The Big Picture: Worst Movies of 2012

Dastardly

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MovieBob said:
Worst Movies of 2012

See which movies MovieBob branded as the worst films of 2012.

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Regarding Les Miserables:

There's a fundamental issue here, and it's that most of your criticism is aimed at the story itself. For that, we must blame Victor Hugo. And to do that, you'd have to go way back in time... to a different place in literature. The whole story borders on allegorical, so of course Javert seems like "the only cop in France." He's meant to represent that entire way of thinking. Each character is basically an archetype. Good writing? Bad writing? Hard to say... but also irrelevant.

The other problem that stems from the fundamental issue is that this is not "a movie adaptation of the story of Les Miserables." It's a movie adaptation of the musical Les Miserables. As such, it's not designed to showcase the story, but to showcase the songs (which, on their own, can do a wonderful job of capturing the emotion of the story).

Soooo, yeah, I get it. You're in the unfortunate position of having to criticize this as a film, when that only tells half the story. But realizing that might have been enough for you to save that spot for another, more deserving "worst film."

------

Also, complete agreement that Russell Crowe was poorly cast. It's obvious to everyone, except whoever cast him. Biggest mistake of the movie.

Second biggest? Keeping the camera planted squarely up the nose of every singer, rather than using the wonderful medium of cinema to show what can't be shown on stage. But again, this comes back to a misunderstanding of what the film is: It's not showcasing the story, it's showcasing the (very deserving) music.

And Anne Hathaway needs something gold for bringing more life to "I Dreamed a Dream" than any previous singer.
 

John Funk

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JimB said:
I live somewhere that doesn't do plays or theater, and when I heard Les Miserables was getting a theatrical release big enough even for my two-multiplex town, I was hyped. I would like to get into theater, and I figured a movie like this would make for, if not a stepping stone (you need somewhere else to step to in order for it to be a stepping stone), then at least an okay compromise.

But I do not know or know of a single person who will say both "I like it" and "I saw it." A lot of people will say one or the other, but not both. I'm disappointed to see it on this list, but not surprised. Tsk.

Oh, well. Thanks for another good video, Mr. Chipman.
Seen it three times, thus far, loved it. But I loved the musical, too.

Two of the ladies I went with were totally blind and they adored it too, so...!

(also, while I fear Cosette is a forever one-note role, Eddie Redmayne lends a ton of heart and soul to Marius; he's easily the best I've ever seen the role portrayed)
 

Kingjackl

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I actually didn't mind Russell Crowe in Les Miserables. Sure he wasn't as good as Jackman or Hatheway, but I still enjoyed his scenes. Then again, it feels more like Bob put Les Mis at that position on his list because he's still bitter about The King's Speech (a pretty fine film in and of itself) winning Best Picture two years before. Even if you think it's bad, putting it (and Spiderman, for that matter) ahead of all the other legitimately terrible schlock on the list just feels like sour grapes.
 

shrekfan246

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JimB said:
I live somewhere that doesn't do plays or theater, and when I heard Les Miserables was getting a theatrical release big enough even for my two-multiplex town, I was hyped. I would like to get into theater, and I figured a movie like this would make for, if not a stepping stone (you need somewhere else to step to in order for it to be a stepping stone), then at least an okay compromise.

But I do not know or know of a single person who will say both "I like it" and "I saw it." A lot of people will say one or the other, but not both. I'm disappointed to see it on this list, but not surprised. Tsk.

Oh, well. Thanks for another good video, Mr. Chipman.
I saw it. I liked it.

I'll agree with the criticisms leveled at it as a film - that is, Russell Crowe is the weak link and Hooper's directing during the big solo musical numbers is absolutely abysmal - but as a musical film, it's great.

The performances are astounding, and it certainly conveys both the story of Les Miserables and captures the feeling of the musical Les Miserables.

