As most of our regular readers may have figured out from our quarterly “Most Anticipated” articles, my movie preferences heavily favor the genre films. I’m a fan of spectacle, big action, larger-than-life characters and borderline-ridiculous premises. I’m always happy to see great performances on screen, but as long as I’m having some sort of visceral response to the film in question, it works for me. I’m not artsy or indie, I don’t have access to festivals and screeners; I’m out there in the ticket lines and sub-par theaters like the majority of the blue-collars out there. It’s a foregone conclusion that you will disagree with me, so be sure to vote for your own top ten here. You’ll find my ten favorite movies from 2012 after the jump.
As a kid who grew up on the horror films of the 80s and 90s, I love a good spoof as much as the next guy (though more in line with Scream than Scary Movie). It also helps that I’m a fan of Joss Whedon, whose fingerprints are all over this film. Outside of Chris Hemsworth, the central protagonists are relatively unknown actors who set up familiar archetypes and then turn them on their heads early in the film. Even the characters’ costumes clue the audience in to the unexpected shift in personalities. The reveal of the supporting actors’ true purpose in the film put Cabin on my radar and the completely insane third act cemented its spot on this list.
9. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Not only was I incredibly excited to head back to Peter Jackson’s version of Middle Earth, I was looking forward to experiencing The Hobbit in the much-touted high frame rate presentation. While the technology has a long road of maturation ahead of it, I respect Jackson for sticking to his guns and bringing 48fps to the masses. The Hobbit was a lighter and more frivolous version of the Lord of the Rings films, but it was also a lot of fun. Somehow the writers managed to tie The Hobbit into the more dramatic Lord of the Rings trilogy in a way that payed homage to the old fans and stayed spoiler-free for newcomers. I’ll happily add The Hobbit to my fantasy adventure shelf alongside Willow, The Neverending Story and The Princess Bride.
8. The Grey
What a fantastic return to good old-fashioned guy movies that pit man against nature. The Jack London fan in me will always have a soft spot for nature, but how can you not root for Liam Neeson and his broken bottle knuckles, especially against those terribly animated wolves? The Grey was a great high concept piece that featured some surprisingly strong character turns by Frank Grillo and Nonso Anozie. And talk about straying from the expected plot arc. At the end of the day, for all of his survival knowledge, skills and tenacity, Ottaway (Neeson) fucked up. All on his own (and without the aid of helicopters and high-powered rifles), Ottaway mans up and takes on the alpha male in a great showdown that closes out what’s sure to become a classic action/survival movie.
7. Chronicle
For its relatively small budget, Chronicle packed a surprising amount of punch. Of all the superhero movies that came out in 2012 (and there were quite a few), Chronicle was an original film (ie not adapted from a previous work, though obviously influenced by Akira) that borrowed the “found footage” trope from the horror genre and applied it throughout the film with some clever camera work. Chronicle is arguably the best origin story out there because audience members couldn’t exactly pick up a comicbook to find out how the kids got their powers. Speaking of those kids, this film put Dane DeHaan on the map in a good start to what looks to be a long and lucrative career.
It’s hard to say which superhero picture had the most pressure heaped onto it in 2012, but an argument could easily be made for The Amazing Spider-Man. Having never directed a big-budget action picture and tasked with emerging out from under the shadow of Sam Raimi’s blockbuster trilogy, director Marc Webb definitely put his signature spin on everyone’s favorite web-head. His instincts paid off. The Amazing Spider-Man was a superhero film that appeased the majority of comicbook fans while drawing in other audiences thanks to the romantic chemistry between the leads of Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. The picture was less of a straight superhero actioner and more of a romantic dramedy with superheroic elements, which was unique enough to earn a place in my top ten.
5. Life of Pi
Hands down, the most visually stunning film of the year goes to Ang Lee’s Life of Pi. I haven’t read the source material, so I don’t know how faithful an adaptation it is, but frankly I don’t care. It was a beautiful journey about the art of storytelling and the life-long process of discovering one’s true self. 3D was absolutely made for Lee to use and I hope he continues to elevate that filmmaking tool; I also hope his next picture doesn’t take him ten years to finish. Some were left unsatisfied by Life of Pi’s ending, but this film stood out in my experience as one of the very few that kept me thinking and engaging in discussions long after the viewing was completed.
4. Cloud Atlas
The word “ambitious” has been thrown around a lot in discussions concerning Cloud Atlas and it remains an entirely appropriate description. Name another film that weaves in six plots, has award-winning actors portraying multiple roles that cross gender and racial boundaries and employs the visionary filmmaking of the Wachowski siblings and I’ll change my descriptor. Cloud Atlas and Life of Pi could have swapped spots on this list because each of them are films that will stick with me long after the year ends. Whereas Life of Pi turned the focus inward, Cloud Atlas asked tough questions about how we are related to others across time and space. Perhaps my favorite aspect of Cloud Atlas was the unabashedly bold intellectual demand it placed on its viewers, something that other movies asking similar questions (see: Prometheus) failed to do.
It’s tough to have a year with a Quentin Tarantino film and then have that film not appear on your top ten list. However, that would have been the case if I was around to make a list in 2009, as I was not a big fan of Inglourious Basterds. Django Unchained was a much tighter film, even if the thruline in question was every bit as zany. I haven’t had a ton of time to process the film and I do have some issues with it, mostly regarding its third act and lack of empowerment for Kerry Washington’s character, but goddamn…the performances of Christoph Waltz and Leonardo DiCaprio take the white cake, while Jamie Foxx is my new favorite “Western” hero. I’d love to see a spin-off of “The Adventures of Dr. Schultz and Django,” but will probably have to settle for a second helping of Django Unchained.
2. Looper
In a year rife with adaptations, reboots and sequels, it’s refreshing to get an original take from an up-and-coming filmmaker. I’m a fan of both Rian Johnson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (whose Premium Rush was underseen and underrated for the fun popcorn flick it was) and I hope they continue to create original content going forward. My favorite part of Looper wasn’t even the action itself, but rather the world(s) that Johnson created, the freedom to stay away from explaining every facet of time travel and the [spoiler] inclusion of a powerful telekinetic as a central plot point that wasn’t ruined by the marketing. It’s bound to be one of my new favorite sci-fi films from here on out…at least until Johnson returns to the genre.
1. The Avengers
It’s the one movie I’ve seen more times this year than any other (four at last count) and one of the few movies I’d be willing to watch repeatedly in the future. I don’t think it can be overstated how difficult it was to unite four separate, independent superhero franchises under one banner. Whedon managed to do it in a way that made it look effortless (assemble, disassemble, reassemble) yet worked incredibly well in its simplicity. Though the film came out in May, I had a chance to see it again on the big screen recently; the jokes still land, the stakes are still high and the payoff is still worth it. It’s just fun. It’s a comic book movie in its purest form: big, colorful spectacle. And The Avengers is such a wonderful indulgence that I’ll be happy to revisit it for years to come.
Honorable mentions:
- Argo - Possibly the best plotted/acted/directed film I’ve seen this year, but it doesn’t stick with you after the fact.
- ParaNorman - My favorite animated film this year if only for Laika’s use of stop-motion animation and cutting-edge technology.
- The Dark Knight Rises - Though highly anticipated, it fell a bit short of my expectations.
- Dredd 3D - Criminally underrated; I hope this pic finds new life on DVD/Blu-ray/VOD.
- Les Miserables - A fantastic ensemble of multi-talented performers, but its length prohibits me from repeat viewings.
Films I Missed:
The Master, Seven Psychopaths, Zero Dark Thirty, Silver Linings Playbook
Nicolas Cage Talks GHOST RIDER 3; Says it’s Possible ‘But it Won’t be With Me’
Christopher Nolan to Write & Direct INTERSTELLAR, Co-Produced & Distributed by Paramount & Warner Bros.; Opens November 7, 2014 in IMAX
Emma Watson Channels Her Bad Girl Side in THE BLING RING Trailer
Joss Whedon Talks S.H.I.E.L.D., Consulting for Marvel, HULK Spin-Off Movies, WONDER WOMAN and the Films of the DC Universe
New Trailer and Poster for M. Night Shyamalan’s AFTER EARTH Starring Will Smith and Jaden Smith
I’m with Frank. This list is terrible.
Probably the most honest Top 10 list I’ve read this year.
I enjoyed these films but they’re not the best.
Enrique, you’re a moron.
ok.
i demand to know the median age of those that write for collider.
these would have been my favorites if I was 15 again.
~ t
TOP 5
01. The Avengers. – The most consistent, exhilarating, and well-written Comic-Book film I’ve ever seen. Hulk is finally done correctly, Downey Jr. is fantastic, as is Johannson. Great cast and action scenes as well. – RATING: A
02. The Cabin in the Woods. – What a thrilling movie. Legitimately scary, down-right hilarious and some of the best performances in a horror film for a few years. The ending is good, but disappointing in comparison to the rest. RATING: A
03. Les Miserable. – Some odd Direction choices, but they don’t take away from the pure emotion that seeps through every pour of this film. Anne Hathaway? Best performance since DDL in There Will be Blood. Jackman gives his greatest performance, Cohan and Carter are hilarious and Seyfried, Redmayne and Barks are all great. Crowe? Great charisma, TERRIBLE singing voice. RATING: B+
04. Zero Dark Thirty. – Chastain is remarkable, Bigalow is an incredibly strong director, but I wasn’t big on the Supporting cast, they’re average at best. This is an exciting film. RATING: B+
05. The Dark Knight Rises. – A flawed but incredibly cinematic film. Bale gives the best Batman performance yet, Hardy is terrifying and menacing and Anne Hathaway is the best Catwoman – by far. It’s a little slow at times, and more unrealistic than necessary, but still great. RATING: B+
heres my list: The Dark Knight Rises
Haven’t seen Looper, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, Les Miserables, Django Unchained, or Zero Dark Thirty. I’m going to the movies this weekend so I’ll prob watch Django or Les Mis. Might go twice this weekend so I can watch both. Looper will have to wait for Redbox, and Zero Dark Thirty I’ll see when it wide releases in theaters. Silver Linings I have been wanting to see but it looks like I’m gonna have to wait for Redbox
With that i just go on ahead my favorite movie of the year so far is by far The Avengers. Followed up by Argo and End of Watch.
The reason why the dark knight rises wasn’t on this guys list was because it fell short of this guys “expectations”…..name another 3rd movie that made a trilogy an actually good trilogy ? Maybe it didn’t meet your expectations but this movie completed the perfect trilogy. The movie was really good despite some of its “flaws” and should be on the list. I dont even know why I’m writing on this. This list is crap. You get paid to write this shit ?
TDKR is badly written, it’s so fullfilled with plot holes that any other directors would have been attacked by the audience and critics, but it’s Nolan, and since TDK, you don’t say anything bad about his work.
Great trilogy ? The Godfather. Pusher. Good trilogy ? Miike’s Dead or Alive. Infernal Affairs.
Could disagree with you on you but I just think dark knight rises beats life of pie or chronical. This list is shit
Well said. Also, “Life of Pie” sounds delicious.
The Bourne Ultimatum.
My Top 10 of 2012
Zero Dark Thirty
Silver Linings Playbook
End of Watch
The Grey
Django Unchained
Prometheus
The Avengers
Looper
Life of Pak
Lincoln
Excellent list! Really diverse. Here’s mine:
Life of Pi
Silver Linings Playbook
Argo
Lincoln
The Dark Knight Rises
Chronicle
The Cabin in the Woods
Marvel’s The Avengers
Looper
ParaNorman
Unfortunately, I still haven’t seen Django, zero dark thirty, les mis, or the master yet.
The second I saw the Avengers at number 1 two things occurred to me. This is clearly a “movies that I had the most fun with” interpretation of what top ten movies means, and second it is an extremely honest one at that. My biggest problem with this type of list is that generally as a rule just naming the first 10 blockbusters that come to mind is probably honest and true for most people. However, a film critic is an art critic, film being the medium of art. Their job is not only to look at “fun” factor, honestly EVERYONE is qualified to do that, but look deeper than that. This reads like a very visceral, superficial, and emotional reaction list.
I Don’t know if that’s exactly wrong per se, but its not really what I look for from a payed critic. As for the choices themselves… I cant exactly fault him for them, its all opinion, but seeing the Avengers at #1 of any top ten films of the year list, feels so wrong, opinion or not.
Wow this comment just made my top ten pretentious comments of the year…
I happen to agree with almost everything you said, believe it or not, though I wouldn’t describe myself as a “film critic,” I leave that title to those who are more informed in the craft and history of filmmaking. I’m an avid fan of movies who writes for an entertainment blog. A fan does not a critic make. If anything, I feel like critics sometimes forget how to just enjoy a movie without tearing it apart. (I hope that never happens to me.) So, the above list is composed of the films I most enjoyed this year and it’s every bit as subjective and relevant as I’m sure your own list would be. Cheers!
Those are all fair points. It was certainly nice to see a list that was composed entirely of films I have seen rather than obscure films only someone living in New York or LA could have ever gotten a chance to see to begin with. Glad to hear that in making this list you had every intention of it being just the films you had the most fun with. Under that lens I can’t even really complain about The Avengers taking first on your list. As you said it is all subjective to begin with and when we are talking purely entertainment and spectacle it is hard to argue with film like The Avengers. Whatever else it was or was not, it is hard to say it was anything but a blast.
1. Skyfall 2. Avengers Assemble 3. Argo 4. Moonrise Kingdom 5. In the Dark Half
fuck
youre all fucking cunts
Some picks here I like, some I don’t. I understand why some people wouldn’t include DKR and Prometheus, but to put Avengers at #1 and to have Amazing Spider-Man on the list at all — well, let’s just say I strongly disagree with those choices.
Dumb. Fucking. List.
Nice,honest list. Don’t agree with some choices(half of them,actually),but the title says “Dave’s top 10 films of 2012″,not “the actual best films of the year no matter what everyone else said”. Calm down,people.
After Reading the article,i wish the title would have changed into ‘Top 10 Worst movies of 2012′.
Collider,if u guys ran out of article posters then y dont u let me in..my english wouldnt upto the mark of u guys bt i have a better sense of rating a movie than u guys..way better!!
See the list wasn’t bad what so ever you just think you are right over opinion or your a granola art fuck that feels that big budget movies (Cept for Nolan’s movies) are not worthy of praise. You say that you can do better? put your list on here right under your post cause if it’s not the movies that people like you will make fun of it would be your horrible lack of the English Language. Cause everyone’s an asshole but no one admits to it.
My top 10
1. Lincoln
2. Cloud Atlas
3. Argo
4. Django Unchained
5. Zero Dark Thirty
6. Perks of Being a Wallflower
7. Life of Pi
8. The Avengers
9. Les Miserables
10. (tied) Looper and Moonrise Kingdom.
Im forced to make a top 15..THERE WERE TOO MANY GOOD FILMS !!
15. prometheus
14. killer joe
13. ted
12. expendables 2
11. end of watch
10. dredd
9. lawless
8. moonrise kingdom
7. argo
6. 7 psychopaths
5. killing them softly (better than most people think – should receive an adapted screenplay nom..BUT WONT)
4. rust and bone
3. skyfall
2. looper
1. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
i have yet to see the likes of the master, silver linings, django, hobbit, ZDT, lincoln or les mis
WAIT A MINUTE IM CHANGING MY NUMBER 15 CHOICE!!
15. flight
14. killer joe
13. ted
12. expendables 2
11. end of watch
10. dredd
9. lawless
8. moonrise kingdom
7. argo
6. 7 psychopaths
5. killing them softly (better than most people think – should receive an adapted screenplay nom..BUT WONT)
4. rust and bone
3. skyfall
2. looper
1. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
i have yet to see the likes of the master, silver linings, django, hobbit, ZDT, lincoln or les mis
Really Amazing spiderman & Cabin in the woods in the top ten & not TDKR.
Please watch that movie again, and this time without Chris Nolan’s dick in your mouth. I mean really watch it and listen to it. It is not that great of a movie.
HAHAHAHA!
BEST comment of 2012. BEST!!!!!
Why did it take 6 months for people to see that TDKR was a mess. A hot mess!
TDK was good, true but TDKR was such a pile of crap.
wow. you’re really don’t seem to like chris, do you? what’s up…he broke your heart or something? why so personal? why so…..serious?
1) The Hobbit
2) Argo
3) The Avengers
4) The Dark Knight Rises
Still wanna see Django Unchained and Zero Dark Thirty!! >_<
And here I thought Goldberg had bad taste. At least he doesn’t have the taste of a 13-year-old
“You’ll find my ten favorite movies from 2012 after the jump.”
Ten FAVORITE movies.
He says nothing about these movies being the best and winning the most awards or getting the most money. He’s giving an honest list of the films he enjoyed the most this year, and I absolutely respect that. I can also respect putting The Avengers #1, since I would also call it my favorite movie. I had the most fun watching it and it was just a great time. Is it the BEST movie? No. In a year of amazing films, there are tons of choices. This is his opinion on his favorite films. Who the hell are we to judge him on what he enjoyed the most?
YES!! Finally someone understands!!
You guys are A-OK in my book! (Thanks, Mom!)
This isn’t a “Best of 2012″ list. It’s a “Dave’s Top 10.” His intro made it clear he’s just listing his 10 best movie experiences of the year. Why are people freaking out that different movies worked for him than you?
agreed
Thank god someone giving some love to The Grey…..seriously….incredbile and underrated film.
The Avengers was noting but rehashed material we’ve already seen. And I just don’t see what was so grea about Looper.
Your list of “Films I Missed” hurts as a fellow film lover. As such, it not only renders this collective highly suspect coming from someone who writes about cinema, even if simply on the internet, but effectively teeters on the brink of criminality as basic movie lovers at large (ok, maybe not
. Understanding these lists are all in good fun, especially with the apparent slanted focus here on something other than across the board quality, still begs the question of legitimacy when all four should easily outrank many of the films on your list by good margin. And when two are indisputably in close running for Best Picture, something is amiss. That said, I respect some of the more atypical shoutouts.
Do yourself a favor and go see Silver Linings Playbook immediately. No reason not to, considering it’s still in theaters within any large city.
Arrest me now!
I will eventually get to see those films, there’s just not enough time in a day. I usually use the lull after the first of the year to get caught up on the smaller films that I missed. I haven’t been able to attend film festivals and neither have I received screeners, something that makes it much easier for us writerly types to take in these films. I fully intend to see all of the films I mentioned above. If flicks like “Silver Linings Playbook” start making $1.5 billion at the box office, you can be sure the media attention will follow the money.
“I’m not artsy or indie… I’m a fan of spectacle, big action, larger-than-life characters and borderline-ridiculous premises”
Why do you even write for a movie website if you have the attention spam of a pre-teen?
While i ten to like drama’s and giving money to the little guys of film and i love going to festivals where most the stuff you see is pretentious bullshit…There are more movies out there than just mindless boring artsy abstract drivel. Life of Pi was not a WIDE WIDE release and is considered an indie though it had a high budget, Ang Lee got the funding himself and then sold the rights to the movie to get Distribution. Looper and Cloud Atlas ALSO indie films. Cloud Atlas had no Producing on it that were connected to a company until Distribution. Same thing goes for Looper. Django Unchained sure they have the Winstiens but those guys are known to not giving money and Tarantino has said alot of his production comes out of his own pocket. Cabin In The Woods not wildly distributed and sat on a shelf for w hile (Do to bankruptcy) but also LACK of funds. Chronicle was also in INDIE film picked up for distribution…i don’t understand the gripe. There are A LOT more horrible ARTSY films out there than BLock BUsters cause everyone thinks they can make a film. FURTHER MORE a lot of the indie based stuff you see the hipster TEEN crowd flocking to not because they know what the movie is about but just because they were told its uncool to see the higher budgeted movies.
I forgot to mention “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2!” Also, I love spam!
Is this Dave guy a moron?
“Les Miserables – A fantastic ensemble of multi-talented performers, but its length prohibits me from repeat viewings.”
Yet the length didn’t stop The Hobbit or Django from making the list, and, I assume repeated viewings. If you can’t be consistent, then your “opinion” holds no weight, dave. Sorry.
You can ask me yourself, Chad. I don’t mind. Do I have mild mental retardation? No, I don’t believe so, but thank you for your concern.
As for the movie lengths, you make a valid point: Les Miserable – 157 min, The Hobbit – 169 min, Django Unchained 165 min. For me, Les Mis felt like its full run-time and I was damn near exhausted by the end of it, though it was a pleasant watch for the most part. However, in the case of The Hobbit and Django Unchained, I’d gladly stay in Peter Jackson/Quentin Tarantino’s world a little longer. Again, this is a subjective list, so my opinion holds just as much weight as yours or anyone else’s.
See? We can have an open discussion without name calling. That’s nice.
The Avengers? Better than Argo, The Master, Django Unchained, Holy Motors and a bunch more amazing flicks that came out this year?
Wow. You’re insane.
Where is raid redemption
Good List
Thank ya!
hilarious how this enrages everyone. I think its an awesome choice. All very big movies of the year. The Grey, Cabin in Woods, Spidey, and Avengers… great choices. And Dark Knight no where on that list makes it that much more better. Well Done!
Thanks Mike!
Decent list, not the same as mine would be but I can see where its coming from. I have to completely disagree with Chronicle being on there though.
Fair enough. I think we can all agree that 2012 was a great year for movies no matter your interests.
Chronicle was very well done but… better than Dredd and THE DARK KNIGHT RISES? give me a break. I HATED the main character after he killed “Steve”, he was nothing but a whiny emo douche-bag. Worse than Frodo, even worse than Emo Peter Parker.
Don’t listen to the haters Dave. And props for not putting TDKR, Prometheus or Skyfall in the Top 10.
Thanks, Matt! (Is that you, Goldberg?!)
Those three films fell short of my expectations in a variety of ways. I simply did not enjoy them as much as the ones on my list. Cheers!
Nah, a different Matt here
Exactly, those three were huge let downs. On the other end I have to say Anna Karenina was a huge surprise for me. While not without its flaws, the brilliance of the direction alone puts it in my personal Top 10.
And along with the Loki-Hulk scene, it includes my favorite scene in any film this year (the ballroom dance scene). Complete opposite worlds, but both scenes so so brilliant.
I will certainly add it to my catch-up list!
Kinda expected Avengers at #1 since Dave named it the best trailer of the year even though the trailer was pretty average (I loved Avengers much more than Prometheus but Prometheus had a much better trailer for example).
I don’t know what I like more about the comments on this thread: (1) The sheer number of people who don’t know the difference between “Best” and “Favorite,” or (2) That people are writing insults in response to a “favorite” list.
Fun, isn’t it? Personally, I like level-headed comments like this one the best.
I commend you for putting The Amazing-Spiderman on your list. Most under appreciated super hero film of the year.
Yes- it could have been better in many ways, but for once, I felt they got the character right.
Avengers, on the other hand had great visuals, and interesting actors, and the best looking hulk (and most appropriate actor to play him since Bixby) so far, but I felt the spectacle was’t very spectacular. The action was really kind of dull, with an even duller story. Kind of wish there was more meat to the movie, rather than a handful of cool shots, and one memorable line.
But I’m with you – I’ll Pay 14$ for a thrill ride any day – anything else is a rental.
Cheers for the list!
The Amazing Spider-Man surprised me. The story had heart and the stakes were real. Something that unfortunately can’t be said about TDKR.
I like this list
Really dont understand how the hunger games isnt on this list…..thats not normal!!!!
1. Hunger Games
2. Hunger Games
3. Hunger Games
4. Hunger Games
5. Hunger Games
6. Hunger Games
7. Hunger Games
8. Hunger Games
9. Hunger Games
10. The Avengers
Agree with a lot of your list. This year has been one of the best years for film in the past decade or two. Many great films, both technically and commercially.
Here is my top 10:
1) Life of Pi
2) Django Unchained
3) Zero Dark Thirty
4) Silver Linings Playbook
5) The Avengers
6) Argo
7) The Dark Knight Rises
8) Lincoln
9) 21 Jump Street
10) The Hunger Games
Like I said there were plenty of other amazing movies that came out this year. These films are ones I believe to be technically astounding, thought provoking, and enjoyable. My favorites of this amazing year.