The Best Films Of 2012: 21 Runner-Ups (#30-#11)

Today, I aim to rectify that by expanding my Top 10 picks out to 30 (or 31, given that I cheated and included a tie), counting down the best runners-up from the number 30 slot all the way down to number 11. Even with so many more films represented here, there were still plenty of tough omissions, good and great films like Argo, Holy Motors, The Hunger Games, Arbitrage, Celeste and Jesse Forever, and even animated fare like Frankenweenie and Rise of the Guardians. If this countdown continued forever, those and other excellent films would be represented, but the festivities had to end somewhere, and I am more than happy with these 30 films representing my favorite cinematic memories of 2012.

Jonathan R. Lack

Published: Dec 17, 2012 03:00 pm

This article is over 12 years old and may contain outdated information

30. The Master

Recommended Videos

Though I was largely ecstatic with this film when it first arrived, subsequent viewings have tempered my enthusiasm. Paul Thomas Anderson is a great writer and visual craftsman, but The Master is, thematically speaking, one-note, and though it is staggeringly powerful at times, I do not believe it succeeds at its own ambitions as well as the rest of the films on this countdown. That being said, the film features some of the absolute best acting of the year, including career-best turns from Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams, gorgeous cinematography, and stunning production design. The film is certainly worth watching, and stands as one of the 30 best films of 2012, but does not reside in the upper echelon.

The Master is not currently playing in most theatres, but is expected to arrive on DVD and Blu-Ray in 2013.

29. Sound of My Voice

This low-budget indie from Zal Batmanglij is, to my mind, a stronger and more meaningful look at the allure and dangers of cults than The Master, primarily because Brit Marling – who co-wrote the film with Batmanglij – is simply entrancing as a cult leader who claims she is from the future. Watching Marling for five minutes, I immediately understood where a cult may derive its power – if a leader is this caring, nurturing, and utterly piercing, how could you resist?

Sound of My Voice is now available on DVD and Blu-Ray.

28. Beasts of the Southern Wild

A powerful and refreshing burst of originality, insight, and total, enveloping authenticity, Behn Zeitlin’s Beasts of the Southern Wild is a fantastic story of community, love, and endurance through tough times. Young Quvenzhané Wallis does not just give one of the best performances of 2012, but one of the all-time great pieces of child acting, while her on-screen father, Dwight Henry, stuns as one of the year’s most complex and genuine characters.

Beasts of the Southern Wild is now available on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Continue reading on the next page…

We Got This Covered is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy

Author

Jonathan R. Lack

With ten years of experience writing about movies and television, including an ongoing weekly column in The Denver Post's YourHub section, Jonathan R. Lack is a passionate voice in the field of film criticism. Writing is his favorite hobby, closely followed by watching movies and TV (which makes this his ideal gig), and is working on his first film-focused book.