Columbia Pictures

There's always been a lot of tripping in movies, and man, is it hilarious. People trip all the time. Why, just the other day, I had dropped my backpack on the floor of my apartment right when I walked in, and as I circled back around really quickly I ended up stepping right into ...

Oh. OHHH. That type of tripping. The one with hallucinogenic drugs. Okay, got it. Yeah, that type of tripping is funny, too. And hey, that's in a bunch of movies as well! Like, say, this week's "This is the End." Or so we hear.

We've counted down for you the Top 15 "tripping" scenes in movies, ranked in order of ... trippiest? We guess?

15. 'Batman Begins' (2005)

The tripping scenes in "Batman Begins" are underrated to the degree that a) they're not done for fun — quite the opposite, in fact — and b) they're kind of an afterthought in the overall arch of the story. But we forget that before we even see Cillian Murphy's Dr. Jonathan Crane unleash his hallucinatory gas on various unsuspecting crime fighters, Liam Neeson (as Ra's Al-Ghul) makes Christian Bale breathe in that trippy-ish gas substance at the lodge where he's training Bale to beat the f**k out of people, to have him "face his fears." Sure, Liam. Also of note: The above clip, wherein Batman finally sprays Crane's hallucinatory gas back at him and becomes a darker, more vicious version of himself through Crane's eyes, would for some reason serve as the model for Bale's Batman voice in the second and third movies of the trilogy.

14. 'Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief' (2010)

Here's Logan Lerman as Percy Jackson in the first "Percy Jackson" film pretty much showcasing your standard "character eats a bunch of mushrooms with his friends for the first time" movie scene, complete with super-slow-motion and bright colors and wide eyes, etc., almost like director Chris Columbus read a "Filming a Fake Mushroom Scene for Dummies" book the night before this was shot. Except Percy and his pals aren't on mushrooms — they're under a spell because Percy is actually a demigod and not an awkward teenage human or something ... but hey, it sure looks like they're on mushrooms, doesn't it?

13. 'Training Day' (2001)

Denzel Washington brought home his first Best Actor Oscar for "Training Day," and it's easy to see why in this scene where he makes partner Ethan Hawke smoke a whole bunch of PCP in the middle of a Los Angeles intersection. You can picture the old white members of the Academy getting together and saying some version of, "Jeez, I probably would'vesmoked that PCP in that situation, too," as they carefully sharpied "Denzel Washington" on the golden eunuch-adorned envelope. Props go to Hawke as well for delivering an A+ "Hey and by the way I just did an absolute balls-load of drugs" face. Ethan Hawke is underrated, right? Don't answer that, because "Yes."

12. 'Flashback' (1990)

I'm not saying that we here at NextMovie endorse the consumption of illegal hallucinogenic narcotics ... but if you had to do it, and you had the choice of two people to do it with, you kind of can't do better than 1990 Kiefer Sutherland and 1990 Dennis Hopper, right? Talk about contrasting styles! (Which I assume was the idea behind the casting choices of the movie. Good going, "Flashback" producers.) Having said that, I can't look at Kiefer Sutherland during this period of his career without thinking of "A Few Good Men." I kept watching the embedded scene waiting for him to look at the camera sternly and saying something like, "Private Santiago was ordered not to be touched ... mannnnn."

11. 'Eurotrip' (2004)

I continue to maintain that "Eurotrip" is the most underrated teen absurdist comedy of the absurdly-prolific "teen absurdist comedy" stretch from 1995-2005 — yes, mainly because of "Scotty Doesn't Know," but also in its consistent offensiveness and re-watchability. Oh, and the chick that plays Mieke is super hot. Embedded above is the fallout from the gang's decision to up and drink a bunch of absinthe (a drink so alcoholic it makes you hallucinate): two twins making with each other in the middle of a German dance floor. It's cool, though, because one of them is Michelle Trachtenberg and she probably deserves it.

10. 'Knocked Up' (2007)

The frequent criticism of the tripping scene in Judd Apatow's "Knocked Up" (meaning, the criticism that I have personally had in my mind ever since I first watched the scene) is that it kind of feels like everyone involved — Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, Apatow, the people in Cirque du Soleil — is trying a little too hard. But then you watch the scene for the 38,375th time and realize, "Man, if I took shrooms and immediately got tickets to Cirque du Soleil even though they're hundreds of dollars and reserved for months in advance but this is a movie so shut up Nick who cares, this is exactly how I would react to the show as well" — meaning, a sense of awe slowly transforming into "Well, I've got to get out of here, and pronto." So you win this round, Apatow. But not "This is 40." That was a loss.

9. 'Super Troopers' (2001)

Though "Super Troopers" sadly (and unjustifiably) didn't take home any golden eunuchs from the 2002 Academy Awards, it at least lived on in the hearts and minds of people everywhere who liked laughing at helpless dudes being f**ked with when they're high by law enforcement officers. Embedded above we have the opening scene of the film, wherein Christina Hendricks' husband (YES, CHRISTINA HENDRICKS' HUSBAND, I KNOW) is forced to eat a bunch of weed and mushrooms when the bad-intentioned cops pull him and his buddies over. Hilarity ensues, the shnozberries taste like shnozberries, etc. etc.

8. 'Altered States' (1980)

One thing we can confidently say about William that might not, ahem, Hurt his feelings (God, I'm so sorry, why, why?) is that the man has never been afraid to take any on any role. You're just not going to typecast Bill Hurt. Enter his very first film role as a Harvard scientist who just keeps blowing his own mind with hallucinogenic drugs until he literally can't stop doing it. And other than "Altered States 2: Back in the Saddle" and "Altered States 3: Sorry About Altered States 2,"* he of course was never pigeon-holed as your standard scientist/LSD addict character in your every-day Cusackian romcoms (thank goodness). See if you can get through :45 seconds of the embedded scene above without wanting to throw your computer out your window from the scene's background noise.

*These movies don't exist.

7. 'Old School' (2003)

Aha, a curveball! A Seann William Scott-endorsed curveball, friends, in the form of the "You got a f**king dart in your neck" scene from "Old School." Though it's not just a straight LSD or acid trip, it may as well be — and besides, who the hell knows what they put in those tranquilizer guns from Mexico, anyway ... for all we know, it's LSD. Will Ferrell takes down a few kids, falls into a pool and (kind of sadly, actually) dreams about his fallen friend Blue singing "Dust in the Wind" to him and his ex-wife on a beach. Actually now that I write that out, it's actually really sad. Damn it, "Old School." Let's move on.

6. '21 Jump Street' (2012)

Having (SPOILER!) never actually done shrooms or acid myself, if the experience is anything like what Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum have to deal with in "21 Jump Street" ... I just don't see the appeal. For one, Rob Riggle's face is already a chocolate ice cream cone to me — I'll lick the side of his face whenever I possibly can, so that's out the window. But if everyone's head just changes into random, horrifying shapes when you're trying to talk to them, I just don't think that's anything I would willingly wish to experience. Props to the uploader of this video, by the way, for calling it "21 Jump Street (2012) — Tripping Major Balls." How very unsubtle.

5. 'A Scanner Darkly' (2006)

Actually, scratch that whole previous paragraph; it's the above scene from Richard Linklater's (and Philip K. Dick's) "A Scanner Darkly" that will make me never do any type of mushroom or acid. And, yes, it's unlikely that a green dude with a thousand blinking eyes will emerge from nowhere and read all of my sins to me from a scroll as soon as I partake, but on the other hand, it's acid — I'm supposed to assume that something's not going to happen? That's a bad idea. By the way, is Richard Linklater the most versatile director of all time? The "Before" movies, oh and also "School of Rock," oh and also "Waking Life" and "A Scanner Darkly." We get it, Rich. You're talented. God.

4. 'Trainspotting' (1996)

The top comment on the above video is the following: "Drugs are bad, m'kay?" And, yeah — when they induce visions of a sinister baby crawling on the ceiling of your bedroom, drugs are indeed bad, m'kay? Even if you're Ewan McGregor. Maybe even especially if you're Ewan McGregor. As an aside, I've been trying to figure out who that baby looks like, and I've decided it's the kid from "The Big Green" and "The Sandlot" if he shaved his head and then overslept after a long night of drinking. IMDb tells me his name is "Patrick Renna." Feel free to disagree, but, you know, you're wrong.

3. 'Taking Woodstock' (2009)

After watching a bunch of LSD videos from movies featuring exploding shark heads and talking ice cream cones and Gilbert Gottfried emerging out of a watermelon from a volcano, the LSD scene from "Taking Woodstock" is refreshing in its simplicity. It's pretty much just Demetri Martin and Paul Dano touching each other and pointing at things. Speaking of Demetri — he kind of kills this role, right? I mean I guess it's not so absurd for an intentionally droll, one-liner comic to play a hippie that trips out at Woodstock, but still, it was ballsy of director Ang Lee to cast Martin at the time, and all things considered, it worked out for him. Ang Lee rules. Let's be friends, Ang.

2. 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' (1998)

Though I am personally preferential to the Bill Murray version of Hunter S. Thompson in 1980's "Where the Buffalo Roam" — not necessarily because the movie was better, but because Bill Murray is better than everyone alive, including you, me, the Pope, everyone you've ever loved, etc. — Terry Gilliam's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" with Johnny Depp 18 years later absolutely kills the scenes in which Depp (as Thompson, sorta) hits Vegas after taking a whoooollle bunch of hallucinogens. So, pretty much the entire film. And credit to Depp where it's due, even though he isn't Murray — he carries the movie, even if the costume designer for some reason decided to dress him as Jeremy Piven.

1. 'The Big Lebowski' (1998)

The prospect of describing the plot of "The Big Lebowski" to those who haven't seen the movie has always been somewhat difficult, but the next time you have to do that, start off with something like, "It's been 15 years — please just see the f**king movie," but then send them the link to the above video, which features the hallucination that The Dude has after being drugged by Jackie Treehorn. If they watch this scene and don't immediately want to watch the movie, then you've done all you can, and the next step is to seriously reassess those with whom you choose to spend your free time.

Universal

Looks like T-Rex'll be keeping that slight lead in the kill count race against Velociraptor for a little longer ... and possibly forever.

Universal has pulled an "Ian, FREEZE" on its plans to begin production on "Jurassic Park 4" this summer, thereby opening up its prime release date spot for the "21 Jump Street" sequel to hop into.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, producers were readying to begin rolling as early as June, but delays in passing along a script draft have caused it to slow things down indefinitely.

The studio released this expectably vanilla statement on the matter: "In coordination with filmmakers, Universal has decided to release Jurassic Park 4 at a later date giving the studio and filmmakers adequate time to bring audiences the best possible version of the fourth installment in Universal’s beloved franchise."

Meanwhile, one of the film's employees was quoted as tweeting, "Hollywood makes and crushes dreams. Goodbye JP4." Yikes.

As recently as May 2, director Colin Trevorrow was tweeting pictures of landscapes presumably used in the film, using the hashtag #JP4. He has not tweeted since then.

With Universal vacating the prime June 13, 2014 box office real estate, Sony leaped right into it for their "21 Jump Street 2," which was originally poised to face off with Michael Bay's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" on June 6, 2014 (in other words, the stoner youth demographic would've had some tough decisions to make that weekend).

And if you're thinking this "Jurassic Park 4" shelving is, like, no big deal typical Hollywood stuff and whatnot, just take a quick look at some of the drama going down on Twitter as a result of the news. These people are taking it pretty hard.

JURASSIC PARK 4 HAS BEEN DELAYED. THIS IS NOT WHAT I NEED RIGHT NOW. GUTTED. GUT-TED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

— Lucy Upshall (@lupshall24) May 9, 2013

Jurassic Park 4 is being delayed. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

— Sam Whitehouse (@SamProphecy) May 9, 2013

Jurassic Park 4 has been delayed indefinitely? Right, time for suicide.

— AndrewC (@Comptinator) May 9, 2013

Once again Jurassic Park 4 has been put on hold. I want this movie to come out! Will life ever find a way?

— Sherw Krueger (@SherwKrueger) May 9, 2013

universal officially delays Jurassic park 4... kill me now X(

— marco titaley (@martitaley) May 9, 2013

So, uh, tighten up there dino team.

Sony

Now, here's a sequel people actually do want to see.

Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the co-directors on "21 Jump Street," have just accepted the assignment of helming the second installment, which'll send Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) off to college — or, as Captain Dickson (Ice Cube) phrased it, the place where those two cowboys will be allowed to "drink booze, smoke weed with kids, and f**k anything with a big ass in jeans with low self-esteem."

As SlashFilm details, producer Neal Moritz spilled the beans to Collider about the filmmakers' return, which was uncertain given their current involvement with "The Lego Movie." Evidently, they'll be able to squeeze in their work on the "Jump Street" sequel as post-production work on "Lego" ensues with the VFX team. Hooray!

Moritz also shared a few details about the script, the second draft for which is currently "coming along."

"It leads off where we ended the last film and our guys are going to college. The relationship developed quite a bit in the first movie and now we’re kind of in the marriage phase between the two guys," he explained. "Now they're actual partners, so they're married — what happens once marriage starts? In certain ways, it’s kind of like the 'Seven Year Itch' of police buddy comedies."

The producer added, "What worked so well about the first one was — it was funny, yes, there was good action, yes — but really what worked more than anything was that there was great heart.  That’s the thing we’ve been working really hard on, just try and make sure that the heart of the first one is there for the second one."

He expects the film to go into production as early as September or October for a release in summer 2014.

Universal

Nostalgia is a funny thing. There's a very fine line between honoring characters, toys, cartoons and movies from the past and exploiting them. So every time a high-profile remake or relaunch comes along, whether it's "Transformers," "Star Wars" or "The A-Team," fans around the country hold their breath. Is it going to be good or is it going to crap all over your childhood again?

Well, fans of the cult classic 1985 John Hughes film "Weird Science" are about to find out, as according to Deadline, producer Joel Silver and writer Michael Bacall are about to remake it.

Of course, the knee-jerk reaction from most fans is instant outrage, but this time there may at least be some reason to think a new "Weird Science" could be pretty good.

Firstly, the film does have a decent pedigree already, as Silver produced the original "Weird Science." And then there's the resume of Bacall, who not only is in touch with today's youth culture (see: "Project X") but also has experience adapting beloved 80's cult properties as proven by his acclaimed screenplay for last spring's feature film reboot of "21 Jump Street."

Plus, "Weird Science" just seems like a film begging to be modernized thanks to its story of two geeks who use technology to create the perfect woman. After all, technology has come a long way since 1985 — and geek culture has come even further.

So this one could be decent, even if Silver and Universal are sounding some warning bells by trying to position this as a harder edged iteration by citing "The Hangover" as one of their inspirations. That's just, you know, totally random. But as long as they keep the spirit of the original Hughes classic, we're at least willing to give it a try.

