Top Ten Movies of 2012: Jonesy Edition

2012 was a fairly decent year of movies for me. However, I did have a tough time compiling my list. Not because there were an overabundance of films I wanted on there, but because I couldn't find ten films easily. Even though I saw a lot of really good films, I didn't have many that just blew me away. Most were easily enjoyable, but none I cared to necessarily revisit anytime soon or had too many flaws I couldn't look past.

So, I have my ten favorites from this year in no particular order. I find it difficult to list films in an arbitrary order because how can I really ever compare PITCH PERFECT to CLOUD ATLAS. All these films were released in theatres during 2012. There are a few films that I didn't get a chance to see that I was very much anticipating (LES MISERABLES and ZERO DARK THIRTY), but alas I missed them, which I think every blogger has that issue towards the end of the year. 

All of my picks spoke or have stuck with me in some sort of fashion, and I'm surprised (more at myself) that I don't really have flat out Oscar bait films on here...okay maybe one.

So for better or worse, here are my top ten films of 2012, in no particular order. 

Top Ten Movies of 2012: Javi Edition

So this year was exceptionally fruitful when it came to movies. I have to admit, I haven't had such a hard time picking my top ten movies of the year since we started this blog. It's strange to think that while this year felt like it had a lot of let downs and just downright mediocre movies, there were gems that were sprinkled throughout the year. This year I had more movies on my list that actually didn't end up being as critically acclaimed as they should be either but were just better made.

As per is customary, I wanted to explain how I pick my movies. They have to have had a theatrical release during the current year, and there's no point, in my opinion, in highlight movies I've seen at a festival that other people can't see for another year or so. In addition, there's a huge and glaring omission from my list: DJANGO UNCHAINED. The reason for this being is that while I did see most of the movie, I was not able to see all of it due to the screening being shut down after some assholes got in a fight in our theater and someone pulled out a gun and the cops were called in. Anyway, Jonesy and I turned out to be OK. But that's why I didn't have the movie even in my honorable mentions, it didn't feel right not seeing a movie all the way through and considering it for my top ten.

But check out my top ten below in no particular order with my favorite movie at the end. 

Jonesy's Top Five of the Year (So Far)

We're only half-way through the year, and if I'm being honest, making this list wasn't the easiest to do. Unfortunately it wasn't because there were so many films to choose from, but there hasn't been many films that have stuck with me. I'm hoping the second half of the year proves to be better, but for now, in no particular order, here are my top five films (and some honorable mentions) for 2012...so far:

Inspired by 21 JUMP STREET: Movies We All Thought Were Totally Going To Suck But Didn't

Javi here. I think the title explains it all. When Jonesy and I watched 21 JUMP STREET(her review here) yesterday, I was thinking of how apprehensive I was about this movie when I first heard of it. I didn't think the movie was necessary, it was a weird property to even be remaking/updating, and yet I have not laughed this hard in a while. So here's other movies (in no particular order) that we all thought were totally going to suck but didn't!

 THE SOCIAL NETWORK

This is the first movie that I thought about. Remember when it was not even two years ago that we heard that David Fincher will be directing "the Facebook movie"? I remember even on the /filmcast, the hosts were so skeptical and dismissive as I was. The humble pie at we all ate was enormous indeed. THE SOCIAL NETWORK ended up being a movie that will outlast Facebook itself as a topical and yet very transcendent look at friendship, ambition, betrayal. Between the stylish Fincher direction, the Trent Reznor score, as well as a great performance by Jesse Eisenberg, this movie rose to be one of the best of the year and if it hadn't been for the Weinsteins and their Oscar-bait THE KING'S SPEECH, it could've won Best Picture.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL

This one is a little dicier for me, only because of what happened to Johnny Depp afterwards (remember ALICE IN WONDERLAND?). But back in 2002 in my younger days, I was skeptical about a movie based on a freaking Disney ride. The sequels notwithstanding, this was and is still one of the most fun action adventure movies in a long time. The movie gave Orlando Bloom something to do and Johnny Depp is now busy for the next 10 years.

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS

The phrase "fool me twice..." came into mind because we had already gotten 2 back-to-back craptasitc X-MEN movies, alsmost doing away with any of the goodwill and great universe that was set up by director Bryan Singer. But what KICK ASS director Matthew Vaughn did with X-MEN: FIRST CLASS was make me forget about silver bullets and "I'm the Juggernaut, bitch" nonsense from the previous movies. Much like Ang Lee's THE HULK, it is a smarter look at the superhero genre with the back drop of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Charles Xavier and Eric Lensherr's ideological battle of a mutatan'ts place in the world is also a focus, where you see both sides of the issu in a way that they still had not been in the previous movies. Michael Fassbender was the best part of the movie as his portrayal of the future Magneto brought an emotional focus to the character to make him more compelling than the "heroes" of the story.

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

The WTF prequel/remake/sequel? Whatevs, I am not a big PLANET OF THE APES fan like Jonesy is, and while I always have a soft spot for Tim Burton, I didnt like the remake. So when we got a screening for RISE, I had low expectations. Those expectations were blown away thanks to one Cesar aka Andy Serkis. His story is the only fully realized one and that is just fine with me. He is the main character of this story and his emotional arc shows his ascension as the leader of the apes that will one day rule the Earth. As an animal lover, this was a painful movie to watch, which is why I'm freaked to see PROJECT NIM, but it is an emotionally charged movie where you're technically rooting for the end of the world.

As you can see, a lot of the movies I listed were very recent, within the last decade. If you guys have any other potential bombs that ended up being amazing, let us know in the comments.

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21 JUMP STREET Review- She Said

Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller

Written by Michael Bacall and Jonah Hill

Starring: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Brie Larson, Dave Franco, and Rob Riggle

Synopsis: A pair of police officers are sent back to go undercover to bust a drug ring at a high school.