LB's Watched in 2012
by imdb-500-46854 | created - 19 Dec 2012 | updated - 28 Dec 2012 | PublicA list of most of the movies I watched in 2012 (that came out in Australia in 2012). These are in order of my favourite and the top ten have a short description. Looking forward to what comes out in 2013!
Note: List was created before seeing The Hobbit or Django Unchained
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1. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
PG-13 | 164 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
Eight years after the Joker's reign of chaos, Batman is coerced out of exile with the assistance of the mysterious Selina Kyle in order to defend Gotham City from the vicious guerrilla terrorist Bane.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Gary Oldman
Votes: 1,825,098 | Gross: $448.14M
The Dark Knight Rises blew me away, i watched the first two in lead up to the release of this third movie and like others i did not think Dark Knight could be bettered but i was wrong. I was happy to see JGL in this and loved the comic tributes with Bane and a few other more obscure references. all in all - this movie took me on an incredible journey but the only reason this comes slightly above Looper is that it builds on the previous two Batman movies.
2. Looper (2012)
R | 119 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
In 2074, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent into the past, where a hired gun awaits - someone like Joe - who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by sending back Joe's future self for assassination.
Director: Rian Johnson | Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Paul Dano
Votes: 602,527 | Gross: $66.49M
Rian Johnson's other TWO films were amazing, especially Brick - I know those are in a different class to Looper but I was expecting so much going into this film and was astounded by how well this was put together. Firstly - tackling item travel concepts is not easy - but I loved how this film just did not stress to much about the specifics of time travel, only the parts that needed to be discussed were. Then there is the dual angles of the same character, Joseph Gordon-Levvit and Bruce Wlllis were epic as two versions of the same person against each other. Also Emily Blunt, while last year I was not a big fan - I think she did great in this and a few other films recently. Beyond the actors, the story and visuals were astounding, you really felt sucked into this world, believing that this a real future. I also loved the undertones of questioning technology, and how someone's environment can be a huge catalyst for good when growing up.
3. Skyfall (2012)
PG-13 | 143 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond's loyalty to M is tested when her past comes back to haunt her. When MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.
Director: Sam Mendes | Stars: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Judi Dench
Votes: 730,619 | Gross: $304.36M
Best. Bond. Ever! I just throughly enjoyed every minute of this movie, it's Bond so don't expect some complex story line but unlike most others you can expect some character development and some real surprises. Product placement aside - again; best Bond ever.
4. Lawless (2012)
R | 116 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
Set in Depression-era Franklin County, Virginia, a trio of bootlegging brothers are threatened by a new special deputy and other authorities angling for a cut of their profits.
Director: John Hillcoat | Stars: Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Guy Pearce, Jason Clarke
Votes: 253,303 | Gross: $37.40M
Firstly - if you are not good with violence, avoid this film. Otherwise this movie was astounding, incredible sound track and this movie brought back Shia LaBeouf from being lost in the world of bad films, he honestly did amazing in this. Tom Hardy is of course brilliant and I did not realise this until after that Nick Cave did the screenplay which is awesome. I loved this movie and would definitely recommend it.
5. Argo (2012)
R | 120 min | Biography, Drama, History
Acting under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1979.
Director: Ben Affleck | Stars: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Alan Arkin
Votes: 638,704 | Gross: $136.03M
Ben Afflek - wow! A brilliantly funny adventure that keeps you on the edge of your seat. You must see this movie!
6. Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
PG-13 | 94 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Two 12-year-olds, who live on an island, fall in love with each other and elope into the wilderness. While people set out on a search mission, a violent storm approaching them catches their attention.
Director: Wes Anderson | Stars: Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis, Bill Murray
Votes: 366,558 | Gross: $45.51M
I am a massive Wes Anderson fan, so I came into this kind of knowing I would love it. What's not to love with Bill Murray holding an axe in one hand and a bottle of red wine in the other. My favourite comedy that came out this year, quirky and a nice love story also.
7. Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)
R | 86 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Three magazine employees head out on an assignment to interview a guy who placed a classified advertisement seeking a companion for time travel.
Director: Colin Trevorrow | Stars: Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson, Karan Soni
Votes: 130,809 | Gross: $4.01M
This film as hilarious and endearing, I thought Aubrey Plaza did great and had depth to her character that I did not expect. I thought that Jake Johnson was funny (even though his character was stock for him), it was good to see one of my New Girl fav actors in something else also. Finally Mark Duplass was amazing, the perfect balance between quirky and just plain messed up, it kept you curious as to whether he was crazy or not. I loved the ending and thought the whole movie was fun and worth the watch.
8. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)
R | 101 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
As an asteroid nears Earth, a man finds himself alone after his wife leaves in a panic. He decides to take a road trip to reunite with his high school sweetheart. Accompanying him is a neighbor who inadvertently puts a wrench in his plan.
Director: Lorene Scafaria | Stars: Steve Carell, Keira Knightley, Melanie Lynskey, Patton Oswalt
Votes: 118,718 | Gross: $6.62M
Nothing like an apocalyptic romantic comedy to enjoy, Steve Carrel was hilarious as his stock standard awkward character - his relationship with his dad and long lost love from Highschool extends him into a character you can connect with. Keira Knightley was the surprise here with a character you really get to love. The final scene in this movie is powerful and it is definaltely worth the watch.
9. Prometheus (I) (2012)
R | 124 min | Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Following clues to the origin of mankind, a team finds a structure on a distant moon, but they soon realize they are not alone.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Noomi Rapace, Logan Marshall-Green, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron
Votes: 643,603 | Gross: $126.48M
I'm a sucker for sci-fi and of course anything by Ridley Scott has to be a winner... While I came away from this movie disappointed, I probably was not expecting the right things. A a sci-fi horror/action movie - this is brilliant, keeps you on the edge of your seat with a few obvious twists to keep you watching. Looking forward to watching an extended cut at some point.
10. Being Flynn (2012)
R | 102 min | Drama
Working in a Boston homeless shelter, Nick Flynn re-encounters his father, a con man and self-proclaimed poet. Sensing trouble in his own life, Nick wrestles with the notion of reaching out yet again to his dad.
Director: Paul Weitz | Stars: Paul Dano, Robert De Niro, Julianne Moore, Olivia Thirlby
Votes: 17,831 | Gross: $0.53M
One of the seemingly few good dramas that came out this year, I loved Paul Dano in this and he also did a great job in Ruby Sparks. Robert DeNiro of course was spectacular in his role as a slightly crazy / homeless person. This movie was incredible.
11. Ruby Sparks (2012)
R | 104 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
A novelist struggling with writer's block finds romance in a most unusual way: by creating a female character he thinks will love him, then willing her into existence.
Directors: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris | Stars: Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Annette Bening, Antonio Banderas
Votes: 105,384 | Gross: $2.54M
12. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011)
PG-13 | 107 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A fisheries expert is approached by a consultant to help realize a sheik's vision of bringing the sport of fly-fishing to the desert and embarks on an upstream journey of faith and fish to prove the impossible possible.
Director: Lasse Hallström | Stars: Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Amr Waked, Kristin Scott Thomas
Votes: 67,086 | Gross: $9.03M
13. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
PG-13 | 103 min | Drama
Charlie, a 15-year-old introvert, enters high school and is nervous about his new life. When he befriends his seniors, he learns to cope with his friend's suicide and his tumultuous past.
Director: Stephen Chbosky | Stars: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Paul Rudd
Votes: 547,431 | Gross: $17.74M
14. The Avengers (2012)
PG-13 | 143 min | Action, Sci-Fi
Earth's mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are going to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity.
