Favorite Movies of 2012 - So Far

A boy and a tiger - and a boat:  Life of Pi

I'm a huge movie fan.  I like to see them in the theater, in the dark, sitting dead center, in the first row in front of the entrance aisle.

So as the holiday movie season gets in full swing, here are my picks for the best movies I've seen so far this year.  Many of them are still in theaters, so put them on your "must see" list.

The top Baker's Dozen - so far

1.  Argo - Great movie making. Tense drama, edge of your seat suspense even though you know the ending - and a little humor thrown in, too.

2.  Skyfall - Bond is back, and at his best

3.  Lincoln - Daniel Day Lewis is sensational, but its still a bit pretentious.

4.  Life of Pi - wonderful 3-D movie making that will give you plenty to think about when you leave the theater

5.  End of Watch - Best cop movie in a long time. You really care about these guys.

6.  Bernie - a quirky comedy with Jack Black, Shirley McClain and the scene-stealing people of Carthage, Texas.

6-year-old Hushpuppy & the ancient auroch - one of stunning images from Beasts of the Southern Wild

7.  Beasts of the Southern Wild - Remarkable performance by 6-year-old Quvenzhane Wallis and Dwight Henry as her dying alcoholic father. Whether you fully understand it or not, the immagry is visually stunning.

8.  Moonrise Kingdom - Star-crossed teen lovers and great quirky performances by Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton & Frances McDormand

9.  The Avengers- Superheros squabble among each other then take on the bad guys.

10. The Dark Night Rises - The Dark Night trilogy concludes.  Not as powerful as Heath Ledger's Joker, but a good film.

11. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - Veteran actors plying their craft in a delightful light entertaining movie.

12. Brave - Surprisingly delightful animated movie

13. Flight - Denzel Washington deals with disaster and addiction  in a wrenching movie that doesn't go the direction you might expect from the previews.

Movies I've missed that I will have to see on DVD:   Looper, Ted,  Perks of Being a Wallflower

Movies on my Must See list that are now showing or will be released by the end of the year:  not yet in general release.

Zero Dark Thirty
Les Miserables
The Sessions
Silver Lining Playbook 
Django Unchained
The Hobbit
Wreck-It-Ralph
Killing Them Softly
Hitchcock