The MacGuffin

Spencer is joined by Nick Ahlers (The MacGuffin, The Grapes of Rad), Aaron Mason (The Grapes of Rad), and Steve Spielberg.

2012 was a terrific year at the movies. 2010 and 2011 both felt a little underwhelming at the time. There was some good work, to be sure, but the amount of work that felt new or exciting was less and less. However, this last year felt like an embarrassment of riches at times. Good stuff was coming out every week, and a lot of it had real merit. Below is my list of top 10 films for 2012.

It’s been one heck of a good year for movies. From mainstream blockbusters to low-budget indies, there was a little bit for everyone in 2012. Even with a less than stellar summer season, I would argue that this been the strongest film year since 2007. When I sat down to write my end of the year list, I kept scratching out certain entries and starting over, because there were so many films that I wanted to mention. Even with the list you’re about to go through, I’m already questioning whether I should do it again just one more time. That’s the silliness of making these things in the first place. There were so many good movies this year that attempting to rank them one over the other is an exercise in absurdity. But that’s the kind of absurdity we movie fans love to put ourselves through.

Spencer and Greg give their DVD rundown for September 18th, 2012. In this episode they discuss Indiana Jones, The Cabin in the Woods, Chico & Rita, and The Game.

Sacha Baron Cohen’s greatest strength is his ability to be a provocateur. It is both a gift and a curse, because at times he becomes too dependent upon it. Whether you love it or hate it, he continues this trend with the release of his latest film, The Dictator.

In honor of The Cabin in the Woods, Spencer and Greg look back on Joss Whedon’s career. Then they discuss prison movies before giving a rundown of DVDs out today.

Please note: starting next week our video and audio podcasts are splitting, and becoming their own individual properties. Hopefully you’ll check them both out.

Spencer and Greg preview the movies slated to be released during the second quarter of 2012, before closing out with a rundown of DVDs out today.

To describe Drew Goddard’s new film The Cabin in the Woods as David Lynch-ian is putting it mildly. The film takes the premise of a simple slasher film and eschews all the conventions in the process, creating something unlike I have ever seen before. Any comparisons to other films would be stretching it.

Though I have nothing against the line-up of comic book films, big budget explosive sequels and such and the like coming along this year, most of the films I’m actively looking forward to in 2011 don’t fit that mold. Also, a lot of them don’t seem to be coming out until at least the second half of the year, if they have a release date yet at all. I will be spending many months waiting patiently for most the films I’m hoping will be the highlights of my movie year.