film highlights of 2012

Of the films I saw in 2012, if you forced me to name three favorites, I would probably say:

Life of Pi
Salmon Fishing in Yemen
The Way

...and the "respectable runners up" would be:

Beasts of the Southern Wild
The Master
The Descendants
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
A Dangerous Method

...and although not new or recent, I would add that the following were especially interesting or enjoyable to watch or re-watch:

Sullivan's Travels ('41)
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre ('48)
When Fools Rush In ('97)
Synecdoche New York ('08)