Top 10 Films of Summer 2012

Another film that could have become a huge disappointment, coming off a predecessor that was widely regarded as the finest comic book movie ever made and one of the most profitable movies ever. But somehow, Christopher Nolan and Co. were able to forego all of the pratfalls of a franchise closer, and create a spellbindingly epic, materfully shot, and beautifully thoughtful film that never fails to amaze. Yes, there are some problems with the film; pacing, plot holes, etc. But every film on this list has flaws. Movies are not defined by their flaws, they're defined by how they overcome them.

One of the biggest gambles in film history. Granted it was a guaranteed smash from the get-go, but if it had been bad, it would have been regarded as the one of the most disappointing movies of all-time. While that may have happened in some alternate dimension, it did not here, and became of the biggest, most enjoyable films ever made. Most of the credit deservedly goes to the film's writer/director Joss Whedon, who was able to seamlessy blend all of the heroes together, and make them all interesting in their own right. The cast is great, but Mark Ruffalo stands out as the best incarnation of the Hulk we've seen yet.

Wes Anderson film's are not for everyone, but they are for me. A beautifully shot, whimsical story of two misunderstood chidren in New England who fall in love and run away from there families. This is recognizably Anderson, with the yellow tint and the room-to-room shots, but this adds a new, softer side to the director that won me over from the first shot.

One of the most hyped films ever, Prometheus proved to be the most polarizing movie of the summer, due to it's open ended mythology and lack of answers. Some people truly despise this film, others are just disappointed, and then there are some that find it be mesmerizing. I fall into the latter group. I admired the film for not knowing all of the answers, giving a sense of realism to the project. The visuals are Oscar-Worthy.

In a summer that was a huge disappointment for "Big Studio R-Rated" comedies, this was the only one that really inmpressed me. I was hugely anticipated this one from the offbeat trailers and the admiration I had for director Seth Macfarline's animated t.v.shows "American Dad!" and "Family Guy." I knew that it was going to be crude and referential based on those shows, but it was able to add more heart and charm than I had expected, and more genuine laughs than most comedies this summer combined.

I had zero expectations for this one. I hadn't slept in almost 24 hours, and fell asleep for about five minutes at the beginning. But luckily, I woke up just in time for the action to begin. The stop-motion animation is beautiful, but the heartbreaking twist at the end added a truly emotional level that made this film stand out in an already animation heavy summer.

After a disappointing sequel and a ten year hiatus, not many people were expecting much from this threequel, but for the most part, it proved many of those people wrong. Featuring makeup from the great Rick Baker and a scene-stealing performance from Josh Brolin, this was just great summer popcorn fun, with a bit of heart thrown in at the end.

Going into the theater, I was hoping that I would enjoy this one, and I did. I had no idea however, how effective it would be. It's comedic moments are hilarious, based largely off of the shock value of most of them, but the dramatic moments are the ones that you'll be thinking about long after you leave the theater. Steve Carell and Keira Knightley are perfect in this touchingly bittersweet movie about two people trying to find happiness in their final days.

I wasn't expecting much from this one, I wasn't really a fan of the original and I thought the second was good, but not great. While this is not a great film, it's still a lot of fun, with striking visuals and a much stronger script than previous installments.

Just big, dumb, loud fun, but it's enjoyment comes from the fact that the people behind it knows it's stupid, but have fun playing along anyway.