Sarah & Andrew's Top Ten Lists for 2012 (So Far!)

Andrew: Hello readers! We're doing a little something different this week in lieu of a weekly preview, since The Amazing Spider-Man and Savages are two of the big three coming out this weekend and we've already review them (click on their titles to read our reviews if you'd like).

So, with that in mind and seeing as this year is already halfway over, both Sarah and I are going to post our respective Top Ten Films (So Far) of 2012! The only criteria being that they had to be films we've actually seen and reviewed (so our apologies for not having something like Moonrise Kingdom on our lists) and they had to be films that were first released in theatres for public consumption in the United States in the year 2012.

Without further ado, here are our lists!

SARAH'S TOP TEN LIST OF 2012 (SO FAR)

1.) The Avengers: This movie was everything a superhero movie should have been. The action paired with a phenomenal cast shot this movie to #1 for many weeks in a row. This was such a fun movie to go to and it fed into the other Marvel movies so seamlessly. I'm excited to see where the next Iron Man and Thor movies pick up from here! (Our 5/5 review)

2.) Prometheus: This epic film satisfied my need for another Alien movie. While it was not exactly a "prequel" it was still so cool and had a great cast that really brought the world that Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley would later inhabit to life. (Our 4.5/5 review)

3.) Savages: I really don't know why I loved this movie so much. It was sexy and violent. This probably speaks a little more about me that any of you cared to know, but there it is. I thought that the relationship between Ben, Chon and Ophelia was very interesting and I also enjoyed the directing style Oliver Stone went with. (Our 3/5 review)

4.) Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted: I love these movies. I don't care that I'm a 23-year-old woman, these movies are hilarious. And this one was just a great addition to the wayward zoo animal collection. (Our 4/5 review)

5.) Ted: Hilarious. Seth MacFarlane. Mark Wahlberg. Most of the cast from Family Guy. Nuf said. (Our 4.5/5 review)

6.) Rock of Ages: I am also a big fan of musicals. It could be because I sang in high school and was in a couple of musicals. It could also be because my husband has gotten me turned on to 80s rock music. Whatever the reason, this movie took me back to a time that I wish I remembered and could have grown up through. Tom Cruise rocked as rock god Stacee Jaxx and could make any woman swoon in the theatre! (Our 4/5 review)

7.) Magic Mike: While I wasn't as big of a fan of this  movie as Andrew was, I do think that Channing Tatum is a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood. He started out as a beefcake dancer in Step Up and has quickly turned into a heavy-hitter in comedies and dramas alike. (Our 3.5/5 review)

8.) The Hunger Games: I liked these books. I usually then have a hard time seeing the movies without being overly critical. It's probably not fair but that's the way it is. This movie however kept incredibly close to the books while still putting a cinematic spin on things. It makes me hopeful for the next 2 movies! (Our 4.5/5 review)

9.) 21 Jump Street: Another Channing Tatum movie that featured some great action scenes and hilarity. This remake of a classic 80s TV show was so entertaining and funny! (Our 4.5/5 review)

10.) Chronicle: "Found footage" movies are not my usual cup of tea but for some reason this film did it for me. It was an interesting character study and overall was pretty awesome. (Our 4.5/5 review)

ANDREW'S TOP TEN LIST OF 2012 (SO FAR)

1.) The Avengers: It might not necessarily be Oscar-worthy, but this epic superhero film is pretty much everything you could ask for out of a popcorn flick. It’s fun, exciting, dramatic, bombastic…I could go on and on. The culmination of Marvel’s efforts to create an interweaving world for their characters on the big screen is a rousing success. The bantering between Robert Downey, Jr.’s Tony Stark and Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner is worth the price of admission alone.

2.) The Cabin in the Woods: My favorite film genre is horror, so this “loving hate letter” to the genre by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard is pitch-perfect. The best deconstruction of horror films since Wes Craven’s Scream, I genuinely enjoyed every aspect of this movie. Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins are a hoot, the group of stock characters that are knocked off one-by-one nail their parts, and it’s a legitimate slasher film. And I can’t forget to mention the whiteboard. (Our 5/5 review)

3.) 21 Jump Street: The best studio comedy of the year would have had me rolling in the aisle if we weren’t sitting in the middle of the row. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill are perfect together, and who knew Tatum was this good at comedy? There hasn’t been an R-rated buddy cop movie this good in a long time, so this was a refreshing change of pace. It was also refreshing to see them flip the script and make Tatum’s “jock” the outcast and Hill’s “dork” one of the popular kids.

4.) Seeking a Friend for the End of the World: Led by another great performance by Steve Carell and his surprisingly good chemistry with Keira Knightley, this dark comedy caught me off guard by making me really think about what I would do if I knew the world was ending in 3 weeks. The realistic portrayals throughout the entire movie made the proceedings easy to relate to. A fantastic effort all around to make you care even though you know where the film is headed. (Our 4.5/5 review)

5.) Sound of My Voice: This film had a great mystery to it that kept you wondering and thinking even after it ended. It’s helped by its atmosphere and the performances by Brit Marling and Christopher Denham. I loved going down the rabbit hole into the cult the two main characters, Peter and Lorna, try to infiltrate and expose as a fraud. A small budget sci-fi film with strong performances and a stronger story are always appreciated, but it's the staying power the gives it such a high ranking for me. (Our 4/5 review)

6.) The Hunger Games: A near perfect adaptation of Suzanne Collin’s novel led by a killer performance (no pun intended) by Jennifer Lawrence, it’s obvious the director Gary Ross cared very much about the source material and wanted to stay faithful to it. Yes he trimmed and/or added some things, but it made for a great action film, and if your reaction to the people in the Capitol was disgust, well then Ross did his job perfectly. It’s a real shame he won’t be coming back for Catching Fire.

7.) Prometheus: I may be in a minority, but I was able to look over some of the flaws in Ridley Scott’s Alien prequel and see it for what it is: a very good sci-fi/horror film in its own right. It was tense and atmospheric if not scary; had some good performances, particularly from Michael Fassbender; and it’s the best use of 3D I’ve personally seen since Avatar. Was it perfect? No, but I didn’t have untouchable expectations for it either, so I thoroughly enjoyed it.

8.) Chronicle: A great twist on the superhero origin and one of the best uses of the “found footage” genre, this film was a pleasant surprise. Strong performances by all the lead actors, strong writing that made me invested in the proceedings, and great directing by Josh Trank made this an all-around solid movie. I particularly liked the gimmick of having the characters use their telekinetic powers to float the camera around them so they could all be in the shot. Just a gem of a movie that shined brightest during the usually craptastic February releases.

9.) Ted: The second-funniest movie that we’ve seen this year, Seth MacFarlane’s feature film directorial debut is VERY similar to his show Family Guy. We happen to love Family Guy, so we appreciated the humor here. Is it deep? Of course not. But it’s raunchy and offensive as hell, and most of it comes out of an amazing CGI animated teddy bear. The all-in performance by Mark Wahlberg is just the cherry on top.

10.) The Vow: Surprised I included a chick-flick in the top ten? If you read our review you shouldn’t be. Channing Tatum’s performance as a husband who has to deal with his wife’s amnesia and not remembering their live together at all absolutely killed me. Rachel McAdams nailed her role as the amnesiac wife, so the pairing of the two just created a relationship that got me hook, line and sinker. (Our 4/5 review)

(Honorable Mention goes to Rock of Ages. It was thiiiiiiissss close to beating The Vow.)

Let us know what you think of our lists! We'd love to hear what our readers' Top Ten films of the year so far are!

Photo Courtesy: Teaser-Trailer

When the Zoo Animals Met the Circus Animals: Our Review of "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" (2012)

Directed By: Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath and Conrad Vernon

Starring: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett Smith, David Schwimmer, Sacha Baron Cohen, Frances McDormand, Martin Short, Jessica Chastain, Bryan Cranston

Synopsis: The gang’s all back – Alex the Lion (Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Rock), Gloria the Hippo (Smith) and Melman the Giraffe (Schwimmer) – and they’re headed to Monte Carlo to find the Penguins and go back to New York City. After scaring a casino full of humans, Animal Control Captain DuBois (McDormand) makes it her quest to capture Alex so she can mount his head on her wall. The gang joins a European circus in an attempt to evade DuBois and get home, becoming friends with Gia the Jaguar (Chastain), Vitaly the Tiger (Cranston) and Stefano the Sea Lion (Short).

REVIEW

Andrew: Hello readers! This afternoon Sarah and I made our usual excursion to the movie theatre down the street and caught a matinee showing of Madagascar 3: Europe’s MostWanted.

Sarah, we previewed this film on Thursday along with Prometheus, and we were both excited to see it, you probably a little more so because you have a special love for one of the Madagascar films, correct?

Sarah: Yes, the first one is 100% my favorite of the series. I screened it for my younger sister before she could watch it back when it first came out, and I remember sitting in my basement all by myself laughing my head off. So it will always be my favorite.

But I have to say, this new entry in the series is pretty darn funny and the 3D is amazing!

A: I would say I like the first two movies, but of the three I think I like this one the most. I found myself laughing more during this one for a variety of reasons, but I think the addition of Martin Short as the Italian circus sea lion, Stefano, is one of the biggest reasons. He was pretty hysterical – and not just in making me laugh, but literally his character is hysterical a number of times. The penguins, per usual, were also great. I love me the penguins especially Skipper.

The gang's all back! Gloria the Hippo, Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra and Melman the Giraffe are trying to get back to NYC in Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted

And yes, the 3D was absolutely fantastic. Along with Prometheus, the strength of both movies this weekend has been that they’ve been incredible examples of what GOOD 3D can do for a movie.

S: Agreed. You know, what I think makes these movies so funny is that you not only have your slapstick humor for the kids, but you also have adult humor for the parents

A: Let’s be honest, it’s funny but it’s a silly funny.

S: Yes. The penguins, yet again, were humorous and are really the cherry on top of this movie. Their quick little remarks you have to pay attention to because otherwise you’ll miss the humor in them are really some of my favorite parts. I think the ensemble cast, especially with the addition of Martin Short, Jessica Chastain and Bryan Cranston really were good additions for people whom you don’t normally see as voice actors. They did a good job.

A: It’s not like these are intellectually humorous, you don’t have to think about it much. It’s a lot of slapstick, a lot of physical humor, which is fine. It makes us laugh, which is par for the course. But I think what a good animated film has to do is have heart and all three Madagascar films have really had their own heart.

Vitaly the Tiger (Cranston), Gia the Jaguar (Chastain) and Stefano the Sea Lion (Short) are the stars of the circus the gang joins to get back to America.

This was a good one because it shows that the characters wanted to go home to NYC, but maybe home wasn’t exactly what they thought it was now that they’ve seen the rest of the world. Plus they have other people that they care about or care about them, these circus animals that they become a part of, so it’s harder to just go back to the Central Park Zoo.

S: Yeah, in the second one they kind of go back to their roots, get to see where they come from, but it’s still not quite them because they’re used to performing in front of people. And the circus in this one allows them to do that again.

Overall, Madagascar 3 Is funny and I really did enjoy it. Seriously, the 3D is amazing. If you’re going to see this in theatres, see it in 3D because there’s a circus scene that just blew my mind. It was like a Cirque de Soleil on the screen. It was really cool.

A: This movie is a visual feast. It’s really worth the extra dollars to see it in 3D. I’m sure it’s fine in 2D and is just as funny, but it won’t LOOK as stunning. Ok, real quick, I was also a fan of the little English dogs that turn out to be like English gangsters. They were funny. But I was not a big fan of Frances McDormand’s character, Captain Chantel DuBois. It’s not her fault, I thought she did fine voice acting but…

S: She didn’t add a ton to the story.

A: Exactly. Obviously she was the conflict that the film needed, but it wasn’t much. She made me laugh a few times, or the people that encountered her made me laugh I should say.

The Penguins are back, led by Skipper (front), and are Andrew's favorite part of the film (again). They'll also track you down if you don't see this film in 3D.

I also liked the music, I was a big fan of the French music they use, including one song by Edith Piaf that DuBois actually sings. I recognized it as the song the characters in Christopher Nolan’s Inception use as the kick to wake them up from the dreams, and using Journey’s “Any Way You Want It” was kind of random but I love Journey so I was okay with it.

