10 MOST ANTICIPATED FILMS of 2013

January 21, 2013 by Keith Garlington

I had a lot of fun going back and revisiting my most anticipated movies of 2012 list from last January. It was interesting to see which films lived up to my expectations, which movies fell short, and which ones made it into consideration for my Best of 2012 list. I am proud to say that several of the movies really impressed, but unfortunately a couple of them disappointed and one was pushed back to a 2013 release date. But that was 2012. This is a new year and that means a new list. So enough horseplay, right? Without further ado here are my most anticipated films of 2013. Like last year, some on this list have legitimate question marks. But like last year, all on this list really intrigue me.

#10 – “EVIL DEAD” The original “Evil Dead” remains one of my favorite horror movies of all time so normally I would be very sceptical of a new remake. But optimism quickly replaced scepticism just by seeing Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell heavily involved. The pair were the forces behind the original film and if you’ve seen the released red band trailer, you can see their fingerprints all over this picture. It looks gory and gruesome but it also looks potentially frightening and that’s something that we rarely get with the modern horror movies of today. This thing could tank. But it could also be old school horror in its glory.

#9 – “THE WOLF OF WALL STREET” Whenever Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio team up the results are usually pretty terrific. This new collaboration sees Leo playing a stockbroker surrounded by Wall Street corruption and mob influences. The film also features a great supporting cast featuring Matthew McConaughey and last year’s Best Actor Oscar winner Jean Dujardin. On the flipside it also features Jonah Hill, something that is a cause for concern. Nevertheless Scorsese is an amazing filmmaker whose credentials prove him to be a master of his craft.

#8 – “WORLD WAR Z” I swear 2013 looks like it’s going to be a big, big year for science fiction. The first sci-fi movie on this list mixes in a dab of horror. It is “World War Z”, a post-apocalyptic zombie outbreak picture starring Brad Pitt. Now I can see where some people may be experiencing zombie fatigue but not me. This movie sounded like a lot of fun and that was before I saw the trailer. Now I’m thoroughly pumped for it. Of course there is the risk of this turning out to be another catastrophic zombie movie. But I’m really thinking that this could be something special. Don’t believe me? Just check out the trailer then mark June 21st on your calendar.

#7 – “THOR: THE DARK WORLD” The first Thor movie was one of the bigger surprises in Marvel’s cinematic universe. It had the potential to be really good or a real cheesefest. Marvel handled it perfectly resulting in an exciting and often funny superhero romp. Now it’s time for the sequel and just like with all of this wave of Marvel films it ties into the larger movie universe. Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman both return but more exciting is the return of the wonderful Tom Hiddleston as Loki. He alone is worth the price for the ticket. I am a little cautious with this one but I have faith in the creative minds at Marvel.

#6 – “INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS” There’s not a lot of information out there about “Inside Llewyn Davis”. So why on earth is it even on my most anticipated list? Simple. It’s written and directed by my favorite filmmakers Joel and Ethen Coen. The brothers have been known for dipping their toes in just about every genre. This film is about the 1960’s New York folk music scene. Sounds pretty drab doesn’t it? Well not in the hands of the Coen’s. Their cleverness and creativity always interests me and I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us. It’ll be smart, witty, and undeniably unique. Add the interesting leads of Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan and this could be a real treat.

#5 – “MAN OF STEEL” I really want there to be a strong Superman franchise. There’s lots of things “Superman Returns” did right but it couldn’t overcome director Bryan Singer’s creative liberties. Now we get another reboot but this time there’s a lot of promise. Christopher Nolan and David Goyer, the creative geniuses behind The Dark Knight trilogy, are heavily involved in this production which really excites me. The fact that Zack Snyder is directing worries me some. But listen to this supporting cast: Amy Adams, Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon, and Diane Lane. Yep, I’m all over this one and my fingers are crossed.

#4 – “TO THE WONDER” Terrence Malick doesn’t make a lot of movies but when he does they’re attention getters. Now, out of the blue, we are getting two films out of him in a three year span. His last film “The Tree of Life” was my favorite movie on 2011 so naturally I would be interested in this one. I am a sucker for Malick’s style and even when he may miss the mark slightly I am consumed by his presentation. This looks like another Malick gem this time starring Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, and Javier Bardem. This could be really good and I can’t wait for it to hit theaters.

