8 Best Movies of 2012

By Vlad Zakh · July 1, 2026

2012 was a great year for quirky love and big superhero finales. Moonrise Kingdom has two misfits running away to an island, Amour has an elderly husband caring for his wife after a stroke, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower has a shy freshman finding his people. The Dark Knight Rises, The Hunt, Wolf Children, The Avengers and Django Unchained round out the eight.

Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

TMDB ★ 7.7

Two twelve-year-olds fall in love and run away together, prompting a town-wide search.

Directed by Wes Anderson · 1h 34m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Amour (2012)

TMDB ★ 7.8

An elderly husband's devotion is tested to its limits as he cares for his wife after a stroke.

Directed by Michael Haneke · 2h 07m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Sundance Now · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

IMDb ★ 8.4 RT 87% Metacritic 78

Batman comes out of exile to defend Gotham from a masked revolutionary bent on destroying it.

Directed by Christopher Nolan · 2h 45m · Rated PG-13

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award45 wins & 103 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, TNT, TBS, tru TV, HBO Max · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

TMDB ★ 7.8

A withdrawn freshman is pulled out of his shell by two seniors who see him clearly.

Directed by Stephen Chbosky · 1h 43m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Hunt (2012)

IMDb ★ 8.3 RT 92% Metacritic 77

A kindergarten teacher's life is destroyed after a false accusation of child abuse spreads through his small town.

Directed by Thomas Vinterberg · 1h 56m · Rated R

Nominated for 1 Oscar38 wins & 74 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Wolf Children (2012)

TMDB ★ 8.2

A young mother raises her two half-wolf children alone, navigating their dual human and wolf natures.

Directed by Mamoru Hosoda · 1h 57m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Avengers (2012)

IMDb ★ 8.0 RT 91% Metacritic 69

Earth's mightiest heroes assemble for the first time to stop an alien invasion.

Directed by Joss Whedon · 2h 23m · Rated PG-13

Nominated for 1 Oscar40 wins & 81 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus, Hulu · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Django Unchained (2012)

IMDb ★ 8.5 RT 87% Metacritic 81

A freed slave partners with a bounty hunter to rescue his wife from a brutal plantation owner.

Directed by Quentin Tarantino · 2h 45m · Rated R

Won 2 Oscars58 wins & 158 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, YouTube TV, Starz Apple TV channel, MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

8 Best Movies of 2012

Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Amour (2012)

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

The Hunt (2012)

Wolf Children (2012)

The Avengers (2012)

Django Unchained (2012)

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