Stefan Blitz
Editor-in-Chief, Forces of Geek
@forcesofgeek
Best Movies: Sing Street, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Manchester by the Sea, Hell or High Water, Green Room
Best TV Shows: Berlanti’s DC shows, Designated Survivor, Fresh Off The Boat, New Girl, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Stranger Things
Best Books (fiction): Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Rowling)
Best Books (non-fiction): Atlas Obscura (Foer, Thuras & Morton), The Fifty-Year Mission: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek V. 1 & 2 (Gross and Altman), Comic Book Fever (Khoruy), Star Wars Art: Ralph McQuarrie (Alinger, Lageose, Mandel)
Best Video Game: Two Dots (iPhone)
Best Songs: “Lazarus” – David Bowie, “Drive It Like You Stole It”, “Girls”, “Brown Shoes” – Sing Street
Best Albums: Sing Street OST, lots of revisiting David Bowie, Prince and Leonard Cohen.
Best Podcast: Oh No They Didn’t!, Crimetown, TV Guidance Counselor
Best Comic Books/Graphic Novels: The Vision (King & Walsh), Empress (Millar and Immonen), Reborn (Millar and Capullo), Batman/All-Star Batman (Snyder, Capullo, Romita, Jr.), Future Quest (Parker, Shaner, & Various), Dark Night: A True Batman Story (Dini and Risso)
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release: My Bodyguard (Kino), Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place (Shout! Factory), Time After Time (Warner Archive)
Most overrated thing about 2016? Millennial Rage/Entitlement; Safe Spaces
Most underrated thing about 2016? Diet Dr. Pepper
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? Pop Culture and Optimism.
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? Reality (politics and the deaths of so many people who’s work I admire)
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? T2: Trainspotting, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 , Alien: Covenant, Wonder Woman, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, the conclusion of Miller, Azzarrello and Kubert’s Dark Knight III: The Master Race, and hopefully if all goes well, my future wife, Melissa Benoist-Blitz.
Dean Cameron
Iconic character actor; Summer School, Men at Work, Ski School
deancameron.com
Best TV Shows: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Fargo, Stranger Things, Black Mirror, Catastrophe, High Maintenence, Million Dollar Extreme
Best Books (fiction): The Circle, Moby Dick, Bend Sinister
Best Books (non-fiction): How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World, Don’t Make The Black Kids Angry, What If
Best Video Game: Tetris
Best Songs: Tear in My Heart, Stressed Out (21 Pilots), Wolves of Winter (Biffy Clyro),
Best Albums: F.E.A.R. (MARILLION), Ellipsis (BIffy Clyro), Blurryface (21 pilots), Nothing But Thieves
Best Music Video: Pussywhipped (Steel Panther)
Best Comic Books / Graphic Novels: Bob Fingerman
Most overrated thing about 2016? Democrats
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? Butt-Hurt Democrats
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? Libertarian Presidential candidate Gary Johnson being an idiot and making Libertarians look like idiots, once again.
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? Butt-Hurt Democrats (No, I didn’t vote for Whatshisface)
Shade Rupe
Writer; Producer; Director
Best Movies: The Witch, The Lobster, Malgré la nuit, Hell or High Water (I had more but I can’t find my list)
Best TV Shows: Westworld
Best Books (non-fiction): Killing for Culture
Most overrated thing about 2016? Complaining about Donald Trump
Most underrated thing about 2016? Bernie Sanders
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? David Bowie’s birthday
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? David Bowie’s death day
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? America’s implosion
AJ Feuerman
FOG! Contributor
@ajfeuerman • ajfeuerman.com
Best Movies: Rogue One, Deadpool, The Lobster, The Edge of Seventeen, Lion, Moonlight
Best TV Shows: The CW’s Arrow/Flash/Supergirl/Legends Crossover; This is Us, Full Frontal With Samantha Bee, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, The People v. OJ Simpson
Best Books (fiction): Collecting the Constellations by Emily Steers, I’m Judging You by Luvvie Ajayi, Adulthood is a Myth by Sarah Anderson,
Best Songs: “I Can’t Give Everything Away” by David Bowie, Boyce Avenue and Sarah Hyland’s cover of “Closer” by The Chainsmokers, “A-Yo” by Lady Gaga, “My Church” by Maren Morris, “Cake by the Ocean” by DNCE, “Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake, “Girl Crush” by Little Big Town
Best Albums: 24K Magic from Bruno Mars, Revolution Radio from Green Day, Blackstar from David Bowie, Nobody But Me from Michael Buble
Best Music Video: “24K Magic” by Bruno Mars, “Lazarus” by David Bowie, “The One Moment” by OK Go, “Angels” by Chance the Rapper, whatever Sia put out
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release: The Roddenberry Vault, Finding Dory
Best Podcasts: Girlboss Radio, My Dad Wrote a Porno, Engage: The Official Star Trek Podcast, How Did This Get Made
Most overrated thing about 2016? Politics, Live TV musicals
Most underrated thing about 2016? Netflix’s The Crown, HBO’s Insecure, USA’s Queen of the South
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? All the comic book hero movies and Rogue One, The election…
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? The election.
