leo peo: Top 10 Hollywood movies of 2012

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Top 10 Hollywood movies of 2012

2012 saw hordes of movies releasing and experimenting with different genres; only a few were appreciated by critics and cherished by audiences alike. This list below comprises of top Hollywood movies which are orchestrated on the basis of merit. These movies are hand-picked by me and are my eminent contenders for bagging utmost honors at the 85th Academy Awards and various other award fetes.

10) The Dark Knight Rises

Last of Nolan’s Batman trilogy was the most anticipated release of the year. It was certain that it will be compared with ‘The Dark Knight’ which gave a new meaning to Super-hero -Genus movies and it was; TDKR did prove to be an apt end for this brilliant-franchise. Bane a new villain emerges in Gotham taking the whole city under his dictatorship. Our mask-crusader has to settle some old scores and control the growing menace o f this new terror.

Plusses : Plot, Direction and Performance of lead actors

Minuses : Introduction of new characters and Running time

Genre : Superhero

Director : Christopher Nolan

Cast : Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Caine, Marion Cotillard and Morgan Freeman

Screenplay : Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan

Cinematography : Wally Pfister

Editor : Lee Smith

Music Director : Hans Zimmer

Producer : Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven

Studio : Legendary Pictures, Syncopy Films and DC Comics

Distributor : Warner Bros. Pictures

Countries : United States and United Kingdom

Release Date : July 16, 2012 (world premiere) and July 20, 2012 (United States)

Run time : 165 minutes

Box-Office : 2^nd highest grossing movie of 2012 and 7^th highest grossing movie of all time

Based on : Batman by Bob Kane

9) The Hunger Games

Finally a series which is not babyish like ‘Harry Potter’ or lame like ‘Twilight’ but a refreshing one with thrills and frills. One of the earlier films to get noticed this year was ‘Hunger Games’. A competition in which a boy and girl from 12 districts are selected and are required to slaughter each other with the winner gaining fame and much-required wealth. The movie details about participants as their fight for survival and emotions forming the crux.

Plusses : Detailed Characterization, Direction and Performance of lead actors

Minuses : Violence and Running Time

Genre : Science Fiction

Director : Gary Ross

Cast : Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman and Bob Balaban

Screenplay : Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins and Billy Ray

Cinematography : Tom Stern

Editors :Stephen Mirrione and Juliette Welfling

Music Director : James Newton Howard

Producers : Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik

Studios : Lionsgate and Color Force

Distributor : Lionsgate

Country : United States

Release Date : March 23, 2012 (United States)

Run time : 143 minutes

Box-Office : 9^th highest grossing movie of 2012 as it earned Ten times its budget

Based on : The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

8) Wreck-It Ralph

This was undoubtedly the best animation that Hollywood produced this year. An anti-hero tries to gain much needed respect from other characters in a game but things turn upside down. Different task is completed by him affecting other characters and helping this movie culminate with a decent climax.

Plusses : Brilliant Animation and Running time

Minuses : Infantile plot

Genre : Animation

Director : Rich Moore

Cast : John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch

Screenplay : Phil Johnston and Jennifer Lee

Editor : Tim Mertins

Music Director : Henry Jackman

Producer : Clark Spencer

Studio : Walt Disney Animation Studios

Distributor : Walt Disney Pictures

Country : United States

Release Date : October 29, 2012 (world premiere) and November 2, 2012 (United States)

Run time : 93 minutes

Box-Office : Recovered production cost from domestic Box-Office .

Rest of the world collection is a bonus to its account.

7) The Raid: Redemption

Truly one of the best action movies to be released in this decade with a passable plot. A Special Police Squad try to wipe-out criminals and their mob boss who are lodging in a building and are watched by close circuit cameras. Members of the squad are killed and now it comes to one man to take the responsibility of mission and guide remaining cops out. Superbly orchestrated fight sequence will keep you glue to this one.

