Oscars 2012: Diverse Themes in Top Films You Need to See

The Tree of Life

2011 • 139 min • Budget $32M • Box office $54M

Drama, Fantasy

This film is an impressionistic look at a Texas family in the 1950s. It follows Jack, the eldest son, from childhood into adulthood as he struggles to understand his complicated relationship with his father. Lost in the changing modern world,…

6.7

6.8

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The Iron Lady

2011 • 105 min • Budget $13M • Box office $115M

History, Drama

This film explores the life of Margaret Thatcher, Britain's former Prime Minister, examining the personal sacrifices she made to achieve and maintain power.

6.4

13+

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+13

Chico & Rita

2010 • 93 min

Animation, Music, Romance

Chico is a young piano player with ambitious aspirations. Rita is a captivating singer possessing a remarkable voice. Drawn together by music and love, their story follows the classic bolero tradition, filled with both emotional pain and suffering.

7.1

7.2

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The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

2012 • 15 min

Adventure, Animation

Following a devastating hurricane that destroys his city, a young man stumbles upon a strange library where the books inside magically awaken. This film received the 2012 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

7.5

7.8

Monsieur Lazhar

2011 • 94 min • Box office $6M

Drama, Comedy

In the depths of a brutal Montreal winter, an elementary school class is devastated by the suicide of their teacher. Bachir Lazhar, a compelling Algerian immigrant, becomes their substitute, tasked with guiding the traumatized children. He carefully hides his own…

7.2

7.5

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+17

Albert Nobbs

2011 • 113 min • Budget $8M • Box office $5M

Drama

In late 19th century Ireland, Albert Nobbs faces hardship as a woman is expected to be dependent. To find work as a butler in Dublin's finest hotel, Albert disguises herself as a man. While there, she meets a charming painter…

6.3

6.7

17+

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The Artist

2011 • 100 min • Budget $15M • Box office $133M

Drama, Comedy, Romance

Hollywood, 1927. Silent film icon George Valentin worries about his future as talking pictures threaten the industry. He finds himself drawn to Peppy Miller, a promising young dancer hoping for her moment in the spotlight.

7.4

7.8

13+

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Moneyball

2011 • 134 min • Budget $50M • Box office $110M

Drama

This is the true story of Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics, who revolutionized baseball by building a competitive team with limited financial resources. He used innovative computer analysis to identify undervalued players during the draft, proving…

7.3

7.6

13+

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Margin Call

2011 • 108 min • Budget $3M • Box office $19M

Thriller, Drama

This thriller follows the core group of individuals at an investment bank over the course of a single day as the financial crisis begins to unfold.

6.9

7.1

17+

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A Morning Stroll

2011 • 7 min

Across three different time periods, a man is unexpectedly confronted by a chicken while walking.

6.6

Hugo

2011 • 126 min • Budget $170M • Box office $185M

Adventure, Drama, Family

In 1930s Paris, Hugo Cabret lives a solitary life within the walls of a train station with his uncle. His daily routine involves maintaining the station's clocks, but his true focus is on a broken automaton and a notebook left…

7.2

7.5

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Jane Eyre

2011 • 120 min • Budget $13M • Box office $34M

Drama, Romance

Following a difficult childhood, Jane Eyre becomes a governess. She finds contentment at Thornfield Hall, where she encounters Mr. Rochester, the estate's reserved and intense owner. Jane and Mr. Rochester develop a close friendship, and Jane falls in love with…

7.2

7.3

13+

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

2011 • 130 min • Budget $125M • Box office $1B

Adventure, Fantasy

Harry, Ron, and Hermione press on with their fight against Voldemort. As their situation appears increasingly dire, Harry uncovers three magical objects that grant him abilities comparable to Voldemort’s.

8.1

13+

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The Descendants

2011 • 115 min • Budget $20M • Box office $177M

Comedy, Drama

When his wife Elizabeth is on life support following a boating accident, Hawaiian land baron Matt King takes his daughters on a journey from Oahu to Kauai. Their destination: to confront a young real estate broker who had been having…

6.8

7.3

17+

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Kung Fu Panda 2

2011 • 91 min • Budget $150M • Box office $665M

Animation, Family, Comedy

Po and his friends must stop a villainous peacock from taking over China using a dangerous new weapon. But before they can do that, the Dragon Warrior must confront his history.