#3 – “OBLIVION” Yep, another science fiction movie makes my list but this one intrigues me most of all. Tom Cruise stars as a drone repairman who works high above the war torn remains of Earth. He ends up accidentally setting off a series of events that brings with them shocking revelations. That’s really all I know. But I can say the recently released trailer really grabbed me. The cool premise and amazing visuals has the sci-fi part of me drooling. Many of the details about “Oblivion” have been intentionally hidden. But the studio is “excited” about the project. So am I.

#2 – “IRON MAN 3” I remember when I first heard that Robert Downey, Jr. had been cast to play Iron Man. I thought Marvel Studios had lost their collective minds. Now can you imagine anyone else playing him? I love what Downey, Jr. does with his Tony Stark character both in “The Avengers” and the previous two Iron Man pictures. “Iron Man 2” wasn’t as good as the first film but even it had its moments of pure fanboy brilliance. Now he’s back and what a cast he has along with him. Paltrow and Cheadle are back. But new are Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, and Ben Kingsley. This will be a big film and needless to say I’m all over this one!

#1 – “MUD” At only 34 years of age, Jeff Nichols has become one of the most intriguing directors working today. He only has two films under his belt but both demonstrated his amazing style of Southern storytelling. “Shotgun Stories” was great and his second film “Take Shelter” was one of the best of 2011. “Mud” takes him back to the deep south. Its been called a modern-day Huckleberry Finn and stars Matthew McConaughey. Nichols is a fellow Arkansas guy and the way he captures the rural southern landscapes is unlike any other. “Mud” did well at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and it’s my clear #1 movie to see in 2013.

So how about you? What are some of your most eagerly anticipated films of 2013. Here’s hoping we have a lot of good things to talk about doing the upcoming movie season!

2013 OSCAR NOMINATIONS – First Impressions

January 10, 2013 by Keith Garlington

I don’t know about you folks but I love awards season. After a year of movie watching it’s fun to see where your favorites measure up with those of critics and movie fans around the world. And of course then there are the Oscars. This morning the 2013 Academy Award nominees were announced and let me just say it’s a healthy field. But as with every batch of Oscar nominees, there are surprises and snubs. Here are my quick first impressions from this year’s nominees.

SURPRISES

*Did anyone see “Silver Linings Playbook” getting a nomination in every single major category? I doubt it. Now it’s unfair for me to comment on this film because I skipped it. But considering the host of great movies and performances from 2012, it’s a surprise to see this one getting this much Academy love.

*I was THRILLED to see “Beasts of the Southern Wild” get so much recognition. I’ll be stunned if it wins much of anything come Oscar night but the fact that this little movie garnered so much attention from the Academy is fantastic. This will also ensure that more people will get to see this overlooked gem. And how can I not be happy for Quvenzhane Wallis, the youngest Oscar nominee ever! She was incredible and deserves to be there come Oscar night.

*I’m going to categorize this one as a surprise mainly because it wasn’t a film that I loved. But I was surprised to see “The Master” not nominated for Best Picture. Paul Thomas Anderson’s complex film is something that I thought the Academy would be drooling over but apparently not. It received nominations in several categories but not the big one.

SNUBS

*This will sound weird considering I haven’t seen “Zero Dark Thirty”, but even I can recognize a snub when I see one. The film gathered several nominations but none for director Kathryn Bigelow. That’s not good news for Bigelow especially considering everyone expected her name to be there, but it’s even worse news for the movie. Historically a movie doesn’t win Best Picture without winning Best Director.

*How did Tom Hooper not get nominated for Best Director for his work on “Les Miserables”? The highly ambitious musical just missed my Top 10 of the Year list but it’s still a very good film and was nominated for several Oscars, just none for Hooper. What makes this more of a head-scratcher is that he won the Best Director Oscar for “The King’s Speech”, a movie I really liked but a considerably less challenging film. I just don’t get this one.

*Wes Anderson’s “Moonrise Kingdom” was shut out of almost everything. He did get a nomination for Best Original Screenplay (a no-brainer) but this movie deserved much more attention. This is a snub that really makes me wonder how the minds of the Academy work. I can’t figure it out.

