Year-End Lists

Agnieszka Gratza: Top 5 Films of 2012, as submitted to the Sight & Sound Poll

• Amour
  Michael Haneke
• Tabu
  Miguel Gomes
• Nostalgia for the Light
  Patricio Guzmán
• Two Years at Sea
  Ben Rivers
• Found Memories
  Júlia Murat

This list contributes to:

• Sight & Sound Poll: Top 11 Films of 2012

Adrian Martin: Top 5 Films of 2012, as submitted to the Sight & Sound Poll

[see also 2017 • 2015]

• Holy Motors
  Leos Carax
• A Woman's Revenge
  Rita Azevedo Gomes
• Almayer’s Folly
  Chantal Akerman
• Night Across the Street
  Raoul Ruiz
• The Last Time I Saw Macao
  João Pedro Rodrigues and João Rui Guerra da Mata

This list contributes to:

• Sight & Sound Poll: Top 11 Films of 2012

Miriam Bale: Top 10 Films of 2012, as published by Fandor’s Keyframe blog

[see also 2010s • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013]

1. Kuichisan
   Maiko Endo
2. Holy Motors
   Leos Carax
3. The Turin Horse
   Béla Tarr & Agnes Hranitzky
4. Moonrise Kingdom
   Wes Anderson
5. Life and Freaky Times of Uncle Luke
   Jillian Mayer
6. Cosmopolis
   David Cronenberg
7. Sun Don’t Shine
   Amy Seimetz
8. Bernie
   Richard Linklater
9. Almayer’s Folly
   Chantal Akerman
10. The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye
    Marie Losier

Roger Ebert: 20 Best Movies of 2012, as published by The Chicago Sun-Times, alphabetically

[see also 2011]

• Arbitrage
  Nicholas Jarecki
• Argo
  Ben Affleck
• Beasts of the Southern Wild
  Benh Zeitlin
• End of Watch
  David Ayer
• Flight
  Robert Zemeckis
• Life of Pi
  Ang Lee
• Lincoln
  Steven Spielberg
• Oslo, August 31st
  Joachim Trier
• The Sessions
  Ben Lewin
• A Simple Life
  Ann Hui

Grand Jury Prizes (alphabetical)

• The Central Park Five
  Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon
• The Impossible
  Juan Antonio Bayona
• In the Family
  Patrick Wang
• Last Ride
  Glendyn Ivin
• A Late Quartet
  Yaron Zilberman
• The Master
  Paul Thomas Anderson
• Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
  Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky
• Rampart
  Oren Moverman
• Searching for Sugar Man
  Malik Bendjelloul
• West of Memphis
  Amy Berg

Sean Burns: Top 10 Films of 2012, as published by Philadelphia Weekly

[see also 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2011]

1. Moonrise Kingdom
   Wes Anderson
2. Lincoln
   Steven Spielberg
3. Zero Dark Thirty
   Kathryn Bigelow
4. Killer Joe
   William Friedkin
5. Oslo, August 31st
   Joachim Trier
6. Cosmopolis
   David Cronenberg
7. Holy Motors
   Leos Carax
8. The Master
   Paul Thomas Anderson
9. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
   Nuri Bilge Ceylan
10. This is Not a Film
    Jafar Panahi & Mojtaba Mirtahmasb

Copyright (c) 2012 Don Hertzfeldt

Matt Prigge: Top 10 Films of 2012, as published by Philadelphia Weekly

[see also 2016 • 2015 • 2011]

1. It’s Such a Beautiful Day
   Don Hertzfeldt
2. The Comedy
   Rick Alverson
3. Cosmopolis
   David Cronenberg
4. Moonrise Kingdom
   Wes Anderson
5. The Loneliest Planet
   Julia Loktev
6. The Deep Blue Sea
   Terence Davies
7. The Grey
   Joe Carnahan
8. Damsels in Distress
   Whit Stillman
9. This is Not a Film
   Jafar Panahi & Mojtaba Mirtahmasb
10. Holy Motors
    Leos Carax

Michael Phillips: 20 Best Movies of 2012, as published by The Chicago Tribune

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2011]

1. Zero Dark Thirty
   Kathryn Bigelow
2. Lincoln
   Steven Spielberg
3. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
   Nuri Bilge Ceylan
4. The Master
   Paul Thomas Anderson
5. Amour
   Michael Haneke
6. Chico & Rita
   Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
7. The Color Wheel
   Alex Ross Perry
8. Searching for Sugar Man
   Malik Bendjelloul
9. Flight
   Robert Zemeckis
10. Moonrise Kingdom
    Wes Anderson

Nos. 11-20 (in alphabetical order)

• Argo
  Ben Affleck
• The Deep Blue Sea
  Terence Davies
• The Five-Year Engagement
  Nicholas Stoller
• Footnote
  Joseph Cedar
• Magic Mike
  Steven Soderbergh
• Oslo, August 31st
  Joachim Trier
• Holy Motors
  Leos Carax
• The Queen of Versailles
  Lauren Greenfield
• The Sessions
  Ben Lewin
• Silver Linings Playbook
  David O. Russell

Empire: 20 Best Films of 2012

[see also 2020 • 2011]

