AFI Top 10 Films of 2012

Let me clear up the misunderstanding. "Le Mis" is a French story, but it is an American production by Universal studios, which makes it eligible here. Whether or not it deserves it, we'll see.

Dec 11 - 01:26 PM

In fairness to the Academy: Tree of Life was nominated for Best Picture and Malick got a Best Director Nod.

Not that I always agree with them, but just saying.

Dec 11 - 10:34 AM

Carl Burgason

Les Mis is an american film.... It's just based on french source material...

Dec 12 - 07:20 AM

Deja Vu...

Dec 12 - 12:57 PM

Christopher Kulik

At least they had MOONRISE KINGDOM.

Dec 10 - 04:34 PM

Agreed.

Dec 11 - 12:02 PM

Sam Silbert

agreed

Dec 24 - 07:08 AM

Matt Stephens

agreed

Dec 28 - 08:52 PM

Logan Lovett

Thank you

Dec 10 - 07:31 PM

daniel forth

Agreed, What the Fuge, it was the BEST! seriously

Dec 11 - 09:54 AM

I mean, the Master wasn't Anderson's best. By RT meter, the only movie that really doesn't belong here is Les Mis. (And, well, Django Unchained, but I imagine Tarantino will deliver.)

Dec 11 - 10:32 AM

Jason Huang

they didn't have looper or skyfall. okay then.

Dec 11 - 07:26 PM

Kyle Rogers

I know...where is the love for Looper? In my honest opinion it's better than most of the movies on this list.

Dec 12 - 10:59 AM

Jay Kennedy

Totally agree, Looper absolutely made my top 10!

Dec 19 - 04:44 AM

Bard The Bowman

Looper, Skyfall, and even the Avengers should replace Beasts of the Southern Wild and possibly Les Miz on this list..

Dec 23 - 07:05 PM

Voice O'Reason

The absence of "The Master" makes this list...right on target.

Jan 19 - 01:59 AM

Zee Remorca

Why is The Dark Knight Rises here? As much as I love Christopher Nolan and all of his work, TDKR isn't his strongest film. It doesn't even match up to The Prestige, considered by many as his weakest film.

Dec 10 - 03:42 PM

Mo Gelardi

The Prestige is easily Nolan's best film along with Memento. Anyone not obsessed with superhero/men in tights nonsense knows that. It's probably the director's most personal film about the sacrifices of an artist to create from obsessions.

Dec 10 - 04:07 PM

Joe Albanese

I agree. The Prestige is my favorite Nolan film. The author of the novel didn't seem to like the screenplay, but I think Christopher and Jonathan wrote and amazing movie.

Dec 10 - 07:04 PM

Jonathan Yung

Actually I heard that the writer of the book thought Nolan did a great job adopting his story. He said he saw it like three times and really found it clever.

Dec 10 - 09:29 PM

George Patchell

I heard the author liked it too, and said the ending was just very different apparently. Also while I love The Prestige, for me i'd put Nolan's movies in this order:

1) The Dark Knight
2) Memento
3) The Prestige
4) Inception
5) Following

Then Insomnia, TDKR and Batman Begins are not ranked but are all very good.

Dec 11 - 03:25 AM

Shane Wallick

The Dark Knight Rises was included here because of its tremendous ambition. I, like many others, prefer The Dark Knight over TDKR, but that doesn't mean TDKR wasn't a great film. This is a list of the best films of 2012, and it deserves its place here. And for my list of best Nolan films:

1. The Dark Knight
2. Memento
3. Inception
4. The Prestige
5. The Dark Knight Rises

Followed closely by Following, Batman Begins, and Insomnia. Nolan, to his credit, has never made anything close to a bad film. And TDKR is no exception.

Dec 11 - 04:58 AM

Christian Michaels

I actually liked TDKR over TDK. I haven't really broken down TDKR yet, but after going over TDK I've found a lot of silly editing flaws that are few in TDKR. For instance, after the Joker takes over the flat during the fundraiser for Dent and Batman jumps off the roof to save Rachel, what happens to the Joker and his crew? That's an easy question to answer but Nolan didn't for some reason, I'm guessing ignorance. And there's several of those in TDK, but the only one I can really find in TDKR is the impracticality of Batman taking the time to paint that flammable bat sign over the bridge.

