything you know about horror movies, and throw it away. Joss Whedon successfully wrote a horror movie that leaves you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

1. The Avengers

Speaking of Joss Whedon, creator of my all-time favorite television show 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', he directed a movie that was released this summer that you may have heard of. Of course you've heard of it. This superhero movie has become the third highest grossing film of all time. And it's justified. The whole Marvel Cinematic Universe film series has successfully created this world that pulls you in, and 'The Avengers' weaves all of those individuals together into one of the greatest superhero movies ever made. It's smart, witty, and action packed, and despite it's astounding special effects and huge ensemble cast, it doesn't suffer from a lack of story in the process. 'The Avengers' is easily the big winner this year, and put other ensemble superhero movies, such as 'X-Men' to shame.

This Week on Blu-Ray 9/16-9/22

This week great catalog titles are being released as well as one of the best new horror movies of the past decade. Also, one of the most anticipated franchises is finally released complete for the first time.

This four-movie collection contains 'Indiana Jones and the... Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom, Last Crusade, & Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'. '...Crystal Skull' (probably the most hated entry in the franchise, is already available to own on blu-ray, but as of right now, this collection is the only way to get the older three films. 'Temple of Doom' in HD? Can't wait to see it, but I personally will be waiting for a price drop.

Shout Factory is releasing both 'Halloween II' and 'Halloween III: Season of the Witch' on blu-ray, with the latter making it's HD debut. 'Halloween III' is easily the oddest entry in the series. It has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of them. There's no Michael Myers. No Laurie. No anything that relates to the franchise at all. Originally, they were going to do a different type feature annually. After 'Halloween III' bombed, the studio went back to the tried and true slasher flicks. 'Halloween II' is one of the best horror sequels ever made, continuing exactly where the original film took off. However, it was also just released on blu-ray a year ago. So if you already own that, it's a good transfer of the movie, so there isn't much reason to pick up this one. 'Halloween III' isn't a TERRIBLE movie. But it's also not a very good one. Strictly for the 'Halloween' completists.

An earlier Tim Burton/Johnny Depp collaboration, you can't go wrong with 'Ed Wood'. This has been a highly anticipated title on blu-ray, so I foresee lots of people being pleased that it is finally being released.

Here's a release that is sure to hit bargain bins within a years' time. 'Katy Perry The Movie: Part of Me'. Admittedly, I do not hate Katy Perry with a burning passion like I did this time last year. She's come out with some pretty catchy pop songs, and only like one was super annoying. Despite this, I am not defending this movie. Have I seen it? No. Do I intend to? No. Why does this exist? These concerts released into theaters inn the guise of films don't work. Ask the Spice Girls or the Jonas Brothers. You don't see actual artists doing this sort of gimmicky release. Concert DVDs. Ok. Concert "movies" like this one? Lame.

 Two more horror genre flicks are also making their HD debut this week. 'Queen of the Damned', a sequel of srts to 'Interview with a Vampire', and 'Devil's Advocate'. Both decent movies, and if you get them cheap enough, I suppose they would be worth a pick up. Between the two, 'Queen of the Damned' is the worse movie, and it is kind of cheesy in it's own way. I hate to say it, but I think it was only as successful as it was because of the tragic and untimely death of it's lead star Aaliyah. But, it has it's place among vampire movies and it's not a complete waste of time.

I can't think any higher of this movie than I already do. 'The War of the Roses' is one of the most twisted comedies I have ever seen. During a bitter divorce, wife and husband do truly horrible, mean things to each other. And in one way it's kind of disturbing, but in another way, it's hilarious. Perfectly casted as well.

'The Cabin in the Woods' is one of the most original horror movies ever made. It starts with almost every cliche that has plagued the past 20 years of horror movies, and then throws it all out of the window for a huge twist. It'll make you jump. And it's also quite comedic, mostly due to the witty script from 'Buffy' & Angel' creator Joss Whedon, and 'Buffy' alumni Drew Goddard, who directed the movie.

So this week, there are some decent releases, and there are a few duds too.

Pick up: TOP CHOICE The Cabin in the Woods, The War of the Roses, Ed Wood
Pass on: Katy Perry The Movie: Part of Me, Halloween II (if you already own the other edition)

This Week on Blu-Ray 9/9-9/15

This week, one of the biggest movies of all time makes its debut on blu-ray. You guessed it. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is coming to the format this Tuesday, September 11th. Also being released on this day is the critically panned Snow White and the Huntsman. Not surprising, considering they cast Kristen Stewart as someone who was supposed to be beautiful.

