Top 10 Sci-Fi Films of the Decade Discussion

Hello and welcome to episode 187 of the cinema

geeks i'm one of your cinema geeks optimus solo

and joining me for today's record is movie revolt

dan hello. Hey how's it going not too bad and

we have a couple special guests with us today

introducing first let's see which one should

i go with first um let's go with matthew stewart

from simplistic reviews hello matt what half

of the not so dynamic trio. Does it even make

sense? No, it doesn't and joining him is one

of his other partners in crime. Mr. DJ Valentine.

Hello All the souls I've encountered in my travels.

This was the most I Was waiting for one more

word So what we have assembled this crazy concoction

of people together today to do is to go back

into What we've been doing what we just started

I guess with our last episode which was talking

about our top films of the last decade We're

gonna do that in different genres last time you

heard Amanda myself Dan and JD go through the

top 10 animated films of the last decade And

today we're going to be talking about science

fiction and fantasy films. So it should be an

interesting discussion. If you went back about

five years or so, the folks that we had on the

initial record when we did our half decade list

was Dan, myself, Fridley Sant, Matt, and Hiro

from True Romance. So we might reference Matt

and Hiro's list a couple of times through here

or in closing, but. It's gonna be an interesting

countdown for sure. I don't know what your guys'

opinions of the different genres of this last

decade are, but just to start things off for

me, like this list or this genre, we haven't

done the exercise to go through the rest of them,

but this is like an early contender of what I

would think is one of the best genres represented

in the last decade. Like... With animated films,

you know, you're going through and you're like,

OK, this is a for sure one. Like I'm for sure

going to have inside out in there or I'm for

sure going to have like this film in there. I

went through my sci fi list and like marked all

the ones that were for sure and then saw that

I had a problem because I had like 20 for sure.

And I'm like, well, that math doesn't work right.

But like these are all like. All of these could

be in my top five like I feel like the science

fiction genre was very well represented in this

last decade now if you go into just like strictly

fantasy you might run into some more problems

because I think like fantasy is just. I don't

know if it's like the forgotten genre or what

but I feel like as far as like straight science

fiction we have a lot of gems this last decade

what do you think Dan. Yeah I think you certainly

have a lot of. Good representation and a huge

variety of science fiction I think especially

is looking in my list, you know You have high

budget of obviously with science fiction, but

I do think this last decade We open the door

a lot more to small budgets science fiction films

that you could do an amazing CGI not that you

need to get for science fiction film But more

often than not they will incorporate it in some

way and still have an amazing special effects

and not have a gigantic budget You know, having

indie sci -fi films was much more prevalent,

I think, this last decade, decades before, on

a high quality level. And I know with science

fiction, we're kind of combining, because, you

know, what's science fiction, what's fantasy,

what's horror? They all seem to intertwine. I

know when I did my list, I tried to focus on

those that were science fiction first, for the

most part. But I guess that definition can vary

depending upon the way you view it. I mean, some

people can consider superhero film science fiction,

but we're doing our own separate list for that.

So yeah, I definitely agree. The some of my favorite

films of the of the last decade came in this

genre. Yeah. And another thing that was crazy

for me is how much came out in the second half

of the decade. Like it was filled with pretty

good science fiction films to great science fiction

films. So like my list has Had gone through some

major changes. That's for sure from the five

-year mark to the ten -year mark And like you

said kind of brought up and I'll get over to

DJ and Matt for their thoughts on this But obviously

with animated films we had a pretty easy criteria

Let's say it's animated or it's not like that

I guess you go into like the debate on how much

of the movie needs to be animated But that's

about as close as you can come to Kind of deciding

what criteria you had to go on for an animated

list Whereas this one gets a little bit more

murky a little bit more gray as far as what qualifies

and what doesn't So I guess each of our definitions

of kind of how that worked for us might shape

our list a little bit one thing I was kind of

looking to because since I'm gonna be here for

all of the different lists was You know if something

to me was more so like you're talking about with

the comic book or a superhero film if it was

one of the top ten superhero films It might not

have been one of the top 10 science fiction films,

or did I want to save it for that list, that

type of thing. So that kind of caused some debate

in my own head. But DJ and Matt, you guys did

something interesting. You guys came up with

a combined list. So was that hard or was that

easier? Kind of what was your process? And I

made, as Matt said earlier, two separate lists.

We had to your point, we had only films in common.

There's a lot of great sci -fi that came out

this decade when we can we usually watch He's

seen is pretty much what I've seen and vice versa

and we came up with 20 almost almost 20 completely

different movies nice Yeah, I think we had two

in common one. We kind of had oh So we kept it

low and one I had very high that we kept very

high. But yeah, it's I guess Matt can attest

it because there's some there was a couple of

there were on Matt's list that I was looking

at I was like, oh man, I I don't think I I think

I've seen that Yeah, I was a little bit more

I mean I guess the thing with DJ and ID like

DJ is definitely the sci -fi guy out of the out

of the two of us and especially the three of

us I guess if you include Justin I'm more of

the horror fantasy guy and To your point Kev

it was kind of like the beginning the 2010s it

seemed like there was some good fantasy and then

it just kind of petered off and just sci -fi

was the rule of the day it seems a lot so it

was kind of interesting because I made basically

I made one two three lists and then DJ and I

broke it down well I guess I made four lists

and then DJ and I combined our list for a fifth

list So, I mean it was a little bit of it definitely

a not maybe a lack of NCAA tournament action.

I was Like a Buster, baby And we'll be giving

you guys a chance probably to list some of those

that were on your individual list that might

not have made the combined list when we kind

of Go through some honorable mentions at the

end for sure To kind of hear how that broke down

I tried to do as much Cramming as I could watching

a bunch of science fiction films in the last

like week that were blind spots for me And I

don't know if that really helped at all. I watched

the movie called endless. I watched a movie called

turbo kid I saw you watching that. I forget your

opinion of that movie. Oh, my goodness. That

is a great movie. If you're wanting to do like

a crappy movie night with your friends and just

like make fun of it the entire time, that movie

is off the chain. Like every that sounds like

every movie commentary we've ever done. If you

guys haven't done a movie commentary for Turbo

Kid, like you should add that to the queue. You

just made the list. You have to do a double feature

of that in Hobo with a shotgun, maybe. Right.

Oh, I like it. I like it. So plans. are being

made here. So, all right, without too much further

ado, we're gonna just kind of go round robin

here. We're gonna let Matt and DJ give us their

number 10, then I'll go and then Dan will go

and we'll keep going around until we all get

to our number ones. We'll probably take a break

about halfway through. so that some ads play

for some of our podcast friends, including DJ

and Matt. And then, like I said, towards the

end, we'll give some honorable mentions and just

kind of some general thoughts as it may be. So,

all right, let's start it off. DJ and Matt, what

is your 10th best science fiction fantasy film

from the last decade? You want to go number?

Do you want to go evens or odds? I go, I go,

I go evens. You go even. OK, so you're going

to let me be number one then. Or be number one.

Be number one. the the of films that we had in

common, but it was like, it is known for being

the film that put John Boyega on the map. And

I was like, glad to see when I was watching it,

that all the hype was worthy of it. Like, cause

I kept hearing, you haven't seen the Tuck the

Block? Come on man, you gotta watch Tuck the

Block. I was like, okay, I'll sit down and watch

it. Cause you know, we're in a pandemic right

now. So I sat down and watched it and I was like,

this movie is excellent. The characters are great.

The creature design's great. The concept is great.

I hate the fact that it ends in a way that begs

for a sequel and we still haven't gotten one,

but I just think that in terms of making a concept

that you've, you know, alien invasion and just

stick it in like, you know, the slums of London

with these kids, I thought it was just a really

cool thing. I think Joe Cornish, I guess, is

the director of this. Joe Cornish, yeah. Yeah.

Is this his best film? I got to go through his

filmography, but I think it's still... He doesn't

have a big filmography. It's this and some other

movie. So if anything, he's at a 50 % clip. So

I mean, that's good. Or cricket. I guess in England,

they play cricket. They don't play baseball.

