The Blu-ray.com Community Top 20 Films of 2012 (Please Read First Post)

[Al_The_Strange]

Ooh, ooh, I just got The Thieves in! I'll watch it tonight to see if it qualifies for my list!

[See u at da party!]

Originally Posted by undiscovered

Apparently I'm the only one who wasn't crazy about The Avengers.

No your not. The movie was trash. Its to late now but I just watched argo. If I could go back id put that high up on my list. Django unchained was still the best movie of the year by far. It better win the oscar this year.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by See u at da party!

No your not. The movie was trash. Its to late now but I just watched argo. If I could go back id put that high up on my list. Django unchained was still the best movie of the year by far. It better win the oscar this year.

It's not too late, he's not collect the winners until tomorrow.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Finished Format (Not Finished List)

#1 Skyfall
Directed by Sam Mendes
Written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan
Starring Daniel Craig, Judi Dench and Javier Bardem
Synopsis: Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her, bringing MI6 under attack.



My Thought:

[Show spoiler]Bond is one of the main reasons I love films, when I was a kid I used to watch them all when they were on TV, a few years ago I lost all interest in the James Bond films. Sure, I watched Casino and Quantum but the care wasn't there. Skyfall reminded me of why James Bond captivated me so much, while also catering towards what I like to see in films nowadays, playing with ideas about the need for intelligence agencies and struggling to keep up with the spinning world of technology, while delivering a classy action thriller fixed with great practical work, stunning cinematography by Roger Deakins and fantastic acting. Only downside are the few lousy moments of green screen and CGI work.

#2 The Master

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Written by Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Adams
Synopsis: A Naval veteran arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future - until he is tantalized by The Cause and its charismatic leader.



My Thoughts:

[Show spoiler]The Master, like its main characters alcoholic mixtures, is richly dense in mystery and enigma. While this might be annoying to some, I think The Master could be looked at in the future as a film in front of it's time. It's definitely a film that demands re-watching, and a film I'd be happy to revisit time after time as the film seems like it'll shape very differently every time I'll view it. The acting is superb, from the pitiful Phoenix and the charismatic Seymour Hoffman, both playing characters that are worlds apart yet connected by curiosity and loss. A truly hypnotic film

#3 The Cabin in the Woods
Directed by Drew Goddard
Written by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard
Starring Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth and Anna Hutchison
Synopsis: Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more than they bargained for. Together, they must discover the truth behind the cabin in the woods.



My Thoughts: Coming Soon

#4 Looper
Directed by Rian Johnson
Written by Rian Johnson
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt
Synopsis: In 2074, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent 30 years into the past, where a hired gun awaits. Someone like Joe, who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by transporting back Joe's future self.



My Thoughts: Coming Soon

#5 Amour
Directed by Michael Haneke
Written by Michael Haneke
Starring Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert
Synopsis: Georges and Anne are in their eighties. They are cultivated, retired music teachers. Their daughter, who is also a musician, lives abroad with her family. One day, Anne has an attack. The couple's bond of love is severely tested.



#6 Seven Psychopaths
Directed by Martin McDonagh
Written by Martin McDonagh
Starring Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken and Sam Rockwell
Synopsis: A struggling screenwriter inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends kidnap a gangster's beloved Shih Tzu.



My Thoughts: Coming Soon

#7 Argo
Directed by Ben Affleck
Written by Chris Terrio
Starring Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston and John Goodman
Synopsis: A dramatization of the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian secret operation to extract six fugitive American diplomatic personnel out of revolutionary Iran.



My Thoughts: Coming Soon

#8 Beasts of the Southern Wild
Directed by Benh Zeitlin
Written by Benh Zeitlin and Lucy Alibar
Starring Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry and Levy Easterly
Synopsis: Faced with both her hot-tempered father's fading health and melting ice-caps that flood her ramshackle bayou community and unleash ancient aurochs, six-year-old Hushpuppy must learn the ways of courage and love.



My Thoughts: Coming Soon

#9 Django Unchained
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Written by Quentin Tarantio
Starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz and Leonardo DiCaprio
Synopsis: With the help of a German bounty hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner.