On Amazing Spider-Man, I'm just going to say again: It's still better than Spider-Man 2 or 3. The Lizard's story is ridiculous and the CGI used for his face is stupid, but I really can't agree with the characterization of Peter Parker or the character interactions. Martin Sheen as Uncle Ben in particular stood out when compared to the first Spider-Man, and Garfield plays a sort of Ultimate Spider-Man Peter Parker really well.
 

Baresark

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I can't help but feel that the real problem with Number Three is that you probably don't like the show. I have yet to talk to anyone who loves the musical that doesn't think the movie is pretty fantastic. And Russell Crowe CAN sing Broadway style which is why he did do a good job as the Javert with that deep voice of his. The one complaint I have heard is that whole song in the carriage after Valjean saves little Cosette was made up for the movie and does not exist in the show. Which is strange because they didn't do that with any other songs, though they did abbreviate a few of them. The love of Marius and Cosette exists to shed more like on Valjean's character. I can see someone's dislike for musical theatre as the cause for this movie to be on the list, but third worst? Haha, it's all good though, we all have our opinions. I went with my girlfriend (who has a degree in theatre) and I expected to not enjoy myself at all, but I was blown away by the production. The only weird thing about the directing for me is all the closeups on the characters faces. I just don't know why it happened so much. It made sense in the context of some scenes (such as Ann Hathaway in her big number), but not in so many other places. I can see no award for directing but pretty much the whole rest of the show was really good.

Edit: As proof of how different opinions can be: a movie Bob really liked that would have made this list in place of that for me would have been Tree of Life, if that was from this year, not entirely sure. He didn't do a full review, but he did one of those abbreviated mentions in another review and said that it's pretty much incredible. I took the time and it was really disappointing. Boring and full of imagery that was at best confusing and at worst completely out of place. It took it's attempt at being "artsy" and threw them in your face, which doesn't work in a movie that is supposed to carry a certain pace. Essentially, while it may not have been a horrible film, if you were not in mood for it, it was. It's not transcendentally good and, IMO, not worth the good words it was given.

Edit2: I can't help but feel that everyone is taking the number placement on this list a little too seriously. I mean, is it worth arguing that movies me or a lot of others may have liked shouldn't place higher on the list (more bad, as it were) than movies that were placed lower on the list. I mean, the fact that a movie you are or people you know like a lot showed up on his top ten list at all should be the shocking. Whether it's number three, number one, or number seven shouldn't even matter. And you definitely should not be upset if it appeared higher on the list than American Reunion. It's really all the same.
 

JoJo

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Littaly said:
Les Miserables at third place feels a little like "Hey! Look at my loud and controversial opinion!". I haven't seen it, and I don't think I'm going to since it doesn't look like my kind of movie, but I have a hard time imagining one of the top Best Picture contenders really being an overall worse movie than the latest American Pie, regardless of how much you think people are over hyping it.

I feel that's a problem I have with criticism on the Internet in general. Too many times I get the feeling critics exaggerate how bad something is simply because it either gives them more attention or makes for a much more interesting review. Using hyperbole gets the point across and I'm not gonna lie, there is more entertainment value in seeing something being ripped to shreds rather than receiving a simple "not all that great", but I think it damages the credibility of the critic in the long run.

I'm not gonna tell anyone what to think, and if you really found Les Miserables worse than both The Expendables 2 and Alex Cross, then it would be wrong to conform to what other people think. Just don't be careless with how you hand out ratings as harsh as "third worst movie of the year".
Took the words right out my mouth, I agree completely. Even as a big fan of both the book and musical I can see how it's not everyone's cup of tea, that said I find it hard to see how it could be the third worst movie of the year for anyone compared to some of the stinkers we've seen this year. The critiques Bob leveled were valid to an extent but are no way serious enough to doom a film to that bad a position. That and the Spiderman pick just comes across as a blatant attempt at controversy, I am disappointed since I generally like this show.
 

Vivi22

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ZZoMBiE13 said:
Kumagawa Misogi said:
Yawn, you don't like amazing spiderman Bob that's fine but stop acting like everyone in the geek press does as your a very, very lone voice in hating it (and no, pointing out that a pretentious douchebag WHO TYPES IN ALL CAPS doesn't like it either is not all geek press).
I don't wanna ruin your fun or anything, but this was HIS top 10 worst. He can put whatever he wants.