Plusses : Action with an awesomely choreographed hand-to-hand combat

Minuses : Lack of profundity in character

Genre : Action

Director : Gareth Evans

Cast : Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Donny Alamsyah, Yayan Ruhian, Pierre Gruno, Tegar Setrya and Ray Sahetapy

Screenplay : Gareth Evans

Cinematography : Matt Flannery

Editor : Gareth Evans

Music Directors : Aria Prayogi and Fajar Yuskemal (Indonesian version)

Mike Shinoda and Joseph Trapanese (U.S)

Producer : Ario Sagantoro

Studios : PT. Merantau Films and XYZ Films

Distributors : Celluloid Nightmares (Worldwide) and Sony Pictures Classics & Stage 6 Films (North America)

Country : Indonesia

Release Date : 23 March 2012 (United States & Indonesia)

Run time : 101 minutes

Box-Office : Grossed Four times its production value from United States and Canada.

Blockbuster in Indonesia.

Final fight scene

6) Silver Linings Playbook

A strong contender in Oscar race for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy is this David O. Russell masterpiece. David O. Russell made characters by giving them blood and flesh only to be gleamed by Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence providing soul in their portrayal. The movie revolves around a high-school educator moving back to his father from a spell in mental organization and trying to square things with his wife. He meets a widow with whom a chord strikes only to realize that she herself is in a tricky situation.

Plusses : Direction and Performance from lead

Minuses : Clichés, Plot-(wherein everyone has problems and has a mask of smile above dermis) and Predictable Climax

Genre : Romance and Drama

Director : David O. Russell

Cast : Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver and Chris Tucker

Screenplay : David O. Russell

Cinematography : Masanobu Takayanagi

Editor : Jay Cassidy

Music Director : Danny Elfman

Producers : Bruce Cohen and Donna Gigliotti

Studios : The Weinstein Company and Mirage Enterprises

Distributor : The Weinstein Company

Country : United States

Release Date : October 18, 2012 (Mumbai Film Festival) and November 16, 2012 (United States)

Run time : 122 minutes

Box-Office : Earned Twice its budget

Based on : The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

5) Skyfall

Sam Mendes did a fine job as the man-in-charge for this Bond movie and was acclaimed by all. Cyber-terrorism is used by antagonist (Raoul Silva) to attack MI6 and kill ‘M’ which Bond has to stop. Furthermore Bond’s allegiance towards ‘M’ and MI6 are put to test.

Plusses : Javier Bardem, Direction and Cinematography

Minuses : Running time and some clichés

Genre : Action-Thriller

Director : Sam Mendes

Cast : Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Bérénice Marlohe, Albert Finney and Judi Dench

Screenplay : Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan

Cinematography : Roger Deakins

Editors : Stuart Baird and Kate Baird

Music Director : Thomas Newman

Producers : Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli

Studios : Eon Productions and Danjaq LLC

Distributor : Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Columbia Pictures

Countries : United States and United Kingdom

Release Date : 26 October 2012 (United Kingdom) and 9 November 2012 (United States)

Run time : 143 minutes

Box-Office : Highest grossing movie of all time in U.K and 3^rd highest grossing movie of 2012

Based on : James Bond by Ian Fleming

4) End of Watch

This is one movie which deserves a mention because the manner in which the director and actors have treated and crafted this flick. It’s a tale about two LAPD officers as partners doing their job but is marked by a lobby for confiscating their stuff; friendship and loss is the message embedded over here.

Plusses : Direction and Performance of lead actors

Minuses : Some clichés relating to cop stories

Genre : Thriller-Drama

Director : David Ayer

Cast : Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Peña, Natalie Martinez, Anna Kendrick, David Harbour, Frank Grillo, America Ferrera and Cle Sloan

Screenplay : David Ayer

Cinematography : Roman Vasyanov

Editor : Dody Dorn

Music Director : David Sardy

Producers : David Ayer, Matt Jackson, John Lesher, Jillian Longnecker, Alex Ott and Ian Watermeier

Studios : StudioCanal Exclusive Media (an Openroad Films company), Crave Films and CECTV Films

Distributor : Open Road Films

Country : United States

Release Date : September 21, 2012 (United States)

Run time : 109 minutes

Box-Office : Earned Seven times its budget

3) Argo

Ben Affleck proved his worth as director in movies like ‘Gone Baby Gone’ and ‘The Town’. ‘Argo’ cements his position as one of the best narrators of 2012 cine-world. This movie is about a mission carried by CIA to rescue hostages of US Embassy from Iran. It provides a detailed view of the situation back then and is successful in keeping viewers engage in anticipation of characters next move.