#10 Moonrise Kingdom
Directed by Wes Anderson
Written by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola
Starring Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward and Bruce Willis
Synopsis: A pair of young lovers flee their New England town, which causes a local search party to fan out and find them.



My Thoughts: Coming Soon

#11 Wreck It-Ralph
Directed by Rich Moore
Written by Rich Moore, Phil Johnston, Jim Reardon and Jennifer Lee
Starring John C. Reiley, Sarah Silverman and Jack McBrayer
Synopsis: A video game villain wants to be a hero and sets out to fulfill his dream, but his quest brings havoc to the whole arcade where he lives.



#12 The Avengers
Directed by Joss Wedon
Written by Joss Wedon and Zak Penn
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson
Synopsis: Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. brings together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki and his army.



My Thoughts: Coming Soon

#13 The Raid: Redemption
Directed by Gareth Evans
Written by Gareth Evans
Starring Iko Uwais, Ananda George and Ray Sahetapy
Synopsis: A SWAT team becomes trapped in a tenement run by a ruthless mobster and his army of killers and thugs.



My Thoughts: Coming Soon

#14 Zero Dark Thirty
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow
Written by Mark Boal
Starring Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton, Chris Pratt
Synopsis: A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May 2011.



#15 Killing Them Softly
Directed by Andrew Dominik
Written by Andrew Dominik
Starring Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta and Richard Jenkins
Synopsis: Jackie Cogan is an enforcer hired to restore order after three dumb guys rob a Mob protected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse.



My Thoughts: Coming Soon

#16 The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Directed by Stephen Chbosky
Written by Stephen Chbosky
Starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller
Synopsis: An introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors who welcome him to the real world.



My Thoughts: Coming Soon

#17 The Dark Knight Rises
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Written by Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan and David S. Goyer
Starring Christian Bale, Tom Hardy and Anne Hathaway
Synopsis: Eight years on, a new terrorist leader, Bane, overwhelms Gotham's finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy.



My Thoughts: Coming Soon

#18 Silver Linings Playbook
Directed by David O' Russell
Written by David O' Russell
Starring Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Niro
Synopsis: After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own.



My Thoughts: Coming Soon

#19 Kill List
Directed by Ben Wheatley
Written by Ben Wheatley and Amy Jump
Starring Neil Maskell, MyAnna Buring and Harry Simpson
Synopsis: Nearly a year after a botched job, a hitman takes a new assignment with the promise of a big payoff for three killings. What starts off as an easy task soon unravels, sending the killer into the heart of darkness.



My Thoughts: Coming Soon

#20 Chronicle
Directed by Josh Trank
Written by Max Landis and Josh Trank
Starring Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan
Synopsis: Whilst attending a party, three high school friends gain superpowers after making an incredible discovery underground. Soon, though, they find their lives spinning out of control and their bond tested as they embrace their darker sides.

Final finished list, I will come back and add thoughts soon, but wanted the finished list done and dusted before the deadline.

[Al_The_Strange]

Finalized my list and added write-ups (yep, decided The Thieves was good enough to slip in toward the bottom). Results should be interesting.

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

1.) Samsara
A perfectly formidable follow-up on Baraka, Samsara offers an invoking and insightful trek across multiple countries and cultures to reveal some stark, startling, and fantastic images. The film takes some surprisingly freaky twists here and there, revealing the oddities and freakishness that surrounds us. Best of all, the film connects the images in a free-flowing fashion that guides the mind to interesting places. It is as beautiful of a film as it is invoking.

2.) The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Despite the critical complaints that the film is overly padded, I felt it was the perfect possible adaptation of the story. It hits up all the necessary plot points, and invents some more to better connect the Middle Earth lore as exhibited in the Lord of the Rings films. What I love most about it is that it brings to life some of the book's best moments in a perfectly entertaining fashion: it's a blast to watch the dwarves invading Bilbo's home, to see them all struggling against the trolls, and to see the riddles in the dark scene. I felt the film was every bit as good as the LOTR trilogy, and I have high hopes that the next two Hobbit films will deliver a heck of a spectacle.