Lauren Milberger
FOG! Columnist
@laurenmilberger • laurenmilberger.com • thefordcastpodcast.com
Best Movies: Hidden Figures, La La Land, The Founder
Best TV Shows: Last Man On Earth, Catastrophe, Westworld, Fleabag, Stranger Things, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, Veep, Difficult People
Best Podcast: Fresh Air, Revisionist History, The West Wing Weekly, Invisibilia, Anna Farris is Unqualified, Pop Culture Happy Hour, This American Life, Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show, Stuff You Missed in History Class
Best Books (fiction): Star Wars Bloodline (Claudia Gray)
Best Books (non-fiction): Princess Diariest (Carrie Fisher)
Most overrated thing about 2016? Donald Trump
Most underrated thing about 2016? Kindness
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? The Gilmore Girls
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? Is the death of truth too political?
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? Star Wars: Episode VIII, Catastrophe Season 3, The Good Fight (CBS Access with Christine Baranksi – Good Wife spin off), Allison Janney, Bette Midler and Kevin Kline on Broadway, new seasons of Sherlock and Doctor Who.
B. Clay Moore
Comic Book Writer
@bclaymoore • bclaymoore.wordpress.com • bclaymoore.tumblr.com
Best Movies: The Nice Guys, Deadpool, Hell or High Water, Blue Jay
Best TV Shows: Stranger Things, Fleabag, Late Night With Seth Meyers
Best Video Game: FIFA 2017
Best Songs: “What it Means” by Drive-By Truckers
Best Albums: Drive-By Truckers: American Band, David Bowie: Blackstar, Whitney: Light Upon the Lake, Car Seat Headrest: Teens of Denial, Leonard Cohen: You Want It Darker, The Goon Sax: Up to Anything, Big Day in a Small Town: Brandy Clark
Best Music Video: I think I missed them all.
Best Comic Books/Graphic Novels: The Vision, Sheriff of Babylon, Southern Bastards, Lake of Fire
Most overrated thing about 2016? Bernie Bros.
Most underrated thing about 2016? Everything is overrated these days.
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? Releasing multiple comic series for the first time in awhile.
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? Seriously? America.
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? The imminent destruction of the planet. Ha ha ha! No, mainly achieving some personal career goals in comics and television.
Shannon Eric Denton
Writer; Artist; Producer
@ShannonDenton • shannondenton.com • actionopolis.com
Best Movies: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Kubo & Two Strings, The Nice Guys, Deadpool
Best TV Shows: Con Man, Avengers: Assemble, Justice League Action, Ultimate Spider-Man, Star Wars Rebels, Ben 10
Best Books: (fiction): The whole Actionopolis.com line of books (Hey, we work hard to make these things 😉
Best Video Game: Con Man the Game
Best Songs: George Strait & Jimmy Johnson’s “Kicked Outta Country”
Best Albums: Metallica’s Hardwired to Self Destruct
Best Comic Books / Graphic Novels: Spectrum, Marvel’s Star Wars books, Paper Girls
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release: Deadpool, Star Trek Beyond
Most overrated thing about 2016? Elections
Most underrated thing about 2016? Elections
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? Working with Alan Tudyk, Nathan Fillion, PJ Haarsma, Stan Lee and a ton of other pals on Con Man
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? Never having enough time for all I want to do! And the loss of so many artistic inspirations.
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? Powerless, Con Man season 3, and more Spectrum comics!