1. The Avengers
   Joss Whedon
2. Argo
   Ben Affleck
3. The Dark Knight Rises
   Christopher Nolan
4. Skyfall
   Sam Mendes
5. Beasts of the Southern Wild
   Benh Zeitlin
6. Sightseers
   Ben Wheatley
7. Moonrise Kingdom
   Wes Anderson
8. The Raid: Redemption
   Gareth Evans
9. Headhunters
   Morten Tyldum
10. Rust and Bone
    Jacques Audiard
11. Life of Pi
    Ang Lee
12. Chronicle
    Josh Trank
13. Holy Motors
    Leos Carax
14. Looper
    Rian Johnson
15. The Descendants
    Alexander Payne
16. The Imposter
    Bart Layton
17. Magic Mike
    Steven Soderbergh
18. Young Adult
    Jason Reitman
19. Amour
    Michael Haneke
20. The Hunt
    Thomas Vinterberg

Sasha Frere-Jones of The New Yorker: 40 Best Albums of 2012 (listed chronologically, exceptional albums marked with asterisks)

[see also 2022 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2011]

• Rich Forever
  Rick Ross
• Nehru Jackets
  Heems
• Elemental: I-IV
  Demdike Stare
• Reign of Terror
  Sleigh Bells
• The Block Brochure
  E-40
• Icon Give Thank
  Sun Araw, MGG & Congos
• R.I.P.
  Actress
• The Money Store
  Death Grips
• Fifty-One
  Kool A.D.
• The Drawbar Organ/Music for the Quiet Hour
  Shackleton
• R.A.P. Music
  Killer Mike
• Cancer 4 Cure
  El-P
• We Rose From Your Bed With The Sun In Our Head
  Swans
• The Cherry Thing
  Neneh Cherry & the Thing
• The Idler Wheel…
  Fiona Apple
• Aun soundtrack
  Christian Fennesz
• Channel Orange
  Frank Ocean
• Mungodelics
  Mungolian Jetset
• The Seer
  Swans
• Sun
  Cat Power
• Eight
  Deadbeat
• Live
  Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin
• METZ
  METZ
• ‘Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
  Godspeed You! Black Emperor
• The World Is Too Much With Us
  Peace
• Jiaolong
  Daphni
• Tempest
  Tussle
• Living for a Song: Tribute to Hank Cochran
  Jamey Johnson
• Luxury Problems
  Andy Stott
• 4 EPs (Derren, Harem, Alfur, Realise)
  Old Apparatus
• good kid, m.A.A.d city
  Kendrick Lamar
• Red
  Taylor Swift
• Alone Together
  Karriem Riggins
• Fistful of Buddha
  Christiaan Virant
• Get Lost V (mixed by Acid Pauli)
  various artists
• The Cherry Thing Remixes
  Neneh Cherry & the Thing
• Paradise
  Lana Del Rey
• Lux
  Brian Eno
• Today Bread, Tomorrow Secrets
  Moon Wiring Club
• Bish Bosch
  Scott Walker

AllMusic: 50 Best Albums of 2012

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2011]

1. Visions
   Grimes
2. Channel Orange
   Frank Ocean
3. The Idler Wheel…
   Fiona Apple
4. good kid, m.A.A.d city
   Kendrick Lamar
5. Kaleidoscope Dream
   Miguel
6. Until the Quiet Comes
   Flying Lotus
7. Harmonicraft
   Torche
8. Devotion
   Jessie Ware
9. Love this Giant
   David Byrne & St. Vincent
10. Kiss
    Carly Rae Jepsen
11. Breakup Song
    Deerhoof
12. 3 Pears
    Dwight Yoakam
13. Lonerism
    Tame Impala
14. Black Radio
    Robert Glasper Experiment
15. R.A.P. Music
    Killer Mike
16. Sunken Condos
    Donald Fagen
17. Beams
    Matthew Dear
18. The Money Store
    Death Grips
19. America
    Dan Deacon
20. Awe Naturale
    THEESatisfaction
21. Electric Cables
    Lightships
22. Bloom
    Beach House
23. Tarnished Gold
    Beachwood Sparks
24. Alone Together
    Karriem Riggins
25. Christian aTunde Adjuah
    Christian Scott
26. All We Love We Leave Behind
    Converge
27. By Your Side
    Breakbot
28. Kill for Love
    Chromatics
29. Some Nights
    fun.
30. In Our Heads
    Hot Chip
31. Sun
    Cat Power
32. Coexist
    The xx
33. Perfectly Imperfect
    Elle Varner
34. Researching the Blues
    Redd Kross
35. Living for a Song: Tribute to Hank Cochran
    Jamey Johnson
36. Blunderbuss
    Jack White
37. Master of My Make-Believe
    Santigold
38. Shields
    Grizzly Bear
39. Oceania
    Smashing Pumpkins
40. I Like to Keep Myself in Pain
    Kelly Hogan
41. Off!
    Off!
42. The Bravest Man in the Universe
    Bobby Womack
43. The Seer
    Swans
44. The Haunted Man
    Bat for Lashes
45. The Temper Trap
    The Temper Trap
46. The Ghost in Daylight
    Gravenhurst
47. Silver Age
    Bob Mould
48. Heaven
    Walkmen
49. 777 - Cosmosophy
    Blut Aus Nord
50. Life is People
    Bill Fay