The Big Picture: The Best Movies of 2012

[CAPTCHA]

I got a very american-centric feeling from your top-ten list. They're american films of course, but many of them dealt elements of american culture and history that doesn't export so well. Take that Will Farrow flick, it translates as well as a parody of yorkshire farmlife would to water. Perhaps a foreign watcher could follow the story, laugh at the jokes, but the ultimate spirit of its intention is lost. Bob strikes me as a very patriotic guy, and I remember him saying once that he had trouble transitioning from the local presswork of his early career to the global realms of the internet. That shows strongly, and it's one of the factors that leads bob to be mistaken for bias and favoritism. That, and the blazing-green geek badge he projects.

 

[immortalfrieza]

And I'm sure The Amazing Spider-man will be on his hate list as well, hopefully he doesn't make it number 1.

I'd bet money that ASM is going to at least be on his hate list if not #1 considering how much he bitched about it both before and after it came out, neither of which being justifiable. I normally agree with what he says about most movies that I've seen, but with ASM he was WAY off.

 

[TheSchaef]

I guess I just don't 'get' Tarantino. Don't get me wrong, his movies are entertaining, I liked Pulp Fiction but it didn't change my life. It was fun, irreverent, and entertaining. I'll admit to not seeing Inglorious Basterds, because it looked like his other movies, just another good action movie, so maybe I'm missing something.

This is kind of my take on Tarantino as well. Take an outlandish-but-plausible setting, introduce quirky characters, give them eminently quotable dialogue about foot rubs and tipping, have some memorable action sequences, lather, rinse, repeat.

I thought Reservoir Dogs was excellent, and Pulp Fiction was good, but by the time I got to Kill Bill I'm thinking to myself, this is feeling a little formulaic to me.

aaaaaaaaand this is the part where the Tarantino fans call me out for having a shallow view of the films and missing out on all the subtle nuances of what makes Tarantino the Great Director of His Time. And that's fine. Tim Burton is formulaic, too, it's not necessarily a bad thing. I just don't get enough out of Tarantino's work to justify sitting through another two hour swearathon cum visceral bloodbath.

 

[Crimson_Dragoon]

Moonrise Kingdom?
Amour?
Beasts of the Southern Wild?

Bob needs to start watching some good movies and not only mainstream crap.

See that's what confuses me about this list. Bob said a few months ago that Moonrise Kingdom and Beasts of the Southern Wild were the best movies of the year so far (he even did an Intermission on them). And while I get that most of the movies on this list came out after them, I find it strange that they got knocked off altogether.

 

[TheDrunkNinja]

Can't wait to see the Amazing Spider-man's inevitable appearance next week.

Also, I am rather confused because I could have sworn that Bob said he liked Paranorman even better than the Avengers. This is supposed to be a subjectively based list, isn't it?

I'm not complaining, I prefer it when these internet reviewer types come out with a year-end list that is just what they personally liked and disliked the most. See, if you had just done that, Bob, you wouldn't hear shit from me if Amazing Spider-man (no doubt) makes the list next week. Because you didn't like it. I can't fault you for being unfair if you just straight up didn't like it.

 

[esperandote]

I have a huge to-watch list, i haven't seen any of these, TDKN, looper and many more. I know, i've been living under a rock.

 

[ThePhobicMan]

Anyone else remember Chronicle? The movie Bob asked The Avengers, Amazing Spider-Man, and Man of Steel to take notes off of? The movie with fantastic, well-rounded characters and action scenes? No? *Sigh* Oh well.

 

[Froggy Slayer]

Also, I am rather confused because I could have sworn that Bob said he liked Paranorman even better than the Avengers. This is supposed to be a subjectively based list, isn't it?

That was his opinion straight after seeing it, though. Once someone has been given even more time to think about a film, their opinions can shift slightly. This is probably why some of the newer films can be found near the top.

 

[MB202]

I want Bob to make a video or column going over what he thought of the movies on his "most anticipated" list from last year, though that doesn't seem to matter, since quite a few of them are already covered here in this list.

10.) Maybe I'll check this movie out someday..

9.) This one, too. Even though I don't care for new Family Guy or The Cleveland Show (at least not that much), I think American Dad is surprisingly witty with it's jokes. Not to mention, I totally agree that Seth MacFarland is a genuinely talented guy, from comedian to voice actor to an INCREDIBLE singer.

8.) Totally good movie, and I don't usually watch serious dramas... Maybe now I will, because of this movie! What Bob said is basically true, Lincoln was on the right side, yet he had to kind of "work the system to his advantage" because it was a different time, and people weren't willing to go in the "right" direction, as it were. There's a lot of moral grayness here, and I actually kind of like that, at least in this movie.

7.) Still REALLY want to check this out, even though I'm not a fan of horror movies... I've heard more good things about it since Bob's review (as well as some not-so-good things, but whatever).

6.) Definitely one of MY favorite movies of the year, if not number one! I've seen it at LEAST twice already!

5.) Again, passed this one by, mostly because I couldn't find anyone to go see this movie with me...

