Oh no, it’s 2012. Doesn’t that mean the world is going to end soon? If that really is the case, and if you’re a movie fanatic like me, then you’ll definitely want to take advantage of the last year of great movie releases.

The movie industry exited 2011 with a bang, producing exceptional movies to the end like David Fincher’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and the tragic “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.”

But 2012 will bring another batch of top notch movies. But what defines a “big” movie? Explosive action scenes? Life-altering drama? Tragic love stories? The answers may vary, but to me, a big movie is that one film that literally everyone is itching to see, one that you just know will be a hit.

Let’s start off with an action movie. March 23 marks the date of the release of “The Hunger Games.” Many people roll their eyes at the start of this new franchise based upon the young adult novels by Suzanne Collins. They cringe at the thought of another “Twilight” era. But this movie, starring Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, a teenage girl living in a post-apocalyptic world who is one of the 24 children chosen for a televised fight to the death, cannot be compared to the awkward and prolonged “Twilight” movies. People are no doubt excited about the action scenes, but what is really going to draw viewers (besides teenage girls) is the grotesque aspect of children fighting children for gladiatorial entertainment.

This year also seems to be the year of big superhero flicks, highlighted by “The Avengers,” released May 4, “The Amazing Spider-Man,” released July 3 and “The Dark Knight Rises,” released July 20. It won’t be hard to argue that “The Dark Knight Rises” will set a box office record, as did its predecessor. And is it just me, or is it extremely exciting to see a new “Spider-Man” movie? The web-slinging superhero can be considered one of my favorites, and the fact that “The Amazing Spider-Man” is actually a prequel to the previous movies just makes it all the more exciting. Emma Stone being the leading lady doesn’t hurt either.

Next up are the more traditional films, like the much anticipated and modernly adapted “The Great Gatsby,” released Dec. 25. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Carrey Mulligan (both who rarely disappoint), the movie follows the upperclass world of Jay Gatsby, played by DiCaprio, where despite the luxuries, it seems nothing but disappointment and tragedy await. It will surely be in the Oscar runnings for next year.

Sequels also seem to be in the mix of the 2012 movie calendar. Including “Skyfall,” the continuation to the recent James Bond franchise starring Daniel Craig. This time, the infamous man of mystery meets new faces and battles new villians, including one played by Ralph Fiennes (who, by the way, has proven that he can play the ultimate bad guy).

These six movies are only a handful of the blockbusters coming to a theater near you this year, but to me they offer an enticing component that makes me believe just about everyone will enjoy them. So whether it’s to see the faces of those superheroes you’ve missed or get into the drama of a classical novel adapted onto the screen, make sure you get those tickets early, because these “big” movies are sure to be highly0 anticipated.