The Dark Knight Rises | BabbleOn 5 Movie Reviews

Happy New Year Babblers!! 2011 has come and gone, and 2012 is bringing a whole new batch of movies for us to geek out and gush over. With so many great titles coming out this year, it’s hard to pick just 10 to be excited for.

Honorable Mentions:

Titanic 3D: (April 6) Ok, so this is technically a re-release but I can’t help but be excited for this one. 14 years later, Titanic continues to fill me with awe and angst. I know there are many who don’t like the current trend of converting films to 3D, but let’s remember that Titanic was directed by the same man who pioneered the technology used in Avatar, and I can think of a few sequences from Titanic that will look pretty awesome in 3D.

Life of Pi : (December 21) There’s not a lot of hype around this movie, but I really loved the book and I’m curious to see what director Ang Lee will do with a protagonist that is stuck alone at sea with a lifeboat full of animals.

World War Z: (December 12) Brad Pitt stars in the film adaptation of the Max Brooks’ novel. Zombie lovers everywhere can’t wait and neither can I.

The Five Year Engagement: (April 27) This is probably the only romantic comedy I’m looking forward to and that’s mostly because it’s produced by Judd Apatow and stars Jason Segel.

Cloud Atlas: (October) I’m mostly interested in this because the Wachowski brothers are attached to this as 2 of the 3 directors for this seemingly ambitious film that involves 6 loosely connected story lines and a stellar cast including Tom Hanks, Hugo Weaving, Susan Sarandon, and Halle Berry.

The Cabin in the Woods: (April 13) Joss Whedon has more than one movie starring Chris Hemsworth coming to theaters this year, but this one is a 3D horror thriller.

And now for the top 10:

10. Les Miserables – Dec 7

Director: Tom Hooper

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Eddie Redmayne

I bumped this to my top 10 after hearing that in lieu of pre-recorded vocals, director Tom Hooper is making the cast sing live on set. I love both the book and the musical, and I know Broadway lovers are eager to see a film adaptation of the long-standing musical.

9. Snow White and the Huntsman – June 1

Director: Rupert Sanders

Cast: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron

I didn’t think much of this movie until I saw the trailer, which is pretty badass thanks to Charlize Theron’s ominous voiceover. Theron plays the Evil Queen and I’m sort of hoping more of the movie focuses on her (and the gorgeous Chris Hemsworth) than on Kristin Stewart. I mean honestly, in what world is Stewart “fairer ” than Charlize Theron? That aside, the movie seems like a unique, epic, and dark twist on the classic fairy tale and I’m interested to see if it delivers.

8. Skyfall – October 26

Director: Sam Mendes

Cast: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes

Quantum of Solace was a bit of let down, but I loved Casino Royale and Daniel Craig enough to still be excited for this next installment. With Sam Mendes at the helm and Javier Bardem as the main villain, looks like the next chapter of the 007 series is going to be far from disappointing.

7. Django Unchained – December 25

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Cast: Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christopher Waltz, Joseph Gordon-Levitt

The movie is being directed by Quentin Tarantino. That should be enough. No? Ok, the movie is directed by Quentin Tarantino and is about a slave-turned-bounty hunter hellbent on rescuing his wife and getting revenge on his former master. Still not enough? How about this? The movie is directed by Quentin Tarantino, is about a slave-turned-bounty hunter hellbent on rescuing his wife and getting revenge on his former master, AND the cast includes Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christopher Waltz, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, AND SAMUEL L. JACKSON. Get excited. NOW.

6. Prometheus – June 8

Director: Ridley Scott

Cast: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Idris Elba, Charlize Theron

Ridley Scott makes a return to sci-fi in this sort-of-but-not-really-but-probably-is prequel to the Alien series. This upcoming installment seems like a true classic, big budget sci-fi movie, with some horror elements as well and with such a great cast, this looks like it will be one of the best blockbusters of summer 2012.

5. Brave – June 22

Director: Mark Andrews

Cast: Kelly Macdonald, Julie Walters, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Robbie Coltrane, John Ratzenberber

Let’s pretend Cars 2 didn’t happen. Pixar is a power factory for movies with great stories, gorgeous visuals, and characters to fall in love with. Cars 2 aside (again), I think every Pixar film since Monsters Inc. has either had me bawling like a little baby, or at the very least, misty eyed. Surprisingly, this is Pixar’s first film with a Disney-style princess lead and I can’t what to see what they do with it.

4. The Hobbit – Dec 14

Director: Peter Jackson

Cast: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Hugo Weaving, Christopher Lee

Who’s NOT excited about another epic adventure through Middle Earth? Any other year, this movie would be number one on my list. Martin Freeman stars as the young Bilbo Baggins and there will be plenty of returning appearances from the LOTR cast. Peter Jackson is back to direct this prequel to the much beloved trilogy and from the looks of the trailer, this movie is everything we’re hoping for.

3. The Hunger Games – March 23

Director: Gary Ross

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Hemsworth

If you’ve read the books, you know that they’re practically perfect for a film adaptation: A dystopian society, teenagers fighting to the death Battle Royale style, and a kickass female lead. Jennifer Lawrence plays Katniss Everdeen, who struggles to stay alive in The Hunger Games while rebelling against the government that put her there in the first place and dealing with growing feelings for fellow ally and competitor, Peeta Mellark.

2. The Dark Knight Rises – July 2012

Director: Chris Nolan

Cast: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, and Marion Cotillard

DUH. The only reason this movie is #2 on the list is because of The Avengers. I have no doubt The Dark Knight Rises will be the better film, but we already know what to expect from Christopher Nolan in this final chapter of the Batman saga.

1. The Avengers – May 4

Director: Joss Whedon

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Samual L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg . . did I get them all?

Iron Man. Captain America. Thor. Hulk. Black Widow. Hawkeye. Nick Fury. ONE MOVIE. I’m still in awe that this movie is being made. We’ve been waiting for it since Nick Fury stepped out of the shadows of Iron Man in 2008. Four years and four cameo-laden, reference-filled, and stinger-capped movies later, the wait is almost over. AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!!

Updated 1.19.11
Christopher Nolan announced more casting decisions in regards to The Dark Knight Rises. Anne Hathaway as the slinky Selina Kyle aka: Catwoman. Tom Harding (Inception) has been cast as the drug induced, brawler Bane. Harding was right at home in Nolan’s Inception last year. Doe-eyed Hathaway is not known for such ‘dark’ films as Nolan’s gravitas-heavy Batman so this should be interesting. Thoughts?

Below were past rumors from last year:

Natalie Portman and Blake Lively are fan favorites to be Batman’s love interest or villain.

But which character do you want to see as Catwoman? Actresses Keira Knightley, Anne Hathaway, Naomi Watts, and Rachel Weisz are also on a short list for the unknown role in the upcoming Dark Knight movie.