You may be asking yourself, why is this list coming out in February? The answer is because many great films opened in limited release in 2012, and I had to wait until now to watch some of them. I feel that I have now consumed enough cinema necessary to create a well-informed list.2012 was the year that the action film returned. While some might argue that the action film never left, I would say that films with action scenes that are competently shot and able to be visually understood have been sorely lacking. The damn Bourne series opened up a Pandoras box of ideas and caused every director to believe that the proper way to shoot fight scenes was to have a seizure while zooming the camera in on obscure parts of the body. But in 2012 that all changed, and a number of phenomenal action films (many of which are on my top 10!) stood up and fought against the tyranny of the shaky cam.This was also the year of Matthew McConaughey and Channing Tatum. In 2012, both men transcended their previous acting images through a number of creative and enjoyable films. Tatum showed that he is more than a piece of meat to be oggled at, displaying his comedic chops and magnetic personality in 21 Jump Street and Magic Mike. But it was McConaughey who completely transformed himself over the course of four wildly different films (Bernie, Magic Mike, Killer Joe, The Paperboy) . His transformation reached its zenith in Magic Mike, which featured the purest distillation of McConaughey ever put to screen. After being written off as a subpar lead in derivative romcoms, he has come roaring back to life. From now on I will be eagerly awaiting his newest projects.So here are the top 10 films of the year that I found to be not only technically impressive, but also incredibly satisfying to watch.Honorable Mentions:The Turin HorseAmourThe Color WheelSkyfallIts Such a Beautiful DayKiller JoeParaNormanCosmopolisKilling Them SoftlyOnce Upon A Time In AnatoliaIt just got squeezed off of my list, so also receivinga writeup is:11.)Girl Walk//All DayGirl Walk // All Day is the most purely happy piece of media that I watched in 2012. This twelve part film follows The Girl (Anne Marsen) as she dances her way throughout New York City. The dancing is lovely, the various locations are expertly utilized, and Marsens captivating energy keeps you smiling throughout. It is also an interesting comment on medias relation to the public space. The fact that the film was initially crowd funded and features The Girl interacting with unsuspecting people (including OWS protesters) causes the viewer to meditate on what it means for cinema (and other art forms) to physical penetrate the public sphere.And now for the Top 10:10.)HaywireI dont think anyone was expecting one of the finest action films of the year to be directed by Steven Soderbergh. Continuing the playfulness in both tone and style that he first began to demonstrate with the Oceans film series, Soderbergh has crafted an action film that sidesteps the jittery editing and spatial nightmare of many current action films. By staging the fight scenes in a way that allows the audience to fully take in the action, he has created a true vehicle for the very real skills of MMA fighter turned actress Gina Carano. Further enjoyment is derived from the casting of countless recognizable male actors. That initial enjoyment is amplified when Carano beats the crap out of all of them. While the plot is nothing revolutionary, the fight choreography, stylistic flourishes and tight editing easily make up for it.9.)The ComedyThe Comedy is not a film for everyone. Essentially its a character study of the ultimate stunted hipster asshole played by Tim Heidecker. Heidecker is one half of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! on AdultSwim, your feelings toward that show will probably be a good indicator of how you will react to The Comedy.Heidecker is absolutely ruthless to everyone he comes into contact with and these interactions are equal parts hilarious and cringe-inducing. The Comedy is pitch black and its examination of a generation of people who live behind a faade of ironic detachment is equally fascinating and frustrating. I am personally not a fan of Tim and Eric but I definitely enjoyed The Comedy.8.)Oslo, August 31stTime doesnt slow down for anyone and sooner or later your life will begin to pass you by. Watching recovering junkie Anders (Anders Danielsen) try and ultimately fail to move on from his past demons is absolutely heartbreaking. The opening scene in which Anders attempts to drown himself by filling his clothing with rocks speaks to anyone who has felt crushed by the pressures of their life. While in the hands of a lesser director this sequence might seem to on the nose, director Joachim Trier handles the material with a steady and delicate hand. No narrative choice seems forced and the composition of the images is wonderfully understated. Oslo, August 31stleft me satisfied but with a pit in my stomach.7.)This Is Not A FilmIf there was ever a film that deserved to be seen by as many people as possible, it is This is Not a Film. Smuggled out of Iran on a USB drive hidden in a cake so that it could premiere at Cannes, the story behind This is Not a Film has become almost as famous as the film itself. At the time of its creation, its director and star, Jafar Panahi was living under house arrest while he appealed his six-year prison sentence and 20-year ban from filmmaking. On a surface level it functions as a day in the life documentary as Panahi drinks tea and watches the news in his apartment. But its truly one of the purest forms of political dissidenceever captured on film. Panahi skirts the lines of his sentence by recreating scenes from his last unproduced screenplay. The Iranian government said he was banned from filmmaking, but no one said anything about reading screenplays. Its clear that making films is a key part of Panahis identity, and an inability to make them is not only creatively stifling, but also emotional devastating.During the final nine minutes of the film, Panahi finally picks up the camera and ventures out of his apartment. As he fully violates his sentence, you are in awe of his audacity and refusal to be silenced.6.)Universal Soldier: Day of ReckoningThere is a revolution occurring in the world of direct to video films. While direct to video films were once considered to be skeleton in the closet of cinema, it is fast becoming a place where directors utilize the freedom the format provides to make an incredibly interesting genre fare. One of these directors is John Hyams, who has taken the old, near-forgotten Universal Soldier series and made it into his own unique monster. Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning is influenced by such films as Enter the Void, The Shinning and even Apocalypse Now. Those titles alone should clue you into the fact that this is a film that rebels against the stigma of direct-to-video in every conceivable way. The plot is absolutely insane and any sense of logical consistency decays as the film progresses, but it is all done on purpose. The visuals match the craziness of the plot, causing the viewer to question their own mental state as the lead characters sanity unravels. Day of Reckonings fight scenes are edited with a strong sense of spatial continuity and scope. Hyams shoots the fight scenes in medium wide shot that allow the viewer toactually understand what is happeneing. The motion inducing shaky cam fight sequences that seem to dominate current action films could learn a thing or two from this direct to video work of art.5.)Django UnchainedIn his latest film Quentin Tarantino is at his most playful, even though he is dealing with his most difficult subject matter. By continuing the trend of revisionist history that he started with Inglourious Basterds, Tarantino trains his eye on the issue of slavery.Tarantino is able to pay tribute to genres such as spaghetti westerns, blaxploitation, ozploition and even the little known slavesploiation (Im looking at you Mandingo!), while still delivering an unflinching look at the horrors of slavery. The gore is over the top in a satisfying way, and this is also his funniest film to date.Leonardo Dicaprio chews every piece of scenery he can get his hands on as deranged plantation owner Calvin Candie. Jamie Foxx and Christoph Waltz are wonderful as the titular Django and his bounty hunting mentor respectively. But Samuel L. Jackson delivers his best performance in years as Stephen, the absolutely evil head slave at DiCaprios plantation. Everything he does sends a shiver down your spine, and the moment you are a given a true glimpse into Stephen and Candies relationship you begin to question who is really in charge. There are some glaring pacing and editing issues, and it is nowhere near his best film, but I loved it. I watched it two nights in a row and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.4.)DreddWhile my love of Dredd is no surprise to those who know me, some might be surprised by its placement on my list. The fact of the matter is that this was the finest action film of the year (take that The Raid: Redemption!) and its downright criminal that it didnt find an audience at the box office. It is fantastic that its finding success on the home video market because Dredd does everything right in terms of making a lean, adult action film. It bucks every typical Hollywood comicbook film convention, there is no love interest and Dredd never removes his helmet, which is exactly how it should be. Dredds plot is boiled down to its essentials, no scene or piece of dialogue is superfluous. The gore is visceral and over the top in all the right ways, and the 3D is gorgeously realized by the great Anthony Dod Mantle (Antichrist). If I could give the Best Actor Oscar to Karl Urbans scowl I would.3.)Magic MikeThats right, the Citizen Kane of stripper films is the third best film of the year. If you are a heterosexual male chuckling to yourself while reading this, its time to cut the shit. Yes I have the protective shield of a girlfriend to protect my sexuality from scary, shirtless Channing Tatum, but if we all band together and agree to not make movies about our personal sexuality we will be better for it. The very fact that ones sexuality could be called into question due to the cinema that they watch is a ridiculous notion, made even more insane when the film in question is so insanely enjoyable. Soderbergh flexes all of his stylistic muscles, utilizing a color palette that fluctuates between desaturated yellows and pulsing neons. The dance scenes are expertly choreographed and contain the intensity of any thrilling action film. Soderbergh elevates boilerplate melodramatic material into a statement on our current economy, causing Magic Mike to function as a loose companion piece to his previous film, The Girlfriend Experience. Magic Mike truly belongs to Matthew McConaughey and Channing Tatum. Both of them are magnetic and equally fantastic in their respective roles. 2012 was the year that both of these men transcended their previous acting identities and became glowing balls of unstoppable charisma.2.)Zero Dark ThirtyAll of the discourse swirling around Zero Dark Thirty has caused people to overlook the fact that it is a towering piece of cinema. Spanning decades and featuring over 100 speaking roles, every facet of Zero Dark Thirty is tight. This is Jessica Chastains film and her steely intensity is the viewers entrance point into the world of CIA blacksites and situation rooms. As Chastains CIA agent Maya becomes consumed by her hunt for Bin Laden, the audience shares her obsession. The final 30 minutes featuring the raid on Bin Ladens compound is the most exciting sequence of 2012. The raid is shot in near darkness, and knowing the ultimate outcome in no way lessens the incredible amount of tension. Zero Dark Thirty is a true cinematic achievement that will be remembered long after the white noise of debates over enhanced interrogation has finally subsided.1.)The MasterGorgeously shot and sumptuous to behold, the visuals of The Masters opening seconds immediately suck you into the narrative of Freddie Quell. Joaquin Phoenix is not a man, but a twisted and grotesque version of the human form. Quell is a deeply disturbed bundle of rage, his volatility only exacerbated by his homemade hooch. This is the performance of Phoenixs career, he doesnt just become the character of Quell, he fully inhabits his very mind and psyche. His distinctive hunch hands planted firmly on hips is already an iconic image. The Master is truly a film about a relationship of two men, mentor/apprentice, father/son or perhaps even lovers. Philip Seymour Hoffman owns the role of Lancaster Dodd, loosely inspired by L. Ron Hubbard. These two are magnetic on the screen. The scene when Quell goes through Dodds processing questioning is probably my favorite cinematic sequence of the year. The tension of the moment is palpable, and the exchange between the two men is so intense and intimate, I felt like a perverse voyeur. It must also be mentioned that Johnny Greenwoods score is hauntingly beautiful and Amy Adams is fantastic as Dodds strong willed wife. Beautiful, searching and defying an easy explanation (at least on a first watch) The Master will surely keep me captivated for years to come.