Steven Segal-Twist
FOG! Columnist
Best Movies: The Nice Guys, Arrival, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Kubo and the Two Strings, The BFG
Best TV Shows: Stranger Things, Better Call Saul, Westworld Daredevil
Best Songs:
“Can’t Stop The Feeling” by Justin Timberlake, “Heathens” by Twenty One Pilots
Best Podcast: “The Mike&PatCast” – Insightful movie and TV banter, hosted by two of the most well-viewed and well-versed pop culture geeks who aren’t me.
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release:
Scream Factory’s jam-packed special edition of Philip Kaufman’s 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
Most overrated thing about 2016?
Pokemon Go
Most underrated thing about 2016?
Steven Spielberg’s Roald Dahl adaptation The BFG. There’s a reason why they say they don’t make ’em like they used to: because few filmmakers can conjure even a fraction of the cinematic whimsy evident in every frame of Spielberg’s dreamy storybook confection.
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016?
An R-rated comic book movie was a humongous hit, guaranteeing a future spate of similarly edgy/gory/ribald fare.
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016?
Ghostbusters
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017?
Star Wars Episode VIII, Alien: Covenant and Blade Runner 2049
B.S. Walker
FOG! Contributor
Best Movies: Manchester by the Sea, Sing Street, Hell or High Water
Best TV Shows: Vikings, Game of Thrones, Catastrophe
Best Video Game: Forza Horizon 3
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release: The Thing (Collector’s Edition from Shout!Factory)
Most overrated thing about 2016? La La Land
Most underrated thing about 2016? Sing Street
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? Red Sox playoff performance
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? Mass Effect: Andromeda
Brian Saur
Film Critic; Blogger
@bobfreelander • rupertpupkinspeaks.com
Best Movies: The Nice Guys, Everybody Wants Some!!
Best TV Shows: Stranger Things, Trollhunters
Best Songs: “Night Drive” – Rob Simonsen (from Nerve: Original Motion Picture Score)
Best Albums: Nerve: Original Motion Picture Score by Rob Simonsen
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release: The Marx Brothers – Silver Screen Collection on Blu-ray
Best Podcast: Shock Waves
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? Tons and tons of catalog Blu-rays from boutique labels
Todd Sokolove
FOG! Columnist; Podcaster
@tsokolove • Oh No They Didn’t! Podcast
Best Movies: I still have a ton of films to see before award season is in full swing, but of the movies I’ve seen from 2016, my favorites are as follows…
- Moonlight: My favorite from NYFF this past year, is ultimately the best film I saw in 2016. Also one of the most important.
- 20th Century Women: I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with this one as much as I did. I can’t lie: I laughed, I cried, I wished it were 1979 again.
- Operation Avalanche: Very surprised that this one didn’t get a wider release or a bigger embrace from Kubrick fans. It is beyond admirable, and adorable at once.
- Zootopia: Disney Animation outdid themselves (literally) with this better-than-Moana parable of our modern urban world.
- Weiner Dog: Even fans of the films of Todd Solondz were perplexed by this not-quite-a-sequel to Welcome to the Dollhouse, but I think it’s his best film since Happiness. That ending though is not for people without a sense of irony.
Best TV Shows:
- The People vs. OJ: American Crime Story: I ate up every moment of this sometimes satirical, always entertaining, and perfectly cast recap of the trial of the century. A second season will be hard to pull of.
- Stranger Things: Even post back-lash, I loved the show, as I’ve mentioned before on this site. It helped that I grew up in the midwest during the same time as the series. Also, I had a babysitter named Barb abducted by aliens from another dimension. It’s like they studied my life, I’m telling you.
- Westworld: My ultimate theory is Michael Crichton would have dug what HBO did to his creation, and that’s all I needed.
Best Songs: I made you a mix tape. No seriously, here’s the mix on Spotify. This year I liked a lot of new artists, but I think you’ll find a multitude of feel-good/pop tracks that kept me sane in 2016…
Best Podcast: I’m proud of our podcast Forces of Geek presents Oh No They Didn’t, and look forward to 2017’s slate of episodes. But the best of this year, is hands-down ’80s All Over, which covers, month-by-month, every movie released in the 1980s. They’re still exploring 1980 itself, so it’s a good time to binge. It completely brings back memories of studying the weekly Arts section of the newspaper for new releases, and begging my parents to take me to the movies.