GOOFY CLOSING THOUGHTS…

*The Academy did something hilarious this year that I’ve seen in the past. “Amour” did very well, racking up several nominations including a Best Picture nod. It was also nominated for Best Foreign Film. Ok, since none of the other Best Foreign Film nominees were nominated for Best Picture, isn’t it safe to say that “Amour” has that Oscar wrapped up? Those folks can save their money and watch the Oscars from home.

*Some of the most fun I’ve had during the past year was trying to defend my 4 Star review of “Snow White and the Huntsman”. Well guess what? Now I can call it the “Oscar Nominated Snow White and the Huntsman”. It received two Oscar nominations (Best Visual Effects, Best Costume Design). True vindication, right?

THE TOP 10 FILMS OF 2012

January 9, 2013 by Keith Garlington

Folks, its time for the big one! The 2012 movie year is over and done so that means its Top 10 time. This is my favorite part of the movie season – a chance to reflect back on the past year in movies and heap praise on the films that I think are the 10 best. 2012 started off a little slow but ended up being a pretty strong year for both the big blockbusters and for small independent cinema. But enough with the buildup. (Imagine a small but steady drumroll) May I introduce The Keith & the Movies Top 10 Movies of 2012…

Before I get to the 10 best, I do want to mention three films that I desperately wanted to see before making this list. Unfortunately it’s not going to happen for another week or so. They are “Zero Dark Thirty”, “Rust and Bone”, and “Amour”. I would also like to throw out a few honorable mentions. These were fantastic movies that I loved and that just missed the cut (click their names for full reviews)…. “Damsels in Distress’, “The Hobbit“, “The Kid with a Bike“, “Bernie“, “Looper“, “Delicacy“, “Les Miserables”

#10 – “FRANKENWEENIE” – I’m as shocked as you. The idea that a Tim Burton picture would be on my Top 10 list amazes me. I’m not a Burton fan but “Frankenweenie” is an animated delight. It’s one part tender tale about a boy and his dog and another part the Frankenstein story and it works beautifully as a collective whole. It’s also an old school horror movie homage with tons of fun references to everything from the monster pictures of the 1950s to the classic Universal horror films. But the key reason it works is that Burton wisely focuses more on telling a good story than promoting his unique style. The result is a fabulous animated treat that I adored.

#9 – “PROMETHEUS” – I know this will be a controversial pick just judging by the variety of differing opinions about this film. But I gotta say that I loved “Prometheus”. I loved the universe. I loved the special effects. I loved most of the cast. I loved its open-endedness. Are there holes in the logic here and there? Sure. But for me Ridley Scott supplied me with another exciting sci-fi experience that may not answer all the questions as it advertises, but it still reminds me of what an intelligent and visionary filmmaker he is. I stand firmly beside “Prometheus” and sincerely hope that the $400 million box office was enough to ensure us a follow-up.

#8 – “LINCOLN” – Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” is a movie that may surprise a lot of people. While there are a few Speilberg overindulgences, as a whole he really dials it back and it works beautifully. This isn’t a film steeped in huge set pieces and heavy melodrama. This is a performance driven drama with possibly the best ensemble casts of the year. Daniel Day-Lewis reaffirms his status as the greatest working actor with a fine performance. Critic Leonard Maltin called the performance miraculous and I have to agree. He loses himself in this towering historical character and I was hooked on every line and every mannerism. That’s the biggest reason the film worked so incredibly well.

#7 – “THE IMPOSSIBLE” – There have been many disaster movies that have made their way onto the big screen. But none has ever gripped me and affected me the way “The Impossible” did. This is one of the most poignant and powerful pictures I watched all year. It’s also a draining and at times difficult movie to endure. But the reward is overwhelming as we watch the best of people come out in a truly devastating circumstance. This is an intelligent and respectful film about the Indian Ocean tsunami and it’s aftermath. Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor give stunning performances and newcomer Tom Holland should garner a lot of attention. Don’t brush this movie aside as just another disaster film. It’s so much more.