If only for nostalgia's sake.

Universal

Sequels are awesome, plain and simple. Returning to familiar characters and worlds we love is like covering yourself with a warm blanket, although when a sequel is bad it can be like a blanket covered in potato bugs and lice. Studios love sequels because seven times out of ten they open huge, no matter how good they are.

With that in mind, here's 50 of your favorite titles all preparing to get new installments. Some of them are deep into pre-production while others have barely gotten out of the pitch stages, but you'll be salivating at the thought of some of these sweet babies finally making their way to the screen.

'Paranormal Activity 5'

Paramount

Attached: Unknown
Status: The law of diminishing returns seems to have caught up to Paramount's annual license to print money, and even though the last "Paranormal" grossed half its predecessor, producer Jason Blum is gonna keep pumping out a new scarifying unit. While Katie Featherston will no doubt make an appearance in possessed form, the true comeback kid is original writer/director Oren Peli, who will craft the script for the first time since "PA1," but only time will tell if he'll come back to direct as well. His follow-up directing effort, "Area 51," has yet to see the light of day, either for blowing the lid off Roswell or (more likely) 'cause it stinks. | Read More
Release Date/Year: October 25, 2013

'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes'

Attached: Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Jason Clarke, Andy Serkis
Status: Director Rupert Wyatt pulled off the hat trick of making "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" a solid hit despite Tim Burton poisoning the well a decade prior. His original vision for the sequel involved "Full Metal Jacket"-style combat between humans and the ape uprising, but this cool-sounding idea didn't gel with Fox brass, who hired "Cloverfield" helmer Matt Reeves to take over. Pre-production is moving along steadily, with a healthy James Franco-less cast crowed by MVP Andy Serkis as the Che Guevara-esque monkey revolutionary Caesar. | Read More
Release Date/Year: May 23, 2014

'Jurassic Park IV'

Attached: Colin Trevorrow
Status: Here's a project with a history. Since the early 2000s a fourth entry in the JP franchise has been in steady development, with an early script by William Monahan and John Sayles that featured (we s**t you not) hyper-intelligent talking dinosaur commandos with guns. Yeah. That idea went to the dirt farm, and recently Mark Protosevich ("Thor") and husband/wife team Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver ("Rise of the Planet of the Apes") produced a concept that clicked with the studio. Manning the production is Trevorrow, whose "Safety Not Guaranteed" showed an assured grasp of sci-fi and comedy. With "Jurassic Park 3D" wetting people's appetites, now all that's left is to reunite the original trio of Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum and we'll be all set for nostalgia overload. | Read More
Release Date/Year: June 13, 2014

'Transformers 4'

Attached: Mark Wahlberg, Jack Reynor
Status: At first he thought he was out, and then they pulled him back in. Michael Bay seemed like he was through with this series after he essentially leveled Chicago in "Dark of the Moon," but clearly he still has feelings for Optimus Prime and company. Sans Shia, the franchise will move forward in a not-quite reboot/not-quite sequel fashion, with Bay's "Pain & Gain" star Wahlberg leading the charge of the Autobots for this go-round. This fourquel will shoot in Detroit, which luckily comes pre-destroyed, and supposedly involves humans building their own Transformers and having to deal with the repercussions of that, ala "The Terminator." YAWN. | Read More
Release Date/Year: June 27, 2014

'Dumb and Dumber To'

Attached: Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels
Status: Peter and Bobby Farrelly haven't hit a home run in a while, and their "Three Stooges" movie was tepidly received at best. Carrey's star seems to be waning these days as well, which is why it makes sense that the old gang get back together to track Harry and Lloyd in their older-but-not-wiser years. Part of the story is rumored to involve one of them having fathered a child in the past, and having to find said child in order to get a much-needed kidney transplant. Unfortunately Daniels' run on "The Newsroom" and Warner Bros. reluctance to give it the green light may keep it from reaching screens despite a finished script. | Read More
Release Date/Year: 2014

'The Expendables 3'

Lionsgate

Attached: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jackie Chan
Status: Sly Stallone's love letter to his generation of bare-knuckled cinematic badassery continues to thrive, hence a third entry appears to be in the cards. Besides nabbing Chan's chop socky for an extended role, Nicolas Cage is also in the running to bring his brand of crazy. Steven Seagal was approached but will not be in the film, and Stallone has stated his script will revolve around younger recruits to the mercenary game. Supposedly Stallone's wishlist also includes Harrison Ford, Clint Eastwood, Wesley Snipes and Sigourney Weaver.| Read More     Release Date/Year: 2014

'Vacation'

Attached: Ed Helms, Christina Applegate
Status: In a series that has already survived three sequels and some direct-to-DVD atrocities, doing a soft reboot in the spirit of the original doesn't seem like such a bad thing. Hot writers John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein ("Horrible Bosses") were brought on to write and later asked by New Line to direct it as well, with "Hangover" star Helms as an all-grown-up Rusty Griswold leading his own clan across country. Fans are hopeful for an Anthony Michael Hall cameo, but with Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo doing "Vacation" Super Bowl commercials as the Griswolds it doesn't seem like a stretch to have them in on it too, perhaps dying en route like poor Aunt Edna. | Read more
Release Date/Year: 2014

'Zoolander 2'

Attached: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Jonah Hill
Status: While Stiller has reprised really really really good-looking model Derek Zoolander on SNL numerous times since 2001, a bona fide sequel has sparked to life in the last few years. A script was written by Justin Theroux ("Tropic Thunder") featuring Derek and Hansel (Wilson) feeling old and irrelevant in Europe. Will Ferrell's villainous Mugatu will have a prominent role if it gets made, but right now Stiller seems to be occupied with his "Walter Mitty" remake. | Read More
Release Date/Year: 2014

'Marvel's The Avengers 2'

Attached: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Samuel L. Jackson
Status: Phase 2 of the Marvel movieverse will begin this summer with "Iron Man 3" and culminate in another nerdgasm team-up likely to surpass the staggering grosses of the first "Avengers." Master of arms Joss Whedon will return to the director's chair and offer quips aplenty, but as for who will enhance the already considerable group dynamic is unclear. Edgar Wright's "Ant-Man" is scheduled for 2015 as well, so that character may be involved, but persistent rumor has mysterioso android The Vision in the frame to do some avenging. With scripting nearly complete, it's only a matter of time before we know if Downey Jr. can be wooed back into the fold for one last go-round as ol' shellhead. | Read More
Release Date/Year: May 1, 2015

'Star Wars: Episode VII'

Attached: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Status: Perhaps the most long-awaited sequel in history, and one we were told over and over would never happen, Lucasfilm was sold to Disney late last year to the tune of $4 billion with the promise of strip-mining the "Star Wars" legacy, a key selling point for the studio. Indeed, the plan is to churn out a new trilogy and at least three solo films (literally: one will be about Han Solo) over the course of six years. Considering fans have had decade-long breaks between trilogies, that's a serious feast or famine scenario. Michael Arndt ("Toy Story 3") is scripting this follow-up to "Return of the Jedi" with the aid of OT script vet Lawrence Kasdan, and director J.J. Abrams will boldly go where he's already gone before in that other "Star" franchise. Make no mistake — this is the big one, folks. | Read More
Release Date/Year: Summer 2015

'Pirates of the Caribbean 5'

Disney

Attached: Johnny Depp
Status: Depp has one of the fullest dance cards in Hollywood, but that doesn't mean he's adverse to earning a nine-figure payday, which he's rumored to get up front for his participation in the next installment of Disney's flagship franchise, pun very intended. "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" scribe Jeff Nathanson will again bring nothing to the table for a long-running adventure series that sunk its potential long ago.
Release Date/Year: July 2015

'James Bond 24'

Attached: Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris
Status: With the biggest-grossing Bond ever under his belt, "Skyfall" director Sam Mendes has moved on to greener pastures, leaving a vacated director's seat for some new lucky so-and-so to make their mark. Who could add new life to what has become, at least by "Skyfall," an almost self-reflexively meta-franchise? Not Danny Boyle (ain't interested), not Chris Nolan (busy with "Interstellar"), maybe Ang Lee, perhaps Tom Hooper, but we'd really love to see Martin Campbell come back after crafting the greatest Bond movie ever, "Casino Royale." | Read More
Release Date/Year: Fall 2015

'The Adventures of Tintin: Prisoners of the Sun'

Attached: Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost
Status: We loved the hell out of Steven Spielberg's first "Tintin" flick, which played like the "Indiana Jones" sequel we always wanted. The plan was always to have Spielberg's producing partner (and unofficial co-director) Peter Jackson take the reigns on Part 2, but given the Kiwi's ever-expanding commitments to two (then three) "Hobbit" movies the date for motion capturing keeps getting pushed. Scripting is being done by British TV vet Anthony Horowitz and rumored to be based on Herge's twin stories "The Seven Crystal Balls" and "Prisoners of the Sun," with the inventive Professor Calculus at the center of things and an expanded role for bumbling detectives Thomson and Thompson. | Read More
Release Date/Year: Christmas 2015

'Avatar 2 & 3'

Attached: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver
Status: Yeah, did you know the most successful movie of all time was gonna get a sequel? Huh. James Cameron made enough money off the first one to build his own space fleet but is currently deep into scripting the return to Pandora, which will reportedly explore the oceanographic wonders of the planet as well as neighboring planets in that system. We likely haven't seen the last of the big bad mining corporation or Sigourney Weaver's Grace Augustine. Reportedly each of the two back-to-back sequels will tell a self-contained story free of cliffhangers but will form an overarching trilogy. No story specifics yet, but expect exponentially larger battles and perhaps some cute Na'vi babies. | Read More
Release Date/Year: 2015/2016

'Mission: Impossible 5'

Attached: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton
Status: "Ghost Protocol" was the most successful entry in the series, with the Burj Khalifa-climbing antics taking it to new heights. Christopher McQuarrie has become Cruise's go-to guy in recent years, penning "Valkyrie" and the aborted "Top Gun 2," not to mention directing him in the modestly successful "Jack Reacher." Now Paramount is courting him to write the script for a fifth "M:I" with an eye to direct. Also returning to the fold is J.J. Abrams, who will continue to oversee the series as producer despite commitments to a galaxy far, far away. 

Release Date/Year: 2015

'Finding Nemo 2'

Pixar

Attached: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres
Status: Soon after Andrew Stanton's "John Carter" face-planted at the box office, the Pixar great went immediately back to his comfort zone with a sure-to-please sequel in order to keep his dark masters at Disney happy. The news was great for Brooks as well, who reportedly signed a very lucrative deal to revive the voice of Marlin, and we suspect another celebrity will be brought in to voice a more grown-up Nemo. This is exactly the kind of get-out-of-jail-free card Stanton needs in the wake of a massive bomb, and his deal stipulates he'll get another shot at live action afterwards. | Read More
Release Date/Year: 2016

'Kung Fu Panda 3'

Attached: Jack Black
Status: With Pixar cashing in on sequel after sequel, it's starting to make rival DreamWorks look a little less mercenary in their creative endeavors. It helps that, under the helpful guidance of Guillermo del Toro, the studio has been having a creative renaissance in recent years, enough to rival Pixar. The last two "Kung Fu Panda" films were dynamite, and this threequel brings director Jennifer Yuh Nelson back to the fold. Most interestingly, this will be the first American animated feature co-produced in China, with roughly one-third of the animation being done over there ... under the watchful eye of Chinese censors, of course. |Read More
Release Date/Year: March 18, 2016

'Ghostbusters III'

Attached: Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis
Status: After "Ghostbusters II" was supposedly an unhappy experience for all involved (including the audience), a third film has remained elusive. Aykroyd wrote a script set in Hell in the mid-'90s with Ben Stiller in mind for the lead, but Bill Murray's lack of interest kept the proton packs uncharged. In recent years Sony has attempted to reignite the project, throwing writers Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg at it to no avail. Recently scribe Etan Cohen, who crafted a not-too-shabby "MIB 3," was brought in to do damage control on the script, although word is Bill Murray will have none of it, despite occasionally suggesting he might. If it does happen, Ivan Reitman would direct again, and the baton would be passed to a new generation of spirit chasers a la Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, et al. | Read more
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Army of Darkness 2'

Attached: Sam Raimi
Status: A fourth "Evil Dead" always seemed destined for the land of "never gonna happen," and it turns out that feeling was correct. An "Evil Dead 4" isn't going to happen … it's going to be called "Army of Darkness 2!" The 1992 cult classic brought a new level of silly to the Deadite universe, with Bruce Campbell's Ash giving us plenty of sugar while fighting off the medieval dead. Recently Raimi confirmed that he and brother Ted Raimi have begun writing a preliminary script, and with the announcement that Sam is stepping away from the "Oz" property it could very well wind up being his next picture. Perhaps fans need only read the words of the Necronomicon in order to summon it … | Read More
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Bill and Ted 3'

Attached: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter
Status: It's one thing when fans berate filmmakers into begrudgingly making a sequel, but it's a whole other joy to see the actors and creators themselves take the initiative to will a sequel to life. That's what seems to be happening with "Bill and Ted," as Reeves and Winter have been beating the drum to make it happen for several years. The writers of "Excellent Adventure" and "Bogus Journey," Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon, have written the script and Dean Parisot ("Galaxy Quest") is on board to direct. The story has the now middle-aged duo still trying to write a song to change the world and will see them hop back in the phone booth traveling to the Stone Age. Respectfully, the late George Carlin's Rufus will not be recast.                                                                                                                                                                                                 Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Chronicle 2'

Fox

Attached: Unknown
Status: The idea of a found footage superhero movie turned out to be a highly lucrative one, hence FOX commissioned original writer Max Landis to pen a sequel. Unfortunately, Max's papa John Landis let it slip that FOX wasn't keen on the new evolution Max wanted to take the story in. He has stated that, in an interesting twist, the actual found footage content of the first movie will play a significant role in the second, possibly involving people using the film to look for clues about the mysterious meteor or to track the whereabouts of lone survivor Matt Garetty (Alex Russell). | Read More
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Who Framed Roger Rabbit 2'

Attached: Robert Zemeckis
Status: Here's another one that's been a long time coming, originally discussed as a prequel called "Roger Rabbit: The Toon Platoon" until Spielberg became antsy about satirizing Nazis. Disney changed it into a "Star is Born"-type story about Roger's ascent in show business, but a really crappy CGI test and ballooning budget forced them to cancel the project altogether. Director Robert Zemeckis recently tried to revive it as a direct sequel with original writers Jeffrey Price & Peter S. Seaman, although Bob Hoskins' retirement from acting threw another banana peel under the film. P-P-P-P-P-PLEASE!

Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Beetlejuice 2'

Attached: Tim Burton
Status: In development since the early '90s when it was originally titled "Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian," the sequel has been dead and buried in development hell for ages until screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith was brought in to resurrect the ghost with the most. Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder both seem game to reprise their roles as Beetlejuice and goth chick Lydia, although neither Geena Davis nor Alec Baldwin have been confirmed to continue their haunting as the Maitlands. Supposedly the story will be set in the present, over 25 years after the original took place.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'The Legend of Conan'

Attached: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Status: Arnold starred in two outings as the willful Cimmerian warrior, where he taught us what is best in life ... but what about what is best in death? In the early '00s original director John Milius (with the help of the Wachowski Brothers) wanted to capture the later period of Robert E. Howard's Barbarian when he was "destined to wear the jeweled crown of Aquilonia upon a troubled brow." The resulting script, "King Conan: Crown of Iron," was scuttled after Ahnuld went off to governate California, but now that he's back in the movie game he wants to cap his career with a last hurrah as Conan. Paul Verhoeven of "Total Recall" has expressed an interest in making it, but a director will not be chosen until after writer/producer Chris Morgan ("Fast Five") completes his draft. | Read More
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Untitled Pee-wee Herman Project'

Attached: Paul Reubens
Status: Back in the '90s Reubens was desperate to escape his Pee-wee persona, but over the last few years he's been more than happy to clip on the bow tie and get back to his most iconic character. Although several scripts were written, including one set in The Playhouse aimed at kids and another one aimed at adults, it took comedy powerhouse Judd Apatow to get Reubens back to "Big Adventure" basics: a road movie. Paul Rust, a.k.a. the dude from "I Love You Beth Cooper," is penning the script with Reubens and filming is expected to happen imminently. An ideal director would be someone like Michel Gondry, who has been approached in the past.

Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Prometheus 2'

Fox

Attached: Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace
Status: Okay, so "Prometheus" was not the be-all, end-all of "Alien" prequels, and there's some pretty dumb stuff in it, like that scientist who just LOVES the penis snake vagina worm thing that winds up eating his face. It also was STUNNINGLY gorgeous to look at in 3-D and had the showstopping C-section scene. In other words it was a mixed bag, but a mixed bag that made money, so FOX and Ridley Scott are pursuing a sequel that will take Dr. Shaw (Rapace) and the head of android David (Fassbender) to "Paradise," the mere name of which sounds frightening as all get-out. Thankfully, writer Damon Lindelof, responsible for much of the lamer stuff in the first one, will not be back. | Read More
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Smiley's People'

Attached: Gary Oldman
Status: Tomas Alfredson's "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" was a brilliant character study of how a life of espionage is really no life at all. Oldman completely disappeared into the part of the cunning, taciturn British intelligence officer George Smiley, earning some of the best accolades of his career, so it's no wonder there was immediate talk of following it up with John le Carre's sequel novel "Smiley's People." Alfredson and screenwriter Peter Straughan are expected to be back, as is most of the stellar cast that didn't bite the dust in the first one.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Oz the Great and Powerful 2'

Attached: James Franco, Mila Kunis
Status: Sam Raimi's trippy trip into L. Frank Baum territory has become this year's first smash hit, with Disney already starting development on a sequel. Writer Mitchel Kapner is already figuring out what to do next with Franco's huckster wizard, with dozens of books by Baum and others to pilfer from. Unfortunately Raimi, who balanced the tongue-in-cheek spectacle so expertly, will not be back. | Read More 

Release Date/Year: Unknown

'21 Jump Street 2'

Attached: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum
Status: Hill and Tatum's surprising chemistry led to "21 Jump Street" being 2012's first tried-and-true sleeper hit. Luckily this irreverent take on the old FOX TV show about high school narcs left things open for an obvious sequel where the boys do some damage in college. Unfortunately, Johnny Depp probably won't return for another cameo, seeing as how his Tom Hanson hilariously ate a bullet. Hill confirmed that he and original screenwriter Michael Bacall were writing it last summer, but directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller have yet to commit. | Read More
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Indiana Jones 5'

Attached: Harrison Ford
Status: Steven Spielberg and George Lucas really s**t the bed on that last one, but they want to make it up to us. Strangely, another punch to the gut doesn't sound like proper recompense, but George Lucas seems determined to make it happen. Last time he spoke of it Lucas mentioned that they were still in the process of looking for a good maguffin for Indy to go after, and that even though he was retired from making blockbusters he might make an exception for "Indy 5." Thing is, Disney now technically owns the property, and have stated that "Star Wars," not Indy, is their big priority.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Bubba Nosferatu: Curse of the She-Vampires'

Fox

Attached: Ron Perlman, Paul Giamatti
Status: "Bubba Ho-Tep" has slowly become of the last decade's most prominent cult titles, and Don Coscarelli's joke title at the end credits has slowly been inching towards reality … but not without some serious snags. First, original star Bruce Campbell dropped out for ambiguous "creative differences." Then, when Ron Perlman took over the role of Elvis the funding dried up, despite a very enthusiastic Paul Giamatti keen to play Colonel Parker. Hopefully The King can get back on his feet and kill him some vampires.

Release Date/Year: Unknown

'TRON 3'

Attached: Olivia Wilde, Cillian Murphy, Garrett Hedlund
Status: Yes, "TRON: Legacy" didn't exactly set the world on fire, but it did okay enough that Disney is seriously considering going back to finally get one of these damn "TRON" movies right. Joseph Kosinski has "Oblivion" on the way, and we imagine the success or failure of that Tom Cruise vehicle will have a big hand in whether or not the helmer will return to the gaming grid for more light cycle chases and Bruce Boxleitner cameos. | Read More
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Hot Tub Time Machine 2'

Attached: Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke
Status: What many people were figuring would be the next "Hangover"-size comedy smash became just a moderate hit at the box office but made enough of a profit on DVD for MGM to consider greenlighting a sequel. Thing is, John Cusack apparently wants nothing to do with it, or they want nothing to do with him. Something like that. Steve Pink will again direct a script by himself and Corddry … now all they need is a big star from the '80s to anchor it all. Paging Matthew Broderick? | Read More
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Independence Day 2 & 3'

Attached: Will Smith, Bill Pullman
Status: You'd have thought that a sequel to one of the biggest sci-fi hits in history would be a no-brainer, but somehow Will Smith and director Roland Emmerich just lost track of the time, and now here we are 17 years later and still nothing to show for it. Smith's full dance card has been the big issue, as well as his asking price of $50 million for the two films — tentatively titled "Independence Day Forever" — but producer/writer Dean Devlin may also be developing a version without Smith. Somehow betting the farm on Bill Pullman coming back doesn't seem the best strategy. Some have surmised that Smith's character may now be the President in the timeline of the film, which would be an interesting switch.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Super Troopers 2'

Attached: Broken Lizard, Brian Cox
Status: Who wants a mustache ride? One of the early '00s' brightest indie comedies had many pegging comedy troupe Broken Lizard as the second coming of Monty Python, but duds like "Club Dread" and "The Slammin' Salmon" kept that from actually happening. Jay Chandrasekhar and the rest of the gang hope to jumpstart things with a sequel, which finds the boys getting into trouble while patrolling the Canadian border.

Release Date/Year: Unknown

'The Girl Who Played With Fire'

Sony

Attached: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara
Status: David Fincher barely left his stamp on 2011's "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" remake, and if you've seen the Noomi Rapace original you know there's not much different except the ending and the amount of money they blew. Contract negotiations with Daniel Craig have apparently soured to the point where Sony has discussed with writer Steven Zaillian the possibility of making it without his Mikael Blomkvist character. It also seems that interest in Stieg Larsson's books has waned, but Fincher remains somewhat committed, exclaiming that "We've got to make it our own thing." | Read More
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Venom'

Attached: Josh Trank
Status: Although this would be less of a sequel to "Spider-Man 3," where Venom slithered into his first big screen iteration, it may not be entirely a reboot either. "Hunger Games" director Gary Ross was originally signed to direct a script by Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese but has since been nudged out/replaced by "Chronicle" helmer Josh Trank, who will have to wait until his duties on the "Fantastic Four" reboot have been fulfilled. | Read More
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Bridget Jones's Baby'

Attached: Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant
Status: Hot "Bridesmaids" director Paul Feig was originally brought in to revive the nearly decade-absent Bridget but ultimately decided that a Brit would do greater justice to Helen Fielding's romantically flustered heroine. Peter Cattaneo, who made "The Full Monty," was brought in, but so far the greenlight from Universal has been less than forthcoming. | Read More
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Triplets'

Attached: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito, Eddie Murphy
Status: So here's the deal: The first time Arnold had a short brother; now he has a black one. Hilarity! Eddie Murphy has been put forward as the likely co-star for this over-25-years-later follow-up on Julius and Vincent where they discover yet another genetically mismatched sibling. Ryan Dixon and Josh Gad will script, the latter presumably writing in his trailer between setups on sitcom "1600 Penn." | Read More
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Clerks III'

Attached: Kevin Smith
Status: After threatening us with a book or a possible Broadway musical, wake-n'-baker Smith finally put his nose to the grindstone and began typing away on a modestly-awaited third installment on March 8 of this year. The publicity-happy Twitterer even posted a photo of the cover of the first draft. "I jumped out of bed at 4:20 this morning and started writing CLERKS III," he wrote. "It's been like hanging out with old friends. And after 2 hours of tapping the keys and giggling, I have come to a conclusion ... CLERKS III will be the best film I'll ever make." Well aren't we pleased with ourselves? | Read More
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Snow White and the Huntsman 2'

Universal

Attached: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth
Status: Trampire antics aside, the first "Snow White" was a solid four-quadrant hit for Universal, who's aching for a franchise that doesn't involve Vin Diesel and cars. In a bit of posturing swagger the studio hired big gun writer David Koepp ("Jurassic Park," "Spider-Man") to begin drafting a sequel before the first came out, but there was always question about whether or not Stewart would headline again. With her return now confirmed, its clear Universal knows where their bread is buttered and left cheatin' director Rupert Sanders with only his divorce to occupy him. | Read More
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Blade Runner 2'

Attached: Ridley Scott, Hampton Fancher
Status: Dear sweet lord, please don't let this actually happen. "Prometheus" proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that, while still a visual master, story-wise the 75-year-old Ridley Scott is completely off his rocker. More than any other film on this list, "Blade Runner" has the most geek cache ... and would also be the most harmed by a sequel, good or bad. Let's hope that this is nothing more than Scott's make-work project for original screenwriter Fancher. Harrison Ford has been mooted as a possibility to return as either Rick Deckard or another, older Replicant.

Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Bad Santa 2'

Attached: Billy Bob Thornton
Status: Terry Zwigoff's misanthropic 2003 comedy was a surprise smash that never needed a follow-up, and given Billy Bob's spotty track record since then we're not itching to see a cheap, potentially direct-to-DVD cash grab. In a move that shows just how artistically inclined they are, Dimension Films hired two writers (Johnny Rosenthal and John Phillips) to draft competing scripts, with the winner going into production. Classy. Thornton keeps saying this is a go-project, but we'll ask Santa to put a stop to it if he can. We've been really good, honest. | Read More
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Terminator 5'

Attached: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Status: We don't know if the mercenary strip-mining of this franchise will continue unabated, but there is definitely interest in making another one of these, even after the last "Terminator" proved to be anything but a "Salvation." What we do know is that John Connor has become the Rusty Griswald (i.e. played by a different actor each time) of the series, so expect Ashton Kutcher or someone of his ilk to step into Christian Bale's shoes. The screenplay is being penned by James Cameron's right-hand lady Laeta Kalogridis along with "Drive Angry" helmer Patrick Lussier, and the Governator seems prepared to come back in some capacity, most likely in a home for retired T-800s. | Read More
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'The Lost Symbol'

Attached: Tom Hanks
Status: Hopefully visionary helmer Mark Romanek ("Never Let Me Go") can inject some much-needed pizazz into what has become a lurching, fatigued series under Ron Howard's guidance. The original "Da Vinci Code" got by on the popularity of the book, but by "Angels and Demons" people had gotten tired of Catholic conspiracies and Hanks' weird hairdo, hence it only made about half the original's haul. If Hanks can get away from his Broadway turn in "Lucky Guy" long enough to reprise Robert Langdon once again, it could pave the way for Dan Brown's forth book "Inferno" as well.|Read More
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Sherlock Holmes 3'

Warner Bros.

Attached: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law
Status: Downey's trusty "Iron Man 3" writer Drew Pearce is on the case, but director Guy Ritchie could return only after he takes on the TV adaptation "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." (possibly starring Tom Cruise). With arch-villain Moriarty vanquished at Reichenbach Falls in "Game of Shadows" there's really no big baddie left to fight … except Holmes' addiction to cocaine.                                                   Release Date/Year: Unknown

'The Thomas Crown Affair 2'

Attached: Pierce Brosnan
Status: While the 1999 "Thomas Crown" was a straight-up remake, the sequel aims to remake another classic '60s caper flick, "Topkapi," and at one time was known as "The Topkapi Affair." This double remake attached mad Dutchman Paul Verhoeven ("Robocop," "Basic Instinct," "Showgirls") as the new director, likely to enhance the glitzy middle-aged sensuality quotient. Now with Verhoeven out of the picture and original helmer John McTiernan facing a jail sentence, it's gonna take some new blood and a helluva lot more star power than the former Bond to bring this project back to life.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Horrible Bosses 2'

Attached: Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Jamie Foxx
Status: The zany comedy about three schmucky guys getting back at their bosses played like "Nine to Five" with dudes and did boffo business. The tricksy trio are gonna be back to even more scores with perhaps even higher-grade celeb bosses than last time. Seth Gordon will return to direct and John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein will again write, but at what point do these guys stop being oppressed workers and start being just straight-up bullies? | Read More
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'Austin Powers 4'

Attached: Mike Myers
Status: This one scares us a lot. Granted, just about any time the number "4" is next to a title we start to worry, but considering the shagadelic British spy became annoying somewhere around the middle of the first movie, we're not looking forward to it. Mike Myers running the spy spoof ever further into the ground might be his only option after "The Love Guru," but we'd much rather see Wayne and Garth in their 50s. Thankfully this is still only a germ of an idea being noodled with/pitched in Myers' head.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

'xXx: The Return of Xander Cage'

Attached: Vin Diesel, Samuel L. Jackson
Status: An attempt was made to supplant Vin Diesel's extreme sports spy Xander Cage with a doughy Ice Cube for the first sequel "State of the Union," but the idea of a new xXx for each installment went the way of the dodo when it tanked. Well if it ain't broke don't fix it, so the plan is to bring back Diesel and original helmer Rob Cohen, with recent masterminds of the "Terminator" franchise John Brancato and Michael Ferris providing the screenplay … that is, if anybody still cares.
Release Date/Year: Unknown

FilmDistrict

I don't believe in feeling guilt over what movies I like. Many critics and bloggers and other people who get to say with a straight face that they get paid to think about movies all day will tell you all about "important" movies and other milestones they feel are underappreciated by mainstream audiences, but I personally don't feel like I'm above having a good time at the movie theater.

