Year-End Lists

Nick Pinkerton: Top 10 Films of 2012, as submitted to the Village Voice Film Poll, published by The Village Voice, presented alphabetically

[see also 2011]

• Alps
  Yorgos Lanthimos
• Bernie
  Richard Linklater
• The Deep Blue Sea
  Terence Davies
• The Grey
  Joe Carnahan
• Haywire
  Steven Soderbergh
• Magic Mike
  Steven Soderbergh
• Moonrise Kingdom
  Wes Anderson
• Tabu
  Miguel Gomes
• Wanderlust
  David Wain
• Zero Dark Thirty
  Kathryn Bigelow

This list contributes to:

• Village Voice Film Poll: Best Films of 2012

Kevin B. Lee: 12 Best Films of 2012, as published by Fandor where it’s accompanied by an excellent video essay

[see also 2015 • 2014]

1. This is Not a Film
   Jafar Panahi & Mojtaba Mirtahmasb
2. Holy Motors
   Leos Carax
3. Let the Bullets Fly
   Jiang Wen
4. Silver Linings Playbook
   David O. Russell
5. Consuming Spirits
   Chris Sullivan
6. Neighboring Sounds
   Kleber Mendonça Filho
7. In the Family
   Patrick Wang
8. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
   Nuri Bilge Ceylan
9. The Deep Blue Sea
   Terence Davies
10. The Day He Arrives
    Hong Sang-soo
10. A Simple Life
    Ann Hui
12. Meanwhile
    Hal Hartley

Scott Foundas: 10 Best Films of 2012, as submitted to the Village Voice Film Poll

[see also 2013]

1. Zero Dark Thirty
   Kathryn Bigelow
2. The Master
   Paul Thomas Anderson
3. Amour
   Michael Haneke
4. Barbara
   Christian Petzold
5. Django Unchained
   Quentin Tarantino
6. The Turin Horse
   Béla Tarr & Agnes Hranitzky
7. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
   Nuri Bilge Ceylan
8. The Dark Knight Rises
   Christopher Nolan
9. Holy Motors
   Leos Carax
10. This Is 40
    Judd Apatow

This list contributes to:

• Village Voice Film Poll: Best Films of 2012

Mike D’Angelo: 15 Best Films of 2012, as published by The A.V. Club

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

1. Holy Motors
   Leos Carax
2. The Imposter
   Bart Layton
3. The Loneliest Planet
   Julia Loktev
4. Miss Bala
   Gerardo Naranjo
5. Moonrise Kingdom
   Wes Anderson
6. Amour
   Michael Haneke
7. The Deep Blue Sea
   Terence Davies
8. Only the Young
   Jason Tippet and Elizabeth Mims
9. Looper
   Rian Johnson
10. This Must Be the Place
    Paolo Sorrentino
11. Haywire
    Steven Soderbergh
12. You Are Here
    Daniel Cockburn
13. It’s Such a Beautiful Day
    Don Hertzfeldt
14. Argo
    Ben Affleck
15. Sister
    Ursula Meier

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2012

Noel Murray: 15 Best Films of 2012, as published by The A.V. Club

[see also The 10 Best Documentaries of 2022 • The 10 (or 11) Best Documentaries of 2021 • The Best Films of 2021 • The Best Films of 2020 • The Best Films of 2019 • Top 15 Films of 2018 • Best Films of 2017 • The Best Films of 2016 • The Best Films of 2015 • Top 15 Films of 2014 • Best Films of 2011]

1. The Master
   Paul Thomas Anderson
2. Zero Dark Thirty
   Kathryn Bigelow
3. Life of Pi
   Ang Lee
4. Damsels in Distress
   Whit Stillman
5. Holy Motors
   Leos Carax
6. It’s Such a Beautiful Day
   Don Hertzfeldt
7. Photographic Memory
   Ross McElwee
8. Looper
   Rian Johnson
9. The Queen of Versailles
   Lauren Greenfield
10. The Deep Blue Sea
    Terence Davies
11. Premium Rush
    David Koepp
12. Lincoln
    Steven Spielberg
13. This Is 40
    Judd Apatow
14. I Wish
    Hirokazu Kore-eda
15. The Cabin in the Woods
    Drew Goddard

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2012

Dana Stevens: 15 Best Movies of 2012, as published by Slate, alphabetically

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

• Amour
  Michael Haneke
• How to Survive a Plague: The Inside Story of How Citizens and Science Tamed AIDS
  David France
• Lincoln
  Steven Spielberg
• The Master
  Paul Thomas Anderson
• Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
  Nuri Bilge Ceylan
• The Queen of Versailles
  Lauren Greenfield
• Take This Waltz
  Sarah Polley
• The Turin Horse
  Béla Tarr & Agnes Hranitzky
• Zero Dark Thirty
  Kathryn Bigelow

Runners-Up

• The Central Park Five
  Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon
• The Grey
  Joe Carnahan
• Holy Motors
  Leos Carax
• Rust and Bone
  Jacques Audiard
• This is Not a Film
  Jafar Panahi & Mojtaba Mirtahmasb

