PTs Reviews from 2012

Not updated in a while, here's a batch. I'll come back and update.

21 Jump Street


Crazy surprising good, never really thought a lot Tatum and Hill has been a bit done lately but they have great chemistry together and really shine with a fun, self aware script. Bit Starsky and Hutch meets Superbad.

Battleship


Should have been a complete joke, however was a pretty competent Transformers at sea action film. The only compliment really is it wasn't bad, plus Liam Neeson getting an easy pay cheque and at least some attempt to shoehorn the board game.

Wrath of the Titans


Quite forgettable but got a soft spot for Ancient Greek mythology and this has a good chunk of it, as well as actual Titans this time. Sam Worthington is still a pretty bland leading man though

The Devil Inside


Another *yawn* found footage film, which by most reviews should blow but the trailers had piqued my curiosity enough to give it a go. It's got a poor ending and is pretty contrived but did have some strong scares that weren't just jump moments

Cabin in the Woods


What a gem. Great imaginative, subversive horror with the typical Whedon flair. Recommend

Hara-Kiri


Straight samurai from Miike, not seen the original but it was slightly drawn out with less effective pay off than it thinks

Piranha 3DD


Errmmmmm

The Dictator


Not as outrageous as his previous films but some good laughs. Yet when it echoes an Adam Sandler film, I can't quite invest fully

Iron Sky


Makes a better trailer, shaky film that can't really hold it's prime concept

Men in Black 3


Rated mainly for Jermaine's brilliant turn as a villain and Brolin's impersonation of Jones, otherwise pretty formuliac flick.

Moonrise Kingdom


Utterly charming with some great young performances, supported by experience supporting cast. Anderson uses a slightly more animated touch as with Mr Fox that gives the film a slightly understated surreal edge that elevates it passed similar coming of age

Prometheus


Mentioned more in the main thread but bit of narrative and character mess that nice visuals couldn't save

Inkeepers


Exit Humanity


Killer Joe


Amazing Spiderman


God Bless America


Total Recall


Dark Knight Rises


Searching for Sugar Man


Ted


Expendables 2


[rec] Genesis


Dredd


Resident Evil: Retribution


Lawless

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Really?

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5-time MoFo Award winner.

I think his rating is for the DD cups.

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It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page

I'm wondering why it was rated 3 out of 5 too, it made the first Piranha 3D film look like award winning stuff.

Maybe high but it was just stupid fun with some nice cameos, though did lack Aja's dark touch

As previous post, i'll add thoughts when get some more time.... worked out so well for last post

Cosmopolis

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Total Recall

The Bourne Legacy

The Watch

Sinister

Holy Motors

Looper

The Campaign

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Skyfall

The Master

Argo

Sightseers

Man with the Iron Fists

Pleased to see you've rated Cosmopolis so highly. I hope I like it that much, too. Ditto, Argo and Sightseers. Still not convinced by "Beasts".

Sightseers was probably #2 of the year so far, wonderfully captures a picture traditional Britain with a dark edge and well written characters. Cosmopolis is probably the best meditation on the contemporary situation for a long while, also likely to rank in this years top 10. Let me know what you think.

Beasts was just a nice film with some beautiful imagery and a great heartfelt central performance. It had it's niggles but it was a film worth more than it's downfalls

Top of 2012

The year of high-rises and limos.


The Raid



A completely unsuspecting, hyper-kinetic, blood splattered action film. Pulls every punch to a pumping soundtrack, by a director with an excellent eye for filming fast paced martial arts.


Sightseers



A picture of traditional English values and culture offset against a murderous couple with upbeat intentions. Deliciously black and well written characters in a natural script that continue to put Wheatley at the forefront of British cinema


Berberian Sound Studio



Hard to think this is only Strickland's second feature as it's handled with such brash confidence and so finely crafted. At once a homage to 70s gaillo but also an introspective on the mechanics behind the screen with an avant-garde Lynchian narrative. For a film effectively about recording sounds it leaves an unforgettable experience.


Cabin in the Woods



A keenly observed deconstruction of the genre while serving as one of the most competent and effective horror films since Scream.


Moonrise Kingdom



A typical Wes Anderson film capturing all his charm and quirky sensibilities with a great supporting cast but in particular the young stars carry the film and it's heart.


Holy Motors



Bizarre but brilliant compilation of odd characters and situations brought to life by a magnetic Lavant through non narrative that maintains intrigue throughout.


Cosmopolis



Another limousine based film from the superlative Cronenberg, offering a worryingly accurate meditation on current society with a surprisingly watchable Pattinson.


Looper



The film Inception wishes it was. Smart, well cast and sticks firmly within it's constraints yet being more inventive than most films you'll see this year.


Dredd



The second trapped-in-a-towerblock film. Should have done a lot better; simple, effective and brutal. A lot of fun in a brisk film that works a tight budget and uses 3D to it's advantage


The Master



Hard to penetrate, no discernible narrative yet a film I keep wanting to revisit and dive further into.

The Avengers
The Hobbit
Shame
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Argo
Searching for Sugar Man
Beasts of the Southern Wilds