3.) Avengers
It took so many years and so many superhero movies to build up to this one epic moment. After so much build-up and so much hype, the film delivered with a huge, awe-inspiring bombastic splurge of non-stop action. There's never a dull moment to this film: between the many fight scenes (such as the opening scenes with Loki, Hulk smashing up everything, Iron Man and Thor duking it out, and the all-out city battle at the end) and the frequent comedy, the film offers perfect entertainment! Best of all, it does so without sacrificing character development; part of the joy is watching the different iconic heroes interacting and developing such unique chemistries. Watching The Avengers might be the biggest, most special, and most memorable movie event this year.

4.) Dark Knight Rises
The Dark Knight in itself was a very impressive and special film in '08, but surprisingly, Christopher Nolan managed to finish off his Batman trilogy in the best way possible. It's a huge and deep film, with such a broad scope and scale; even though the timeline gets a little choppy, the film does an excellent job of chronicling the story in a way that makes sense, and makes the characters stand out so vividly. I really loved how it incorporated parts of the Knightfall comic series into the story, but still stood on its own with its own established rules and themes. There's a ton of nuances to this story, a ton of great memorable scenes, and of course, a ton of pleasing action scenes. Best of all, it only gets better the more you watch it. It's an excellent finale to an excellent series.

5.) Skyfall
With the 50th anniversary of the Bond series, the filmmakers went all-out to ensure that the latest 007 adventure would deliver big. Skyfall is an interesting animal: it has action, certainly, but it's more about the evolution of the characters, the twisting and turning plot, and the deep themes of change that make it stand out. With its unique filming style, excellent acting, and involving storyline, Skyfall proves that James Bond is here to stay.

6.) Life of Pi
I went into this film expecting impressive visuals, and man, the visuals sure were great. It's fantastic, witty, beautiful, charming, and gripping all at once. I would have written it all off as a fine and dandy light-hearted adventure flick, up until the end, which spins the entire story in a wholly different light. In spite of that, I realized that the plot boasts an impressive narrative structure, which warrants deep and insightful interpretation, while underscoring strong themes of spirituality. In light of this, this film has proven to be an experience that captures both the heart and the imagination.

7.) Prometheus
Even though there's plenty of negative things to say about this film, let's be honest; it's not like Alien was well-accepted when it first came out either. On its own merits, Prometheus offers a visually-splendid and thoughtful journey into a dark and primal region, not only in deep space, but also in the human spirit. The film presents a lot of mysteries and invokes a lot of questions; it's frustrating how very few answers are given, but given the myth of Prometheus and its connection to the film's story, I learned that the film is sound in its own right. It wouldn't surprise me if the film continues to resonate with audiences, and eventually becomes accepted as a brilliant piece of science fiction in the same vein as Alien. As of now, though, it at least stands as a entertaining and intruiging odyssey.

8.) The Raid: Redemption (Serbuan Maut)
Holy crap. Of all the action films I've seen, I don't think any can hold a candle to the sheer amount of action and badassery that's in this film. It's a very simple premise with a cast of simple characters, but once they go into the building for a simple, routine raid, it just becomes an all-out action extravaganza. It's just one fight scene after another, all so intense, so bloody, so fast, so shocking, so jaw-dropping, it's as exhausting as it is impressive. It goes above-and-beyond in terms of entertainment, and I think it will come to stand as a new top favorite among martial arts action films.

9.) Dredd
Following in the same vein as The Raid, Dredd takes the titular character into a hellhole of a building and makes him fight his way to the top. However, this is still Judge Dredd to the core: it's still a film that focuses very well on the central concept of judges dispensing brutal and relentless justice in a corrupt city. Best of all, Dredd pumps itself up with enough pulpy violence and hardcore style to put the '95 Stallone movie to brutal shame; this is definitely the adaptation the franchise deserves. With quality acting, a vivid visual style, and excellent use of a limited budget, Dredd is a rare form of pulpy sci-fi that's perfectly entertaining and well-made.

