Review: 2012 Top Ten

So it is once again that time of the year when everyone wants to shout out their opinion on which should be named the ten best movies of the year. If you think this blog is any different to all those rants you are mistaken; we will undeniably nominate ten movies as The Movie Watch’s “Top Ten of 2012”, as we have done in the past. But never the less we do hope our list will be somewhat enlightening in terms of tastes and options. And once again we do not intend to rank our choices in terms of elitist taste; these are just some movies we highly recommend you don’t miss, and probably best you catch before awards season. 

With no further ado, these are The Movie Watch’s Top Ten of 2012 in no particular order, other than alphabetical. Some have not been reviewed, we have been lazy this last few months, but reviews will come up ASAP. Anyway, here is our list:

Peter Wayland Gives A TED Talk on PROMETHEUS

This video was intended to be viral campaign for Prometheus. It features Guy Pierce as a young Peter Wayland, giving the world a TED Talk. It is an interesting effort, and Guy Pierce does an amazing job as the young corporate visionary who will, indirectly, end up destroying the Earth (that is if we are still counting Alien: Resurrection as canon). Anyways enjoy:

Review: PROMETHEUS

If a Facehugger from the Alien franchise ever face-raped 2001: A Space Odyssey, the resulting Xenomorph bastard would not be unlike Prometheus, Ridley Scott’s long awaited return to the genre many claim he revolutionized. Prometheus is an ambitious science-fiction film with the lofty goal of presenting questions about the origins of life. Like all great science-fiction literature, it is a blend of thoughtful speculation, great story, awe-inspiring effects, and wonder. And because the Alien franchise is its predecessor the package also includes chilling rape allegories, a nauseating birth scene, and a good amount fetal imagery. All in the name of brilliant filmmaking. 

Ad Classics: RIDLEY SCOTT, "1984" MACINTOSH

           We started posting these “ad classics” under the philosophy that a commercial is a movie told in thirty seconds (sometimes up to two minutes). And because today many movies, like Transformers or New Year’s, are so overwhelmed by product placement that they have essentially become two-hour ads. We have chosen to revive the ‘ad classics’ positing to collect a few more samples of good storytelling, even if they are for commercial ends.

            Ridley Scott is perhaps one of the greatest filmmakers working today. Right after working on Blade Runner, Scott was commissioned by Apple Computers to create the Super Bowl Spot for the release of the first Macintosh. At the time computers were regarded as objects from an Orwellian dystopia by most people. This was because the personal computer had not yet come into existence; the Macintosh was going to change that.

            Apple has always been known for great advertising. They gave us The Misfits Poem and Justin Long with their campaign “I Am A Mac”.  This is the ad that started it all. The  ad cost nearly 1 million dollars, an amount previously unheard of in advertising. Not only was it a marketing success (the ad was re-broadcasted in every subsequent talk show, generating millions in free advertising) but it also shows why we are all so excited for Ridley Scott return to Sci Fi with Prometheus. Enjoy:

The top image is from a "remastered" version where an iPod was added to the runner. George Lucas is not the only person who goes back to re-tweak masterpieces. 

Alien Prequel Morphs into Prometheus

            Ridley Scott’s most recent film Robin Hood started out as a revisionist version of the story entitled ‘Nottingham’, in which the beloved thief was the villain and the sheriff was the hero. Through development it took an 180^o turn and became a rather straightforward version of the story we all know about. Once again his most recent project has morphed. What began as a two-part prequel project to the Alien quadrilogy is now an original science fiction project entitled Prometheus.