Friday, January 04, 2013

It just dawned on me that I should...

have made a list of the Ten Worst Films of 2012.  My version of the "Razzies" so to speak.  I'm not predicting these will be nominated for, or win Razzies, but here's my list:

Worst Films:

A Thousand Words - It's hard to imagine Eddie Murphy reaching a new low that sinks beneath the truly awful Pluto Nash, but this comes darn close.  Lacking any real message and the few laughs it contains don't begin to justify the price of admission.

Alex Cross - While I like a lot of what Tyler Perry does, this year features not one but two films on the worst film list in which he plays the lead.  He's miscast as the detective made famous in the novels by James Patterson and first played on-screen by Morgan Freeman.  It was a good decision to re-cast the role and re-boot the franchise.  It was a bad idea casting Perry.  He can do drama and either he or someone else should write a film that will allow his talents to shine.  This wasn't it.

Dark Horse - I still wonder what was the point of this film. 

For A Good Time, Call - Now this was a film that had a good premise and the two women cast as the leads were right for their respective roles.  However, the final product was not good.

Good Deeds - Again, good concept, showing a successful African-American businessman struggling to find what he really wants from life in terms of relationship and avocation.  It just lost something from the written page to what ended up on the screen.

Lockout - When an "original idea" from Luc Besson doesn't work, something is seriously wrong.

Playing for Keeps - Bruce Willis and Vince Vaughn, settings in Las Vegas, New York City and a lush paradise, with gambling and it still doesn't work.

Red Dawn - Proof that remakes are usually a bad idea.

Safe House - Proof that sometimes it isn't safe to plunk down the price of admission.

The Cold Light of Day - A film that shouldn't have been allowed to see the light of day.  The shelf was the best place for this idea to be left.

Total Recall - See Red Dawn above.

Won't Back Down - Three great actresses in the three lead roles and they just couldn't save this dead on arrival look at what's wrong with public schools.

Worst Director:

Brian Robbins - A Thousand Words

Jamie Travis - For A Good Time, Call

Daniel Barnz - Won't Back Down

James Mather - Lockout

Daniel Espinosa - Safe House


I won't be listing worst performances.  As for worst scripts, all of the above including the adaptations that were remakes should qualify and I don't think I could narrow it down to only five.  Just as I couldn't narrow down the list of worst films to only ten.