2012 Ranked
by MovieDude1893 | created - 28 Dec 2012 | updated - 29 Sep 2013 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. The Master (2012)
R | 138 min | Drama, History
A Naval veteran arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future - until he is tantalized by the Cause and its charismatic leader.
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson | Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Jesse Plemons
Votes: 186,137 | Gross: $16.38M
Some will shirk the film for its open ended nature, but for me no other film matches this one element for element. The period details are finely calibrated, the script is rich, the direction is precise. However, the performances loom above all. Hoffman and Phoenix dominate the film. Phoenix especially displays a stunning depth in his work. In a year of great American films and great films about America, this haunting, opaque vision looms largest. Let it be known: Paul Thomas Anderson is the best American filmmaker working today. Grade: A
2. Lincoln (2012)
PG-13 | 150 min | Biography, Drama, History
As the Civil War rages on, U.S President Abraham Lincoln struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on his decision to emancipate the slaves.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Votes: 272,542 | Gross: $182.21M
The writing, direction, and performances are all in such harmony. My mind was engaged, but I was also deeply moved. Although classical in style, I appreciated the way it wouldn't spoon-feed every point. The decision to scale it down to a small portion of Lincoln's life was a master-stroke. And don't even get me started on how scary brilliant Day Lewis is. Exemplifies the America (and the American cinematic culture) we strive for-- imperfect, but forthright. Grade: A
3. Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
R | 157 min | Drama, History, Thriller
A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L.s Team 6 in May 2011.
Director: Kathryn Bigelow | Stars: Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton, Chris Pratt, Mark Strong
Votes: 318,831 | Gross: $95.72M
Absolutely riveting and tightly constructed. The final thirty minutes is some of the best film-making of the young century; my palms were sweating despite the forgone outcome. Chastain is a marvel, but she is ably supported by my favorite ensemble cast of the year. Jason Clarke and Jennifer Ehle in particular did not get enough awards attention. A powerful reading of America's post-9/11 heartbeat, the America we've become. Grade: A
4. Looper (2012)
R | 119 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
In 2074, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent into the past, where a hired gun awaits - someone like Joe - who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by sending back Joe's future self for assassination.
Director: Rian Johnson | Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Paul Dano
Votes: 602,798 | Gross: $66.49M
A remarkable and imaginative achievement. I enjoyed the care and subtlety that was taken in the design, direction, and script. This is a firing on all cylinders, great piece of work. Definitely one of 2012's high points. Grade: A
5. Cloud Atlas (2012)
R | 172 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
An exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution.
Directors: Tom Tykwer, Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski | Stars: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant, Hugo Weaving
Votes: 374,309 | Gross: $27.11M
Grade: A
6. Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)
PG-13 | 93 min | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Faced with both her hot-tempered father's fading health and melting ice-caps that flood her ramshackle bayou community and unleash ancient aurochs, six-year-old Hushpuppy must learn the ways of courage and love.
Director: Benh Zeitlin | Stars: Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry, Levy Easterly, Lowell Landes
Votes: 85,049 | Gross: $12.80M
Grade: A
7. Amour (2012)
PG-13 | 127 min | Drama
Georges and Anne are an octogenarian couple. They are cultivated, retired music teachers. Their daughter, also a musician, lives in Britain with her family. One day, Anne has a stroke, and the couple's bond of love is severely tested.
Director: Michael Haneke | Stars: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert, Alexandre Tharaud
Votes: 105,656 | Gross: $6.74M
Grade: A
8. Django Unchained (2012)
R | 165 min | Drama, Western
With the help of a German bounty-hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal plantation owner in Mississippi.
Director: Quentin Tarantino | Stars: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington
Votes: 1,693,984 | Gross: $162.81M
I was uneasy with my love of this film at first, but a second viewing reveals this film's true worth: like "Inglouious Basterds" before it, it is a reflexive work of cultural and cinematic criticism in revenge movie clothing. Has the flair typical of Tarantino's work as well as the substance he is often (falsely) accused of lacking. The performances are stellar across the board, although I do wish Tarantino had done more to develop a female character or two. Still, this is a film brimming with positives. It is over-stuffed, but in the best sense. Its finest moments jump off the screen. Grade: A
9. Not Fade Away (2012)
R | 112 min | Drama
Set in suburban New Jersey in the 1960s, a group of friends form a rock band and try to make it big.
