We're now in 2012, and the last several weeks have, as always, included a plethora of movie-related lists summing up the year.  There are, of course, many a critical list, such as IAR's Top Ten of 2011, and there is also the year-end roundup of the top-ten movies at the domestic box office.  But what of the online black market?  Aren't we curious to see which films amassed the most illegal downloads over the course of the year we just left behind?  This is not be misconstrued as an endorsement of illegal movie torrenting, as it is instead a point of curiosity, a brief look at the most popular titles in this  ubiquitous practice.

Win: A Sucker Punch The Art of the Film by Zack Snyder Sweepstakes

From: RogueLife LLC

Enter by:  July 29th, 2011

The reign of family-oriented films continues, with Rio making what is estimated to be the biggest opening of the year so far with a projected $40 million haul over the weekend.  Not only that, but the animated musical led the pack in what was the first weekend of 2011 to see an increase over the corresponding weekend last year.  Rio accounted for the lion's share of the roughly 11% increase over the same three-day window in 2010, with the attempted horror franchise restarter Scream 4 earning an estimated $19.3 million, well below expectations.

It was the weekend of Russell Brand, with current studio estimates showing that films starring the British comedian occupied the number one and three spots at the box office.  Though the second week showing of Hop is undoubtedly a victory for Brand, Arthur is a mixed bag, debuting behind the action thriller Hanna.  Last weekend's Hop, in which Brand voices the Easter Bunny, retained the number one position with an estimated $21.6 million, but the new release Arthur, with Brand in the title role, came in third place with $12.3 million.

If current estimates prove accurate, then Hop, the family film starring Russell Brand as the voice of the Easter Bunny, has earned not only the number one spot at the box office, but also the title of the biggest debut in 2011 so far.  Hop's projected haul of $38.1 million since Friday is about a million dollars above than previous 2011 title-holder Rango, which fell to eighth place in its fifth week of release, but is still the highest grossing film of 2011 so far with $113.8 million.

Yesterday, with the news that incoming Warner Bros Studio Chief Jeff Robinov is hoping – against reality and logic – to have a Justice League film onscreen in 2013, I wondered if perhaps the plan involved a crossover role for Henry Cavill, who plays Clark Kent in director Zack Snyder's Superman reboot.  Well, HeyUGuys (via Cinemablend) caught up with Snyder at the London premiere of his new film Sucker Punch, and he answered conclusively as to his Superman's involvement in a possible Justice League.

So Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch didn't debut at number one last weekend; despite our consensus-minded culture, popularity and quality don't necessarily go hand in hand.  There's always next weekend, anyways, and in order to entice you into paying hard-earned money to see the fetishized action-fantasy, Warner Bros is offering the first five minutes of the film online for free.  So take a few minutes and get acquainted with Baby Doll, played by Emily Browning.

It's official, director Zack Snyder has tapped three-time Academy Award nominee Amy Adams to play Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane in his upcoming reboot of Superman. The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Snyder called Adams yesterday from Paris, where he is promoting his latest film Sucker Punch, to give her the good news. "There was a big, giant search for Lois." Snyder said. "For us it was a big thing and obviously a really important role. We did a lot of auditioning but we had this meeting with Amy Adams and after that I just felt she was perfect for it."

Despite a considerable promotional push featuring gorgeous women in various states of fetishized dress wielding automatic weapons and samurai swords, Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch was one-upped at the box office this weekend by the established family-friendly property Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules.  The sequel, adapted from the novel by Jeff Kinney, earned an estimated $24.4 million since Friday, placing it indisputably ahead of Sucker Punch's estimated $19 million haul. 

After just three live action feature films, director Zack Snyder has developed a signature visual style, and with his fourth movie, Sucker Punch, it looks like he's taken that style to new extremes.  The story – which has certain thematic similarities to Pan's Labyrinth – contrasts stunning, action-packed fantasy sequences with the oppressive daily reality faced by an institutionalized young woman known only as Baby Doll.  You can see Emily Browning in action as Baby Doll in four new clips from Sucker Punch, which jumpkicks its way into theaters this Friday.