And for what it's worth, I think he's right. That movie was a mess and I felt like I was being assaulted with weaponized "stupid" as the film went on.
Although it certainly is his list, and he's welcome to put the Amazing Spider-Man on it if he wants to and in whatever position he deems appropriate, I think most people, even those who didn't like it, are sick of him harping on about it. A week or two after it was released I honestly had to stop watching his videos and reading his columns because he couldn't pass up even the slightest chance to work in a dig against this movie, even if he had to go out of his way to set up a chance to criticize it some more. It got old fast, and his constantly suggesting that his opinion was the general consensus rather than one of the more extremely negative critical views on it in the media just made it worse since it meant he was either completely ignorant of the movies actual critical reception or lying to pretend that he wasn't in a small, but extremely vocal minority.

I really have no issue with him hating movies regardless of my stance on them. I don't expect the guy to agree with me on everything I ever watch. But his seeming inability to reign in the vitriol has kept me from watching or reading his columns with any regularity since. I'll occasionally check one out if I think the topic is somewhat interesting (such as this video), but for the most part I've deliberately avoided his stuff for months.
 

TKretts3

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The reason I find it hard to take Bob seriously as a critic, or even just as a person, is when he does something like say that Les Miserables and The Amazing Spiderman were worse thanmovies The Expendables and American Reunion. Having seen Les Miserables on New Year's Eve I can say with no doubt that it's position, and it's participation on the list, is flat out wrong. And as for Spiderman it really does just seem like he has some personal grudge against it.
 

immortalfrieza

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What a (non)surprise, ASM is on this list. Show of hands, how many here expected Bob to throw it on here as yet another jab to this movie?



MacNille said:
Oh, who would have guess, That Spiderman would be on the list. It ain't like you have ***** about it for a whole fucking year.
Exactly, it's like Bob can't mention superhero movies or bad movies in general without whining about ASM anymore, he complains about it every opportunity he can find when it's even slightly justifiable, far more than he has ever complained about FAR worse movies. It's almost like Bob knows ASM is good but he's in massive denial of that fact and is trying incredibly hard to convince everyone else and himself that's it's bad despite knowing full well it's not.

The worst part is how his criticisms of ASM are not just wrong in the opinionated sense, but factually as well. He complains about how far from the comics the movie, characters, plot, tone etc. are, when in fact the opposite is true, ASM is probably the movie closest to the comics (it's sort of a mix between Amazing Spider-Man and Ultimate Spider-Man in terms of that) to be made yet. The characters act similar to their comics counterparts, the humor that Spidey is known for is pretty frequent, while that was almost nonexistant in the Raimi movies, the villain actually acts like the Lizard instead of being some guy who isn't even remotely like the comic version like the Raimi villains were, and the female lead actually DOES something instead of being whiny for no reason and just being there for the villain to kidnap like they usually are in Superhero movies. As for the cast, most all of them look and act like the characters they are playing effectively.

That, and not to mention that without ASM we wouldn't have gotten one of the best Spider-Man video games ever made, that alone justifies the movie's existance.
 

bigfatcarp93

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ZZoMBiE13 said:
Kumagawa Misogi said:
Yawn, you don't like amazing spiderman Bob that's fine but stop acting like everyone in the geek press does as your a very, very lone voice in hating it (and no, pointing out that a pretentious douchebag WHO TYPES IN ALL CAPS doesn't like it either is not all geek press).
I don't wanna ruin your fun or anything, but this was HIS top 10 worst. He can put whatever he wants.

And for what it's worth, I think he's right. That movie was a mess and I felt like I was being assaulted with weaponized "stupid" as the film went on.
Damn stright. All in all, I'm a pretty positive person when it comes to movies, I tend to give them a bit more credit than most people in my demographic.