Plusses : Ben Affleck, Direction and Suspense

Minuses : More characters in script to develop

Genre : Thriller

Director : Ben Affleck

Cast : Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman

Screenplay : Chris Terrio

Cinematography : Rodrigo Prieto

Editor : William Golderberg

Music Director : Alexandre Desplat

Producers : Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, George Clooney

Studios : GK Films and Smokehouse Pictures

Distributor : Warner Bros.

Country : United States

Release Date : October 12, 2012(United States)

Run time : 120 minutes

Box-Office : Earned four times its production cost

Based on : The Master of Disguise by Antonio J. Mendez & The Great Escape by Joshuah Bearma

2) Moonrise Kingdom

Nostalgia is an element that has certain risk if one experiments it in a commercial movie but Wes Anderson demonstrates an odd story that will recall your childhood only to be adored. It’s an unusual tale told with tenderness and succeeds in winning ones heart with its true virtue. Two kids in true sense elope and find a out-of-the-way inlet naming it ‘Moonrise Kingdom’. After several incidents these youngsters are united and their reverie of staying in atoll is fruitful.

Plusses : Direction, Characterizations and Running time

Minuses : Sometimes one feel charred

Genre : Romance and Drama

Director : Wes Anderson

Cast : Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman and Bob Balaban

Screenplay : Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola

Cinematography : Robert Yeoman

Editor : Andrew Weisblum

Music Director : Alexandre Desplat

Producers : Jeremy Dawson, Scott Rudin, Wes Anderson and Steven M. Rales

Studios : American Empirical Pictures, Indian Paintbrush and Scott Rudin Productions

Distributor : Focus Features

Country : United States

Release Date : May 25, 2012 (US))

Run time : 94 minutes

Box-Office : Earned Thrice in domestic market alone

1) The Avengers

My vote for the supreme movie this year goes to the multi-superhero-quest ‘The Avengers’. It not only wins in keeping action intact but also stitches in emotions at required doses keeping you feel for the superheroes pain. All the Heroes are given equal time and importance which is executed superbly by the movies editors. In all sense a fine-no-actually-premium-of-all-movies which released this year; ‘The Avengers’ talks about Earths invasion. Extraterrestrial race ‘Chitauri’ tries to invade Earth and now S.H.I.E.L.D assembles Avengers to defend humans and their planet.

Plusses : Editing,Script, Performance by lead Cast and Visual Effects

Minuses : Nothing at all

Genre : Superhero

Director : Joss Whedon

Cast :Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson

Screenplay : Joss Whedon

Cinematography : Seamus McGarvey

Editors: Jeffrey Ford and Lisa Lassek

Music Director : Alan Silvestri

Producer : Kevin Feige

Studio : Marvel Studios

Distributor : Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Country : United States

Release Date : April 11, 2012 (world premiere)

Run time : 143 minutes

Box-Office : Highest grossing movie of 2012 and 3rd highest grossing movie of all time

Based on : The Avengers by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby

Other Top-movies not in list-

Life of Pi

Ang Lee has done some wonderful work in the past receiving praise around the globe. He has not disappointed this time with this story of a 16-year old and a tiger made with help of CGI. It’s nothing but a narration of an adventurous expedition where the protagonist finds himself in middle of sea with a carnivore and has to feed the latter to be alive.