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release: I was happy to see Stephen King’s Cat’s Eye finally get a Blu-ray release, though the bare-bones release from Warner Bros. sucked. Criterion’s Dr. Strangelove was fantastic, down to the fun inserts within the packaging. That was unexpected. Jaws 3-D on 3D Blu-ray from Universal looked better than any other 3D Blu-ray I’ve ever owned. Even the movie made more sense with its crystal clear, and immersive picture.
Most overrated thing about 2016: Hype and excitement over superhero movies, sequels and reboots. There was nothing in 2016 to be that excited about.
Most underrated thing about 2016: I’m frankly surprised how underutilized Virtual Reality, and really Augmented Reality, was in 2016. I understand it will be a slow burn, but I really thought we would see more of an embrace of hardware this year. Both the Samsung Gear VR and PS4 VR offered massive advances in technology while being accessible solutions to dip into the pool.
I was also very surprised that the 120 frames per second exhibitions of Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk didn’t get more attention. Though applied to the wrong film/subject, I’d love to see more of the technology in 2017.
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016: The year being over. Let’s reset please.
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016: The Electoral College
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017: Episode VIII and Alien: Covenant are probably at the top of my bated-breath list. I’m also a sucker for monthly announcements from Criterion Collection.
Liz Robbins
FOG! Contributor
Best Movies: Kubo and the Two Strings, Deadpool
Best TV Shows: Star Wars:Rebels, The Crown, The Night Manager, Stranger Things
Best Video Game: Pokémon Go
Best Songs: “Empty” Garbage
Best Albums: Blackstar-David Bowie
Best Music Video: Lazarus-David Bowie
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release: The Iron Giant signature edition
Most overrated thing about 2016? Illumination Entertainment’s animated films
Most underrated thing about 2016? Laika Entertainment’s animated films
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? Rogue One
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? Batman: The Killing Joke, Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? Dunkirk, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Little Sofi
Former FOG! Contributor
@little_sofi • tsarinasoma.com
Best Movies: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Rogue One
Best TV Shows: Stranger Things, Game of Thrones, Westworld, BoJack Horseman, Black Mirror
Best Books (fiction): Short Stories from Hogwarts: of Power Politics and Pesky Poltergeists
Best Video Game: Firewatch
Best Songs: Blackstar (David Bowie)
Best Albums: Blackstar (David Bowie)
Best Music Video: Makeba, Jain
Best Podcast: Distraction Pieces with Scroobius Pip
Most overrated thing about 2016? The Walking Dead and Mr Robot
Most underrated thing about 2016? Planet Earth II, and Rogue One (stop badmouthing it! It’s a good movie! You can’t have EVERYTHING!)
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? Making a Murderer‘s Brendon Dassey almost getting out of jail, and then not, right at the last minute :(
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? A new Making a Murderer
Adam Dechanel
FOG! Contributor
@AdamDechanel
Best Movies: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Batman v Superman, Zootopia, Captain America: Civil War, Disney’s Moana, Suicide Squad, Finding Dory, Secret Life Of Pets, Deadpool, The Legend Of Tarzan
Best TV Shows: Hooten & The Lady, iZombie, Sense8 (Christmas Special), Planet Earth II, Wynonna Earp, Justice League Action, Preacher, Elementary, Supergirl, Arrow, The Flash, Legends Of Tomorrow, Star Wars: Rebels, Black Mirror, Westworld, Stranger Things, Lucifer, Grimm, Luke Cage, Billions
Best Podcasts: Radio KAL, Oh No They Didn’t!, Simply Superman Batman, World’s Best Podcast
Best Books (fiction): Lois Lane: Fallout, Lois Lane: Double Down, Star Wars: Before The Awakening, Star Wars: Smuggler’s Run
Best Books (non-fiction): The Bob’s Burgers Burger Book
Best Video Game: Batman: The Telltale Series, Super Mario Run!
