Once again we ask our present and past contributors, as well as friends of the site, to weigh in on the successes and failures of 2017.
Stefan Blitz
editor-in-chief, Forces of Geek
Best Movies: Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing Missouri, The Big Sick, Get Out, Thor: Ragnarok, Gifted, Blade Runner 2049
Best TV Shows: Ozark, Twin Peaks: The Return, Riverdale, The Carmichael Show, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Lethal Weapon
Best Books (fiction): Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, Artemis by Andy Weir
Best Books (non-fiction): Are You In The House Alone?: A TV Movie Compendium 1964-1999 Edited by Amanda Reyes, Paperbacks From Hell by Grady Hendrix
Best Comic Books / Graphic Novels: Mister Miracle by Tom King and Mitch Gerards, Black Hammer and Sherlock Frankenstein by Jeff Lemire, Dean Ormston and David Rubin, Batman/Elmer Fudd by Tom King and
Lee Weeks, Batman: White Knight by Sean Murphy, X-Men: Grand Design by Ed Piskor
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release: Into The Night (Shout! Factory), Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, The Criterion Collection, Logan Noir
Most overrated thing about 2017? Fan entitlement.
Most underrated thing about 2017? Justice League. Audiences decided they didn’t like it without even setting foot in the theater.
Thing that you were most excited about in 2017? Letting go of Star Wars. It was a huge part of my childhood. Now I can leave it there, see a movie once a year and not have any emotional connection beyond it.
Thing that disappointed you most in 2017? The United States government; President Obama and Vice-President Biden moving on.
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2018? Good movies, good books, good tv, good comics, good friends and good health. And impeachment.
Atlee Greene
FOG! Contributor / thegreenescreen.net / @AtleeGreene
Best Movies: Logan, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, mother!, Get Out, Split, Wind River, Detroit
Best TV Shows: Stranger Things, Game of Thrones, 13 Reasons Why, The Handmaid’s Tale, Rick & Morty, Big Little Lies, Crisis on Earth-X.
Best Video Game: Injustice 2, Super Mario Odyssey, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Best Comic Books / Graphic Novels: Saga, Mister Miracle, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Aliens: Dark Orbit, Batman, Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release: Logan w/ Black & White version of the film. Get Out, Wonder Woman, Baby Driver.
Most overrated thing about 2017? War for the Planet of the Apes
Thing that you were most excited about in 2017? The Last Jedi
Thing that disappointed you most in 2017? WWE Monday Night Raw, Marvel’s Secret Empire, Captain Phasma in The Last Jedi
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2018? Cloverfield: God Particle, Avengers: Infinity War, Black Panther, New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 12, Bumblebee, Wreck-It Ralph 2
Todd Sokolove
FOG! Contributor
Forces of Geek Presents Oh No They Didn’t! Podcast / ToddSokolove.com / @TSokolove
Best Movies: The Challenge, The Florida Project, Phantom Thread, A Ghost Story, Atomic Blonde, Get Out
Best TV Shows: American Gods, Twin Peaks: The Return, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Stranger Things 2, Riverdale, The Vietnam War
Best Books (non-fiction): Disappearing New York by Jeremiah Moss
Best Songs: “Mourning Sound” by Grizzly Bear, “Tangerine” by Beach Fossils, “A Fan’s Mail” by Thundercat, “Run For Cover” by The Killers, “Slip Away” by Perfume Genius
Best Albums: Colors by Beck, Dark Matter by Randy Newman, Everything Now by Arcade Fire, Hit The Light by Ten Fe, Prisoner by Ryan Adams
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release: Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, The Criterion Collection
Most Overrated Thing About 2017: Baby Driver
Most Underrated Thing About 2017: Atomic Blonde
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2018? Being a Los Angelean
Emma-Jane Corsan
FOG! Contributor
cheesemint.com /excusemewhileigeekout / @emmajanecorsan
Best Movies: Get Out, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, The Big Sick, Your Name, Shin Godzilla, Logan
Best TV Shows: Boruto, Love Live! Sunshine!!, Star Trek: Discovery, Master Of None, The Handmaid’s Tale, Dragon Ball Super
Best Books (fiction): The Southern Reach trilogy (Annihilation, Authority, Acceptance) by Jeff VanderMeer. This trilogy wasn’t technically released in 2017 but I read all three this year.