10.) Doomsday Book
A zombie outbreak occurs from contaminated foodstuffs. A robot achieves enlightenment. A giant 8-ball strikes the Earth. Maybe this is all a bit weird for people, but I thought this collection of short Korean sci-fi films was very interesting. I enjoyed the whole lot of these stories, and I think it's a shame that more people haven't seen these interesting oddities.

11.) Cabin in the Woods
For a while, it seemed as though this film would just offer more of the same in terms of horror. Then, BAM! The final act plunges into unpredictable territory to deliver one heck of a finale. The film has its share of gruesome, horrifying stuff, but it balances itself out nicely with its comedy. It's a fun thrill ride of a film, with enough unexpected twists to make it stand above most other mundane horror flicks.

12.) John Carter
It took 79 years of development hell to bring this 100-year-old character to life; the iconic hero who supposedly inspired such films as Star Wars and Avatar. I find it kinda sad that John Carter's cinematic debut was met with little enthusiasm, with lackluster reviews and a box office deficit. Regardless, the film is a blast; it has its fair share of epic action and cool visuals. It's a real joy to watch Carter tread on Martian territory and try to get along with the natives. By the film's end, I really felt immersed in the world of Barsoom, and was really rooting for Carter and the Tharks. It's as enjoyable of a sci-fi adventure as I could ask for.

13.) Painted Skin: The Resurrection
The sequel to the 2008 film Painted Skin, PS: The Resurrection covers a lot of the same ground, but does so with greater visual flair and elegence. The plot presents some very unique twists and turns, while the characters stand out in their own interesting ways. With gorgeous imagery and an interesting series of plot twists, the film offers a wonderfully mystical experience that very few other movies manage to pull off.

14.) Kill List
This is not a film that really makes much sense on the surface level, but it gives you enough visual information to connect some dots and draw startling conclusions. It's a dark and sardonic tale that often leaves a bitter aftertaste, but it is a really interesting challenge to try and figure out the nuances of the plot and characters. Overall, it's a uniquely bleak and thought-invoking experience that deserves a chance or two.

15.) Men in Black 3
Despite hearing the reviews that this film was mixed and uneven, it never felt all that uneven to me. I found it perfectly-paced, with plenty of action and plenty of comedy to keep it rolling really well. I loved the way it treated the characters and the plot, and the film pulled out some impressively heartfelt twists toward the end. I felt this film provided the perfect possible conclusion to an otherwise fun series of films (in fact, I probably wouldn't mind a fourth film now).

16.) Brave
Maybe not as great as other Pixar films, but Brave has a charm of its own. Characters are quite endearing, the plot is fun, and the graphics are impressive. With plenty of amusing comedy and a charming Scottish embellish, Brave is an entertaining and mystical adventure.

17.) Snow White and the Huntsman
Other audiences may not have cared much for this film, but I had a blast watching this dark and violent take on the Snow White myth. It has plenty of action and visual splendor. Charlize Therion played a perfect villain. The film overall delivered exactly what I wanted.

18.) Looper
Probably the most crowd-pleasing and most surprising sci-fi movie of the year (if not in the past so-many years). Looper has its share of coolness, style, and action, but it tells an interesting story with a cast of decent characters and with a quality narrative drive. It has plenty of interesting ideas, and pulls out some decent punches with them.

19.) The Thieves (Dodookdeul)
This fine Korean film pretty much delivers everything I expect and want out of a heist film: cool characters, cool gadgets, cool and smooth robbery scenes, action, comedy, and a hip soundtrack. Yep, The Thieves might be one of the most quintessential heist films I've seen in this genre.

20.) Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
I think this will go down as my number-one choice for top guilty pleasure of the year. It's an absurd concept of a film, but the film plays with the absurdity so well and with such a straight face that it makes it work. The action is frequent and very cool to watch, while the story has just enough character depth and movement to make things work. Even though the film has a choppy timeline and doesn't really follow the original novel at all, I think it stands pretty well on its own, and if I want a quick and easy dose of crazy vampire-chopping action, this will become my new go-to film.