Best Songs: Restless by Ezra Furman
Best Albums: Blackstar by David Bowie, The Wonder Of You by Elvis Presley
Best Music Video: How Far I’ll Go – Alessia Cara
Best Comic Books / Graphic Novels: Superman: Rebirth, Midnighter & Apollo, Wonder Woman: Rebirth, Trinity, Superwoman
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release: Batman ’66: Return Of The Caped Crusaders
Most overrated thing about 2016? The OA, Marvel: Civil War II
Most underrated thing about 2016? My column, Welcome To The Planet!, The Class (BBC Three Doctor Who spin off), Green Arrow: Rebirth
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? Young Justice Season 3 announcement, The CW four part crossover (Supergirl/TheFlash/Arrow/Legends)
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? The OA, Donald Trump voted into the presidency, Marvel: Civil War II
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? Wonder Woman The Movie, Power Rangers The Movie, Grimm: The Final Season, Iron Fist (Netflix), Super Sons: Rebirth
David E. Goldweber
FOG! Columnist
clawsandsaucers.com
Best Movies: Zootopia, Rogue One
Best TV Show: Stranger Things
Best Book (fiction): Guile by Constance Cooper
Best Book (non-fiction): Fantasy Films of the 1980s by moi
Best Video Game: Minecraft 1.11
Best Song: “Try Everything” (Zootopia theme) by Shakira
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release: Highlander 30th Anniversary Edition
Most overrated thing about 2016? The election
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? The Chicago Cubs
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? Too many deaths!
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? A ton of new Blu-ray releases now that I have a player!
Jimmy Palmiotti
Editor/Writer of Comics, Movies, TV, Games; Co-Owner, PaperFilms
@jpalmiotti • Paperfilms.com • PaperFilms Threadless Shop
Best Movies: Hell or High Water, Zootopia, The Nice Guys
Best TV Shows: Veep, Orange is the New Black, the Get Down, Big Bang Theory
Best Books (fiction): Moonglow by Michel Chabon
Best Books (non-fiction): March by John Lewis
Best Video Game: Battlefield 1
Best Songs: Vancouver Sleep Clinic “Collapse”
Best Albums: Cautionary Tale – Dylan LeBlanc
Best Music Video: David Bowie: Lazarus
Most overrated thing about 2016? Politics
Most underrated thing about 2016? Friendships
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? Trip to Italy for a month.
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? The deaths of Darwyn Cooke and Steve Dillon
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? My books making it to film and more vacations
Matt Haley
Artist; Filmmaker
matthaley.com • imdb.com/name/nm2237581
Best Movies: The Nice Guys, Keanu
Best TV Shows: Stranger Things
Best Books (fiction): The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, The Regional Office Is Under Attack by Manuel Gonzales
Best Books (non-fiction): Time Travel by James Gleick, Evicted by Matthew Desmond
Best Albums: BLACKSTAR (Bowie), Black Sabbath (the entire THE END EP), Fates Warning (Theories of Flight), Nine Inch Nails (Not The Actual Events EP)
Best Music Video: WITCH DOCTOR (De Staat)
Best Comic Books / Graphic Novels: Paper Girls, Showman Killer (Jodorowsky), Omega Men
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release: Mad Max: Fury Road (Black & Chrome Edition)
Most overrated thing about 2016? Star Wars, The Walking Dead, Suicide Squad
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? no comment
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? 2016 being over!
Joshua Gravel
FOG! Contributor
@hauntedracula • ArkhamFilmSociety.com
Best Movies: Green Room, Shin Godzilla, Valley Of Violence, Nina Forever, The Witch, The Nice Guys
Best TV Shows: Channel Zero: Candle Cove, Stranger Things, Scream Queens, The Simpsons, American Horror Story: Roanoke, Hap And Leonard
Best Blu-ray Release: The Mutilator (Arrow Video), Cherry Falls (Scream Factory), Pieces (Grindhouse Releasing), Blood Diner (Vestron Video), Symptoms (Mondo Macabro), Sex Murder Art: The Films Of Jorg Buttgereit (Cult Epics)
Best Podcast: Trick Or Treat Radio *, Outside The Cinema *, The Projection Booth, Killer POV, Giallo Ciao Ciao, The Movie Crypt
* Note that I often contribute to these.
Joe DeVito
Painter; Author/Creator of Skull Island literary property
The Art of Joe DeVito
Best Movies: Zootopia
Best TV Shows: Man In The High Castle, Stranger Things
Best Books (non-fiction): Scientific American magazine/ Prehistoric Times Magazine (closest I can come to books I really liked;-)
Best Comic Books / Graphic Novels: Kong of Skull Island
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release: Captain America: Civil War
Most overrated thing about 2016?: Hillary Clinton
Most underrated thing about 2016? Donald Trump
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? Working on Kong of Skull Island
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? Media deception/Fake News
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? Everything
Mark Wensel
Former FOG! Columnist
@profwagstaff-42 • profwagstaff.com (The Prof WILL return)
Best Movies: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Sing Street, Arrival, Eddie The Eagle, Ghostbusters (Yep. I said it.), Fences
Best TV Shows: Stranger Things, Luke Cage
Best Songs: Blackstar – David Bowie
Best Albums: Blackstar – David Bowie, You Wanted It Dark – Leonard Cohen, A Moon Shaped Poole – Radiohead, A Seat At The Table – Solange, Skeleton Tree – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Chaleur Humaine – Christine & The Queens
Best Music Video: Blackstar – David Bowie
Most overrated thing about 2016? Death
Most underrated thing about 2016? Sing Street didn’t get enough press. That movie made me happy.
