Everyone waits until the year is over to compile their “Best of whatever” movie lists. This has become a mundane practice. Time for a bit of a change, kids.
By dipping into a bunch of epic cinematic playbooks, the latest adaptation of Snow White found a way to earn some bold points in what has been a year of mostly uninspired game-plans. And speaking of uninspired, Piranha 3DD forgot what worked before and went onto the court a bit sluggish. Meanwhile, God Bless America didn’t care if it won or lost…it just wanted to play.
The new releases for the respective week will have a capsule review at the end of the column. An updated list comes out every Monday. Here’s how things are shaking up so far in 2012:
1. Chronicle
2. The Cabin in the Woods
3. The Avengers
4. Red Tails
5. The Grey
6. Game Change
7. The Secret World of Arrietty
8. Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
9. Friends with Kids
10. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
11. The Raid: Redemption
12. Tyler Perry’s Good Deeds
13. Big Miracle
14. Think Like a Man
15. 21 Jump Street
16. Brake
17. Mirror Mirror
18. Snow White and the Huntsman
19. This Means War
20. God Bless America
21. The Three Stooges
22. Gone
23. Blue Like Jazz
24. American Reunion
25. Jeff, Who Lives at Home
26. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
27. Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best
28. The Dictator
29. Safe
30. Searching for Sonny
31. The Hunger Games
32. John Carter
33. Wrath of the Titans
34. Dead Dad
35. Underworld: Awakening
36. The Devil Inside
37. The Five-Year Engagement
38. Downtown Express
39. Sound of My Voice
40. Project X
41. Men in Black 3
42. Piranha 3DD
43. Dark Shadows
44. The Raven
45. Silent House
46. Darling Companion
47. Bully
48. What to Expect When You’re Expecting
49. Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding
50. Lockout
51. The Woman in Black
52. The Vow
53. Man on a Ledge
54. The Lucky One
55. Contraband
56. The Samaritan
57. Act of Valor
58. 4:44 Last Day on Earth
59. Safe House
60. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
61. The Pirates! Band of Misfits
62. Kill List
63. Chernobyl Diaries
64. Haywire
65. A Thousand Words
66. Joyful Noise
67. Battleship
68. Wanderlust
Not Screened: One for the Money, Casa De Mi Padre, Chimpanzee, Moonrise Kingdom
Director Rupert Sanders, his first feature film at the helm by the way, and the four screenplay writers combine elements of many period piece epics. From the early ones such as Willow, Legend, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves; to more modern spectacles like 2009’s Alice in Wonderland and, and I can’t believe this is about to be written here, Lord of the Rings; Sanders actually pieces it together in a satisfactory, yet alternative, manner.
In the end it has the three B’s to make it a passable B-movie horror/comedy: Blood, Boobs, & Bodies.
God Bless America
While positioning itself to be an over-the-top graphic rant about today’s moronic society, the chatty film also provides a nice narrative that can open one’s eyes. That said, it does get a little too talkative and choppy at times; which ends up neutering some of the fun out of this wake-up satire.
Releasing this week: Prometheus, Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted
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