By Dan Auty on Dec 28, 2017 10:30 pm
While 2017 saw three classic sci-fi properties--Star Wars, Star Trek, and Planet of the Apes--continue to make their mark on the big and small screens, there were also plenty of other amazing movies and shows too. From blockbuster sequels and much-anticipated seasons, to some highly unusual original releases, this year truly showed the breadth of modern sci-fi. Not to mention a sequel that many fans thought would never happen in the shape of Blade Runner 2049. Let's take a look at the best science fiction of the year.
14. Future Man
Most of the movies and shows on the list are pretty serious, so it's always great when a genuinely funny sci-fi show breaks through. Hulu's Future Man has got great comedy credentials, with Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg producing, and neatly riffs on classic time travel movies and shows such as The Terminator, Quantum Leap,and Back to the Future, while still finding its own silly, vulgar tone. Although much if the humor was of the type to be expected from the team who brought us Sausage Party, Future Man often showed surprising subtlety and some clever ways to subvert the time travelling formula. And star Josh Hutchinson (playing, er, Josh Futterman) nailed the tone, presenting us with an unlikely, reluctant protagonist who ultimately rises to become the hero the future didn't ask for, but ultimately needs.
13. Life
The best Alien movie of 2017 wasn't Alien: Covenant, it was Life. In the the 1980s, this is the sort of thing that would've been produced by some B-movie master like Roger Corman or Charles Band on a tiny budget, using sets and VFX recycled from other movies. But in 2017, the popularity of sci-fi and horror can get you a $60 million budget and A-list stars like Ryan Reynolds and Jake Gyllenhaal. An extraterrestrial organism quickly grows out of control and starts killing the crew of a space station in this ludicrous but hugely entertaining slice of sci-fi horror hokum.
12. Wynonna Earp
While The Dark Tower was one of the year's most disappointing movies, there was in fact a second sci-fi/western/horror hybrid out there, and this one tackled its genre mash-up in a far superior way. The second season of SyFy's hugely entertaining comic book adaptation was once again marked by terrific, witty dialogue and another stand-out, committed performance from Melanie Scrofano as the zombie killing great-great-granddaughter of the legendary Wyatt Earp. And fans even got an extra two episodes this year, after SyFy extended the run to incorporate Scrofano's real-life pregnancy into the storyline.
11. Colossal
By far the most unusual movie on the list, Colossal is so many things at once it's hard to know where to begin. On one level it's a surreal monster movie comedy, with Anne Hathaway as a young woman who discovers that the giant kaiju that appears in the middle of Seoul every morning is in fact being directly controlled by her. On another it's a heartfelt drama about a woman who has messed her life up, trying to reconnect with her past experiences and mistakes. And on another it's a sometimes disturbing metaphor for control and domestic abuse, with Jason Sudekis delivering an uncomfortable performance very different to the broader comedy roles we're used to seeing him in. Ambitious, troubling, provocative, and hilarious in equal measure, there's nothing quite like Colossal.
10. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
The first Guardians of the Galaxy might not have the built-in audience recognition of Iron Man, Thor, or Captain America, but that didn't stop becoming Marvel's third biggest film at the time of its 2014 release. The second movie delivers all the action, comedy, and outlandish visuals of the original. But with the characters now established, writer/director James Gunn was able to delve into their relationships and delivers a wild, hilarious, action-packed space opera that also satisfies on an emotional level. And Kurt Russell plays an entire planet!
9. Okja
Joon-Ho Bong is one of the South Korea's most acclaimed filmmakers, so anticipation was high for this Netflix production. And it didn't disappoint. Okja is the wild tale of young girl and her desperate quest to save her genetically modified super-pig from the hands of a sinister environmental corporation. Bong shows the same gift for inventive action that he brought to movies such as Snowpiercer and The Host, combined with a provocative, sometimes disturbing story about animal cruelty, meat consumption, and corporate greed. The cast includes Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, and Jake Gyllenhaal, the latter delivering a performance that redefines the term "broad."
8. Star Trek Discovery
While Star Trek has found a new lease of life on the big screen, it had been more than a decade since the last TV show in the long-running franchise. After a number of production delays and changing personnel, Discovery finally premiered this fall. Showrunner Alex Kurtzman's decision to set the story during a time of war was certainly divisive, with some fans feeling that Gene Roddenberry's original messages of peace and tolerance were lost. But just as the original '60s show mirrored the seismic shifts in society at the time and presented progressive casting and character decisions, so too did Discovery, combined with movie-standard VFX and some gripping sci-fi drama.
7. The Expanse
Science fiction has always allowed writers and artists to comment on topical issues in an entertaining, accessible way, and The Expanse continues to be one of the best current examples of this. The second of of SyFy's ambitious adaptation of the acclaimed series of novels was even better than the first, with the outstanding visual style, complex characters, and gripping conspiracy thriller storyline producing some of the year's best pure sci-fi. Although the multi-layered, sprawling narrative can be hard to follow at times, the producers deserve credit for honoring the source material, and a show focusing on abuse of power and political chicanery has never felt more timely.