Right. Or right now they don't play anything.

Matt, what did you think of it? What was kind

of your pulling factor on Attack the Block? I

thought it was interesting and different. This

started, of course, to DJ's point, John Boyega

before John Boyega really was anything. At least

to Americans, he wasn't anything. He wasn't a

big star. Nobody knew he was going to turn into

a star. It's fun because it takes that sly, dry,

Guy Ricky wit a little bit to it, but then adds

that sci -fi element and it's got... I always

forget who's Edgar writes a partner in crime

all the time the big frost and Simon Pegg yeah

yeah yeah Simon yeah Simon Pegg who's the other

guy frost frost Nick frost sorry I apologize

so has Nick frost is a drug dealer which I always

appreciate and. I mean, if you want to get into

a whole metaphor about his name, you know, like

his name is Moses and this and that he's he's

like the Moses of the projects and stuff like

that. We're not here to get into that political

debate. We're here to talk about a kickass sci

-fi movie that was put out 10 years ago. This

movie is 10 years old. It's crazy. This was the

beginning of the decade. And from early on it

has a 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. It's just

fun. It's a fun friggin movie, and I'm glad we

can agree on something DJ. Sorry, I'm sorry.

That's already happened one more time, so we'll

see. Well, one more time. We're going to disagree

for both of them. Dan, I don't know if you're

going to hold off thoughts or if you're going

to chime in. This was number six. Yeah, it's

funny because it's actually my number 10 as well.

So great. Like I guess so. What I loved about

to remind me of I mean, there's a lot of you

know Goonies things of that nature But those

steps of movies you'd watch as a kid in the afternoon

because it was like that or some awful infomercial

so you just stuck with the movie and Like it

started at something but then by the end of it

became something completely different and like,

you know this it seemed like this movie about

kids and in a city and suddenly it eventually

becomes this science fiction alien film and it

just By having that, you know By letting that

setting sit in and let you if it gives it more

of a real feel to it You feel like you can relate

to these people dealing with this crazy situation

and the characters I like the all -black aliens.

They look really weird and different. I feel

like that's one thing that has been lacking in

a lot of Monster movies and things like that

even good monster movies that the creatures designs

leave a lot to be desired. We're here Obviously

very talking about low budget very low, you know

a lower budget film Compared to other films on

this list, but I think they made the most with

what they had and you know Joe Joe Cornish Cornish

Who did directed he just came out with a movie.

I think last year Which I haven't seen The kid

who would be king. I heard it was actually pretty

good. Yeah, it was Okay. Yeah, I haven't seen

it I've heard you know, I've heard it was a pretty

you know, good kids movie of that elk as well,

but Directed me much to a younger audience. But

uh, I I would love a sequel attack the block

It does it does I think warrant that maybe with

jump away being a bigger star now. It's something

he could push forward but And I do think Joe

Cornish showed a lot with this and hopefully

he'll I don't know what took so long What took

like, you know nearly eight years to make another

movie? But you know, it's a system sometimes

I guess but anyways, yeah attacked blocks a lot

of fun. It's a good Enjoyable adventure science

fiction film especially for anyone who grew up

in the eighties. I think would appreciate it

and have a lot they can relate to This is still

a blind spot for me. So I need to catch up with

this one and didn't Didn't have time to watch

it this last week, but I like growing I grew

up in 80s So it sounds like it's something up

my alley. So I have to put that on the list to

watch real soon I'm for my number ten i'm gonna

go to i guess my introduction to a director that

seemed like he took over the decade in a way.

Book ended at the beginning and at the end and

that's bonjour bonjour obviously has been in

the news a lot with parasites and he's had you

know a handful of films over the course of the

decade but i'm gonna go with one that really

open my eyes to him and that was back in two

thousand thirteen. With snowpiercer. I know it's

a TV series. Now. I haven't seen that. I don't

know if it's good or not But I just remember

being kind of blown away by the movie. It wasn't

something that I had any expectations going in

This is starring Chris Evans till the Swinton

Octavia Spencer at Harris amongst others and

I just really appreciated kind of the On two

levels one was the more social political commentary

that Bong Joon -ho is making through the movie,

but you can also just kind of view it as this,

you know, science fiction adventure almost or

action set piece type thing. And I like kind

of the close setting, you know, that we're just

dealing with what's going on on this individual

train, so to speak. And I've been wanting to

watch it again. I was hoping to kind of rewatch

it going into this list so I can kind of solidify

some thoughts and I hadn't had a chance to do

that. So it's been quite a number of years since

I've seen it, but just The memory of what impact

it had when I watched it and kind of how it opened

my eyes to this director, et cetera, was enough

for me to kind of slide it in here at the number

10 spot. Matt, DJ, Dan, any thoughts on Snowpiercer?

Do you prescribe to the Willy Wonka theory? See,

I was about to say that. I feel like I was going

to beat you to that question. There's the theory

that the Snowpiercer is a futuristic spin off

or I guess. A sequel to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate

Factory, which really, if it is, that's awesome.

If it's not, it's still awesome. The movie's

great. Chris Evans, that might be one of the

greatest Chris Evans performances. I don't know,

he's not like, you know, known for, you know,

great dramatic acting, but like that's, I'm not

going to spoil the speech he gives near the end

of the movie about food. uh it is very like heartbreaking

and and and wrenching and i i would love to know

like how bang juho got to cast him like what

did he see in chris evans again because i think

he was perfect for the role and who should the

the weirdness of the the tale of the sweatin

who every time he shows up as great as amazing

John Hurt, Ed Harris, who's awesome, always.

So yeah, I really like still person. The only

thing that bugs me is not really bugs me is just

like, man, it Bong Joon Ho really likes to kick

you in the balls with his endings. Feeling good

about yourself? No. Has anybody seen the has

anybody seen the TV series at all? DJ has, I

think I saw like a little bit of it. It's like

a a police drama on the train. I'm good. The

least. I'm just going to imagine that it doesn't

exist and I'm just going to stick with the movie.

I love the movie. Snowpiercer SVU. Yeah, exactly.

Christopher Maloney shows up somewhere. It's

more Snowpiercer CI. Yeah, it's more like NCIS

Snowpiercer. Yeah, that sounds bad. All right,

dan any thoughts on snow piercer before we get

to the number nine picks Yeah, I do really enjoy

actually enjoy the comic as well. It's based

off of uh french comic I believe it's it's like

an internet international film, you know korean

director french comic american cast, uh, and

it all kind of works out because um, I mean the

the uh, obviously the political mentions is there

but I just love the the set design and that too

is something to To take in because you know section

being its own little Kind of world and the action

in that is also really well directed. Um, yeah.

All right, let's go to dj and matt for their

number nine pick Number nine. I get the odd picks.

