Year-End Lists

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

Tasha Robinson: The Best Films of 2012, as published by The A.V. Club

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

1. The Avengers
   Joss Whedon
2. Wreck-It Ralph
   Rich Moore
3. Zero Dark Thirty
   Kathryn Bigelow
4. Chasing Ice
   Jeff Orlowski
5. I Wish
   Hirokazu Kore-eda
6. Where Do We Go Now?
   Nadine Labaki
7. The Master
   Paul Thomas Anderson
8. Beasts of the Southern Wild
   Benh Zeitlin
9. The Secret World of Arrietty
   Hiromasa Yonebayashi
10. The Cabin in the Woods
    Drew Goddard
11. Life of Pi
    Ang Lee
12. The Rabbi's Cat
    Joann Sfar and Antoine Delesvaux
13. Cloud Atlas
    Lana & Andy Wachowski and Tom Tykwer
14. Haywire
    Steven Soderbergh
15. Looper
    Rian Johnson

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2012

Keith Phipps: The Best Films of 2012, as published by The A.V. Club

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2010s • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2014 • 2011]

1. Zero Dark Thirty
   Kathryn Bigelow
2. Moonrise Kingdom
   Wes Anderson
3. The Master
   Paul Thomas Anderson
4. Wuthering Heights
   Andrea Arnold
5. Amour
   Michael Haneke
6. The Kid with a Bike
   Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne
7. The Deep Blue Sea
   Terence Davies
8. Beasts of the Southern Wild
   Benh Zeitlin
9. The Loneliest Planet
   Julia Loktev
10. Holy Motors
    Leos Carax
11. Argo
    Ben Affleck
12. Flight
    Robert Zemeckis
13. Oslo, August 31st
    Joachim Trier
14. Declaration of War [La guerre es déclarée]
    Valérie Donzelli
15. Bernie
    Richard Linklater

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2012

Nathan Rabin: The Best Films of 2012, as published by The A.V. Club

[see also 2014 • 2011]

1. The Master
   Paul Thomas Anderson
2. Django Unchained
   Quentin Tarantino
3. Bernie
   Richard Linklater
4. Searching for Sugar Man
   Malik Bendjelloul
5. Moonrise Kingdom
   Wes Anderson
6. The Queen of Versailles
   Lauren Greenfield
7. Only the Young
   Jason Tippet and Elizabeth Mims
8. Silver Linings Playbook
   David O. Russell
9. Killer Joe
   William Friedkin
10. Boy
    Taika Waititi
11. The Cabin in the Woods
    Drew Goddard
12. Compliance
    Craig Zobel
13. The Dictator
    Larry Charles
14. Dark Horse
    Todd Solondz
15. Save the Date
    Michael Mohan

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2012

Scott Tobias: The Best Films of 2012, as published by The A.V. Club

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

1. The Master
   Paul Thomas Anderson
2. The Turin Horse
   Béla Tarr & Agnes Hranitzky
3. The Deep Blue Sea
   Terence Davies
4. Holy Motors
   Leos Carax
5. The Loneliest Planet
   Julia Loktev
6. Moonrise Kingdom
   Wes Anderson
7. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
   Nuri Bilge Ceylan
8. Zero Dark Thirty
   Kathryn Bigelow
9. The Comedy
   Rick Alverson
10. Amour
    Michael Haneke
11. Goodbye First Love
    Mia Hansen-Løve
12. Miss Bala
    Gerardo Naranjo
13. Haywire
    Steven Soderbergh
14. Looper
    Rian Johnson
15. Lincoln
    Steven Spielberg

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2012

IndieWire Poll: Top 50 Films of 2012 (as voted by 204 critics)

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

1. Holy Motors
   Leos Carax
2. Zero Dark Thirty
   Kathryn Bigelow
3. The Master
   Paul Thomas Anderson
4. Amour
   Michael Haneke
5. Moonrise Kingdom
   Wes Anderson
6. This is Not a Film
   Jafar Panahi & Mojtaba Mirtahmasb
7. Beasts of the Southern Wild
   Benh Zeitlin
8. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
   Nuri Bilge Ceylan
9. Lincoln
   Steven Spielberg
10. The Turin Horse
    Béla Tarr & Agnes Hranitzky
11. Tabu
    Miguel Gomes
12. Argo
    Ben Affleck
13. The Deep Blue Sea
    Terence Davies
14. Oslo, August 31st
    Joachim Trier
15. Silver Linings Playbook
    David O. Russell
16. Django Unchained
    Quentin Tarantino
17. The Kid with a Bike
    Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne
18. Cosmopolis
    David Cronenberg
19. Looper
    Rian Johnson
20. The Loneliest Planet
    Julia Loktev
21. Life of Pi
    Ang Lee
22. Killer Joe
    William Friedkin
23. Barbara
    Christian Petzold
24. Magic Mike
    Steven Soderbergh
25. Bernie
    Richard Linklater
26. Killing Them Softly
    Andrew Dominik
27. Cloud Atlas
    Lana & Andy Wachowski and Tom Tykwer
28. Elena
    Andrey Zvyagintsev
29. Compliance
    Craig Zobel
30. Wuthering Heights
    Andrea Arnold
31. Anna Karenina
    Joe Wright
32. The Imposter
    Bart Layton
33. The Raid: Redemption
    Gareth Evans
34. Almayer’s Folly
    Chantal Akerman
35. Neighboring Sounds
    Kleber Mendonça Filho
36. Skyfall
    Sam Mendes
37. The Cabin in the Woods
    Drew Goddard
38. How to Survive a Plague: The Inside Story of How Citizens and Science Tamed AIDS
    David France
39. Rust and Bone
    Jacques Audiard
40. It’s Such a Beautiful Day
    Don Hertzfeldt
41. Footnote
    Joseph Cedar
42. Goodbye First Love
    Mia Hansen-Løve
43. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
    Stephen Chbosky
44. Keep the Lights On
    Ira Sachs
45. Take This Waltz
    Sarah Polley
46. Room 237
    Rodney Ascher
47. Alps
    Yorgos Lanthimos
48. Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present
    Matthew Akers
49. The Gatekeepers
    Dror Moreh
50. Miss Bala
    Gerardo Naranjo