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Comment RSSTop 30 Biggest Summer Movies Of 2012
13.09.11 # Summer Movies # 15 CommentsThe Bourne Legacy
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Scott Glenn, Joan Allen
Director: Tony Gilroy
Release Date: 3 August 2012
Matt Damon’s not in it. The character of Jason Bourne is not in it. Damon and previous director Greengrass were determined to end the series with the third movie, but the studio wants to continue the franchise, as it has made them too much money. This is not a sequel or a reboot, but a standalone story about another agent (Renner) trained by the murderous shadow government operation Treadstone, who went through experiences similar to Bourne’s or the character played by Clive Owen in the original movie. Rachel Weisz plays the love interest. Edward Norton is the antagonist. Matt Damon is not ruling out returning to the series at a later point, so this could act as something of a set-up for that. New director Gilroy adapted the original trilogy and directed Michael Clayton, so it’s actually in pretty decent hands.
Total Recall
Starring: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Bryan Cranston, Jessica Biel, Bill Nighy, Ethan Hawke
Director: Len Wiseman
Release Date: 3 August 2012
With a story lying half way between the 1990 version and the 1966 novelette, this sees a factory worker (Farrell) begins to suspect that he’s a spy, though he is unaware which side of the fight he’s on (between nation states Euromerica and New Shanghai). Incredibly (unless I’ve missed something) the movie does not involve Mars in any way, which for me is an enormous letdown. It’s also going to be PG-13, throwing out the wonderful bloody violence of the original. Colin Farrell can lead a good remake, as shown in the entertaining Fright Night redo. Unfortunately he is poison at the box office, and since this reportedly has a massive $200 milllion budget, there’s an even chance this might be one of the biggest money losers of the year. The director of Underworld and Live Free or Die Hard will need to step up his game in every respect.
The Campaign
Starring: Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis
Director: Jay Roach
Release Date: 10 August 2012
Timed to coincide with the 2012 US election, this is a comedy about two warring politicians (Ferrell and Galifianakis) in a small congressional district in South Carolina. It’s also a comment on the circus of modern day politics. From the director of Dinner For Schmucks, Austin Powers and Meet The Parents. Sounds like fun, though it’s hard to see which of these two is going to be the straight man.
The Expendables 2
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Bruce Willis, Arnold
Director: Simon West
Release Date: 17 August 2012
The general feeling about the first movie was that it wasn’t as good as its line-up. That may change here with Stallone handing over directing duties to Simon West (Con Air, Tomb Raider, The Mechanic). At this stage there are lot of rumours regarding casting, but it seems that Schwarzenegger will do a week’s shooting, Bruce Willis will do two weeks, Steve Austin is back (despite being set on fire and knocked out), Donnie Yen has been offered a role, former Robocop Peter Weller is probably on board, and Jean-Claude Van Damme and Chuck Norris are maybes. I love the concept behind these movies, let’s hope they can match it with a compelling story or at least some stunning fight scenes.
ParaNorman
Starring: (voices) Kodi Smit-McPhee, Casey Affleck, Anna Kendrick, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Directors: Chris Butler, Sam Fell
Release Date: 17 August 2012
Stop-motion animated comedy-thriller about a misunderstood boy (Let Me In’s Smit-McPhee) who can speak with the dead and is forced to take on ghosts, zombies and moronic grown-ups to save his town from a centuries-old curse. Affleck and Mintz-Plasse voice a jock and school bully, Kendrick is the big sister. From the co-director of Flushed Away and The Tale of Despereaux, expect average all round.
Leave your thoughts on the 2012 summer movies in the comments.
What are your top 3 picks?
Wow that’s a LOT of titles! TDKR is obviously top of the list and will smash the other competition. My other most anticipated 2012 summer movies are:
Spiderman – I really enjoyed the original trilogy and this reboot has had so much promo already that I’m keen to see where the new (& arguably much better team) can take this.
Avengers – Obviously will see this but worried that SHIELD is too dull and will dilute the other more awesome Avengers.
The Dictator – Love everything Sacha has done and don’t doubt this will be very funny
Prometheus – Could be very cool even if it isn’t that connected to Alien
Total Recall – I loved the original story & the movie, the whole concept is a good one IMHO. I’m glad the “remake” will be different, otherwise why would I bother watching it!
On the kids front, I despise Ice Age 7 wish it would hurry up and become extinct already! Brave will look amazing but been a bit let down by Pixar lately. Madagascar 3 should be good fun like the previous 2 (1 was the best IMO) and intrigued to hear about ParaNorman, could it be a match for The Nightmare Before Christmas?
I declare that Chris Hemsworth is the new Hugh Jackman, and SNOW WHITE is his VAN HELSING.
Can’t wait for the year 2018 when Chris does something as good as THE PRESTIGE.
Yipee, GI Joe 2! What a film!
TDKR, nieghborhood watch could be pretty good, and jack the giant killer are my top three. I also plan on seeing spiderman and the avengers, although i am disapointed that ed norton won’t be playing hulk
abraham lincoln: vampire killer, total recall, and the expendables 2 will not be seen by me mostly because i can’t stand books that screw up peoples perspective on history, because lets face it people are way to impressionable, and i also feel that collin farell is a HUGE douche and can’t stand him in anything but the movie In Bruges. and as for the expendables 2… need i say more?
Come on, get a perspective. A generation is not going to grow up thinking Lincoln was Van Helsing in a stovepipe hat. At least it’s an original concept.
The really depressing thing is how many films on this list are sequels, re-boots. sequels to re-boots and remakes. By the time you get to a sequel to GI Joe you know things are getting bad.
William Wallace wore a belt made of the human skin of his victims. How many people would believe that now?
