Late Pass: Which 2012 Movies Are Still Worth Watching?
Cruel winter’s here and you still haven’t peeped [insert blockbuster movie]? Now's the time. With some aid from Slaughterhouse MC Joe Budden, VIBE reminisced about the year's biggest flicks. Peruse this cheat sheet to see which of 2012's most talked about movies you should download, DVD or ditch.
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
The final Batman installment capped off the most accomplished movie trilogy since The Lord of the Rings. With its Occupy Wall Street undertones and sly addition of Robin, the flick sends the shadowy superhero swinging off in style.
[DVD]
Joe Budden’s Review:
“[Christian Bale] did such a phenomenal job. But it wasn’t even so much that it was Batman. He didn’t even play that large of a role.”
THE AVENGERS
Its billion-plus gross guarantees the Avengers franchise Bond-level longevity, while Iron Man, Thor and troop brought back playfulness to the costumed-tights genre that’s been missing since Superman.
[DVD]
Joe Budden’s Review:
“Overrated! The movie didn’t keep me at all. I hear a lot of people say it picked up when the Hulk got involved, but shit, that wasn’t till midway through the movie! I had already seen Thor, Captain America and The Hulk. I was [more] interested in everyone’s individual storylines.”
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
On one hand, rebooting Spidey merely five years after Spider-Man 3 was a misstep. On the other, when else could the excellent 29-year-old Andrew Garfield fit the role of a teenage Peter Parker? Next time: Kingpin, not the Lizard.
[Ditch]
THINK LIKE A MAN
While Kevin Hart continued his deliriously raw rise to comedic heights, the residual plot proved Black romantic comedies can be as banal as any Matthew McConaughey vehicle.
[DVD]
Joe Budden’s Review:
“Terrence J did an amazing job. I watched it twice. I thought those were my friends throughout my life.”
THE MASTER
A demagogue preacher and his problematic disciple do an absorbing dance choreographed by director Paul Thomas Anderson, who’s a master himself at exploring mentor relationships. As usual—see Magnolia, There Will Be Blood—whatever Anderson does is a winner.
[DVD]
SPARKLE
As a cable movie, Sparkle might’ve been impressive. As the cinematic remake to a beloved 1970s classic, it left something to be desired, though the final performance of the late Whitney Houston alone makes it worth a look.
[Download]
PROMETHEUS
Once you get past the uneven, affected accent of Idris Elba’s starship pilot Janek, Prometheus has plenty to offer. As a prequel to the Alien series, this sci-fi stomper is on much surer footing than even the recent Star Wars trilogy.
[DVD]
THE HUNGER GAMES
The hype behind movie adaptations of author Suzanne Collins’s young-adult series will probably dilute and die down the line—Three Hunger Games sequels are planned. When it does, this premiere film of the cycle, in which teenage archer Katniss Everdeen kicks futuristic ass, will come to seem like a classic.
