While I can't deny that my most anticipated releases of the year are now behind us, there are still a lot of great movies to see in 2012. There aren't many blockbuster type movies left, but the end of the year usually marks the time when studios release films they feel will do well during Oscar season.
So if you're bummed The Dark Knight Rises wasn't everything you had hoped it to be, here are six more awesome looking 2012 movies to look out for. Note: These are simply in order of release date.
The Master (September 14th)
This movie was under my radar up until recently, but wow this looks awesome. It's from one of my favorite directors - PT Anderson - whose last directorial effort (2007's There Will Be Blood) earned 8 Oscar nominations and two wins. The Master features the return to acting of Joaquin Phoenix as a Naval veteran who is taken under the wing of a charismatic cult-like leader played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman. It's hard not to notice the similarities to another cult-like organization in today's society while watching the trailer. There are even rumors that PT Anderson screened the film for famous Scientologist Tom Cruise and other members of the organized religion. While this film will surely ruffle a few feathers, I'm more excited to see some amazing performances by some of the best actors working today. It seems unlikely that The Master won't be nominated for a few Oscars. It may not have the explosions that The Dark Knight Rises had, but The Master is definitely one to look forward to.
Argo (October 12th)
This is another one that I hadn't heard too much about before seeing the trailer before my Dark Knight Rises screening. Argo is based on a true story and is about a CIA specialist's risky plan to exfiltrate six captured Americans in 1979 Iran. It's directed by Ben Affleck and boasts a pretty incredible cast including Affleck, John Goodman, Bryan Cranston, and Alan Arkin. The plot seems so far-fetched that it's pretty hard to believe that something like this actually happened. But that's what makes me even more excited to see it. I also must say that each and every Ben Affleck movie that he's either written and/or directed so far has been surprisingly awesome. First there was 2007's Gone Baby Gone and then 2010's The Town, both Oscar nominated. Judging from the trailer, Argo will likely not disappoint. Ben Affleck is quickly proving that he deserves to be one considered one of the greatest triple threats: excelling in acting, writing, and directing. All this from the guy who starred in Gigli!
Lincoln (November 9th)
Somewhere roaming around Los Angeles a few months ago was an in-character Daniel Day Lewis as the sixteenth President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Daniel Day Lewis is well known for fully immersing himself into his roles and it looks like Lincoln will be no exception. Above is a picture of the real Abraham Lincoln and next to it is Day Lewis. If we were ever going to come close to bringing Abraham Lincoln back to life, this is probably it. Lincoln is written by Tony Kushner, who also brought us Angels in America and 2005's Munich. It's directed by THE Steven Spielberg. It boasts perhaps the most talented ensemble cast of 2012: consisting of Daniel Day Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones, Sally Field, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jackie Earle Haley, Jared Harris (Mad Men), John Hawkes, and Michael Stuhlbarg (Boardwalk Empire) among many others. The movie tells the life of Abraham Lincoln, specifically during the Civil War. While this movie has Oscars written all over it, it's interesting to note that if Daniel Day Lewis wins the Best Actor Oscar for this movie, he'll become the only man in history to win more than 2 Best Actor Oscars.
Skyfall (November 9th)
November 9th is going to be a busy weekend as for some reason Lincoln is opening against the newest entry in the James Bond series - Skyfall. Daniel Craig returns as James Bond but this time around American Beauty and Jarhead director Sam Mendes has taken the helm. It'll be interesting to see what Mendes is capable of because although I'm a big fan of his previous films, he hasn't directed a big franchise movie like this. James Bond producers recently tried this formula with Finding Neverland director Marc Foster with 2008's Quantum of Solace and that didn't work out so well. I have more hope for Skyfall than I did with Quantum of Solace though for one simple reason: Javier Bardem as the Bond villain. In the trailer alone, Javier Bardem seems like he will steal the spotlight. Not too much is known about the plot yet but we know that we will learn more about James Bond's relationship to M (played by Judi Dench) as we find out more about M's past. Equally as mysterious is what Ralph Fiennes' role will be. While the trailer indicates that he'll be an MI6 superior to Bond and M, it seems it would be somewhat of a disappointment if there wasn't a third act reveal that Fiennes wasn't a super villain. If we get Ralph Fiennes stroking a white cat in another Bond movie, count me in.
This Is 40 (December 21st)
It's been a while since we've gotten a true Judd Apatow movie. Of course he's had his name attached to pretty much every comedy that's come out in the past eight years, but his last directorial effort was 2009's Funny People. Before that was 2007's hilarious Knocked Up. This winter comes the semi-sequel to Knocked Up. This Is 40 sees the return of Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann as their Knocked Up characters Pete and Debbie, who are now trying to cope with the fact that they're both turning 40. Melissa McCarthy, John Lithgow, Albert Brooks, Megan Fox, and Lena Dunham (Girls) round out the supporting cast and both of the Apatow children return as Pete and Debbie's kids. Besides Seth MacFarlane's Ted, which I thought was surprisingly good, there really hasn't been a breakout comedy of 2012 yet. My money's on This Is 40 being the comedy of the year.
Django Unchained (December 25th)
In late 2012 we get a PT Anderson movie, a Steven Spielberg movie, and even a Quentin Tarantino movie! In Tarantino's first movie since 2009's Inglorious Basterds, Jamie Foxx stars as a slave turned bounty hunter who sets out with his mentor (played by the incredible Christoph Waltz) to save his wife from a deranged Mississippi plantation owner. Perhaps the most intriguing part about Django Unchained is that Leonardo DiCaprio is playing said villainous plantation owner. While Django Unchained doesn't look as intriguing to me as Inglorious Basterds did a few years ago, I really like the idea of Tarantino working with Christoph Waltz again. After his insane performance portraying Hans Landa in Inglorious Basterds (for which he won an Oscar), Waltz has seemingly done nothing. He starred in duds The Green Hornet and The Three Musketeers, as well as Water for Elephants and the so-so Carnage. This man gave the BEST performance of 2009! It's like Halle Berry winning an Oscar and then starring in Catwoman, but for three years! Hopefully Django Unchained will be awesome and will turn out great performances from Waltz and Leo!
And those are the six that I'm most looking forward to! So now when you hear people complain about there being no reason to go to the movies anymore, tell them that there's at LEAST six more movies to look forward to!
-Jared
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