I'll have to remember to call you matt when I

say the odds I forget we didn't have this on

our list collectively. Did we you know, I don't

think we did. Uh, no, you had one and I had another

similar ilk It's similar ilk. Okay, so we go

from I guess the projects to now we go to space

in the truth sci -fi fashion fashion if you will

and DJ and I had a little bit of kind of going

back and forth on this one a little bit but we

finally decided nine was a good place for it

mainly because of I guess we kind of decided

its place in the pantheon of probably sci -fi

in the past decade all of what it proved That's

if I can be in a lot of ways. So we're going

with number nine Alfonso Cuaron. We're going

with gravity Academy Award winner our first Academy

Award winning film Also from 2013 same year's

snowpiercer. Boom. There you go. See got so much

in common right now But I had I had some trepidation

on this because I Mean, I feel like this film

at least for me DJ would probably disagree or

he might agree who knows Feel like this is a

film best suited for a theatrical environment

in Theatrical kind of experience. I mean, I haven't

seen it since the theater so I can't really attest

to it But I need an old immersive kind of feeling

for this film But for what it did and what it

did to me in the theater so long ago back seven

years ago Jesus Christ seven years ago. I'm getting

old It was incredible and intense and everything

I wanted in a True space film in a lot of ways

and it didn't really beat you over the head with

the whole You know 2000 when I know everybody

wanted to compare it. No 2001 2001 2001 It didn't

have that beating you over the head type of like

theology behind it. It was in a lot of ways a

woman trying to survive space on a realm without

the help of anybody in a lot of ways and Just

the immense darkness and helplessness and made

you feel dark dark and helpless in the theater

too so um for its merit is just a technical aspect

nine i think is a pretty good spot for it to

be honest um dan i'm gonna go to you first because

i'm interested to hear what your thoughts are

we both had this at number seven on our half

decade list did it is it sticking around and

you're gonna wait to talk about it or did it

not quite make your countdown this time It me

my account and i'll just always talk about it

now since we're on it with my number eight so

not not that far off and i'm talking about being

in the film experience in the theater now we're

always in a weird time right now where who knows

what that's leading but i do think like. This

was a movie that was certainly made to be experienced

in that setting and i know i'm not a person who

loves 3d or feels it's needed but i do think

gravity wasn't it's where you know they did this

past you could do with that method. than any

film, maybe even, you know, Avatar, which of

course, you know, made it infamous. And I almost

debated, like, does this even count as science

fiction? Because it's obviously not real, but

it's much more close to reality than other sci

-fi films. But it's spectacle, I thought, with

purpose. And within, you know, this just, in

Cinder Bullock, too, he gets a lot of credit

because he's mostly by herself for the majority

of it. Now, just being the, you know, basically

nearly all CGI outfit just trying to make everything

work as much as you can and it's it's you know,

it is a thrill ride, but I do feel like Being

this like real -time exercise was kind of a directorial

feat and just behind the scenes too when you

see like everything they did To make this movie

work. It's again This could have even qualified

for like animated film with how much was actually

animated within everything but uh Yeah, I love

it. Then I still enjoy it now. I was happy to

see in the theater a few times. I still think

though even without that you can still enjoy

it at home, but it's just just not not exactly

the same. Yeah, like I said, it was number seven

on my half decade listed. just slipped out of

my list this time, but I don't think that's anything

negative against it. I think that's just a testimony

to how many great science fiction and fantasy

films we had in this last decade. I think it's

definitely worthy of being in the discussion

with all of the films that we're probably going

to mention here from the way out. Very unique

film and definitely an experience that I think

everybody should watch at least once. So I have

no problem with it being talked about here for

sure. For my next one for my number nine I actually

just rewatched this just to make sure I wasn't

just living off of the memories and this is gonna

be from 2016 with gravity we had 2013 go up a

few years here for Maybe one that wouldn't be

on most people's lists, but I just Really enjoyed

this film. I enjoy films that have a very small

or enclosed setting very limited cast It's usually

something that I gravitate towards and you definitely

get both of those with 10 Cloverfield Lane from

2016 And John Goodman good lord. Just give me

more films of him because I think he's Not talked

about enough not cast enough. I think he's a

gem and I like a film like this where you're

never quite sure. It doesn't reveal itself so

to speak and you're not quite sure what is the

real circumstances of this film is taking place

on like is. Is he justified in his fear is there

really something going on outside of this bunker

is he just making up because he's a crazy person

and what can you believe what can't you believe

kinda like the. almost like when you have a narrative

or a narrator that you can't trust, kind of like

that type of setting. So I just think the suspense

of this one had was well earned and I enjoyed

the performances. Like I said, especially from

John Goodman and I don't necessarily care for

the other parts of this. franchise if you want

to call it that. You don't like paradox. I think

that you can like ignore those and just take

this one for what it is on its own and it's just

as affecting. So I love 10 Cloverfield Lane.

DJ Matt thoughts. I remember being scared to

death of John Goodman in Barton Fink and in Raising

Arizona and then he became this lovable guy.

What about King Ralph? King raf came along and

I was like, oh my god, there goes terror and

then he became a lovable guy again and then I

was like, uh, I don't think he could ever be

scared. You can ever scare me again. Then I see

this movie. I'm like, oh, there it is. There's

the scary. I don't know what this guy's going

to do. John Goodman. I mean, they play it to

comedic effect and big Lebowski, but in here,

it's just like, you don't know what's going to

set them off. And he plays it so well. I was,

I remember watching it when I saw this movie

and I was like, he has to get nominated for this.

Cause this is like, that Claim because you know,

you're making a franchise movie. You're already

gonna lose like half of the already farty critics

But if I think of it would just came out as almost

like a post -apocalyptic survival movie I think

we would have seen more John Goodman But anybody

who sees this movie love it or hate it know that

John Goodman is excellent in it Yeah, for sure

and did get a 90 % on Rotten Tomatoes. So still

fairly well received there Matt any thoughts

before I swing it over to Dan? Yeah, just real

quick. I mean, to DJ's point as well, I got caught

in the franchise. I mean, I wish this was called

just like the bunker. Yeah, like that. I mean,

it could be just something called so easily,

but we know how bad a robot and Paramount or

whoever did this. Who was it? Fox? That might

be Paramount. Probably. It was probably those

jerks. So they're like, oh, we got a half a franchise.

We have this found footage film. Now we need

to have the tie in that finally brings it all

together. But yeah, I think. John Goodman's great.

I think a Mary Elizabeth Wines says really great

in his well, too and the guy who looks like Quicksilver

from newsroom. Yeah. Yeah, he looks like Quicksilver

a lot though. Come on. So let's all be honest

with each other. Westworld for a little bit this

season. That guy, that white guy, the other white

guy. The other guy. But it was very like, it

was tense. And I went to the theater and saw

it. I was like, Oh, I'm really enjoying this

film. But it's like, Oh, how are we going to

tie this movie in at the end? And I think that's

I think we saw more of that at the second half

of the decade where it's like, how many franchises

can we fit into all these movies and everything?

If this was made earlier in the decade, I feel

like there would have been a little bit more

freedom to have it be like not connected so much.

So I mean, I like that. I like this film a lot.

But at the same time, I think those franchise

issues kind of get under, you know, get under

my crawl a little bit. But other than that. It's

you're correct. It was bad robot and paramount.

Yeah Dan your thoughts on ten clover field lane

or your number nine pick? Yeah, I definitely

enjoy it It's it's it's kind of a shame that

when you realize that John Goodman's never been

nominated for an Oscar despite His like reason

career thought that would have been the one time

he was I don't know if it was a genre or the

fact that they came out so early in the year

that he never got got that nomination, but I

do think again talking about I don't I don't

want to spoil it, but I think that it not the

ending lost me but I do think it didn't necessarily

end on the highest note didn't Answer its questions

in a way that I thought escalated it to being

a better film But everything before that I thought

was really well done but from for my number nine

I guess going with a controversial director with

everything that's going on in the world With

the world of star wars at least but not going

with his star wars film But going with his film

before that looper ryan johnson's looper the

time -traveling movie with Joseph Gordon -Levitt

and Bruce Willis and you can argue this as much

as I crying from us it is a science fiction film

and Time travel is hard. It's hard to do. Well,

it's easy to kind of get lost in the muck of

everything and lose your own logic. I think Lupert

does it really well, setting up this world, not

getting too much caught into everything. They

have that great scene at the diner where they're

talking about, like, you can't get into time

travel. You'll be building diagrams with straws,

and it just all doesn't make sense. The more

you try to explain it, often the less things

make sense. But I do think John Brown Johnson

deserves some sort of award to getting Bruce

Willis to care. Again which is not something

he does very often every now and again, but usually

probably I would say the best performance he

had of the entire decade working next to george

gordon levitt and no never thought you would

have Him as a younger version of bruce willis,

but with the help of some makeup makeup It does

work. It does take a little bit getting used

to but once you get there But also has to be

one of the greatest scenes of the year where

you see basically what happens with the Other

say the disappearing limbs seen as things just

kind of you know get worse and worse and worse

That that was a haunting imagery and that's what

I did like about it How it did take the time

travel idea and do different new things like

get kind of stuck in what we've seen before So

yeah, that's why I enjoyed but I do know the

middle is very Loses some people because it does

slow down a bunch and it becomes a completely

different movie But I thought it worked it is

it's a mixture of a lot of different things even

including some it like Heavy anime references

in there as well, but I thought it all works.

