2012: World Premieres 2012: U.S. Releases 2012: Still Left to See 2012: Cannes Festival 2012: Chicago Festival Looking Back Moving Ahead Browse Films by Title / Year / Reviews Home / Blog / E-Mail The Movies of 2012: U.S. Releases  By Title // By Grade, with Top Ten Complete Reviews ★ = Full Review   /   ★ = Capsule Review   /   ★ = Special Feature or Blog Review (new window) ★  Django Unchained Dir. Quentin Tarantino. Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz C Full Listing of Films Screened 21 Jump Street Dirs. Phil Lord, Christopher Miller. Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum B Alps Dir. Giorgos Lanthimos. Aggeliki Papoulia, Johnny Verkis, Ariane Labed C+ Amour Dir. Michael Haneke. Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert A Anna Karenina Dir. Joe Wright. Keira Knightley, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jude Law C Arbitrage Dir. Nicholas Jarecki. Richard Gere, Brit Marling, Susan Sarandon, Tim Roth B– Argo Dir. Ben Affleck. Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Scoot McNairy, Kerry Bishé C+ Attenberg Dir. Athina Rachel Tsangari. Ariane Labed, Vangelis Mourikis B Bachelorette Dir. Leslye Headland. Kirsten Dunst, Lizzy Caplan, Rebel Wilson, Isla Fisher C Barbara Dir. Christian Petzold. Nina Hoss, Ronald Zehrfeld, Rainer Bock, Christina Hecke B The Bay Dir. Barry Levinson. Kether Donohue, Stephen Kunken, Christopher Denham C Beasts of the Southern Wild Dir. Benh Zeitlin. Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry A– Bernie Dir. Richard Linklater. Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey C– The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Dir. John Madden. Judi Dench, Bill Nighy D+ Bestiaire Dir. Denis Côté. Documentary about animals kept in Québécois zoo B The Bourne Legacy Dir. Tony Gilroy. Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton B Brave Dirs. Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman. Animated. Voice of Kelly Macdonald C Bullhead Dir. Michaël R. Roskam. Matthias Schoenaerts, Jeroen Perceval C+ A Burning Hot Summer Dir. Philippe Garrel. Jérôme Robart, Louis Garrel, Céline Sallette C The Cabin in the Woods Dir. Drew Goddard. Kristen Connolly, Fran Kranz C+ Celeste and Jesse Forever Dir. Lee Toland Krieger. Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg D The Central Park Five Dirs. Sarah Burns, David McMahon, Ken Burns. Documentary B Chronicle Dir. Josh Trank. Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Kelly B– Cloud Atlas Dirs. Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer, Lilly Wachowski. Bae Du-na C The Color Wheel Dir. Alex Ross Perry. Alex Ross Perry, Carlen Altman, Bob Byington B Compliance Dir. Craig Zobel. Ann Dowd, Dreama Walker, Pat Healy, Bill Camp D Corpo Celeste Dir. Alice Rohrwacher. Yle Vianello, Salvatore Cantalupo B+ Cosmopolis Dir. David Cronenberg. Robert Pattinson, Sarah Gadon, Kevin Durand D+ Damsels in Distress Dir. Whit Stillman. Greta Gerwig, Annaleigh Tipton B+ The Dark Knight Rises Dir. Christopher Nolan. Christian Bale, Tom Hardy D+ The Deep Blue Sea Dir. Terence Davies. Rachel Weisz, Tom Hiddleston C+ The Details Dir. Jacob Aaron Estes. Tobey Maguire, Elizabeth Banks, Laura Linney C Detropia Dirs. Rachel Grady, Heidi Ewing. Documentary about downsizing of Detroit B Django Unchained Dir. Quentin Tarantino. Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz C Elena Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev. Nadezhda Markina, Andrei Smirnov, Elena Lyadova A Elles Dir. Małgorzata Szumowska. Juliette Binoche, Anaïs Demoustier, Joanna Kulig B End of Watch Dir. David Ayer. Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Peña, David Harbour, Frank Grillo C+ Farewell, My Queen Dir. Benoît Jacquot. Léa Seydoux, Diane Kruger, Virginie Ledoyen B The Five-Year Engagement Dir. Nicholas Stoller. Jason Segel, Emily Blunt C Flight Dir. Robert Zemeckis. Denzel Washington, Kelly Reilly, Bruce Greenwood C+ Footnote Dir. Joseph Cedar. Shlomo Bar-Aba, Lior Ashkenazi, Micah Lewensohn B– Four Lovers Dir. Antony Cordier. Marina Foïs, Nicolas Duvauchelle, Roschdy Zem C+ Francine Dirs. Brian M. Cassidy, Melanie Shatzky. Melissa Leo, Keith Leonard B Frankenweenie Dir. Tim Burton. Animated. Voices of Charlie Tahan, Martin Short B Friends with Kids Dir. Jennifer Westfeldt. Jennifer Westfeldt, Adam Scott B– Ginger & Rosa Dir. Sally Potter. Elle Fanning, Alice Englert, Alessandro Nivola B– Girl Walk // All Day Dir. Justin Krapnick. Anne Marsen, Daisuke Omiya, John Doyle B Good Deeds Dir. Tyler Perry. Tyler Perry, Thandie Newton, Gabrielle Union, Brian White D Goodbye, First Love Dir. Mia Hansen-Løve. Lola Créton, Sebastian Urzendowsky B+ The Grey Dir. Joe Carnahan. Liam Neeson, Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney, Joe Anderson B– The Guilt Trip Dir. Anne Fletcher. Barbra Streisand, Seth Rogen, Brent Cullen C Haywire Dir. Steven Soderbergh. Gina Carano, Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum C Hello I Must Be Going Dir. Todd Louiso. Melanie Lynskey, Christopher Abbott B Hitchcock Dir. Sacha Gervasi. Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson D The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Dir. Peter Jackson. Martin Freeman C– Holy Motors Dir. Leos Carax. Denis Lavant, Édith Scob, Eva Mendes, Kylie Minogue A– Hope Springs Dir. David Frankel. Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, Steve Carell B The House I Live In Dir. Eugene Jarecki. Documentary about the U.S. War on Drugs B+ How to Survive a Plague Dir. David France. Documentary about anti-AIDS activism A– The Hunger Games Dir. Gary Ross. Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson C– The Hunter Dir. Daniel Nettheim. Willem Dafoe, Frances O'Connor, Sam Neill C– Hyde Park on Hudson Dir. Roger Michell. Laura Linney, Bill Murray, Samuel West F The Impossible Dir. Juan Antonio Bayona. Tom Holland, Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor C+ The Imposter Dir. Bart Layton. Documentary about man impersonating missing teen B– In the Family Dir. Patrick Wang. Patrick Wang, Trevor St. John, Sebastian Banes B+ The Invisible War Dir. Kirby Dick. Documentary about rape within U.S. military B Joyful Noise Dir. Todd Graff. Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Keke Palmer, Jeremy Jordan C+ Keep the Lights On Dir. Ira Sachs. Thure Lindhardt, Zachary Booth, Julianne Nicholson B The Kid with a Bike Dirs. Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne. Thomas Doret B+ Kill List Dir. Ben Wheatley. Neil Maskell, Michael Smiley, MyAnna Buring, Emma Fryer C+ Killer Joe Dir. William Friedkin. Emile Hirsch, Matthew McConaughey B– Killing Them Softly Dir. Andrew Dominik. Brad Pitt, Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn B– A Late Quartet Dir. Yaron Zilberman. Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman C– Lawless Dir. John Hillcoat. Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke, Guy Pearce B Life of Pi Dir. Ang Lee. Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Rafe Spall, Adil Hussain, Tabu B+ Lincoln Dir. Steven Spielberg. Daniel Day-Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones, Sally Field B+ The Loneliest Planet Dir. Julia Loktev. Hani Furstenberg, Gael García Bernal B Looper Dir. Rian Johnson. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt A– Magic Mike Dir. Steven Soderbergh. Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer A– Marvel's The Avengers Dir. Joss Whedon. Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans C The Master Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson. Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman B Michael Dir. Markus Schleinzer. Michael Fuith, David Rauchenberger, Gisella Salcher B Middle of Nowhere Dir. Ava DuVernay. Emayatzy Corinealdi, Omari Hardwick B+ Mirror Mirror Dir. Tarsem Singh. Lily Collins, Julia Roberts, Armie Hammer, Nathan Lane B– Les Misérables Dir. Tom Hooper. Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway D– Miss Bala Dir. Gerardo Naranjo. Stephanie Sigman, Noe Hernandez, Miguel Couturier A– Moonrise Kingdom Dir. Wes Anderson. Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Edward Norton B Mosquita y Mari Dir. Aurora Guerrero. Fenessa Pineda, Venecia Troncoso C+ Not Fade Away Dir. David Chase. John Magaro, Jach Huston, Will Brill, Bella Heathcote B On the Road Dir. Walter Salles. Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart C+ Once Upon a Time in Anatolia Dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan. Yilmaz Erdoğan B Oslo, August 31st Dir. Joachim Trier. Anders Danielsen Lie, Hans Olav Brenner B– The Paperboy Dir. Lee Daniels. Zac Efron, Matthew McConaughey, Nicole Kidman B– Paranormal Activity 4 Dirs. Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman. Kathryn Newton C+ ParaNorman Dirs. Chris Butler, Sam Fell. Animated. Voice of Kodi Smit-McPhee C+ People Like Us Dir. Alex Kurtzman. Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Michael Hall D'Addario C The Perks of Being a Wallflower Dir. Stephen Chbosky. Logan Lerman B+ Pitch Perfect Dir. Jason Moore. Anna Kendrick, Anna Camp, Skylar Astin, Brittany Snow C Polisse Dir. Maïwenn. Joeystarr, Marina Foïs, Karin Viard, Fr?d?ric Pierrot, Arnaud Henriet B Post Mortem Dir. Pablo Larraín. Alfredo Castro, Antonia Zegers, Amparo Noguera B Premium Rush Dir. David Koepp. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Shannon, Dania Ramirez D Prometheus Dir. Ridley Scott. Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron B– Promised Land Dir. Gus Van Sant. Matt Damon, John Krasinski, Frances McDormand C+ The Queen of Versailles Dir. Lauren Greenfield. Documentary about the flailing rich B Red Hook Summer Dir. Spike Lee. Jules Brown, Clarke Peters, Toni Lysaith B– Return Dir. Liza Johnson. Linda Cardellini, Michael Shannon, Talia Balsam, John Slattery B– Rock of Ages Dir. Adam Shankman. Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Alec Baldwin F Room 237 Dir. Rodney Ascher. Documentary about eccentric readings of The Shining D+ A Royal Affair Dir. Nikolaj Arcel. Mads Mikkelsen, Alicia Vikander, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard B Ruby Sparks Dirs. Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris. Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Chris Messina D+ Rust and Bone Dir. Jacques Audiard. Matthias Schoenaerts, Marion Cotillard B– Safety Not Guaranteed Dir. Colin Trevorrow. Aubrey Plaza, Jake Johnson B– Salmon Fishing in the Yemen Dir. Lasse Hallström. Emily Blunt, Ewan McGregor D+ Savages Dir. Oliver Stone. Blake Lively, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Taylor Kitsch C– Searching for Sugar Man Dir. Malik Bendjelloul. Documentary about elusive folk singer C Seeking a Friend for the End of the World Dir. Lorene Scafaria. Steve Carell D+ The Sessions Dir. Ben Lewin. John Hawkes, Helen Hunt, William H. Macy C+ Silent House Dirs. Chris Kentis, Laura Lau. Elizabeth Olsen, Adam Trese B– Silver Linings Playbook Dir. David O. Russell. Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence C+ A Simple Life Dir. Ann Hui. Deannie Yip, Andy Lau, Wang Fuli, Qin Hailu, Paul Chun B+ Sinister Dir. Scott Derrickson. Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, James Ransone F Sister Dir. Ursula Meier. Kacey Mottet Klein, Léa Seydoux, Martin Compston B+ Skyfall Dir. Sam Mendes. Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes C+ Smashed Dir. James Ponsoldt. Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Aaron Paul, Nick Offerman C Snow White and the Huntsman Dir. Rupert Sanders. Kristen Stewart C– The Snowtown Murders Dir. Justin Kurzel. Lucas Pittaway, Daniel Henshall A– Sound of My Voice Dir. Zal Batmanglij. Christopher Denham, Nicole Vicius, Brit Marling B– Sparkle Dir. Salim Akil. Jordin Sparks, Carmen Ejogo, Whitney Houston, Derek Luke B– Starlet Dir. Sean Baker. Dree Hemingway, Besedka Johnson, Stella Maeve A– Steel Magnolias Dir. Kenny Leon. TV Movie. Queen Latifah, Condola Rashad, Jill Scott C– Tabu Dir. Miguel Gomes. Laura Soveral, Ana Moreira, Carloto Cotta, Teresa Madruga A Take This Waltz Dir. Sarah Polley. Michelle Williams, Luke Riley, Seth Rogen C Ted Dir. Seth MacFarlane. Mark Wahlberg, voice of Seth MacFarlane, Mila Kunis B Think Like a Man Dir. Tim Story. Romany Malco, Meagan Good, Terrence Jenkins B– This Is 40 Dir. Judd Apatow. Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Maude Apatow, Iris Apatow D+ This Is Not a Film Dirs. Jafar Panahi, Mojtaba Mirtahmasb. Jafar Panahi B This Must Be the Place Dir. Paolo Sorrentino. Sean Penn, Frances McDormand B– Trishna Dir. Michael Winterbottom. Freida Pinto, Riz Ahmed, Roshan Seth, Meeta Vashisht C Trouble with the Curve Dir. Robert Lorenz. Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams D The Turin Horse Dir. Béla Tarr. János Derzsi, Erika Bók, Mihály Kormos A– Virginia Dir. Dustin Lance Black. Jennifer Connelly, Harrison Gilbertson, Ed Harris D Wanderlust Dir. David Wain. Paul Rudd, Jennifer Aniston, Justin Theroux, Alan Alda B– The Wise Kids Dir. Stephen Cone. Molly Kunz, Tyler Ross, Allison Torem, Stephen Cone B Won't Back Down Dir. Daniel Barnz. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Oscar Isaac B The Words Dirs. Brian Klugman, Lee Sternthal. Bradley Cooper, Dennis Quaid C Wreck-It Ralph Dir. Rich Moore. Animated. Voices of John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman C– Wuthering Heights Dir. Andrea Arnold. Solomon Glave, James Howson, Shannon Beer B– Your Sister's Sister Dir. Lynn Shelton. Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt C+ Zero Dark Thirty Dir. Kathryn Bigelow. Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler B