Thursday
Jun282012
Halfway There... Almost
Thursday, June 28, 2012 at 2:04PM 
What's on your cinematic mind when it comes to 2012? Our Halfway Mark Specials begin this Sunday so I'm curious how the year is shaping up for you so far? Has your moviegoing been light or heavy? thrilling or filled with disappointed? Or maybe you're stuck in the inbetween.
Here's what I've personally seen or reviewed so far...
- If I haven't discussed it which 2012 release would you most like to read about?
- Of those we have discussed on the blog, which would you like to keep on discussing?
- Which halfway mark topic -- don't worry we'll talk Oscar -- do you have a lot to say about?
tagged Reviews, Year in Review, getting to know you
Reviews, Year in Review, getting to know you
Reader Comments (24)
I've been shotgunning movies I've missed over the last few years online and believe it or not with access to just about everything at my finger tips I can't will myself to watch most of it without getting excited for it first and most of the time I just put it off. I don't know if this is depression but I'm a harden dispassionate person.
1. Too many to name. I know this is your blog and you can do what you want with it, but sometimes I think too much space is devoted to pretty irrelevant topics i.e. your pop culture fetishes. If I had to name one...The Master.
2. The Great Gatsby
Nat,
Are you gonna catch Moonrise Kingdom and To Rome with Love before your halfway awards?
Well, I don't know about discussion, but just for the good of your movie loving soul you should make it a point to see Moonrise Kingdom, Your Sister's Sister, The Kid With the Bike, I Wish, and Bernie as soon as possible. I mean, what's the hold up?!?! (I keed, I keed)
Personally wouldn't mind discussing Brave some more. Saw it last night and while I agree its not absolutely top shelf Pixar its still pretty damn great - and second tier Pixar still ranks it above every other blockbuster entertainment of the year (and possibly last year's too). Plus, some of the think pieces you've been linking to have been just so horribly off base... Anyway.
Re: halftime, I always like seeing how other people's movie years have been going. The less said about Oscar the better (in that context, anyway).
I've found it an interesting year where it relates to "feminism" in the movies. With The Hunger Games, Brave, Scar-Jo in The Avengers and I'm sure some others, it's been nice to see the state of "female characters in film" discussed, and often disheartening in how simple people are making it.
I think comedy would be a good topic. I think it's actually been a pretty good year so far for comedies:
Moonrise Kingdom
The Five-Year Engagement (I loved it, and I'm genuinely baffled by its indifferent reception.)
Your Sister's Sister
Damsels in Distress
21 Jump Street
Safety Not Guaranteed
Friends with Kids (Deeply flawed but worthy of discussion)
Nat, I know you've seen/reviewed a handful of the above, but you should really catch up on the rest.
1.- Knowing your a francophile, I must say I'm quite suprised by the lack of comments about The Kid with a Bike, Polisse, Women on the 6th Floor, The Intouchables, Goodbye First Love...
2.- Magic Mike and the production design of Moonrise Kingdom.
3.- Casting and the eternal lead/supporting discussion.
I'm on just 20 films so far this year (set to go up to 21 when Killer Joe opens in the UK tomorrow) which is down by 20% on my usual half-way figures, partly due to fewer of the big awards contenders waiting until January and February for their UK release.
Given your usually excellent coverage of the Foreign Language Oscar category I'm slightly surprised by the small number of non American titles in your 2012 viewing list, so I'd love to see what you - or your regular contributers - are predicting as big hitters comercially and critically. Personally I'm really looking forward to Forgiveness of Blood when it opens in August and the French short collection The Players with Jean Dujardin, as well as the Cannes entries from Audiard, Carax, Haneke and Vinterberg that are all due to get cinematic releases both sides of the Atlantic. As well as any other titles that are garnering positive buzz that we've yet to encounter.
#1 Looking forward to a Jeremy Renner fix in The Bourne Legacy. He had almost nothing to do but shoot cool arrows in The Avengers. Also, some Colin Firth in Gambit, with a big splash of great acting by Tom Hardy and Jessica Chastain in Lawless, and Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Master. And of course, The Hobbit and Les Miserables in December.
