The Top Nine Most Anticipated Movies of 2012

Identifying movies worthy of your time and money before they’ve actually hit the big screen is an inexact science wrought with rumors, assumptions, and snap judgments. So why do I do it? Just like other movie lovers, I’m easily seduced by flashy trailers promising the ultimate movie-going experience. The allure of riveting action, epic characters, intricately plotted stories, and mind-blowing special effects keeps me tuned in the previews, hoping the movie can deliver on the trailer’s promises.

In addition to my own research on this year’s upcoming movies, I’ve scoured the web to find the movies with the most buzz. Take a look at this year’s most anticipated movies for 2012 and let me know which ones you’re interested in seeing:

Underworld Awakening

Release Date: January 20

Stars: Kate Beckinsale, Stephen Rea, and Michael Ealy

Plot: Kate Beckinsale reprises her role as a Selene, a vampire warrior who has been imprisoned during a centuries-old war between the opposing vampire and werewolf races. In this latest installment of the franchise, Selene escapes imprisonment only to discover that humans are now aware of the existence of Vampires and Lycans and have waged war against both species.

Snap Judgment: The vampire’s aren’t sparkling, no one’s whimpering about love, and Kate Beckinsale squeezes back into her awesomely skin-tight leather pants. The trailer offers plenty of exciting action scenes.  I am a little leery about the use of 3D in this film. If it’s done well and actually adds to the story, it will be awesome, but if it’s sprinkled throughout the film simply because it’s the thing to do, I’m concerned it will distract from the plot and come across as a desperate attempt to appeal to 3D movie-goers who may not be familiar with the saga.

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

Release Date: February 17

Stars: Nicolas Cage, Fergus Riordan, and Ciaran Hind

Plot: Nicolas Cage returns as the devil’s bounty hunter, Johnny Blaze. Johnny is hiding out in Europe when he’s contacted by the church to save child from the Antichrist.

Snap Judgment: The Ghost Rider is one of the most badass anti-heroes of all time – he defies the superhero genre with his demonic looks and hellish superpower of sucking out his enemies foes. Early reviews lambast the film, calling it a failure on all levels. Personally, I don’t care. I’ll still pay to see Cage flame on.

Wrath of the Titans

Release Date: March 30

Stars: Sam Worthington, Ralph Fiennes, and Liam Neeson

Plot: Sam Worthington is back as Perseus, who has been tasked with rescuing Zeus from the underworld.

Snap Judgment: Anything related to Greek mythology wins favor with me, but this time around things look a little grittier. The imaginative digital monsters (Titans) are incredibly impressive. My only real concern has to do with the acting. It’s no secret thatSam Worthington isn’t the greatest actor to grace the screen. He usually comes across as stiff and his delivery of lines makes the dialogue sound even more ridiculous. Hopefully director Jonathan Liebesman can keep the actors grounded in their reality.

Marvel’s The Avengers

Release Date: May 4

Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, and Samuel L. Jackson

Plot: The international peacekeeping agency, S.H.I.E.L.D., brings together a team of super-heroes to save the planet from a galactic threat.

Snap Judgment: I’m intrigued. Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America all on the same team? Initially, this sounds like superhero overload. Loki, the villain, must be pretty badass to bring all of these solo crime fighters together to defeat him.

Snow White and the Huntsman

Release Date: June 1

Stars: Kristen Stewart, CharlizeTheron, and Chris Hemsworth

Plot: Turning the classic fairy tale upside down, this reimaged take portrays the Huntsman ordered to kill Snow White as a protector/tutor in a quest to defeat the Evil Queen.

Snap Judgment: When I first heard the movie’s title, I envisioned another remake of ABC’s wildly popular night-time series, Once Upon a Time, but when I read the synopsis, I knew this wasn’t my grandma’s fairly tale. Once I saw Chris Hemsworth (Thor) swinging an axe, I knew I was ready for this Snow White do over.

The Amazing Spider-Man

Release Date: July 3

Stars: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Sally Field, Martin Sheen, and Denis Leary

Plot: Teenager Peter Parker struggles with the issues of high school and having super-human powers.

Snap Judgment: My first thought: another Spiderman? Do we really need another reboot of this franchise? Then I started thinking about the latest installments of the Spidey films and my answer is a resolute yes. My only hope is that this version ditches the Brady Bunch feel of the Tobey Maguire films and gets a little grittier.

The Dark Knight Rises

Release Date: July 20

Stars: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Plot: Taking place eight years after the last film, terrorist leader, Bane,arrive in Gotham City, forcing Batman to re-emerge as the city’s hero.

Snap Judgment: I’ve been waiting a long time for Chris Nolan’s third and final installment of the Batman trilogy and the trailer certainly piqued my interest. It didn’t give much away, enticing me to see the film all the more. I’m also intrigued to see Anne Hathaway as Catwoman – I think a lot of people underestimate her acting chops. I’m looking forward to seeing what she does with the role.

Skyfall

Release Date: July 20

Stars: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Dame Judi Dench, and Ralph Fiennes.

Plot: Daniel Craig returns as Secret Agent James Bond, where his loyalty to M and the agency is tested.

Snap Judgment: Finally! A Bond storyline that isn’t a continuation of the 2006 hit Casino Royale. Don’t get me wrong – I enjoyed Casino Royale; I’m just ready to discover a new, enticing plot. I like how Craig’s Bond has more depth and the fight scenes containa type of brutish realism. I’m looking forward to seeing where Director Sam Mendes takes the franchise.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Release Date: December 14

Stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, and Elijah Wood

Plot: HobbitBilbo Baggins journeys to the Lonely Mountain with a group of Dwarves to retrieve the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor was taken by the dragon Smaug.

Snap Judgment: There’s a charming familiarity to this trailer. You’re immediately whisked back to The Shire, where you catch a glimpse of our beloved hero, Frodo. Just as it starts to feel like a trip down memory lane, a string of new characters (Dwarves) are introduced. While this comical collection of Fellows promises to be entertaining to watch, it’s the darker elements of the trailer that grab a hold of your imagination and don’t let go. This is, rightfully so, the most anticipated film of 2012.