The 2012 summer movies worth seeing (as decided by professional geeks)

Everybody says that critics are out of touch with mainstream audiences, which is why the Rotten Tomatoes Fresh-o-meter never matches Box Office Mojo's top earners. But you know who is really different from the median movie consumer? Hard core geeks like novelist A. Lee Martinez, Lisa Paitz Spindler, Paul Weimer, Regan Wolfram, Patrick Hester and, well, me.

Look no further than our SF Signal podcast roundup of 2012 summer movies for proof.

Our audio-only Council of Geek Elders is way more contentious and snarky than the last 2012 geek movie catalog I rammed down your throat -- especially when it comes to The Amazing Spider-Man, Battleship, The Dark Knight Rises and G.I. Joe: Retaliation. Give a listen for the nerd-rage showdown.

Per usual, the running tally of my SF Signal Podcast screw-ups is available here.

The one in which I use my powers for good

Image by nickhall via Flickr

Way back in March (and republished in April), I laid out my predictions for the summer geek movie season. I said Iron Man would rock, Speed Racer would flop, and Prince Caspian would be middling but appeal to the kiddies.

Let's just look at the Rotten Tomatoes fresh ratings and gross reports, shall we?

• Iron Man: 93% fresh, $177,825,024 (11,855,001.6 per day since release) gross.
• Speed Racer: 35% fresh, $18,561,337 (2,320,167.12 per day since release) gross.
• Prince Caspian: 70% fresh, no gross data yet.

That's right, I'm a genius. If could pick stocks this well I'd be building that lifesize mockup of the Fortress of Solitude with my billions right about now. But, to paraphrase General Zod, "Why do you say these things when you know I will kill you for it?"

"Kill me, Lex Luthor, the greatest criminal mind...."

Sorry, tangent.

Anyway, why am I mouthing off about my mutant movie critiquing powers when karma will almost certainly snap back and ensure that my successive prediction(s) fall resoundingly flat?

Because the next movie I previewed was Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull...and I said it was gonna lay a great big steaming pile of Episode I on our summer. And I don't want to be right about that. I very much think I will be, but if the only cost for ensuring that Indy 4 kicks mega retro Raiders of the Lost Ark ass is to be exposed as a lucky guesser in front of all five of my blog readers, sign my arrogant butt up for the smackdown. Because the likelihood of Shia Lebouf as this year's Jar Jar is growing awfully fast.

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