Best Books (non-fiction): Cinemaps: An Atlas Of 35 Great Movies illustrated by Andrew DeGraff and written by A.D. Jameson
Best Video Game: Breath of the Wild, Assassin’s Creed: Origins, Doki Doki Literature Club, Purrfect Date, Mass Effect Andromeda, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Best Songs: “Big For Your Boots” by Stormzy, “Desposito” by Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee, “Raise Your Flag” by Man With A Mission,
Best Albums: Gang Signs & Prayer by Stormzy, No Shape by Perfume Genius, Shikisai by Wagakki Band, The World’s On Fire by Man With A Mission (European edition), Ambitions by One Ok Rock
Best Comic Books / Graphic Novels: Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, Gintama by Hideaki Sorachi
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release: Your Name (I waited so long to see this!)
Most overrated thing about 2017? Baby Driver (Wright has huge issues when writing women and proved to me yet again that his recent work is style over substance).
Most underrated thing about 2017? The Netherlands crime rate hit such a low that many of their prisons were converted into accommodation for refugees and Iceland became the first country to enforce equal pay by law. News like this often gets overshadowed but it’s important to focus on positives when the world seems as though it’s on fire!
Thing that you were most excited about in 2017? Visiting Japan and my filmmaking company, Cheesemint Productions winning three film festival awards.
Thing that disappointed you most in 2017? My government, your president and the majority of men in Hollywood abusing their power.
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2018? Deadpool 2, Black Panther, Red Dead Redemption 2, Gintama Rumble and Jessica Jones series 2.
Bryan Lynch
Screenwriter/Author
Info about my book which you should please buy / @brianlynch
Best Movies: Brigsby Bear, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Lady Bird, The Big Sick
Best TV Shows: The Good Place, Vice Principals, The Last Man on Earth, Nathan For You
Best Books (fiction): Toy Academy: Some Assembly Required by young upstart author Brian Lynch, Anything Bloom County that IDW released.
Best Video Game: Super Mario Odyssey
Best Comic Books / Graphic Novels: I Hate Fairyland, Saga, Action Comics/Superman
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release: A Fish Called Wanda
Most underrated thing about 2017? T2: Trainspotting was incredible. Better than the first one, better than most anything. It should be celebrated.
Thing that you were most excited about in 2017? The release of my book was pretty great. Also got to see Hamilton for the first time, that was as amazing as everyone is saying.
Thing that disappointed you most in 2017? Mostly real life stuff, horrible things involving our country. But hopefully things will improve in 2018?
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2018? Solo: A Star Wars Story, Infinity War, more The Good Place.
Gavin Hignight
Former FOG! Contributor / Mystic Cosmic Patrolman
gavinhignight.com / mysticcosmicpatrol.com / @gavinhignight
Best Movies:Get Out, Blade Runner 2049, Logan
Best TV Shows:Twin Peaks: The Return, Parts Unknown
Best Video Game:Friday The 13th
Best Songs: “Afro Blue” by Melanie De Biasio, “The Sound” by Noah Gundersen
Best Albums: Ramones 40th Anniversary Edition of Rocket To Russia
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release:Westworld Season One
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2018? Impeachment
George Khoury
Author / Pop Culture Historian
facebook.com/comicbookfever
Best Movies:Thor: Ragnarok, Wonder Woman
Best TV Shows:Mindhunter, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Best Books (fiction):Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks
Best Books (non-fiction):Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Issacson
Best Albums:Woodstock by Portugal the Man
Best Song: “Feel It Still” by Portugal
Best Comic Books / Graphic Novels:Swamp Thing Bronze Age Omnibus by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson and others.
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release:Wonder Woman and It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (Criterion)
Most overrated thing about 2017?Spider-Man: Homecoming; Star Wars: Last Jedi
Most underrated thing about 2017?Blade Runner: 2049
Thing that you were most excited about in 2017?Wonder Woman
Thing that disappointed you most in 2017?Flash television show and Alien: Resurrection.