#6 – “SKYFALL” – It wasn’t until Daniel Craig took the reigns of 007 that I became a huge James Bond fan. Now I’m hooked. “Skyfall” is a wonderful action thrill ride from director Sam Mendes and is arguably the best Daniel Craig Bond picture yet. It’s loaded with the expected blow-your-socks-off action shoot-outs and car chases. But it also fleshes out Bond more as a person, something I really responded to. Javier Bardem, while underused, is a blast and it was great to see Judi Dench’s role expanded. “Skyfall” has raked in over $1 billion dollars worldwide but it’s well deserved. This is just more proof that big budget films can and should knock it out of the park.

#5 – “ARGO” – For my money Ben Affleck has proven himself to be an incredibly capable director. “Argo” is a shining example of his abilities behind the camera. This sizzling picture set during the Iran hostage crisis of 1979 is an edge-of-your-seat thriller anchored by a fantastic cast, sharp direction, and Chris Terrio’s slick and intelligent screenplay. It dramatizes the absurdity of the real life hostage rescue in a way that had me glued to the screen. And the perfectly realized sense of time and location just seal the deal. It also features what may be the best opening 20 minutes I have seen in several years. I love “Argo”. It’s storytelling at its finest.

4 – “THE AVENGERS” – It has become the norm for Hollywood to release several big budget superhero movies each year. But very few are as good as “The Avengers”. This was one of the most ambitious projects and it had potential to be a disaster. It was far from that. “The Avengers” was one of the most well-conceived and well-executed movies of the year thanks to the clever and often times hilarious screenplay from Joss Whedon. Loud laughs and thunderous applause filled the theater during both of my big screen viewings and I was right there with them. In terms of sheer fun at the movies, “The Avengers” was tops and that makes up for any tiny flaw it may have otherwise.

#3 – “MOONRISE KINGDOM” – It’s safe to say that I have evolved into a full-blown Wes Anderson fan. “Moonrise Kingdom” solidified that for me. This is a film that perfectly encapsulates Anderson’s special brand of humor and style. There’s a beautiful and sensitive story of eccentric children’s puppy love and their feelings of not belonging. But there’s also the story about the adults within a small New England community and all their imperfections. And then there’s Anderson’s razor-sharp script – some of the best writing of the year. Great performances, hilarious moments, perfectly quirky music, and an artful 1960’s aesthetic are all spread across Anderson’s gorgeous canvas.

#2 – “BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD” – This is a movie that I didn’t catch up with until later in the year. Suffice to say it really blew my mind. This was clearly the biggest surprise of the year for me as well as the most moving and emotional film of 2012. A first time director and two first time performances create an experience that pulls you into the isolated and poverty-stricken world of a 6-year old girl named Hushpuppy. It’s sometimes heartwarming and sometimes deeply unsettling, but it’s riveting cinema throughout. This is small and little known film that is finally getting an audience and stands above most every film of 2012.

#1 – “THE DARK KNIGHT RISES” – No other movie of 2012 combined the thrill of adrenaline-fueled action with the art of pure cinematic storytelling. Christopher Nolan wrapped up his phenomenal Dark Knight trilogy with yet another sharp and layered movie. Tom Hardy is a brute presence and Ann Hathaway makes Selina Kyle (a.k.a. Catwoman) a much more grounded character. The entire film is laced with a tinge of realism but it’s still a rousing superhero experience. Some have had issues with this film but I found it to be brilliant and the perfect ending to one of my personal favorite trilogies. This is also Nolan’s third straight film to end up as my year-end #1. Bravo!

So there they are, my 10 Best Films from the 2012 year. What are your thoughts? Where did I go wrong? What’s your favorite film of 2012?

*After writing this I was able to catch up with “Zero Dark Thirty” and “Amour”. Let me say that both would make my Top 10 without a doubt!

2012 K & M RANDOM MOVIE AWARDS

January 8, 2013 by Keith Garlington

So many fellow movie bloggers love doing a Top 10 list of their favorite movies at the end of the year. I’m no different. I love looking back at the all of the movies I saw and putting together my favorites. But before I put out my Top 10 of the year I thought it would be fun to throw out some random accolades for achievements and in some cases underachievements for the 2012 movie year.

