One-quarter down, three-quarters to go. Almost. Two weeks left but it’s all over but the shouting. The Hunger Games is the last film of any real intrigue set to open in March. The way I see it 2012 has delivered six films of serious distinction and seven or eight that could be called pretty good, not bad or relatively decent.
I’ve singled out 43 films in all, not counting Hunger Games. I’m 100% certain I’ve missed something. Please, have at it.
Best So Far: Haywire, Miss Bala, Michael, Rampart, 21 Jump Street, The Grey (6)
Won’t See It Until Monday Night: The Hunger Games (1)
Good or Relatively Decent But Curiously Not Enough To Inspire Any HE Jottings: Jeff Who Lives at Home, Declaration of War, Coriolanus, Footnote, Friends With Kids, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, The Woman in Black (7)
El Floppo, And…Okay, Tolerable In Certain Respects: John Carter (1)
Entirely Decent Tony Scott Film With An Ending That Underwhelms: Safe House (1)
Mildly Gripping: Silent House (1)
Mildly Likable, Amusing: Wanderlust (1)
Mute Nostril Asian Martial-Arts Agony: The Raid: Redemption (1)
Best Docs: Undefeated, Bully, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, Pray for Japan, The Island President (5)
Slow-going: Turn Me On, Dammit!, 4:44 Last Day on Earth (2)
Lesser Dardennes: The Kid With A Bike (1)
Unfulfilling, Irksome, Bad: Contraband, Red Tails, Man on a Ledge, One for the Money, Flowers of War (5)
Labored, Less-Than-Likable Family Relationship Dramas: Being Flynn, The Snowtown Murders, Boy, The Deep Blue Sea, W.E. (5)
Didn’t See (Apologies): Chronicle, Act of Valor, The Forgiveness of Blood (3)
Avoided Like Plague: Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, Let the Bullets Fly, Tim & Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie, A Thousand Words (4)