#2 Not sure. Kind of tired of the big blockbusters, since they're mentioned to death on other movie blogs. Your sensibilities and writing are a great match for some smaller, indie films.
#3 Up and coming actors. There are many wonderful young actresses out there, but I feel like some of the young men cast recently have the looks, but not necessarily the acting chops. What's going on? Michael Fassbender and Tom Hardy can't be in EVERYTHING.
Magic Mike Magic Mike Magic Mike Magic Mike
I'm with Kurtis. :)
Can't wait to hear your kind words for Beasts (seen it, *loved* it) and Magic Mike (excited!). It's been a really solid year so far, with fun blockbusters (Avengers but even Hunger was better than I expected), some popcorn minor hits done right (21 Jump Street, The Cabin in the Woods, Haywire) and a better-than-the-reviews-would-have-you-believe Pixar film.
The beginning of 2012 should remind us the Whedon and Soderbergh are two of the coolest directors around, and that Channing Tatum is more than just a pretty face. (I mean he's a pretty good actor, but "he has a pretty _____, too" will also be awarded full points.)
I'll second the call with regard to Moonrise Kingdom, To Rome with Love and Safety Not Guaranteed.
I haven't seen much this year--only seven or eight 2012 movies :( trying to get to Brave and Safety Not Guaranteed soon...but now Ted and Magic Mike are going to be out...ahh!
You MUST see The Intouchables, Nat. Really thoughtful, sensitive performances. And it's hilarious--I don't think I've laughed that loud in a theater since like...Zack and Miri Make a Porno. (Remember that movie?!) And I was laughing that hard *with subtitles*! It's really special.
This might be cheating, but right now my biggest cinematic thought is about that video Paul Thomas Anderson was going to do for Fiona Apple a couple years ago that was delayed because of the studio. The album is out (and it's amazing). Production should be finished on his latest. The world needs another ransacked diner moment PTA. Get on it!
Actually, speaking of PTA, is The Master still coming out this year?
Drew, BJT, Peggy Sue -- believe me when i say that I wish i had seen more this year, particularly the "smaller" titles. I had to go back to corporate america (which I do on occassion) to support this life as a writer so i have much less movie time than I prefer. Hopefully i can figure out the balance by Oscar time.
TB -- that album is amazing. But all four of them have been :)
Corporate America!!! If you are wearing a suit, I want to see it... ;)
TB--
Yes, The Master is scheduled to go into limited release on October 12 and expand from there.
Wondering if anyone (!) else has seen Ron Eldard in "Roadie."
Would love to hear about it.
Peggy Sue -- i do wear the suits. Thankfully not in the summer.
You do! How very Draper of you! I'll insist again this fall :)
Peggy Sue - I can confirm that he looks quite dashing in a suit.
Curious about your thoughts on Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
I’m thinking of your list
Leading Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln
Leading Actress: I’m not sure of any of them Maggie Smith is always good, but will her performance in Quartet really stand out from all her others - she’s not had a nom since 2001 and then in support, her last lead nom was 1972. Keira Knightley is not one of our best actresses, if neither Garbo or Vivien Leigh managed a nom for Anna Karenina, it would be a farce if she did. Barbra Streisand does not appear loved by the Academy, is The Guilt Trip really going to change that.
Supporting Actor: I’d go for Leonardo DiCaprio’s turn in Django Unchained. Tom Courtenay & Billy Connolly are possible candidates if Quartet takes off, but Michael Gambon would get my vote.
Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway in Les Miserables and the winner! Vanessa Redgrave in A Song for Marion, but she is another actress the Academy do not appear to love that much. I would like to see a nom for Pauline Collins in Quartet but is she high profile enough? Sally Field thought the Academy loved her, but that was 28 years ago! Lincoln might make them fall in love with her again. Helena Bonham Carter might finally nab a nom for Miss Havisham in Great Expectations.
Joe -- but Barbra has two Oscars already.Yes, they "snubbed" her in the loose sense of the word (i.e. she wasn't deserving) for Prince of Tides but a love revival could happen. I just think it's a fun prediction on my end :)