Yeah, so Definitely well received 93 % on Rotten

Tomatoes. It was very well represented on our

half decade list I had it at my number 10 spot

on that list and Dan you and Hiro both headed

at your number four the the the between Joseph

Gore Levitt to Bruce Willis. And I think without

any dialogue whatsoever, it's just with a score

and just clips. And I was like, when Rian Johnson

does that, I think he, without any franchises

hovering above his head, he's really, really,

really, really, really good. And I think that

stuff, the way that movie's put together, the

twists of the movie, you kind of don't even see

coming, especially the major one. And you get

really good performances pretty much out of everyone,

including child actor who terrifies the living

shit out of me. Where I did not, this child actor

does a thing at the end of the movie where you're

like, wow, that is a face. And you're like, wow,

that is a very good. Know exactly what this kid

is thinking and it's just pure terror for pure

terror. So yeah, I really like Lubert It's like

this is the movie that made me go. Oh, wow. He's

good in Star Wars. Great Star Wars and everybody's

pissed you got Star Wars I mean it goes to show

you it's like between this brick and knives out

when you give ryan johnson rain to I mean based

on the you know What the opinion of everybody

has that like last jedi and stuff like that I

guess I can't say he's batting a thousand but

I mean between his three other films that everybody's

like wow This guy's really good. This guy's a

wonder kid I mean he's good at building his own

worlds that he wants to build without the constraint

of somebody telling him that he has to build

the worlds the way he wants to or He builds a

world the way he wants to and everybody's like

you suck. I hate you Go figure, right? Yeah.

All right, DJ, what is your guys's number eight?

I think Matt, I'm going to I'm going to negotiate

with you here because I'm looking at our list

and all the evens that are left are movies that

you wanted and all the odds that are left are

ones that I wanted. So you can do number eight.

You didn't send me your list. I only have my

list. I don't have your list. No, no, trust me.

Oh, trust me. Number eight is a movie that you

wanted. That's on the list. You're a cagey. You're

a cagey little guy, a cagey vet. You know what

I'm saying? So should I take this one then you

go ahead and take this one? Okay, so I'm going

back to back and then you're going on then. Okay,

cool. Sounds like a plan. All right. Well, we're

going, we're staying in space. Picture this folks.

I love this already. Academy Award winning writer

is in space. He's left in space and he's forced

to dig around in people's poop. That's the best

part of the film. Well, there's a lot of great

parts of this film. But number eight, we're going

with The Martian because The Martian is tons

of fun. And you know what? In this dark, pathetic,

abysmal, crappy world, shitty world that we're

in right now. Watching this film again with my

wife. No less. It showed me the true power of

getting together and for a common goal for one

white man I'm being cheeky, of course, but Martian

is fun. It's got Tons of actors in it. I mean

Ridley Scott like a zillion actors a broken the

damn bank for this because He hired everybody

and everybody who wanted to be in a movie like

you want to be hey, hi, Mike You want to be in

a movie with me? It's like, yeah, I'll be in

a movie with it. So five MCU actors in this movie.

There's everyone in this movie. It's fantastic

and as silly as it kind of gets with the whole

pseudoscience of like launching somebody into

the lower over Lower, I don't know how space

works or how astro dynamics work or how astrophysics

or low orbit of planets that are light years

away from us. I don't know. But you know what?

I enjoyed it and it was fun. And this movie was

really, really good time. I don't care how long

it was like two and a half hours, but you know,

it brings me a little bit of, you know, a little

heart. There's a lot of heart in this movie and

it's fun. So Martian number eight for us. For

my number eight I wanted to switch roles and

go to a comedy so I also went with the Martian

I feel like you know the Academy called it a

comedy so we'll go with that This movie was uh,

it was a lot of fun. Um regardless of how comedic

or not it was but uh musical or comedy I guess

is what it was called but no matt damon's fantastic

though. Obviously it has a huge cast but I just

I don't know I I know Dan you talked about this

a lot in the year that it came out, you know

2015 I think this was your number one film in

that year. Um, so obviously you're probably in

agreement here, but there's a lot to love about

this uh film whether it's Some of the more dramatic

beats or some of the more action beats or some

of the just kind of seen Matt Damon kind of solo

and what he's doing to survive and things like

that. So yeah, I agree with you guys. I think

this is a lot of fun. I think it's definitely

deserving to be in the conversation. 91 % on

Rotten Tomatoes and one of the best science fiction

films of the decade. Dan, are we going to hold

off on your thoughts on this one or? I'll just

I'll just go now. It's my number five, but I'll

just add into the file of the Martian. As you

mentioned it was my number one film that the

year came out in 2015 and I just it just really

struck a chord with me because it's just really

You know really smart people solving really complex

problems in really interesting ways and it just

Most I feel like a lot of times we even like

talking about Looper science fiction films that

take place in the future. It's often very Dystopian

or you know, it's there's like it just makes

you concerned with what's to come The Martian

I felt like is one of the few science fiction

films that came out this decade that was optimistic

in a way and had it showed the power of the human

mind what it can accomplish even in the most

unusual circumstances with limited resources

and the fact that you know, it does I don't know

where it falls into the Neil deGrasse Tyson Bromber

of reality or whatever, but I do think compared

to Most science fiction films, I think, it tried

to stay the course as much as possible. I know

a lot of people, you know, done different...

And a lot of people have analyzed the film to

see what's real, what would really happen. I

know the book itself that it's based on is quite

well renowned as well. And I do think it shows

you when Ridley Scott gets a good script, he

can still make great films. I know he had an

up and down decade, but... It doesn't even feel

like really Ridley Scott movie. It feels much

more modern In the sense that it's very much

of the now like you would feel like this is a

movie made by an up -and -coming director now

a guy who's been you know directing for 30 40

years or so and Matt Damon is Matt Damon. He's

charismatic He holds he makes it all work. It

does I think suffer from some aspects of being

some Typical tropes and things like that Jeff

Daniels character, for example, but I don't know

to me what works with it. It's I think it's just

that the spirit of the film carries it through

for me even if it may not be as well made or

as groundbreaking as other films in the genre

for this decade. That's what made it so high

for me. That's why it was number five for me.

Awesome. So universal agreement here on the Martian

DJ that brings it back to you for your number

seven. I'm going to go with a movie called. Dawn

of the Planet of the Apes, 2014. Not only there's

this special effects in this movie, freak me

out how realistic they look and they still hold

up today. Circus, Andy Circus, the great Andy

Circus brings like this real emotion to these

creatures and unlike some other sci -fi films

that away from title characters in order to focus

on humans. Godzilla transformers dawn actually

focuses on the frickin apes the entire time Humans

are there but they are the co -stars. They're

barely I mean Jason Clark is there but he's kind

of just is not this it's about it's about Caesar

a Rocket it's about the tragedy of those two

characters and this that's another great thing

about this movie is that you see that in the

beginning how rocket and Caesar are brothers

in how this one fundamental thing breaks them

apart in a realistic way. Rocket is not evil

for evil's sake. Rocket has a reason, which is

built up from the first, from Rise of the Planet

of the Apes is when they introduced Rocket. And

you see in that speech he gives them about the

human work, you kind of feel for him like he

has a point. Not like, you know, the way he implemented

this really, really, really terrifying, but he

is traumatized and you see It's that dynamic.