You won't see "Zero Dark Thirty" on this list, nor will you find "The Master," though I saw both and enjoyed them and took something away from them. They just aren't movies that I can see myself wanting to enjoy again (ever again), unlike the 10 titles that made my admittedly somewhat fluffy year-end list.

2012 was a banner year for movies, and the hits just keep coming (thanks for the time off, winter break! You would need to call in sick to see the array of awesome holiday offerings coming at us before year's end). Read on for my list of my top 10 picks for the year.

10. '21 Jump Street'

Sony

Talk about low expectations. I begrudgingly tagged along to see this movie after being wooed by a hand-clappy exclamation point-peppered review by a trusted source. I came in grumpy, and left gleefully quoting the lines and Googling the DVD release date so I could watch it over and over at home. Move over, "Magic Mike," this is my favorite flavor of Channing Tatum. F**k you, science!

9. 'Bachelorette'

RADiUS-TWC

Leslye Headland's little indie that could was criminally underseen, due to three fatal strikes: 1.) Indie. 2.) Moviegoers (incorrectly) wrote it off as a "Bridesmaids" rip-off. 3.) Critics wrote off the characters as "mean" and "unlikable," neatly sidestepping the fact that Headland's pissy bridal party (played by Isla Fisher, Kirsten Dunst and Lizzy Caplan, alongside Rebel Wilson as the sympathetic bride) is the most truthfully-written bunch of characters on screen this year. Yes, girls really can talk trash and still honestly support one another! "Bachelorette" may at times be uncomfortable to watch, but it's undeniably funny and hits close to home.

8. 'For a Good Time, Call...'

Focus

I find bromances to be one of the most charming things in the world, to an almost creepy degree. I love "I Love You, Man" more than anyone, and never thought that I would find another bromantic comedy so charming. Until "For a Good Time, Call..." came along. Ari Graynor and Lauren Miller knock it out of the park with a portrayal of female friendship just as truthful as the ladies of "Bachelorette," just a different flavor, and with added phone sex. If "Bachelorette" is dark, ripped denim, "For a Good Time, Call..." is its leopard print pleather counterpart. If for nothing else, see this movie for the most hilarious fake sex noises you've ever heard, and the opportunity to make a GIF of Graynor shoving a giant sex toy in her own mouth. (Less gross than it sounds.)

Disney

7. 'Wreck-It Ralph'

It's cool, adults can love cartoons too. This movie is the ultimate go-to, appropriate for basically any audience, kids or adults. It teaches kids lessons about bullying and being different without veering too much into after school special territory, and for those of us who already (or should already) know better, there's plenty of humor and cool graphics to sustain the movie. Even if we can't see his real face, John C. Reilly is just the best at playing the lovable loser, and it's little touches like pixellated details and old-school video game cameos (and vocal cameos from well-known talent) that really make "Wreck-It Ralph" something special. If this is ever offered on Netflix streaming in the future, sorry "Freaks and Geeks," you've been replaced as bedtime viewing.

6. 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'

Summit

Grab a tissue. Or a box of tissues. Or several boxes of tissues. Just fill a backpack with absorbent cloths, and you should be ready to go see "Perks." Stephen Chbosky's book was a touchstone to me in high school, and seeing the story play out so beautifully and faithfully on-screen was like a gift I didn't know I had been waiting for. Emma Watson throwing her head back in the car in the tunnel while they listened to David Bowie's "Heroes"? Sob. Scratch that, I was low-level weeping throughout. I'm not sure how many of you have recently been a 15-year-old girl, but when you feel like something "gets" you in the way that "Perks" reached myself and so many others, but the film adaptation was a perfect reminder of that (awful, confusing, awesome, weird) time.

5. 'Les Miserables'

Universal

I know. I know! People have a bone to pick with this movie, and that's totally allowed. Yes, I agree, love at first sight is cheesy, and Russell Crowe really made some interesting noises as Javert, but I was blown away by the epic nature of "Les Miserables." Call me a sucker for musicals (I am), or an Anne Hathaway believer (guilty), but this is one that I can see watching on rainy days and enjoying it every time. The audience also makes a difference: I've never seen the musical, and first saw this movie at a world premiere in New York with an enthusiastic crowd that burst into applause a dozen times throughout the movie. That's hard to ignore or forget, so my every viewing of "Les Mis" will forever be peppered with bravos, maybe stifling some of the less-awesome parts of the movie.

4. 'This Is 40'

Universal

Judd Apatow has his detractors, but I'm not one of them. I'm not necessarily part of the demographic bro audience, and I felt meh about "Funny People," but "This Is 40" is worth a watch for even anti-Apatows. Focusing on Pete and Debbie, the high-strung couple on the periphery of "Knocked Up," "This Is 40" is a more grown-up version of some of the director's more fratty premises. There are still fart jokes, but they're fart jokes with meaning. (Leslie Mann as Debbie screaming, "This is why we don't have sex anymore!" after Paul Rudd, as her husband Pete, wordlessly rips ass in bed will go down as a great moment in cinematic history, or at least it will in my apartment.) Maude Apatow giving voice to the shrillest of teen girls, howling about "Lost" and her clothes not fitting right and her general discontent with life: perfection. Give her an Oscar! (Not kidding, I want to see what nail art she would do.)

3. 'Pitch Perfect'

Universal

In the plot twist of the year, I was not thrilled with this movie the first time I saw it. A certified a capella geek (my friends and I used to go to midnight performances of the all-male group at the college town I grew up in), my expectations were so high and specific that I spent the whole movie grumbling about how it should have been, but admitted that the music was amazing. Then I abused Spotify for a few weeks listening to the soundtrack, and I aca-gave it another chance. And it was aca-amazing. And now I plan to watch it aca-every day. For the aca-rest of my aca-life.

2. 'Silver Linings Playbook'

Weinstein Co.

Prepare to have your mind blown: You're not going to hate Bradley Cooper anymore once you see "Silver Linings Playbook." I know, it's a shock! Who wouldn't hate that handsome face? But still, he's so funny and sweet and sad in this movie that I can't help but root for him. He goes out on a limb with this role as a bipolar ex-teacher just out of the mental institution and trying to win back his ex-wife. Jennifer Lawrence goes far beyond Katniss territory, playing an also off-kilter widow who lures Cooper into doing a weird/awesome (never forget "Crazy/Beautiful") dance in a competition with her.

1. 'Safety Not Guaranteed'

FilmDistrict

Do yourself a favor and rent this on iTunes, then once you've done that, go buy it on DVD and sleep with the disc under your pillow/in your DVD player at all times. Aubrey Plaza, a favorite from "Parks and Recreation," starts where her stone-cold TV character April leaves off, and evolves into a likable, feeling person. She plays an alt-weekly intern who volunteers to go check out a weirdo who believes in time travel (Mark Duplass), and in the process of her reporting realizes that she might be just as weird as he is. This movie is so sweet and funny and honest (and, yes, weird), and deserves to be seen.

Kase Wickman spends more time than most agonizing over what to stream on Netflix, then always watches "Parks and Rec" or "Freaks and Geeks" anyway.

The Weinstein Co. / Sony / Warner Bros.

Like every year, 2012 seems to have gone by far too quickly. But, unlike almost every year, 2012 was filled to the brim with great movies. From moving dramas and unforgettable indies to shockingly worthy comedies and actually super superhero blockbusters, Team NextMovie really had a difficult time narrowing down our 25 favorite flicks of the year.

In fact, the only thing we all agreed on unanimously was what film should sit at the very top. What was it?

As if we'd tell you this early! Read on to see what made our shortlists and let us know in the comments what made yours.

25. 'The Hunger Games'

Lionsgate

With "Twilight" coming to a close, many pundits kicked off 2012 wondering which franchise would fill its major money-making shoes. "The Hunger Games" may have been lucky to be the first out the gate – 2013 will see many others jockeying for a place in Twi-hards' hearts – but it set the bar extremely high. Gary Ross' adaptation of Suzanne Collins' novel may not have been perfect, but, as a huge fan of the series, seeing Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) battle mutations, tracker jackers and evil President Snow on the big screen filled my heart with glee. – Breanne L. Heldman

24. 'Ted'

Universal

What took Seth MacFarlane so long to make a movie? The man (and many voices) behind "Family Guy" took to the big screen in the shape of a foul-mouthed, womanizing, pot-smoking teddy bear who is both man-child Mark Wahlberg's BFF and worst influence. Easily the year's most original comedy of the year, "Ted" is laugh-out-loud funny, coarse, edgy and equal-opportunity offensive. Like too many great comedies, it turns a little cheeseball in the third act (despite Giovanni Ribisi's best efforts), but considering this movie has the best man-on-bear violence ever captured on celluloid, we'll call it even. – Kevin Polowy

23. 'The Amazing Spider-Man'

Sony

I loved Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" trilogy – well, two-thirds of it – and I thought Tobey Maguire made the perfect Spidey in '02, so I was wary of the reboot... until I heard they'd cast Andrew Garfield in the role. I don't care that he's British; we didn't complain when Bridget Jones' accent came out of Renee Zellweger's face, so we're even now, England. I do care that he's gangly and believably nerdy, but still charming and magnetic. Even though, ultimately,"The Amazing Spider-Man" was overshadowed by eleventy-trillion-dollar superhero blockbusters like "The Avengers" and "The Dark Knight Rises," Spidey had a buddy-like appeal the others lacked, and his chemistry with real-life girlfriend Emma Stone crackled off the screen. To grotesquely mangle a line from the Marvel universe, Maguire was the hero we deserved, but not the one it needs right now. – Brooke Tarnoff

22. 'This Is 40'

Universal

"This is 40" may be a "sort-of sequel" to "Knocked Up," but it manages to sidestep some Apatovian tics and come out the other side as a nuanced, funny, sweet and sometimes sad portrait of family life and its ups and downs. It's not necessarily laugh-a-minute like Judd Apatow's previous offerings, but familiar situations (sneaking a cupcake after swearing off sweets, a tween girl throwing a fit and saying that she hates all her clothes, passive aggressive snark between couples) make it uncomfortable-chuckle-a-minute, at the very least. It has only been five years since the release of "Knocked Up," but "This is 40" is light-years ahead. – Kase Wickman

21. 'Safety Not Guaranteed'

FilmDistrict

If you didn't see this movie (and let's face it, you probably didn't) go see it now. Mark Duplass as the cringingly earnest time travel enthusiast and Aubrey Plaza as the deadpan journalist secretly investigating him? Yes please! It's one of 2012's sweetest (and funniest) offerings, and while safety isn't guaranteed, your enjoyment is. (Sorry.) – KW

20. 'Wreck-It Ralph'

Disney

Wait a minute – this wasn't a Pixar movie?! I'm so confused. Apparently, Disney picked up a little Pixar mojo when it acquired the animation studio because this had the something-special feel of Pixar favorites like "The Incredibles" and "Ratatouille." Filled with nods to classic video games, this follows old video game baddie Ralph (voices by John C. Reilly) as he leaves his game to try to find glory and good-guy love in others. In the meantime, he befriends "glitch" Vanellope and vows to help her become a heroine of her own game. Lessons are learned, laughs are abundant and love (between Jane Lynch's militant leader and Jack McBrayer's wholesome Fix-It Felix, natch?) abounds. – BLH

19. 'Ruby Sparks'

Fox Searchlight

Zoe Kazan takes on the romantic-funny-creepy implications of wishing you could bring your ideal girl to life in "Ruby Sparks." Not only are Kazan and real-life boyfriend Paul Dano great in their performances as a fictional character come to life and the emo man-child who wrote her, but the script itself seems to be pushback to the obnoxious manic pixie dreamgirl trend that seems to dominate rom-coms these days. And if you come for nothing else, at least come to see a small part of Chris Messina's stealth cinema takeover – dude is everywhere, and he's awesome. – KW

18. 'Chronicle'

Fox

This early February flick sat at the top of my personal best of 2012 list for the vast majority of the year – all the way until mid-September, when it was unseated (and then unseated several times again). A trio of mostly unknown actors – except for "Friday Night Lights" standout Michael B. Jordan – give us a moving, emotion-filled origin story for potential superheroes (and/or super-villains) that, unlike several other "super" movies this year, forces us to wonder what we would do with such powers and reminds us just how easy it might be for some to cross that line between good and evil. – BLH

17. '21 Jump Street'

Sony

This movie is 2012's slacker anti-hero: Where "Magic Mike" didn't quite meet the expectations of some, Channing Tatum made up for it when he exceeded admittedly low expectations with the reboot of the classic Johnny Depp series. Some of the best laugh lines of the year (Most notably: "F**k you, science!") combined with surprise cameos and straight up goofiness make this movie not only easily watchable but totally enjoyable. – KW

16. 'Bully'

The Weinstein Co.

It's difficult to bring an entire room of movie writers and editors – especially one where the majority would rather be called something a bit more pretentious – to tears, but mere minutes into this documentary, the sniffles were in stereo. I wasn't immune either. In fact, the next morning, as I recounted one mother (whose son was being treated so poorly by other kids and his school's administration that the filmmakers had to knock down the third wall and intervene) breaking down on Mother's Day because she felt she'd been a bad mother for not knowing what was happening, I wept all over again. As a film, "Bully" is terrific. As a call to action, it's even better. – BLH

15. 'Django Unchained'

Weinstein Co.

