2012 Movies I've Seen from Best to Worst
by bme2000 | created - 22 Sep 2012 | updated - 28 Oct 2022 | PublicTotal=130.65 Yearly average=2.84/5
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1. 21 Jump Street (2012)
R | 109 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A pair of underachieving cops are sent back to a local high school to blend in and bring down a synthetic drug ring.
Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller | Stars: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Brie Larson
Votes: 598,215 | Gross: $138.45M
One of the best comedies I've ever seen! A* (5/5)
2. Chronicle (2012)
PG-13 | 84 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Three high school friends gain superpowers after making an incredible discovery underground. Soon they find their lives spinning out of control and their bond tested as they embrace their darker sides.
Director: Josh Trank | Stars: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Kelly
Votes: 264,361 | Gross: $64.58M
Found footage at it's best A (4.9/5)
3. Skyfall (2012)
PG-13 | 143 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond's loyalty to M is tested when her past comes back to haunt her. When MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.
Director: Sam Mendes | Stars: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Judi Dench
Votes: 730,842 | Gross: $304.36M
My Second Favourite Bond Movie A (4.8/5)
4. The Avengers (2012)
PG-13 | 143 min | Action, Sci-Fi
Earth's mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are going to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity.
Director: Joss Whedon | Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner
Votes: 1,458,784 | Gross: $623.28M
Awesome Comic Book Movie A (4.5/5)
5. Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
PG | 101 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
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.
Director: Rich Moore | Stars: John C. Reilly, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Sarah Silverman
Votes: 458,185 | Gross: $189.42M
Can I count this as a video game adaptation? If so then it's easily the best ever. A (4.5/5)
6. The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
R | 95 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Five college friends head out to a remote cabin for a getaway, but things don't go as planned when they start getting killed. They soon discover that there is more to the cabin than it seems.
Director: Drew Goddard | Stars: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz
Votes: 450,441 | Gross: $42.07M
An entertaining spoof of the slasher genre, really like a self-aware film and this falls into that category perfectly. A (4.5/5)
7. Sinister (I) (2012)
R | 110 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
A controversial true-crime writer finds a box of Super 8 home movies in his new home, revealing that the murder case he is currently researching could be the work of an unknown serial killer whose legacy dates back to the 1960s.
Director: Scott Derrickson | Stars: Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, James Ransone, Fred Thompson
Votes: 279,985 | Gross: $48.09M
WOW. A real breath of fresh air amongst the modern horror genre and a lovely break from the false jump scare crap, instead building the suspense and actually scaring me. A dark, twisted film every horror fan needs to watch. A- (4.3/5)
8. Rise of the Guardians (2012)
PG | 97 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
When the evil spirit Pitch launches an assault on Earth, the Immortal Guardians team up to protect the innocence of children all around the world.
Director: Peter Ramsey | Stars: Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin, Isla Fisher, Chris Pine
Votes: 192,475 | Gross: $103.41M
Best animated movie this year aside from wreck-it Ralph A- (4.1/5)
9. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
PG-13 | 164 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
Eight years after the Joker's reign of chaos, Batman is coerced out of exile with the assistance of the mysterious Selina Kyle in order to defend Gotham City from the vicious guerrilla terrorist Bane.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Gary Oldman
Votes: 1,826,243 | Gross: $448.14M
Easily the weakest in the dark knight trilogy, had its flaws but still a good movie A- (4.1/5)
10. Ted (2012)
R | 106 min | Comedy
John Bennett, a man whose childhood wish of bringing his teddy bear to life came true, now must decide between keeping the relationship with the bear, Ted or his girlfriend, Lori.
Director: Seth MacFarlane | Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth MacFarlane, Joel McHale
Votes: 656,963 | Gross: $218.82M
Very Funny A- (4.1/5)
11. Les Misérables (2012)
PG-13 | 158 min | Drama, Musical, Romance
In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after breaking parole, agrees to care for a factory worker's daughter. The decision changes their lives forever.
