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2012 Thus Far

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As we draw nearer to the end of June and consequently the halfway point of the year, what better time to reflect upon some of the highlights of 2012 so far? The list is fairly commercial at this point, curse moving out of the city for summer! Not all of us were able to attend film festivals in Cannes or Sundance, so I cannot speak to what will deliver Oscars, but for moviegoer enjoyment you cannot look past these select films.

Prometheus (You say tomato, I saw good sci-fi/horror)
The Avengers (The Comic Books Gods delivered)
The Grey (A film that captures emotion, visual flourishes and an ace performance from Mr. Neeson)
John Carter (It may not have made a lot of money, but Andrew Stanton created the only real fantasy story of the year)
Haywire (A genre exercise filled with capable actors)
Cabin in the Woods (Horror with a genuine surprise and comic wit. Thanks again, Whedon!)
Hunger Games (Jennifer Lawrence shines again in the woods)
Seeking A Friend for the End of the World (Is its tone a little shifty? Yes, but the world is also ending.)
The Secret World of Arriety (Beautifully hand-drawn film with a touch of humanity)

 Missed the Cut: Snow White and the Hunstman, Mirror Mirror, Friends with Kids, Dark Shadows

 Notable films not seen: Moonrise Kingdom, The Raid: Redemption, Brave, Bernie.

 Not a bad bunch of films. The real test lies in the coming seasons when The Dark Knight Rises, Django Unchained, Looper, Argo, Skyfall, Lawless, Killing them Softly and The Master take the stage. 2012 is shaping up to be a year in which traditional Oscar-fare will be outshined by genre efforts and auteur-visions. Sounds perfect.

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