Last updated March 2024
Looking for the cream of the Best Movies 2012 crop? We assembled 30 marvelous, critic- and user-beloved Best Movies 2012 available for your viewing enjoyment right now. With universal acclaim from IMDB and our knowledgeable user community, these world-class titles are as good as entertainment gets. Help fellow viewers uncover their next great find by voting for your personal favorites. We value your help spotlighting the finest titles out there!
Django Unchained (2012)
Plot Summary:
With the help of a German bounty hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner
Duration: 165 min
IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
IMDB Votes: 17000000
Genere: Drama, Western
Country: USA
Plot tags: slavery, racism, revenge, violent, bounty hunter, old west, vengeance, african american, dark humor, gunfight, racial violence, slave, society, gory, one against many, shootout, brutality, racial stereotype, racial slur, hitman, freedom, friendship, courage, rescue, torture
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Plot Summary:
Following the death of District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman assumes responsibility for Dent's crimes to protect the late attorney's reputation and is subsequently hunted by the Gotham City Police Department. Eight years later, Batman encounters the mysterious Selina Kyle and the villainous Bane, a new terrorist leader who overwhelms Gotham's finest. The Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy
Duration: 164 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 18000000
Genere: Action, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, UK
Plot tags: superhero, batman, heroes, good versus evil, secret identity, double life, chaos and mayhem, terrorism, villainess, motorcycle, self sacrifice, terrorist plot, revenge, anger, comic book, plot twist, criminal underworld, disguise, femme fatale, twists and turns, captain, hallucination, bravery, waterfall, motorcycle chase
The Hunt (2012)
Plot Summary:
A teacher lives a lonely life, all the while struggling over his son’s custody. His life slowly gets better as he finds love and receives good news from his son, but his new luck is about to be brutally shattered by an innocent little lie
Duration: 115 min
IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
IMDB Votes: 355000
Genere: Drama
Country: Denmark, Sweden
Plot tags: injustice, life turned upside down, child abuse, false accusation, divorce, social injustice, social relations, pedophile, parents and children, teacher, church, friendship between men, punched in the face, witch hunt, christmas eve, deer, gossip, society, psychology, human nature, gossip and rumors, dishonesty, nordic, great ending, father son relationship
Shahid (2012)
Plot Summary:
This compelling drama tells the remarkable true story of slain human rights activist Shahid Azmi, who became a powerful voice against the intercommunal violence that has engulfed Mumbai since the early 1990s
Duration: 129 min
IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: India
Plot tags: human rights, muslim, legal, terrorist, lawyer, courtroom, false arrest, life is a bitch, society, civil rights, injustice, social activist, hopes, religions or cults, indians, motivation, islam, justice, death of protagonist, hindu, activist, prejudice, dying, judgment, law
Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)
Plot Summary:
Shahid Khan is exiled after impersonating the legendary Sultana Daku in order to rob British trains. Now outcast, Shahid becomes a worker at Ramadhir Singh's colliery, only to spur a revenge battle that passes on to generations. At the turn of the decade, Shahid's son, the philandering Sardar Khan vows to get his father's honor back, becoming the most feared man of Wasseypur
Duration: 321 min
IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
IMDB Votes: 102000
Genere: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: India, France
Plot tags: gangster, revenge, organized crime, macabre, brutality, greed, small town, mafia, abuse, killings, rivalry, dishonesty, uninhibited rivalry, blood, storytelling, violence, murder, bad guy wins, asian gangster, twists and turns, depression, death, graphic violence, wartime, bad guy
It's Such a Beautiful Day (2012)
Plot Summary:
Bill struggles to put together his shattered psyche, in this new feature film version of Don Hertzfeldt's animated short film trilogy
Duration: 62 min
IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
IMDB Votes: 15000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: surrealism, illness, mental health, mental illness, dark humor, nightmare, hospital, divorced parents, narration, death, loneliness, depression, destiny, life & death, existentialism, introspection, obsession, art, imagination, self discovery, direction and purpose, hopes, trippy, conversation, love