The A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2012

[see also 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2011]

1. The Master
   Paul Thomas Anderson
2. Zero Dark Thirty
   Kathryn Bigelow
3. Moonrise Kingdom
   Wes Anderson
4. Holy Motors
   Leos Carax
5. The Deep Blue Sea
   Terence Davies
6. The Loneliest Planet
   Julia Loktev
7. Amour
   Michael Haneke
8. It’s Such a Beautiful Day
   Don Hertzfeldt
9. Beasts of the Southern Wild
   Benh Zeitlin
10. Wuthering Heights
    Andrea Arnold
11. The Cabin in the Woods
    Drew Goddard
12. Looper
    Rian Johnson
13. Life of Pi
    Ang Lee
14. Lincoln
    Steven Spielberg
15. Only the Young
    Jason Tippet and Elizabeth Mims
16. The Queen of Versailles
    Lauren Greenfield
17. Killer Joe
    William Friedkin
18. Miss Bala
    Gerardo Naranjo
19. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
    Nuri Bilge Ceylan
20. I Wish
    Hirokazu Kore-eda

This list summarizes other lists, including these:

• A.V. Club: Alison Willmore: The Best Films of 2012
• A.V. Club: Keith Phipps: The Best Films of 2012
• A.V. Club: Mike D’Angelo: 15 Best Films of 2012
• A.V. Club: Nathan Rabin: The Best Films of 2012
• A.V. Club: Noel Murray: 15 Best Films of 2012
• A.V. Club: Sam Adams: The Best Films of 2012
• A.V. Club: Scott Tobias: The Best Films of 2012
• A.V. Club: Tasha Robinson: The Best Films of 2012

Village Voice Film Poll: Best Films of 2012 (as published by The Village Voice, compiled from the votes of over 80 critics)

[see also 2020 • 2019 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2011]

1. The Master
   Paul Thomas Anderson
2. Zero Dark Thirty
   Kathryn Bigelow
3. Holy Motors
   Leos Carax
4. Moonrise Kingdom
   Wes Anderson
5. This is Not a Film
   Jafar Panahi & Mojtaba Mirtahmasb
6. Amour
   Michael Haneke
7. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
   Nuri Bilge Ceylan
8. The Turin Horse
   Béla Tarr & Agnes Hranitzky
9. Lincoln
   Steven Spielberg
10. Tabu
    Miguel Gomes
11. The Deep Blue Sea
    Terence Davies
12. The Kid with a Bike
    Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne
12. Beasts of the Southern Wild
    Benh Zeitlin
12. Oslo, August 31st
    Joachim Trier
15. The Loneliest Planet
    Julia Loktev
16. Cosmopolis
    David Cronenberg
17. Django Unchained
    Quentin Tarantino
18. Bernie
    Richard Linklater
19. Silver Linings Playbook
    David O. Russell
20. Rust and Bone
    Jacques Audiard
21. Argo
    Ben Affleck
21. Barbara
    Christian Petzold
23. Almayer’s Folly
    Chantal Akerman
24. Neighboring Sounds
    Kleber Mendonça Filho
25. Magic Mike
    Steven Soderbergh

This list summarizes other lists, including these:

• Village Voice Film Poll: Nick Pinkerton: Top 10 Films of 2012
• Village Voice Film Poll: Scott Foundas: 10 Best Films of 2012

Alison Willmore: The Best Films of 2012, as published by The A.V. Club

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

1. This is Not a Film
   Jafar Panahi & Mojtaba Mirtahmasb
2. The Loneliest Planet
   Julia Loktev
3. The Master
   Paul Thomas Anderson
4. The Lincoln Lawyer
   Brad Furman
5. Rust and Bone
   Jacques Audiard
6. Holy Motors
   Leos Carax
7. Zero Dark Thirty
   Kathryn Bigelow
8. Beasts of the Southern Wild
   Benh Zeitlin
9. The Cabin in the Woods
   Drew Goddard
10. Dark Horse
    Todd Solondz
11. Cosmopolis
    David Cronenberg
12. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
    Nuri Bilge Ceylan
13. Step Up to the Plate
    Paul Lacoste
14. Skyfall
    Sam Mendes
15. Moonrise Kingdom
    Wes Anderson

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2012

Sam Adams: The Best Films of 2012, as published by The A.V. Club

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2013 • 2011]

1. Moonrise Kingdom
   Wes Anderson
2. It’s Such a Beautiful Day
   Don Hertzfeldt
3. Middle of Nowhere
   Ava DuVernay
4. Magic Mike
   Steven Soderbergh
5. Killer Joe
   William Friedkin
6. Amour
   Michael Haneke
7. The Deep Blue Sea
   Terence Davies
8. Wuthering Heights
   Andrea Arnold
9. Barbara
   Christian Petzold
10. The Master
    Paul Thomas Anderson
11. Zero Dark Thirty
    Kathryn Bigelow
12. Holy Motors
    Leos Carax
13. Starlet
    Sean Baker
14. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
    Stephen Chbosky
15. Killing Them Softly
    Andrew Dominik

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2012