Director: Tom Hooper | Stars: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried
Votes: 345,923 | Gross: $148.81M
A great musical A- (4/5)
12. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
PG-13 | 169 min | Adventure, Fantasy
A reluctant Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, sets out to the Lonely Mountain with a spirited group of dwarves to reclaim their mountain home, and the gold within it from the dragon Smaug.
Director: Peter Jackson | Stars: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis
Votes: 872,667 | Gross: $303.00M
Not as good as the original trilogy, but it's still good! B+ (3.9/5)
13. ParaNorman (2012)
PG | 92 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
A misunderstood boy takes on ghosts, zombies and grown-ups to save his town from a centuries-old curse.
Directors: Chris Butler, Sam Fell | Stars: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Tucker Albrizzi
Votes: 109,895 | Gross: $56.00M
I love a creepy animation and while it's not as good as Coraline I did enjoy this. B+ (3.9/5)
14. The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012)
PG | 88 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Pirate Captain sets out on a mission to defeat his rivals Black Bellamy and Cutlass Liz for the Pirate of the year Award. The quest takes Captain and his crew from the shores of Blood Island to the foggy streets of Victorian London.
Directors: Peter Lord, Jeff Newitt | Stars: Hugh Grant, Salma Hayek, Jeremy Piven, Martin Freeman
Votes: 51,402 | Gross: $31.05M
A good Animation B+ (3.9/5)
15. The Expendables 2 (2012)
R | 103 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
Mr. Church reunites the Expendables for what should be an easy paycheck, but when one of their men is murdered on the job, their quest for revenge puts them deep in enemy territory and up against an unexpected threat.
Director: Simon West | Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Liam Hemsworth, Randy Couture, Jean-Claude Van Damme
Votes: 322,207 | Gross: $85.02M
Dumb, goofy and enjoyable B+ (3.85/5)
16. Jack Reacher (2012)
PG-13 | 130 min | Action, Mystery, Thriller
A homicide investigator digs deeper into a case involving a trained military sniper responsible for a mass shooting.
Director: Christopher McQuarrie | Stars: Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins, Werner Herzog
Votes: 364,908 | Gross: $80.07M
Underrated movie! It was a good action flick B (3.7/5)
17. Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012)
PG | 93 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
The Madagascar animals join a struggling European circus to get back to New York, but find themselves being pursued by a psychotic animal-control officer.
Directors: Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, Conrad Vernon | Stars: Ben Stiller, Jada Pinkett Smith, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer
Votes: 197,838 | Gross: $216.39M
Possibly the worst movie of the franchise, but it's still funny, good action sequences and good 3D B- (3.6/5)
18. Brave (2012)
PG | 93 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse.
Directors: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, Steve Purcell | Stars: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters
Votes: 441,975 | Gross: $237.28M
A weaker film in Pixar's catalogue, but it's still pretty good (and after Cars 2, anything's an improvement) B- (3.6/5)
19. The Woman in Black (2012)
PG-13 | 95 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A young solicitor travels to a remote village where he discovers that the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals.
Director: James Watkins | Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Janet McTeer, Ciarán Hinds, Emma Shorey
Votes: 192,577 | Gross: $54.33M
Really scary for a movie rated 12! B- (3.5/5)
20. Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
PG-13 | 127 min | Action, Adventure, Biography
In a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen.
Director: Rupert Sanders | Stars: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Sam Claflin
Votes: 302,316 | Gross: $155.33M
Decent retelling of a Disney Classic C+ (3.4/5)
21. American Reunion (2012)
R | 113 min | Comedy
Jim, Michelle, Stifler, and their friends reunite in East Great Falls, Michigan for their high school reunion.
