I have been reviewing films regularly since 2004, and I am not sure I have ever enjoyed the job as much as I did in 2012.
From January all the way through to December, we have been spoiled with all sorts of cinematic riches. Many great established filmmakers delivered some of their best work to date – Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, Judd Apatow, David O. Russell, Kathryn Bigelow, etc. – while many new or developing voices – like Steven Chbosky, Rian Johnson, Colin Trevorrow, Benh Zeitlin, and more – burst onto the scene with refreshing passion and vision. At the multiplex, blockbusters were generally smarter and bolder than the usual crop of Hollywood cookie-cutter fare, while local arthouses and independent cinemas were constantly filled with vibrant and intriguing efforts. If 2012 did not produce the sheer quantity of masterworks as 2010 or 2011, it possessed deeper and more consistent quality from beginning to end, and whether you were a critic or just a fellow film enthusiast, chances are you had a fair share of highly memorable experiences throughout the year.
Whittling down the cinema of 2012 into a mere Top 10 Films was no easy task, and I tortured myself quite a bit over the final rankings and inclusions. I find it ridiculous how many truly great films I had to leave off – there will be a ‘Next-Best’ list early next week to honor these titles – but when I sit back and look at my final countdown, I am happy with how it represents my personal cinematic journey these past twelve months. Top 10 lists are, of course, nothing but subjective, and of the 100-plus new films I saw this year, these are the 10 that mean the most to me.
The countdown begins on the next page, and clicking on the title of each movie will take you to my original review of the film. Two links will take you away from We Got This Covered to my personal blog, where my work was published before I joined the staff of this website.
Enjoy, and here’s hoping 2013 matches up to what these last twelve months have offered.
Begin the countdown of the Top 10 Films of 2012 on the next page…
