Best Movies of 2012

A ranking across a year of expressive character studies, adventurous documentary, animation and bold experiments in film form. The order values direction and performance that make a complete film more than the sum of its subject or reputation. Begin with Moonrise Kingdom for comic adventure, Wadjda for a clear-eyed personal ambition or Stories We Tell for playful documentary enquiry. Years follow first public screenings, including festivals: Frances Ha, The Act of Killing and The Place Beyond the Pines belong through 2012 premieres despite later wider releases. The notes distinguish inviting pleasures from severe material and more demanding rhythms.