And then you realize two hours in that you're

really focusing on these two CGI characters talking

and there's scenes where Caesar is talking to

his son and it's making you cry, even though

you're an old man like myself watching the movie

crying like, oh my God, why is this monkey making

me cry? It doesn't make any sense. But yeah,

Don and the Plenty Apes, I think is one of the

best. In the entire franchise and that's saying

a lot be with the Charlton S and all that stuff

But uh, and this is kind of the first time I

ever saw Matt Reeves I think I saw let me or

let the right one in the ways that let me in

there with whatever remake he did I saw that

after this one Let me in. Yeah, let me in with

the Chloe Grace Morris, which I love right? Yeah,

I saw that after this one. So yeah, this was

kind of my introduction to him I heard he was

getting Batman. I was like, well, if it looks

anything like Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,

I'm in. Let's go. Let's do it. Yeah, Planet of

the Apes was well represented in the half decade

list as well. Hiro had this Dawn of the Planet

of the Apes at his number eight as a half decade

mark. I had just a Planet of the Apes at number

two for me last time at the half decade mark

because I refused to distinguish between. Don

and rise at the time, and now we've had war added

to it. And I had to make a rule for myself this

time that I could only have one of those represented.

Otherwise, all three of them probably could have

snuck into my list because I love that trilogy

so much. But I have done this year. I'll speak

now, but I have it at my number four. It was

the one that I singled out out of the three of

them. War has the highest Rotten Tomatoes score

at 94. Dawn has a 90 and Rise has an 82. Not

that Rotten Tomatoes means everything. It's just

one of the references that I have here. But for

Dawn, like you're talking about with the human

work and with the really the interactions between

the actual apes, I think was at its peak here

in the middle segment of this trilogy, which

is kind of odd. I think, you know, in trilogies,

usually a lot of people gravitate towards the

first or the third one. And I feel like the second

one here might be the strongest one. So. I love

I can rewatch this every time I can show this

trilogy to somebody who hasn't seen any of the

Planet of the Apes movies I jump at that chance

because universally, I think I've had I don't

think I've ever had anybody disappointed when

they've watched these films with me so and they're

each of just enough different to that they kind

of give you a little bit of a Different feel

and a different effect on you. I think they did

a kind of a nice job distinguishing a different

Ethos I kind of to each one of the three films.

So it's my number four. I love this trilogy I

could talk about it all day, but I won't so That

will take let's I'll have Dan I'll have you do

your number seven and then I'll bounce back at

my number seven Okay, my number seven It's such

a beautifully horrific movie. I don't know how

to eat those those aren't words that make sense

I know i know it's gonna have an alex garland

movie on my list. I just didn't know which one.

Um, but i'm gonna go with annihilation Uh, just

because I remember going into this I was concerned.

It wasn't going to work. It was based upon this

novel which was supposed to be unfilmable uh,

it was weirdly delayed like it was supposed to

come out and then it just seemed like they were

shelving it and It seemed like a lot of concern

of like okay Maybe this movie isn't that good

and then you watch it and you're like, wow, this

is just a brilliant take on science fiction.

You know, it is gorgeous at times. It is horrific

at times. It's one of the scariest movies of

the year. There's so much you can take out of

it. I think a lot of people's interpretations

of it will be very different depending upon who

you are. I think many of them are legitimate.

But it's confusing in a way, but never to the

point where it... It hinders your your experience

with the film and it's just also packed with

just strong performances You know Natalie Portman,

of course being the lead but throughout, you

know this group of female actors were phenomenal

on it and just again Alex Garland kind of playing

with the genre, you know, not a huge high budget

but doing with great things with with with what

he could and the you know, obviously the bear

scene is probably one of them are One of the

moments that will haunt me forever And that that

again talking about creature design is uh, it

is it is crazy to see But then realizing it as

you're going further and further into this film

what it's really representing and it has those

moments But there's just a lot to take out on

on a philosophical standpoint as well. It is

an emotional standpoint Um, and you know identity

of being a huge part of what this movie represents

So yeah, I think I almost put this higher I struggle

with it, but I do think I've only seen it once

and I feel like if I seen it again I would probably

enjoy it. It's just I know one of those watches

that takes a lot out of you So yeah, that's for

sure. I did have it slightly higher, but only

by one I had it at my number six And I agree

with everything you said and I think science

fiction almost more than any other genre over

the decades over the years has been one that's

not afraid to center their movie and their stars

around a female cast. I think that's one thing

that science fiction tends to do better than

a lot of the other genres. And you're right,

we do get a fantastic female cast with Natalie

Portman, Jennifer Jason Lee, Gina Rodriguez,

Tessa Thompson, et cetera, et cetera. I mean,

really, Oscar Isaac is about the only male of

I love everything Alex Garland does. And this

is no exception. I think this was a phenomenal

science fiction film. It's listed as a science

fiction psychological horror film. I think it

fits all of those descriptions. So I love Annihilation.

But like you, I do need to see it again. It's

just like also, like you said, it's a it's a

hard one just to. Pop in and say hey, let's watch

this real quick. But uh down and watch annihilation

I'm in agreement dan. I think this is definitely

worthy of being in the discussion matter or dj

thoughts on annihilation I'll just say really

quick. Um to the to the cast gina rodriguez is

my favorite part of the film Her her scenes with

uh the bear and everything the whole bear scene

with her It is super intense. It shows just the

mental Breakdown the emotional breakdown of probably

not only what she's going through because you

do find out some snippets Which what's going

on in everybody's life? But I feel like her arc

is probably the most dynamic and then it's capped

off by just the emotional stress of what's going

on in this I would be called I don't call it

soap dish But in a lot of ways it just looks

like a giant soap bubble in a lot of ways if

you want to get you know With the whole shimmer

and stuff like that, but everybody's really great

In this film. I remember watching this in the

theater with with my wife and she was like what

the fuck is going on here? I don't know either.

Nobody knows what's going on here. It's fine

It's um, but at the end of the day, it was just

Very interesting the soundtrack adds to that

like just existential just like creepiness and

ickiness you get through the whole thing, too

And I don't know it's it's intriguing and I would

love for them to do more because it's based on

the the whole sci -fi trilogy book um, and everything

if they didn't want to get more into it they

could but Who knows if we'll ever get more because

guess what folks this movie did not make enough

money for it to warrant a sequel And I'll leave

it at that for me. All right DJ any thoughts

before I reveal my number seven or she used to

watch this movie No, no, I have not seen it yet.

I've seen bits and pieces. I saw the bear scene

and that I almost pissed myself. So I was like

I'm a huge Alex Garland fan, but this movie is

the blind spot talking about before is this like

seen all these scenes out of context. I think

I got to one day just sit down and watch it because

I told you that bear is nightmare fuel forever.

I don't want to know. I don't I don't know what

the hell is going on. I just saw a creature that

will haunt me for the rest of my life. Fair enough.

All right. For my number seven, I'll go with

another a film. And that is from 2016, possibly

higher on some of your guys' list. Maybe. I don't

know. But I'm going with a rival for my number

seven from Denis Villeneuve. This movie is a

mind bender of all kinds of sorts. I like a film

that has that lasting impact where you can have

continuous conversations and you can reveal more

stuff is revealed. The more you talk about it,

the more you watch it again. And there's just

constantly more stuff to kind of like consider

from different. perspectives and different points

of view and kind of what it all means, et cetera.

And I like a sci fi to be, you know, I like some

sci fi films to be thinkers. And I think this

is one of those. Obviously, Amy Adams is fantastic.

Jeremy Renner is good as well. And I think this

is like this epitomizes the genre. Like if you

think in science fiction films like this checks

all of the boxes for me. So Arrival from 2016

is my number seven. Matt Dan or DJ any thoughts?

Really like the fact that It really got into

the watch all these alien movies from Star Trek

on down and it's like the aliens are talking

to humans like this all willy -nilly and this

whole movie is about communication that's essentially

what it is and The way they communicate is it's

crazy I feel bad for Amy Adams because she'll

probably this is the she keeps coming out with

these great performances that nobody freaking

cares. Not nobody cares about, but like she said

win for this was one of them where I was like,

man, when I when I was watching the theater,

I was like, well, she's definitely going to get

something for this. Right. Sorry. Wrong genre.

