2012 may seem like it was just yesterday, but in reality, it was a decade ago. The 2010s brought the release of many great movies, with 2012 being a stand-out year for many film fans.
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2012 introduced audiences to new fantasy worlds, adapted popular dystopia novels, brought iconic superhero groups together for the first time, and saw the release of some of the best work from some of the greatest actors and directors of our time. In a year when Argo took home the Best Picture Academy Award, Les Miserable's cast became a memorable ensemble, and the beloved Twilight saga ended, films of all genres and stories found their way into audiences' hearts.
The Hunger Games, based on the novel by Susanne Collins, became an instant hit when it was released in 2012. Starring Jennifer Lawrence as the now iconic Katniss Everdeen, the movie is set in the dystopia Panem. Every year, each of the twelve districts of Panem must select a male and a female competitor between the ages of 12 and 18 to fight to the death in The Hunger Games.
When Katniss's 12-year-old sister is chosen, she volunteers to take her place. What follows is an incredible franchise that deals with corrupt governments, political uprisings, unexpected allyships, and Katniss becoming the badass symbol of revolution.
Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy is one of the most popular and successful DC and superhero movie series ever. The movies earned widespread acclaim for Nolan's direction, the gritty narratives, and the actors' performances, especially Christian Bale and Heath Ledger as Batman and the Joker.
These stories all came to a head in 2012 with the release of The Dark Knight Rises, the final movie in the trilogy. The film follows Batman and Catwoman as they attempt to save Gotham from Nuclear destruction at the hands of Bane. The movie is considered by many to be one of the best superhero movies of all time and grossed over $1 billion.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe began in 2008 with Iron Man, but the beloved superheroes uniting to fight started with 2012's The Avengers. The original six, comprised of Captain American, Hulk, Black Widow, Thor, Hawkeye, and Iron Man, had appeared in previous projects. However, they shone as a group, bringing more fans into the world of the MCU.
The movie follows the group as they come together to fight against Thor's brother Loki in New York City. While the sequels, especially Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, have been incredibly successful, many remember The Avengers as their favorite of the franchise. This movie set a precedent for every movie that has followed since in the MCU.
Based on the novel by Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being A Wallflower is a coming-of-age drama about a young teenager named Charlie. Charlie is incredibly isolated and internally grieving the suicide of his only friend.
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The film's talented ensemble features Logan Lerman as Charlie, Emma Watson as Sam, and Paul Rudd as Charlie's supportive English teacher. The cast perfectly helps to balance the many moments of humor with the incredibly serious, intense subject matter that develops throughout the narrative.
Based on the 1980s television series of the same name, the hilarious buddy cop comedy 21 Jump Street hit screens in 2012. The movie follows two police officers, Schmidt and Jenko, tasked with going undercover as high school students in an attempt to stop a new drug from being supplied to the student body.
Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill lead the movie, shining in their roles and giving hilarious performances. Despite being a TV show remake, the film works incredibly well and received positive critics and audience reviews. A sequel, titled 22 Jump Street, was released in 2014.
Celebrated female director Kathryn Bigelow, one of the greatest directors in modern cinema, found herself in the driver's seat of the 2012 thriller Zero Dark Thirty. The movie tells a fictionalized account of the decade-long hunt for Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden following the attacks on September 11, 2001.
The film was praised for its direction, screenplay, and cast, achieving many prestigious awards and nominations. The brilliant Jessica Chastain leads the cast as a CIA intelligence analyst, a role that earned her a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama.
Disney's 52nd animated feature film Wreck-It Ralph is a colorful adventure for the whole family. The film follows Ralph, an arcade game villain who is nothing like the person he is painted to be. Ralph is desperate to become more than the villain role he is given, which leads him into an unlikely friendship with Vanellope, a glitch from a game called Sugar Rush.
RELATED: 10 Best Fantasy Films From The 2010s Despite centering on video games, Wreck-It Ralph is truly about friendship, understanding, and finding a place to belong, as with many Disney movies. Ralph is an unconventional lead character, being painted as a villain, but he is incredibly loveable and a brilliant protagonist to carry the film's narrative.
The musical comedy Pitch Perfect is a somewhat unique movie musical as it follows an acapella group full of misfits through the trials and tribulations of collegiate acapella. Anna Kendrick leads a beloved ensemble that features Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, and Skylar Astin.
The movie has some incredibly hilarious moments, with many coming from Rebel Wilson's character Fat Amy, and some seriously catchy musical numbers. The characters perform mash-ups of various pop songs, using their voices to create the entire performance. One of the most memorable moments in Pitch Perfect and its sequels is the Riff-Off, where acapella groups engaged in a vocal battle.
Not only did 2012's Skyfall bring viewers Adele's incredible Oscar Winning hit of the same name, but it also gave fans Daniel Craig's most perilous adventure at the time.
Skyfall sees Bond investigate a plot to attack MI6 and take down M, which takes him back to his life before he was an agent for the Secret Intelligence Service. The movie sets Bond up against formidable villain Raoul Silva who, as an ex-agent, can get under Bond's skin. In a harrowing ending, a beloved character and a mentor figure to Bond is killed, leaving the future of MI6 in new hands.
Disney Pixar's Brave gave a new face to the princess genre of animated movies. Brave follows a young Scottish princess named Merida, who defies the custom of DunBroch when she refuses to get married. This situation, coupled with Merida's quest to save her mother after she falls victim to a curse, sends the young woman on an exciting journey.
Not only is Merida a princess like audiences had never seen before, but after 12 movies, Merida became the first female protagonist of a Pixar feature film. Brave is a brilliant movie for the whole family, featuring a heartwarming story and a beautiful soundtrack.
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