Topic: 2012 Wrap-Up. The best movies of the year
So at the beginning of 2012, we were all anticipating a ripper (that's an Aussie term) year in movies. There was much to look forward to: Prometheus, John Carter, Dark Knight Rises, and The Hobbit.
And now in hindsight, it feels slightly anti-climactic.
Prometheus was THE clusterfuck of the year, the worst disappointment since Phantom Menace. As Hitler said in the Downfall parody of it: announce the franchise dead, after Ridley Scott does a George Lucas.
John Carter - a giant bomb that was yawn inducing at best. Kitsch followed it up with another bomb, Battleship.
Dark Knight Rises - much more flawed than what we were expecting from Boy Wonder Nolan.
The Hobbit - has Jackson peaked, just like Nolan and Scott?
In summary, the high-water mark of these franchises can't be achieved again: The Dark Knight, Return of the King, Alien + Aliens, so we're naive to expect lightning to be captured twice.
There there's the non-tentpoles: Looper, Dredd, Total Recall, Hunger Games, Brave etc. Some were okay, but nothing earth-shattering, and most forgettable even if they achieved two hours' worth of entertainment.
I suppose the biggest news in film of the year was the Disney buyout of Lucas. But my expectations are dialled way down. Ditto for GI Joe Retaliation, Man of Steel, World War Z, Oblivion, Avatar 2, Lone Ranger, and Pacific Rim in 2013/14.
Is two hours of entertainment the new 'success benchmark' rather than something that gets under your skin, inspires, keeps you talking/thinking, and is infinitely rewatchable?
What was the last 'Perfect Movie' in the sense of a Back to the Future, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Aliens, Star Wars?