It'll shoot you up and leave you for dead – God knows that's the fate of pretty much everyone else in this movie. Quentin Tarantino's latest ultra-violent righting of historical wrongs takes on slavery, and star Jamie Foxx's synopsis on "Saturday Night Live" – "I kill all the white people" – pretty accurately sums it up. For a movie about slavery, it's surprisingly hilarious, and the anachronistic music cues come close to genius. And, for all you bleeding hearts out there: There's romance, too! Well, sorta. It's bloodstained romance, but do we really need qualifiers when it comes to love? – KW

14. 'Moonrise Kingdom'

Focus Features

You either love or hate Wes Anderson movies; there's really no middle ground with his style of precious absurdity. As you might have guessed from his presence on this list: I love him, and I really loved "Moonrise Kingdom," though (or... because?) Anderson out-twees his twee-est "Royal Tenenbaums" scenes by making his latest entirely about precocious children who listen to age-inappropriately cool music and attempt to elope. It's weird, it's stylish, it's nostalgic without any resemblance to my actual childhood or the childhood of any person I've ever met… and I could watch it every day for a week without getting bored. (Plus, it makes me wonder where Anderson goes from here. My suggestion: well-spoken toddlers in jaunty berets, working out their issues. French accents wouldn’t hurt, either.) – BT

13. 'Looper'

TriStar

Spoiler alert: time-travel isn't a real thing. But that hasn't stopped sub-par sci-fi movies from explaining their pseudo-science into the ground. One of the amazing things about "Looper" (aside from some exceptional performances, a riveting plot and a physical transformation so incredible I didn't recognize Joseph Gordon-Levitt though I had just met him for an interview) is the grace with which it backed off from its own time-travel logic. "If we start talking about it, then we're going to be here all day talking about it, making diagrams with straws." Indeed, Angry Bruce Willis From the Future. Indeed. – BT

12. 'Pitch Perfect'

Universal

"Glee" + "Bring It On" = something totally aca-mazing. In fact, just trying to write about this hilarious college acappella competition comedy, starring Anna Kendrick (who just might be the coolest chick since Emma Stone), the adorable Skylar Austin (from the original cast of "Spring Awakening," just like Lea Michele!) and scene-stealing Rebel Wilson, has me pining for the Blu-ray (which comes out tomorrow, BTW) and pressing play on its infectious soundtrack. In other words, this is the movie of 2012 most likely to be watched over and over (and hummed in between). It's just that much fun. – BLH

11. 'Skyfall'

Sony

A reinvention of the Bond brand (it openly mocks itself!), an origin story and a standalone ass-kicking action film all in one, "Skyfall" is a movie that bristles with intensity; it's slick, stylish, loud and sexy. "Casino Royale" was a pleasantly surprising yay-fest, "Quantum of Solace" a relative disappointment, but "Skyfall" is not only the best Blond Bond movie yet, it's one of the best Bond. Movies. Ever. (just ask Sir Roger). And while we're getting all hyperbolic, it also boasts perhaps the greatest Bond villain yet in Javier Bardem's genius, bi-curious, creeptastic (also blond) sleazeball. Anton Chigurh would be proud. And then try to kill him with a cattle gun. – KP

10. 'Cabin in the Woods'

Lionsgate

I'm no fan of slashers, but I'm a huge fan of writer/producer Joss Whedon, writer/director Drew Goddard, and clever twists (à la early Shyamalan, sans resemblance à latter day Shyamalan) so I approached "Cabin in the Woods" with an open mind. Still, I was unprepared for how much I could love a slasher – I don't care what you say, it's still a slasher: people get slashed – based on the genre-bending elements of humor, fantasy, whip-smart writing and those twisty, twisty twists. – BT

9. 'Les Miserables'

Universal

Whether you're a die-hard drama geek or you wouldn't be caught dead trying to put on a French accent, you won't be miserable leaving "Les Miserables." Voltaire said that anything too stupid to be said should be sung, and "Les Mis" certainly fits the bill. There's an eyerolly love-at-first-sight plot and melodramatic dying words aplenty, but the power of the vocal performances more than makes up for sometimes-contrived plot points. Plus, who doesn't love a Tom Hooper period piece? It's basically "The King's Speech" but with sopranos instead of stutterers. – KW

8. 'Lincoln'

Dreamworks

"Lincoln" is exactly what you'd expect from a Steven Spielberg-directed biopic starring Daniel Day-Lewis: Epic, intelligent, perfectly portrayed and a tad sentimental. You could complain it's a little slow or laborious at times, but you try making a movie about the passage of a constitutional amendment that's more entertaining. Then there's DDL, who proves once-again he's bar-none the greatest actor alive. Favorite part about the "Lincoln" experience: discovering what a kooky dude Abe could be; he's just like your crazy uncle. The only thing it's missing here, really, are vampires. – KP

7. 'The Dark Knight Rises'

Warner Bros.

Allow me to quote to great Patton Oswalt, who was at the screening I attended: "That was something else." That was something else, Patton. Christopher Nolan's thrilling finale to his game-changing Batman series feels less like a movie than an experience: It's a thoroughly intense, visceral and rewarding spectacle, a remarkable conclusion to a remarkable trilogy. We do feel obligated to complain one last time about the voice of Bane, who sounds like Patrick Stewart playing Santa Claus piped in through a loudspeaker. But hey, minor blemish, and definitely not any sort of reckoning. – KP

6. 'The Avengers'

Marvel Films

A superhero supergroup and nerd-god auteur Joss Whedon: two great tastes that taste AWESOME together. "The Avengers" contains the best features of its single-hero predecessors and corrects some of their failures: it retains the wit of "Iron Man" (filtered and refined through Whedon's iconic voice) and the bravado of "Captain America," and despite Marvel's repeated "Hulk" failures, finally finds the perfect green goliath in Mark Ruffalo. Yup, somehow, amidst the charisma of Tony Stark, the black-clad posterior of Black Widow and the arrow-flinging gun show that is Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye, Ruffalo is the smash hit of "The Avengers." (Get it? Smash? Yeah... sorry.) – BT

5. 'Life of Pi'

Fox

There's no question: Ang Lee's "Life of Pi" was easily the most beautiful movie to behold in 2012. The fact that I was never quite sure what I was looking at – whether Richard Parker was a real tiger or CGI, or whether or not I should trust the film's narrator, Pi (Suraj Sharma) – made the experience all the more magical. At the end of the day, I didn't care which elements were real or CGI, I was just along for the ride, and it was a stunning one at that. – BLH

4. 'Silver Linings Playbook'

Weinstein Co.

Again and again and again – that's how many times I want to watch this movie. It's funny, it's sad, it's sweet, it has Robert DeNiro and a big goofy dance number, Hemingway references and Raisin Bran to boot. Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence give sweet, dimensional performances that don't turn away from the less-sweet realities of mental illness and human fault – a rarity in film. I feel like Stefon on Weekend Update, but "Silver Linings Playbook" has it all. (But not a human fire hydrant.) – KW

3. 'Argo'

Warner Bros.

1970s beards and tan suits have no right to be this riveting. "Argo" proves that Ben Affleck, while decent as an actor and fair-to-middling as a tabloid personality, is one hell of a director. The tension he infuses into a Wikipediable true story is remarkable. Affleck also plays the lead, Tony Mendez, a real person who led the far-fetched rescue of six U.S. diplomats during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, using a fake sci-fi movie production to cloak his attempt. Even though the mission's outcome is now a matter of public record, the implausibility of its success makes "Argo" more than a nail-biter – "Argo" is a whole-finger-biter. Thanks, Affleck. I needed those. – BT

2. 'Zero Dark Thirty'

Sony

Let's all take a moment to thank the movie gods that Kathryn Bigelow was able to tell this story and inject it with the type of gravitas it needs before other action directors in Hollywood could get ahold of it. Can you imagine Michael Bay's "Zero Dark Thirty"? It would not be awesome. Clinical, yes, but Bigelow's rehashing of the events leading up to and during the killing of Osama Bin Laden is the work of a master (sorry, Mark Boal, masters). This is a riveting thriller that puts you in the thick of the action – or lack thereof, it doesn't matter. Every scene, every moment is captivating; this is a movie every American man, woman and child should see. Okay, maybe not child. – KP

1. 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'

Summit

The most criminally underseen movie of the year, and also the best. No doubt devotees of Stephen Chbosky's melancholy bestseller turned out for the author's impressive screen adaptation of his own work, but too many others missed out on a bittersweet treat. Just when the coming-of-age/suburban family dysfunction genres seemed stale as could be, Chbosky arrives with a film that's heartfelt, relatable, deeply resonant and utterly transcendent, not to mention perfectly cast (where's the awards love for Ezra Miller, people?). We can only hope this movie follows in the paths of films like "Office Space" and "Donnie Darko" and finds the audience it deserves on DVD, Blu-ray, Netflix, cable… However you need to see it, just see it. – KP

Fox

This weekend, Vince Vaughn will be battling extraterrestrials alongside Ben Stiller, Jonah Hill and Richard Ayoade in "The Watch," a sci-fi comedy about a group of suburban buddies who suddenly find themselves trying to save Earth from alien takeover.

Before he was warding off space invaders, Vaughn headed to Hollywood via way of Illinois during the early '90s after being cast in a Chevy commercial. He initially struggled with a lot of rejections until he finally landed a few small roles in after-school specials and television shows.

After taking an uncredited part as a "cheering soldier in the crowd" in the feature "For the Boys," he booked his first big screen speaking gig as a college football player in "Rudy." Jon Favreau also happened to be in the film, and the two formed a friendship. It wasn't until they worked together on "Swingers" that Vaughn got his big break. He starred as Trent, a sly-talking, Vegas-loving cool cat who coined a new meaning for the term "money." The character initially wasn't in the script, but Favreau wrote in the part just for him.

After "Swingers" was released, Steven Spielberg took notice of Vaughn and cast him in the blockbuster hit, "The Lost World: Jurassic Park." The exposure earned him leading-man status. Fast forward eight years later: Vaughn struck gold with "Wedding Crashers," which won him an MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Team with co-star Owen Wilson. And the rest is history.

While he's never looked back, we sure did, and found his one-episode appearance on "21 Jump Street." The show was a stepping stone for many young actors, including Johnny Depp and other famous faces you may notice in the clip. Check out 19-year-old Vince Vaughn as a high-school student discussing a shake-up at his school with some fellow classmates (hint: He comes in close to the five-minute mark).

Getty Images

When undercover cops Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum return to high school to expose a drug ring in "21 Jump Street," it is Brie Larson (as a fetching high school student) who distracts Hill from the mission at hand. The 22-year-old actress also sang and acted as one of Scott Pilgrim's exes in "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" and played Toni Collette's rebellious daughter on three seasons of "United States of Tara."

We sat down with Larson in anticipation of the DVD and Blu-ray release of "21 Jump Street" and put the affable actress on the spot about whether Hill is funnier than Tatum, her favorite scene in the movie and her awkward encounter with Johnny Depp.

Your "21 Jump Street" character, Molly, has a budding romance with Schmidt, played by Jonah Hill. Did you two get to know each other before filming to build some kind of chemistry?
We had kind of known each other a little bit before. I ran into him at a table read for another movie and we started talking. We had both gone through breakups, and we laughed at the silly things you do to get past it that ultimately leads to not feeling any better. We sparked a friendship from there, and it made the whole audition process more fun. Instead of feeling like I had to go into a room and impress a bunch of suits, it felt like I was with friends. We got to go to New Orleans a week or two before we started filming and had some barbeques and hung out, so we got to know each other by running around the city.

Also Check Out: Is Brie Larson the New Emma Stone?

You're 22. Had you ever watched the original "21 Jump Street" with Johnny Depp?
I had seen it before. It came out the year I was born, but it's been playing on TV. We weren't trying to really emulate the show; we were trying to create our own thing. I didn't have to look at it as my Bible.

Did you meet Depp when he did his cameo in your movie?
The thing was, I didn't realize for the longest time that he was on set because he was in costume. I was on set thinking, Johnny Depp will be here any minute. There was this one old biker dude who kept talking to me, but I wasn't answering back because I didn't know who he was. I said, "I’m sorry, I didn't catch your name." He pulled his sunglasses down and said, "It's Johnny." I said, "Wow! Nice to meet you!" It was fantastic and a really fun day for everybody.

Columbia Pictures

Your prom in "21 Jump Street" concludes with a wild limo chase with you as a hostage. Was your real prom that exciting?
I didn't go to prom -- I was homeschooled. I didn't have that. I'm sure I did some wild things, but certainly not a limo chase or explosions. No drugs were taken, so it was not nearly as exciting.

Who is funnier off camera: Jonah Hill or Channing Tatum?
Oh, shoot. Highly controversial! That's really hard because both of them are pretty f***ing funny. I feel like Channing is the more surprising one that catches you off guard with his humor. Jonah is so quick and is always on it with one-liners. It's a toss-up!

What do you think happens to Molly and Schmidt after the end credits?
By the end of the movie, I want them to be together. I think it is fate, and there is an understanding between the two of them. I don't think they are going to get married, but maybe they date for a couple of months.

Also Check Out: GALLERY: Go Undercover at the "21 Jump Street" Premiere

Has there been any talk of a "21 Jump Street" sequel or Molly returning?
I do know there is a sequel, but I don't know anything about Molly being there or the setting of the film at all. It would be great. I would do it!

Did you record any fun extras for the DVD and Blu-ray?
They gave us cameras in New Orleans, so we did some silly skits and things between takes.

What was your favorite scene in the movie?
I really love Johnny Simmons' brief cameo at the beginning of the movie. He plays the kid who does the drug and dies and has the YouTube video. I thought it was so funny, it makes me cry. Also, I love when you see the melted ice cream-cone face. It was a totally different hallucination in the script, so when I saw it in the movie I was totally caught off guard.

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You were a bit of a wild child as Kate Gregson in "United States of Tara." In real life, do you think you were a rebellious teen?
I guess I was always an outsider and some kind of anarchist. I didn't have a regular school experience and wanted a more abstract way of learning. I started exploring in lots of different creative ways. It gave me the opportunity to travel and play music, so it was good for me.

The Weinstein Company

This week: "The Artist" -- the French silent movie that won five Oscars this year, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Costume Design and Best Original Score -- arrives on DVD and Blu-ray at last.

Also new this week are Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill in the hilarious action comedy "21 Jump Street," Sam Worthington going Greek again in "Wrath of the Titans," the Snow White interpretation "Mirror Mirror," and an anniversary Blu-ray edition of "Deliverance."

'The Artist'

Sony

Box Office: $45 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 98% Fresh
Storyline: Set 1920s Hollywood, this silent romantic dramedy by director Michel Hazanavicius stars Jean Dujardin as George Valentin, a silent-movie star whose career is threatened by the arrival of sound. He sparks with an extra, Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), who is on the verge of getting her big break while George clings to his hope that "talkies" are just a passing fad.
Extras! Lovers of Old Hollywood will want to watch "Hollywood as a Character: The Locations of 'The Artist,'" which highlights the places used in the film that have a personality all their own.
We Say: "The Artist" won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and will appeal to those susceptible to charms like a whimsical love story, a cute dog sidekick and nostalgia for romanticized bygone eras.

'21 Jump Street'

Sony

Box Office: $138 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 85% Fresh
Storyline: Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum star as two former classmates who meet again at police academy and go undercover as high school students to bust a drug ring. Based on the '80s TV series starring Johnny Depp.
Extras! There are 20 deleted scenes (about 30 minutes worth of footage) on the DVD and Blu-ray that are actually pretty funny.
We Say: Even if you scoffed at the possibility that this latest adaptation of a TV show could be any good, believe us when we say that the unlikely bromance between Hill and Tatum provides some surprisingly hilarious moments -- especially when the once-popular Tatum returns to school and is confused by new social cliques like hipsters.

'Wrath of the Titans'

Warner Bros.

