Best Movies of 2012

By: Emily

Graphic by Emily

I know 2012 has been over for a little while, but I still like to think it’s important to spend some time looking back at a year that held some pretty great movies. Here are what I consider to be the best films of 2012. May 2013 be even better!

10. Anna Karenina: This sweeping and breathtakingly beautiful film is a work of art. Anna Karenina tells Leo Tolstoy’s tragic tale of a socialite’s tumultuous affair and inevitable downfall because of it. This was director Joe Wright’s third collaboration with Keira Knightley, having previously worked with her in Pride and Prejudice and Atonement. While this was not Wright’s nor Knightley’s best exhibit of their talents, it was a solid movie full of intense moments filled with passion and loneliness. The sets were designed so that the camera would breeze through the stage, much like a dance in a theater. Seeing Anna Karenina was like seeing a live performance. It was an experience.

9. The Dark Knight Rises: Christopher Nolan’s epic conclusion to the Batman trilogy was a shining gem in a summer filled with the typical, expected, and—dare I say it?—boring superhero blockbusters. Luckily, The Dark Knight Rises proved to be far from boring. In this film, Bruce Wayne leaves his life as a recluse to try and defeat a new villain named Bane and save the city of Gotham with the help of Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway), Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman), and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman). Just to name a few. Not to mention seeing it in IMAX was pretty amazing.

8. Prometheus: I know so many people that hated this movie, and I really don’t know why! Prometheus is the prequel to the widely successful Alien movies. While I’ve only ever seen Ridley Scott’s original and James Cameron’s lackluster sequel, I thought this was a very interesting and intense film. In Scott’s prequel, who directed both this film and it’s originator, a group of explorers are on the search for an answer to humanity’s existence. There were definitely logistics of this film that didn’t quite make sense, but that also did not make it a bad movie by any means. The visuals were shocking and memorable both in scope and content. And that’s without spoiling too much. On top of that, Michael Fassbender gave one of the best performances of his career as an android named David.

7. Cloud Atlas: You can read my full review of Cloud Atlas here but let’s just say this is a movie of the times. It deals with some of the biggest themes of human existence in some of the most unique never-before-seen ways. I would recommend Cloud Atlas solely because of the many different stories and topics it covers. There truly is something for everyone in this movie.

6. The Cabin in the Woods: Okay so I walked into The Cabin in the Woods with zero hope. I thought this movie was just going to be your typical scary movie. Little did I know that the genius behind it was Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog creator, Joss Wheden. The film follows five typical college students that go on a trip to a home in the forest. While it sounds pretty boring, I assure you it is the most entertaining film of the year. Unfortunately, there’s not much I can say about it without giving away the ending and the twist, so my only word of advice is to go see this movie and enjoy it for all the expertly crafted surprises it has to offer.

5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower: As an angsty teenager trying to find my way in this world, there is no other movie this year that understands me quite like Perks does. Directed by the book’s author, Stephen Chobsky, The Perks of Being A Wallflower follows resident high school freshman and extreme introvert, Charlie, as he struggles to figure out who he is and his purpose in life. I’ve grown such a strong connection to not only this movie but also its book for a few years now. Through this movie, we learn the ever-important lesson that none of us are alone. Be sure to read Alex’s post about the book here.

4. Argo: Ben Affleck has been proving more and more that he is an important filmmaker of our time. In Argo, he plays Tony Mendez, a CIA operative who is working to sneak American diplomats out of Iran during the revolts of 1979. This was a film that had humor and heart, but also insane amounts of edge-of-your-seat thrills. Argo was a shining star not only to me but to the critics as well. I have yet to meet someone who did not enjoy Argo and I hope I never do.

3. Life of Pi: Do not, I repeat DO NOT let the chance to see Life of Pi in theaters pass you by. Genius of film, Ang Lee’s tale of a boy onboard a boat with only a few zoo animals as companions can only be done justice in a theater. This movie is so incredibly beautiful because of the vast cinematography and colorful images, and that probably will come through on a TV or computer screen, but not in the same scope that it will on a large movie theater screen. Another great book-based film to come out this year, Life of Pi was stunning, majestic, and touching.

2. Silver Linings Playbook: When the trailer for Silver Linings Playbook came out, I immediately dismissed it. On my walk to the theater a few months later, I still dismissed it. Another romantic comedy? Cool, that’s just what I want to see. Boy, was I wrong. If I had known what an astoundingly moving and realistic movie I was seeing, I would have been much more excited to see it. Silver Linings Playbook follows Pat Solitano, played by Bradley Cooper, as he reestablishes himself in his hometown after being released from a mental health facility. With powerful performances from all four main leads and Chris Tucker (?!), this movie is sure to win something at this year’s Oscars. As it should! It was the loveliest surprise I’ve seen this year, and is well worth the watch.

1. Les Miserables: I usually hate movies with so much hype connected to them because they never seem to live up to my expectations. And while it may not have lived up to my impossibly high standards, Les Miserables was the most powerful movie I’ve seen all year. I cried multiple times and I could hear the sobs and sniffles of others in the theater as well. Les Miserables certainly isn’t a cheerful tale, as it follows the life of Jean Valjean as he tries to redeem his past misdemeanors by adopting a young girl named Cosette. Filled with emotional songs and performances, Les Miserables will stick with you long after its viewing. I know it has for me.

Other movies this year that I really enjoyed but weren’t quite in my top ten includes Ruby Sparks, Ted, Zero Dark Thirty, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, and Django Unchained.