A couple of movies that were previously a Best Buy exclusive are exclusive no more. The Ring starring Naomi Watts and The Firm starring everyone's favorite Scientologist, Tom Cruise. Both street on 9/11 as well.

The biggest release of the week naturally goes to... Titanic ,which comes out Monday, September 10th. Say what you will, but 'Titanic' is a classic this set includes the 3D and 2D presentation of the film. While the 3D did not make much pop out, it added depth to the film, almost making you feel immersed on the ship with the characters. If you don't have a 3D tv (neither do I, so don't fret), the restoration in general for 'Titanic' was superb, and I can't imagine the blu ray not looking amazing.

Alan Thinks 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' is Indeed Spotless

Starring

• Jim Carrey
• Kate Winslet
• Kirsten Dunst
• Tom Wilkinson
• Elijah Wood
• Mark Ruffalo

Original Theatrical Release Date: 03/19/2004

Running Time: 108 mins

Synopsis: Jim Carrey stars as Joel Barish, a man who is informed that his ex-girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslet) has had her memories of their relationship erased from her brain via an experimental procedure performed by Dr. Mierzwiak (Tom Wilkinson). Not to be outdone, Joel decides to have the same procedure done to himself. As Mierzwiak's bumbling underlings Stan (Mark Ruffalo) and Patrick (Elijah Wood) perform the operation on Joel -- over the course of an evening, in his apartment -- Joel struggles in his own mind to save the memories of Clementine from being deleted. --From Rotten Tomatoes

Review: 

How happy is the blameless vestal's lot!

     The world forgetting, by the world forgot.

Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!

     Each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd;

When I was a kid, I thought Jim Carrey was the funniest actor ever. Once I grew up, both him and Adam Sandler started to seem gimmicky to me. Jim Carrey has to make faces for a laugh and Adam Sandler has to yell a lot. That's pretty much the gist of it. Because of this newfound adult wisdom, I came to the conclusion that Carrey wasn't really a great actor at all. That was until I saw 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'. 

Imagine yourself in a relationship. It has its ups and downs, but as of late mostly downs. You have a big fight with your significant other and you both say horrible things to each other. You have that feeling of regret as soon as the words leave your mouth, but it is too late. Then, you try and patch it up, only to find out that your significant other has erased all memories of you from their mind, and looks at you as if seeing you for the first time. 

That is the beginning of the plot to the film. Kate Winslet plays as Clementine, who has memories of Joel, played by Jim Carrey, erased from her mind. Joel is so hurt by this, that he decides to do the same. The movie mostly takes place in his mind as the procedure is being done. And as his past is being erased, he realizes that these are memories he does not want to forget. He desperately tries to hold on to the memories that have yet to be destroyed of Clementine.  

It sounds like an odd plot. And honestly, it's not for everyone. Some may consider it too abstract or weird.. But that is truly a shame for them. 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' is a very emotional movie about trying to save what may be too late to save. Being powerless to stop it. It's about realizing that the little moments in your life that make you happy have much more impact on you than you may take the time to realize. It's about fate being bigger than science.

This is not Carrey's most "fun" movie. But it is easily his best one. It is such a deep film, with such emotional performances from the cast, that you FEEL the anguish and joy of the characters. It is so relatable because everyone has had those experiences that felt like they would be almost unbearable to live with. And it shows that if you could eliminate that sadness, you would also have to eliminate anything that reminded you of it. Sometimes, it's easier to live with the pain of something than to risk losing all the good associated with it too. It's a journey of self discovery, and a reminder to appreciate the little things. 

Score: 

Alan's Top 10 Most Anticipated Upcoming Blu-Ray Releases

10. Rosemary's Baby

'Rosemary's Baby' is released October 30th, 2012, courtesy of The Criterion Collection. Not only is it one of director Roman Polanski's most famous pieces of work, it's also a horror aficionado must have. 

9. Pet Sematary

Stephen King movies can really only go one of two ways. They're either really good or really bad. An example of bad being '1408', which was just boring drudge basing it's scares on cheap imagery, and an example of good being 'Pet Sematary'. Though not 100% faithful to the novel (which was actually scarier than the movie), it is one of the most faithful King adaptations to come out. 