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? Ghostbusters, Rogue One, Marvel movies, Stranger Things, A future president who didn’t hate everyone.
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? 2016
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? Not being stuck in 2016.
Charles J. Baserap
Former FOG! Columnist
Best Movies: Captain America: Civil War, Suicide Squad, Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice (flaws and all!), Zootopia
Best TV Shows: Westworld, Mr. Robot, Walking Dead, the CW Berlanti Bonanza, Black Sails
Best Books (fiction): My forthcoming first novel, even though it’ll be out in 2017 (it was finished in 2016!), The Haunted (shameless plug!)
Best Albums: Dream Theater – The Astonishing, Metallica – Hardwired…to Self-Destruct!
Best Comic Books / Graphic Novels: This is like asking me my favorite oxygen molecule to breathe, so let’s go with Vision, the newly minted Rebirth from DC, Seven to Eternity, Black Science, Divinity III: Stalinverse
Most overrated thing about 2016? If I go a million years without hearing the word “Hamilton,” it’ll be too bloody short a time.
Most underrated thing about 2016? Being a stay at home dad, at least as far as public perception goes.
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? Couldn’t wait for Captain America: Civil War, but after a series of misfortunes, couldn’t wait for 2017…
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? The propensity of people, especially through social media, to engage in mob think and denigrate anyone who doesn’t believe or think in lockstep with them as the Enemy, capital E, without any regard for complexities, then wonder why things turn out the way they do; you claim to be grownups, act it.
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? Wonder Woman and Guardians of the Galaxy 2 at the theaters, my first fiction novel hopefully seeing a bookshelf near you.
Guy Benoit
Screenwriter
Best Movies: The Call Of Charlie, Green Room, The Nice Guys, Hell Or High Water, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Don’t Breathe, Light’s Out, Weiner, The Witch, The Wailing, In A Valley Of Violence
Best TV Shows: Saturday Night Live, OJ: Made In America, Bob’s Burgers, Another Period, The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Best Books (fiction): Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh
Best Books (non-fiction): Heads: A Biography of Psychedelic America by Jesse Jarnow
Best Podcast: Le Show and The Last Podcast On The Left
Most overrated thing about 2016? The news media and pop culture ‘journalism,’ in general.
Most underrated thing about 2016? Saturday Night Live. The past 3 years have been among the best in the show’s history.
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? The Call Of Charlie
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? General gullibility of the public
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? More great movies and books!
David J. Moore
Author; The Good, the Tough, and the Deadly: Action Movies and Stars, and World Gone Wild: A Survivor’s Guide to Post-Apocalyptic Movies
@videovalhalla85
Best movie: Sing Street
Best TV show: Gotham
Best fiction: A Congregation of Jackals (reprint) by S. Craig Zahler
Best nonfiction: The Good, the Tough, and the Deadly: Action Movies and Stars.
Best videogame: Uncharted 4 PS4
Best song: “Drive it Like You Stole it” from the Sing Street Soundtrack.
Best Album: Sing Street Soundtrack
Music Video: Turbo Killer by Carpenter Brut
Best graphic novel: The Swords of Glass from Humanoids
Best podcast: Nerds of Nostalgia
Best Blu-ray: The Challenge from Kino Lorber
Most overrated: Celebrity Deaths and the Presidential Election.
Mot Underrated: Hardcopy, physical media. Appreciate it while we’re still getting it.
Most excited about in 2016: Steven Seagal had four (!?) theatrical releases, and Nicolas Cage had five theatrical releases. I saw them all in theaters. I get excited about stuff like that.
Most disappointed in 2016: Star Wars and Marvel movies in general.
Most excited for 2017: The Ghost in the Shell movie. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Aftermath and Why We’re Killing Gunther.