Directors: Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg | Stars: Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Seann William Scott, Chris Klein
Votes: 223,748 | Gross: $57.01M
A nice throwback film. Nothing Oscar-worthy but it'll put a smile on your face at least. C (3.3/5)
22. Safe (I) (2012)
R | 94 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
Mei, a young girl whose memory holds a priceless numerical code, finds herself pursued by the Triads, the Russian mob, and corrupt NYC cops. Coming to her aid is an ex-cage fighter whose life was destroyed by the gangsters on Mei's trail.
Director: Boaz Yakin | Stars: Jason Statham, Catherine Chan, Chris Sarandon, Robert John Burke
Votes: 117,550 | Gross: $17.14M
I'm not a big fan of Jason Statham, but this is an enjoyable action movie C (3.3/5)
23. The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
PG-13 | 136 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
After Peter Parker is bitten by a genetically altered spider, he gains newfound, spider-like powers and ventures out to save the city from the machinations of a mysterious reptilian foe.
Director: Marc Webb | Stars: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Irrfan Khan
Votes: 701,927 | Gross: $262.03M
Not as good as the Raimi movies but it's still pretty good. And Andrew Garfield killed it as Spider-Man. C (3.3/5)
24. Hotel Transylvania (2012)
PG | 91 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Dracula, who operates a high-end resort away from the human world, goes into overprotective mode when a boy discovers the resort and falls for the count's teenaged daughter.
Director: Genndy Tartakovsky | Stars: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez
Votes: 280,854 | Gross: $148.31M
Adam Sandler's funniest movie of the last two years is animated and co-stars Kevin James. Just digest that. C- (3/5)
25. The Hunger Games (2012)
PG-13 | 142 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Katniss Everdeen voluntarily takes her younger sister's place in the Hunger Games: a televised competition in which two teenagers from each of the twelve Districts of Panem are chosen at random to fight to the death.
Director: Gary Ross | Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Stanley Tucci
Votes: 1,003,211 | Gross: $408.01M
It was alright... C- (3/5)
26. The Dictator (2012)
R | 83 min | Comedy
The heroic story of a dictator who risked his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed.
Director: Larry Charles | Stars: Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris, John C. Reilly, Ben Kingsley
Votes: 334,584 | Gross: $59.65M
It was okay D (2.8/5)
27. The Possession (I) (2012)
PG-13 | 92 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
A young girl buys an antique box at a yard sale, unaware that inside the collectible lives a malicious ancient spirit. The girl's father teams with his ex-wife to find a way to end the curse upon their child.
Director: Ole Bornedal | Stars: Natasha Calis, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kyra Sedgwick, Madison Davenport
Votes: 63,195 | Gross: $49.13M
An okay horror flick D (2.7/5)
28. That's My Boy (2012)
R | 116 min | Comedy, Drama
While in his teens, Donny fathered a son, Todd, and raised him as a single parent until Todd's 18th birthday. Now Donny resurfaces just before Todd's wedding after years apart, sending the groom-to-be's world crashing down.
Director: Sean Anders | Stars: Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Leighton Meester, Susan Sarandon
Votes: 108,839 | Gross: $36.93M
Watchable, but nothing special. Entertaining, but relatively boring to flat out hateable characters D- (2.5/5)
29. Lockout (2012)
PG-13 | 95 min | Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
A man wrongly convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage against the U.S. is offered his freedom if he can rescue the President's daughter from an outer-space prison taken over by violent inmates.
Directors: James Mather, Steve Saint Leger | Stars: Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace, Peter Stormare, Vincent Regan
Votes: 100,928 | Gross: $14.33M
Mediocre Action Flick D- (2.5/5)
30. House at the End of the Street (2012)
PG-13 | 101 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller
After moving with her mother to a small town, a teenager finds that an accident happened in the house at the end of the street. Things get more complicated when she befriends a boy. A double murder is not an accident.