Ustad Hotel (2012)
Plot Summary:
Ustad Hotel is a quaint place run by a foodie named Kareem, who is fondly called Ustad, on a beach in Kozhikode. He sells biriyani – not to make money but to ensure that his biriyani has his customers Faizie's stay in Kozhikode continues for a bit longer than what he had anticipated and during his stay with his grandfather, Faizie unearths a real world that exists beyond the sea and its shores. The film is about the bonding between Faizi and his grandfather and how a few days with his grandfather and Ustad Hotel changes his life for ever
Duration: 151 min
IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: India
Plot tags: chef, food, hotel, muslim, business, land grab, debt, father son relationship, hotel manager, widower, loss of wife, eviction, ambition, cooking, businessman, direction and purpose, aspiration, lifestyle change, ambitious man, cooking and food, rape, art, father, entrepreneurship, humanity
Wolf Children (2012)
Plot Summary:
After her werewolf lover unexpectedly dies in an accident, a woman must find a way to raise the son and daughter that she had with him. However, their inheritance of their father's traits prove to be a challenge for her
Duration: 117 min
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
IMDB Votes: 48000
Genere: Animation, Drama, Family, Fantasy
Country: Japan
Plot tags: werewolf, childhood, parents and children, children, single mother, wolf, female werewolf, death of father, supernatural, family relations, wilderness, school, friendship, breast feeding, social relations, human becomes animal, furry, transformation, love, self discovery, heartwarming, nature, coming of age, brother sister relationship, mother daughter relationship
Barfi! (2012)
Plot Summary:
He is cute. He's shrewd. The girls love him. The cops hate him. He can't speak but is always talked about. His naughty antics will make you scream, but he will never listen. Cos he can't! Next summer ride a rollercoaster of emotions with Barfii - the Chalu Chaplin!
Duration: 151 min
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
IMDB Votes: 86000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: India
Plot tags: mute or deaf, true love, autism, love, love and romance, beautiful scenery, lovers, love triangle, loneliness, wedding, destiny, happy ending, young woman, society, young man, heartwarming, bittersweet, deaf, hindu, wedding planning, love story, relationships, motivation, railway, meditation
Story (2012)
Plot Summary:
Vidya Bagchi (Vidya Balan) arrives in Kolkata from London to find her missing husband Arnab Bagchi. Seven months pregnant and alone in a festive city, she begins a relentless search for her husband. With nothing to rely on except fragments from her memories about him, all clues seem to reach a dead end when everyone tries to convince Vidya that her husband does not exist. She slowly realises that nothing is what it seems. In a city soaked in lies, Vidya is determined to unravel the truth about her husband - for herself and her unborn child - even at the cost of her own life
Duration: 122 min
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
IMDB Votes: 65000
Genere: Mystery, Thriller
Country: India
Plot tags: terrorism, investigation, missing person, pregnancy, uncover truth, disappearance, couples, danger, law enforcement, nobody believes, who to trust, medieval, riddles and clues, hindu, missing husband, twists and turns, revenge, feminist, plot twist, whodunit, spy, strong female lead, women, mysticism, murder
OMG: Oh My God! (2012)
Plot Summary:
A shopkeeper takes God to court when his shop is destroyed by an earthquake
Duration: 125 min
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
IMDB Votes: 64000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Country: India
Plot tags: lawyer, satire, supernatural, down on your luck, against the odds, hopes, religions or cults, atheist, legal action, social relations, righting the wronged, earthquake, priest, judge, hindu, religious, revenge, afterlife, bureaucracy, judgment, trial, innovation, criticism of religion, media, legal
Thuppakki (2012)
Plot Summary:
An army captain is on a mission to track down and destroy a terrorist gang and deactivate the sleeper cells under its command
Duration: 165 min
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
IMDB Votes: 37000
Genere: Action, Thriller
Country: India
Plot tags: soldier, terrorist plot, war on terror, terrorist, terrorist bombing, officer, counter terrorism, male female relationship, fighting crime, criminal gang, agent, gang, organized crime, terrorist group, couple relations, special agent, genius, islam, terrorism, conflict, entertainment, threat, political conflict, indian soldier, holiday
The Avengers (2012)
Plot Summary:
When an unexpected enemy emerges and threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins!
Duration: 143 min
IMDB Rating: 8.0/10
IMDB Votes: 14000000
Genere: Action, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: superhero, heroes, alien invasion, good versus evil, comic book, monster, superhuman powers, teamwork, imaginary, team, female assassin, super villain, tony stark character, heroic mission, save the world, danger, superheroine, flying superhero, costumed hero, superhero team, s.h.i.e.l.d., courage, fight, vigilante, space and aliens
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
Plot Summary:
A coming-of-age story based on the best-selling novel by Stephen Chbosky, which follows 15-year-old freshman Charlie, an endearing and naive outsider who is taken under the wings of two seniors. A moving tale of love, loss, fear and hope - and the unforgettable friends that help us through life
Duration: 103 min
IMDB Rating: 7.9/10
IMDB Votes: 539000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: coming of age, high school, teenager, adolescence, first love, friendship, youth, high school life, suicide, mental illness, teenage life, shyness, introvert, teenage girl, gay, teenage love, depression, friends, bullying, lgbt, dating, love and romance, classmate, naivete, crush
Amour (2012)
Plot Summary:
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 a stroke, and the couple's bond of love is severely tested
Duration: 127 min
IMDB Rating: 7.9/10
IMDB Votes: 105000
Genere: Drama
Country: Austria, France, Germany
Plot tags: elderly, aging, death, old couple, life & death, elderly lovers, husband wife relationship, life philosophy, illness, love, family relations, old age, daughter, old love, character study, supportive spouse, nursing, fighting illness, family problems, dignity, disability, generation gap, loss of spouse, relationships, depression
Life of Pi (2012)
Plot Summary:
The story of an Indian boy named Pi, a zookeeper's son who finds himself in the company of a hyena, zebra, orangutan, and a Bengal tiger after a shipwreck sets them adrift in the Pacific Ocean
Duration: 127 min
IMDB Rating: 7.9/10
IMDB Votes: 658000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Country: USA, Taiwan, UK, Canada, India, France
Plot tags: survival, ocean, animal, stranded, human animal relationship, life & death, life, hopes, survivor, beautiful scenery, lost at sea, human nature, storm at sea, journey, storytelling, sea, loneliness, tiger, starvation, ship, teenage boy, hyena, hinduism, courage, death
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 (2012)
Plot Summary:
Batman has not been seen for ten years. A new breed of criminal ravages Gotham City, forcing 55-year-old Bruce Wayne back into the cape and cowl. But, does he still have what it takes to fight crime in a new era?
Duration: 76 min
IMDB Rating: 7.9/10
IMDB Votes: 62000
Genere: Animation, Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: batman, superhero, vigilantism, comic book, revenge, good versus evil, gang, heroic mission, mortal combat, undercover, rivalry, comeback, middle aged, fighting crime, master villain, distopia, violent, villain, psychiatrist, fight, violence, murder, brutality, chase, blood
Ernest & Celestine (2012)
Plot Summary:
Celestine is a little mouse trying to avoid a dental career; Ernest is a big bear craving an artistic outlet. When Celestine meets Ernest, they overcome their natural enmity by forging a life of crime together
Duration: 80 min
IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
IMDB Votes: 22000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Family, Fantasy
Country: France, Belgium, Luxembourg
Plot tags: prejudice, friendship, mouse, bear, anthropomorphic animal, goodhearted, unlikely friendships, odd couple, supportive friend, racial prejudice, friends, animal, fighting the system, animal life, showdown, stop motion, european, anthropomorphism, coping, society, social problems, problem solving, ethnic conflict, social relations, cartoon mouse
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
Plot Summary:
Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit enjoying his quiet life, is swept into an epic quest by Gandalf the Grey and thirteen dwarves who seek to reclaim their mountain home from Smaug, the dragon
Duration: 169 min
IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
IMDB Votes: 859000
Genere: Adventure, Fantasy
Country: New Zealand, USA
Plot tags: wizard, fantasy world, sword and sorcery, sword fight, dragon, magical, creature, wizards and magicians, ancient, imaginary kingdom, mythology, imaginary, elf, treasure hunt, hobbit, adventurer, characters in danger, courage, warrior, troll, obsessive quest, sorcerer, monster, medieval, lord of the rings
