2012 Movies I've Seen But Still Haven't Reviewed

The Four (2012) - "It has its moments of entertainment, but overall "The Four" neither impresses with its storyline and characters, nor particularly with its visuals and fight choreography." (4.25/10)

Branded (2012) - "Conceptually creative, yet terribly executed, badly-scripted, and all over the place, "Branded" is a missed opportunity, and one of 2012's biggest cinematic flops." (4.50/10)

Chained (2012) - "It's thoroughly disturbing, and certainly not everyone's cup of tea, which makes it kind of different, but "Chained" is also difficult to watch, moody, and at times truly boring." (4.50/10)

Paranormal Activity 4 (2012) - "The original is a classic, the second one was quite good as well, and even 3 was okay. Well... the forth movie is simply pointless, uncreative and not at all scary." (4.50/10)

The Collection (2012) - "Slightly better than its predecessor, yet still unsatisfying, "The Collection" has that flashy music video feel about it, that ruins its supposed to be eerie atmosphere." (4.50/10)

The Dinosaur Project (2012) - "It wins pints for being the first-ever dinosaur found footage movie, but "The Dinosaur Project" also suffers from sub-par execution and lack of thrills." (4.50/10)

Barricade (2012) - "This well-crafted little horror movie is fairly watchable most of the time, but half-way through it suddenly turns into a big mess with a following climax that is just plain bad." (4.75/10)

Anna Karenina (2012) - "Despite its director's inventive approach and exquisite cinematography and costume design, "Anna Karenina" has an underdeveloped and mostly uninteresting story." (5.00/10)

Silent Night (2012) - "Although it has a couple of entertaining and rather gory death scenes, "Silent Night" is a so-so Christmas slasher, that sadly has absolutely nothing new or original to offer." (5.00/10)

When the Lights Went Out (2012) - "This British haunted house flick has an ominous tone and a few scares here and there, but the messy script can't really escape from its own mediocrity." (5.25/10)

247°F (2012) - "Finally something refreshing! Believe it or not, "247°F" comes from Georgia, and it delivers everything it promises - originality, tensity, entertainment, and loads of cool gore." (6.25/10)

Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012) - "This artsy, yet down-to-earth indie flick has a big heart, no doubt about that, but it's also extremely hard to watch, and not particularly entertaining." (6.25/10)

Hotel Transylvania (2012) - "Sure, it doesn't have the most polished graphics ever, but it's the colorful characters and humorous story that make "Hotel Transylvania" worth-watching." (6.25/10)

In Their Skin (2012) - "In the same vain as "Funny Games", this home invasion flick is full of nastiness, and has a truly chilling atmosphere, thanks to its well-chosen, remote setting." (6.25/10)

Premium Rush (2012) - "This fast-paced thriller is pure adrenaline rush  from start to finish, offering enough originality, sympathetic characters, action, and edgy camera work to win you over." (7.50/10)

Flight (2012) - "From the flawed, yet likable main character and Danzel Washington's superb performance to the taught direction and absorbing storyline, everything about "Flight" is spot-on." (8.00/10)

[7.00/10] The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

QuickRating: Sure, it's slightly moody and not particularly visually appealing, but thanks to its sincere script, truly excellent performances from the three young actors Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller, and the interesting dynamics between their genuine characters, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" can be easily considered the best high school movie to com out from America in the past five, if not ten years. Yes, it's that good.

[6.50/10] The Words (2012)

The Words (2012)

QuickRating: Although completely miscast, Bradley Cooper still does his best and gives one of the better performances of his career, Zoe Saldana is way underused, but Jeremy Irons is spot-on as usual. The melancholic mood of the film suits the peculiar nature of the story, and while hardly plausible, the plot is very engaging, dramatically intense, and definitely not cliched. "The  Words" also teaches an important lesson about dignity, and that makes it worth-watching.

