A Definitive Absolutely Accurate Ranking of James Bond Theme Songs
The title says it all. Mostly. It doesn’t tell you why I have decided to put together a ranking of every James Bond theme song. I could tell you that there are great reasons for this, but I would be lying. The real reason: I’ve been watching and re-watching James Bond movies on and off for years, both as a kind of weird comfort watching and because the culture critic in me wants to understand them. The other real reason: cause I want to. In preparing for this, I had to consider two factors: first, what criteria to use to judge these songs, because no ranked list would be valid if we didn’t pretend to some kind of objective measure; and second, how to use such a list to incorporate my brother’s feedback, as he was coaxed into participating in this fiasco for our mutual amusement. The second of these, I simply decided that we’d use the ranking average of our two scores for the final score in one of the criteria categories. The more difficult task was coming up with the criteria in the first place. And so with much deliberation with myself, a little with my brother, and a little more with other folks who also have opinions about things, I came up with this list of five:
Film Challenge: 10 Underrated SF/F Films (1999-2019)
I have once more (and a very long time ago) been challenged by Ian Sales to join him in our un-named war to come up with the best arbitrary list of films within an equally arbitrarily selected category. You can find previous iterations of this absurdity here, here, here, here, and here. We have, alas, not done this in a long while, which we can both blame on being busy with many other things. But in the interest of rekindling silliness, I have been loosely challenged by Ian to come up with a list of 10 underrated SF/F films from the last 20 years, which is a direct response to this ScreenRant list. Since this list is in response to a link with a remarkably open prompt, I’ve opted to stick to the 10 item list format. Future challenges will go back to our favorite number: 5.
5 Lesser Known SF/F Cold War Films
It seems Ian Sales and I are playing a list challenge game, and this list is sure to disappoint him this round. Why? Because I’m pretty sure two of the options on my list don’t actually qualify except in my head. But we do what we can, no? This time around, I was challenged to come up with a list of 5 lesser known Cold War films that fit roughly in the sf/f genre. The rules were as follows: The film must be sf/f-ish (duh) The film must be set in the historical period called the Cold War OR The film must directly engage with the Cold War via alternate or future history (metaphors and obscure allegories do not count) The film must be “lesser known” based on my interpretation of that phrase Now for the list:
The 10 Best Science Fiction Movies Since 2000
I recently challenged Ian Sales* to name 10 films since 2000 that were better than Interstellar (2014). OK, that’s not entirely true. I challenged him to create a top 10 list of the best SF flicks since 2000; for Ian, they’re basically the same thing. He’s already released his list here. It contains some interesting choices, to say the least. While I disagree quite strongly with some of his selections, I do have to give him credit for not creating another boring “usual suspects” top 10 list; sadly, I’m probably going to disappoint people on that front. My list will only contain feature length productions, as short films should probably be discussed on their own. I’ve made no other distinctions with regards to format (live action, animated, adaptation, etc.) or delivery method (theater or straight-to-DVD). Alright, here goes: Inception (2010)This film continues to haunt me. Though its concept may not be original (Duck Tales, FTW), its clever use of the heist format to tell a dream-laden scifi action thriller with an ambiguous ending left me clamouring for more. Inception forced me to rethink about the soundtrack’s engagement with the narrative, too; the collaboration of Hans Zimmer and Christopher Nolan has produced some of the most experimental scores in blockbuster cinema (listen to the film next time you watch it; really listen). Through and through, this is my favorite movie from this period. Children of Men (2006)A beautiful, yet grungy examination of an infertile human culture struggling to survive. Much like the other films on this list, Children of Men examines humanity’s variant responses to catastrophe. Alfonso Cuarón’s direction, however, gives this one an edge over other dystopias. The single-shot chase scene is easily one of the most impressive moments in SF film since 2000. The Place Promised in Our Early Days (Kumo no Mukō, Yakusoku no Basho)(2004)Makoto Shinkai’s alternate history allegory for the Cold War remains one of my favorite animated films of all time. Crafted with a certain minimalist style in terms of its characters, PPOED’s teenage protagonists are nuanced sides to a coin resting on its side. Even the science fiction premise — an experimental tower which has the ability to re-map our Earth with the landscape of an alternate, barren one — gives the film a beautiful symbolic resonance that I cannot stop thinking about (which may explain why I published a paper on this flick). Interstellar (2014)I contemplated placing this higher on the list, but the more I thought about it, the less sure I was that Interstellar fit the #1 SF film since 2000 rubric. Regardless, the epic character drama and visual spectacle that is Nolan’s almost-magnum-opus will continue to resonate with me for years. McConaughey’s performance alone is enough to break your soul, and the concentration of themes, though heavy-handed at times, left me physically affected. Cloud Atlas (2012)Easily the most ambitious film on this list, Cloud Atlas is as much a theme-movie as Interstellar. The Wachowski brothers managed to take a complicated, almost unfilmable novel and translate it into a multi-layered, multi-themed dramatic epic. Though the film may have taken a misstep in its racial presentation, the overall product is a thing of beauty that will probably be forgotten — a great tragedy of our time. Her (2013)Of the films on this list, Her is probably the most character-oriented of them all. This nuanced examination of near future Millenials interacting with their AIs takes pains to give us an honest look at what that might mean. How would our relationships progress? Could you love an AI? Could an AI love you? The film’s ending provides an almost somber answer, demonstrating the real violence inherent in artificial intelligence: that they might abandon us entirely. The Dark Knight (2008)Heath Ledger’s performance deserved its Oscar; here, Nolan strips Batman completely from his comic book roots (something I think Batman Begins failed to do) and injects the gritty reality of larger-than-life crime into a franchise that had for so long been about visual spectacle (of the Gothic variety). From the Joker’s social experiments to Bruce Wayne’s questionable actions, The Dark Knight offers a landscape within which we should think about the interaction of morality and law. Sunshine (2007)The first Danny Boyle film on this list, Sunshine is one of those films which gets a lot of flack for its “twist ending.” I, however, love the ending if only because it resonates with the film’s opening shots of Cliff Curtis “communing” with the Sun. Personally, I am a fan of films which can bring a little philosophical depth to an otherwise standard “save the world” narrative. Boyle delivers with a diverse cast and a whole lot of gorgeous shots of space. Pacific Rim (2013)The only CGI festival blockbuster on this list, Pacific Rim is the kind of film that you love unless you’re someone with bad taste or a desire to be punched (I kid). Guillermo Del Toro’s mecha vs. giant monsters spectacle gave me everything I had hoped for in a film of that type, but then layered on a decent character-oriented plot to give the film a little bit of soul. Unlike other giant robot movies which shall not be named, this one seemed to care about the main cast and their trials rather than giving all of the attention to overblown action sequences with no purpose other than to make our eyes bleed. I’ve seen this film multiple times now, and I’d see it again in a heartbeat. 28 Days Later (2002)A novel engagement with an otherwise tired horror concept. The opening scenes of Cillian Murphy wandering the dilapidated streets of London are chilling, but it is the terrible cost of humanity which makes 28 Days Later my favorite zombie-themed film of all time. There is a certain beauty in Boyle’s direction, which may explain why he appears twice on this list. Honestly, the ranking is meaningless. I don’t think I’d put things in the same slots if you asked me to look at this list
Top 10 Science Fiction and Fantasy Anime Movies
I’ve been sitting on this list for months because I didn’t think I’d seen enough anime movies to warrant the creation of a list. Turns out I was wrong. When I did a bit of searching, I discovered I’d seen quite a lot of anime films, many of them viewed at 1 AM on some random satellite station my grandma had a decade ago. I still don’t know which station played anime at 1 AM, nor do I remember all of the films I saw (Black Magic M-66, which does not appear on the list below because it’s not that great, is one for which I am particularly nostalgic). So here I am with a list of 10. Don’t hesitate to tell me what you think in the comments (or share your own lists). Here goes (in no particular order): Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (Yutaka Fujioka) Flying beds, nightmare kings, magic scepters, flying squirrels, and dreams! The Place Promised in Our Lonely Days (Makoto Shinkai) Alternate realities, Cold War analogues, rebellion, and homemade jets! And I’m presenting a paper on it at the 2014 International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts in Orlando! *dances* Howl’s Moving Castle (Hayao Miyazaki) Talking flames, animalistic transformations, mystical castles, and Miyazaki’s classic genius. Princess Mononoke (Hayao Miyazaki) Mythology, modernity vs. the old world, giant spirit animals, and muskets! The Cat Returns (Hayao Miyazaki) Talking cats in tophats, kitty kingdoms, and magic transformations! Oh, and the English-dubbed edition, which is surprisingly good, features Cary Elwes, Anne Hathaway, Kristen Bell, Rene Auberjonois (from DS9!), Peter Boyle, Elliot Gould, and many more. That’s one hell of a cast, no? Akira (Katsuhiro Otomo) Do I really need to explain this one? It’s a beautiful, mess-with-your-head kind of film. And it’s a classic. At this point, you should have seen it already… Ghost in the Shell (Mamoru Oshii) What happens if a human mind merges with an artificial one? And are cyborgs still human? A cyberpunk classic. Ghost in the Shell 2 (Mamoru Oshii) Can you really trust cyborgs when their ability to exert free will is always in question? Nothing like a little cyberpunk to tackle the tough questions! Macross Plus (Shoji Kawamori & Shinichiro Watanabe) Jet battles, artificial intelligence, mass hypnosis, and Robotech! Yeah! Patlabor (Mamoru Oshii) Mecha in everyday society + hackers + mecha police = greatness. —————————————————– P.S.: I really wanted to include the OVAs for Samurai X in this list, but they are technically episodic in format, rather than proper films like the ones listed above. That means I’m going to have to write a whole new list about my favorite SF/F anime series!
Top 10 Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies Since 2010 (Thus Far)
This is just the beginning. I’m going to make an announcement about this very topic after I pass my PhD candidacy exams in September. For now, however, I’d like to offer a list of films I consider to be “the best” in the SF/F category for the years 2010-2013 (thus far). By “the best,” I mean “films I think are good movies as movies.” A lot of these films were quite popular when they were in theaters, but I’m not concerned by popularity here. I’m only concerned with what I think are well-written and/or well-produced films. A film with a thin plot can still be great if it does something more than just throw lots of action at the audience to hide its flaws (this is why you will see no Michael Bay films on the list). And on that note, I will shut up. The following are the top 10 SF/F movies released since 2010…for now (this list will change as I start to watch things I missed): 10. Chronicle (2012) While I’m not a huge fan of the found-footage film form, occasionally they are done right. Chronicle is one of those times. The semi-diary-format superhero story coupled with a narrative about the psychological impact of parental abuse and death stuck with me after I saw it in theaters. I connected with the main character almost immediately, in part because I’ve had similar experiences (minus the super powers). The director also does a pretty damn good job cobbling together the fictive pieces of the main character’s film diary, gaps and all. That earns it a spot on this list. 9. John Dies at the End (2012) This movie is weird. Really weird. But it’s also the kind of brilliant mix of camp and horror that one expects from Don Coscarelli, Jr. If you haven’t seen the film (and like Coscarelli’s work), I recommend watching it on Netflix. I can’t describe it to you. It’s, as I said, really freaking weird, and relentless in its descent into insanity. It’s sort of what I’d expect someone who just saw Cthulu to dream as they slowly fall to pieces. Only John Dies at the End is hilarious, surreal, and dark. 8. Pacific Rim (2013) You can learn all about my love for this film here. 7. Pumzi (released in the U.S. in 2010) The only short film of this list, Wanuri Kahiu’s incredible dystopian film Pumzi took academic circles by storm in 2010. For such a short work, it manages to bring a lot to the table: a thoroughly African setting (I suspect there are cultural clues specific to Kahiu’s native Kenya, but I know too little about that nation to say for sure); a fascinating post-apocalyptic “green utopian” society; and some interesting uses of technology. I’d say the film is cliche, but the semi-mystic undertones and the ambiguous final vertical panning shot over a seemingly threatening climate on the other side of the mountains make this one of the best films released in the last three years, if only because I’ve had some intense discussions about that ending. 6. Another Earth (2011) While action and straightforward SF films are wonderful when done right, sometimes a character drama in an SFnal universe can make for exceptional cinematic experiences. Brit Marling and Mike Cahill’s Another Earth uses its SF premise (a planet that looks suspiciously like our own earth appears suddenly in the sky) to provide an extended metaphor about second chances. The interaction between Rhoda (Marling) and John (William Mapother) as they both come to terms with the horrors of their connected pasts (unbeknownst to John, whose family was killed in a car accident caused by Rhoda) had me captivated all the way through. And like all good character dramas, the ending provides an ambiguous solution to the primary conflict in the narrative. It’s just a damned good film. 5. Elysium (2013) You can find out what I think about this movie here. I’m likely to write several blog posts about the film, though. I think it’s actually quite an intelligent film, despite all the critics who call it propaganda, stupid, pointlessly utopian, and so on (it is neither of these things). 4. Hugo (2011) The only children’s film on this list, Hugo‘s charming story about family and French cinema deserved a lot more love than it got when the awards season came around. Asa Butterfield’s exceptional performance as the title character, along with equally strong performances by Ben Kingsley and Chloe Moretz, added depth to an already exceptional and brilliantly-imagined film. It most certainly belongs on a top ten list for children’s films from the last decade! For now, I’ve stuck it here. 3. Never Let Me Go (2010) I’m a sucker for Carey Mulligan films, I guess. This low-key dystopia centralizes the personal growth and development of a trio of clones who will one day have their organs harvested by the British state. I saw this film for the first time with my sister, and I recall the feeling of dread and horror that arises in the final moments — feelings that just wouldn’t exist without the direct focus on these three characters as characters. It’s not a film for everyone, but I think it’s easily one of the best SF/F films ever made. 2. Cloud Atlas (2012) This one shouldn’t surprise anyone. The Wachowski sibling’s adaptation of David Mitchell’s epic novel of the same name didn’t get a lot of love from the traditional SF crowd, but I wasn’t surprised by that in the slightest. More critics and viewers loved Prometheus than Cloud Atlas; I think it’s fair to say that the former is a steaming pile of glittering shit stained with oils made from petrified dinosaur crap (here’s what I really think about that movie…). Cloud Atlas, however, is an incredible journey into the interconnected lives of individuals existing across various time periods. Every time I see the film, I make new connections between characters, discover new ambiguities