4.) I have heard a LOT of negative things about The Hobbit since I saw it. Honestly, I really do like it! Maybe I really should track down and watch it in 46 fps just to see what everyone's bitching about, but I still found it to be an entertaining movie!

3.) DAMMIT, I need to see this movie, but nobody wants to see it with me! Luckily, a co-worker of mine wants to see it, too, so I can probably go see it, too.

2.) My mom wanted to see this with me... but we never made the time... probably because she wanted to read the book first... Either way, I'll definitely have to rent it or watch it on pay-per-view.

I think I can guess what number 1 is...

1.) Eeyup. Called it. Fun, awesome movie!

I can't wait to see what Bob's worst movies of 2012 are!

 

[Aptspire]

I would have at least put Skyfall in an "honorable mentions" list...

 

[mariomario]

This is a pretty good damn list. I was surprised by Casa de Mi Padre, but then I remembered how I was laughing in my seat the whole time.

 

[themilo504]

Wow those were some unsurprising choices especially number 1 .
Also about wreck it ralph I don?t think Vanellope was supposed to be a parody of 90 style cute kid character she just was one still really liked the movie and I hope they make a sequel preferably taking place in my pc.

 

[BehattedWanderer]

Actually, yeah, not a single problem with that list. All great movies. Can't wait to see what makes the other list.

 

[shrekfan246]

Worst of 2012?

I can't wait to see the new Spiderman make that list.

Well lemme rephrase that, I can't wait to watch angry forum posters get oddly defensive about the fact that a purely subjective list that is based completely on one man's opinion has a movie that you may not agree with.

The funny thing is that Amazing Spider-Man is actually better than Spider-Man 2 or Spider-Man 3... sure, subjective opinions ahoy, but if you're looking at it purely from a critical angle, the only thing really keeping it from being better than the first Sam Raimi Spider-Man is the fact that the writing for the Green Goblin was miles better than the story arc for The Lizard, and that the CGI used for The Lizard's face is completely ridiculous.

OT: When I saw Cloud Atlas at #2 I actually had to ask myself what Bob was going to put at #1, then The Avengers popped up and I went "Oh yeah."

It was a fun movie, but as I've previously mentioned [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.396822-Top-5-Movies-Of-The-Year#16166986], I wouldn't put it in my Top 5.

 

[Zenn3k]

Eww, Lincoln made the best movies list?!

Lincoln was HORRIBLE. Lincoln wasn't about Lincoln, it was a boring period piece that attempts to take an event we have known the outcome of for about 150 years now, and attempt to make it dramatic. Oh my, who is going to vote YAY and NAY?? I'm on the edge of my seat! No really, I was on the edge of my seat, because I was falling asleep and sliding out of my chair. Its was LITERALLY as entertaining as turning on C-SPAN for 2 hours, no lie.

Lincoln is one of two movies I've almost walked out on in my lifetime (its not something I like to even think about as self imposed movie buff)....the other, was Batman & Robin. Yes, I think Lincoln is AS bad or WORSE...than Batman & Robin.

Lincoln doesn't even get a decent on screen death, truly a pathetic piece of directing that shows that poor Spielberg's best days are LONG behind him. DDL was great as Lincoln though, great acting, just a terrible film.

 

[Reincarnatedwolfgod]

i have not seen any of those movies. i really don't watch many movie these days anyway. i do plan on at least seeing the hobbit

Bob needs to start watching some good movies and not only mainstream crap.

what you said said sounds very hipsterish?

 

[Deacon Cole]

Cabin in the Woods was the worst movie I ever saw, and I have seen Birdemic: Shock and Terror. The only people who found that movie edgy or game changing, won't be born until 2046. To everyone else, what that movie had to say was old news.

 

[Blood Brain Barrier]

i have not seen any of those movies. i really don't watch many movie these days anyway. i do plan on at least seeing the hobbit

Bob needs to start watching some good movies and not only mainstream crap.

what you said said sounds very hipsterish?

Maybe, but I didn't mean that anything mainstream can't be good. All his movies are big blockbusters from the multimillion studios. Why?

Moonrise Kingdom?
Amour?
Beasts of the Southern Wild?

Bob needs to start watching some good movies and not only mainstream crap.

See that's what confuses me about this list. Bob said a few months ago that Moonrise Kingdom and Beasts of the Southern Wild were the best movies of the year so far (he even did an Intermission on them). And while I get that most of the movies on this list came out after them, I find it strange that they got knocked off altogether.

Who are we kidding. Is there any chance bob isn't being paid for selecting these movies for his list?

 

[Blueruler182]

Damn right!

Not looking forward to hearing Spider-Man hit number one and Bob going ape on it again, though.

 

[Henkie36]

While I will never say that you can be wrong on a ''my favorites list'' I will say that I was surprised that he put The Avengers on the #1 spot. It was definitley genre-defiying, but he said it himself, iconography can only get you so far, and I do think that while good, it doesn't make first. Second in my case.