BIGGEST SURPRISE OF 2012 – “Beasts of the Southern Wild“

No movie caught me by surprise like “Beasts of the Southern Wild”. This amazing and powerful little film featured a first time director and two memorable first time performances. I had several opportunities to see this film but kept putting it off due to lack of interest. What a mistake. This was a tremendous movie that completely caught me by surprise.

BIGGEST LETDOWN OF 2012 – “Total Recall“

“Total Recall” should have been a can’t miss movie. The original film had a fun sci-fi story and a modern remake with a nice new shiny coat of CGI paint could have been really good. Well that certainly wasn’t the case. This clunky remake looks fantastic and it even starts promising. But it becomes a tedious and repetitive mess of a movie. Truly dissappointing.

BEST ANIMATED FILM OF 2012 – “Frankenweenie“

This could have also qualified as biggest surprise of the year. What a wonderful film. Tim Burton gets back to form with this heartfelt homage to the classic horror movies. I loved this movie and I had a blast picking out all the little tips of the hat to the horror genre. This is a fun variation of the Frankenstein story and one of the real treats of 2012.

BEST FIGHT OF 2012 – Thor vs. Hulk (“The Avengers“)

There are several great fights in “The Avengers” but none are better than the showdown between the god of thunder Thor and the incredible Hulk. Before joining forces the two lock horns onboard the S.H.E.I.L.D. helicarrier. They slam through decks, toss jet airplane wings, and pound each other senseless. Talk about one cool throwdown!

BEST VILLAIN OF 2012- Charlie Rakes (Guy Pearce from “Lawless“)

Talk about a detestible villain. Guy Pearce, fully armed with a wide hair part, shaved eye brows, and a tendency towards violence is truly menacing from his first moment on screen. He intimidates through terror and you can tell early on that he’s a little unhinged. You can’t help but hate Rakes and you truly want him to get his comeupins.

MOST UNFAIRLY MALIGNED FILM OF 2012 – “John Carter“

Those who follow my page know that I’ve defended “John Carter” quite a bit. Even though it’s not one of my favorite films of the year I really liked it and I can’t understand why it has received such harsh criticism from so many folks. “John Carter” is a cool science fiction adventure whose few flaws are easily overshadowed by it’s sheer fun factor. You could do a lot worse.

MOST UNDULY EXALTED FILM OF 2012 – “The Master“

I’ve already seen “The Master” top the ‘Best of’ lists of several critics. I liked “The Master” and think the performances are simply incredible. But it’s far from a perfect movie and it isn’t nearly as smart and layered as some credit it to be. It’s performance driven and it features amazing cinematography, but for me it’s receiving more high praise than it deserves.

BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS OF 2012 – “Prometheus“

Ridley Scott’s much anticipated “Prometheus” was the subject of much debate from moviegoers. But whether you liked the story or not, no one can deny that it is a visual feast . The special effects are spectacular from the futuristic technologies to the large scale action shots. Personally I loved “Prometheus” and the great visuals were one reason why.

BEST CAR CHASE OF 2012 – “Jack Reacher“

“Jack Reacher” has a car chase that’s not only the best of 2012 but it’s one of the best I’ve seen in years. It’s beautifully staged and beautifully shot. But what really makes it stand out is the perspective. The camera trickery stays focused on the actors faces placing them in these speeding, sliding, and crashing cars. It’s fantastic!

WACKIEST CHARACTER OF 2012 – Bernie Tiede (Jack Black from “Bernie“)

I’m no fan of Jack Black. In fact he’s one of my least favorite actors. But I loved him as the wacky small town funeral director Bernie Tiede. Everything about Bernie is just plain wacky and even though he was based on a real life character who did some pretty bad things, he is laugh out loud hilarious. You just can’t get much wackier that Bernie.

BEST IMAX FILM of 2012 – “The Dark Knight Rises“

Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises” is a great movie but it was even greater in IMAX. Nolan knows how to shoot action sequences and he knows how to utilize the strengths of the technology. There are several ultra cool moments in the movie that are simply jawdropping in IMAX and if you missed it you really missed out.