Director: David Chase | Stars: John Magaro, Jack Huston, Will Brill, Brahm Vaccarella
Votes: 4,950 | Gross: $0.61M
Full disclosure: this unabashed tribute to the allure of rock n' roll is a bit of a shambles, but it's my kind of shambles. Every fame is richly designed and the soundtrack ranks among the most impressive ever compiled. This is a richly human film that I can already see myself watching many times over. Grade: A
10. Life of Pi (2012)
PG | 127 min | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
A young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor: a fearsome Bengal tiger.
Director: Ang Lee | Stars: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Adil Hussain, Tabu
Votes: 666,619 | Gross: $124.99M
11. The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
R | 95 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Five college friends head out to a remote cabin for a getaway, but things don't go as planned when they start getting killed. They soon discover that there is more to the cabin than it seems.
Director: Drew Goddard | Stars: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz
Votes: 450,479 | Gross: $42.07M
The wit and craft at work here make it heir to the "Evil Dead" throne. More inventive and just plain entertaining than a dozen other horror film combined, this was one of the year's biggest surprises. Seek this film out. Grade: A
12. Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
PG-13 | 94 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Two 12-year-olds, who live on an island, fall in love with each other and elope into the wilderness. While people set out on a search mission, a violent storm approaching them catches their attention.
Director: Wes Anderson | Stars: Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis, Bill Murray
Votes: 366,678 | Gross: $45.51M
This might be Anderson's most deft balancing act yet, combining heart and hilarity to powerful affect. This is just a lovely film. Grade: A
13. Argo (2012)
R | 120 min | Biography, Drama, History
Acting under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1979.
Director: Ben Affleck | Stars: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Alan Arkin
Votes: 638,919 | Gross: $136.03M
Grade: A
14. Les Misérables (2012)
PG-13 | 158 min | Drama, Musical, Romance
In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after breaking parole, agrees to care for a factory worker's daughter. The decision changes their lives forever.
Director: Tom Hooper | Stars: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried
Votes: 345,934 | Gross: $148.81M
Yes, the audacious style was at times a bit alienating or silly, but this is a strong and moving piece with more great ensemble work. Anne Hathaway's contribution cannot be underestimated. I walked out with a feeling of near total satisfaction and contentment. Flaws be damned, I loved the thing. Grade: A
15. The Imposter (2012)
R | 99 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
A documentary centered on a young man in Spain who claims to a grieving Texas family that he is their 16-year-old son who has been missing for 3 years.
Director: Bart Layton | Stars: Adam O'Brian, Nicholas Barclay, Carey Gibson, Bryan Gibson
Votes: 50,424 | Gross: $0.89M
16. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
PG-13 | 164 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
Eight years after the Joker's reign of chaos, Batman is coerced out of exile with the assistance of the mysterious Selina Kyle in order to defend Gotham City from the vicious guerrilla terrorist Bane.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Gary Oldman
Votes: 1,826,408 | Gross: $448.14M
17. Skyfall (2012)
PG-13 | 143 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond's loyalty to M is tested when her past comes back to haunt her. When MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.
Director: Sam Mendes | Stars: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Judi Dench
Votes: 730,875 | Gross: $304.36M
18. Arbitrage (2012)
R | 107 min | Drama, Thriller
A troubled hedge fund magnate desperate to complete the sale of his trading empire makes an error that forces him to turn to an unlikely person for help.
Director: Nicholas Jarecki | Stars: Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Brit Marling, Tim Roth
Votes: 54,807 | Gross: $7.92M
19. Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)
PG | 81 min | Documentary
A documentary on 85-year-old sushi master Jiro Ono, his renowned Tokyo restaurant, and his relationship with his son and eventual heir, Yoshikazu.
Director: David Gelb | Stars: Jiro Ono, Yoshikazu Ono, Masuhiro Yamamoto, Daisuke Nakazama
Votes: 37,997 | Gross: $2.55M
20. Bernie (2011)
PG-13 | 104 min | Biography, Comedy, Crime
In small-town Texas, an affable mortician strikes up a friendship with a wealthy widow, though when she starts to become controlling, he goes to great lengths to separate himself from her grasp.
Director: Richard Linklater | Stars: Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey, Brady Coleman
Votes: 63,423 | Gross: $9.20M
21. Compliance (2012)
R | 90 min | Crime, Drama, History
A normal Friday service at a fast food restaurant becomes interrupted by a police officer who claims an employee stole from a customer, but something more sinister is going on.
Director: Craig Zobel | Stars: Ann Dowd, Dreama Walker, Pat Healy, Bill Camp
Votes: 37,278 | Gross: $0.32M
22. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
R | 122 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own.
Director: David O. Russell | Stars: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver
Votes: 742,520 | Gross: $132.09M
23. The Avengers (2012)
PG-13 | 143 min | Action, Sci-Fi
Earth's mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are going to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity.
Director: Joss Whedon | Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner
Votes: 1,458,865 | Gross: $623.28M
24. Prometheus (I) (2012)
R | 124 min | Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Following clues to the origin of mankind, a team finds a structure on a distant moon, but they soon realize they are not alone.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Noomi Rapace, Logan Marshall-Green, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron
Votes: 643,941 | Gross: $126.48M
Do the visuals eclipse the screenplay? Unfortunately, yes, but too many will stop short by punishing the script for its treatment of big themes without acknowledging the balls it takes to address them in a major studio blockbuster. This is a film of big action and bigger ideas, and I found it enthralling. Grade: B+
25. Ted (2012)
R | 106 min | Comedy
John Bennett, a man whose childhood wish of bringing his teddy bear to life came true, now must decide between keeping the relationship with the bear, Ted or his girlfriend, Lori.
Director: Seth MacFarlane | Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth MacFarlane, Joel McHale
Votes: 657,054 | Gross: $218.82M
26. Haywire (2011)
R | 93 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
A black ops super soldier seeks payback after she is betrayed and set up during a mission.
Director: Steven Soderbergh | Stars: Gina Carano, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Michael Angarano
Votes: 89,753 | Gross: $18.94M
27. Pitch Perfect (2012)
PG-13 | 112 min | Comedy, Music, Romance
Beca, a freshman at Barden University, is cajoled into joining The Bellas, her school's all-girls singing group. Injecting some much needed energy into their repertoire, The Bellas take on their male rivals in a campus competition.
Director: Jason Moore | Stars: Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp
Votes: 330,582 | Gross: $65.00M
28. Lawless (2012)
R | 116 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
Set in Depression-era Franklin County, Virginia, a trio of bootlegging brothers are threatened by a new special deputy and other authorities angling for a cut of their profits.
Director: John Hillcoat | Stars: Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Guy Pearce, Jason Clarke
Votes: 253,384 | Gross: $37.40M
A well mounted, although inconsequential, entertainment. Despite committing two of the the cardinal sins of cinema (1. Ending weakly and 2. Wasting a Gary Oldman performance) there's just enough here to recommend. Grade: B
29. The Bourne Legacy (2012)
PG-13 | 135 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
An expansion of the universe from Robert Ludlum's novels, centered on a new hero whose stakes have been triggered by the events of the previous three films.
Director: Tony Gilroy | Stars: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Scott Glenn
Votes: 315,525 | Gross: $113.20M
30. The Campaign (2012)
R | 85 min | Comedy
An incumbent Representative embroiled in personal scandal faces a no-holds-barred challenge from a naive newcomer funded by two unscrupulous billionaire lobbyist brothers.
Director: Jay Roach | Stars: Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Sudeikis, Dylan McDermott
Votes: 136,986 | Gross: $86.91M
31. The Grey (2011)
R | 117 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
After their plane crashes in Alaska, six oil workers are led by a skilled huntsman to survival, but a pack of merciless wolves haunts their every step.
Director: Joe Carnahan | Stars: Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney, Frank Grillo, Dallas Roberts
Votes: 263,266 | Gross: $51.58M
Around the midpoint, co-writer/director Joe Carnahan's intention is clear: turn this mid-level survivalist story into a moody meditation on mortality. However, the film's nagging flaws undercut those lofty intentions. Thematically, the film is clearly at one with the terse, unsparing ethos of Hemingway; I only wish it took a few narrative cues from Jack London as it increasingly becomes more of a slasher film with a pack of wolves as Freddy Kruger. An interesting and entertaining misfire. Grade: C+
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