6. Stranger Things 2
The first season of Stranger Things was one of 2016's biggest surprises. Like most Netflix shows, it appeared in its entirety with relatively little build-up, but quickly became one of the most talked about shows of the years, its skilful incorporation of '80s nostalgia into a sci-fi mystery plot appealing to an entire generation of Netflix subscribers. For Season 2, the Duffer brothers didn't stray too far from the formula, but wisely avoided repeating themselves. This was a darker, scarier set of episodes, with all the established characters deepened through the drama, and some great new additions to the cast. There was a stronger horror influence this round too, allowing for thrilling, sometimes surprisingly gruesome, monster action. Roll on Season 3.
5. The Shape of Water
Guillermo Del Toro is one of the most beloved figures in fantastic cinema, able to blend horror, sci-fi, and fantasy in new and compelling ways. After the big budget city-smashing action of Pacific Rim and the gothic madness of Crimson Peak, Shape of Water took Del Toro back to the smaller scale of earlier movies such as Cronos and The Devil's Backbone. In the wrong hands, this 1960s-set tale of a woman who falls in love with a strange sea creature that has been captured by the US government might have come across as laughable, but with Del Toro in charge, this was a wonderfully strange, gripping, and moving fairy tale.
4. Black Mirror Season 4
The fourth season of Black Mirror was the strongest yet. With each passing year, as our reliance on technology and involvement in social media deepens, so does the potential risks that could arise from them. Black Mirror reflects the fears we dare not consider and explores them in ways that seem exaggerated, but on further consideration feel like a terrifying potential reality. Whether it's online dating, how memories can be exploited, virtual reality, or the dark side of artificial intelligence, each of these episode was profound and chilling. This season also leaned into different genres for presentation more than any before, taking cues from the likes of Star Trek, The Shining, and the works of Alfred Hitchcock, to name a few. It's a bold, unmissable series, provided you've got the stomach for it.
3. Blade Runner 2049
Even with Arrival-director Denis Villeneuve behind the camera, there was much understandable nervousness about the Blade Runner sequel. The original is such a beloved, important, influential classic that how could a second one only be a disappointment? But amazingly, Villeneuve delivered a movie that not only honored the legacy of Ridley Scott's masterpiece, but emerged from its shadow as an engrossing, challenging, and visually amazing experience. Like the original it wasn't a box office success, but similarly, expect its reputation to grow in the coming years.
2. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
JJ Abrams did a great job restoring the cinematic Star Wars brand to its former glory, so the big question was--where would Rian Johnson take the next chapter? On one hand, much of The Last Jedi felt as comfortable and reassuring as The Force Awakens--familiar characters, epic space battles, Stormtroopers, droids, AT-ATS, and lightsabers. But there was a verve and unpredictability to The Last Jedi that ensured that this venerable franchise kept moving forward, without endlessly repeating itself. Not all of Johnson's narrative and character decisions have been met with universe acclaim from fans, but at its best, this was a giddy and inventive space fantasy. And it looked amazing too, from the stark beauty of Acht-To to the vast salt plains of Crait and the moody red interior of Snoke's chamber, The Last Jedi was up there with The Empire Strikes Back as the most visually stunning Star Wars movie to date.
1. War for the Planet of the Apes
The Planet of the Apes movies are proof that huge blockbuster movies and intense, character-driven storytelling are not mutually exclusive. Matt Reeves' second entry and the conclusion of Caesar's story is as grim and intense a movie as you will see this year, at times more reminiscent of a revenge western than a lavish sci-fi blockbuster. The ape effects and motion-captured actors behind them are so good you never once think that these aren't "real" performances happening in front of a camera, and the movie has a lot to say about conflict, division, and some of the darkest points of American history. But it also features blistering action, some great comedy, and an intensely emotional conclusion. Apesolutely brilliant.
By Gajan Kulasingham on Dec 28, 2017 09:30 pm
DC cosplay had a strong presence this year at events across the world as fans dressed up as their favorite characters from various DC properties. Check out some of the best cosplayers we saw in 2017! For more amazing cosplay we saw this year, check out the best Marvel Cosplay and Overwatch Cosplay we saw in 2017.
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By Meg Downey on Dec 28, 2017 09:30 pm
Hero Time
If the superhero bubble is getting close to bursting, you'd never guess it by looking back at 2017. This year saw the release of too many comic book inspired shows and movies to really count, spanning just about every genre and demographic target you can imagine, from goofy and kid friendly to hyper violent and grim. Busy as 2017 was for the business, the end of the year presents the perfect opportunity for reflection--and more importantly--for ranking. The competition was fierce, but we've put together a countdown of the 10 best superhero adaptations to hit screens both big and small in the past 12 months.
10. The Gifted
2017 was a banner year for the X-Men franchise, so much so that Fox's The Gifted was only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Created by Burn Notice showrunner Matt Nix, The Gifted exists in a vaguely defined time period and dubiously shared universe in relation to the other X-Men and X-Men spin off properties where the X-Men had disappeared and mutants have been all but kicked to the very bottom of the social ladder thanks to public fear and systemic oppression. From introducing new characters wholesale, like Marcos Diaz (aka Eclipse), a mutant with the ability to generate lasers from his hands and who bleeds molten plasma, to reinventing familiar favorites like Lorna Dane (aka Polaris) and Clarice Ferguson (now Clarice Fong,aka Blink), The Gifted played fast and loose with X-Men history just enough to keep things fresh and exciting. It may not be your ideal X-Men show, depending on where you stand with your comics puritanism, but it certainly gets a good amount of credit for messing with expectations and rules.
9. Crisis on Earth X
DC's television universe on the CW really found its stride this year with its massive four-part crossover event Crisis on Earth-X. The crossover shindig has been an annual tradition for the "Berlantiverse" family of shows--Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, and The Flash--but prior to this year, they've all been relatively phoned in affairs that were fun but either smaller in scale or lacking any real substance. Crisis on Earth-X, however, pulled out all the stops. When the dopplegangers of heroes like Green Arrow and Supergirl from the Nazi-controlled alternate Earth codenamed "Earth-X" invaded, the entire cast (and then some) of all four main CW shows were called upon to stop them. There were deaths, weddings, and new additions to be found in each episode of the two night, four hour long event, along with no shortage of hilariously over the top superheroic camp. It was fun, funny, and surprisingly emotionally resonant for a cluster of shows that are typically more than happy to exalt in their CW-branded teen drama and angst.
8. The Punisher
The Punisher took its rather controversial baggage--the very timely debate about the appropriateness of a show featuring gun-toting, murderous superhero--in exceedingly self aware stride once it was finally released on Netflix this fall. An immediate outlier to the streaming arm of the MCU, Punisher took more notes from movies like John Wick than it did from any of its shared universe counterparts--and that definitely wasn't a bad thing. Rather than try and sugar coat Frank Castle's murderous psychosis, the show leaned all the way in, focusing on traumatic violence and its after effects, the plight of veterans with untreated PTSD, and the inability for the system to help those who so desperately need it. It was serious, brutal, and almost relentlessly grim, but it earned the right to be with a well-paced story and an unflinching commitment to its message. The Punisher finally allowed the Netflix MCU to work with a character it didn't have to make excuses for or self consciously dress up in a costume, and the finished product was better for it.
7. Legion
The second entry on this list from the X-Men universe, FX's Legion was the live action adaptation of one of Marvel's most off-kilter mutants: David Haller, aka Legion. The thing about David is that his mutation isn't something that particularly lends itself to putting on a costume and punching bad guys. He's a powerful psychic who's brain happens to be home to to hundreds of alternate personalities, each of whom have a different mutation of their own--at any moment, David's brain can be taken over by one of his divergent personalities and his physical body can manifest their mutation. Oh, and also he's the semi-estranged son of Charles Xavier. Yes, that Charles Xavier. So of course, Legion the TV show had a lot of potential for failure, just by virtue of how weird it's protagonist really was, but what could have been a coffin nail became the show's greatest asset. Feeling more like a superhero show as envisioned by David Lynch, Legion manifested as an art house leaning, experimental extravaganza, complete with musical numbers and monsters, drifting in and out of any established canon seemingly at will--and it worked. Legion took a gamble and committed to the bit early on, and it paid off with one of the weirdest, wildest comic book shows to date.
6. The Lego Batman Movie
As the ability to trade on grit and violence, or even to justify an R-rating, becomes increasingly important in superhero movies, The Lego Batman Movie dared to take the ball and run the totally opposite direction. Not only wearing, but flaunting its PG rated kid-friendly banner, Lego Batman did what Batman movies haven't been allowed to do since the days of latex nipple suits and ice-puns: it went completely, exorbitantly silly and nakedly earnest. With a central message about loving your friends and finding your own family, Lego Batman managed to be both heartwarming and hilarious; something that ran a high chance of becoming a complete pop culture catastrophe but wound up lovingly molded into a joyful, hilarious romp through all the very best parts of the Gotham City and its cast of characters. Lego Batman is a Batman movie for every type of fan, no matter their age, and a great reminder of just what makes these superhero movies so worthwhile.
5. Wonder Woman
Diana of Themyscira finally got her due this year with the release of Wonder Woman in June--the first ever modern superhero movie to focus on a female hero, something audiences have been waiting for for over a decade. There was a lot riding on Diana's shoulders, both in and outside of the movie--as a character with a complicated and often times contradictory comic book past, she lacked the recognition that the other two prongs of DC's trinity, Batman and Superman, and she was picking up no shortage of slack following in the footsteps of a roster of not-so-beloved films like Batman vs. Superman and Suicide Squad. But despite it all, Diana's first solo outing since the '70s was a major success, spearheading an entirely new brand of optimism and hope for the DCEU that has now become a mission statement for the franchise as it moves forward. Sure, Wonder Woman might not have been a magic bullet cure-all for the systemic problems of DC's movies, but it certainly was a massive success and a course correction for the better.
4. Spider-Man: Homecoming
Peter Park's solo debut into the MCU came with an unexpectedly fresh take on the oft-rebooted web slinging hero, finally delivering a Spider-Man story that didn't rely on a retelling of the "with great power, comes great responsibility" origin as its narrative spine. Spider-Man: Homecoming dropped viewers directly into the heart of Peter's story, thanks to some quick introductory work in Captain America: Civil War, which allowed plenty of room for director Jon Watts to play with fan expectation. Homecoming was a sharp, funny, and well earned entry into the MCU's pantheon of solo outings, taking as many queues from The Breakfast Club as it did the original Iron Man. We all know Peter's story by now, but we've never seen him quite like this before.
3. Runaways
Somehow, it took the world nearly a decade of superhero fever to actually sit down and make a live action show focusing on one the comic book movie's biggest demographics: teenagers. Runaways, now streaming on Hulu, is the first ever live action adaptation of the offbeat team of the same name, a group of outcast kids from Los Angeles who learn their parents are secretly operating as supervillains. Runaways the comic has had a cult following since its original run in the early 2000s. The show isn't a completely faithful recreation of those comics, but it proves right away that it doesn't need to be. Rich with all new mysteries, totally new character dynamics, and a smile-and-wink humor about its own campy, comic book roots, Runaways is a show that is aiming to rope in those die-hard fans but still keep them on their toes. It oozes all the style of teen drama hits like Pretty Little Liars and The OC, it just also happens to include a telepathic dinosaur and a girl who can turn into rainbow light, which might just be a combination of things you never knew you needed.
2. Thor: Ragnarok
If Spider-Man: Homecoming was the MCU dipping its toe into the idea of breaking its tried-and-true formula, Thor: Ragnarok was a full on cannon ball. Director Taika Waititi probably got the rulebook at some point in the making of this film, but it undoubtedly got left on the side of the road somewhere--and somehow, against all odds, neither Marvel nor Disney ever stopped to tell him, or anyone involved in the process "no." Thor: Ragnarok was a neon drenched, hair metal screeching, over the top action comedy that dripped with the sort of irreverent, deadpan humor Waititi has made his brand, all under the banner of a giant superhero blockbuster. With a heart it happily wore on its sleeve and a blatantly self-aware sensibility about just how absurd the whole concept of Thor as a superhero actually is, Ragnarok lobbed good natured barb after good natured barb both at itself and at the MCU as a whole--and it had an absolute blast doing it. With any luck, the MCU will take some pages out of Ragnarok's book to keep things from getting too stale or too predictable as it transitions to the end of "Phase 3" in 2018--and with a whole "Phase 4" still on the horizon, these movies need as much new energy as it can get.
1. Logan
Logan was everything the rest of the X-Men film franchise never could be: gritty, hyper violent, and endlessly bleak with a hard-earned R rating to match. It also managed to be one of the year's most unique superhero movies, and not just because it was full of F-bombs and bloodshed. What Logan did right, by both fans and critics, was finally embrace the heart of what makes people like Logan as a character so much--his relentless lone-wolf persona crumbling away under the weight of a love for the family he's inadvertently made for himself. Beneath the comic book camp and history, behind the blue and yellow spandex and goofy hair, Wolverine has managed to instill himself in the pop culture zeitgeist so firmly because he touches that nerve in fans--the one that makes him seem like the coolest dad you never had (and probably never wanted) and the boogie man all at once. With stellar performances by Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, and Dafne Keen, Logan managed to be one of the year's best, and an appropriate pay off for nearly 20 years of X-Men movies.
By Dan Auty on Dec 28, 2017 09:30 pm
2017 was the biggest year for horror since... well, ever. Not only was the year's most profitable movie--in terms of budget to gross--a horror film, the year also saw the release of what now stands as the most financially successful horror movie ever made. And while big box office is not always a mark of quality, in the case of Get Out and It, it absolutely was. Beyond that, the year was marked by an incredibly diverse mix of films, with zombies, cannibals, demons, killer dolls, and demonic clowns all vying for attention. So let's take a look at the best horror movies that 2017 had to offer.
15. Happy Death Day
Blumhouse Films have had a great year. The production company made 2017's two most profitable low budget movies--Get Out and Split--and it also delivered one of the most purely-fun horror films in the shape of Happy Death Day. From the title to the concept--essentially a slasher movie remake of Groundhog Day--it's a ridiculous film that embraces its ridiculousness 100 percent. Happy Death Day is never particularly scary, but it is damn funny and has a winning lead performance from Jessica Rothe as the college student forced to relive the day she is murdered by a masked killer over and over again.
14. Cult of Chucky
It's hard to think of many horror hits that haven't had at least one follow-up, and as any fan knows, many spawn a vast number of sequels and remakes, mostly with a rapid decline in quality. The exception is the Child's Play series, which, eight films in, is still finding new and surprising angles on the saga of the killer doll Chucky. This is one has Chucky infiltrate an psychiatric hospital in order to kill the woman who survived his last rampage. There's in-jokes, returning characters, outlandish murder sequences, and the glorious sight of three Chuckys on the rampage, all voiced with foul-mouthed glee by Brad Dourif once more.
13. The Girl with all the Gifts
Zombies are so ubiquitous on both the big and the small screen that it's getting increasingly hard to do something interesting with them. The post-apocalyptic road movie The Girl With All the Gifts proved that there's still life in the genre. The girl of the title is Melanie, a 10-year-old who is host for the viral infection that has turned the rest of the world into crazed flesh-crazed creatures. The big difference here is that, unless she gets too close to other humans, she is in complete control of her body and mind. A strong supporting cast includes Glenn Close, Gemma Arterton, and Paddy Considine, and the movie mixes thrilling zombie action with thought-provoking moral questions and an affecting emotional undercurrent.
12. The Blackcoat's Daughter
Director Osgood Perkins is the son of Norman Bates himself--aka actor Anthony Perkins--so his horror credentials were strong even before he stepped behind a camera. But his debut movie, which was shot in 2015 but not realised until 2017 in the US, proved that he has seriously potential to be one of the great horror filmmakers over the coming years. It's a disturbing, slow-burning tale of a teenage girl who is forced to stay at a largely-deserted boarding school at the start of the Christmas vacation after her parents fail to collect her. Stand-out performances from Emma Roberts and Mad Men's Kiernan Shipka, a brooding, oppressive atmosphere, and a knock-out twist make for a movie that lingers long after the end credits.
11. Tragedy Girls
Horror comedy is one of the hardest sub-genres to pull off--if the balance between frights and scares needs is not expertly judged, then what results is a movie that is neither or funny or scary. Luckily, the high school slasher satire Tragedy Girls gets both right. X-Men universe stars Alexandra Shipp and Brianna Hildebrand (aka Storm and Negasonic Teenage Warhead) deliver gloriously committed performances as best friends who share two great passions--social media and serial killers. They set about creating their own murders in an attempt to boost the popularity of their true crime blog. The results is a smart, fast-moving movie that has much to say about the way we consume information these days, while still delivering some hilariously gruesome set-pieces.
10. Raw
French filmmakers have delivered some of the most effective horror movies over the past 15 years; films such as Martyrs, Switchblade Romance, and Inside have pushed the genre forward into dark, uncomfortable places. The latest movie to join this club is Raw. It's is an affecting, dream-like story of a veterinary student who must deal with both her new life at vet school and an emerging taste for human flesh. Director Julia Ducournau crafts a movie that is both emotionally fraught and, at times, unwatchable gruesome. You might not feel like going for burgers after watching Raw, but you won't forget it in a hurry.
9. Gerald's Game
2017 was truly the year of the Stephen King adaptation, with a wide variety of movies and TV shows bringing the great man's words to the screen. There was some rubbish (The Mist, The Dark Tower), but some really great adaptations too. Gerald's Game was one of the best, and given that the movie consists almost entirely of a woman tied to a bed for several days after a sex game goes wrong, the one adaptation that simply might not have worked. Luckily, director Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Hush) has already proved himself to be one of the best young horror filmmakers working, and with Carla Gugino delivering an outstanding lead performance, the end result was a gripping, inventive, daring treat.
8. Mother!
No one really knew what to expect from Darren Aronofsky's new movie ahead of release. While the director had skirted round the edges horror over the decades, in movies such as Black Swan and Requiem for a Dream, early trailers suggested that this could be the film that saw him fully embrace the genre. Of course, this was only part of the story. While Mother! certainly used many of the conventions and imagery of horror, the film was a mad, polarising, stunningly-made allegory that addressed any number of subjects--environmental destruction, religious fervour, artistic ambition--that climaxed in the year's most insane, disturbing final 30 minutes. Anchored stand-out performance from Jennifer Lawrence, Mother! infuriated and angered as many viewers as it enthralled. While ultimately it was not a box office success, this is a movie that will be discussed and dissected for many years to come.
7. The Hounds of Love
The year's most harrowing movie, this beautifully directed Australian abduction drama is actually fairly restrained in its depiction of on-screen violence, preferring instead to disturb psychologically. Set in the mid-1980s, it's the story of a high-school girl who is kidnapped and kept prisoner by a psychotic man and his girlfriend. Despite her brutal experience, she sets about exploiting the fraught relationship between her abductees with the intention of turning them against each other. Much of the movie's disturbing power comes from the bland, suburban setting, where residents get on with their boring lives and never ask what the neighbours are doing behind closed doors. A hugely impressive debut from director Ben Young.
6. Fear The Walking Dead Season 3
When Fear the Walking Dead debuted in 2015, it was met with a collective shrug. The Walking Dead was already breaking audience viewing records and delivering compelling zombie drama every week, so why did we need a spin-off prequel? Two years later, it is a different story. The main show is undergoing a major decline in both audiences and quality, and Fear has emerged from its shadow as the superior show. Its third season screen was by the far best yet. Compelling, morally-complex characters, bold choices (and entire episode almost entirely in Spanish), and some truly thrilling episodes. Episode 13 ("This Land is Your Land") in particular was a standout and better than anything the main show has delivered in years.
5. A Dark Song
A Dark Song is proof that, with the right material, you don't need anything more than a couple of actors and a house to make a highly effective horror movie. This British production explores the months that a grieving woman spends inside an old house with the occultist she hires to make contact with her dead son--or so she tells him. Intense performances from Catherine Walker and Steve Oram, a sustained sense of dread, and an unpredictable plot makes this one of the year's stand-out indie horrors. It's very scary in places but never once resorts to the sorts of lazy shocks we usually find with this kinds of movie, instead emerging as something deeply moving.
4. Annabelle: Creation
Scary dolls have long been a staple of horror, so it's no surprise that Annabelle, the creepy Victorian from James Wan's 2015 smash The Conjuring has been given her own spin-off series. The second Annabelle movie was a big improvement over its predecessor. Director David Sandberg uses the atmospheric 1950s setting to his advantage, and avoids a modern, flashy style to instead invoke the feel of old-fashioned horror movies such as The Haunting and The Innocents. And considering she's only a couple of feet tall and made of porcelain, Annabelle remains one of the scariest horror villains of the year.
3. Channel Zero: No End House
Anthology shows are a vital part of horror, going all the way back to the Twilight Zone in the 1960s, and on through the likes of The Outer Limits, Tales From The Darkside, and Masters of Horror. Channel Zero is the latest show to use the format; the second season was the year's standout slice of horror TV. The show uses creepypastas--online viral horror myths--for its story inspiration and for the second season, was based on Brian Russell's "NoEnd House." Four friends enter a spooky house, where every room is supposedly more terrifying than the last. What makes Channel Zero so impressive isn't just the level of sustained terror and the inventive, bizarre make-up effects and camera trickery, but that it still finds time for the characters and drama amongst the frights.
2. It
It was not only the best Stephen King adaptation of the year, it also now stands the highest grossing horror movie ever made. Director Andy Muschietti wisely adapted only half of King's 1987 epic, focusing on a group of kids and their fight against the evil shapeshifting creature of the title. As a result, and unlike the 1990 TV version, the movie really finds the time it needs to breathe and allows the viewer to become fully invested in the kids' experiences. In addition, Bill Skarsgård delivers an unforgettable performance as the terrifying Pennywise, the creature's most iconic guise. Smart, scary, and hugely entertaining, It was mainstream horror filmmaking at its best. Roll on part 2.
1. Get Out
Long-time viewers of Jordan Peele's sketch comedy show Key & Peele may well have been aware of his love of horror, thanks to such classic sketches as this and this. But few will have expected his directorial debut to be the best horror movie in 2017. There is a grand tradition of socially-conscious horror and sci-fi, from Invasion of the Body Snatchers to Night of the Living Dead, and Get Out is a worthy addition to the list. Peele's scary, clever satire taps directly into many of the issues of race that continue to play a major part in our society, and incorporates them into a twisted, unpredictable Twilight Zone-esque mystery. It's provocative without being hectoring and while frequently tense and unnerving, remains an entirely accessible film whose huge box office success proved that horror movies can have have something to say while still delivering crowd-pleasing frights.
By GameSpot Staff on Dec 28, 2017 09:30 pm
Show stoppers
We are, as many people like to say, in the midst of "Peak TV", the cultural moment where the quantity of outstanding television series have never been higher. Nearly every second show is proclaimed a "must-watch" nowadays, making it exceedingly tough to be across everything that everyone is talking about. If you're a fan of one of these outstanding shows, then it can sometimes be tough to find others who have as much passion as you. But we hear at GameSpot love a wide variety of shows, and we're here to share the joy with you. We've picked out some of our favorite individual episodes from our favorite ongoing series this year to relive the best TV of the past 12 months. Are your favorites here, and did we pick the best highlight episodes from each one? Read on to find out.
18. "The Toll" (Ozark)
There were unavoidable comparisons to Breaking Bad when Ozark first hit Netflix in July, given the plot seemingly revolved around a normal family man forced into a dangerous life of crime in order to survive. But it quickly became clear that this show was very different, and it ultimately emerged as one of 2017's finest crime dramas. Every episode was part a slow, gripping build to the finale, and the climactic 10th episode--The Toll--didn't disappoint. There was a lot of ground to cover and quite a few stories to wrap up, but with 90 minutes to play with, nothing ever felt rushed. The Toll was seriously brutal at times, both in terms of what you saw (torn off toenails, exploding heads), and didn't (Grace's fate). But it was emotionally powerful too, with Wendy and Marty forced to make some hard decisions about the future of their family. The Snells proved that they are, in fact, far more dangerous and scary than the Mexican cartel, and it all ended in a perfect place for Season 2 to kick off--everyone back together, but with the stakes even higher.
17. "The Gentle Art of Making Enemies" (Gotham)
There is no comic book rivalry more iconic than Batman and The Joker. In its third season, Gotham gave the two prototypical versions of the characters their first battle, which culminated with young Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) literally punching the face off of Jerome (Cameron Monaghan), igniting a feud that will likely never end. It's a perfect example of Gotham carving its own path through decades of established canon, as it sets itself apart from any Batman you've ever seen.
16. "Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad" (Star Trek: Discovery)
In its embrace of serialised storytelling, Star Trek: Discovery's first season has lacked many strong, standalone individual episodes, the type of which previous Trek TV iterations excelled in. But with "Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad", Discovery struck the ideal balance between telling it's season-long arc as well as providing a relatively self-contained plot within the space of one hour. Plus, it's a time-travel episode that sees the crew of the Discovery relive the same few hours over and over again as they're attacked by the much more serious incarnation of original series holdover Harry Mudd. Star Trek usually excels at these types of timey-wimey setups, and "Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad" does not disappoint.
15. "Time's Arrow" (Bojack Horseman)
Bojack Horseman--one of television's most underrated (or perhaps, underappreciated) shows--again proved the layers of depth and complexity it contains with this outstanding episode that chronicled the life of Beatrice Horseman, Bojack's bitter and emotionally abusive mother. The trip through the dementia-affected brain of Bea was affecting and impactful, shining light on how exactly Bea became to be the person (or horse) that Bojack knew. And that final moment with Bojack and Bea? Equal parts devastating and sweet.
14. "Girls Are Horny Too" (Big Mouth)
The poignant and gross show about puberty didn't limit its scope to only the male experience--and a good thing, because if it had, we would have never gotten this hilarious and eye-opening examination of the many shades and layers of female sexuality. All that from a show about jerking off! Who would have thought?
13. "XXXVIII" (Black Sails)
The series finale of Starz's swashbuckling pirate show didn't just set up the story of Treasure Island with a wink and a saber jab. It provided closure--not just for our favorite characters, but for the end of a legendary era that's excited and inspired the world ever since, despite the real violence Black Sails so often chronicled. And it somehow managed a happy ending.
12. "Live Studio Audience" (GLOW)
Watching the wonderful women of Netflix's GLOW finally take to the ring and perform in front of a live studio audience was thrilling and satisfying--even if that audience consisted of nothing more than a handful of weirdos lured in off the street. But when the Beatdown Biddies pivoted their characters to become the KKK Biddies--and then take on Junk Chain and Welfare Queen--it became a match for the ages.
11. "The Ricklantis Mixup" (Rick and Morty)
This oddball episode of everyone's favorite animated show (not that there's a "normal" episode of Rick and Morty) ditched our standard protagonists in favor of a connected series of vignettes set on the Citadel of Ricks, home to infinite Ricks and infinite Morty sidekicks. This is the kind of insane concept that somehow feels right at home on this show, and it wound up being the best episode of the season.
10. "Crocodile" (Black Mirror)
This standout episode of Netflix's Black Mirror Season 4 was chilling on multiple levels. Every time you thought it couldn't get worse, Crocodile's protagonist did something even more heinous. And the episode was unique for Black Mirror in that it didn't so much focus on some futuristic technology, as use it as an incidental plot device. This was really a Fargo-style series of bloody coincidences (minus any humor) that could have taken place anywhere, at any time, and that's what made it so terrifying.
9. "Chapter 7" (Legion)
Legion eventually became so insane and trippy that its early episodes began to look tame in comparison. "Chapter 7" involved bullets frozen in time and an imaginary hospital filled with violent, crazed, zombie-like patients. But it also finally provided some answers, and revealed an epic twist regarding the identity of the enemy that's been plaguing David's mind since before he was born.
8. "Episode 2" (Mindhunter)
The first episode of Mindhunter was more a measured period piece than anything else. It wasn't until Episode 2 when we finally got to meet one of the "serial killers" the show focused on that Mindhunter's brilliance began to emerge. Cameron Britton's portrayal of the real life killer Edmund Kemper was absolutely chilling.
7. "The Return: Part 8" (Twin Peaks)
We never expected another season of Twin Peaks, and we certainly never expected it to take the form it has. The Return didn't concern itself with what existing fans wanted, or even what a television show should be. Part 8 was the unforgettable zenith of this sentiment. An hour of television that went even further, and shirked any notions of what we thought The Return was at that point. Utterly shocking and overwhelming, Part 8 is filled with unsettling scenes and abstract visual cacophony. The images allude to previously unexplored Twin Peaks lore, but certainly not in any kind of easily comprehensible manner. Black and white visions of the past. Long uncomfortable stretches of silence. Even longer, uncomfortable stretches of high-pitched whining. A nuclear explosion. Flickering stop-motion figures. A mysterious egg. A biological horror. Ladies and gentlemen, the Nine Inch Nails? Twin Peaks: The Return is one of the greatest triumphs of television, and it's hard to imagine ever seeing anything like this ever again. This is the water, and this is the well. Drink full and descend.
6. "eps3.4_runtime-err0r.r00" (Mr. Robot)
Compared to the more off-the-wall and deceptive storyline from season 2, the third outing for Mr. Robot felt like a return to the more grounded style from the early part of the series. But one thing that the show is good at is subverting expectations, and the more subdued story approach from the first half of Season 3 was just the calm before the storm. In eps3.4_runtime-err0r.r00, we find Elliott having the worst workday ever when he has to evade EvilCorp security in order to prevent the Dark Army from pulling off Stage 2. Presented as one seamless shot with no cuts--with each passing moment ratcheting up the anxiety and dread--the fifth episode of season 3 felt worked in elements of Die Hard with the show's patented off-kilter and introspective storytelling. With both season 2 and 3 directed entirely by show creator by Sam Esmail, the series features some of the most consistent and stylized direction on TV--and eps3.4_runtime-err0r.r00 was one of the finest moments the series has had.
5. "The Spoils Of War" (Game of Thrones)
The Game of Thrones episode The Spoils of War had a few glaring flaws, but by and large went overboard in the best way possible. It let the series' iconic dragons storm the battlefield for the first time, and though the carnage was impressively harrowing, it also nearly meant the end of Jamie Lannister. Seeing Tyrion on the opposing side made this all the more fascinating as he's no doubt indebted to his brother but presently sworn to serve his family's greatest enemy. Far north, we also witnessed a reunion that was a longtime in the making, between Arya and Sansa Stark. Individually, the sisters couldn't be more different. After years apart--spent fending off one horrible event after another--their new reality and memories of the past collided head on. After many seasons waiting patiently for a few of this episode's climactic events to unfold, Game of Thrones fans got more than they clamored for.
4. "Offred" (The Handmaid's Tale)
You won't find a more brightly lit TV show in 2017 than The Handmaid's Tale. This luminescence is an essential contrast to the darkness and oppression that permeates throughout much of the show. Superbly adapted from Margaret Atwood's 1985 speculative fiction novel, The Handmaid's Tale follows the life of Offred in the aftermath of an American civil war in the 21st Century. Along with establishing the characters and setting the themes, the inaugural episode--named after Offred--effectively reveals a frightening world were fertile women are politicized and managed. These are the handmaidens, whose function is to bear children on behalf of women at the top of the social hierarchy. Flashbacks to Offred's initial days as a handmaiden and life before the civil war adds engaging context but more importantly, gets you more invested in an already enthralling character, superbly portrayed by Elisabeth Moss. Her deliberate facial close-ups by director of photography, Colin Watkinson capture her anguish and contemplation. Yet before despair has a chance to completely set in, the episode ends showing Moss' determination to escape, conveying a sliver of optimism in a show that only gets darker as its 10-episode season progresses. And before the cut to credits, the quietly defiant Offred declares her resolve by reminding the viewer of her real name: June.
3. "Michael's Gambit" (The Good Place)
The Good Place seemed like a strange idea for a show--Kristen Bell's character Eleanor finds herself mistakenly in "The Good Place" (heaven) after dying at the exact same moment as another Eleanor with her exact name and birthday. It worked surprisingly well, though, and had a surprisingly hilarious and touching Season 1--until the finale, "Michael's Gambit," turned the entire concept upside-down, cementing The Good Place as one of the greats.
2. "The Book of Nora" (The Leftovers)
Created in part by Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof, The Leftovers didn't initially inspire a lot of hope that its central mystery--what happened to the two percent of people who inexplicably vanished--would ever be answered. But in its series finale, "The Book of Nora," The Leftovers did something incredible: It offered an answer, then asked viewers to decide for themselves whether to believe it. It fit perfectly with the show's theme of faith and what we get out of it, and it should go down as one of the best series finales ever made.
1. "You Get What You Need" (Big Little Lies)
After the first couple of episodes, it was easy to mistake Big Little Lies for a show that was simply about in-fighting among a group of privileged mothers in beautiful Monterey, Calif. But by its finale, in which the story finally caught up with the framing device of a murder at the school's trivia night, it had become so much more. And the final scenes delivered on all the conflicts, mysteries, and promise of the show's first season in a way that felt both surprising and satisfying. Hopefully Season 2 can live up to it.
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