Photo: Columbia/ Kevin Winter (Getty Images)/Universal
2012 has evolved into a strong movie year, with an impressive core group of experienced filmmakers. Director Kathryn Bigelow makes a daring raid on a second Oscar for best directing with "Zero Dark Thirty." Tom Hooper leaps from historical crowd pleaser "The King's Speech" to pop mega-musical with "Les Miserables." And Christopher Nolan attempts to rise from the blockbuster ghetto to get his due for "The Dark Knight Rises." The race is on!
