The Year In Movies – Part 1

For many reasons, 2012 was an off year in movie watching for me, which may not necessarily be a bad thing.  I managed to watch only 62 movies last year, my first year under 100 since 2005 and after having averaged just over 131 movies over the past 5 years.  Many things contributed to this, chiefly my attempts to do more exercise and read more books and the insane amount of TV I’ve been watching.

Here’s a look back at the first 50 movies I did manage to watch last year and what recollection I have of them, if any.  The films are listed in the order I saw them.

Hatchet II (2010)
I remember thinking this was better than the first Hatchet film, but that isn’t exactly saying anything.

The Hangover Part II (2011)

Nowhere near as funny as the original, but still a worthwhile effort.

Changeling (2008)
Angelina Jolie’s search for her missing child.

Drive Angry (2011)
Nicolas Cage has some bills to pay, and schlock like this is how he plans on paying them.

Moneyball (2011)
One of the most controversial books in the world of baseball hits the silver screen, chronicling the new approach taken by the cash-strapped Oakland A’s to field a successful team.

’92 Skybox Alonzo Mourning Rookie Card (2011)
A short about a screw-up who sells his brother’s Alonzo Mourning rookie card.

Tanner Hall (2009)
A pre-Dragon Tattoo Rooney Mara stars in this school girl drama.

Cowboys & Aliens (2011)
A disappointing sci-fi romp through the old west.

The Rock-afire Explosion (2008)
A documentary looking at the house band of the former Showbiz Pizza.

The Hunger Games (2012)
My first trip to the movie theater this year was for this adaptation of one of the best books I had read the year before.

In Time (2011)
Justin Timberlake continues to impress as an actor.

The Avengers (2012)
Continue reading →

A Dark Night Rising

Earlier this morning, I arrived at the local cineplex to catch the latest and final installment of Christopher Nolan’s Batman saga.  I was worried about two things: staying awake and not getting asked to leave due to alcohol-fueled tomfoolery.  It never occurred to me that going to see this film could be the last thing I ever did on this Earth.  I’m sure it never occurred to anyone in Aurora, CO either.

I’m sure you’ve heard the story by now.  A masked and heavily armed gunman opened fire on an unsuspecting crowd last night during the midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises.  12 people are dead.  Dozens more were wounded.  A lunatic, who may have dyed his hair to resemble the Joker’s from the previous film and did booby-trap his apartment, is in police custody.  And a nation is left to ask the same question we always ask in this situation: why?

As of yet, there are no answers as to why.  Is there an answer that would satisfy us?  Can there be an explanation that would explain why a doctoral student who had no previous run-ins with the law decided to execute people for going to see a movie?  Sadly, I think we all know the answer is no.  We will never get a logical explanation for an act that was so illogical.