Carol Pinchefsky
Writer
@carolpinchefsky • carolpinchefsky.com
Best movies: Arrival, Rogue One, Passengers, Doctor Strange
Best TV shows: Game of Thrones, Gotham, Agents of SHIELD
Best Video Game: It’s not new, but I continue to enjoy the hell out of the MMO Guild Wars 2, Uncharted 4 and Rise of the Tomb Raider (for PC and PS4; it was released on the Xbox, which I don’t have, in 2015).
Most overrated thing about 2016? Suicide Squad
Most underrated thing about 2016? Gotham
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? X-Men: Apocalypse AND Batman v. Superman.
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? Game of Thrones continues to impress and amaze me. I can’t get enough.
Molly B Denham
Former FOG! Columnist
Best TV Shows: Marvel’s Agent Carter, Stranger Things
Best Book (Non-Fiction): A Burglar’s Guide To the City (Geoff Manaugh), Born To Run (Bruce Springsteen)
Best Album: Bring Prudence “Red Horses” (Disclosure: My company works with Bring Prudence, which is how I discovered this stunning gem of a record)
Best Comic Books: Batman ’66 Meets Steed and Mrs. Peel series
Best Podcast: The Bowery Boys
Most Overrated Thing About 2016: The Kardashians and Kanye
Most Underrated Thing About 2016: Bring Prudence
Thing I Was Most Excited About in 2016: Agent Carter Season 2
Thing I Was Most Disappointed By in 2016: The break-up of Allo Darlin’, finding myself living in the 1981 Afterschool Special “The Wave”
Bill Machon
Former FOG! Columnist
Best Movies: Rogue One, Star Trek Beyond, Captain America: Civil War
Best TV Shows: Westworld, Mr. Robot, Stranger Things, Baskets, Game of Thrones, Orphan Black
Best Albums: Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool, Lush – Blindspot EP, Blood Orange – Freetown Sound, Portable – Alan Abrahams, Gaika – Machine, Massive Attack – Ritual Spirit EP
Best Comic Books / Graphic Novels: From Under Mountains, Providence, Injection, Saga, The Wicked + The Divine, Black Panther
Best Podcast: Grumpy Old Geeks
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? Rogue One
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? Star Wars Episode VIII, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Twin Peaks, Star Trek Discovery
Bryan Erdy
FOG! Video Producer
Best Movies: Jackie, A Monster Calls, Captain America – Civil War, Dr. Strange, Star Trek Beyond, La La Land
Best TV Shows: Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Better Call Saul, The Good Wife, Daredevil, Stranger Things
Best Books (fiction): End of Watch, The Secret History of Twin Peaks: A Novel, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2, Special Rehearsal Edition Script, Star Wars – Catalyst
Best Books (non-fiction): The Art of Atari, Star Wars Art: Ralph McQuarrie, Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Original Marvel Years Vol. 1, , The Haunted Mansion: Imagineering a Disney Classic (From the Magic Kingdom), A Life in Parts – Bryan Cranston
Best Video Game: Dishonored 2, Final Fantasy XV, Titanfall 2, Deadrising 4, Pokemon Go, Nintendo Classic
Best Songs: “Is She With You” (Zimmer), “Beautiful Dream” (Zimmer), “Dr. Strange Theme” (Giacchino), “The Yorktown” (Giaachinno), “Stranger Things – Main Theme” (Dixon), “Winter Has Come” (Djawadi), “The Winds of Winter” (Djawadi)
Best Albums: Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice (Hans Zimmer/Junkie XL), Doctor Strange OST, Star Trek Beyond OST, Stranger Things, Vol. 1 OST, Game Of Thrones (Music from the HBO Series) Season 6 OST, John Carpenter Lost Themes II, Star Trek 50th Anniversary Collection
Best Comic Books / Graphic Novels: The Walking Dead
Best Blu-ray/DVD Release: Batman v Superman – Dawn of Justice, Jaws 2, Return of the Living Dead, Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan, Elstree 1976, Manhunter, Just Desserts – The Making of Creepshow
Most overrated thing about 2016? 11/22/63, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones
Most underrated thing about 2016? Batman v Superman
Thing that you were most excited about in 2016? Rogue One
Thing that disappointed you most in 2016? Lack of originality in Hollywood, another year without a John Carpenter film.
Thing that you’re most looking forward to in 2017? Star Wars – Episode VIII, Thor III, Stranger Things Season 2, Game of Thrones Season 7