8. Cinderella

You can't go wrong with classic Disney. 'Cinderella' is a nice trip down memory lane, and with Disney's other high def transfers, one could expect 'Cinderella' to look just as amazing. With that said, though I have a fondness for the film, it's not one of my absolute favorites in the Disney catalog, compared to 'Beauty and the Beast' or 'The Lion King'. Nonetheless, it's a must own for Disney completists. 

7. The Amazing Spider-Man

For people that were really wanting a continuation of Raimi's 'Spider-Man' series, 'Amazing...' can somewhat disappoint. It's like taking the basic story of our favorite web shooting wall crawler and going all 'Batman Begins' on us, trying to make it a bit darker than Spider-Man stories typically are. However, despite me not liking it as much as the original trilogy, it was a good start to a new series and an enjoyable flick. The special effects were just as awe inspiring as 'Spider-Man' was the first time it graced the big screen. 

6. The Dark Knight Rises

What can be said about this movie that has not already been said? It was excellent. Not as good as it's predecessor, but it didn't miss it by much. 'The Dark Knight Rises' was a very fitting and well done conclusion to the darker Batman series. 

5. The Cabin in the Woods

Possibly one of the most surprising horror movies ever made. It's witty, smart, funny and creepy. If you ever get in the mood to watch a scary movie, but can't decide where to go, go to 'The Cabin in the Woods'. It really has it all. 

4. E.T. The Extra Terrestrial 

'E.T.' is making it's blu ray debut in October, and with the hype of this release, it's bound to be stellar. To make things even better, Spielberg put the original version on the release, instead of the walkie-talkie toting special edition release that came out a few years ago on DVD. 

3. Titanic

It was the ship of dreams, and now you'll be able to enjoy it in glorious HD video. I personally love the movie, but for even the naysayers, no one can deny the amazingly beautiful cinematography of this flick. In my opinion, 'Titanic' is our generations' 'Gone with the Wind'. It was an instant classic. You can expect it's upcoming blu release to be treated as if it's a classic as well. 

2. Marvel's The Avengers

The biggest movie of the year is bound to become the biggest blu event of the year as well. 'The Avengers' has crushed the box office, and several records on the way, and rightfully so. With a perfect ensemble cast, great script and story, and insane special effects, 'The Avengers' will likely hold on to it's records until it's inevitable sequel comes out. 

1. Little Shop of Horrors

Really. This cheesy musical from 1986 is my most anticipated upcoming blu-ray of the year. Frank Oz, director, has hinted at the eventual release for a few years now, saying that his Director's Cut would make it's debut. On the original 'Little Shop' DVD release, the original ending that was filmed was included as an extra in black and white. The studio didn't have the rights to include that material and the DVD was pulled off the shelf within days, and it has since become a huge collector's item. But on this release, we finally get both the theatrical version and the director's cut (in color mind you, though it was for a long time thought that there were no color versions in existence) in high definition. With a fun cast, colorful and fun sets, and catchy tunes, this blu-ray is sure to be top of the line. 

Alan Hasn't Got a 'Clue' in this Cult Classic Whodunit

Starring

• Tim Curry

• Eileen Brennan

• Lesley Ann Warren

• Michael McKean

• Christopher Lloyd

• Madeline Kahn

• Martin Mull

Original Theatrical Release Date: 12/13/1985

Running Time: 94 mins

Synopsis: Six guests are invited to a strange house and must cooperate with the staff to solve a murder mystery.  --From IMDb

Review: I really don't know which direction to take this review. It's highly likely that it will encourage people to see it as well as deter others. And I say that not because 'Clue' is a bad movie, but because it is a dumb movie. But it's almost so dumb that it's brilliant. 

Let's start off with the plot. Six people are invited to a dinner party at the Hill House mansion. All of the guests are invited via a letter that instructed them to use an alias at the dinner party. The six find out that the one thing they have in common is that they are being blackmailed by Mr. Boddy (Lee Ving), the seventh guest to arrive:

1. Professor Plum (Christopher Lloyd) is being blackmailed for his affair with a female patient which cost him his license to practice.
2. Mrs. Peacock (Eileen Brennan) has been accepting bribes to help her Senator husband's votes.
3. Mrs. White (Madeline Kahn) has been paying Mr. Boddy to keep speculation of her husband's mysterious murder out of the public eye. 
4. Miss Scarlet (Lesley Ann Warren) runs a whorehouse in DC.
5. Colonel Mustard (Martin Mull) has some scandalous photos hanging over his head.
6. Mr. Green (Micheal McKean) is a closet homosexual, and that information leaking would cause him to lose his job with the State Department. 