Box Office: $84 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 25% Rotten
Storyline: A decade after the events in "Clash of the Titans," Perseus (Sam Worthington), the demigod son of Zeus (Liam Neeson) who defeated the Kraken, lives a quieter life as a fisherman with his young son -- until he learns that Hades (Ralph Fiennes) and Ares (Edgar Ramirez) have captured Zeus and intend to use his godly powers to release Kronos, the ferocious leader of the Titans, from his underworld prison.
Extras! The Blu-ray has two Maximum Movie Modes ("The Path of Men" and "The Path of Gods") that are unique picture-in-picture interactive features with storyboard comparisons and film focus points.
We Say: This chaotic and fiery adventure is a marked improvement over the original and features much better effects on the Blu-ray 3D version than the notoriously problematic "Clash of the Titans."

'Mirror Mirror'

Relativity Media

Box Office: $64 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 50% Rotten
Storyline: Director Tarsem Singh's interpretation of the Snow White fairy tale stars Julia Roberts as Queen Gertrude, Lily Collins as Snow White and Armie Hammer as the prince who only has eyes for the fairest of them all, even as the queen schemes to marry him.
Extras! The Blu-ray edition contains an interactive storybook as well as the "I Believe I Can Dance" dance-along.
We Say: This sepia-hued set piece offers some magical eye candy, and Roberts can be fun to watch as a scenery-chewing, insecure woman of power. But the story adds nothing remarkable to the original Grimm fairy tale that has been retold countless times already.

'Deliverance' 40th Anniversary Blu-ray

Warner Home Video

Box Office: $46 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 94% Fresh
Storyline: In this classic 1972 thriller directed by John Boorman, a peaceful weekend canoe trip turns into a nightmarish fight for survival when four friends (Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox) encounter some violent rednecks.
Extras! This Blu-ray double dip comes packaged in a Digibook with color photos and a new retrospective with the four leads.
We Say: This harrowing man-vs.-nature tale still resonates because of the incredible performances by its leading men, whose characters confront what they are really made of when all of society's comforts are stripped away. The city boys-vs.-hillbillies aspect of it has been copied in countless lesser movies, but nothing compares to the raw intensity of this story based on James Dickey's novel.

Also New This Week:

"Bullhead"
"Sector 7"
"Silent House"
"The 39 Steps" Blu-ray
"A Thousand Words"
"The Decoy Bride"

Lionsgate

Katniss Everdeen may have survived the Games, but we'll have to see how she fares against Kristen Wiig and her band of crazies — or, rather, ladies — as "The Hunger Games" and "Bridesmaids" lead the 2012 MTV Movie Award nominations with eight apiece, including Movie of the Year.

That's not a typo: The usually dominant "Twilight" series and its 2011 entry, "Breaking Dawn - Part 1," nabbed only two nominations (Movie of the Year and Best Kiss), while movies like "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2," (six noms) "21 Jump Street" (six) and "The Help" (four) fared better and will have more chances at bringing home Golden Popcorn statues.

That's not the only shakeup we'll see at MTV's 21st annual celebration of all things big screen: New categories this year include Best Breakthrough Performance, Best Cast, Best Onscreen Transformation, Best Gut-Wrenching Performance, Best Onscreen Dirtbag and Best Music.

The runaway hit "The Hunger Games" looks to be the early favorite; aside from Movie of the Year, it earned nods for Best Female Performance (Jennifer Lawrence), Best Male Performance (Josh Hutcherson), Best Breakthrough Performance (Liam Hemsworth), Best Onscreen Transformation (Elizabeth Banks), Best Cast, Best Fight and Best Kiss.

Of course to win Movie of the Year, though, it still has to get past perennial favorites "Twilight" and "Harry Potter," not to mention the surprising awards heavyweight "Bridesmaids."

The MTV Movie Awards will air live from Universal City's Gibson Amphitheatre on Sunday, June 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on (drum roll please) MTV, but you can start voting for your favorites May 1 at 8 a.m. et  at MovieAwards.MTV.com.

Check out the complete list of nominees below.

Movie of the Year:

-       "Bridesmaids"

-       "The Hunger Games"

-       "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2"

-       "The Help"

-       "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1"

Best Female Performance:

-       Emma Stone, "Crazy, Stupid, Love"

-       Emma Watson, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2"

-       Jennifer Lawrence, "The Hunger Games"

-       Kristen Wiig, "Bridesmaids"

-       Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"

Best Male Performance:

-       Channing Tatum, "The Vow"

-       Daniel Radcliffe, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2"

-       Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "50/50"

-       Josh Hutcherson, "The Hunger Games"

-       Ryan Gosling, "Drive"

Breakthrough Performance:

-       Elle Fanning, "Super 8"

-       Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"

-       Liam Hemsworth, "The Hunger Games"

-       Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"

-       Shailene Woodley, "The Descendants"

Best Comedic Performance:

-       Jonah Hill, "21 Jump Street"

-       Kristen Wiig, "Bridesmaids"

-       Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"

-       Oliver Cooper, "Project X"

-       Zach Galifianakis, "The Hangover: Part II"

Best Cast:

-       "21 Jump Street"

-       "Bridesmaids"

-       "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2"

-       "The Help"

-       "The Hunger Games"

Best On-Screen Transformation:

-       Colin Farrell, "Horrible Bosses"

-       Elizabeth Banks, "The Hunger Games"

-       Johnny Depp, "21 Jump Street"

-       Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn"

-       Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"

Best Gut-Wrenching Performance:

-       Jonah Hill & Rob Riggle when Schmidt shoots Coach Walters in the d*#!, "21 Jump Street"

-       Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper get food poisoning at a dress fitting, "Bridesmaids"

-       Ryan Gosling's elevator beat-down, "Drive"

-       Bryce Dallas Howard when Minny gives Hilly a pie she won't forget, "The Help"

-       Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt scales to new heights, "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol"

Best On-Screen Dirtbag:

-       Bryce Dallas Howard, "The Help"

-       Colin Farrell, "Horrible Bosses"

-       Jennifer Aniston, "Horrible Bosses"

-       Jon Hamm, "Bridesmaids"

-       Oliver Cooper, "Project X"

Best Music:

-       "The Devil Is in the Details" by The Chemical Brothers, "Hanna"

-       "Impossible" by Figurine, "Like Crazy"

-       "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO, "21 Jump Street"

-       "Pursuit of Happiness" by Kid Cudi, "Project X"

-       "A Real Hero" by College w/Electric Youth, "Drive"

Best Fight

-       Channing Tatum & Jonah Hill vs. Kid Gang, "21 Jump Street"

-       Daniel Radcliffe vs. Ralph Fiennes, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2"

-       Jennifer Lawrence & Josh Hutcherson vs. Alexander Ludwig, "The Hunger Games"

-       Tom Cruise vs. Michael Nyqvist, "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol"

-       Tom Hardy vs. Joel Edgerton, "Warrior"

Best Kiss

-       Channing Tatum & Rachel McAdams, "The Vow"

-       Jennifer Lawrence & Josh Hutcherson, "The Hunger Games"

-       Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1"

-       Rupert Grint & Emma Watson,  "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2"

-       Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone, Crazy, Stupid, Love"

Check out our gallery of the nominees:

View Gallery »

Today, they're the stars of the country's current #1 box office winner. But who were Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill during their high school days?

The stars of "21 Jump Street" got to recall their relatively recent pasts, both real and imaginary, when they sat down with MTV's "10 on Top." Tatum let it be known that, contrary to popular belief, he didn't exactly look like "Taylor Kitsch from 'Friday Night Lights'" – or, as Hill puts it, "John Carter from Tampa." Hill took a more meta approach to remembering his own personal style back in high school, saying he actually resurrected his teenage "look" for the movie.

"If myself in high school knew that ten years later I would be putting the way I looked in high school into a movie to get an immediate laugh, he would kill himself," said Hill, laughing at the fact that his past self has now been reduced to little more than a "sight gag."

The boys also conjured a "What If?" version of their high school days as they theorized as to whether their teenage selves would've been friends (of course they would've!) and even gave each other rather touching yearbook titles. It's a real-life bromance!

Tune into MTV's "10 on Top" every Saturday at 11:30 a.m. ET.

Columbia Pictures

Channing Tatum is going to have a much more difficult time going undercover after this weekend, as according to Hollywood.com, "The Vow" star landed his second number one film of the year with "21 Jump Street."

Taking in an estimated $35 million, "21 Jump Street," which stars Tatum and Jonah Hill as cops assigned to infiltrate a local high school, took the top spot from "The Lorax." The animated adaptation of the beloved Dr. Seuss book still earned a strong $22.8 million in its third weekend, though, good enough for second place.

For the full box office chart, including the debut of Will Farrell's Spanish language comedy "Case de mi Padre" as well as returning films "Project X" and "John Carter," head to Hollywood.com.

Columbia Pictures

Sony's not one to hesitate.

"21 Jump Street" hasn't even been in theaters for 24 hours yet and already the studio has secured plans for a sequel to the action comedy, according to Variety.

And they most definitely should. The film has scored high ratings from critics (it's at 87% on Rotten Tomatoes as of this publication) and it's scored upwards of $12 million at the box office on its opening day, with a projected $30+ million for the weekend, according to Deadline. Sheesh, that's almost as much as "John Carter" made in its opening weekend!

Sony is closing a deal with Jonah Hill and Michael Bacall, who collaborated on the story for the first film, to develop a treatment for the sequel, which Bacall is set to write – this is his second sequel gig this month, as he'll also be penning the follow-up to "Project X." Meanwhile, Hill and Channing Tatum are expected to reprise their roles and also serve as executive producers.

There are no plot details to report yet, though it will probably involve a high school and drugs. And hopefully another amazing Johnny Depp cameo.

Jonah Hill will next be seen in "Neighborhood Watch," opening July 27, whilst his BFF, Channing Tatum, will appear naked for your pleasure in Steven Soderbergh's "Magic Mike," opening June 29.

Getty Images

In Hollywood, hot young starlets are a dime a dozen. Notwithstanding the superficial appeal of their physical attributes, actresses often pour themselves into any movie for the exposure, inevitably rendering themselves irrelevant because they failed to find the right film to showcase their real talents.

Since her breakthrough role in "Superbad," Emma Stone has shrewdly distinguished herself as first among equals by choosing challenging films that took advantage of her charm and versatility. And while her star is still ascending via roles in terrific films like "Easy A," "Zombieland" and "The Help," not to mention potential blockbusters like "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "Gangster Squad," it remains fascinating to see who might next follow in her footsteps, distinguishing themselves from a deluge of beautiful faces to become something truly special.

With the release of "21 Jump Street" this week, it seems like moviegoers may have found an heir apparent: Brie Larson.

Larson's been a working actress for almost 14 years, but at 22 seems poised to take the throne not only as an in-demand actress, but an actress who can deliver performances worthy of that demand. All of which is why we mined for similarities between the two actresses careers to come up with a list of reasons Brie Larson may just be the next Emma Stone.

Columbia Pictures

Both actresses are attractive without being conventionally pretty.

Mind you, neither of these women are mutants -- far from it, in fact. But Stone's pixie-ish prettiness is matched by Larson's girl-next-door luminousness, whether she's glossed-up or dressed down; and both share in common a physicality that's neither pneumatic nor emaciated -- in the parlance of the Three Bears, a look that's "just right." Larson convincingly embodies the image of a rock star in "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" just as she does a teenage lesbian in "Rampart," without requiring a phalanx of makeup people to enhance or downplay her natural beauty.

Larson's first decade in Hollywood helped her ease into more important roles.

Although it took Brie eight years to Stone's three before she found something remotely substantial on-screen, those years of television and bit-part work seem to have helped Larson develop a naturalness in front of the camera that she's carried into her higher-profile films. Consequently, she more than holds her own against actors and actresses with more experience than she -- say, Woody Harrelson in "Rampart" -- and manages to be fully effective within the world of whatever film she's working on.

Also Check Out: 6 Reasons "21 Jump Street" Is the First Must-See Comedy of the Year

She's got that "guys love her, and so do girls" quality.

Looking at Stone in "Superbad" and "Zombieland" alone, you might think that she invented that kind of charm, but Larson is pretty without being intimidating -- for either gender -- and exudes a sort of relatable humanness that would make her your best friend or the perfect girlfriend. In "21 Jump Street," this quality is put to incredible use as she wins the heart of Jonah Hill's character, and they share a chaste but palpable romance that's built on chemistry and communication rather than dream-girl sexuality. The two of them really seem to connect, sharing a sense of humor but also a sensitivity and intelligence that's well-rounded, particularly in comparison to the Megan Foxes of the industry, who certainly fulfill dream-girl quotients but don't easily find acceptance among both men and women.

Millennium

She's got real talent and versatility.

Larson's breakthrough performance was in "Scott Pilgrim," where she lurks over the film as a dreaded ex-girlfriend and in just a handful of scenes manages to communicate why she's both incredibly influential in Scott's life and incredibly misunderstood. There's a complexity to the character which she translates to the screen in a way that's undeniable. In "Rampart," she plays a completely different role, of an embittered daughter to a neglectful police officer, and she finds not only the hard-earned unhappiness but also the vulnerability and desperation underneath that. And then in "21 Jump Street," she's more or less the girl next door, but she's a self-aware, empowered and smart teenager who succumbs to romantic impulses even as she is buttressed by cyncicism.

Her best work is still ahead of her.

As evidenced above, Larson offers a lot to movies as an actress, proving that she can give each one what it needs without sacrificing her identity. Stone's performance in just the advance clips from "Spider-Man" is more complicated and multi-dimensional than her previous work, even within the context of a huge blockbuster action movie. While Larson doesn't have anything big lined up on the immediate horizon, there seems to be no limit to what she can accomplish, especially since each performance she gives is more nuanced, unique and interesting than the last.

Check out Brie Larson's Hot People Looking Hot gallery

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It's safe to say Brie Larson is one hot nerd magnet.

She played Michael Cera's former flame-turned-rock star in "Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World," and now Jonah Hill has the high school hots for her in "21 Jump Street."

The blonde babe has been big on the indie circuit for some time and also moonlights as an acoustic singer/songwriter.

Now she's flaunting her comedic chops alongside Hill and Channing Tatum. Is there a genre Brie hasn't mastered yet?

For all the Brie you can handle, take a gander at our gallery of the starlet saying "cheese" on the red carpet and in her movie roles.

Columbia Pictures

The stars of "Superbad" and "Step Up" are going back to school in the latest comic movie adaptation of a serious TV show, "21 Jump Street."

Morton Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Greg Jenko (Channing Tatum) are bright and athletic cops, respectively, who are assigned to be undercover narcs at a high school in order to bust a notorious drug ring. Underage hijinks ensue, guns will be fired, and prom tuxedos will be ruined.

1. It's like a kids game of cops and robbers in the park, only with live ammunition.

2. You have the right to think Channing Tatum's a big dummy. Anything he says can and will make him sound like a meathead.