Sorry. Yeah, I got a Golden Globe nomination

for but the Oscars left her even though the Oscars

had given eight other nominations, none of them

for best actress. I understand what she got stuff

for the assholes are like damn. They're against

you for you must have done something I don't

know what you did, but they're against American

House will put her under the under the car cheese

And all of American House will so sue me whatever

Dan any other thoughts or yeah, so arrivals actually

my number three. So I'll just talk about it already

on it it again, it's an alien Invasion film that

we've seen time and time again, but it's all

like DJ says all about a conversation. It's all

about communication. Understanding language,

which is such an important part of our life that

language and time and how they relate to one

another. And I think it may have arguably perhaps

one of the best endings of the entire decade

of last decade. And how it just adds this emotional

core to the so many. Again, it helps explain

what's going on in a way that kind of connects

all the pieces that we contextualize everything

That you've seen before but it also just like

in a hits with a like, oh this is what's happening

and makes you kind of realize this there's a

I even think bittersweet's the right terminology,

but I just amazing that the movie was made at

the budget it was um I don't know if it I think

was really successful was a gorgeous looking

film as well. Um and you know it it gets into

kind of the power of loss and love and having

to make like what it would be the ultimate choice

uh an impossible choice to make but i love that

dilemma like good drama comes from creating and

crafting dilemma that you know you can kind of

debate about and never really come to a conclusion

about about what you would do and i thought the

ending for this kind of brought that you know

fold for sure so That's why it's so high up on

my list. I think I've even went enjoyed it more

Since I've originally seen it being able to watch

it again. Yeah kind of kind of Understanding

where it's going and realizing that okay, we're

picking up on so much more It is one of those

films that rewards for you watching. So absolutely

DJ no, yeah, Matt this time number six. I think

that's what we're doing. We flipped it on you,

man Yeah, now I'm odd or now I'm even baby I

don't think DJ and I were on the same wavelength

on this one, but I love this film because it

is so I love this film, too Come on. I love this

film. I don't know. Okay. We'll have to talk

about this where you had it on your list at the

end maybe but this film is amazing and It Dare

I say it's our first love story of the film of

the whole list. It might be our first love story

our first romantic offering Romantic sci -fi

offering erotic romantic sci -fi. I just crossed

a different level Slow down slow down slow down

Well, I mean DJ loves this product probably be

for different reasons, but maybe we're on the

same page, but number six for us Collectively

decided under the skin by Jonathan Gletscher

is our number six This film is out of this world

in a lot of ways it is Dare I say it's Scarlett

Johansson's best role she's had. I mean, I'd

like her to argue that but she's freaking phenomenal

He's really phenomenal in this and it's so weird

and out there and again the music I mean you

think I love the music in a lie elation I love

the music in this one. It is so dark and weird

and crazy and sexy and odd and spacey and erotic

and Everything else. I mean, it's basically Scarlett

Johansson Putting on people's skin and sucking

their life away into a giant void For love because

she wants to be loved. That's all she wants to

be is loved Isn't that all we want to be at the

end of days loved even when you're an alien from?

Whatever planet she is because we don't know

what plan she's from for us But uh this this

movie I mean, I guess I hate to be cheeky but

you know it gets under your skin because this

is very unnerving the way she Basically just

it's very hell raisery to me in a lot of ways

It kind of reminds me of Frank's character and

hell hell raiser trying to you know Suck the

life force out of people to become whole again

everything. I know we cross a whole different

genre But this film is I have to watch it again

because I haven't seen it in a while, but I remember

just being Transfixed on the screen with the

big black void and just people falling into it

as she takes their life away and at the end of

the movie you feel really bad because you know

No matter how much she tries to love everybody

else. She can't truly love anybody. Maybe it's

her DNA her alien DNA We don't really know but

it's very it's a very interesting experience

to be a part of under the skin DJ I have one

the word creepy. There's scenes in this movie.

Well, we are the one word. Matt is right about

pretty much everything he says there. I would

just attest that I love this movie because of

how unnerving it makes you feel. That beach scene,

I don't know what it is about that scene. I couldn't

sit still in my chair. I was just like, oh, I'm

like looking around and scratching. It's something

about it. The baby left on the beach thing. I

couldn't, oh, it's just. Yeah, it invokes emotion

out of you. And you're right, at the end, you're

kind of like, oh man, she just can't, she wants

to kind of cross over to our world, but you can't,

and then. She doesn't understand it. To get it

and I like the way they filmed that we're Scarlett

Johansson panel was just driving around in a

truck and they were picking up actual people

and ad -libbing their Conversations and stuff

like that. That's the way that this movie's done.

It's just creepy. That's by himself. This is

creepy. I'm just walking in Just like a hooker,

that's creepy Brickian type of movie. I'd say

I'd say this is a very epic Kubrick would love

this type of movie And I'm assuming this is on

your list as well. Yeah, I'll see my thoughts.

Okay. All right I won't share any thoughts because

I'm trying to stay positive and I was very vocal

about how negative I was on this film So I think

this and Birdman were probably my two most vocal

negative reactions of the decade. So Dan, what's

your number six? My number six is also kind of

a love story. Well, it definitely involves love

a different type of science fiction film um,

and to me the maybe the best the person who had

the best decade it's Arguably, there's a lot

of people who could Could uh, we're had a great,

uh, 2010s, whatever you want to say, uh, but

yours lanthimos I think had some of my favorite

films of the decade and one of those being the

lobster which some may argue isn't really even

a science fiction film in a way, but it is in

the sense of You're living in this world in which

If you don't get married, you end up having to

be turned into the animal of your choosing. And

it's one of the driest films, I think, ever put

on screen. Colin Farrell is just brilliant in

this movie. One of his best comedic performances.

Just how everything is just spoken with with

such a serious tone. It's never in on its own

joke. Obviously we read when you're watching

it this thing a lot about kind of the institution

of marriage but i think it's more than that to

me it's just how some cultures work and we're

living in a decade where some cultures are becoming

more more prevalent and just the random rules

they place on everyone that kind of make no sense

and then also how some cultures tend to view

those that are outside of them as enemies and

the conflicts that ensue in trying to kind of

be part. of these different worlds and despite

their flaws, but it's just the tone of it is

pitch perfect. It's one of the hardest things,

I think, in order for this movie to work. I know

a lot of people didn't like the second half as

much. They loved once he kind of used the compound,

but I thought to me it made the film stronger

because it expanded upon its commentary and what

it was saying, showing it's just, you know, it's

not just this movie about why marriage is weird,

but it's much more than that. So yeah, that's

why it's my number. Are we on six now? Yes All

right. So that is our ten through six picks as

well as a few Teases into what we have coming

up, but we're gonna take a quick break We're

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listen those commercials and stick with us because

we'll be right back after the break on the simplistic

reviews podcast. We talk movies We talk TV We

talk. Hello Julie, what the heck are you doing?

Trying to make our spot sound more exciting by

adding explosions Yeah, I'm pretty sure you could

have got the point across with sound effects.

Not the real thing Download this show on iTunes

or if simplistic reviews .blogspot .com I'm sure

your insurance company will cover that. No, they

won't. No, they probably won't Hello everyone.

This is JD from the in session film podcast each

week. We review the latest from Hollywood, California

Well, yes Brendan We also give top three lists.

OK, yeah. Thanks again, Brendan. Additionally,

you can hear us talk other movie news, trailers,

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related topics and even ransom raves of the week.

On top of our main show every Friday, you can

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Friday. Subscribe today and hear me verbally

beat JD like a Cherokee drum. No, no, no, no,

no. That's not how this works, sir. All right.

Thanks for sticking with us. It's time for our

five through one picks for the best science fiction

fantasy films of the last decade. We will start

with I cannot remember it anymore. I'm saying

it's DJ and we're going to your number five.

What is the odd one? No, the odd one. Uh, I'm

going to go with number five. It's the anniversary.

Uh, it's inception. Uh, I remember walking out

of the movie theater. I think it's West Lake

movie theater, Orlando, Florida. After watching

this film contemplating my own reality. This

isn't the last time I felt that was the matrix.

