Gerard’s Top 10 Super Duper Films of 2012!
No, nothing fancy, just trying to be creative with the title. Is it working? Probably not, but you get the gist of it. I, hereby, present my Top 10 theatrical releases of 2012 (most are already on Blu-ray for your viewing pleasure and some are about to hit the high definition format in the coming weeks) and a few that were edged out a bit in the running, that should also be given a look, because they are exceptional films in their own right. It’s sort of been a peculiar year in film, with tons of films flying in under my radar that I did not actually catch in theaters, but that were made available to me via Blu-ray, that did make it on this list. Peculiar or not, 2012 was a great year of film, so dig in while it’s still hot! Continue reading ‘Gerard’s Top 10 Super Duper Films of 2012!’
Earlier this month I released my worst films of 2012. That was probably one of the easiest lists I ever put together. The good ones from the year the Mayan calendar ended were a little more difficult to assemble. It was another year of superheroes at the box office which brought in super dividends for their studios. Disney lost big with John Carter, but cashed in on Wreck-It Ralph. Channing Tatum had four…err, three films on the agenda for the year, both doing very well. Then there’s the highly anticipated Tolkien work, The Hobbit, which took viewers on another journey through Middle Earth (with some really bad CGI). But while there may be one ring to rule them all, it was the following ten works that were the crowning achievements of film for me in 2012.
For my Top 10 list of favorite films from the calendar year of 2012 I decided to take the high road. What I mean by that is in these annual posts I also tend to pick on and rip apart all the films I either hated or was utterly disappointed by in the current calendar year. Not this year! I’m not spreading any more animosity into the world than ultimately necessary. I feel I did that enough this year. I’ll do what it takes to make this world a better place so therefore, rest assured, my Top 10 list is not only more harmonious and peace loving than previous years gone by, but also greener too. I know you all print these lists out so now without my endless, rambling rants and complaints you’ll have less paper to waste. Hey, what can I say? I’m a changed man! 
This is not really a post of joy, but every year does see the release of films that are just not good. I do not try to seek out these films, with the majority being ones that I did think could have redeemable elements, but that just wasn’t the case here. This list contains what I think were all the biggest misses of the year, which I watched in full and could not handle. I also have a list of disappointing films, which are not necessarily terrible, but certainly far from living up to their potential. It is fortunate that I had a much harder time (in a good way) putting together the “best of” list, but for now, here is a list of films I would put at the bottom of an otherwise very good year. Also and unfortunately, I did not get to cross Alex Cross before the year ended, so I’m just going to have to call this the Alex Cross Memorial Worst Films List for now.
Kicking off my Top 10 year-end lists for 2012, here are my Top 10 Blu-rays that I have enjoyed and could not pass up giving full recommendations to. The following list is set of films that I consider to be some of the best that the Blu-ray format has had to offer for this year. Much like last year, I stayed true to some rules; I have to have actually watched the movie on Blu-Ray, recognize it for its quality video and audio transfers, delved into the special features, and most importantly, I did not put any film on the list that may also be on my “Top 10 Films of the year” list. This means excluding films like Cabin in the Woods (which has a fantastic Blu-ray). I followed these rules for the sake of keeping my list interesting, so here we go:
Making a top ten list of Blu-rays is always a difficult thing for me to do. The fact that there’s so many excellent releases that I haven’t seen yet just makes it even harder because I know a lot of them would be on my list, not to mention that the year isn’t over yet and I still have more movies that I haven’t even reviewed yet. So with that in mind, I’ve decided to make a list of the Top 10 Blu-rays that I’ve actually seen and most likely reviewed, and another list of Blu-rays that I probably would have included on this list if I had seen them. 
I couldn’t sum up the Blu-ray releases of 2012 better than Brian White’s article in which he mentioned standouts such as the Bond collection, Universal Monsters and so on. It’s almost as if the studios got together and said, “Hey, if the world does end on 12/21/12, we better go out with a bang.” Had that fictional conversation took place, they certainly lived up to their aspirations. It was definitely much easier assembling a list of top 10 cinema releases this year than it was Blu-rays. Now onto the rankings!
If you’re on the fence about getting into comic book reading or not, now is as good a time as any. In all honesty, this is a great time to delve into the pop culture art form. The stories and artwork that grace the pages of many of today’s titles are entertaining if not exceptional reads. Looking for a few good titles to let your imagination escape? This list will provide the best of what we saw in 2012.
While this was a huge year for long-awaited, big catalog title Blu-ray releases such as Finding Nemo, 
I came across this article today on the web at 
The third-dimension hasn’t been much of a discussion but more of a debate. You either hate it or love it. Some are fans of the depth that’s added to a movie’s visual presentation while others prefer pop-out effects that make you feel like you’re a part of the movie. The new Blu-ray 3D format has been questioned of its possible failure or success. 2011 had a slow start with 3D content being released, but by mid-year, the animation was popping out and by year’s end, the live-action films made way to the new format. Studio’s making certain titles exclusive with certain TV set brands has also made adopters of Blu-ray 3D frustrated. Making it very hard to view new content on a small market but finally during the summer, we started to finally see retail market releases for these exclusives. DreamWorks has decided to release their titles exclusively for BestBuy right now. Overall, 2011 was actually a pretty good release year for Blu-ray 3D with some hits and some misses here and there. 
I was kind of worried throughout the first half of the year that it wasn’t going to be a pleasant 2011 as far as theater viewings went. There were more than a few flops at the cinema by the time June came to a close with a sparse picking of films that had some ‘wow’ factor. Thankfully, the second half of 2011 made up for it in just about any genre you can think of, and as December winds down, I waited until seeing War Horse before releasing this list. However, that potentially epic film fell short and didn’t come close to making the list. So without any more delay, here are some of the best and worst films we’ve had the opportunity (or displeasure) of experiencing since January…
Just like our fellow reviewer Brian White, I waited to see the highly anticipated The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (you can read my review 
As promised, here is my Top 10 FILM list for 2011. I actually had to scramble in compiling this list, because there was one movie that I needed to see before my deadline and I was confident that it would go on my list. Did it, though? That’s what you’re going to have to read to find out. These films are all films that opened in limited or wide release, but that exhibited in 2011. Not all of these films were actually seen at the theater, some were seen on Blu-ray – the point is that they were all seen this. year. With that out of the way, enjoy what I have to offer you in my Top 10 list of 2011 at Why So Blu. 
It’s that time again. Another year has flown by and I’m still proverbially in the same place and physically in the same chair as I was last year. My how things don’t always change like you want them to, but that’s the beauty of looking forward to next year and all the endless possibilities dreams, hopes and endeavors may bring you. Here’s looking to 2012! But before I “turn the page” (a nod to Bob Seger, not Metallica), it wouldn’t be right without first recapping my favorite movies of the year and cramming down your throat why I think the way I do. Who’s right and who’s wrong when it comes to these? Absolutely no one is. We each have our own opinion, beliefs and value systems. That’s what makes us individuals. But when it’s your day to shine here on Why So Blu, your Top 10 list becomes as powerful as the almighty scriptures of the past. So for today, December 22, 2012…this is the new law being enforced upon you around here. Follow you will! 
