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It is not surprising that 2012 has been an interesting year for Hollywood movies. Before the year started, most moviegoers where anticipating several titles that were scheduled to open within the year. As the year draws to a close, here are the Top 8 movies that so far rocked the box office in the Year of the Dragon.

The Dark Knight Rises

The movie failed to hit the mark set by Avatar, which is the highest grossing movie of all time. But it grossed more than $700 million worldwide. It shattered all opening weekend records. It reached the $500 million mark faster than any other motion picture. To date, people are still talking about it especially its unexpected ending.

The Amazing Spiderman

The movie, which earned $368 million in total, is a proof that moviegoers love familiar material. Andrew Garfield and his leading lady Emma Stone surprised the audience with their fresh take on their respective roles. So far, it is the second highest grossing film of 2012.

The Hobbit

Just when everyone thought The Lord of the Rings was over, The Hobbit was released. Its first part generated $356 million at the box office. Interestingly, the movie earned great reviews.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II

The Twilight Saga has come to its end. After making $316 million, this movie has lorded over the box office during its entire stint. Twilight fanatics worldwide did not fail showing support to their most loved motion picture.

Brave

Pixar was disappointed with its animated film Cars 2 in 2011, which only generated $191 million at the box office. The company’s Brave did better in 2012, having earned $302 million. The movie is an addition to Pixar’s list of box-office successes like Finding Nemo, Toy Story 2, and The Incredibles.

The Avengers

After making $260 million, this movie beat Thor and Captain America. Despite the unlikely reviews, it still did well at the box office, thanks to the interesting cast.

MIB 3

The movie was not a flop, after making $212 million. It became an indication that moviegoers still love Will Smith despite numerous reviewers’ assertion that this film is his worst since Wild Wild West. No one is expecting MIB 4 soon, though.

Hunger Games

Everyone agrees that $210 million does not sound impressive for a film that has been well hyped. But it should be noted that the film was not as big as Harry Potter before it opened in March but it succeeded in expanding its fan base to ensure the success of its sequel.

written by Chip Newell, an entertainment blogger and finance journalist whose guest columns regularly appear on entertainment blogs . He also covers subjects like Money Mutual & Montel Williams for finance and money management sites

Looking through any of the lists of the world’s sexiest men and one thing seems clear.  There are almost always a number of men who are older, well past their twenties, and considered to be very much in their prime.  While this is often seen as a circumstance of culture, where there seems to be certain gender disparities, there are other factors that can weigh in as well and tilt the equation in other unexpected directions.  Culture at large seems to be leaning toward healthier trends in general, where it’s much hipper to take care of yourself than it has been in the recent past.  Lifestyles and products that support healthy life choices are definitely in that elusive realm of coolness, and it’s been trending for long enough to suspect, or predict, that it won’t go away soon.

This suggests that although the ideal man may very well be older than the typical age for a rising Hollywood star, the older men on the lists are ones who have usually made the cut in their younger years as well.  This coincides with a larger trend toward healthy living.  It may have once been fashionable to live a reckless lifestyle, and the bad boys were always living more recklessly than the rest of the pack.  But these days, those bad boy types often seem to have a keen and active interest in information on mens health.  That suggests that the culture is taking an active role as well, supporting healthier life choices for everyone, including movie stars.  So the older men who continually make the lists are, in effect, being rewarded for taking good care of themselves.

It’s also telling to compare these lists with the lists for the world’s sexiest women.  There are more than just a couple who make the list that are well into their 30s, and often in their 40s.  Although there is still a long way to go toward shifting those cultural constructions that make the gender disparity still a force to reckon with, the numbers are actually quite positive toward older celebrities despite gender.  Although it would be welcome to see a few more women on the list who are past their 40s, it’s also looking more likely that this wouldn’t be very far away.  Sexy is sexy at any age, and it’s refreshing to see that our notions of sexiness are starting to have something in common with real and genuine physical health.

Tennis is one of the most favored international sports to watch; with its intensity and unpredictable outcomes its one of the most popular to play as well. It seems that everyone is watching and talking about the French Open right now, so here is some information and fun facts you might not have known.

First, the French Open is one of four grand slam tournaments. The grand slam tournaments are the Australian Open, US Open, French Open, and Wimbledon. These are the four major events that athletes strive to play in each year and which help determine their rankings.

Next, the French Open is held in Paris, France at Stade Roland Garros. The stadium, Roland Garros, was named after a notable French World War I pilot. The courts are made of clay and the French Open is the only grand slam tournament to be played on clay courts. Now, the difference between clay courts and hard or grass courts is that the ball bounces higher on clay and travels slower, making it a very physically demanding game.

Finally, the tournament was established in 1891, it was originally a national championship but was then changed allow international talent to compete.

As one of the largest tennis events of the year, the French Open attracts all the best players from all over the world. With the tricky surface, the tournament is full of surprises and you never know who will win. The French Open has a lot of history behind it and is definitely one of the major sporting events you won’t want to miss out on.

You might want to check your calendar because it’s definitely time to go to Las Vegas. And if you’re wondering why, well, come on, really, do you honestly need to ask? Anytime is a great time to visit and the Las Vegas events calendar is filled with great options all the time. Whether it’s theatre, music concerts, comedy, magic or any other form of entertainment and performance, you will find it in Vegas every day of the year. Oh, that is, except yesterday. If you were there yesterday, well, you know what they say, if it happened there it stays there, so that’s the only day we can’t talk about.

Meanwhile, if you plan to visit Las Vegas soon, you will certainly encounter one of many events of a lifetime. If you visited Vegas today you would have the option of seeing the incredibly imaginative Mystere from Cirque de Soleil, or one of their other hits Human Nature or KA. In addition, The Lion King is still running and word has it that Penn and Teller have just signed on for another three years. Meanwhile, major Broadway hits Jersey Boys and Menopause the Musical continue to perform to full houses. Phantom, The Las Vegas Spectacular seems to be on its way to becoming one of the city’s iconic hits and these are just the main musical performance options. In addition, there are an endless variety of music concerts and great comedy acts. And we haven’t even discussed all the possible genre options. Whatever you’re looking for and whenever you want to find it, it will be waiting for you in Vegas. Unless it was yesterday.

It’s a personality test that’s as valuable to some as the Myers-Briggs , telling some hidden secrets to the soul. Picking out the favorite Beatle is a great party game, and it’s also a good way to get to know someone. Like most personality tests, the answers will change over time, and the answers can give a clue as to the life phases one might be going through.

Paul is always a favorite choice, and may be the top pick for the majority of people. He has a sunny disposition, as well as a strong and consistent creative output, and that’s attractive to so many people. Ringo is the top choice for folks who like to have fun, and live care free, taking things as they come, and being genuinely baffled and humble by it all. George is for the quiet ones, and the ones who value the inner life over anything else. John is usually the top pick for those who have a sentimental nature, broody, but also concerned and compassionate for the world at large.

The real test of the favorite Beatle, however, would come at a costume party. Of all the Beatles Costumes available, deciding which one to dress up as means that it’s a personality one would like to enact in the world.