[The_Basterd]

1. The Master
2. Zero Dark Thirty
3. Holy Motors
4. Silver Linings Playbook
5. Lincoln
6. Cloud Atlas
7. Moonrise Kindgom
8. Life of Pi
9. Your Sister's Sister
10. Argo
11. Django Unchained
12. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
13. Les Misérables
14. Amour
15. Looper
16. Seven Psychopaths
17. Cabin in the Woods
18 This is 40
19. Anna Karenina
20. The Impossible
---
I made the deadline, right? it means the deadline is midnight tonight?

[chrisron]

Originally Posted by undiscovered

Apparently I'm the only one who wasn't crazy about The Avengers.

It's an entertaining movie so I have it in my top 30, but IMO it's even close to being among the best movies of 2012. But it seems like the majority is against us on this one.

[MarkJ801]

Originally Posted by chrisron

Please tell me which ones are not qualified and I will edit my list.

EDIT: It's We Need to Talk About Kevin right? I was unsure about that one and have deleted it.

Yes, that was the one. Thanks!

I was going to try and start tallying tonight, but I might not get to it until tomorrow afternoon. So any updates until then will be fine.

[DjMethod]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

[Show spoiler]

1. Amour



___________________________

2. Beasts of the Southern Wild



___________________________

3. The Raid: Redemption



___________________________

4. Les Misérables



___________________________

5. Django Unchained



___________________________

6. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey



___________________________

7. Silver Linings Playbook



___________________________

8. Wreck-It Ralph



___________________________

9. The Avengers



___________________________

10. Zero Dark Thirty



___________________________

11. The Impossible



___________________________

12. Safety Not Guaranteed



___________________________

13. The Secret World of Arrietty



___________________________

14. Flight



___________________________

15. The Dark Knight Rises



___________________________

16. Ruby Sparks



___________________________

17. Searching for Sugar Man



___________________________

18. Looper


___________________________

19. Moonrise Kingdom



___________________________

20. Rust and Bone

I know this is wishful thinking with Affleck's award juggernaut, but Amour deserves to win Best Picture. I hope at least Haneke or Riva win one.

Here's my non-formatted list for an easy tally:

1. Amour
2. Beasts of the Southern Wild
3. The Raid: Redemption
4. Les Misérables
5. Django Unchained
6. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
7. Silver Linings Playbook
8. Wreck-It Ralph
9. The Avengers
10. Zero Dark Thirty
11. The Impossible
12. Safety Not Guaranteed
13. The Secret World of Arrietty
14. Flight
15. The Dark Knight Rises
16. Ruby Sparks
17. Searching for Sugar Man
18. Looper
19. Moonrise Kingdom
20. Rust and Bone

[vader4]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

I know this is wishful thinking with Affleck's award juggernaut, but Amour deserves to win Best Picture. I hope at least Haneke or Riva win one.

Completely Agree, Amour is the best of the nominees, but frankly if it's not Argo I'll be happy.

[blu blood]

I realize it's too late, but just saw this thread and about to hit the road to a friend's house for Oscar weekend, thought it might be fun to at least put in a list, even though it won't count.

1-Argo
2-Moonrise Kingdom
3-Django Unchained
4-Prometheus
5-Wanderlust
6-The Master
7-Zero Dark Thirty
8-The Dark Knight Rises
9-The Avengers
10-Lincoln
11-Les Mis
12-Looper
13-Skyfall
14-Wreck-it-Ralph
15-Silver Linings Playbook
16-The Sessions
17-Paranorman
18-Life of Pi
19-Hitchcock
20-Beasts of the Southern Wild

Movies that I missed but still intend to see:Amour, Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Paperboy, Arbitrage, The Quartet, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Seven Psychopaths, Killer Joe, Flight, The Impossible, Safety Not Guaranteed, Rust and Bone, Anna Karenina, Cloud Atlas, Hyde Park on Hudson, A Royal Affair

[Mithrandir-Grey]

When are the results being posted? Or have I missed something and there is another thread just for the results?

[Itputdallotion0n]

Originally Posted by faerieoftheforest

When are the results being posted? Or have I missed something and there is another thread just for the results?

yes this^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^