7 Movies You Can't Miss In 2012

There are so many movies this year that it's really hard to breakdown which ones are worth your hard earned coin. The first quarter of the year is usually reserved for a lot of the stuff that isn't all that great, although one movie does eek its way on to this short list. Keep in mind that this list will not include any Oscar-worthy flicks.

I sifted through the movies that I thought would either be forgotten or simply ignored. After doing the homework, I found the lucky 7 and why you should see them. The list will start at seven and work its way down to what I consider the number one movie you shouldn't miss this year.

7. Snow White & The Huntsman--June 1st, 2012

Go ahead, make fun of me. Yes, Kristen Stewart is in the movie, but we shouldn't immediately write the movie off for that. And who can forget Chris Hemsworth in Thor? He was tailor made for this movie. The movie will also star the lovely Charlize Theron as the evil Queen. The main reason this movie is on the list is because of its unique approach to the Snow White folklore.

Snow White is usually associated with adolescence and animated features. The crazy thing is that Snow White is an incredibly dark tale and it's the tale that director Rupert Sanders wants the world. to see. After watching the trailer I was convinced that going the more dramatic/dark route was a brilliant idea. It's essentially Snow White for adults and I'm okay with that.    

6. Project X--March 2nd, 2012

The tried and true formula of high school/frat house comedies is this: Two losers become rock stars in 90 minutes or less. That's all there is to it. Project X decided to up the ante and perhaps update the formula to version 2.0. Project X is going the Paranormal Activity route with its film style and going with a more HD Handycam look.

I think the concept is a bit overboard, but who cares? This movie is all about complete insanity. I feel that Nima Nourizadeh's directorial debut may have started a new trend in douchebag humor and I'm driniking the Kool-Aid. Check the trailer.






 5. Safe--April 27th 2012

Between Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham, it's difficult for me to pinpoint which one of these brutes is the new Hollywood action hero. I think Johnson may have relinquished the throne when he went all Disney on us there.

Statham has solidified himself as the new action hero and his new movie Safe may be his Die Hard. What I love about Statham is his raw quality. The dude is a genuine bad ass who is proficient in martial arts, a former Olympic swimmer, and has an absurd workout routine. 

Bad assery aside, Safe looks like a great action thriller, but it's the premise that got me:

 A former elite agent takes on a two-tier mission: rescue a Chinese girl who's been abducted by the Triads, then use a safe combination to outwit the Russian Mafia, corrupt NYC officials, and the Triads themselves. 

It's nothing original, but when it comes to action films, are we really concerned about originality? No, we want to be entertained, and that's what Statham does best.

4. Brave--June 22, 2012

A Summer without a Pixar movie is a sad one. While their last effort (Cars 2) may not have been the best, Brave looks to change that. This would be the first time Pixar ventures into a medieval setting (finally), and we can expect the same brand of charm and humor that they're renowned for.

The movie features a strong female protagonist named Princess Merida who breaks old traditions, which leads to turmoil within her Kingdom. Determined to make things right, Princess Merida relies on her archery skills and bravery to restore order. This has all the makings of a classic. With a solid story, a great character, and Pixar behind the wheel, this is one you don't want to miss.

3. World War Z---December 12, 2012

Based on Max Brooks phenomenal novel, World War Z creates a world where Zombies are a reality and shows us the aftermath. Brooks has this uncanny ability to make zombies seem like a plausible thing. He covers things like a World War III scenario, how the economic infrastructure would be destroyed, how humanity as we know it transforms, how the government and military would react, and creates horrific scenario that feels like it could be a reality.

Details surrounding the movie are pretty sparse, but what we do know is that we have the cast, leading man (Brad Pitt), and a release date. This shouldn't be any cause for concern, I've read the novel and Pitt chooses his roles very selectively, so we should be pleasantly surprised.

2. Safe House--February 10th, 2012

Denzel Washington has many gifts, one of those gifts is his talent at taking crap and making it gold. Crap script? No problem, Denzel will still turn in a killer performance and polish a potential turd. To me, that's a gift. This isn't to imply that his new movie Safe House is going to be a turd, I think it actually looks promising.

Washington plays Tobin Frost, a hardened fugitive who is being looked after by a young CIA Agent (played by none other than resident funny man Ryan Reynolds) in a safe house. Of course, nothing goes according to plan and the safe house is attacked. You should expect Washington to do all sorts of amazingly violent things and Reynolds to play a terrified young buck who learns from the master.

1. Django Unchained--December 25th, 2012

Quentin Tarantino movies never suck do they? You ever notice that every time you watch his movies that you always find another reason to love it? Tarantino is undoubtedly batshit crazy, but maybe that's why his movies are so great. He's so good at what he does that actors come to him. His new movie, that was rumored for years to be a western, is a reality now. Check out the plot summary and this incredible cast:

A former slave-turned-hired gun (Jamie Foxx) heads back to the plantation to free his wife from a tyrannical plantation owner (Leonardo DiCaprio) with the help of a German bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) in Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained. Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Don Johnson, and M.C. Gainey co-star. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Do you see that cast? I'm not entirely sure, but I'm almost positive Sammy L has been in half of Tarantino's movies. Then we have Don Johnson, Jamie Foxx, and Leo DiCaprio? Like I stated earlier, A-List casts like this are a Tarantino staple. Tarantino has always shared his love of  "Spaghetti" Westerns, and you houldn't be surprised if he pays homage to the legendary Sergio Leone and composer Ennio Morricone. I simply can't wait for this one.