Yes I know it is now March, but it has taken me this long to see everything due to having to wait for the retail release or my local independent cinema to show it. The criteria for this are any films released theatrically in the UK within 2012. For my own personal criteria these were films within 2012 that had a lasting profound effect on me, in that there was some part of them that stayed with me in my mind. They had some element of originality and a very unique distinctive quality that I simply cannot describe (yes I know that sounds extremely pretentious.) For example, The Expendables 2 (Simon West) or Avengers Assemble (Joss Whedon) along with countless other blockbusters were enjoyable and tremendous fun in their own ways, but pretty much instantly forgettable text book tick-the-boxes genre pieces.

1. The Hunter (Daniel Nettheim)

2. Amour (Michael Haneke)

3. Shame (Steve McQueen)

4. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (Nuri Bilge Ceylan)

5. Michael (Markus Schleinzer)

6. The Kid with a Bike (Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne,)

7. Berberian Sound Studio (Peter Strickland)

8. Samsara (Ron Fricke)

9. A Royal Affair (Nicolaj Arcel)

10. The Master (Paul Thomas Anderson)