Dec 11 - 05:43 AM

Montez Bush

What is wrong with all of you? Ranking Insomnia so low? :P It's one of his best films? RT meter wise as well. I view it more like this

1. Memento
2. The Dark Knight (Not really number one in my book. I see most people say it so only because of the Joker, but taking in the whole film..it's still good but Memento is better)
3. Insomnia
4. Inception
5.The Prestige

The rest are good but I think I only want to show top 5.

Dec 11 - 11:58 AM

Mike Gammell

I respectfully disagree. While I admit that I enjoy comic book-based movies, I thought even Inception was better than Prestige.

Dec 11 - 07:45 AM

Jason Huang

So glad to see so many Nolan fans here! I know most would disagree, but I think The Dark Knight Rises is the best movie of this year. Oh, and here's my Nolan list:
1. Inception (probably my all time favorite as well)
2. The Dark Knight
3. Memento
4. The Dark Knight Rises
5. The Prestige
I loved all his other films, but those are his best. :D

Dec 11 - 07:25 PM

Greg Arens

TDKR is still a good film regardless of whether it is Nolan's best. It deserves to be up there along with every movie that its with.

Dec 10 - 11:32 PM

Casey Lock

You're an idiot...you really think this holds the same authorship as moonrise kingdom, silver linings or the sessions. I love TDKR but calling it a great film is just putting Nolan on a pedastal. Any movie with that many plot errors can't be on any list for that reason alone.

Dec 11 - 06:54 AM

Ole Opperud

I guess we're all idiots... Oh wait, that's right - you wrote the book on good taste in movies, didn't you?

Dec 11 - 09:18 AM

Voice O'Reason

TDKR is easily better than Moonrise Kingdom--one of Anderson's weaker films.

Jan 19 - 01:54 AM

Austin Stock

TDKR is winning the most overrated award, that's for sure...

Dec 11 - 03:49 PM

Jared Christenson

it's a great movie. have you watched it, or did you look at it? it's a legendary classic. timeless. needs appreciation.

Dec 11 - 07:15 AM

Sam Hennigh

It's up there because it came out this year, The Prestige didn't.

Dec 11 - 08:25 AM

I agree. I found Skyfall and Looper do be much more enjoyable intelligent action/dramas. But don't get me wrong, Nolan is a fantastic director. Memento and The Dark Knight are classics in my mind.

Dec 11 - 12:09 PM

Austin Stock

The Prestige is amazing, one of my favorites!

Dec 11 - 03:47 PM

Connor Vallecillo

I like that Argo, Silver Linings Playbook, Django Unchained, and Les Miz are in here, but serious, Lincoln (aside Daniel Day-Lewis's amazing performance) kinda sucked. The Master was a million times better

Dec 10 - 03:56 PM

Lance Reeder

Couldn't disagree more. Lincoln was the best film of the year all around IMO and how can you support Django when you haven't even seen it?

Dec 10 - 04:44 PM

Timothy Bucher

Exactly. I'm sure it will be a good movie, but people arguing for a movie they haven't seen against a movie they have is pretty odd.

Dec 10 - 08:39 PM

Robert Tiemstra

Stating as someone who saw Django Unchained, I absolutely believe it deserves to be there. It is one of the best films of the year. Can't speak for Les Mis.

Dec 11 - 05:33 AM

Andrew Maust

Django Unchained and Les Mis have both yet to be released, I'm not sure how you can be praising them (although I'm sure they'll be good) before they come out. I'm certain that if Lincoln had yet to come out, it would be predicted to be one of the best films of the year (in fact, I recall several people mentioning that it would be)

Dec 11 - 01:41 AM

My movie was amazing. GTFO

Dec 11 - 12:10 PM

Kyle Rogers

Here's the question... what percentage of people commenting on this about Django and Les Mis has even seen those two films. Maybe form your opinion AFTER you see the movie, as opposed to basing it off trailers and the people making it. Anyone is capable of messing up once in a while.

Dec 12 - 11:03 AM

Noah Simon

Not happy about Moonrise Kingdom. Missing Seven Psychopaths, Safety Not Guaranteed but happy about the rest.

Dec 10 - 03:58 PM

Timothy Bridge

Good to see Django up there.

