My 25 Favorite Movies of 2012
Fresh off the heels of the Oscars, here's the movies that i most enjoyed in 2012, in order.
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- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsJamie FoxxChristoph WaltzLeonardo DiCaprioWith the help of a German bounty-hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal plantation owner in Mississippi.Quentin Tarantino has done it again. With Django, he's crafted a remarkable tribute to both blaxploitation films and spaghetti-westerns, and in doing so has created his finest work since Pulp Fiction.
- DirectorKathryn BigelowStarsJessica ChastainJoel EdgertonChris PrattA 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.The most thrilling film of the year is a movie everyone already knows the ending to! How can that be? Combine the direction of Katherine Bigelow, the writing of Mark Boal, the knockout performance by Jessica Chastain, and superb editing and cinematography. All come together to make for a top-notch war-thriller unlike any seen since Bigelow's last effort, The Hurt Locker.
- DirectorTom HooperStarsHugh JackmanRussell CroweAnne HathawayIn 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.The beautiful Les Miserables is a stunning adaptation of the stage play, with every actor delivering excellent performances. Sure, Russell Crowe's singing voice may be a bit hard to handle, but it doesn't take away from the fact that this is one of the best films of 2012, and one of the best musicals of all time.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsDaniel Day-LewisSally FieldDavid StrathairnAs 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.Steven Spielberg's quiet masterpiece about the struggles and pain Abraham Lincoln took to end slavery and the Civil War is both entertaining and fascinating. Daniel Day-Lewis gives the performance of the year as the President. I would argue that no President has ever been portrayed better on film.
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsDenzel WashingtonNadine VelazquezDon CheadleTroubling questions arise after airline pilot Whip Whitaker makes a miracle landing after a mid-air catastrophe.Denzel Washington's flawless portrayal of a troubled pilot is one of the best performances of the year, and Flight is an often hard to watch drama about the touchy subject of drug abuse and alcoholism. A moving film with a positive message.
- DirectorDavid O. RussellStarsBradley CooperJennifer LawrenceRobert De NiroAfter 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.I expected this film to be a quirky, albeit forgettable Hollywood romantic comedy. I have never been more wrong in my life. Silver Linings Playbook is the most original romantic (black) comedy in years, and proved to be the feel-good movie of 2012.
- DirectorSam MendesStarsDaniel CraigJavier BardemNaomie HarrisJames 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.If anyone had any doubt about Daniel Craig's bond, this film proved without a doubt he is one of the best to ever play the role. This may be the best Bond film yet.
- DirectorRich MooreStarsJohn C. ReillyJack McBrayerJane LynchA video game villain wants to be a hero and sets out to fulfill his dream, but his quest brings havoc to the whole arcade where he lives.The year's best animated film. Everything an animated movie should be. Fun for anyone of any age, top-notch animation, and a fantastic message.
- DirectorWes AndersonStarsJared GilmanKara HaywardBruce WillisTwo 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.A fun adventure film about two New England children who fall in love and run off together. The year's best ensemble cast come together to bring to life one of the most well-written screenplays of the year. One of the most original movies I've seen in a long time.
- DirectorDrew GoddardStarsKristen ConnollyChris HemsworthAnna HutchisonFive 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.This film takes the horror cliche about a group of friends vacationing at a cabin in the woods to drink and have sex only to be killed off one by one and turns it on it's head, offering one of the most original horror movies of the past decade. And one of the best, too.
- DirectorMalik BendjelloulStarsRodriguezStephen 'Sugar' SegermanDennis CoffeyTwo South Africans set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, the mysterious 1970s rock n roller, Rodriguez.This documentary is truly a marvel. It tells the story of Sixto Rodriguez, a rock singer generally unknown in the United States but haled as a musical god in South Africa. That's all I will say; this film must be watched and appreciated. One of the most fascinating documentaries I've ever seen.
- DirectorMichael HanekeStarsJean-Louis TrintignantEmmanuelle RivaIsabelle HuppertGeorges 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.Michael Haneke brings us another uncomfortable yet fantastic film, this time an examination of love between a couple in their 80's. Their bond is put to the test after the wife suffers a stroke. The film is methodical, deliberate, and many will call it boring. I call it great filmmaking.
- DirectorCraig ZobelStarsAnn DowdDreama WalkerPat HealyA 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.As much as I enjoyed Beasts of the Southern Wild, this was the indie film of the year. It documents the true story of a young woman who was senselessly assaulted at the hands of her employer and her employer's fiancé. It will make you ponder the question of how far you would go to obey authority, and it will take days to leave your head upon viewing it.
- DirectorTom TykwerLana WachowskiLilly WachowskiStarsTom HanksHalle BerryHugh GrantAn 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.Many people hated this film, but I thought it was one of the most original films of the years with one of the coolest plots. Awesome fantasy epic with great visual effects and makeup.
- DirectorBenh ZeitlinStarsQuvenzhané WallisDwight HenryLevy EasterlyFaced 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.Beasts is a fantasy film set in the Bayou, and tells the story of six-year-old Hushpuppy and her father, Wink. Brilliantly written and directed, Beasts is a fine work and another example of how great indie films were in 2012.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsNoomi RapaceLogan Marshall-GreenMichael FassbenderFollowing clues to the origin of mankind, a team finds a structure on a distant moon, but they soon realize they are not alone.A visually stunning and exceptionally acted sci-fi gem from Alien director Ridley Scott.
- DirectorJoe CarnahanStarsLiam NeesonDermot MulroneyFrank GrilloAfter 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.Liam Neeson wows in an adventurous thrill ride about a team of workers struggling against wolves in the Arctic.
- DirectorOliver StoneStarsAaron Taylor-JohnsonTaylor KitschBlake LivelyPot growers Ben and Chon face off against the Mexican drug cartel who kidnapped their shared girlfriend.Savages is a clever action film with an ensemble cast and exceptional performances across the board. A masterpiece of film it is not, but it's certainly entertaining as hell.
- DirectorBen AffleckStarsBen AffleckBryan CranstonJohn GoodmanActing 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.Ben Affleck's white knuckle thriller about the "Canadian Caper" is simply awesome. Affleck gives the performance of his career alongside acting greats Alan Arkin and John Goodman, and also directs the film.
- DirectorAng LeeStarsSuraj SharmaIrrfan KhanAdil HussainA 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.The most beautiful film of the year boasts the most visually stunning effects since Avatar. What is really surprising about this film is the fact that the lead, Suraj Sharma, had never acted before this movie in his life.
- DirectorJoe WrightStarsKeira KnightleyJude LawAaron Taylor-JohnsonIn late-19th-century Russian high society, St. Petersburg aristocrat Anna Karenina enters into a life-changing affair with the dashing Count Alexei Vronsky.Magnificent production and costume design contribute to one of the years most outstanding period pieces. The story of love and madness translates well to the big screen thanks to the acting of the cast and the direction of Joe Wright.
- DirectorKevin MacdonaldStarsBob MarleyZiggy MarleyRita MarleyA documentary on the life, music, and legacy of Bob Marley.This fascinating look at Bob Marley's life goes beyond Bob Marley the rebel and pothead, and focuses on Bob Marley the man and the musician, as it should.
- DirectorScott DerricksonStarsEthan HawkeJuliet RylanceJames RansoneA controversial true-crime writer finds a box of Super 8 home movies in his new home, revealing that the murder case he is currently researching could be the work of an unknown serial killer whose legacy dates back to the 1960s.2012 was a great year for horror, and will go down as the year that saved the floundering genre. Another original horror film, this is the slasher Cabin in the Woods' supernatural counterpart. It is genuinely scary, and entertaining as well.
- DirectorJ.A. BayonaStarsNaomi WattsEwan McGregorTom HollandThe story of a tourist family in Thailand caught in the destruction and chaotic aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.This true story of a family separated by a Tsunami will move you to tears. Naomi Watts and Tom Holland give powerhouse performances.
- DirectorJudd ApatowStarsPaul RuddLeslie MannMaude ApatowPete and Debbie are both about to turn 40, their kids hate each other, both of their businesses are failing, they're on the verge of losing their house, and their relationship is threatening to fall apart.This film is the perfect example of why not to listen to critics. Judd Apatow's latest effort is a hilarious look at the lives of two of the funniest side characters from his film Knocked Up.