[6.00/10] The Sessions (2012)

The Sessions (2012)

QuickRating: The movie deals with its 'taboo' sexual subject matter in a very gentle and delicate way, the otherwise subtly dramatic script is full of amusing bits, the untypical sex scenes seem as natural and candid as possible, and both John Hawkes and Helen Hun deliver charismatic and pretty memorable performances, but "The Sessions" is largely let down by its unpolished visuals, bland cinematography, and Ben Lewin's odd, off-putting, and by-the-numbers direction.

[6.75/10] Killer Joe (2012)

Killer Joe (2012)

QuickRating: "Killer Joe"'s bizarre, brutal nature certainly won't be everyone's cup of tea, but on the other hand, there's something truly mesmerizing about this twisted, uncompromising, and shockingly violent thriller, brought by "Exorcist" director William Friedkin, that will keep you glued to the screen the entire time. Matthew McConaughey portrays his vile and unpredictable character phenomenally well, and the rest of the cast also give very solid performances.

[6.50/10] Tower Block (2012)

Tower Block (2012)

QuickRating: Even though the execution could have been better and the direction stronger, "Tower Block" still wins points for originality, thanks to its clever premise, and fairly inventive script, plus, having a similar setting to "The Raid" and "Dredd", this British thriller is also grim, gritty, and even somewhat claustrophobic. The truly credible performances add to the story, and make the overall experience a whole lot more gripping and effective, if hardly that memorable.

[5.50/10] Seven Psychopaths (2012)

Seven Psychopaths (2012)

QuickRating: To say McDonagh's promisingly titled action comedy, "Seven Psychopaths", is overrated would be an understatement. Sure, it has a somewhat original premise, reasonably smart script, solid dose of humor, and precisely-chosen cast, but in the end somewhat none of these elements fit together, and the end result is an underwhelming mess of a movie, that pretends to be more clever, funny, witty, and refreshing than it actually is.

[6.75/10] Lawless (2012)

Lawless (2012)

QuickRating: It's slightly uneven, and at times even monotonous, because it lacks the dynamic and energy that could have made it even better than it already is, but "Lawless" successfully makes up for these flaws with its gripping story and brilliant cast, all of whom deliver powerful performances, plus, set in the early 1930's this beautifully-shot vintage drama has an incredibly authentic feel to it, thanks to the outstanding cinematography, and top-notch production design.

[6.00/10] Savages (2012)

Savages (2012)

QuickRating: While far from being one of Oliver Stone's most finest achievements due to its incoherent, at time even chaotic plot structure, and Stone's tendency to overdirect certain scenes in order to add some extra roughness to his film, but in the end "Savages" is a rather successful effort than not, thanks to the brilliantly-chosen cast, director's edgy shooting style, vibrant cinematography, and last but not least, the absolutely electric sexual chemistry between the three lead, in-love characters.

[4.00/10] Alex Cross (2012)

Alex Cross (2012)

QuickRating: It has a strong, and downright insane villain that kind of saves it from being a complete and utter disaster, but despite that "Alex Cross" i still ultimately forgettable, and feels incredibly generic and  too dated for today's standards, plot-wise and execution-wise. On the top of that, its main hero played by the otherwise charming Tyler Perry is bland and clumsy character you may find hard to root for, and unfortunately, that brings the movie down even further.

[7.25/10] The Sapphires (2012)

The Sapphires (2012)

QuickRating: It's no "Dreamgirls", but "The Sapphires" is an engaging and uplifting based-on-a-true-story Aussie musical, mashed-up with a touch of romance, drama and even action bits, that has a cutting-edge wittiness, strong characterization, and even stronger performances, and stylish retro vibe about it, that makes it as visually appealing, as it's entertaining. Not to mention the singing is beyond impressive, and the musical numbers are a joy to watch, and, of course, listen.