S: Yeah, I loved Katy Perry’s “Firework” for the circus scene. The music was fun and kept the movie upbeat.

Madagascar 3 is definitely one to take the kids to see, or maybe for a light date. Whereas Prometheus was the dark, adult movie to come out this weekend, this one is just pure fun and I definitely think they’ve hit the nail on the head yet again.

A: Will we own this one? We don’t own any of the others.

S: We don’t, but it will definitely be one that family members will own it and we’ll watch it.

A: And of course, as we said earlier, definitely see it on the big screen and see it in 3D! As always, thanks for reading!

(Out of Five Clapboards)

Photo Courtesies: Movie Carpet, Time, About.com, New Raleigh

Our Preview of This Week's New Releases (for Friday, June 8th)

Andrew: Hello readers! It's time again for our weekly preview of the new theatrical releases coming out on Friday. This week brings only two wide release films, but boy are they pretty big ones. The first is Ridley Scott's Prometheus, the highly-anticipated quasi-prequel to his 1979 classic Alien; the second being Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, the third entry in the highly successful Madagascar series (obviously).

Sarah, we're seeing one of these two films TONIGHT at midnight, aren't we?

Sarah: Prometheus, the Kecks have landed! I am so looking forward to this movie tonight. We have been brushing-up on our Alien knowledge this week. After buying the Blu-Ray set, we have been cranking through them. Even after seeing the first one again I notice so many things from that one that are in the trailer for Prometheus! I can't wait to see what else is in store! Will we get to see the elusive Xenomorph in this one as well? We will see!

I think I am most excited to see this ensemble cast though! What do you think?

A: I'm intrigued by the cast for this one because it has a couple of my favorite current actors in Michael Fassbender and Idris Elba. I've heard nothing but glowing remarks on Fassbender's performance (what else is new?) and I'm looking forward to experiencing it firsthand. I'm a bit skeptical about Noomi Rapace in the lead role because I felt she didn't bring much to her role in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, but I'll withhold judgment until tonight.

Another thing I’m personally excited for is to see more of this world that Scott helped create in 1979. The Weyland-Yutani Corporation has always been this very shifty company and I’m interested to see where their sinister ways started. This film was co-written by Damon Lindelof, one of the co-writers/producers of Lost, my favorite TV show of all-time, so I'm hoping he comes through here.

 Official Trailer for Prometheus

Something I'm excited about for YOU, my dear, is that this will be your first time seeing a movie that was shot IN 3D, not post-converted. I'll be curious to hear what your thoughts are on 3D once you see this film since you weren't able to see Avatar in 3D.

S: Yes, I am really excited to check out the 3D. It's funny that both of the movies coming out this weekend just happen to be in 3D. Soon, will be every movie! Ahhh the future!

Well I’m really excited to see Charlize Theron in Prometheus. She's pretty bad-ass these days so it will be cool to see her in the role of a "Company Gal" for  Weyland-Yutani. I have really high hopes for this movie and I really hope it proves worthy of my hopes.

Now, we also have Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted coming out this weekend! I love these movies so I'm pretty stoked for this one too. What about you?

A: I'm looking forward to Madagascar 3 for one reason and one reason only: the penguins. I love them. And by that I mean not just the characters in the films but penguins in general. So the fact that the penguins in these films are like secret agents and are by far the best parts of the movies, yeah. I'm looking forward to it. I guess I’m also looking forward to the additional voice work of Martin Short, Jessica Chastain, Bryan Cranston and Frances McDormand to go along with the return of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, et al.

Official Trailer for Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted

I generally find the first two Madagascar movies to be funny and I like the trailer for this one, so I go into it with slightly raised expectations. Obviously I'm not expecting it to be the greatest animated film of the year (those expectations would go to Pixar's Brave) but I do think we'll be quite entertained.

S: The Madagascar movies hold a special place in my heart, so I am pretty excited about this one.

While there are only two movies coming out this weekend really worth noting, they both promise to be huge blockbusters! I know I am excited for these to come out and we’ll be seeing both this weekend! We’re seeing Prometheus tonight so our review will be posted tomorrow morning sometime. Be on the lookout for that! And as always, thanks for reading!