Although 2011 did give us some great films, record low box-office results show audiences were not eager to flock to the theaters. Among many complaints, there were not enough big films that gave audiences a good reason to see anything on the big screen. Well, a sequel and reboot heavy 2012 is here to change that! While I’m not all that excited about this trend (maybe we should do more ORIGINAL films?), the following 10 films are among the many on my to-watch list:
10. “Men in Black 3”: I highly doubt this will beat the first film, but the time-travel plot and a spot-on young Tommy Lee Jones impersonation by Josh Brolin may redeem the series from the disappointing second film.
9. “Les Miserables”: “The King’s Speech” director is planning to adapt the classic story with Hugh Jackman in the lead. My curiosity is aroused!
[/media-credit]8. “Brave”: A Pixar film set in Scotland with a female lead? It could be awesome.
7. “The Avengers”: The film could either be the best Marvel film ever or a humongous mess. With “Firefly” director Joss Whedon at the helm and a top-notch cast, I will aim to be optimistic
6. “The Amazing Spider-Man”: After three movies, the studios decided to scrap the Sam Raimi series to start an ambitious reboot of the Spider-Man franchise. With Andrew Garfield from “The Social Network” filling Peter Parker’s shoes and a strong supporting cast, let’s hope the trailer’s iffy visual effects are fixed before the film’s release.
5. “Skyfall”: “Quantum of Solace” left a lot of people disappointed after the glorious re-imagining of James Bond in “Casino Royale.” With acclaimed director Sam Mendes taking the helm and an all-star cast, including a villainous Javier Bardem, “Skyfall” may just be the film to remind us why we love 007 so much.
4. “Lincoln”: I am always excited for a Steven Spielberg film, even when they do not meet the hype (“War Horse”). What sold me with this film, however, was a photo of Daniel Day Lewis, one of my favorite actors, in his Lincoln makeup and costume. It was so convincing that it has me even more excited.
3. “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”: The return to Middle-Earth has been slow, but part one of “The Hobbit” finally arrives this Christmas. We can expect high production values and a strong cast (with welcomed returning roles). So let’s see if all the pieces make a great whole.
2. “Prometheus”: Ridley Scott returns to science fiction in this film vaguely set in the “Alien” universe. A fantastic teaser trailer and the overall mystery of the film’s plot has me eagerly awaiting this summer blockbuster.
1. “The Dark Knight Rises”: Is there a film more anticipated than this? Christopher Nolan’s epic interpretation of Batman comes to a close with a menacing villain Bane, fantastic production values and an A-list cast. I will see you at the midnight screening!
