The Big Picture: Worst Movies of 2012

[JoJo]

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]

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]

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]

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?

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

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)

 

[ZZoMBiE13]

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.

If you were in the room with me, I'd give you a hi-five. Or some other conventional approval gesture.

 

[Baldr]

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!

Bob liked the last Twilight movie.

 

[Monty McDougal]

I'm so glad you brought up After Earth. I don't think any movie trailer has pissed me off due to how bad it is than this one.

 

[zacharyk88]

wow this is the first time I've really disagreed with moviebob. I thought the Lorax was pretty good for what it was supposed to be. I heard alot of people saying the watch was really funny, and how could any really be surprised at what the expendables 2 did? It was a giant dumb action movie, people like those what's the problem with that lol?

 

[RJ 17]

.....who keeps giving M. Night Shabamalamadouchebag access to movie studios and film crews?

The good news is that more than half of the movies listed were ones I had never even heard of, so evidently I save myself a lot of grief this year. :3

 

[Ashley Blalock]

Kind of surprised that Bob could narrow it down to just 10 bad films. Seems like there was a flood of bad films this year. Too many times that movies came out in 2012 that didn't even seem worth a Netflix rental.

I'd like to say that 2013 will be better, but when studios can make up for the US box office with the box office from other nations there just doesn't seem to be any incentive to make better movies.

 

[medv4380]

As much as a worst of list is just an opinion. In this case it's an opinion that is untrustworthy.

Amazing Spider-man - Ok, I can see why it was on the list. Maybe not so High but sure on the list since you clearly didn't like it.

Lorax - A child's movie? Really? You're going to even bother with a child's movie? It doesn't deserve to be on any list unless it's a best of or worst of children's movies.

Les Mis - It's a movie based on a musical which is about a very long book about the social political structure of France post Revolution? If you're not into musicals you're going to hate it. If you're not into the book you're going to hate it. It has faults but even with those problems why put it so high up? Unless your just grasping for controversy.

I can give a pass for all three of those movies being on the list. However, to imply that Twilight was "Better" than all of those movies, by not being on the list at all, is offensive, and shows that the list isn't even a list of your own opinion of what's good or bad this year. Twilight's only redeeming quality was a "what if" action scene, and that really doesn't make it better than Les Mis or ASM. It's rather a list of things you have a personal grudge against, and "best" or "worst" isn't even given as consideration. Only that you have a personal grudge, or want to make some "statement".

 

[bug_of_war]

10. Ugh, WHY do people ask for films from that era? Action movies only got BETTER when we got back to using good actors in action movies instead of lunkheads
.

...You have no damn clue just how wrong you are do you. Action movies are great when they're JUST action, as in loose story with a lot of awesome stuff going on. While films like Terminator, Rocky and Rambo may have been more in depth, films like Universal Soldier, Kick Boxer, The Punisher (Dolph's) etc are just as good with very basic stories and LOTS of action. The Expendables 1 and 2 were all suppose to be like an all out no bars held action roller coaster, and they were awesome because of that. Now, too many action films are becoming Dram/Action, where in which the character has to have all these problems and a complex life and such. They take the action out of the action, and it's so annoying. We need more films like The Expendables 2 because it's a fun movie, you can sit down, relax and enjoy some nice visual media without having to follow a complex plot.

Movie Bob's top 10 was extremely interesting because there were 5 films I saw him put up that were actually not that bad, just average decent flicks. And then when he talked about American Reunion (That was a terrible film) and was all like, "You guys just tricked yourselves into liking the previous films" I felt like he was just pissed off at the depiction of high school students in the previous films because he was never like that. Seriously Bob, American Pie was a decent film series until after The Wedding, not a great comedy series, but a decent comedy you can watch on the weekend. The Lorax being on the list seemed uncalled for because it is after all a kids movie, and 30+ year old men are not expected to like a kids movie, I understand his listed reasons, but the film wasn't trying to target adult film critics.

I don't know what his deal was with the Amazing Spider-Man film, most people seem to find the character quite faithfull towards his comic book counter-part. I also don't get his beef with the "peter's parents" side plot, it's clear that the film is using it to give Peter a reason to go and look for Dr Connor, and it's even possible that Sony will use the plot more in the next movie as the ending of the film somewhat suggested so.

I dunno whats happened to MB to make him become really anal about films, but I'm really not finding what he's saying about most films to be entirely correct. Oh well, guess in the end it really is just matter of opinion.