Plusses : Visual effects and Direction

Minuses : Climax

Genre : Drama

Director : Ang Lee

Cast : Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Rafe Spall, Tabu, Adil Hussain and Gerard Depardieu

Screenplay : David Magee

Cinematography : Claudio Miranda

Editor : Tim Squyres

Music Director : Mychael Danna

Producers : Ang Lee, Gil Netter and David Womark

Studios : Rhythm & Hues and Fox 2000 Pictures

Distributor : 20th Century Fox

Country : United States

Release Date : November 21, 2012

Run time : 127minutes

Box-Office : Earned Thrice its budget

Based on : Life of Pi by Yann Martel

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

What are the chances of your movie getting accepted which has a narrative from a manuscript which you authored? Well this one was well accepted by critics and audience’s equally .This is a pubescent-coming-of-age movie which discusses story of three friends. A reserved guy walks in a high school and has companionship of two seniors and sets off in a journey where this troika fathoms by life unraveling before them as they visit their past and succumb to life’s desires.

Plusses : Screenplay and Performance from lead guys- Logan Lerman & Ezra Miller

Minuses : Background score and Emma Watson

Genre : Drama

Director : Stephen Chbosky

Cast : Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller

Screenplay : Stephen Chbosky

Cinematography : Andrew Dunn

Editors: Yana Gorskaya and Mary Jo Markey

Music Director : Michael Brook

Producers : Russell Smith, Lianne Halfon and John Malkovich

Studio : Mr. Mudd

Distributor : Summit Entertainment

Country : United States

Release Date : September 21, 2012 (US)

Run time : 102 minutes

Box-Office : Earned Twice its budget

Based on : The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Ted

Entry of an Adult-Comedy was an unforeseen act in this list but we need to give to Seth MacFarlane for pulling this off. It was somewhat a risk to tell story of bromance between John and his talking Teddy bear. This movie talks about the litmus test between John and his girlfriend Lori as his comradeship with Ted takes a toll.

Plusses : Seth MacFarlane, Comedy, Screenplay and Plot

Minuses : Too much dependency on Sex and Drug related jokes –just like watching Seth’s protracted TVshows

Genre : Comedy

Director : Seth MacFarlane

Cast : Mark Wahlberg, Seth MacFarlane, Mila Kunis, Joel McHale and Giovanni Ribisi

Screenplay : Seth MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild

Cinematography : Michael Barrett

Editor : Jeff Freeman

Music Director : Walter Murphy

Producers : Scott Stuber, Seth MacFarlane, John Jacobs and Jason Clark

Studios : Media Rights Capital, Fuzzy Door, Bluegrass Films and Smart Entertainment

Distributor : Universal Pictures

Country : United States

Release Date : June 29, 2012 (U.S. release)

Run time : 106 minutes and 112 minutes (unrated version)

Box-Office : Earned Ten times its budget

The Woman in Black

Daniel Radcliffe knew that he had to move from his wizard-school-boy avatar to be part of the big-cinematic-universe by experimenting with different genres. Though he was unsuccessful in breaking the mould by portraying role of an impecunious lawyer it was the thrills and frills in this horror flick that kept one absorbed. It is a fiction relating to a ghost panicking a whole rural settlement and its assignation with the lawyer.

Plusses : Horror, Direction and Running time

Minuses : Daniel Radcliffe and climax

Genre : Horror

Director : James Watkins

Cast : Daniel Radcliffe, Ciarán Hinds, Janet McTeer and Liz White

Screenplay : Jane Goldman

Cinematography : Tim Maurice-Jones

Editor : Jon Harris

Music Director : Marco Beltrami

Producers : Richard Jackson, Simon Oakes and Brian Oliver

Studios : Cross Creek Pictures, Hammer Film Productions, Alliance Films, UK Film Council, Talisman Productions, Exclusive Media Group, Film i Väst and Filmgate Films

Distributors : Momentum Pictures (United Kingdom) and CBS Films (United States)

Countries : United Kingdom, Canada and Sweden

Release Date : 3 February 2012 (United States) and 10 February 2012 (United Kingdom)

Run time : 95 minutes

Box-Office : Earned Ten times its budget

Based on : The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

Looper

Time travel is still a concept that can churn out some good movies is proven by Rian Johnson as chieftain of this show. It displays 2074 with time-travel being proscribed by authority but still being used by mob syndicates to assassinate their targets by sending ‘loopers’. The flick gives a detailed analysis about loopers and their working enveloped in good-mature-fashioned action scenes accelerating the movie to progress.