Dec 10 - 04:07 PM

Fred Brooks

It's cool too see "Django Unchained" & "TDKR" on this list, but AFI f'd up by not having "The Avengers" & "Skyfall" on it's list, but they pull this kinda shit every year so it's nothing new to me.

Dec 10 - 04:14 PM

John Noto

ugh Skyfall. snooze

Dec 11 - 08:42 AM

American Psycho

I can't wait for Django Unchained!

Dec 10 - 04:27 PM

SAME!!!

Dec 11 - 12:15 PM

Reid Sweatt

Argo, TDKR, and Moonrise Kingdom are Fantastic. Lincoln is pretty great. Life of Pi is good, I haven't seen the rest but this is amazing. Finally recognized the comic book film.

Dec 10 - 04:36 PM

Lance Reeder

Wasn't a huge fan of Life of Pi. It kinda reminded me of American Beauty. There were parts that legitimately moved me, but there were also an equal number of parts I just found almost unbearable.

Dec 10 - 04:46 PM

Gary Devenport

Life of Pi is really emotionally manipulative. I think everyone is too impressed with how beautiful it looks to notice it.

Dec 10 - 06:49 PM

No desire to see it. I don't see the appeal. Visuals alone don't get me to see a film. The story doesn't look interesting. Just my opinion.

Dec 11 - 12:14 PM

Mark Marquis

Well, having seen it I can attest to the power of both the visuals the the story being told. It's a movie that either speaks to you or it doesn't. And it certainly deserves to be on the list.

Dec 12 - 02:33 PM

Danny Miller

shit list, wheres prometheus?

Dec 10 - 05:25 PM

Timothy Bucher

I liked Prometheus but I don't think there is an argument for it here. Best CGI I've ever seen though.

Dec 10 - 08:41 PM

Ricardo Leal

Good joke! ;-)

Dec 11 - 07:31 AM

you're a funny guy!

Dec 11 - 12:11 PM

Kyle Rogers

I think Prometheus is one of the best of the year, but there's no way it's going to get much awards appreciation.

Dec 12 - 11:04 AM

Rocky Road Taylor

Honestly, if AFI should've gone with any of the big blockbuster flicks this year, they should've gone with Avengers. TDKR just can't compare.

Dec 10 - 05:45 PM

Timothy Bucher

The Avengers is extremely entertaining, but it's not a better film in my opinion.

Dec 10 - 08:42 PM

V��s�kh ExNimsian

Avengers was only entertaining.Not worth mentioning in this list! :P

Dec 10 - 08:53 PM

this ^

Dec 11 - 12:16 PM

Sean McGarry

I'd mention it over Dark Knight Rises easily. It was a just a really solid script, whereas there were many times while watching DKR that I was taken out of the moment by problems with the film. Also The Master should be on there before either.

Dec 12 - 01:37 AM

Ricardo Leal

The Hunger Games was the best blockbuster film IMO.

Dec 11 - 07:32 AM

Haha. Funny joke. You had me going for a sec.

Dec 11 - 12:12 PM

Toliver Kahn

I am a huge marvel fan and the avengers was good but it was no where near the visual masterpiece the dark knight rises was:P

Dec 11 - 02:54 PM

Jonathan Catunao

I respect your opinion making but Avengers is nothing compared to the themes and implications of TDKR

Dec 11 - 04:20 PM

Noah Abraham Goucher

The Avengers is a great film, no doubt, and it is an accomplishment that we have to acknowledge and admire. BUT, I feel that "The Dark Knight Rises" was on this list because it was more ambitious and (in my opinion) it was successful at it. It's probably one of the most ambitious blockbuster films ever created, and that's probably why they chose it.

Dec 11 - 05:03 PM

jeremy nicholas

..I loved TDKR, but it was so full of flaws, and less than exceptional performances, that I think this is a cop-out choice...kinda likke when "Return of the King" won Best Picture...its like they are getting paid off for finishing the trilogy...and, all i have to say, is that "The Cabin in the Woods" had a better rating than 7 of these movies on this list...so , they can all smoke the Cabin's zombie hand...put that in your stove-pipe hat, Lincoln

Dec 10 - 06:08 PM

True. TDKR had flaws. I didn't even think it was the best action film of the year (that would go to Skyfall or Looper in my mind).