Something about that movie and it's very it's

very non sci -fi but then the dream element I

think is what is the coolest part about that

and the way Nolan executes it you know in a way

where it you kind of just buy into everything

and the essentially it's Nightmare in Elm Street,

but a James Bond version of it. It's it's it's

fantastic. And I has my favorite Hans Zimmer

score of all time. This is kind of what made

I'll say it made Leo of Megastar. It's Titanic

did that. But this is kind of like, yeah, Leo,

you're you're not going anywhere anytime soon.

I love I think he made this in between Batman

movies. This is kind of like his I got some time

to kill. I'll just make inception. Yeah, and

from what the rumors are is that this might Help

not but it might have some connection with tenant.

I hope not but that I just like that whole world

I like the you Matt knows I hate endings that

they don't you know This is about as much as

that as it is I and this is the only one where

this is magnolia pie the only ones where I'm

kind of like, you know what? I'll give it a pass,

it's fine. You get a furlough with the top because

people have been debating the ending of this

movie since it's come out for the last eight

years. So I just think it's a really really good

movie that I know a lot of people I think as

time has gone by has kind of started to malign

this movie, but I don't care. It's I watch this

all the time. My phone answering ring when the

alarm clock is the song time at the end where

he wakes up in the plane. I love inception. It's

my it's my number five. Matt, were you not quite

as high or what were your thoughts on inception?

I mean, for my personal list, I didn't have this.

all my list to be honest with you, but we negotiated

and Let me ask let me ask so let me a Mickey

and it was fine I Appreciate this film for its

technical merit kind of similar to how I appreciate

grabbing a lot of ways This film I in all honesty,

I have not seen it since the theater. I I don't

know what with Nolan films for me. I feel like

it is such a I don't want to say it's a chore

to watch his films But there's definitely this

aspect of watching either inception or interstellar

and any of his big brain I mean big brain movies

and maybe I'm just a stupid idiot I mean in a

lot of ways I am of course, but watching inception

or watching interstellar such a Emotional drain

on my body and soul and mind that I maybe I'm

like I said maybe I'm an idiot I can't put these

things together but. Conceptually with the idea

of. If I'm breaking it down on its base as a

film where it's like let's go into somebody's

mind and steal their dreams and steal what's

in their head to me that's an interesting heist

formats and I really like that. But there's all

these other things with time and how it's you

know, I guess relative to interstellar in a lot

of ways where You know, there's there's so many

there's so many stakes. There's so much stuff

going on at the same time I'm like my brain can't

accept all this. I'm being accepted as well.

Maybe who knows? um, but I think for what it's

worth the cast tom hardy's a suave bastard leo's

really good playing christopher nolan, which

is always amazing and um Overall, I mean it's

a cool film and I don't want to say it's a blind

spot for me, but I've seen it But I haven't seen

it recently enough to maybe appreciate it. Okay,

that makes sense I think this is one of the ones

that I think it's probably gonna be the only

selection that gets talked about today from 2010

and I feel like that has almost been Its downfall

is that it came out that first year and I think

a lot of people Have either changed their opinions

of it or it's just faded from people's views

in a way Where it has slipped down on a lot of

people, but I'm with DJ I think just like the

matrix that this is Something that for me almost

changed the game when it comes to science fiction

It showed me something that I had never seen

before or in a way that I had never seen it before

so I don't know. I was very impressed by inception.

I think it's something that is still stuck with

me. And I am a fan of Christopher Nolan. I do

like those think pieces, even if at times I don't

understand them as much as I think I should.

Or it takes rewatches to understand them or things

of that nature. But I had it at number three

at the halfway point, and I still have it at

number three after the decade's over. So I'm

in agreement with you, DJ. I think this is definitely

worthy of. of being in this discussion of top

science fiction films. Thank you. Thank you,

Steve. You're not going to give it like any props

or anything like that. Jesus Christ, I said I

paid you $50. OK, I want my money back. Dan,

you had that said number five is not a good American.

OK, how about that? And you had this in number

five at the halfway Marco. You still think that

inception deserves to be kind of discussed in

this type of setting? Yes, certainly. Honestly.

Forgot it came out this decade. Like I felt like

it came out like 15 years ago. It's been a long

10 years. But it didn't make my it didn't make

my top 10 here. But as you mentioned, it didn't

halfway through and I do enjoy it. I mean the

special effects in that are pretty incredible.

It's also like Nolan almost trying to do his

version of James Bond in a way, especially the

snow scene seems very reminiscent of that. And

yeah, I. He has his fascination with time as

we've seen with a lot of his films But it works

and I still think the practical effects on that

to the that room spinning room Sequence is just

phenomenal the hunt and rescore. I Think I've

heard they're gonna you know when theaters open

up again They will be this was one of the films

are the hearing a lot of people putting back

in the theaters again Which would be you think

fantastic. I would love to see it again in the

theater You know because it was a really good

experience the first time and I've you know,

I've seen it a few times, but it's been it's

been quite a long time But yeah, it is weird

that it's I think is Chris Reynolds come out

with such a you know, so many films since then

That maybe it's not as well regarded and be interesting

seeing how it relates to tenant like in the sense

of just Quality wise but yeah Alright fair enough.

I will go to my number five now and that is I

guess one that's just a personal favorite of

mine as far as rewatch ability and just fun when

it comes to science fiction like Like matt was

just talking about we have like these big heavy

think pieces with like an inception or an interstellar

or even what we were talking about with annihilation

or arrival kind of two and This one my number

five picks just goes back to just playing out

fun action science fiction. So I'm I wish they

could have Decided on a title, but I'll go with

either edge of tomorrow or live die repeat. I

don't know what you want to call it But I just

think this one is so much fun. The action is

fun it I mean it does have a little bit of thinking

as far as the premise of the movie I guess but

Tom Cruise and Emily and blunt are both fantastic

in this and this one for me has almost endless

Rewatch ability came out in 2014. It was actually

my number five at the halfway point and still

is my number five I just really have a lot of

fun with this film. So I call it edge of tomorrow.

I don't know what it's technically known as anymore.

So DJ Matt, any thoughts on that one? I think

we're going to save her come. OK, we have a higher.

All right, Dan, what about you? If you will.

Yeah, I thought about it. I hadn't here, but

since we're doing an action list again, I thought

I thought of it more of an action film first.

At least that's what I enjoy most of it. So I

figured I'd probably just keep it for that. Yeah,

that was again one that was really underseen

and did not get the you know, get the attention

deserved because it was So it's a really well,

you know great concept that's executed perfectly.

Yeah, I agree You had Martian number five, which

we already talked about. So let's flip it back

to DJ and Matt for their number four pick Number

four. Okay, so to your point Kev, so now for

number four We agreed on this and we're going

with just straight up Action, sci -fi, turn your

brain off. It's kind of funny going from number

five, number four, because it's like the complete

opposite of what we just talked about. But hey,

we have an actor, an actor that's going to be

twice on our list. Can you guess who? I guess

you can't I'm gonna tell you in a minute. Okay

Number four Well, no, he's actually in the sequel.

So I'm an idiot, but we're gonna go number four.

We're gonna go Pacific Rim the og Pacific Rim

Guillermo del Toro's love fest of everything

kaiju and giant robots beating up monsters from

the Pacific Depths from another dimension because

sci -fi everybody um this watching this movie

or seeing this movie in the theater i've ever

seen the trailer first i was like oh wow there's

like robots beating up monsters this is eight

year old self made a movie yeah it's like i had

a boater it was like this is exciting um and

this movie is i mean this is something i go back

to to the well on and i'm glad it's something

i can also go back to the well on with nicole

because we both Immensely enjoy this film because

it's it's fun. It's stupid It raises some interesting

concepts where you get a sequel with a kind of

the sequel is not very good Everybody spoiler

alert, but the first film is just Gigantically

fun. It's ridiculous. It's over -the -top. It's

gearable. Guillermo del Toro who is now an Academy

Award -winning director Guess what? He made a

movie about monsters punching other monsters

in the face while destroying a small city. So

hey, Academy. That's what I think about you.