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2018? Putting together this book I’ve been working on.
Shade Rupe
Author / Filmmaker / Actor
Best Movies:Good Time, Brawl in Cell Block 99, Logan, The Blackcoat’s Daughter, Phantom Thread, Daddy I Love You
Most overrated thing about 2017?Get Out, #metoo, anything mentioning Donald Trump in any way, anti or pro.
Most underrated thing about 2017? Legalization of weed
Thing that you were most excited about in 2017? Legalization of weed
Thing that disappointed you most in 2017? Liberals
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2018? Complete nuclear annihilation of America.
Joe Peacock
FOG! Contributor
marlowekana.com / joepeacock.com / @joethepeacock
Best Movies:Blade Runner 2049, The Shape of Water
Best TV Shows:Black Mirror, Ozark, Lastman
Best Books (fiction):Marlowe Kana Volumes 1-3!
Best Video Game:Cuphead, Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey
Best Songs: ”Look What You Made Me Do” by Taylor Swift, only because of the hyper insane anime voice remakes it spawned on YouTube
Best Albums:Damn by Kendrick Lamar, Awaken, My Love! By Childish Gambino, We Got It From Here by Tribe Caled Quest, Pacifisticuffs by Diablo Swing Orchestra, Last Forever by Westkust, Sterilize by Unsane, I Forsee The Dark Ahead, If I Stay Alive by Kilimanjaro DarkJazz Orchestra
Best Comic Books / Graphic Novels:The Only Living Boy by Ellis and Gallaher, also High Moon by the same team
Most overrated thing about 2017?Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Most underrated thing about 2017? Guy Feiri’s restaurant shutting down
Thing that you were most excited about in 2017?Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Thing that disappointed you most in 2017?Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2018? The inevitable impeachment of Donald Trump
Matt Kennedy
Former FOG! Contributor
gallery30south.com / popsequentialism.com / @podseq
Best Movies: Blade Runner 2049, A Dark Song, mother!, Thor: Ragnarok, Split
Best TV Shows: Mindhunter, Billions, Wormwood, Feud: Betty & Joan, The Exorcist
Best Books: Art Record Covers by Francesco Spampinato, Guillermo del Toro At Home with Monsters, The Art of Tiki by Sven Kirsten, South of Pico: African American Artists in Los Angeles in the 1960s and 70s by Kellie Jones, Daido Moriyama: Record
Best Comics: Shade the Changing Girl by Cecil Castelluci & Marley Zarcona, Doom Patrol by Gerard Way & Nick Derington, Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughn & Cliff Chiang, Black by Kwanza Osajyefo & Jamal Igle, The Third Remedy by Chester Brown
Best Songs: Rod Melancon – “Lights of Carencro”, Metallica & Lady Gaga – “Moth Into Flame”, Harry Styles – “Sign of the Times”, Cigarettes After Sex – “K”., Ryan Adams – “Do You Still Me?”
Best Albums: Hans Zimmer & Benjamin Wallfisch – Blade Runner 2049 original score, Rod Melancon – Southern Gothic, The War on Drugs – A Deeper Understanding, Pallbearer – Heartless, David Bowie – A New Career in a New Town (1977 -1982)
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release: Daughters of the Dust (CMG), Private Vices, Public Virtues (Mondo Macabro), Beyond the Darkness (Severin), One Eyed Jacks (Arrow), Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (Criterion)
Most overrated thing about 2017? Stranger Things, It, and most other manifestations of 80s nostalgia. And Greta Gerwig.
Most underrated thing about 2017? I’m Dying Up Here, The Toys We Love, Brawl in Cell Block 99, and many other manifestations of 70s nostalgia.
Thing that you were most excited about in 2017? The #metoo movement, and the rising voice of the downtrodden.
Thing that disappointed you most in 2017? The NYCC Marvel Retailer Panel as the epitome of everything that is wrong with comics and America.
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2018? The Chuck D art exhibition at Gallery 30 South
