Saint Mort’s Top 10 Movies of 2012

This year I saw roughly 15 movies, including my top 10 movies of the year (also known as 2/3’s of the movies I saw this year). For this reason, there’s a bonus list of the 10 movies that may have made my top 10 had I actually gone and seen it.

10. Wanderlust
David Wain is the least likely person to have a moderately mainstream film career. Films like Wet Hot American Summer and The Ten scream ‘Underground Cinema”. So when he followed them up with the mainstream Role Models it was a bit of a shock. Wanderlust walks the line of being part mainstream film and part off the wall, The State-influenced humor. I know a few people (including Geekscape film critic Dave Traverso) disliked the film but I was a fan of it’s charming story and quirky characters.

9. God Bless America
Bobcat’s previous film World’s Greatest Dad was an incredible masterpiece that appeared on many of 2009’s best of lists. The film is the best product Bobcat ever put out. God Bless America doesn’t live up to it, but it certainly tried its best and comes pretty damn close. If this film was about 20 minutes shorter and contained a few less repeatetive speeches it could have been my favorite film of the year.

8. Pitch Perfect
No film managed to be better than it deserved to be quite like Pitch Perfect. Much like Fired Up! in 2009, Pitch Perfect manages to appeal to both sexes and being a well written parody. Will Pitch Perfect win any awards? Not likely. Are there movies not on this list that are much more deserving to be in someone’s top 10 for artistic merits? Certainly. But there are definitely few films I enjoyed quite as much as this film. If you love Mean Girls, Bring it On and Clueless than you need to give this film an honest chance.

7. The Avengers
This might be the most important films of 2012 for no other reason than ten years ago this was nothing more than a fan boy dream. Even when Sam Raimi was making Spiderman, Tim Burton was making Batman and Bryan Singer was making X-men it seemed absurd that we would one day find a franchise that literally built itself much like a comic book, with various one shot movies all containing crucial pieces to a much bigger final product. On top of it all, it’s just fun.

6. Jeff, Who Lives at Home
I went to see Jeff Who Lives At Home on a whim. I didn’t know what to expect but was certainly glad I made the decision to check it out. It’s a nice indie film about fate and family and taking risks. Much like Paul Rudd in last year’s Our Idiot Brother, Jeff is a stoner who sees the world in a way most people refuse to view it.

5. American Reunion
I have always loved the American Pie franchise, in fact I even own the 4 (yes 4) direct to DVD movies that have nothing to do with the main characters. American Reunion is like hanging out with a group of friends you haven’t seen in years. In other words, it actually creates the feeling of a class reunion for the viewer. I enjoyed seeing these old friends and definitely hope to see them again.

4. Moonrise Kingdom
Wes Anderson pretty much is his own genre of film. I’ve almost always been on board with his films (I’m not a big fan of Darjeeling Limited) and Moonrise Kingdom was no exception. The film is a fantastic blend of Wes Anderson’s style and a childlike charm. It is easily his best film since The Royal Tenenbaums.

3. The Cabin in the Woods
There are few better love letters to a genre like Cabin in the Woods. The film manages to point out plenty of the biggest stereotypes and cliche’s of Horror movies while remaining a quality horror movie. But here’s to hoping it doesn’t follow another cliche’ and have a million shitty sequels.

2. Sleepwalk with Me
Mike Birbiglia wrote, directed and starred in this film about Matt Pandamiglio (totally seriously not him) a comedian suffering from REM Sleep Behavior Disorder. This disorder causes him to act out his dreams which occasionally end in minor to severe injuries.

1. The FP
When Jonathan called me about this movie all he kept telling me was that I HAD to see this movie. There’s reasons that I never doubt Mr. London. No film this year had the effect on me that The FP did. This film changed the way my friends spoke. It even divided our friendships between people who loved it and people who hated it. Will this win any awards? Doubtful… but it doesn’t stop this from being a complete and utter masterpiece.

10 MOVIES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN IN MY TOP 10 IF I ACTUALLY SAW THEM

1. Brave
2. Chronicle
3. Argo
4. Dredd
5. Goon
6. Comic Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope
7. Life of Pi
8. Wreck-It Ralph
9. Pirahna 3DD
10. Looper