Strange New Year

On the eve of 2012, it's natural to think of tomorrow as the start of something new.  Millions of people are holding their collective breath for varied changes that rest squarely in their own hands but are treated as though they are strands of destiny.  Tomorrow is when I'll start my diet, exercise more, or tell her how I really feel.  Tonight, we look forward to a new year that won't be what we want it to be.  And that's just fine.

With everything starting fresh and new, it seems the same should be the case with movies.  Tomorrow, we enter a new cinematic year that brings guaranteed treasures - say, The Dark Knight Rises and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - and plenty of surprises that we've yet to even hear of.  But in reality, the first few months of a new year represent a strange intersection in the film world.  Sure, we'll be getting weekly batches of new releases, but most of them will smell of laziness and a lack of integrity.  This is the season of Joyful Noise, starring Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah in a musical about a Gospel choir covering pop hits, and One for the Money, a movie with a trailer so bad, it's hard to believe it actually exists.

Most of these movies will be critical and commercial flops, and most of them rightfully so.  But really, the first few months of a new year belong to the previous year, and in the best way.  Alongside the bounty of new turds plopping into theaters, moviegoers around the country will finally have the chance to see some of the year's top awards contenders.  Limited releases like Shame, The Artist, and A Dangerous Method will finally make it to the likes of wee Columbus, while even smaller cities may finally have the pleasure of watching George Clooney give a career-best performance in The Descendants.  Even smaller fare like A Separation and A Cat in Paris will trickle out, too, hoping to be bolstered by elusive Oscar nominations.

If not for the Oscars, and the swell of great films vying to be recognized, this could very well be the most depressing time of the year, cinematically.  (One could make that argument anyways, if you look at the dismal New Year's Eve.)  As the new year begins, don't settle for the dreck that is so easily accessible.  Take a look at the theaters that are nearby but not too-nearby.  Drive the extra twenty minutes to see something great instead of padding Mark Wahlberg's wallet.  The pickings aren't as slim as they seem - greatness is out there for anyone willing to put forth a bit of extra effort.  And a great movie is certainly worth it.