Top Ten Most Anticipated for the rest of 2012

The first half of 2012 was okay. There was one amazing blockbuster in the form of The Avengers, and a couple of other movies I thoroughly enjoyed but there wasn't a ton of spectacular movies. The second half of 2012 could be better and there are ten movies that I am really looking forward to seeing. Starting with number ten, here are the movies I am looking forward to in the second half of 2012.

 10. FRANKENWEENIE

I don't know. I like some of Tim Burton's stuff but not a lot of it. But something about this new film intrigues me. I like the idea of shooting in black in white and doing the stop motion animation. The trailer was funny and I think that the visuals look stunning. That said, I don't think I'll like it very much because I don't like Tim Burton that much. But, eh, it looks decent.

9. THE GREAT GATSBY

Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby doesn't immediately sound like a movie that I would like but that first trailer sold me on the drama and intensity that I think this film will read. I haven't read F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel but I plan on reading it before I see the movie. I like DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire (who I haven't seen since Spider-Man 3) in the starring roles and I think that this could turn out to be a fantastic film.

8. THE BOURNE LEGACY

I've only seen one of the Bourne movies and while I enjoyed it, I was really annoyed by the shaky camera work. Supposedly, this new Bourne film won't feature that and I'm glad. The Bourne Legacy is being sold as an addition to the Matt Damon franchise and not a reboot. Legacy will focus on Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner), an agent who is in the same program as Jason Bourne. I liked Jeremy Renner in Mission: Impossible 4 and I think the pieces are in place for a really good movie from Tony Gilroy, who wrote the first three Bourne films.  

7. RISE OF THE GUARDIANS

This is a really neat concept. Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Sandman, and the Tooth Fairy team up to stop the Boogeyman. I hope that the plot doesn't take itself too seriously because its a movie about Santa Claus and other heroes teaming up, which is ridiculous. But it has an all-star voice cast featuring Chris Pine and Jude Law and it's from the people that created How To Train Your Dragon, which is promising. Overall, I think that Rise of the Guardians is an animated film to be excited about. 

6. LIFE OF PI

Life of Pi is the only film on this list that I have seen no footage from. I will be seeing some footage with Ice Age: Continental Drift which I am excited for. Supposedly, people were wowed with footage at Cinema-Con and I think that it will have some great visual effects. The plot is a boy gets stuck on a boat with a Bengal tiger, a hyena, a zebra, and an orangutan. It sounds weird but good at the same time. I think Life of Pi looks like it could be an excellent movie.

5. TOTAL RECALL

I was not excited in the least for this film until I saw the most recent trailer. The trailer completely sold me on the special effects and action this film will bring to the table. I have not seen the original with Arnold but I know that this new version will be a lot more serious. I don't know if Total Recall will actually be a good movie but I hope that it's a very entertaining thrill ride like the ads have shown.

4. WRECK-IT RALPH

I'm sold on Disney's new animated film because of the premise alone. The trailer was decent but the whole concept of Toy Story with arcade games seems very exciting. I'm not a huge gamer but that scene from the trailer with the video game villains was amazing. I think that this could be Disney animation's best film yet (they haven't had any really good films so far). The voice cast is solid as well and I think that the animation looks fantastic. Wreck-It Ralph has been on my radar for a while and I think after that trailer this could also shape up to be the year's biggest animated movie.

3. SKYFALL

I would always be excited for a new James Bond film but I think that the concept behind Skyfall and the all-star cast is what is making me more excited for this film. The plot is shrouded in secrecy but it involves an event from M's past coming back to haunt MI6. The trailer was short but amazing and I hope that Javier Bardem can deliver a creepy performance as the villain. The cast also features Daniel Craig as Bond, Judi Dench as M, and Ralph Fiennes. This is one I am really excited for.

2. THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

After watching all three Lord of the Rings films recently, I am now very excited to see what Peter Jackson has in store for the Hobbit. The reaction to the footage at Cinema-Con was mixed but the real test is to see what happens at Comic-Con. The most recent posters really show off the atmosphere of the film, which Lord of the Rings had a lot of. It should be fantastic and I am really hoping to see the film in 48 frames per second, the new technology Jackson is using to put more frames in each shot. The Hobbit is really the only film coming out this year at Christmastime so I might get to see it a couple of times, which is great. The Hobbit is a must-see.

1. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

My most anticipated movie of the year comes out next week. The Dark Knight Rises is the sequel to two of my favorite movies of the last decade: Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. The trailers have been spectacular. The early buzz is that it got a standing ovation. I don't think that there is anything stopping Rises from being a masterpiece. I don't think that there is much more to say. I'll be there opening day, watching it in IMAX and I will hopefully watch the film again and again in theaters.

That's really it for this year. There are some other films I hope to catch in theaters, but these are the ten I look forward to seeing the most.