3. Today was a good day for Captain Dickson (Ice Cube).

4. Jonah's a bit over the Hill to be getting into brawls with high schoolers.

Columbia Pictures

In Hollywood, the early months of the year are typically reserved for a few very specific varieties of films: awards-season darlings expanding their distribution, genre films looking to conquer the box office via counterprogramming, and comedies the studios hope will earn a quick buck before dying a quiet death.

But on March 16, Sony Pictures is releasing "21 Jump Street," Chris Miller and Phil Lord's big-screen update of the 1980s television series of the same name. And while in most cases a movie like this would probably fall into that third category, Lord and Miller have created an almost instant classic -- a comedy that manages to pay homage to its source material while standing alone as a terrific buddy cop movie.

Still skeptical? We understand. We've assembled six solid reasons it's 2012's first must-see comedy.

1. It's a real movie. The distinction between "real" movies and all of the rest is pretty simple: If Mom and Dad have heard about it, it's real. But looking back at the past two months of releases, there really is a dearth of solid, noteworthy entertainment, much less entertainment that was created using the full resources of a major studio (as opposed to say, the most creative members of their marketing department). While it's no $200 million epic featuring footage actually shot on Mars, Lord and Miller have assembled a movie that is well-directed and polished, with action sequences that have real scope, and a story that has real substance.

Also Check Out: Don't Say No to the "21 Jump Street" Red-Band Trailer

2. Phil Lord and Chris Miller have a crowd-pleasing pedigree. Although neither is a household name (yet), Lord and Miller have provided you with hours upon hours of entertainment, starting with the sitcom "How I Met Your Mother," having served as co-executive producers on 17 episodes. Following that, they made their feature directing debut with "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs," the 2009 animated feature that went on to gross well over $100 million while managing to be entertaining to more than little kids, animation enthusiasts and food fetishists. "Jump Street" doesn't succumb to sitcom simplicity, but it shares in common with both of those projects a real populist appeal that's still smart, and an edge that's still sensitive.

3. Jonah Hill is in "the zone" right now. Admittedly, we missed his late-2011 film "The Sitter," so we can't attest to its quality. But Hill has had a hot streak in the last year or so, earning an Oscar nomination for his performance in "Moneyball" even as he premiered the TV series "Allen Gregory." Despite claims to the contrary, Hill lost none of his funniness when he lost much of his weight, and in the film seems to have similarly streamlined his acting. That razor-sharp wit is till there, but it's more focused and specific than ever before. Plus, he seems to have learned much from his "Moneyball" experience, testing the boundaries of his comic delivery while keeping his character likable and sympathetic.

Columbia Pictures

4. Channing Tatum is funny as hell. Given so much of the stuff he's done in the past, it's easy to assume that the good-looking leading man would function best as the straight man to Hill. But Lord and Miller bring out the humanity and the humor of Tatum as a jock who is mystified to discover that all of his "rule the school" expectations have been turned upside down, and slowly but inevitably aligns himself with the outcasts and nerds he once made fun of. This makes for some terrific comedy set pieces, and Tatum is up for the challenge of keeping up with Hill. There's a scene in which he unwittingly succumbs to the influence of a drug appropriately called "Holy F**king S**t," and his bombastic, unpredictable gauntlet of misbehaving is already a candidate for one of the year's funniest moments.

5. The movie has a deep bench. If the always reliable Hill and perhaps surprisingly hilarious Tatum weren't enough, Lord and Miller recruit an amazing ensemble of supporting players for minor roles that make an amazing impression. As a captain whose exasperation with Schmidt and Jenko gets them shuffled off to Jump Street, Nick Offerman destroys the two stars with a withering critique of their performance in the line of duty. Ice Cube is side-splitting as the Jump Street chief, who knows all too well about "angry black chief" clichés but is seemingly incapable of transcending them. "The New Girl" star Jake Johnson absolutely kills as the high school principal who is passionately indifferent about the prospect of a kid dying of a drug overdose. Rob Riggle steals almost every scene in which he appears as a gym coach with little reverence for the school he works at, and even less for the students. And Ellie Kemper goes two-for-two as a teacher who becomes deeply infatuated with Tatum after he crashes her science class.

6. There really hasn't been any competition. Although there are folks out there who might contend that "Project X" -- which coincidentally was written by "21 Jump Street" scribe Michael Bacall -- was the year's first comedy event movie, its niche was much narrower, or maybe just less mature, than this one's. "Friends With Kids" and the upcoming "Jeff, Who Lives at Home" were/are both more independent-minded than "Jump Street," and while we're big fans of "Tim & Eric's Billion Dollar Movie," there's no question that's just not for everybody. Ultimately, Miller and Lord's movie is meant to entertain teenage boys and the inner teenage boy within everyone else; and as a result, its sophomoric edges are just a little bit softer and its comedy more character-driven, which makes it a solid choice -- whether you're purchasing a ticket for yourself or, yup, your parents.

Columbia Pictures

South by Southwest starts on March 9, and Sundance had better watch its back.

Although Park City's film festival still reigns supreme as America's preeminent independent film event, Austin's SXSW is running a close second. The reason? It's cooler. And we're not talking the temperature.

Unlike Sundance, SXSW is not only a film festival, but it also sidelines as one of the hottest music festivals of the year. And let's face it; Austin's got a lot more going on than Park City. When SXSW isn't in full swing, the city remains a movie lover's haven thanks to the celebrated Alamo Drafthouse, run by indie film's coolest cat, Tim League. Austin also boasts a thriving music scene all year round, and is commonly referred to as the live music capital of the world.

Oh, and the film festival? It falls in line. The past few years have seen SXSW premiere such indie hits as "Tiny Furniture," "Weekend," "Kill List" and "Attack the Block" -- all progressive, boundary-pushing indies that signal exciting new voices in independent film.

If this year's SXSW film lineup is anything to go by, this will be a defining year for the festival. Here are our picks for the 12 with the most potential.

'21 Jump Street'

By the looks of it, Channing Tatum likes to be a busy guy, and we love him for it. In 2012 he's already delivered two of the best turns of his career in the action romp "Haywire" and the mega-successful weepie "The Vow." This summer he's poised to take over the multiplexes with the male stripper flick "Magic Mike" and the blockbuster sequel to "G.I. Joe." But first he'll appear in this sure-to-be hilarious adaptation of the popular TV series "21 Jump Street." While it appears to have almost nothing to do with the source material, it looks like a gut-busting time. Having newly minted Oscar nominee Jonah Hill by his side doesn't hurt. It premieres at SXSW a week before going wide.

Lionsgate

'The Cabin in the Woods'

If early buzz is to be believed, SXSW has one hell of an opening night film in "The Cabin in the Woods," a sci-fi horror mashup from the mind of Joss Whedon ("The Avengers"). The trippy blast stars Chris Hemsworth ("Thor") as one of five friends who go to a remote cabin in the woods where some truly loony stuff begins to go down. The plot's being kept tightly under wraps, but the trailer hints at some "Twilight Zone"-style shenanigans, so consider us psyched.

'Electrick Children'

We love music, but this is taking things a bit too far. In "Electrick Children," newcomer Julia Garner stars as a young Mormon girl who, on her 15th birthday, discovers a forbidden cassette tape with rock music on it. Months after listening to it, she claims to have had (get this) an immaculate conception from listening to the miraculous tracks. Say what? If that synopsis doesn't already have you interested, then we can't help you.

'Fat Kid Rules the World'

We were pleasantly surprised when "Scream" star Matthew Lillard popped up late in "The Descendants," and we're even more pleasantly surprised to see the guy stepping behind the camera with his directorial debut, "Fat Kid Rules the World." Seems like Lillard is following in the steps of his "Descendants" costar George Clooney. His film stars "Terri" breakout Jacob Wysocki as an overweight, suicidal teenager who befriends a high school dropout after trying to take his own life. Sounds heavy. We have high hopes Lillard can pull it off.

SXSW

'frankie go boom'

Charlie Hunnam ("The Ledge") and "Bridesmaids" star Chris O'Dowd pair up as brothers in this comedy that sports the best title of the bunch. O'Dowd plays the troublemaker of the two, making his brother's life a living hell when he shares his sex tape. This year's new It Girl, Lizzy Caplan -- who turned heads at Sundance with her hilarious turn as a coke-snorting party girl in "Bachelorette" -- plays the unlucky girl caught on tape.

'Gayby'

Fans of "Will & Grace" (and really, who isn't?) are sure to lap up "Gayby," a comedy about a straight gal and a gay guy who decide to have a kid together, the old-fashioned way. Things get complicated when the two struggle with what comes after the deed. The film's a feature-length adaptation of an award-winning short of the same name.

Also Check Out: Our 20 Favorite Films from the 2012 Sundance Film Festival

'Girls'

"Tiny Furniture" writer-director Lena Dunham is back at SXSW with her hotly anticipated new HBO show "Girls," produced by comedy wunderkind Judd Apatow. Dunham will be in Austin with the first three episodes. Fans of Dunham's breakout film can expect the same irreverent humor and pathos that made "Tiny Furniture" stand out. The series follows a group of young women trying to make it work in Manhattan, but don't be fooled: "Sex and the City" this is not.

'Hunky Dory'

Minnie Driver, where have you been? Glad to have you back. In this British export, Driver ("Good Will Hunting") stars a keen drama teacher who does everything in her power to put on an end-of-year musical version of Shakespeare's "The Tempest." The catch? She wants to use hits of the period (the film's set in 1976, so you get the deal). The early trailer hints at a period British take on "Glee," so color us excited. That, and the singing sounds stellar.

Voltage Pictures

'Killer Joe'

One look at the principal cast of "Killer Joe" and you'll know why we have high hopes. Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple, Gina Gershon and Thomas Haden Church headline the ensemble in the latest from director William Friedkin ("The Exorcist"). McConaughey is rumored to give his best performances to date as Joe, a crazy Dallas cop who moonlights as a contract killer. Hirsch stars as Joe's latest client. Sounds juicy. Did we mention it was recently slapped with an NC-17 rating?

'Marley'

Legendary musician Bob Marley finally gets the definitive documentary treatment he deserves in "Marley," a sprawling film directed by Oscar winner Kevin Macdonald ("The Last King of Scotland") that delves into the man behind the music. Made with the support of his estate, "Marley" features interviews with close friends, coworkers and family. What we can't wait to see? The rare performance footage.

'See Girl Run'

As longtime fans of the "The Craft " star Robin Tunney, we're psyched to see her take a break from her supporting turn on the hit TV show "The Mentalist" and take on lead duties in this romantic comedy. In "See Girl Run" Tunney plays Emmie, a woman in her thirties who reaches out to her high school boyfriend (funnyman Adam Scott) to spice up her stagnant life.

'Small Apartments'

You might know Swedish director Jonas Akerlund as the man behind some of the most influential music videos of the past two decades -- he's worked with Madonna, U2, Lady Gaga and the Rolling Stones. He's also a strong feature-film director who's already helmed three mostly overlooked flicks (his best known is probably "Spun," starring the late Brittany Murphy). His latest is an offbeat tale based on Chris Millis' novel that boasts one of the oddest casts in recent memory (Billy Crystal, Dolph Lundgren, Johnny Knoxville and Rosie Perez all star).

Universal

2011 is almost at an end, but while we're sorry to say goodbye to a year that brought us so many great films, we're just as excited for what the future brings us. After all, "Harry Potter" might be over, but "The Dark Knight Rises," 'The Avengers," "The Hunger Games" and the final installment of "Twilight" are all on the horizon. And that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to big blockbuster events.

So today, instead of looking back, let's look forward -- to the 50 movies we can't wait to see in 2012. Because we have a feeling that this might just be the best year for movies yet.

'The Woman in Black'

CBS Films

Release Date: February 3
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Janet McTeer, Ciaran Hinds
The Scoop: Daniel Radcliffe may have spent the last 10 years as the Boy Who Lived, but in his first post-"Harry Potter" film he may just become the Man Who Dies. That's because "The Woman in Black" is a creepy gothic horror story based on the popular novel of the same name by author Susan Hill. Getting himself out from under "Harry Potter"s' long shadow is likely to be a tough task, but if he can survive this film -- both plot-wise and in terms of fan expectations -- Radcliffe may be with us for the long haul.

'Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance'

Columbia Pictures

Release Date: February 17
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Ciaran Hinds, Idris Elba
The Scoop: Five years ago, Nic Cage scored a surprise hit when he indulged his inner comic-book geek and made the low-budget, low-profile superhero/horror movie "Ghost Rider." Now he's back with a sequel that once again features him as stuntman Johnny Blaze, an unfortunate motorcycling guru who turns into a grim demon with a flaming skull whenever something needs avenging. Plot details are sketchy, but really, that's a bit beside the point, isn't it? Bonus: "Thor" supporting player Idris Elba pops up for another comic-book bit part. Someone get this guy a leading role already!

'Dr. Seuss' The Lorax'

Universal

Release Date: March 2
Starring: Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Danny DeVito
The Scoop: In terms of relevance, beloved Dr. Seuss story "The Lorax" is about as far from "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" as you can get, thanks to a timely ecological message about the importance of preserving the environment from man's destructive greed. Zac Efron and Taylor Swift provide the voices in this animated 3-D adaptation from the folks that brought the world "Despicable Me" last year. Now we know why they were so despicable -- they were cutting down the forest!

'Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters'

Getty Images

Release Date: March 2
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Peter Stormare
The Scoop: What happens when two kids get crammed into an oven by an evil witch bent on eating them up? Well, anyone who knows their fairy tales knows Hansel and Gretel eventually escape, but with "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters," stars Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton show how childhood trauma can lead to a lifetime of mental issues -- and some serious, deadly retribution. Imagine "Van Helsing" with a lot more gingerbread and you've got a pretty good idea what to expect from this one.

'John Carter'

Disney

Release Date: March 9
Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Willem Dafoe, Lynn Collins, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds
The Scoop: A movie literally a hundred years in the making, "John Carter" adapts the series of Edgar Rice Burroughs novels about a Civil War casualty who finds himself inexplicably resurrected on the surface of Mars, where he lands in the middle of another bloody war between varying Martian factions. Played by "Friday Night Lights" star Taylor Kitsch, John Carter also learns that he possesses amazing powers of strength and endurance owing to the planet's lower gravity, allowing him to become an unlikely superhero. It will be interesting to see if this film can jumpstart a franchise, especially since it's directed by Pixar's Andrew Stanton, who previously helmed "Wall-E" and "Finding Nemo."

'21 Jump Street'

Columbia TriStar

Release Date: March 16
Starring: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube
The Scoop: Back in the '80s, "21 Jump Street" became one of Fox Television's first big hits thanks to a catchy premise -- youthful looking cops are sent undercover into high schools to fight juvenile crime -- and a certain unknown actor named Johnny Depp. Two decades after the show ended, Jonah Hill has revived the franchise for this comedic take on the concept, with Channing Tatum playing his partner and Depp dropping in for an as-yet unknown cameo. Taking old TV hits and turning them into post-modern comedies has a pretty spotty history in Hollywood, but if anyone can do it, these guys can. You say "Jump Street"; we say "how high?"

