The Reel's Top 10 Films of 2012

It was extremely difficult trying to assemble my list of the best motion pictures of 2012. This was such a great year for movies that it's hard to confine my list of favorites to just ten. Here are some honorable mentions that are great movies, but didn't quite make the cut:

Marvel's The Avengers, Wreck-It Ralph, The Cabin in the Woods, Looper, Skyfall

10. Sinister

The latest horror-thriller from director Scott Derrickson follows a true crime novelist who moves his family into the former home of his current subject.  While conducting his research, our novelist (in a captivating performance from Ethan Hawke) uncovers some dark secrets that put himself and his family on a collision course with a dangerous supernatural force. Disturbing and downright scary, Sinister is the most terrifying movie I've ever seen, with an ending that will blow you away.

9. Beasts of the Southern Wild

First-time helmer Benh Zeitlin crafts a marvelously engaging feature about a young girl named Hushpuppy and her journey of discovery within her own community after it's flooded by a raging storm and threatened by ancient creatures. Part fantasy-part human drama, Beasts is one of the most original movies of the year based on sheer poetic imagery and wonderful performances from a cast of unknowns. It values the human spirit and imagination rather than big studio money, which is strikingly fresh. More movies should be made this way.

8. Moonrise Kingdom

With a plot so simple, it's difficult to say that Wes Anderson's latest feature is the "very best of the year". But it presents itself in a way I've never quite seen before. Marvelous performances from entertainers such as Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, and Frances McDormand help move the film along briskly while showcasing the director's unique style. The use of color and cinematography is so enthralling, it's worth the price of admission just to see how those two elements come together here. Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward are also a delight as the young, wayward lovers.

7. Les Miserables

Director Tom Hooper (The King's Speech) brings the timeless Broadway classic to the big screen in grand fashion. While much larger in scope and scale than his previous efforts, Hooper still manages to maintain control with his familiar vision and impeccable performances from a talented cast. Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway knocked me flat.

6. The Dark Knight Rises

The epic conclusion to Christopher Nolan’s Batman saga sees Bruce Wayne come out of retirement to don the cape and cowl once again as he responds to a terrorist who threatens to bring Gotham City to its knees. I love Tom Hardy as Bane. Trying to understand what he’s saying through that respirator is a chore, but for the first time in three movies, I actually felt like our mighty Caped Crusader might not be able to save the day. I know fans tend to put Heath Ledger’s Joker and The Dark Knight on a pedestal, but I think this one comes pretty darn close.

5. Life of Pi

The latest from director Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain, Hulk) tells a riveting story of survival and self-discovery posed against gorgeous set pieces and eye-popping special effects. Leading man Suraj Sharma keeps us hooked and makes us believe that he really IS Pi, as he discovers what he's made of during his time at sea. The 3-D is incredible, especially if you've got a pack of flying fish or a million meerkats headed your way. The tiger is also vivid and so well-detailed, you'd swear it was real. Sharma's reactions would make you believe this is true. As far as visual style, picture Avatar meets The Jungle Book with a peppering of Rise of the Planet of the Apes thrown in. Life of Pi is an incredibly engaging feature that blew my expectations away.

4. Lincoln

Steven Spielberg’s captivating period biopic follows President Abraham Lincoln’s crusade to end the Civil War and get the Thirteenth Amendment passed to abolish slavery. Much funnier than I anticipated, Lincoln is a marvelously entertaining feature that’s sure to be a major player at the Oscars in February. Who knew there was such entertainment value surrounding the passing of a federal law?! Daniel Day-Lewis is a revelation as Lincoln.

3. Django Unchained

Quentin Tarantino is at his gratuitous best once again in Django Unchained, a film about two 19th century Southern bounty hunters starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Classic Tarantino style is on display here (colorful characters, over-the-top violence, an interesting soundtrack, unique cinematography, and moments of side-splitting humor), but Django is one of the director's best efforts yet. All the acting performances are terrific and help make the movie as entertaining and satisfying as it is. Samuel L. Jackson steals the show with my favorite supporting performance from an actor this year.

2. Argo

Ben Affleck's dramatization of the now-declassified Iran hostage situation of the late 1970s and early 80s is a nerve-wracking nail-biter. It features little to nothing by way of onscreen violence, but captures perfectly the raw emotional tension of the six American diplomats held hostage and trying to escape from under the noses of their brutal captors. What makes the film even more engrossing is the idea of creating a big-budget science fiction film to help get the Americans out of Iran. The characters all know it's a bad idea, and one even notes that "it's the best bad idea we have", but it's a blast to get a little crash-course on filmmaking in the midst of such gripping drama. As director, Affleck makes the audience feel the same urgency and tension that's present within each character, allowing Argo to become a moviegoing experience unlike any other this year.

1. Silver Linings Playbook

To paraphrase Alynda Wheat of People Magazine, is it a "rom-com"? Is it a dramatic "treatise on mental illness"? Is it "a love note to the Philadelphia Eagles"? Yes. Silver Linings Playbook is as healthy a balance of all three as you're likely to see, making it the most endearing, fascinating, and entertaining movie of the year. A razor-sharp script and keen direction from David O. Russell (The Fighter, Three Kings) along with fine performances from Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Robert De Niro make this the feel-good movie of 2012.