Dec 11 - 12:17 PM

Jonathan Catunao

Disagree. TDKR is just so powerful. Skyfall had boring moments.

Dec 11 - 04:21 PM

Dave J

Skyfall has many plot holes, such as the escapee of the main bad guy which was never shown, nor how Bond was able to live from a 30 foot fall and who saved him! Watching Skyfall was almost like Mendes had to see Nolan's Batman films before doing this one because their were some similarities!

Dec 12 - 04:14 PM

Sam Sheline

The Cabin in the Woods! YES. My favorite film of the year so far.

Dec 12 - 10:06 AM

Dave J

"Cabin In The Woods" may have gotten a better RT rating but that could mean that they "liked" the film but doesn't mean that it's the best thing that's ever made because the general critism was that although "Cabin..." was a recycle of previous horror films!

Dec 12 - 04:03 PM

Gary Devenport

Zero Dark Thirty is going to be amazing, but I hope it doesn't win this too. Everyone can agree 2012 was an astounding year for cinema, and just one film dominating every award is contradicting that.

Dec 10 - 06:54 PM

Who would you rather win the awards? A worse movie?

Dec 11 - 10:29 AM

As long as Life of Pi doesn't win best picture I will be happy. Regardless, a great year for films. Every year I find my faith in modern cinema restored.

Dec 11 - 12:19 PM

Joshua Hatcher

I couldn't agree more.

Dec 11 - 01:09 PM

Branden Mata

I agree that The Avengers should be in TDKR place. Not one of Nolan's best films, TDK was just infinitely better. Oh, and The Master sucks. Thanks for not putting it on here. Sure the performance are great, I'll give it that and won't disrespect the actors, but the overall movies was pretty bad IMO.

Dec 10 - 07:27 PM

Opinions don't matter without reasons. "The Master" is an excellent film about a cracked man looking for meaning, and a megalomaniac who needs his meaning validated by a loyal disciple. It's a complex character drama, rare in these days of saving skyscrapers.

Dec 10 - 07:47 PM

Branden Mata

I thought the film ended where it began and nothing really happened. The main charcater ended up the exact same way he started on the beach, a drunk crazy person. I felt like there was almost no point to the story I just saw. And there were just to many random parts that I felt where just not needed and where just added in to try to make it seem more.....can't think of the word, artistic I guess is the word I'm looking for.

Dec 10 - 08:22 PM

I know this may irritate you because it is artistic, but the beach is a metaphor. The character is emotionally damaged (probably from the war, but he hints at trauma before that), and he drinks to return to that beach - a sense of serenity and calm. So he'll probably never leave that beach again, metaphorically speaking. It is a very artistic movie, so the difference is really whether or not you value "art" in your movies. If you don't, that's fine. But for the AFI, artistic achievement should be the criteria.

Dec 10 - 09:28 PM

All I've got to say, Janson: 85%

Dec 11 - 10:31 AM

Quality > Quantity The Tomatometer is a weak arguing point. Movies are not sports, stocks or polls. It comes down to what a movie actually means.

Dec 11 - 01:35 PM

Branden Mata

Oh, and minus TDKR and this is my exact Oscar prediction list lol.

Dec 10 - 07:28 PM

Pablo Miranda

Just because TDKR did not surpass TDK does not mean it's a bad movie and does not deserve to be among the best of the year. It was not perfect (none is) but pretty good.
TDK was also on the list and the AFI considers only American productions, which is why Amour or Skyfall are not on the list.

Saludos desde Chile

Dec 10 - 08:01 PM

David Tanny

Out of the films here, I've seen Argo, Dark Knight Rises, Lincoln, and Moonrise Kingdom. I'd say they all are deserving of being here. I'm looking forward to Django Unchained and Zero Dark Thirty.

Dec 10 - 09:11 PM

Christopher Kulik

I just saw BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD over the weekend and was spellbound by it, so much so I had tears at the end ("Once there was a Hushpuppy and she lived with her daddy in The Bathtub.") Trust me guys, it's a highly original fable and you should see it now that it's out on DVD!

Dec 10 - 09:16 PM

I practically teared up when the dad had to explain to the girl that he was dying...

Dec 11 - 10:30 AM