Woooo the best 2012 summer movies will be Prometheus, Dark knight rises,Avengers & Expendables 2 i think.
The Dark Knight Rises is going to be an over-dramatic mess. Maybe it’s just best to keep my expectations low cause Dark Knight was an almost impossible-to-top masterpiece, but I get a very bad vibe off all the leaked info and the horrible, horrible title, especially considering BATMAN DIDN’T FALL in The Dark Knight. WTF?
The trailer for ParaNormal is fantastic, can’t wait for it (but also a crappy title).
Prometheus will either be a brilliant return to his own style, or yet another lackluster Ridley Scott film (and yes, that includes Gladiator, YAWN).
You heard it here first, The Dark Knight Rises is going to be a mess.
I just saw he Dark Knight in IMAX and feel that it was bt far the Best BatMan movie ever made and I plan on seeing it again
Looks like a pretty good summer overall. First off, I love movies and will see at least 25 of these 30 either at the theater or will buy them around Christmas time and either give them away if I don’t want to watch a second time or trade them in on blu rays that I want.
Avengers – will see this although I don’t buy Samuel Jackson as Nick Fury and probably never will. He’s good at acting and looking pissed but I see that role as going to a more grizzled actor and more like the comic book, like Charlton Heston in True Lies. I know Heston is dead but maybe Ian Mcshane or someone else with a hard look and gravelly voice. Also disappointed that Edward Norton is not involved but I’m sure there were reasons for that.
Dark Shadows – really like Burton/Depp collaborations, especially Sleepy Hollow and Sweeney Todd so will be going to this for sure
The Dictator – positive this will be funny and even with the soulless Megan Fox should be worth a go. She’s good to look at but really shows no personality in movies
Battleship – Why? Might be good with Skarsgard and Neeson with some good effects but why link it to a very simple straightforward game? Just call it Warships or Destroyers
MIB3 – 3D or not, I was pretty disappointed with MIB2 but will probably go because I hold out hope they can do better. Also have the sons ages 10 and 7 who will want to go
Snow White and the Huntsman – love the cast, except Kristen Stewart, but want to see this anyway
Madagascar 3 – will go for the kids, did like the first two, the second better than the first, but the kids really like them
Prometheus – the first time I saw Alien I was bored to death. It is a slow-moving movie, I believe it takes a full hour before the alien actually appears, but I have grown to love the movie now and am sure to see this one too. In general I do like Scott’s work, with a rare exception, like Robin Hood
Jack the Giant Killer – sounds entertaining, will see what word of mouth is after it comes out
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter – why not? Would love to see Abe use his wood-chopping skills on some bloodsuckers
Brave – was a little disappointed in Up and have not seen Cars2 but find all Pixar movies at least watchable and usually more than once so will see this one too, with the kids
Amazing Spiderman – I was a comic book fan in the 70s and 80s, then they hit $2 per issue and I thought “who can afford this?”. I really liked the first two spiderman movies and the third was mediocre (Topher Grace was bad casting IMO). This new one shows some promise and I look forward to a fresh take, hope they did a good job
Ice Age 4 – for the kids again, liked the first one, second one was a little funnier, third one was enough to keep me awake (and I work nights so that is saying something), fourth one I am sure will be along the same lines, eh
Ted – not a big Wahlberg fan although he is slowly winning me over, first with Invincible and then The Other Guys, was okay in a half dozen other films I’ve seen him in. The big draw to me is MacFarlane, should be very funny
The Dark Knight Rises – very much looking forward to this, Christian Bale is one of my favorite actors today and although I thought he was underwhelming in Terminator Salvation I think this will be another very good Batman venture. And it comes out on my birthday so I’ll be at the midnight showing, nephew’s treat
Neighborhood Watch, Here Comes the Boom – feel about the same with these two, probably will get them on dvd but may see in theater if a friend wants to catch a comedy and I’m not working
Total Recall – yeah, agree with a previous post, Farrell is a bit of a douche but the rest of the cast (Beckinsale, Nighy, Cranston, Hawke, Biel) looks really good, will see this most likely, lack of Arnold could be a good thing
Expendables 2 – agree with the hype and cast did not live up to the first movie but still liked it, bought it on dvd and will see this one. Being a teen in the 80s, I like seeing these old guys still doing movies, even if they aren’t what they used to be. Very nostalgic, ignore the steroids, botox and facelifts, sit back and enjoy the show
ParaNorman – I have such a huge appreciation of what the stop motion animation process requires that I will see this just because of that. I’d probably go to see a stop motion porno just because of the work involved. Voice cast looks good and anyone who co-directed Flushed Away couldn’t be all bad
G.I. Joe – might get on dvd when it’s cheap enough next year, like Dwayne Johnson when he’s not required to act but don’t have much use for Bruce Willis outside Die Hard movies, I consider replacing Quaid with him to be a step down, or two. Quaid was really good in the first movie and the better actor anytime. Still like you Bruce, but you are a bit limited
Thanks for the feedback Joel. I agree wholeheartedly with 98% of your opinions. Claiming the midnight show for The Dark Knight Rises is a treat for your nephew is a nice move.
Top three movies will be all superhero movies.Avengers should be amazing and the new Spider man looks awesome as well.TDKR will be hard pressed to beat the second act but I cant wait to see it.
Avengers-will be cool Robert Downey is funny but with so many Herod who knows.
Spiderman-if they follow the story line.
Dark shadows Johnny depp enough said.
Brave-Pixar they haven’t let me down yet.
Finally to the studios you need to come up with something more than all these sequels. People are craving something more than toy story15 and ice age 27 there has got to be somebody smart in Hollywood.
Why is The Magic of Belle Isle not on this list it is an amazing movie and Morgan Freeman is just incredible
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Post By Sheridan Passell
13th Sep
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