Director: Joss Whedon | Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner
Votes: 1,458,261 | Gross: $623.28M
15. Safe House (2012)
R | 115 min | Action, Thriller
A young CIA agent is tasked with looking after a fugitive in a safe house. But when the safe house is attacked, he finds himself on the run with his charge.
Director: Daniel Espinosa | Stars: Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds, Robert Patrick, Vera Farmiga
Votes: 235,393 | Gross: $126.37M
16. Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
PG-13 | 127 min | Action, Adventure, Biography
In a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen.
Director: Rupert Sanders | Stars: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Sam Claflin
Votes: 302,215 | Gross: $155.33M
17. Mirror Mirror (I) (2012)
PG | 106 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
An evil queen steals control of a kingdom and an exiled princess enlists the help of seven resourceful rebels to win back her birthright.
Director: Tarsem Singh | Stars: Lily Collins, Julia Roberts, Armie Hammer, Nathan Lane
Votes: 91,029 | Gross: $64.94M
18. The Hunger Games (2012)
PG-13 | 142 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Katniss Everdeen voluntarily takes her younger sister's place in the Hunger Games: a televised competition in which two teenagers from each of the twelve Districts of Panem are chosen at random to fight to the death.
Director: Gary Ross | Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Stanley Tucci
Votes: 1,002,626 | Gross: $408.01M
19. Arbitrage (2012)
R | 107 min | Drama, Thriller
A troubled hedge fund magnate desperate to complete the sale of his trading empire makes an error that forces him to turn to an unlikely person for help.
Director: Nicholas Jarecki | Stars: Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Brit Marling, Tim Roth
Votes: 54,787 | Gross: $7.92M
20. Total Recall (I) (2012)
PG-13 | 118 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A factory worker, Douglas Quaid, begins to suspect that he is a spy after visiting Rekall - a company that provides its clients with implanted fake memories of a life they would like to have led - goes wrong and he finds himself on the run.
Director: Len Wiseman | Stars: Colin Farrell, Bokeem Woodbine, Bryan Cranston, Kate Beckinsale
Votes: 266,187 | Gross: $58.88M
21. The Sapphires (2012)
PG-13 | 103 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
In 1968, four talented young Australian Aboriginal girls learn about love, friendship, and war when their all-girl group The Sapphires entertains the US troops in Vietnam.
Director: Wayne Blair | Stars: Chris O'Dowd, Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens
Votes: 15,163 | Gross: $2.45M
22. The Bourne Legacy (2012)
PG-13 | 135 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
An expansion of the universe from Robert Ludlum's novels, centered on a new hero whose stakes have been triggered by the events of the previous three films.
Director: Tony Gilroy | Stars: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Scott Glenn
Votes: 315,427 | Gross: $113.20M
23. Men in Black³ (2012)
PG-13 | 106 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Agent J travels in time to M.I.B.'s early days in 1969 to stop an alien from assassinating his friend Agent K and changing history.
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld | Stars: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Jemaine Clement
Votes: 386,655 | Gross: $179.02M
24. 21 Jump Street (2012)
R | 109 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A pair of underachieving cops are sent back to a local high school to blend in and bring down a synthetic drug ring.
Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller | Stars: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Brie Larson
Votes: 597,824 | Gross: $138.45M
25. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)
R | 105 min | Action, Fantasy, Horror
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, discovers vampires are planning to take over the United States. He makes it his mission to eliminate them.
Director: Timur Bekmambetov | Stars: Benjamin Walker, Rufus Sewell, Dominic Cooper, Anthony Mackie
Votes: 161,567 | Gross: $37.52M
26. The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
PG-13 | 136 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
After Peter Parker is bitten by a genetically altered spider, he gains newfound, spider-like powers and ventures out to save the city from the machinations of a mysterious reptilian foe.
Director: Marc Webb | Stars: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Irrfan Khan
Votes: 701,507 | Gross: $262.03M
27. John Carter (2012)
PG-13 | 132 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Transported to Barsoom, a Civil War vet discovers a barren planet seemingly inhabited by 12-foot tall barbarians. Finding himself prisoner of these creatures, he escapes, only to encounter Woola and a princess in desperate need of a savior.
