From bad romance to global destruction, porn producers proved in 2012 that there was more on their minds than sex. Even vampire and gladiator epics were grounded in human emotion, delving into character and themes of betrayal, despair, hope and heroism.

Of course, that’s not to say there wasn’t some levity. Sexy nurses were on hand with a shot of the traditional, an ode to the American sex comedy provided nostalgia and laughs and romantic comedies rose above cliché to give fans genuinely funny moments rooted in the clumsy and awkward — sometimes ugly — places people find love.

As the final countdown to the industry’s biggest awards show of the year begins, XBIZ Magazine is pleased to present The Top Adult Movies of 2012, each of which has been nominated for “Feature Movie of the Year” for the 2013 XBIZ Awards on Jan. 11 in Los Angeles.