BEST OPENING OF 2012 – “Argo“

I didn’t see any opening sequence all year that matched the nail-biting intensity of Ben Affleck’s “Argo”. The movie begins by setting up the incredibly tense situation surrounding the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. Everything from the storming of the U.S. embassy to the scrambling of the U.S. intelligence had me on the edge of my seat. Brilliant start to a great movie.

BEST ROMANTIC COMEDY OF 2012 – “Delicacy“

It’s not like there’s a lot of competition. The romantic comedy genre is in shambles. But the delightful French film “Delicacy” is not only a really good romantic comedy, but it’s one of the year’s best movies. It features a clever script and fine performances but it also steers clear of the usual shallowness that plaques these films today. “Delicacy” is such a treat.

DUMBEST NON-COMEDY MOVIE MOMENT OF 2012 – “Taken 2“

“Taken 2” was one of the bigger disappointments of the 2012 movie year. It also featured several of the dumbest moments of the year. None were dumber that Liam Neeson ordering Maggie Grace to throw live grenades into the busy Istanbul streets just so he can pinpoint her location via the explosions from blocks away. Not sure what’s dumber, the scene or the filmmakers for expecting us to buy it.

WORST MOVIE OF 2012 – “The Vow“

If it weren’t for a trans-atlantic flight I would have never been victimized by this crapfest. “The Vow” is an uninteresting and cliched waste of time featuring boring cardboard characters and a love story that’s all sap and no substance. This thing lacks any originality and I found myself laughing at many of it’s unintentionally funny scenes. Poor from start to finish.

What a way to end it right? But no worries! The 2012 wrap up continues and my Top 10 Movies of 2012 is right around the corner.

THE 5 BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS OF 2012

January 7, 2013 by Keith Garlington

Monday is the day where I do The Phenomenal 5. But honestly, it’s kinda hard to fit the word “phenomenal” in with this list. Just as every movie year has its great films, every year also has its movies that fell short, disappointed, or simply missed its mark. 2012 was certainly no different. For this list I’ve picked five movies that just didn’t work for me. Now I’m not claiming that these are the worst films on 2012 (more on those later). Nor am I including movies like “The Master” which I feel is overrated but that has some undeniable strong points. These five films are movies loaded with potential and high expectations but ended up as real letdowns. (Click on the names of each movie for a link to my full review).

#5 – “BATTLESHIP”

I almost left “Battleship”off this list entirely. It wasn’t a movie that I had huge expectations for therefore it wasn’t a major disappointment. On the other hand, I bought into the flashy, action-packed trailers that showed off the cool technical side of the film. Unfortunately that’s about all this movie had to offer – lots of explosions, cool alien technology, and nothing more. Even more, I was really surprised at just how lame the script really was. It’s completely predictable, filled with clichés, and features an absolutely absurd rise in military rank for our protagonist. Look, I get that “Battleship” was a mindless, summer popcorn flick. But even those have to execute better than this movie does.

#4 – “TAKEN 2”

I really like the first “Taken” film. It was one of the first films featuring the new tough guy Liam Neeson. I ignored all of the bad reviews and made my way to the theater to see “Taken 2”. Sigh! There were moments that I liked in the movie. But there weren’t many of them. “Taken 2” completely dropped the ball in the end. It’s a lazy, check cashing effort that seems to have worked judging by the box office numbers. But I found myself frustrated at the film due to its poor camerawork and absolutely absurd moments. Some of Neeson’s tough guy techniques are ridiculous and I’ve rarely seen a stupider bunch of the bad guys. And then there’s the climactic fights at the end where the camerawork is so bad you have no idea what has taken place. One thing I do know, “Taken 2” definitely qualifies as a disappointment.

#3 – “CLOUD ATLAS”

I was completely unfamiliar with the source material for “Cloud Atlas”. But after hearing all of the excitement from many others, I became pretty enthusiastic about the movie adaptation. I came out really disappointed but I’ve also grown more disenchanted with it as time goes by. There’s a lot of ambition tied into this film. It also takes chances and I always like that. But this is a mishmash of incomprehensible nonsense, self-indulgent style, and heavy-handed sermonizing wrapped up as a groundbreaking, science-fiction epic. Now I can see where people may buy into it but I saw it as a lot smaller than it tries to be. A couple of the storylines are interesting but as a whole it just didn’t come together and I have no interest in seeing it again.