'Mirror Mirror'

Relativity Media

Release Date: March 16
Starring: Lily Collins, Julia Roberts, Armie Hammer
The Scoop: Stars Lily Collins and Julia Roberts have their work cut out for them in this whimsical live-action take on the classic "Snow White" fairy tale. After all, "Snow White and the Huntsman" is also coming out in 2012, and it's been getting a lot of hype thanks to a certain someone named Kristen Stewart. Luckily, "Mirror Mirror" has a secret weapon, and no, we're not talking about slipping Stewart a poison apple; we're referring to director Tarsem Singh, who just wowed critics and audiences with the highly stylized action flick "Immortals." We're not sure this will be a hit, but with Singh giving "Mirror Mirror" his unique touch, we know one thing: It will be memorable, one way or another.

'The Hunger Games'

Lionsgate

Release Date: March 23
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth
The Scoop: There's not a lot left to say about "The Hunger Games." Arguably the most anticipated film of the year, "The Hunger Games" has a huge and devoted fan base thanks to the wildly popular series of novels from author Suzanne Collins. So most people already know the story, which means the question is whether stars Jennifer Lawrence (as lead Katniss Everdeen), Josh Hutcherson (hunky do-gooder Peeta Mellark) and Liam Hemsworth (broody hunter Gale) can live up to those expectations. And in that game, our money is most definitely on Lawrence to win.

Also Check Out: MTV's Movie Smackdown 2012

'American Reunion'

Universal

Release Date: April 6
Starring: Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Seann William Scott
The Scoop: It's been a long time since the original cast of "American Pie" actually starred in one of the seemingly endless spin-offs from the franchise -- you could build a fort out of the straight-to-DVD releases --  but this time the whole gang is back. Does "American" still have a hankering for some good old-fashioned pie buggery, or has the world moved on to bigger, better and less sticky things? Either way, it will be good to reunite with these old movie friends one more time.

'Titanic 3D'

Paramount

Release Date: April 6
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane
The Scoop: It might be hard to remember now, but back when James Cameron was filming "Titanic," most people in Hollywood thought it was going to be an epic disaster (no pun intended). And then his decision to spend over a decade working on the 3-D CGI technology for "Avatar"? Also expected to be a disaster. Well, if that’s the case, then maybe we should put Cameron in charge of FEMA, because those happen to be the two biggest box-office hits of all time -- and now he's taking the best of both worlds and combining them for a special "Titanic 3D" re-release. Does the world need such a thing? At this point, if Cameron says we need it, we're going to assume we need it. Get ready to swoon all over again.

'The Five-Year Engagement'

Universal

Release Date: April 27
Starring: Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Chris Pratt, Mindy Kaling
The Scoop: Once upon a time, people got engaged and then, you know, got married. These days, though, getting and staying engaged for years at a time is not uncommon, which makes this the perfect time for Jason Segel's newest rom-com, "The Five-Year Engagement." Segel and Emily Blunt star as a couple that intends to get married but keeps having the big day pushed back by, you know, life. Anything that gets the "Muppets" and "Forgetting Sarah Marshall' star back on the big screen  is good enough for us -- and if he wants to stay for five years, we wouldn't turn that down, either.

'The Avengers'

Marvel

Release Date: May 4
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson
The Scoop: The boldest blockbuster experiment in the history of Hollywood arrives at last when "The Avengers" hits the big screen. For the last few years, Marvel Studios has been meticulously setting the groundwork for the first real shared universe in movie history, and this is the result, with the stars of "Iron Man" (Robert Downy Jr.), "Thor" (Chris Hemsworth) and "Captain America" (Chris Evans) being joined by a new Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) for the most astonishing superhero adventure of all time. It doesn't get any bigger than this.

'Dark Shadows'

Warner Bros.

Release Date: May 11
Starring: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green
The Scoop: Johnny Depp has a message for all you "Twilight," "Underworld' and "True Blood" fans: The granddaddy of the vampire craze is back to show you whippersnappers how it's really done. That would be one Barnabas Collins, who turned vampires into a pop craze way back in the 1960s on the cult-hit, gothic soap opera "Dark Shadows." Of course, you don't need to know anything about ancient TV history to get psyched for this one; all you need to know is that "Dark Shadows" is directed by the legendary Tim Burton and stars Depp as a vampire. Let the lesson begin.

'The Dictator'

Paramount

Release Date: May 11
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris, John C. Reilly
The Scoop: Following the controversial madness (and comedic genius) of "Borat" and the even more over-the-top (and more controversial) "Bruno," there's pretty much nothing Sacha Baron Cohen can do anymore that will shock people, right? Well ... funny thing. "The Dictator," which Paramount describes as "the heroic story of a dictator who risked his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed," is reportedly based on a novel written by Saddam Hussein. We might be watching this one from between the fingers we have covering our eyes, but we'll be watching.

'Battleship'

Universal

Release Date: May 18
Starring: Alexander Skarsgard, Brooklyn Decker, Liam Neeson, Taylor Kitsch
The Scoop: "Clue" proved you could make a movie out of a board game, but we're still a little surprised by "Battleship," which is a big (really big) budget adaptation of the classic naval strategy game. Taylor Kitsch stars as a kid trying to make good in front of his new commanding officer (Liam Neeson) -- a guy who just happens to also be his future father-in-law. That sounds bad, but it's not as bad as aliens invading Earth's seas, which is what happens next. So will Hollywood manage to sink this "Battleship"? You'll have to wait until M-18 to find out.

'Men in Black III'

Sony

Release Date: May 25
Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin
The Scoop: Back in the '90s, "Men in Black" was one of the biggest franchises around. Somewhere along the way, though, the series slipped through the cracks -- until now. Yes, 10 years after the last installment, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are back with their jokey take on alien invasions. This time around, there's a new twist: time travel, which gives Josh Brolin a chance to bust out the most dead-on Jones impersonation ever as the younger version of Agent K. Hey, if that's the result, we wish we'd get invaded by aliens a lot more often.

MORE: 50 Movies We Can't Wait to See in 2012 - Page 2 >>

Columbia Pictures

It's a dirty job, but Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill have got to do it.

We have to admit, we didn't think "21 Jump Street" was going to go the whole "raunchy R-rated comedy" route. Indeed, the movie version of the beloved '80s television show looks like it could've been made by Judd Apatow. But it looks like this unexpected approach to the material is going to work out just fine.

Tatum and Hill appear to make a fantastic odd couple in this tale of two young police officers who go deep undercover in a high school to stop all the bad kids from doing drugs -- Tatum continues to get more confident with each film role, and this is the first time that the sight of "skinny Jonah" hasn't been a jarring one. Ice Cube and Nick Offerman of "Parks and Recreation" (who can just go ahead and be in every single movie ever made as far as we're concerned) also provide some good laughs.

No sign of Johnny Depp's much-ballyhooed cameo, but you didn't think they would play that card just yet, did you? They certainly play quite a few, though -- the trailer is over three minutes long and chock full of what seem like A-list funny bits.

Check out the (rather long) red band trailer below, courtesy of YouTube. "21 Jump Street" opens March 16, 2012.

WARNING: Most certainly NSFW due to rampant vulgarity and crude hurlyburly.

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Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill: Whose side are you on?

The "21 Jump Street" stars have challenged each other to a Tweet-Off Challenge: Whoever gains the most new Twitter followers by Wednesday, November 2, will get to tweet the red-band trailer for their new movie. The loser will have to make do with tweeting the plain ol' green band trailer on Friday, November 4 -- which is, of course, just plain humiliating.

You can help decide the outcome of this competition, of course. Choose your side on Twitter: @ChanningTatum or @JonahHill.

If you're having trouble deciding, you may be swayed in one direction or another via the YouTube videos below, in which both Tatum and Hill make their cases as to why they should be the ones to get the most Twitter followers. Apparently, there's some mad tension on the "21 Jump Street" set!

"21 Jump Street" opens March 16, 2012.

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"21 Jump Street" was once Johnny Depp's hallowed hunting ground, but that will all change in 2012 when a new breed of baby-faced cops will infiltrate high schools to fight crime among teens.

Now it's headed for the big screen, and the latest addition is fresh-faced Ellie Kemper from "Bridesmaids." Kemper will play a science teacher who has some real chemistry with an undercover cop played by ab-tacular Channing Tatum. Kemper played an innocent new wife in "Bridesmaids," but things are about to get a little steamier for the up-and-coming actress, especially with Tatum as a love interest.

The script for "21" was written by Jonah Hill and Michael Bacall ("Scott Pilgrim vs. the World"), so you can expect it to be at least a little raunchy and a lot funny. With a cast that includes Ice Cube, Brie Larson, Dakota Johnson, Dave Franco, Rob Riggle and (a newly-skinny) Hill, this will definitely be a new iteration of the "Jump Street" some of us grew up with. Depp has agreed to do a cameo and will hopefully leave the Jack Sparrow dreads at home that day.

"Bridesmaids" has already served as an awesome launching pad for some of its stars. Besides the possible sequel, director Paul Feig is developing a project with and for "Gilmore Girls" fave Melissa McCarthy. Meanwhile, McCarthy is working on a project with "Bridesmaids" co-writer Annie Mumolo.

So, who's next? Chris O'Dowd, anyone?

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Rob Riggle – the husky humorist who brings "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" the occasional much-needed jolt of pure testosterone – is only getting started in Hollywood.

But before three high-profile movie gigs over the next two years, Riggle is playing online host, curating Atom.com's AXE Dirtcathlon, a four-part web series that challenges its contestants to get as dirty as humanly possible in 90 seconds.

Wise move, Riggle. We hear the internet's the future. "It's catching on," laughs Riggle. "The kids really like it."

And does a corporate gig like this mean dude's got a lifetime supply of AXE? "You would have thought these guys would have given me a lifetime or at least a year's supply," he says. "They gave me three."

Well, Riggle should be comforted to know that at the rate he's going, he'll be getting a lifetime supply of movie offers. He waxes poetic to us about his movie projects, past and future.

'Step Brothers' (2008)
I love "Step-Brothers" because there were a lot of really funny people in it. A lot of improvising. Adam McKay directed it. It's just a funny, funny movie, and the more you watch it the more you find and discover. It just keeps revealing itself to you.

Paramount

'The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard' (2009)
Who doesn't want to play a 10-year-old boy with a pituitary problem? I mean, that was probably one of the most coveted roles in Hollywood at the time. And I was lucky enough to land it. And any time you got Ken Jeong – Dr. Ken – in there you’re going to have a good time.

'The Hangover' (2009)
Ah! "The Hangover!" Well, come on, as of today, it is still the highest-grossing R-rated comedy in history. Although I think number two is going to eclipse that [laughs]. I mean it was just a great movie. Again, a lot of fun people doing a lot of fun things.

'Furry Vengeance' (2010)
Best opening line to a movie in history. From what I understand. Which is me screaming "I do as I please!"

Sony

'The Other Guys' (2010)
Again, Adam McKay-directed movie. Got to shoot guns, drive around New York City in a cop car, and hang out with Damon Wayans Jr. all day, every day. And that is a good time.

'Larry Crowne' (Opening July 1, 2011)
I play Tom Hanks' boss. And it's kind of fun. I get to do a couple of scenes with Tom Hanks, and I get to be a little bit of a douche. Which is always kind of fun.

'The Lorax' (Opening March 2, 2011)
I'm playing O'Hare in "The Lorax" and it's going to be fun. It's going to be a good time. I got to see just a tiny glimpse of the animation with my voice to it. It's a real freaky experience, but it's really cool.

'21 Jump Street' (Opening March 16, 2012)
I'm shooting the movie right now, down in New Orleans with Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. Going great. Those guys are awesome, so fun… We're having a blast.

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Ever since Jonah Hill announced he was going to do an updated, big screen version of the hit '80s television series "21 Jump Street," fans have been wondering one thing: is Johnny Depp, a.k.a. baby faced cop Tom Hanson, going to be in it?

Well, thanks to our friends at MTV News, we now know the answer: not only is he going to be in it, he's already finished filming his role -- and he couldn't be happier.

"It was a great experience," Depp said about his return to the role that made him famous.

So what else did Depp have to say about his experience on the set of "21 Jump Street?" Check out the whole interview over at MTV News to find out -- and get ready to "Jump" for joy.

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How could you be more made of Hollywood royalty than Dakota Johnson?

Famous parents (Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson)? Check. Famous grandparent (Tippi Hedren)? Check. Famous stepfather (Antonio Banderas)? Double check.

We're not sure who her pets are but they've probably been in a commercial or something.

The point is, girl gots some talent running through those veins, and she's ready to prove it after a memorable scene as Justin Timberlake's college conquest in "The Social Network" turned some heads last year.

According to Variety, the lovely Ms. Johnson will co-star in a trio of promising new films, including "Goats" with David Duchonvy and Vera Farmiga, "Five-Year Engagement" for Judd Apatow, as well as a little TV-to-movie masterpiece called "21 Jump Street."

Not bad for a 21-year-old model and former Miss Golden Globe.

We're particularly excited about "Five-Year Engagement" since it re-teams "Sarah Marshall" dudes Nicolas Stoller and Jason Segel to chronicle the tumultuous relationship hinted at by the title. Hey, it worked for "40-Year-Old Virgin," right? Perhaps Apatow & Co. can form a trilogy with "80-Year-Old Boy Scout" or "30-Day-Old Sandwich."

Whatever comes of these films, we hope Johnson can live up to her famous lineage, much like that other successful lady with family ties, Drew Barrymore.

On Location Vacations

The first photos from the set of the new, big screen revamp of "21 Jump Street" have just hit the internet -- and judging from the pictures of Jonah Hill, it looks like they might need to change the title to "21 Jump Rope."

Yes, the people at On Location Vacations have posted snapshots taken by a secret mole on the "21 Jump Street" set and they not only reveal what Hill and co-star Channing Tatum are going to look like all dolled up in police uniforms, they also reveal that whatever diet plan Hill is using, we want in on it. The dude looks like a bajillion bucks.

Quick recap for those of you born after 1991: Once upon a time, "21 Jump Street" was a TV show starring Johnny Depp (who will return for a cameo in the film) as part of a team of cops who go undercover at high schools to bust teen crime. Somewhere along the way, Hollywood decided this would make a really good comedy, so they teamed up Hill and Tatum and sent them down to New Orleans, where they are now filming for a March 16, 2012, release date.

As it happens, though, we won't have to wait to see what they're up do down in the Big Easy, because one of the extras managed to take some snapshots with Tatum and Hill, showing off both their uniforms and Hill's sleek new physique.

Take a look for yourself -- and pass the salad: