2012 in Review: The Year's Best Movies

Well, another year is in the books. Like everyone else has said, 2012 was a pretty great movie year. Coming up with a Top 10 was relatively easy -- although I'm sorry I couldn't find room for Only the Young, Tabu or 28 Hotel Rooms. So here we go ....

1. The Turin Horse
2. Elena
3. The Master
4. Compliance
5. It's Such a Beautiful Day
6. Room 237
7. Zero Dark Thirty
8. Detropia
9. Amour
10. Holy Motors

I go into more detail about my Nos. 10-6 here. And I write about movies Nos. 5-1 here.

What else? Well, there's my Village Voice ballot, where I lay out my picks for Best Actor, Actress and so on and so forth. (If that isn't enough to tempt you, I also reveal my vote for the year's worst film.)

As for my fondest personal movie memories of 2012, this was a year that started with me attending the first public screening of Compliance at Sundance -- yeah, that one -- and ended with a last-minute viewing of the remarkable It's Such a Beautiful Day the night before the LAFCA awards vote. In between, I was proud to bring director Andrei Zvyagintsev's The Banishment to the Los Angeles Film Festival as part of its invaluable "Films That Got Away" series. (I thank Nicholas Bell for his sharp and perceptive review from the festival.) In my own life, 2012 was not without its challenges, but the movies helped keep me going. I'm grateful to them -- and for you for reading. Here's to a healthy and prosperous 2013.

2012 in Review: The Year's Worst Movies

You don't see more than 300 movies in a year without having to sit through some real duds. So, for Deadspin, Will and I each picked our five worst of 2012. I noticed after putting mine together that they're all comedies. What can I say? I hate laughter.

2012 in Review: The Year's Best Movie Moments

For IFC Fix, I decided to put together a list of every great moment from a 2012 film I could recall. As a result, the final product may seem a little haphazard and random but, at least in my brain, it's a highlight reel of what the year was like at the movies. I keep saying over and over again what a great movie year this was. (Everyone's saying it.) But reading back through my list, well, seriously, wow. (And, by the way, notice how many of my moments reference dancing. What can I say: Even a mediocre movie will be elevated in my mind by some good moves.)

2012 in Review: My Problems With 'Brave'

For Deadspin, Will and I each picked a hit movie from 2012 that we really couldn't stand. I took Brave, which I think is easily Pixar's worst effort. (I say this despite leaving the screening surrounded by folks who were loudly sniffling at the film's ending.) You can read my reasons here.

2012 in Review: The Small Gems You May Have Missed

2012 simply had too many great movies. (My Top 10 ballot had to be narrowed down from a pretty excellent list of 13 contenders.) For IFC Fix, I decided to single out five movies that have hardly been part of the critical or Oscar discussion this year. They're all worth seeing.

2012 in Review: The Scene in 'Trouble With the Curve' I Hated

I prefer singing the praises of the films I love as opposed to ripping on the ones I can't stand, but in the spirit of end-of-the-year recapping, I decided to pick the one scene from 2012 that most enraged me. Which led me to Trouble With the Curve, a film I had major problems with. I detail the movie's dumb scene --and why it matters -- over at Deadspin.

2012 in Review: Why I Love the Ending of 'The Grey'

Continuing with our series of end-of-the-year pieces, Will Leitch and I today took a moment to write about our favorite movie scene of 2012. I went with the ending of The Grey. You can wolf if down here. (And, yes, that may be the worst pun anyone has attempted ever.)

2012 in Review: C'mon, Zach Galifianakis

Today at Deadspin, I cast my vote for the performance I most want to forget from 2012. Which brings me to Zach Galifianakis and The Campaign. Sorry, Zach.

2012 in Review: Tom Cruise's Great, Forgotten Performance

2012 is very nearly over, so it's time to start looking back at the best and worst of the year. For Deadspin, I singled out a great performance that's been completely forgotten about: Tom Cruise in the very mediocre Rock of Ages. Enjoy.