Born Movie Reviews

Movie Analysis written by: Born Movie Reviews

It could be because of fanboy-ness. It could be because the film received a huge cult status afterwards. The film deserving its popularity is one thing. Calling this popular film one of the best films of the year is another. Alongside films being missed, there is another collection of films that were loved too much. These may still be good films, but they may have taken in too much praise, and here are the five films that I believed were good or great films but were overhyped.

5. LES MISÉRABLES

Les Misérables is definitely one of the most ambitious films of the year. However, it is not one of the best. Though ambitious and mostly successful, with some of the best performances of the year, Les Misérables is a problem movie, and this is mostly because it was a musical-converted film. As a result, the film loses its power on many filmmaking aspects regarding storytelling and directing. Fortunately for the film, these problems do not downgrade the film's quality. However, it is inevitable to address these problems and be aware that Les Misérables is a film that is heavy on goals and a little light on its impact. In conclusion, Les Misérables is a grand piece, however not deserving for Best Picture.

4. THE WOMAN IN BLACK

I have lost count on how many times someone told me that The Woman in Black was one of the scariest films they have ever seen. In my experience as a film critic, the horror genre is one of my most strict genres, and with everyone recommending The Woman in Black to me, my expectations did nothing but go up. Honestly truly, the film was probably scary to audience viewers because Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) was the lead character, someone that the audience can automatically relate to within the first five minutes. As a result, the film forgot to do something key in the horror genre: Develop the characters. Arguably, the film was rewarded with a great production design and art direction, with good props and sets for the haunted house. In addition, lighting and cinematography helped out Woman in Black on a visual basis. Unfortunately, the film lacks a pulse in its storytelling as well as its scares, relying only on sudden loud noises to make the audience jump. Worse, the Woman in Black finishes with a plague of plot holes and an illogical and unsatisfying third act. If you are looking for a decent horror film that came out in the recent years, go with Ethan Hawke in Sinister, which sits in my top ten underrated of 2012. As for The Woman in Black, you may watch it if you want, but seen it or have not seen it, it makes no difference.

3. BRAVE

Known as the Pixar film of 2012, Brave came in too short of our standards. After disappointing the audience with Cars 2, Brave merely improved. Though a Pixar film, the entire premise and storytelling style of the film was infected with DreamWorks. The actual plot of the film is interesting and contains enough depth for a Pixar film to pursue. Unfortunately, the plot was not only highly predictable, but also unnecessarily packed with elementary school humor. Unlike Pixar once again, Brave has no memorable screen duo. Is the duo the girl and the bear? Perhaps, but nowhere near as clear as a duo like Woody and Buzz. As a whole, Brave is a good animated film, perfectly adequate for the animation genre. However, the fact that this film was presented by Pixar is nothing but disappointing. As a controversial opinion, Brave is not only undeserving to be the best animated film of 2012, but it is also probably one of my least favorite Pixar films. Then again, if viewed as an animated film alone, it serves its purpose, but could have been far better in terms of themes, characters, and a Pixar vibe.

2. TED

Truly, Ted is an interesting and hilarious idea. However, anyone who calls Ted the best comedy of 2012 is sadly mistaken. On a comedy level,Ted hits and misses, exactly the same as Seth MacFarlane's show Family Guy. Instead of using wit and cleverness to its jokes, Ted relies too heavily on pop culture and vulgar humor that crosses the line into the Hangover boundary. Comedies indeed need to present a hilarious premise to make the audience laugh, but inevitably, it is still a film. Films need to tell a story. Yes, Ted holds an impressive moral within its third act, but the film as a whole is overfed with vulgar jokes. As a comedy, the film does indeed work. It takes a simple but funny concept and turns it into the most entertaining party-fest of a movie. However, if you are looking for the best comedy of the year, do not expect it from Ted. Drive down on the road with your thunder buddy until you hit 21 Jump Street.

1. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Did it deserve its 1 billion dollar box office? Yes. Did it deserve to be recognized as one of the greatest summer blockbusters of 2012? Yes. Is it the best film of the year? No. Is it the best film of the Nolan trilogy? Absolutely not. On the contrary, The Dark Knight Rises is probably the worst out of the trilogy, in terms of filmmaking. Do not get me wrong. I awarded Rises a bold 9/10. However, the film is another example of Nolan's ambition not being fully achieved. Here, I would say he has accomplished much more in Inception than The Dark Knight Rises. Even though it was marketed as the finale of the trilogy, the film's plot is undoubtedly too dense. Too many new characters. Too many new plot lines. WhatDark Knight Rises needed to do was to take the role of Part 2, where it gives The Dark Knight the title of Part 1. With an over-exaggerated heroic portrayal of Batman escaping the Pit, unclear purposes of villains, and an unsatisfactory lead villain, there is nothing in Rises that has been seen before and done better in both its predecessors. Compared to Begins and Dark Knight, Rises lacks a philosophical agenda, and thus, the film is troubled by weaker characters. The film is indeed a great conclusion to the Nolan trilogy, and it plays on the largest scale. However, in order to fully enjoy Rises, move aside both its predecessor, because once you start comparing, Rises never rose up to the expectations that we had. Sorry, Christopher Nolan. And you thought that the Oscar trophy would come in black.