Director: Mark Tonderai | Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Elisabeth Shue, Max Thieriot, Gil Bellows
Votes: 81,299 | Gross: $31.61M
I didn't hate this as much as some did. I mean yeah it's a pretty big waste of potential given some of the talent involved but it's just a generic slightly below average horror movie. Nothing worth getting angry over. E+ (2.4/5)
31. Red Tails (2012)
PG-13 | 125 min | Action, Drama, History
A crew of African American pilots in the Tuskegee training program, having faced segregation while kept mostly on the ground during World War II, are called into duty under the guidance of Col. A.J. Bullard.
Director: Anthony Hemingway | Stars: Cuba Gooding Jr., Gerald McRaney, David Oyelowo, Andre Royo
Votes: 37,238 | Gross: $49.88M
One of the weaker George Lucas movies, but better than Howard The Duck... E (2.2/5)
32. Men in Black³ (2012)
PG-13 | 106 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Agent J travels in time to M.I.B.'s early days in 1969 to stop an alien from assassinating his friend Agent K and changing history.
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld | Stars: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Jemaine Clement
Votes: 386,836 | Gross: $179.02M
So I liked the first Men In Black, Men In Black 2 was mediocre, but this is an actual bad film. I know the action scenes have to be fairly goofy to keep the films tone, but they really overdo it. We don't see any real character development, the story is paper thin and it's really boring. The only redeeming value for me is Will Smith and his natural charisma. E- (2.1/5)
33. This Means War (2012)
PG-13 | 103 min | Action, Comedy, Romance
C.I.A. operatives wage an epic battle on each other when they discover they are dating the same woman.
Director: McG | Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Tom Hardy, Til Schweiger
Votes: 194,202 | Gross: $54.76M
A bad Romantic comedy F (1.7/5)
34. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (2012)
PG | 94 min | Comedy, Family
School's out. Summer vacation is on. However, Greg may not have the best summer vacation ever. What could go wrong?
Director: David Bowers | Stars: Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron, Devon Bostick, Steve Zahn
Votes: 29,803 | Gross: $49.01M
I don't love this franchise, but I enjoyed the first two for what they were, what happened here? F (1.7/5)
35. The Lorax (2012)
PG | 86 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
A 12-year-old boy searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.
Directors: Chris Renaud, Kyle Balda | Stars: Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Danny DeVito, Ed Helms
Votes: 129,714 | Gross: $214.03M
2012 Was a year full of great animated films, this wasn't one of them. F- (1.6/5)
36. The Bourne Legacy (2012)
PG-13 | 135 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
An expansion of the universe from Robert Ludlum's novels, centered on a new hero whose stakes have been triggered by the events of the previous three films.
Director: Tony Gilroy | Stars: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Scott Glenn
Votes: 315,509 | Gross: $113.20M
This doesn't deserve to have "Bourne" in the title, VERY boring with a confusing plot F- (1.6/5)
37. Project X (2012)
R | 88 min | Comedy
Three high-school seniors throw a birthday party to make a name for themselves. As the night progresses, things spiral out of control as word of the party spreads.
Director: Nima Nourizadeh | Stars: Thomas Mann, Oliver Cooper, Jonathan Daniel Brown, Dax Flame
Votes: 233,232 | Gross: $54.73M
Okay so I didn't watch this movie until I was 19 (7 years after it was released) and oh my god is it bad. I get that it's not gonna be The Godfather but Jesus Christ is it bad. You can't really complain much about the story in a movie like this and I guess the same for the acting, but it's just mean spirited and the characters are either boring or just outright detestable (literally Costa is one of the worst leading characters I've ever seen) but there were some occasional funny moments so I'll put it higher than it probably should be. F- (1.5/5)
38. Keith Lemon: The Film (2012)
85 min | Comedy
Keith Lemon (Leigh Francis) is preparing to take his invention, the securipole, which he has been attempting to lift off the ground for twenty years, to a business convention in London. ... See full summary »
Director: Paul Angunawela | Stars: Leigh Francis, Kelly Brook, Laura Aikman, Kevin Bishop
Votes: 4,358
On a positive note, there's a coherent story line and Leigh Francis as Keith Lemon is very funny...for about 5 minutes. Keith Lemon is funny in short bursts, but watching him for 90 minutes makes me want to gouge my eyes out. Dated pop culture references and celebrity cameos who just look bored don't help either. G (1.3/5)
39. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012)
PG | 94 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Sean Anderson partners with his mom's husband on a mission to find his grandfather, who is thought to be missing on a mythical island.