Director: Andrew Stanton | Stars: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Willem Dafoe, Samantha Morton
Votes: 286,000 | Gross: $73.08M
28. Chronicle (2012)
PG-13 | 84 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Three high school friends gain superpowers after making an incredible discovery underground. Soon they find their lives spinning out of control and their bond tested as they embrace their darker sides.
Director: Josh Trank | Stars: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Kelly
Votes: 264,254 | Gross: $64.58M
29. What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012)
PG-13 | 110 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Follows the lives of five interconnected couples as they experience the thrills and surprises of having a baby and realize that no matter what you plan for, life does not always deliver what is expected.
Director: Kirk Jones | Stars: Cameron Diaz, Matthew Morrison, J. Todd Smith, Dennis Quaid
Votes: 75,644 | Gross: $41.15M
30. Contraband (2012)
R | 109 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
To protect his brother-in-law from a drug lord, a former smuggler heads to Panama to score millions of dollars in counterfeit bills.
Director: Baltasar Kormákur | Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Giovanni Ribisi, Kate Beckinsale, Robert Wahlberg
Votes: 126,288 | Gross: $66.53M
31. Cockneys vs Zombies (2012)
Not Rated | 88 min | Action, Comedy, Horror
A gang of bank robbers fight their way out of a zombie-infested London.
Director: Matthias Hoene | Stars: Rasmus Hardiker, Harry Treadaway, Michelle Ryan, Ashley Thomas
Votes: 20,257
32. Dark Shadows (2012)
PG-13 | 113 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
An imprisoned vampire, Barnabas Collins, is set free and returns to his ancestral home, where his dysfunctional descendants are in need of his protection.
Director: Tim Burton | Stars: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green, Helena Bonham Carter
Votes: 280,316 | Gross: $79.73M
33. Underworld: Awakening (2012)
R | 88 min | Action, Fantasy, Thriller
When human forces discover the existence of the Vampire and Lycan clans, a war to eradicate both species commences. The vampire warrior Selene leads the battle against humankind.
Directors: Måns Mårlind, Björn Stein | Stars: Kate Beckinsale, Michael Ealy, India Eisley, Stephen Rea
Votes: 161,109 | Gross: $62.32M
34. Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)
R | 95 min | Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
Alice fights alongside a resistance movement to regain her freedom from an Umbrella Corporation testing facility.
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson | Stars: Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory, Michelle Rodriguez, Aryana Engineer
Votes: 149,984 | Gross: $42.35M
35. This Means War (2012)
PG-13 | 103 min | Action, Comedy, Romance
C.I.A. operatives wage an epic battle on each other when they discover they are dating the same woman.
Director: McG | Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Tom Hardy, Til Schweiger
Votes: 194,162 | Gross: $54.76M
36. Cleanskin (2012)
Not Rated | 108 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A British secret service agent is faced with the task of pursuing and eliminating a British-born suicide bomber and his terrorist cell.
Director: Hadi Hajaig | Stars: Sean Bean, Charlotte Rampling, Abhin Galeya, Tom Burke
Votes: 21,140
37. Battleship (2012)
PG-13 | 131 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A fleet of ships is forced to do battle with an armada of unknown origins in order to discover and thwart their destructive goals.
Director: Peter Berg | Stars: Alexander Skarsgård, Brooklyn Decker, Liam Neeson, Rihanna
Votes: 257,144 | Gross: $65.42M
Worst excuse for a long form Navy advertisement ever. I will feel slightly more dirty every time I play the game Battleship from now.
38. Les Misérables (2012)
PG-13 | 158 min | Drama, Musical, Romance
In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after breaking parole, agrees to care for a factory worker's daughter. The decision changes their lives forever.
Director: Tom Hooper | Stars: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried
Votes: 345,792 | Gross: $148.81M
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