#2 – “TO ROME WITH LOVE”

I was never a big fan of Woody Allen, at least not until I saw “Midnight in Paris”. I remain mesmerized by that movie both due to its heart and it’s incredible witt. Allen’s European cinematic tour continued with “To Rome With Love” and how could it not be good, right? Sadly the movie flies off the rails at the halfway point and never captures any of the locational magic that made “Midnight” so great. Now I will say the movie starts off promising and I was starting to think Allen had struck gold again. But things take a ridiculous turn and the second half of the movie is about as sloppy as anything I saw all year. I was really hoping Woody Allen would do for Rome what he did for Paris. Instead he left it just short of a disaster area.

#1 – “TOTAL RECALL”

Many of us have questioned the barrage of remakes coming out of Hollywood these days. But “Total Recall” was one film that seemed primed for a modern day makeover. And while I did have questions, I back-burned any skepticism. Unfortunately there were a lot of reasons to be skeptical. I watched the original “Total Recall” tons of times after its release. This flashy remake not only fails to capture the fun, sci-fi action and adventure of the original, but it leaves out much of what made the first film so good. The glaring creative changes and omissions decimate the story so much so that the fantastic visuals and great special-effects can’t cover it. This is a really good looking movie. But it’s also a complete drag and it fails to capitalize on what should have been a surefire formula.

There are my five biggest disappointments of the 2012 movie year. Agree or disagree? Please let me know. Also take time to share some of your biggest disappointments of this past year.

2012 – THE YEAR IN BLOGGING

January 4, 2013 by Keith Garlington

2012 marked my first full year of dedicated movie blogging. Keith & the Movies existed all the way back in 2010 mainly through my Facebook page, but this was the first full year that I put a hearty effort into it. What can I say, it’s been amazing. The fellow cinema junkies I’ve come across, the great writers and reviewers, the great debates and conversations – all have contributed to making this such a worthwhile endeavor. So before I begin looking back on the past year I have to give a huge and sincere “THANK YOU” to everyone who has stopped by, read my stuff, shared the page, and commented during the past year. There were a couple of times where I was wondering if it was really worth the time. And then along would come a timely comment or compliment that fired me up again. So to everyone again I say “THANK YOU“.

Now onto the year in blogging! Many people have posted their site statistics from the past year so I thought I might do the same. Here are just a few of the interesting (and appreciated) tidbits from 2012.

Keith & the Movies had just over 32,000 views in 2012.
Keith & the Movies features 250 reviews, bits of news, articles, and features in 2012.
Keith & the Movies had over 1,800 comments in 2012.
Keith & the Movies had people from 140 countries visit in 2012.
Keith & the Movies gained 121 Twitter followers in 2012.

So many people contributed to the great year with some wonderful comments, encouragement, and opinions. I appreciate each and every one of you. But these were the 5 most active commenters. Please check out their sites. Thanks guys!

Ruth from Flixchatter
Mark from Marked Movies
Fernando from Committed to Celluloid
Nostra from My Filmviews
Pete from I Love That Film

Now here’s a look at some of my posts from 2012 that I want to recognize for one reason or another.

MOST COMMENTED ON POST – 5 Phenomenal Actors Who Never Won An Oscar
MOST COMMENTED ON REVIEW – “The Descent” – 4 STARS
MOST “LIKED” POST – “Skyfall” – 4.5 STARS
MOST POPULAR FEATURE – The Phenomenal 5
MOST CONTROVERSIAL POST – 5 Phenomenally Overrated Movies
MOST SURPRISING MOVIE REVIEW – “Snow White and the Huntsman” – 4 STARS
MOST SATISFYING POST NO ONE READ – A Critic’s Conversation with Michael Phillips
MOST OFF-THE-WALL PHENOMENAL 5 – 5 Phenomenal Movie Haircuts
MOST VOTED ON THROWDOWN – Christian Bale vs. Michael Keeton

Well, that just touches on some of what made 2012 so great for Keith & the Movies. I didn’t even get into the Keith & the Movies Valhalla, The 2012 New Movie Project, or the wonderful blogathons I had a chance to be a part of. But a new year brings new fun and here’s hoping 2013 is even better!