Director: Brad Peyton | Stars: Josh Hutcherson, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Caine, Luis Guzmán
Votes: 112,077 | Gross: $103.86M
The Rock is what saves this from going lower G (1.3/5)
40. A Thousand Words (I) (2012)
PG-13 | 91 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
After stretching the truth on a deal with a spiritual guru, literary agent Jack McCall finds a Bodhi tree on his property. Its appearance holds a valuable lesson on the consequences of every word he speaks.
Director: Brian Robbins | Stars: Eddie Murphy, Cliff Curtis, Kerry Washington, Clark Duke
Votes: 44,690 | Gross: $18.44M
Eddie Murphy, What Happened? G (1.2/5)
41. Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012)
PG | 88 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Manny, Diego, and Sid embark upon another adventure after their continent is set adrift. Using an iceberg as a ship, they encounter sea creatures and battle pirates as they explore a new world.
Directors: Steve Martino, Michael Thurmeier | Stars: Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo, Aziz Ansari
Votes: 224,783 | Gross: $161.32M
Terrible, even by Ice Age sequel standards. G (1.2/5)
42. Big Miracle (2012)
PG | 107 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
In small-town Alaska, a news reporter recruits his Greenpeace-volunteer ex-girlfriend on a campaign to save a family of gray whales trapped by rapidly-forming ice in the Arctic Circle.
Director: Ken Kwapis | Stars: Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski, John Pingayak, Ahmaogak Sweeney
Votes: 20,508 | Gross: $20.11M
Rip-Off of Dolphin Tale G- (1/5)
43. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011)
PG-13 | 96 min | Action, Fantasy, Thriller
Johnny Blaze, tortured by the Ghost Rider's curse, gets a chance of redemption through protecting the Devil's son, whose father is pursuing him.
Directors: Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor | Stars: Nicolas Cage, Ciarán Hinds, Idris Elba, Violante Placido
Votes: 126,181 | Gross: $51.77M
Nicholas Cage's worst movie (at least until Left Behind came out) U (0.7/5)
44. Mirror Mirror (I) (2012)
PG | 106 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
An evil queen steals control of a kingdom and an exiled princess enlists the help of seven resourceful rebels to win back her birthright.
Director: Tarsem Singh | Stars: Lily Collins, Julia Roberts, Armie Hammer, Nathan Lane
Votes: 91,048 | Gross: $64.94M
Jesus Christ, this was awful U (0.7/5)
45. Piranha 3DD (2012)
R | 83 min | Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi
After the events at Lake Victoria, the pre-historic school of blood-thirsty piranhas make their way into a newly opened waterpark.
Director: John Gulager | Stars: Danielle Panabaker, Ving Rhames, David Hasselhoff, Matt Bush
Votes: 45,378 | Gross: $0.38M
Typical B-Movie crap, and I wouldn't have a problem with that if the movie had a reason to be a theatrical release (which it doesn't) U (0.4/5)
46. Where the Dead Go to Die (2012)
Unrated | 95 min | Animation, Fantasy, Horror
A troubled group of children living on the same block are haunted by a talking dog named Labby who brings them on surreal hell-rides between different dimensions and time periods.
Director: Jimmy ScreamerClauz | Stars: Ruby Larocca, Brandon Slagle, Joey Smack, Victor Bonacore
Votes: 1,413
A despicable disgusting excuse for a movie that should never be viewed by anyone ever. U (0.1/5)
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