7.1

7.3

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The Shore

2011 • 29 min

Two close friends are separated by 25 years of unspoken issues as tensions rise in Northern Ireland. Their lives diverge significantly until Joe returns to his home country with his daughter, Patricia. While he was away, Paddy married Joe’s former…

6.0

6.8

Raju

2011 • 24 min

A German couple adopts an Indian orphan in Kolkata. Their child then vanishes, and they come to understand their role in the child's disappearance.

6.3

7.1

A Better Life

2011 • 98 min • Budget $10M • Box office $1M

Drama

In East Los Angeles, a gardener fights to protect his son from gang involvement and immigration authorities, all while commuting to wealthy clients for landscaping jobs throughout the city.

7.1

7.2

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+11

Bridesmaids

2011 • 125 min • Budget $32M • Box office $288M

Comedy, Romance

Annie's life is falling apart. When her best friend announces her engagement, Annie feels obligated to be the maid of honor. Despite being heartbroken and short on money, Annie confidently navigates the elaborate wedding preparations. With only one opportunity to…

6.5

6.8

17+

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A Cat in Paris

2010 • 70 min • Box office $309K

Animation, Comedy

This is a suspenseful mystery set against the backdrop of Paris, unfolding throughout a single, eventful night in the city's backstreets and on its rooftops.

6.7

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The Adventures of Tintin

2011 • 107 min • Budget $130M • Box office $373M

Adventure, Animation, Mystery

Young reporter Tintin and his dog Snowy find themselves in a thrilling adventure when they uncover a ship concealing a dangerous secret. Drawn into a mystery spanning centuries, Tintin becomes the suspect of a priceless treasure thief, Ivan Ivanovitch Sakharine.…

6.9

7.3

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+10

Midnight in Paris

2011 • 94 min • Budget $17M • Box office $151M

Fantasy, Comedy, Romance

During a trip to Paris with his fiancée's family, a sentimental screenwriter unexpectedly begins time-traveling to the 1920s each night at midnight.

7.5

7.6

13+

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Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

2011 • 129 min • Budget $40M • Box office $55M

Drama

A year after his father dies, Oskar, a troubled young boy, finds a mysterious key he believes his father left for him. He then sets out on a scavenger hunt to find the lock it fits.

7.0

6.9

13+

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Time Freak

2011 • 10 min

A highly anxious inventor builds a time machine and accidentally finds himself adrift in the past, specifically yesterday.

7.0

7.2

Warrior

2011 • 140 min • Budget $25M • Box office $23M

Drama, Action

A young man returns to his childhood home and begins training with his father, a former boxer, for an upcoming mixed martial arts tournament. This decision forces him into a direct confrontation with his estranged older brother.

7.8

8.1

13+

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Drive

2011 • 100 min • Budget $15M • Box office $78M

Drama, Thriller, Crime

Driver is a Hollywood stuntman who secretly works as a getaway driver for criminals. He keeps people at arm's length until he meets his attractive neighbor, Irene, and her son, Benicio. When Irene’s husband is released from prison, he asks…

7.6

7.8

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Beginners

2011 • 104 min • Budget $3M • Box office $14M

Drama, Romance, Comedy

Months after his father Hal Fields dies, Oliver meets Anna, a lively and unconventional woman. Their relationship brings back memories of Hal, who, after his wife of 44 years passed away, embraced his sexuality at 75 and embarked on a…

6.8

7.2

17+

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Pina

2011 • 106 min • Budget $4M • Box office $14M

Documentary

"Pina" is a 3D dance film featuring the renowned Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch company, created by the influential German choreographer who passed away in the summer of 2009.

7.4

7.6

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Undefeated

2011 • 113 min • Box office $583K

Documentary

UNDEFEATED, from Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin, follows three student-athletes from inner-city Memphis as they navigate a high school football season. The documentary captures their experiences and the efforts of a volunteer coach to support them both on and off…

7.4

7.7

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If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front

2011 • 85 min • Box office $61K

Documentary, Crime, History

Filmmaker Marshall Curry examines the Earth Liberation Front, a radical group dedicated to disrupting facilities linked to deforestation. The film also profiles Daniel McGowan, an Oregon ELF member who faced terrorism charges due to his activism with the organization.

6.5

7.1

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Puss in Boots

2011 • 90 min • Budget $130M • Box office $554M

Animation, Family, Fantasy

Before he meets Shrek, Puss in Boots, a renowned fighter, lover, and outlaw, becomes a hero. He joins forces with the resourceful Kitty Softpaws and the cunning Humpty Dumpty to rescue his town. This is the story of the legendary…

6.6

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Anonymous

2011 • 130 min • Budget $30M • Box office $15M

Drama, History, Thriller

Against the backdrop of Queen Elizabeth I's reign and the Essex Rebellion, the story explores the theory that Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford, was the true author of Shakespeare's plays.

6.4

6.8

13+

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Hell and Back Again

2011 • 88 min

Documentary

"Hell and Back Again" is a powerfully intimate and visually groundbreaking film that explores the meaning of leadership in war and the experience of returning home. It offers a depth of insight into the Afghanistan conflict unmatched by previous war…

6.4

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The Muppets

2011 • 103 min • Budget $45M • Box office $165M

Family, Comedy, Music

When Kermit the Frog and the Muppets discover their theater is going to be demolished, a kind man named Gary and his puppet brother, Walter, offer assistance. Together, they organize a performance to raise the $10 million needed to save…

6.7

7.1

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Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory

2012 • 121 min

Documentary, Crime

This film examines the aftermath of the release of three teenagers who spent nearly 20 years in prison for the murder of three young boys in Arkansas. New DNA evidence suggests they may be innocent, prompting a renewed look at…

7.4

8.0

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The Ides of March

2011 • 101 min • Budget $12M • Box office $76M

Drama

An idealistic young press spokesman finds his principles tested in a ruthless presidential campaign, where unethical tactics threaten to undermine everything he believes in.

6.7

7.1

17+

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Bullhead

2011 • 129 min • Budget $2M

Crime, Drama

A young cattle farmer is approached by a dishonest veterinarian with a proposition: a risky deal with a well-known beef trader.

7.1

7.3

17+

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W.E.

2011 • 119 min • Budget $15M • Box office $868K

Drama, Romance

The 1998 auction of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor's estate generates considerable buzz. For Wally Winthrop, it holds a deeply personal significance. Captivated by their iconic romance, Wally becomes consumed with their history. As she uncovers the sacrifices made,…

6.3

6.2

17+

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A Separation

2011 • 123 min • Budget $5M • Box office $24M

Drama

A married couple struggles with a painful choice: relocate their child to a new country for a better future, or remain in Iran to care for their aging parent who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

7.9

8.3

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Transformers: Dark of the Moon

2011 • 154 min • Budget $195M • Box office $1B

Action, Science Fiction, Adventure

Working openly with NEST, the Autobots are on a mission in Chernobyl when they discover an unusual artifact. Optimus Prime realizes that the U.S. Government hasn't been completely honest with them.

6.2

13+

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+10

In Darkness

2011 • 145 min • Box office $5M

Drama, War

"In Darkness" tells the true story of Leopold Soha, a thief and burglar who risks everything to rescue Jewish refugees in Nazi-occupied Lvov, Poland. Initially motivated by self-interest, he hides a dozen people in the city's sewers for 14 months,…

6.9

7.3

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Real Steel

2011 • 127 min • Budget $110M • Box office $299M

Action, Science Fiction, Drama

Charlie Kenton, a former boxer sidelined when robots replaced human fighters, is forced back into the world of combat sports. When his own robot is damaged, he reluctantly joins forces with his estranged son to build and train a surprising…

7.1

13+

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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2011 • 158 min • Budget $90M • Box office $232M

Thriller, Crime, Mystery

Journalist Mikael Blomkvist investigates the 40-year-old disappearance of a man's niece, with the help of Lisbeth Salander, a punk computer hacker with a distinctive style. Their investigation reveals widespread corruption far exceeding their expectations.

7.4

7.8

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The Help

2011 • 146 min • Budget $25M • Box office $216M

Drama

Aibileen Clark, a middle-aged African-American woman who has dedicated her life to raising white children, is grieving the recent loss of her son. Minny Jackson, another African-American maid, frequently clashes with her employers despite her family's financial hardship and constant…

8.2

8.1

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Rise of the Planet of the Apes

2011 • 105 min • Budget $93M • Box office $481M

Thriller, Action, Drama

Caesar, a remarkably intelligent chimpanzee, has enjoyed a calm life in a suburban home from birth. However, his peaceful existence is shattered when he's taken to a harsh primate research facility. Faced with cruelty, Caesar chooses to fight back against…

7.3

7.6

13+

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Rango

2011 • 112 min • Budget $135M • Box office $245M

Animation, Comedy, Family

Rango, a pet lizard, gets lost and ends up in the rough town of Dirt. Suddenly, the timid lizard is seen as a hero. The townspeople believe he's the one they've been waiting for. Rango is thrust into the role…

6.9

7.3

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Saving Face

2012 • 40 min

Each year, hundreds of people, predominantly women, are victims of acid attacks in Pakistan. The film follows several survivors as they pursue justice and a Pakistani plastic surgeon who returns to his country to provide them with reconstructive surgery, helping…

7.0

8.0

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War Horse

2011 • 146 min • Budget $66M • Box office $177M

War, History, Adventure

Just before World War I, a young man named Albert's horse, Joey, is sold by his father to the army. During the war, Joey's journey is filled with peril, happiness, and heartbreak, profoundly affecting those he encounters. Albert, determined not…

7.3

7.2

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God Is the Bigger Elvis

2012 • 37 min

This Oscar-nominated documentary follows a talented young actress who gave up her Hollywood career to join a convent.

6.7

6.9

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The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement

2011 • 25 min

The film follows 85-year-old Mr. Armstrong, an African American barber in Birmingham, Alabama, as he witnesses the fulfillment of a lifelong dream: the election of the first African American president. A veteran of the Civil Rights era, he casts his…

5.0

6.9

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Footnote

2011 • 102 min

Comedy

In Jerusalem, Israel, professors Eliezer and Uriel Shkolnik – father and son – have spent their lives studying Jewish scripture. Eliezer, a dedicated but overlooked scholar, contrasts with his successful and celebrated son, Uriel. Their delicate relationship is unexpectedly disrupted…

7.1

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Incident in New Baghdad

2011 • 22 min

Ethan McCord, a U.S. Army veteran, shares his firsthand account of the devastating events surrounding the 2007 Baghdad helicopter incident. He describes the day American attack helicopters killed two Reuters journalists and several other civilians, mostly unarmed men, on the…

5.0

6.5

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

2011 • 127 min • Budget $30M • Box office $80M

Drama, Thriller, Mystery

During the Cold War, retired MI6 agent George Smiley is pulled back into service. His mission: to identify a Soviet spy who has infiltrated the highest ranks of British intelligence among his old colleagues.

6.6

7.0

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La luna

2012 • 7 min

Animation, Family, Fantasy

A young boy experiences a pivotal moment as he accompanies his father and grandfather on their first trip to work. They row a small wooden boat far out into the ocean, where they pause, isolated from the shore. The boy…

7.8

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Rio

2011 • 96 min • Budget $90M • Box office $483M

Animation, Adventure, Comedy

A macaw named Blu was separated from his flock as a baby and raised by Linda in Minnesota. He's never flown and contentedly lives a domesticated life with her. Believed to be the last of his species, Blu's world changes…

6.8

6.9

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Sunday

2011 • 10 min

A boy with a vivid imagination feels trapped by the predictable routine of his family's Sunday gatherings.

5.7

6.0

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The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

2011 • 39 min

In March 2011, a powerful earthquake and resulting tsunami devastated Japan's Tōhoku region. This film follows the survivors as they begin to rebuild their lives, set against the backdrop of the approaching cherry blossom season. It's a visually poetic story…

6.9

7.7

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Wild Life

2011 • 14 min

A British man moves to the Canadian prairie, encountering both its stunning landscapes and its unforgiving realities.

5.7

6.4

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My Week with Marilyn

2011 • 99 min • Budget $6M • Box office $35M

Drama, Romance

London, 1956. Renowned actor and director Laurence Olivier is preparing to film his new movie, which premiered in 1957 as *The Prince and the Showgirl*, starring Marilyn Monroe. Aspiring filmmaker Colin Clark lands a job on the set as third…

6.7

6.9

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Pentecost

2010 • 11 min

Ireland, 1977. Eleven-year-old Damian Lynch (Scott Graham) is unexpectedly asked to be an altar boy for a significant church service. This is a consequence of a previous incident where he accidentally knocked the priest off the altar, resulting in a…

6.5

6.7

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