But FUCK did I enjoy hearing Bob pull that turd apart after I burned two hours of my life on it.
 

immortalfrieza

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trty00 said:
Not to mention, all of the things you like about it are PURELY subjective. Don't tell me that the new Spiderman game is FACTUALLY good, when it's so not.
If you don't think the ASM game is good, you don't think so and that is your right, but people like you and Bob that can't see good right in front of them is the reason why entertainment media as a whole is so terrible.

About the movie, the reason why Bob's critique about it is so factually wrong is he's been saying that the way the characters act, their motivations, etc. are out of character, when as a matter of fact they aren't, they are VERY in character.
 

aniolel

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To Those who agree with Les Miserable being in 3rd place for being the worst movie this year:
Let me ask you a simple question: have you seen the stage version and then compare it to this version?
I have! Granted, What I have seen is both medias at both ends not failing to produce an adaption of the book. Now this does not mean, however, that there will be material that I will not like. Take for example how the cut 2/3 of the lyrics out of "Turning". I did not like that. Nor did I Like the removal of "Dogs eat Dogs". These cuts irked me. Nonetheless, there were plenty of good or great material to go around to take place of negative material. The musical score was well done, because the original composer and lyricist was part of the creative team for the film. I did not know who orchestrated the score for the movie version, but it was epic no doubt. Thus, here is what I am asking: know what you are taking about before you judge it. And, know who you are up against. :)
 

JimB

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immortalfrieza said:
About the movie, the reason why Bob's critique about it is so factually wrong is he's been saying that the way the characters act, their motivations, etc. are out of character, when as a matter of fact they aren't, they are VERY in character.
I have not seen the Amazing Spider-Man, and I don't intend to before it comes out on FX channel on a night when nothing else is on or something, because everything the trailers had to show me made me completely disinterested in it. I am, therefore, not talking about the quality of the movie itself, because I have no basis for doing so. I am only trying to make you, immortalfrieza, aware of how I, and I suspect a few other people, respond to a trend among public speakers:

The more times the word "fact" appears in a given sentence, the less I believe the content of that sentence, because it is almost always a tell that someone is trying to falsely give legitimacy to a subjective opinion or untrue assertion by claiming the full weight of empirical reality. If you are genuinely interested in proving that the things you say are facts, I recommend citing specific instances and examples as well as your reasoning for thinking them characteristic.
 

Jinjer

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Kinda surprised Twilight didn't make it on there.

I have seen exactly 0 of the movies on this list, pretty much thanks to you Bob - thanks!
 

PunkRex

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Come on guys, peeps going on at Bob for beating on Spiderman, its his opinion and even though he should aproach it professionally he's entitled to hate it more then you, blah blah blah you know what im on about. If they made a bland version of part of my childhood *cough*ClashoftheTitans*cough* id be pretty niffed, even if it is functional... even though its not, COMPLETE PIECE OF CRAP, I DON'T CARE IF LIAM NEESONS IN IT!!!
 

Tumedus

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Abandon4093 said:
RTR said:
I never sawz ASM because I believed how stupid it would be. This video more or less confirms my fears.

In all fairness you could do a review for any film like that and make it seem like the worst film to have ever been concieved.

It's actually not though. It's much better than any of the other Spiderman movies. (with the possible exception of the second one, if that's not just my nostalgia goggles acting up.)
I actually found that video to be pretty dead on. The movie isn't nearly as terrible as Bob makes out, it's entertaining at least, but the story/script is just atrocious.
 

Lovely Mixture

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Figured he'd rage on Spider-Man again. As I said in another thread, it's the most divisive movie of 2012. Been a fan of Spider-Man since childhood and I loved it. I second everything immortalfrieza has said.

Tumedus said:
I actually found that video to be pretty dead on. The movie isn't nearly as terrible as Bob makes out, it's entertaining at least, but the story/script is just atrocious.
Now, not to get into fallacies here, but as a legitimate question what do you consider a good superhero movie script? Because to me, they are almost all equally terrible yet enjoyable (unless you get really bad stuff like the Fantastic Four, X-Men 3, and Wolverine)