Hey Rogues and Roguettes, how about a handpicked compilation of some of a favorite fried gold IAR stories from the year that was 2012?

My dear Rogues, we're neck-deep in the holiday season, and with December 25th fast approaching, it's past time to get serious about shopping.  You don't want to end up desperately scavenging the shelves at your local Target after it has been ransacked for a month straight by consumers with better timing.

In order to help you avoid that dismal fate this year, IAR has compiled a handy holiday hodgepodge of gift ideas for movie fans of all types.

Justice League is still without a director, but Warner Bros. very much intends to have its own superhero team-up in theaters by 2015, the year that will also see The Avengers sequel reassembling Marvel's foremost supersquad in theaters.  Director or not, we may just have an idea which DC comic book story will form the basis of the theatrical Justice League.

Ah, a little bit more gasoline is getting poured on the crackling fire that is the now incessant awards season discussion.  That gasoline is the 2012 edition of the American Film Institute's top ten movies of the year, unveiled today alongside the list of top ten television series.

Batman is back!

Available for purchase on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital Download beginning December 4th is The Dark Knight Rises, the third and final chapter in director Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy. Following the success of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, Academy Award-winner Christian Bale (The Fighter) returns once again as the Caped Crusader defending the streets of Gotham from a whole new crop of bad guys. 

In addition to the return of Bale in the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman, the film also welcomes back Oscar-winner Michael Caine (The Cider House Rules) as Alfred Pennyworth, Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby) as Lucius Fox, and Oscar-nominee Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) as Commissioner Gordon, as well as new cast members such as Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose) as Miranda Tate, Oscar-nominee Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married) as Selina Kyle, Tom Hardy (Warrior) as Bane, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Looper) as John Blake. The film also features cameos from Batman Begins actors Cillian Murphy (Red Lights) as Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow, and Oscar-nominee Liam Neeson (Schindler’s List) as Ra’s al Ghul. 

While Batman Begins was loosely based on Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One, and The Dark Knight took its inspiration from seminal Batman stories such as Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore, and Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb, The Dark Knight Rises seems to take its lead from Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, as well as Batman: Knightfall by Chuck Dixon, which first featured the villain Bane.

Available on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital Download beginning December 4th is the superhero blockbuster The Dark Knight Rises, which is the final chapter in director Christopher Nolan's Trilogy that began with '2005s Batman Begins and continued with '2008s The Dark Knight. The film once again stars Oscar-winner Christian Bale (The Fighter) as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Oscar-winner Michael Caine (Cars 2) as Alfred Pennyworth, Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman (The Magic of Belle Isle) as Lucius Fox, Oscar-nominee Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) as Commissioner Gordon, Oscar-nominee Liam Neeson (The Grey) as Ra's al Ghul, and Cillian Murphy (Red Lights) as Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarcrow, as well as new cast members Marion Cotillard (Rust and Bone) as Miranda Tate/Talia al Ghul, Oscar-nominee Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married) as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Tom Hardy (Warrior) as Bane, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Looper) as "Robin" John Blake. 

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had a chance to visit The Dark Knight Legend Exhibit at LA LIVE in Los Angeles and speak with George Barris (Creator of the Original 1966 Batmobile), Andy Smith (Builder of The Tumbler from Christopher Nolan's Trilogy), Jeff Dunham (Comedian and Owner of a Restored Michael Keaton Batmobile), and Mark Greenhalgh (Warner Bros. Corporate Archive) about the once in a lifetime event and their contributions to The Dark Knight legacy. In addition to featuring all five big screen Batmobiles, the exhibit also includes costumes and props from Christopher Nolan's Trilogy, and Batman art. 

With The Avengers having proven that a team-up superhero movie can work to the tune of $1.5 billion, Warner Bros. appears to be hauling ass in order to get DC's finest in their own ensemble mega-movie putting Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and others possibly including Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern into one movie.  And we may know just which the big bad from the pages of DC Comics will be bringing the Justice League together. 

Opening in theaters on November 30th is the new horror film The Collection, which was directed by Marcus Dunstan (Saw IV) and is a sequel to 2009's 'The Collector.' The new sequel features returning star Josh Stewart (The Dark Knight Rises), as well as new cast members Emma Fitpatrick (The Social Network), Lee Tergesen (Monster), Andre Royo (Freelancers), Shannon Kane (Madea's Big Happy Family), Navi Rawat (House of Sand and Fog), and Christopher McDonald (Thelma & Louise). 

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had a chance to sit down with director/co-writer Marcus Dunstan and co-writer Patrick Melton (Saw V), as well as actors Josh Stewart and Emma Fitzpatrick to talk about their work on The Collection. The filmmakers discussed the new movie, getting the green-light to make the sequel, the decision to make the lead character handicapped, and the possibility of making a third film, while Stewart talked about how his character has changed since the last movie, and Fitzpatrick discussed playing a hearing impaired character. 

For four years, seemingly everyone wanted to discuss The Dark Knight Rises, but director Christopher Nolan was obliged to play it coy so as to not give away any surprises regarding the conclusion of his Batman trilogy.  Now that The Dark Knight Rises is about to arrive on Blu-ray and DVD, the director is discussing his take on the Caped Crusader at length.

File this one under rumor for the time being, but it comes from a credible source, and if it turns out to be true, then holy whoa, we have a better idea of the plan for Justice League.  Also, on the off-chance that you're this interested in what Warner Bros. is doing with its superhero properties and somehow haven't seen The Dark Knight Rises, the whole notion constitutes a spoiler.