English Vinglish (2012)
Plot Summary:
ENGLISH VINGLISH is the story of a woman who does not know English and is made to feel insecure by her family and society at large. Circumstances make her determined to overcome this insecurity, master the language, and teach the world a lesson on the way to becoming a self assured and confident woman
Duration: 134 min
IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
IMDB Votes: 39000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: India
Plot tags: self fulfillment, self esteem, language learning, unsupportive spouse, housewife, family life, teachers and students, self discovery, fish out of water, language barrier, family relations, humiliation, doubts and hesitations, misfit, friendship, urban, women, feminist, hindu, meaning of life, violence against women, moving, mother daughter relationship, social differences, culture
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
Plot Summary:
Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of two twelve-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As various authorities try to hunt them down, a violent storm is brewing off-shore – and the peaceful island community is turned upside down in more ways than anyone can handle
Duration: 94 min
IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
IMDB Votes: 364000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Romance
Country: USA
Plot tags: children, coming of age, adolescence, camp, island, first love, boy scout, orphan, youth, search party, summer camp, journey, social misfits, childhood, small town sheriff, camping, young love, childhood sweetheart, dysfunctional family, boy, lovers on the run, teenage love, letter, scout, misfit
Nanban (2012)
Plot Summary:
The plot of the film illustrates the embankment of two friends on a quest for a lost buddy, who was once an optimistic and successful student. On their journey, they recount their college life and special moments that the three shared up until their lost friend secretly parted ways after convocation. During their quest, the two encounter a rival classmate who once made a long forgotten bet with them, a funeral that goes impossibly out of control, and a wedding they must crash
Duration: 188 min
IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: India
Plot tags: friendship, college, student, teachers and students, fall in love, coming of age, old friend, college life, professor, buddies, free spirited, education, friends, love and romance, student life, rebellion, geek, rebelliousness, anti conformity, nothing to lose, supportive friend, power relations, friend, suicide attempt, tamil
Skyfall (2012)
Plot Summary:
When Bond's latest assignment goes gravely wrong and agents around the world are exposed, MI6 is attacked forcing M to relocate the agency. These events cause her authority and position to be challenged by Gareth Mallory, the new Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee. With MI6 now compromised from both inside and out, M is left with one ally she can trust: Bond. 007 takes to the shadows - aided only by field agent, Eve - following a trail to the mysterious Silva, whose lethal and hidden motives have yet to reveal themselves
Duration: 143 min
IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
IMDB Votes: 722000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Country: UK, USA, Turkey
Plot tags: james bond, espionage, 007, secret agent, spy, chases and races, secret service, british intelligence, heroic mission, intelligence, female spy, assassin, one man army, british secret service, secret service agent, killer, patriotism, haunted by the past, heroes, killings, villain, escapades, danger, slick, peril
Vicky Donor (2012)
Plot Summary:
Dr. Baldev Chaddha (Anu Kapoor), a well qualified fertility expert, runs a fertility clinic and a sperm bank in Dariyaganj, New Delhi, that guarantees a high quality and specialized sperm for the purpose. Unfortunately he has more failed cases to his credit than successes. A healthy, high performing donor is the need of the hour. Vicky Arora (Ayushmann Khurrana), a young, good-looking, Punjabi boy from Lajpat Nagar, is the only son and of no financial support to Dolly, a widow, who runs a small beauty parlor from home. A chance encounter between them convinces Dr. Chaddha that Vicky could be THE donor he has been looking for. Dr. Chaddha persuades him to become a donor, but in the meantime Vicky has found his love interest in Ashima Roy (Yami Gautam), a pretty Bengali girl. Will Vicky's past as a sperm donor come in the way of true love?