Wadsworth (Tim Curry), the butler of Mr. Boddy, has gathered all the guests  in an effort to confront Mr. Boddy so he can be turned in to the police. Wadsworth's reasoning? Mr. Boddy had been blackmailing his wife which resulted in her taking her life. 

Mr. Boddy does not seem to care too much for this plan and hands all of the guests a box, gift wrapped, with a weapon inside. He says in order to keep their secrets, Wadsworth is the one that needs to die. He precedes to cut off the lights so no one will know who commits the act, and as the sound of a thud is heard, and the lights are cut back on, it is Mr. Boddy who lies dead on the floor. 

That's when the guests decide to search the mansion to try to find the killer. As they do, more bodies are discovered, and the group grows more wary of the company they are in, as they all know, that one of them did it!

Let's start first with what is wrong with this picture. The actual plot, especially as it progresses, is quite weak. But in all fairness, what are you expecting from a movie based on a board game? There are several continuity errors throughout the film, that even contradict many of the outcomes in the ending of the film. (There are three endings actually, and only one of them somewhat plausible if you were really paying attention to the movie.) So far. doesn't sound so great. 

Here's where the movie wins. The cast could not be more perfect for such a movie. And the script is so darkly humorous that you almost get to a point where you feel like you're watching only to see what someone says or does next. The acting was zany, as I think it was intended to, and it worked so well for this movie. The performances from Madeline Kahn and Tim Curry alone made this worth a viewing, as they were pitch perfect. 

Would i recommend 'Clue' to a friend? Absolutely. I feel like I may have to warn them of the absurdity of it upfront, because if you've seen the film. You'll understand. Some people just won't get the point. And truth be told, there isn't much of one, nor does there need to be one. It's just a fun movie, plain and simple. Now, someone starts talking a 'Monopoly' movie? I'm out. 

Score: 

Alan Reviews 'The Amazing Spider-Man'

Starring

• Andrew Garfield
• Emma Stone
• Rhys Ifans
• Denis Leary
• Martin Sheen
• Sally Field

Original Theatrical Release Date: 07/03/2012

Running Time: 136 mins

Synopsis: The Amazing Spider-Man is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents' disappearance - leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father's former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors' alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.  --From Rotten Tomatoes

Review: It's very hard not to like this movie, especially if you liked 2002's 'Spider-Man', because they are extremely similar. While the film didn't tread much new ground, it was good enough to see what the future of the franchise is in store for. 

So let's start with what's familiar. Boy gets bitten by spider. Boy likes girl. Scientist trying to test his experiment on himself ends with him turning into a green bad guy. Uncle Ben still dies. The main difference with the characters is the switch up of Mary Jane Watson with Gwen Stacy (who in Raimi's series, did not show up until the 3rd film). Also, like the comics, in this movie, Peter makes his webshooters. 

The action sequences were great. The CGI on Spider-man, like the previous movies, was just stellar. The 3D was actually good. Most of the cast I really liked them in their roles. Andrew Garfield pulled off a slightly different version of Peter Parker. Emma Stone shines in just about any movie she's in. Rhys Ifans was also a very good bad guy.

While I think Andrew Garfield was a good Peter/Spider-Man, I still don't think he trumps Tobey Maguire. As much as  I like Sally Fields, I don't think she, nor Martin Sheen, were the right choice for Uncle Ben and Aunt May. The dialogue to me was slightly cheesier in this movie than the others. The original trilogy was a bit more campy, which I liked because Spider-man is kind of campy himself. The score for the movie fell flat. The music in Raimi's 'Spider-man', done by Danny Elfman, was powerful and added intensely to the movie. James Horner does the score for the new Spidey flick, and it falls short. 

So I know there's a lot more negative that I have here than positive. And that's because it's hard not to compare it to a movie that is so great, that wasn't made that long ago. But despite me preferring the originals, this was a solid movie, one that I thoroughly enjoyed and excited to see what's next for our favorite wall crawling superhero.

Score: