SF Signal Readers’ Choice: What was Your Favorite SF/F/H Film of 2012?
The end of the year is often a time of reflection and, more importantly, list making!
Help us compile a list of the best genre films of the year by telling us which science fiction, fantasy and/or horror films were your favorites. These do not have to necessarily be films that were originally released this year — we are more interested in the best films that you consumed for the first time in 2012.
Sound off in the comments!
Released in 2012:
Science Fiction: Looper
Fantasy: The Avengers
Horror: Sinister
Best I’ve seen in 2012:
Science Fiction: (tie) Another Earth and Melancholia
Fantasy: Kiki’s Delivery Service
Horror: The Woman in Black
Chronicle – Josh Trank
Melancholia – Lars Von Trier
Rec 3 – Paco Plaza
The Innkeepers – Ti West
Without a doubt the movie that filled me with pure joy as
JOHN CARTER
But it was a great year for genre movies; I’d also list:
ABRAHAM LINCOLN VAMPIRE HUNTER
WRATH OF THE TITANS
THE AVENGERS
CABIN IN THE WOODS
LOCKOUT
CHRONICLE
INNKEEPERS
MEN IN BLACK 3
SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN
PROMETHEUS
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
DREDD
THE HOBBITT
DETENTION
THE CALLER
REAL STEEL
RED RIDING HOOD
DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK
Cloud Atlas. Period.
Movies for me begin with The Avengers. It worked better than I had (high) hopes of expecting.
I’d probably choose a film adaptation of Stanislaw Lem’s, One Human Minute (“1” by Patter Sparrow). It was released by the director for free (on his youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VorGmTXe84), with English subtitles. It is a great cerebral film (produced in 2009), difficult at times yet engaging, reminding of Jodorowsky or Bunuel…
From movies produced and released this year, I’d choose “Dredd”. Not only a great comic-book adaptation, but also a reminder that grim-n’-gritty action films (like Verhoeven’s “Robocop”) do get made.
Easily Looper for me. Great flick.
John Carter is the easy frontrunner for me.
I liked Avengers, found it to be a really fun movie, but I was not disappointed at all that I waited to see it on the small screen.
Guess I didn’t mention fantasy. The Hobbit would be top of my list there. Well worth the wait.
My favourite SF/F/H movies:
–Cloud Atlas
–The Avengers
–John Carter
–The Dark Knight Rises
(In that order)
Best non-genre movie (and my absolute favourite, even though it was originally released November 2011 in France): INTOUCHABLES.
NOTE: haven’t seen “The Hobbit” yet, and the less said about “Prometheus”, the better.
It’s a time travel triptic:
Looper
Safety Not Guaranteed
Sound of My Voice
Looper
My favorite movie was CABIN IN THE WOODS, perhaps the smartest horror movie in years. The best movie I saw was LINCOLN
THE AVENGERS was fanboy joy to behold “PUNY GOD”
Hmmm…two flicks by Joss Whedon, I think that kid is going places.
I also enjoyed THE HOBBIT, though I suspect going into it with lowered/tempered expectations helped. Still, a film longer than it needed to be but it did give us the best ending in any of Peter Jackson’s movies.
A couple of people mentioned THE WOMAN IN BLACK…a very good horror film from the restarted Hammer Horror group. Radcliffe is more than just a boy wizard.
The most disappointing was THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. Sure it hit some good emotional beats, but it is one of those films whose logic crumbles once I left the theater and thought about it for a while. Seriously, BATMAN is active for a little over a year, then disappears for seven years? The quick take over of Wall Street…er sorry Gotham by Bane didn’t work. And JGL just looking at Bruce’s face tells him that Bruce once dressed like a bat and punched guys in the face?
LOOPER
THE AVENGERS
CABIN IN THE WOODS
Watched PAUL for the first time on video and loved it.
Above all others, JOHN CARTER (of Mars). It took me to Burroughs’s Barsoom and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, and met my successful test of a top-notch movie: If the dvd had been for sale in the lobby, I’d have bought one on the way out. As it was, saw it four times in the theatres, and I haven’t done that since Raiders.
Ditto for THE AVENGERS, liking nearly as much, and LOOPER, ranked right behind. Enjoyed THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, but not at the same level. SKYFALL was very good, the best remake of THE DARK KNIGHT we’re likely to see.
On the non-genre side, LINCOLN really scored with me. Rare for a Civil War buff like me to watch a Civil War era movie and really find little to persnickety about. Excellent story, and many superb acting performances. And I say that as only an occasional fan of Steven Spielberg. This may be his best film.
Saw PROMETHEUS, enough said. Don’t seem to be enthused about going to see THE HOBBIT. I am looking forward to LES MISERABLES, expect to add it to my best list.
Thanks for asking!
I saw the film in theaters 4 times as well, David. I actually hadn’t been as enamored and swept up in a science fiction film in a long, long time. And even though the film isn’t perfect from all objective standards, it was perfect TO ME. I bought and watched it again the day it came out.
Lincoln was very well done. I was very impressed with Daniel Day Lewis’ performance.
We plan on seeing Les Miz sometime either this weekend or on New Years Eve day.
Loved Les Miserables and Lincoln as well as Life of Pi and Anna Karenina for SF/F/H;
Beasts of the Southern Wild, The Avengers, Looper, Safety Not Guaranteed, The Hobbit, Cloud Atlas, Chronicles.
Saw The Dark Knight Rises, Prometheus, Brave and did not like any of them.
Still to see John Carter, Cabin in the Woods, and Amazing Spider Man.