Added by MaxL on 31 Dec 2012 09:18

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My Top 10 Favourite Movies of 2012

Sort by: Showing 11 items

Decade: Rating: List Type:

538

5.5

5.9

Iron Sky (2012)

This isn't actually on the list; I'm just throwing it in as an honourable mention. These three words alone should tell you all you need to know about this movie: Nazis in space! The premise is that the Nazis have been hiding out on the moon since 1945, it's now 2018, and they're ready for round two. This is one of those movies that doesn't take itself seriously and doesn't expect you to either; you just sit back and have some fun with some high-flying ideas. And for that, it's the epitome of awesome! Basically, it's this year's Attack the Block: a blast of entertainment with its heart in the right place and its tongue firmly in its cheek.

MaxL's rating:

1580

6.8

7.2

21 Jump Street (2012)

And now on to the actual list!
I haven't seen the TV show it's based on. I don't know if it's played seriously or not, but this movie certainly isn't. It's a comedy, which is what I'd expect of a movie about two cops going undercover as high school students. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum have fantastic chemistry that makes this the funniest movie of the year. It even succeeded in making me laugh out loud at a dick joke – that very rarely happens, if at all! I don't remember many specific jokes, but I do remember the movie bringing me constant merriment throughout, and for that, it was a treat.

MaxL's rating:

983

7.1

ParaNorman (2012)

This was a really big year for both horror movies and stop-motion animation! This and Frankenweenie combined the two into affectionate horror spoofs, but I prefer this movie by far. It boasts a brilliant script that manages to combine humour, horror and emotional punch all in one and, more importantly, blend it all together seamlessly. The stop-motion animation itself is also remarkably seamless. It's one of the best family films I've seen in quite a while. I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more, though, if it hadn't been for some kids across the aisle who just would not shut up!

MaxL's rating:

417

6.6

6.7

The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012)

Speaking of stop-motion, it's such a joy to see Aardman Animation go back to that classic style that first brought them fame with Wallace & Gromit. And as a pirate movie, I liked this far more than any of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. It's funny, genuinely heartbreaking when it wants to be, and the idea of pirates finding an alternate way of getting rich is justified brilliantly. The Pirate Captain himself is a wonderful character, and Queen Victoria is one of my favourite funny villains. I think this is far and away the best thing Aardman has done since A Close Shave.

MaxL's rating:

149

The Angels' Share (2012)

This is a delightfully bittersweet comedy about a young punk in Glasgow trying to turn over a new leaf. It seems like a predictable story at first glance, but as it progresses, you really do grow to like the main character and want to see him come out okay. Nearly all the jokes hit their mark, even when the joke is on the protagonist. But the main thing the movie did for me was the last half-hour. I'm not going to say exactly what happens, but I will say it's just fantastic in how morally ambiguous it is. Definitely check it out.

MaxL's rating:

1752

7.6

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

It's about an outcast junior in high school who's taken under the wing of two seniors. Like The Angels' Share, it's a familiar story done wonderfully. I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed this one. In many ways, this is the polar opposite of Project X, since I actually wanted to be part of this school environment. The characters are all likable, so I started to genuinely root for them and wanted to see everything work out for them. In short, it's perhaps overly sentimental, but completely irresistible. Plus, it's pretty cool whenever the author of the original book directs the film adaptation!

MaxL's rating:

744

7.4

7.6

The Raid: Redemption (2011) (2011)

In an age overflowing with big-budget CG-fests, it's so refreshing to see an old-school martial arts action flick on the market. Sometimes, just seeing men pitting their strength, speed and wits against each other is so much more exciting than an exaggerated "epic" spectacle. I couldn't even watch this movie without making some kind of verbal reaction to each blow like, "Ooh!" "Aw-haww!" The premise is that a SWAT team's target has ordered all the tenants of the apartment complex to attack them, so it makes sense that the action is almost nonstop: these guys just can't catch a break!

MaxL's rating:

1573

7.4

7.7

Argo (2012)

It's an unbelievable true story, and director Ben Affleck brings it to the screen magnificently. I haven't yet seen Gone Baby Gone, but I think I can quite safely say this is Ben Affleck's best directing job to date. The atmosphere of fear in the midst of the fierce Iranian uprising is captured flawlessly; the tension in every scene is palpable. The climax might seem a bit too cinematic, if you know what I mean, but the edge-of-your-seat suspense still never lets up. Ultimately, it stands as a testament to the power of courage and teamwork – and one exciting ride.

MaxL's rating:

3933

7.6

The Avengers (2012)

What else can I say, really? It's The Avengers! It truly is a miracle of a superhero movie – basically a film version of an event comic. It delivers in spades all the edge-of-your-seat action and character development you'd expect, but it also has the bonus of Joss Whedon's magical touch. His writing leads to some laugh-out-loud hilarious character-driven comedy. It can be enjoyed in its own right, but seeing the four Marvel movies leading up to it adds so much more. This was at number two for most of the year, but ultimately got bumped down to number three by another Joss Whedon-penned project…

MaxL's rating:

1750

The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

Talk about underestimating a movie! I'd heard good things about it, but hadn't expected it to completely blow me away! This is one of the best horror movies I've seen in a long, long time – not one of the scariest, but certainly one of the most unique. It looks like an Evil Dead remake at first glance, but it features a twist that turns the whole horror genre inside-out! It's truly remarkable how the plot finds a way to satirise horror movie conventions without shoving it in your face. I think this movie is a truly inspired and stupendous work of genius!

MaxL's rating:

3861

7.7

8.4

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

I know some people found this movie to be a letdown, but I'm not one of them. I do agree that it's flawed, particularly one aspect of the twist at the end. But on the whole, I was more than satisfied with it, especially with the fantastic villain in Bane and the plot involving his bringing both Batman and Gotham City to their knees. I remember when I left the cinema, I was so elated that I didn't care if a car hit me right then and there, because at least I'd die a happy man! It's my favourite movie of the year.

MaxL's rating:

Voters of this movie list - View all

Welcome back. If you've seen my top ten least favourite movies of 2012 list, let's now wash those ten awful tastes down by talking about the movies at the other end of the spectrum! These are my top ten favourite movies of 2012.
Again, keep in mind that there were a fair few movies I didn't see. For example, I didn't see Sinister, A Royal Affair, The Sapphires, Life of Pi, The Master, Rise of the Guardians, and again that's just to name a few. But perhaps the movie that I'm kicking myself the most for missing is Dredd. Though most of the time my reason for missing them is that, like I said in the other list, I just don't have easy access to a cinema, there are a few that I haven't seen simply because they haven't been released yet here in the British Isles. For example, Lincoln, Flight, Hitchcock, Wreck-It Ralph, Les Misérables and Django Unchained came out in the US during the closing hurdles of the year, but it'll be quite a while before I get to see them, since they don't come out here until January and February.
So here's the long and short of it: if there's a movie that you think really should be on this list, chances are I either haven't seen it or I just didn't like it as much as you did.
So, without further ado, here we go.

Runners-up:
The Amazing Spider-Man
Chronicle
The Hunger Games
Iron Sky (which I mentioned in the list itself)
Looper
Skyfall
(Ted just fell short.)