A few days ago, we posted part 1 of the top 2012 movie rentals and why we loved them. We are closing out the list in this post here for the most popular movie rentals (as determined by number of times rented) from the past year and we highlight their best moments.
The Watch
The Watch was another theatrical disappointment for the studio, but killed it in the video rental market. Comedies typically do well as rentals and with the promise of Vince Vaughn, Ben Stiller, and Jonah Hill headlining one film, it flew off rental shelves from November though the end of the year.
Why we liked it: Ok, now I’m a sucker for Vince Vaughn movies because I still think he is one of the funniest actors in Hollywood, and he and the rest of the gang in The Watch deliver the laughs here. Sure it gets pretty course at times, but Stiller, Vaughn, and Hill all show they still have great comedic timing. Richard Ayoade also delivers a great dry-humor “nerd” role to round out the foursome during their alien adventures.
Our favorite moment: As a guy, there’s a scene where the gang is in the car doing a stakeout and Vince Vaughn has to take a leak. For you ladies out there, what ensues is exactly what happens in situations like this for most groups of guys.
The Campaign
The 2012 Presidential election was a huge event this past year and the movie The Campaign came out on DVD/Blu-ray right in the thick of it. It appears that many Americans wanted to take a break from the real life political ads and mudslinging to laugh at some fake politicians do some mudslinging of their own.
Why we liked it: You wouldn’t know this from the trailers, but The Campaign is pretty dirty. If you can stomach that though, there are some pretty funny moments in it that are perhaps a little too close to what I imagine real politics is behind the scenes. Either way, Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis portray clueless politicians brilliantly.
Our favorite moment: When Marty Huggins (Galifianakis) brings up a crayoned story that Cam Brady (Ferrell)wrote when he was 8 years-old and claims it’s a communist manifesto. This is hilarious, because while perhaps not as extreme as this, our real life politicians pull stunts like this all the time when digging up the past.
WARNING: The video clip below has explicit language.
Magic Mike
Who would have guessed that a movie about male strippers could be so successful? Well, the year of Channing Tatum continued with this eye-candy feast and women that didn’t want to go check this one out in the theaters certainly weren’t shy about renting it for some Magic Mike “Girls Night In” parties.
Why we liked it: I gotta be honest, as a straight dude, I haven’t seen this film. So I had to ask some of my female coworkers about why they liked this film. This was their response: “Channing Tatum. Matthew McConaughey. Joe Manganiello. Shirtless.”
Our favorite moment: Umm, yeah. I think you all can probably guess what the ladies’ favorite part of this film was. Here’s a hint. It wasn’t the plot.
The Grey
Liam Neeson has quickly become Hollywood’s favorite BA by starring in films like Taken, Unknown, and The Grey. In The Grey, instead of whooping thugs and professional killers in Europe, we see Neeson taking on man’s biggest challenge: nature.
Why we liked it: The Grey is the classic tale of man versus nature.
It’s a tense, thrilling ride for survival. Neeson goes full-on Bear Grylls after he and a group of oilers survive a plane crash in the Alaskan wild and are then are hunted by a pack of wolves, with only one species walking away.
Our favorite moment: Like a Jack London novel, the ending is poetic, moving, and inevitable. The ending alone would be worth watching this film for.
You can view the ending here.
Safe House
Safe House was one of those action thrillers that had all the makings of a blockbuster film. It starred Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds, but didn’t make a huge impact in theaters. Well, apparently everyone was waiting to pick it up to rent, because rentals for this one were outstanding.
Why we liked it: Like I said, Denzel and Reynolds headlined this action thriller where the plot got messier and messier as the film went on. You weren’t sure who the good guys and the bad guys actually were until the very end, keeping you on the edge of your seat the whole way through.
Our favorite moment: Pretty much the entire film. Denzel is such a good actor and it’s a lot of fun seeing him knock people out while retaining that iconic charisma and smile of his. If you like action movies, this is one you should be sure to add to your list.
