Best Films of 2012

2013 is here, but before we move on to the new year it's nice to take one last look back at everything that 2012 had to offer.

Huge blockbusters were sparser in 2012 than they have been in years past, but when the big movies hit, they hit hard. From summer tent-poles like The Avengers and The Amazing Spider-Man to autumn and winter hits like Skyfall and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, 2012 didn't contain as many big movies as it did huge movies. Coinciding with these tent-pole releases were plenty of smaller films that may not have garnered anywhere near the commercial buzz of the years biggest blockbusters, but earned praise from critics and audiences nonetheless.

This year, over four hundred and fifty films released in United States cinemas, and thousands more around the world. I reviewed twenty-six of them. This Best of 2012 article is not the definitive determination of the greatest film released in 2012. The films that I detail in this article are the ones I would most highly recommend out of all the films I saw in theaters this year.

As usual, remember that the winners of each category do not necessarily represent the nominee with the highest score; in the time since seeing each film, my opinions -- and my ratings scale -- may have shifted. In order to access the full reviews of each of the winning films, just click the film's title.

Read on for my personal picks for the best 2012 had to offer.

Best Comedy
Nominees:
21 Jump Street

Winner: 21 Jump Street

Well, that was an easy choice. 21 Jump Street was, far and away, the best comedy I saw in 2012. I could nominate Seth MacFarlane's June flick Ted, but I just couldn't bring myself to hand out a nomination just for the sake of giving 21 Jump Street some competition. Sure, Jump Street is flawed, but it's also a radiantly fresh take on the buddy-cop comedy genre, which has been all but worn out completely in recent years thanks to flops like the Rush Hour sequels. Though it could have easily been a cash-in on a 1990's cult hit television series, 21 Jump Street turned out to be much more. It's a constantly hilarious, offbeat comedy that managed to (rightfully) attract an impressively large audience, proving its mainstream appeal. And if Jonah Hill's antics aren't enough, the film secures Channing Tatum as an equally viable young comedian. Together, the duo's shenanigans bring about near-nonstop laughs.


Best Family Film
Nominees
The Secret World of Arrietty
Brave
The Odd Life of Timothy Green
Wreck-it Ralph

Winner: The Secret World of Arrietty

Studio Ghibli has a high pedigree, with a filmography that includes the likes of My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away; as such, it's not a huge surprise that their latest offering was nothing less than great. Whereas many of today's family-oriented films are bombastic CGI-offerings chronicling the noble adventures of charming, misfit heroes, The Secret World of Arrietty is a much quieter, more soft-spoken film, but it's also entertaining and touching for viewers of all ages. Many may have missed this magical film when it released in February, but its gorgeous hand-painted backdrops and heartfelt message ensure that Arrietty and her family of tiny people make for a perfect family movie night.


Best Drama
Nominees:
The Grey
Argo
Life of Pi

Winner: Life of Pi

Life of Pi is a sublime experience. Pi is stranded in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with a Bengal tiger for company, and the viewer is with him every step of the way. To begin, the film is a visual marvel and arguably boasts the most stunning use of CGI since Avatar. The scenery isn't any less stunning -- its difficult not to lose your breath when the pitch black sea is illuminated by hundreds of luminescent jellyfish, or when an enormous blue whale bursts out of the quiet surface and crashes back beneath the billowing waves. But the film isn't all visual glamour, as proven by the unique, unforgettable bond forged between Pi and his beastly companion and the film's profound, emotionally wrenching final revelation.


Best Sci-fi/Fantasy Film
Nominees:
Chronicle
The Hunger Games
The Avengers
Prometheus
Looper
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Winner: The Avengers

I felt the need to nominate a whole swath of films in this category, because 2012 was truly a winning year for science-fiction and fantasy films. But, in all honesty, one film blows away all competition, and it's none other than Marvel's landmark feature The Avengers. The stunning culmination of four years of hints and Easter eggs in five stand-alone superhero outings, The Avengers was way beyond a suitable payoff. It's a sprawling, breathtaking experience to behold -- not only the ultimate team-up, but some of the most fun that can be conceivably had at the movies.


Best Action Film
Nominees:
The Dark Knight Rises
Skyfall
Django Unchained

Winner: Skyfall

James Bond has been around for fifty years -- you'd think he'd be losing his touch by now. And yet here we are, living through 007's second Golden Age. Not only is Daniel Craig the best Bond since Sean Connery (dare I say...better?) but Skyfall is a serious contender for 007's best outing to date. Strangely enough, it gains this distinction because of how different it is from most Bond films. It explores Bond's troubled past and his personal relationship with M at length. Heck, it even fleshes out Ms. Moneypenny's origin story. Why, after twenty-two films, had not a single filmmaker thought to do any of this? Who knows. What's important is that we're getting it now. For all its visual splendor, fantastic performances (props to Javier Bardem) and shocking emotional resonance, Skyfall is the first Bond film to simply demand multiple viewings -- and it just gets richer and richer each time. To quote Adele's opening ballad: with Skyfall, Bond stands tall indeed.


Best Film

Nominees
The Secret World of Arrietty
The Avengers
The Dark Knight Rises
Skyfall
Life of Pi

Every film nominated in this category is a fantastic experience in its own right. Choosing a definite victor among them is nigh impossible, and yet it has to be done. Well, it doesn't have to be done, but I'll do it all the same.


Winner: The Avengers

There you have it. The Avengers was my favorite film of 2012. Cliched, right? There's no way that something as big and bombastic as The Avengers could be deemed the best 2012 has to offer, right? Well, there's a reason why The Avengers has been such a massive success, grossing over $600 million domestically and more than $1.5 billion worldwide. There's really no eloquent way to put it; it's because The Avengers is awesome. Every last thing about The Avengers is awesome. It's an enormous, sometimes cripplingly ambitious film that aims for heights rarely seen in modern cinema. What's so special about The Avengers is that it manages to reach these heights, and then some. I firmly believe that we've just been treated to the Star Wars of the twenty-first century. A film that, in thirty years, we'll look back on and say, "I was around when The Avengers came out in theaters." Is it the smartest film of 2012? No. Is it the deepest film of 2012? No. Is it the most jaw-dropping cinematic spectacle of the decade? I'd wager to say the answer to this question is a resounding "yes". If you can't enjoy The Avengers, then you probably don't enjoy movies in general. Congrats, guys, you really are Earth's mightiest heroes. 


Agree or disagree with my choices? Can't believe The Dark Knight Rises didn't win anything? Neither can I. I guess that means 2012 was a pretty good year for movies. Don't hesitate to comment with opinions, rebuttals, responses or feedback of any kind.

Thanks to all who have read my reviews and followed my blog over the course of 2012, making my first full year in business a big success. Check back in January when I kick off my 2013 review lineup with Zero Dark Thirty.