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.
Wreck-It Ralph and A Late Quartet proved that with teamwork, great things can be accomplished. But then there’s Flight, which provide the counter to that statement, by using the “Michael Jordan” theory: One amazing talent (Denzel Washington) can take something decent and transform it in to something excellent. And then there’s even a third ideal: if you hustle (The Man with the Iron Fists), you can earn some respect, despite having flaws.
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 Dark Knight Rises
3. The Cabin in the Woods
4. Moonrise Kingdom
5. Side by Side
6. ParaNorman
7. Argo
8. Looper
9. Game Change
10. The Avengers
11. The Secret World of Arriety
12. Red Tails
13. The Grey
14. Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
15. Friends with Kids
16. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
17. The Raid: Redemption
18. Flight
19. Arbitrage
20. The Odd Life of Timothy Green
21. Tyler Perry’s Good Deeds
22. Big Miracle
23. Think Like a Man
24. Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted
25. Brake
26. Robot and Frank
27. Hope Springs
28. Rock of Ages
29. The Sessions
30. A Late Quartet
31. Wreck-It Ralph
32. HeadHunters
33. Hemingway and Gellhorn
34. Mirror Mirror
35. People Like Us
36. Magic Mike
37. Total Recall (2012)
38. House of Ghosts
39. The Campaign
40. Ted
41. Celeste and Jesse Forever
42. V/H/S
43. Pitch Pefect
44. Snow White and the Huntsman
45. The Words
46. 21 Jump Street
47. The Master
48. Sinister
49. This Means War
50. God Bless America
51. The Three Stooges
52. Gone
53. Resident Evil: Retribution
54. The Queen of Versailles
55. The Amazing Spider-Man
56. Blue Like Jazz
57. For a Good Time, Call…
58. Frankenweenie
59. Ruby Sparks
60. American Reunion
61. Jeff, Who Lives at Home
62. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
63. Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best
64. Katy Perry: Part of Me
65. Butter
66. The Expendables 2
67. Ice Age: Continental Drift
68. Juan of the Dead
69. Prometheus
70. Hysteria
71. Cloud Atlas
72. The Dictator
73. Chasing Mavericks
74. Safe
75. Searching for Sonny
76. The Man with the Iron Fists
77. End of Watch
78. Brave
79. Lawless
80. The Hunger Games
81. John Carter
82. Wrath of the Titans
83. Dead Dad
84. Ingenious
85. Underworld: Awakening
86. The Devil Inside
87. The Possession
88. The Other Son
89. Dredd 3D
90. Seven Psychopaths
91. Premium Rush
92. Father’s Day
93. Livid
94. The Five-Year Engagement
95. Downtown Express
96. Sparkle
97. Savages
98. Sound of My Voice
99. Project X
100. Men in Black 3
101. Silent Hill: Revelation 3D
102. Paranormal Activity 4
103. The Tall Man
104. Hit and Run
105. Hotel Transylvania
106. Piranha 3DD
107. Dark Shadows
108. The Raven
109. The Bourne Legacy
110. [Rec] 3 Genesis
111. Silent House
112. Won’t Back Down
113. That’s My Boy
114. Darling Companion
115. Bully
116. Here Comes the Boom
117. The Watch
118. What to Expect When You’re Expecting
119. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
120. Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding
121. Trouble with the Curve
122. Lockout
123. Fun Size
124. The Woman in Black
125. The Vow
126. Man on a Ledge
127. Step Up Revolution
128. Extraterrestrial
129. The Lucky One
130. Contraband
131. The Samaritan
132. Act of Valor
133. 4:44 Last Day on Earth
134. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
135. Safe House
136. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
137. To Rome with Love
138. The Apparition
139. House at the End of the Street
140. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
141. Taken 2
142. Why Stop Now
143. The Pirates! Band of Misfits
144. Kill List
145. Chernobyl Diaries
146. Haywire
147. Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection
148. A Thousand Words
149. Alex Cross
150. Joyful Noise
151. Battleship
152. Wanderlust
153. Barricade
REVIEWS (click on title for full write-up)
Making his feature length directorial debut, one can see that RZA has some unique ideas (ex. Hip-hop soundtrack in a period piece), that in time, just need cultivation; which will come with more practice. The action is thoughtful, fun, and cheesy horror movie graphic. Yet they lose momentum by trying to forge a connection to the eclectic cast of characters.
There’s a lesson to be heard, yes, heard, in Flight. Whether one wants to learn it, or at least grasp it, depends on who you are. And that – the “depending on who you are” part – also goes for moments that could make some laugh while others may have moral complexes about the lead character’s actions.
Video gamers and/or arcade dwellers from the ’80 and ‘90s are going to eat this right up. Wreck-It Ralph is not only clever, but when it wants to strike with a resonating/emotional moment, it does so with as much might as the titular character’s actions in his respective “demolition” game.
If you have ever played in a band, or, just enjoy those riveting “Behind the Music” tales about musicians engaging in all the amped up drama of sex, drugs, ego, and creating the music itself, A Late Quartet will hit all the right notes for you. And yes, classical musicians can have edgy drama, too.