Duration: 126 min
IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
IMDB Votes: 45000
Genere: Comedy, Romance
Country: India
Plot tags: unsuccessful, fall in love, slacker, wooing, clinic, living with parents, boyfriend girlfriend relationship, hindu, friendship, sperm donor, love and romance, wedding preparations and rituals, beauty salon, marriage, punjabi, doctor, masturbation, sperm bank, artificial insemination, fertility clinic, bollywood, hindi, bengali, young people, romance
Argo (2012)
Plot Summary:
As the Iranian revolution reaches a boiling point, a CIA 'exfiltration' specialist concocts a risky plan to free six Americans who have found shelter at the home of the Canadian ambassador
Duration: 120 min
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
IMDB Votes: 633000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Plot tags: cia, secret agent, secret mission, rescue mission, politics, u.s. embassy, espionage, revolution, hostage, spy, propaganda, american abroad, danger, escape, biopic, culture clash, terrorism, conspiracy, secrets, filmmaking, daring rescue, false identity, firing squad, escapades, hidden identity
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Plot Summary:
After spending eight months in a mental institution, a former teacher moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife
Duration: 122 min
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
IMDB Votes: 734000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Plot tags: mental illness, bipolar disorder, love, family drama, depression, life philosophy, adaptation, social misfits, supportive parent, male female friendship, father son relationship, happy ending, psychology, young widow, mentally unstable, dysfunctional family, unhappy marriage, adultery, restraining order, husband wife relationship, extramarital affair, superstition, mental breakdown, promiscuous past, unfaithful wife
Berserk: The Golden Age Arc II - The Battle for Doldrey (2012)
Plot Summary:
The Band of the Hawk participates in the Midland war campaign. On the bloody battlefield, they conquer decisive victories that lead them to Doldrey, an old fortress that will decide the outcome of the war
Duration: 95 min
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Country: Japan
Plot tags: battles, danger, one against many, vengeance, good versus evil, rivalry, imaginary, female warrior, heroes, escapades, demon, military, supernatural, master warrior, uninhibited rivalry, curses spells and rituals, fight, king, violence, female nudity, torture, warrior, memory, duel, desperation
The Broken Circle Breakdown (2012)
Plot Summary:
The loss of their young daughter threatens to destroy the love and faith of two married musicians
Duration: 111 min
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
IMDB Votes: 43000
Genere: Drama, Music, Romance
Country: Belgium, Netherlands
Plot tags: grief, terminal illness, depression, relationships, love story, love, cancer, musician, character study, honest, mental illness, parenthood, life philosophy, tragic event, loss of daughter, coping, love affair, family problems, acceptance, fighting illness, dying, couple relations, music, passion, melancholy
Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
Plot Summary:
Wreck-It Ralph is the 9-foot-tall, 643-pound villain of an arcade video game named Fix-It Felix Jr., in which the game's titular hero fixes buildings that Ralph destroys. Wanting to prove he can be a good guy and not just a villain, Ralph escapes his game and lands in Hero's Duty, a first-person shooter where he helps the game's hero battle against alien invaders. He later enters Sugar Rush, a kart racing game set on tracks made of candies, cookies and other sweets. There, Ralph meets Vanellope von Schweetz who has learned that her game is faced with a dire threat that could affect the entire arcade, and one that Ralph may have inadvertently started
Duration: 101 min
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
IMDB Votes: 450000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, Japan
Plot tags: imaginary, obsessive quest, friendship, prejudice, hacker, disguise, master of disguise, medal, heroes, chases and races, danger, villain, superhero, good versus evil, outcast, heroism, lifestyle change, giant, journey, misfit, wedding, party, jealousy, courage, escapades
Eega (2012)
Plot Summary:
Nani is a flower decorator, madly in love with his neighbor Bindhu. He gets killed by the baddie, Sudeep, a powerful businessman. Nani comes back as a housefly to get his revenge
Duration: 145 min
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
IMDB Votes: 27000
Genere: Action, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Country: India
Plot tags: reincarnation, afterlife, love triangle, vengeance, love and romance, jealousy, murder, terrorizing, human becomes animal, revenge, interspecies romance, accident, fashion, torture, retribution, feminist, tragic love, rivalry, male female relationship, hostage negotiator, car crash, talking animal, traffic accident, imaginary, millionaire