Must-See Movies of 2012

I only go to the movie theater once or twice a year. I think tickets are too expensive, I'm not that excited about many movies, and I prefer DVDs with subtitles (usually borrowed from the library). So it has to be a movie I really want to see and experience on the big screen, like The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, or Star Wars. This year, there are five such films.

Avengers - May 4
I'm a DC Comics gal, but I gotta admit, Marvel totally kicks DC's cinematic ass when it comes to production/release, like 3:1! -_- In recent years, DC has Nolan's Batman (awesome), the Superman reboot (awful), Jonah Hex (didn't bother watching), and Green Lantern (okay), while Marvel did the X-Men (pretty good, especially First Class, but they're my fav Marvel heroes so i didn't like many changes), Spider-Man (good, I guess, but I prefer Blue Beetle ;), Iron Man (very good), Fantastic Four (good b/c Ioan Gruffudd), Hulk (didn't watch), Ghost Rider (ditto), Thor (very good), and Captain America (very good). I'm mostly ambivalent about Marvel, but they've had good stuff the past couple years, and it'll be cool to get the chance to see Marvel's major superhero team on film because we'll never get a Justice League movie!!.


The Dark Knight Rises - July 20
Aaaahhhhh~~!! I am SO excited for the conclusion to Nolan's Batman trilogy! I'm currently struggling with whether or not I should read spoilers. Not illegally leaked spoilers, but just the viral marketing and tidbit information purposefully released in interviews and stuff. I want to be prepared and psyched, but I also want to go in "unspoiled" and ride the excitement, confusion, and thought-provoking social, political, and moral dilemmas that I expect Nolan has in-store.
[minor spoilers: basic character bio +rumors] So far I like Tom Hardy's Bane (tho I'm worried about his supposedly hard to understand speaking), I'm unimpressed with Anne Hathaway as Catwoman (not sexy enough, sorry; don't like her long brown hair w/ the 60s-ish mask and cat ears, b/c Selina Kyle should have short black hair and cat-eye goggles; cat-suit looks good tho), and of course, I'm intrigued by Marion Cotillard as Wayne exec Miranda Tate (Talia??) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt's John Blake, GCPD (rumors abound! could he be Robin/Nightwing/new!Batman? or a dirty cop or... just a cop? XD he'd be a great Nightwing w/ his dark hair, lean build, and gymnastic ability).


Looper - September 28
I like sci-fi that explores human nature in "what-if" scenarios. This sci-fi action time travel movie looks promising, especially since it promises to delve into the philosphical/ethical questions of meeting and possibly killing your past/future self, in addition to the cool action sequences. It'll be interesting to see JGL transform into a younger Bruce Willis hitman through three hours of make-up and BW-inspired performance. I really liked writer/director Rian Johnson's Brick and the way he stayed true to a genre (detective) but also breathed new life to it (set in heightened reality high school), so I look forward to his spin on sci-fi.


The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - December 14
My mom and sisters and I are all big Lord of the Rings (films) fans, so we definitely can't wait for this one. I never finished reading The Hobbit because it wasn't as interesting to me as LOTR, but it's the same team of filmmakers, so I know it's going to be fantastic. It'll be great to return to Middle Earth (I cried so hard at the end of Return of the King ^^;). And I hate 3D, but I'm actually considering watching it in 3D; that's how much I trust Peter Jackson. Bonus: It stars Martin Freeman (Sherlock's modern Watson) as Bilbo and Benedict Cumberbatch (modern Sherlock) as Smaug the dragon via motion-capture+voice!


Les Miserables - December 14
Finally, after 25 years, the film adaptation of one of the best musicals ever! Les Miz is a favorite in my family (it's my mom's all-time fav, but it's my second, only to Phantom). I've been watching the 10th Anniversary Concert, and I keep imagining how they'll show this and that and what they'll cut and how it'll sound with Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen, etc. So looking forward to it. I might just watch both Hobbit and Les Miz the day they come out.
(No movie trailer yet, so here's one with clips from the stage show, just to give an idea of how beautiful, dramatic, and epic this could be on film.)



Must-See on DVD
Rurouni Kenshin (if it's shown in US theaters, then I am so there! EEE! ^_^x), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, War Horse, Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows, Justice League: Doom (animated), Hunger Games, Mirror Mirror, Superman vs. The Elite (animated), Sherlock Season 2 (BBC series), Brave, Amazing Spider-Man, Ruby Sparks, Perks of Being A Wallflower, Premium Rush, Lincoln