The 10 best movies of 2012

It may have started out slow, but 2012 certainly picked up speed in the last inning to become an exceptional year for film. Filmmakers ranging from seasoned professionals to first-time directors delivered a year of film that was both enlightening and incomparable. With the Academy Awards fast approaching, here are my votes for the best films of 2012. Go see them, and if you missed the boat, snap them up when they hit Redbox or Netflix.

1) “Beasts of the Southern Wild” — still in theaters

First-time director Benh Zeitlin brings a haunting work of astounding poeticism and nerve set in a post-Katrina bayou. By taking us into a world seen by so few, it’s at once mysterious, dazzling and, eventually, heartbreaking. But the film’s true anchor is Quvenzhane Wallis, who was only 6 years old when the film was shot, embodying our young heroine Hushpuppy. Wallis, now 9, is currently the youngest person to ever be nominated for the Best Actress Academy Award. This film is southern gothic in a way we have never seen before and probably never will see again.

2) “Silver Linings Playbook” — still in theaters

This film shouldn’t work. By God, it just should not work — it’s a romantic dramedy built on mental illness, gambling and ballroom dancing. But like crazy, mental, glorious life itself, the film does, and it’s nominated for multiple Oscars as a result. It’s at once frantic and smooth, riding a wave of steady direction and flooring performances by stars Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro. David Russell, who both adapted the screenplay from the original novel and directed the film, drew inspiration from his own son’s battles with mental illness, and it shows. It’s been years since a romantic comedy was this original and revitalized.

3) “Zero Dark Thirty” — still in theaters

Both a drama and an action film, Oscar-nominated “Zero Dark Thirty” is an unspeakably brilliant endeavor that takes journalistic filmmaking to a completely new stratosphere. Kathryn Bigelow directs the story of one woman’s quest for Osama Bin Laden’s head with more substance than the majority of her colleagues working today, and lead actress Jessica Chastain is electric to watch.

4) “Lincoln” — still in theaters

Daniel Day-Lewis and Sally Field are at the top of their game in “Lincoln,” masterfully living their characters rather than just merely portraying them. But the film, which depicts the final months of Lincoln’s life and his efforts to get the 13th amendment abolishing slavery passed, flies even higher as an engulfing political commentary, showcasing what can happen when men do what’s right despite their personal doubts and demons.

5) “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” — out on DVD and Blu-ray

An exquisitely piercing adaptation of the cult classic young adult novel that breathes life into it through visceral dramatic performances, especially relatable leading man Logan Lerman.

6) “Argo” — out on DVD and Blu-ray Feb. 19

A dramatization of the 1979 Iran hostage crisis and the crazy plot to extract six United States diplomats, the film is insanely tense and equally riveting. Ben Affleck proves again he’s an ace when it comes to his directional skills, nailing the moody late 70s/early 80s atmosphere with no schmaltz or trickery.

7) “Skyfall” — out on DVD and Blu-ray

With winks to the past but an eye to the future, the James Bond franchise has never been so good at reminding us why we love seeing Bond onscreen. Forget the old adage that men want to be him and women want to sleep with him. We all want to sleep with him.

8) “Looper” — out on DVD and Blu-ray

This futuristic mind-bending film, starring a stellar Joseph Gordon-Levitt, hits its stride balancing traditional action with subtle smarts and philosophical dilemmas. It’ll certainly throw you for a curve, but the talents of the main trio of actors will keep you enthralled.

9) “Your Sister’s Sister” — out on DVD and Blu-ray

Although this romantic dramedy technically came out in 2011, this film starring Emily Blunt is expertly engaging due to its unique fusion of organic comedy and fully realized performances. We are left to see the characters as they truly are when they deal with death, both of relationships and people. They’re neither wholly good nor bad. They’re just authentic.

10) “The Avengers” — out on DVD and Blu-ray

2012’s highest-grossing film is also one its best. Fleshed-out and colorful characterization of superheroes that could easily fall flat make Marvel’s latest an absolute knockout from start to finish.