[7.00/10] Mental (2012)

Mental (2012)

QuickRating: With its peculiar story, colorful characters, sharp script, vivid cinematography and vibrant visuals, this unique Aussie dramedy, "Mental", lives up to its title, and proves to be mental, indeed, but in the best possible sense of the world. Every single one of the youngsters involved do an absolutely brilliant job in their difficult roles, but it's Toni Collette that makes it as special as it is, and takes the delightful quirkiness of the film to a whole new level.

[6.25/10] Wish You Were Here (2012)

Wish You Were Here (2012)

QuickRating: Although hardly memorable or particularly original, this Aussie mystery thriller has an authentic sense of realism, that makes the whole story a lot more believable, plus, its intriguing plot full of twists and turns will keep you wondering throughout the entire running time, as well as entertain you, thanks to the truly wonderful performances by Australian stars Felicity Price and Joel Edgerton.

[6.00/10] The Campaign (2012)

The Campaign (2012)

QuickRating: It has a pretty weak start, it's silly, crude, clumsy and raunchy to the point of being vulgar, and both Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis' characters are total douches, but "The Campaign" is actually s funny, at times so funny, it's absolutely hysterical, plus, it has an emotional side nobody's actually expecting, which side turns it from an over-the-top political comedy to a feel-good story that will melt your hearts as well as make you laugh out loud. Real hard.

[6.00/10] For a Good Time, Call (2012)

For a Good Time, Call (2012)

QuickRating: Sure, the constant indoor environment hardly works in the movie's favor, and makes it look  a bit too cheap, and honestly said, Jamie Travis' direction is nothing to write home about, but that doesn't change the fact that "For a Good Time, Call" is sexy, seductive and shamelessly lascivious and dirty comedy, filled with many hilarious moments, as lots of joyous ones, that is further elevated by Graynor's sweet, lively performance.

[4.50/10] Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)

QuickRating: The oddball romance between the two protagonists has its charm, and the whole idea of finding someone to share the last ours of the world is intriguing enough in itself, but its the complete lack of genuine chemistry between the two leads, monotonous, at times moody narrative, and unappealing settings that bring the film down, and make the overall experience rather dull, and the movie instantly forgettable and deeply unsatisfying.

[8.25/10] Frankenweenie (2012)

Frankenweenie (2012)

QuickRating: Paying homage to such classics as "Pet Sematary" and "Godzilla", Burton's "Frankenstein" inspired stop-motion horror spoof "Frankenweenie" is crafted with big love, care, and passion, and that shows through the lively, superbly-written and designed characters,  and darkly stunning black-and-white visuals. Although typically grim and Gothic in tone and look, this film has a truly endearing story that will melt your heart, as well as humor that will make you smile and cheer.

[7.75/10] ParaNorman (2012)

ParaNorman (2012)

QuickRating: Slightly scary for little kids, but great fun for the older ones (as well as adults) seeking for something different, and even softly chilling, "ParaNorman" may lack the creativity, complexity and slickness of "Coraline", but it's nevertheless an inventive, incredibly well-crafted and marvellously-animated stop motion feature, with smart script, dark sense of humor, unique visual approach, impressive attention to detail, and last but not least a climax with surprising emotional depth.

[7.00/10] Brave (2012)

Brave (2012)

QuickRating: The story about a rebellious tomboy princess is a bit too by-the-numbers and lacking in originality, and definitely not on par with Pixar's finest efforts, but still "Brave" is entertaining and thrilling enough to hold youngster's (and their parents) interest for about 93 minutes, thanks to the brisk pacing, joyous nature, engaging characters, and some magical moments, but above all the splendid animation, which is vibrant, rich in color and detail, and exquisitely-designed.

[5.75/10] The Barrens (2012)

The Barrens (2012)

QuickRating: After last year's truly disastrous "11-11-11", Darren Lynn Bousman's "The Barrens" is a step in the right direction. The lack of decent budget obviously reflects on some of the films production values such as cinematography, props and practical effects, but thankfully the director makes up for that with an appropriate forest setting and eerie atmosphere, and even though the film is far from terrifying, it blends psychological and visceral horror in an intriguing and unique way.