But yeah, Pacific Rim number four, because it's

so fun. It's so damn fun. I'm excited thinking

about it right now. It's so fun. There's some

reason about this movie. I should hate it. I

love it. I don't know what it is. I think it's

the part where The fist goes through the building

and hits the Newton's cradle and the things move.

And it's funny because you just talked about

Guillermo del Toro. This is like Guillermo del

Toro unleashed whatever he wants to do. I want

the monster, the robots to actually have weight

to them and the fights to feel like an actual

fight. This was kind of like a throwback to the

Godzilla versus Ultraman kind of. This is my

childhood. This is essentially like if, like

I said, my eight year old self through a pitch,

the movie, it would be this movie. And they don't,

I think everybody understood the movie they were

in, especially like just Ilbo who's doing the

speech and you know, they're all, it's just almost

like the highest, did it be movie? Maybe of the

decade. I love it for that reason because it

knows what it wants. Tomodoto knew what he wanted

to make. I think he executed it well. And to

prove it, watch the second one. You see how they

didn't execute it well at all. Pacific Rim was

number seven on Frilly Sense half decade list.

It was number nine on my half decade list. Unfortunately

for it, the five years of movies came out after

that on the second half of the decade and just

buried this one for me. But it was number nine

on my halfway point. It just fell too much because

of all the movies that came out after it. But

I do think it's a lot of fun. I think this one

does have some rewatchability. And just like

Edge of Tomorrow is just one that you can just

pop in and get some enjoyment out of. It's like

just a fun action science fiction film. So I

have no problem with it being discussed, that's

for sure. Dan, thoughts on Pacific Rim? Yeah,

I'm pretty much just echo everything that was

said again similar to edge of tomorrow Consider

more of an action film first. So that's why I

was thinking more if I were to bring it up at

beef for that list Okay, but I mean it's Kaiju

fighting robots It's is exactly what you want

it to be in that sense and well made and great

looking robots a little how the robots themselves

have personality the monsters are well designed

and Uh, you know in how everything plays out

the sequel I I didn't hate and a lot of people

hated it But certainly you get you could tell

you know There's why it almost makes you look

back and realize why pacific room was as good

as it was because in the hands of a better director

That concept is a lot better than someone who's

just I think trying to you know, um, just go

through the motions Yeah, for sure. Uh, my number

four was already discussed. That was dawn of

the planet of the apes So dan that brings us

back to you for your number four My number four

is also Don of the Planet of the Apes. I think

the Apes films to me are the best film franchise

of the decade with their quality and I think

this is the best of the three. Monkey is doing

Shakespeare and it works. Kobo is probably one

of my favorite villains of the decade. You understand

his motivations. You get where he's coming from.

There's sympathy for him and the relationship

with him and Caesar. It kind of breaks your heart

seeing them kind of come in the blows like they

do, but understanding why they had to. Matt Reeves,

I think he doesn't over show his hand, but there

are times where you can see he's a good action

director. There's this great moment where In

the middle of an action sequence like you're

placed on top of like this turret and it just

I think brings everything You know, it's just

a great way to kind of experience that Action

to me that was like the least important things

of these films. It's just the special effects

are you know, I Advanced I think everything yeah

doesn't help just in the eyes, too I remember

the first trailer for this and it just zoomed

in on I believe it was Caesar's eyes and the

trees with the rain stuff. Yeah and often when

it comes to CGI before this like the eyes is

where people try to avoid the most because you

know people had those dead eyes it just it didn't

look natural and and this nailed it and Without

that working without you know getting that level

of fine detail and being able to Make you believe

you're looking at an actual ape having a conversation.

I don't think you know this movie will work nearly

as well as it does and So that's why it's my

number four just a fantastic film franchise that

I know I remember when I heard they were coming

out with another one I'm like high even bother

You know and like why like just let that die

and then rise was good. I like rise is a solid

film But this we just brought it into like an

entirely different level war was good, too But

it's it's not I think it just doesn't have the

emotional impact. This one does on his empire

Donna's Empire strikes back. Yeah But yeah, that's

why it's my thank you for reminding me. Thank

you for reminding me then I fuck up the name

It's it's it's koba not rocket rocket rocket.

I was like my bad. I got the names You're another

monkey called rocket another monkey called he's

actually uh, he's a character in them. I just

got them confused He's on the good side Yeah,

the poster child movie for the mocap getting

more attention when it comes to That's the whole

argument is behind this movie. That's not with

the performances. It started like a Debate in

the film community about should circus get something

because I'm feeling things. Why am I feeling

And then and also told me cable to who does And

then when I know and when they said he was gonna

play dr. Doom, I'm like, yeah, that'll work out

and then we got All right, so that is both Dan

and my number four which means it's time for

number three for DJ My favorite film of 2017

is Blade Runner 2049. This has a special place

in my heart, because it is the film that finally

got the greatest cinematographer of all time,

Roger Deakins, an Oscar. The tightrope act, we

keep talking about Denis Villeneuve, that this

guy had to walk, and he's going to continue to

walk with Dune, of beloved cult classic, getting

back to a beloved cult classic and not dropping

the ball for the fans. have been, I don't know

what goes on to this guy's head. Cause I was

like, after he did this movie, I'm like, okay.

He goes, I'm going to do Dune next. I'm like,

are you trying to kill yourself? Are you sure?

What is, what is with you, man? Uh, but no, I

love this movie. I think it's, we're talking

about people coming back and giving performances

when they usually don't give a crap. Harrison

Ford is on that list of people, but when he cares,

you can. And in this movie, you can tell that

scene with him and Gerald little in the room

with the lights and they're explaining and Young's

character and you can't see Harrison Ford's face

until the light comes back around and then he's

just broken it's like Harrison Ford's just drop

and stuff and you get a Really good performance

from Ryan Gosling who is really I think underappreciated

for his acting. I think he's really good in this

movie I love this movie and I understand, along

with Inception, I understand where it's not everybody's

cup of tea. I mean, put this movie on and mute

it. It is every frame, it's art. Every single

frame of it. And a lot of it, you should watch

the making of it. A lot of it's practical. Like

I thought like when Ryan Gosling's walking through

that killer zone, that was all CGI and it's not.

It's in a studio and it has made it look orange

in there for some I don't know how they held

Roger Deakins did it That's why I won the Academy

Award I think this movie in terms of Blade Runner

one of the most beloved five films of all time

Good really worthy. I think sequel puts it on

my list is number Yeah, I think for me the only

thing I this would be fighting right now for

a spot like right between 15 and 20 for me And

that's only because I've only seen it the one

time So I saw it in theaters in 2017, but I haven't

had a chance to rewatch it and it could probably

climb But this was in that group that was kind

of fighting for that Possibly fighting for a

tenth spot and just kind of got bumped a little

bit ways down there But I remember it being beautiful

and I remember enjoying it, but I need to see

it again Matt your thoughts on Blade Runner I

mean to you to your point Kevin. I only saw this

in the theater And I enjoy it. I like the lore.

I like the concept of plate runner. I like this

idea that there's these Replicants that you can't

tell apart and there's a police force kind of

task to bring them in but it's kind of funny

because you know, it's almost To this point now

in time in our world that we're living in, you

know, it's policing People that look like us

and things like that. It could it could get political.

I'm not gonna get political in this but Uh, Gosling

is a lot of fun. I really like him a lot. Harrison

Ford, it's still ambiguous about what he is and

who he is in a lot of ways, which I think is

still intriguing to the overall concept and the

overall lore of Blade Runner as a whole. I guess

if you're a, you know, a Blade Runner director's

cut or... Blade Runner ultimate how many cuts

were there for Blade Runner three four five?

Blade Runner you prescribe tail and then you

know what they're replicant or not, you know

the whole thing with the origami But there were

parts in this that were no very edge of your

seat. I mean Roger Deakins It's so funny Roger

Deakins has worked his ass off in Hollywood forever

and not saying he doesn't deserve this for Blade

Runner 2049 he should have won this like 15 years

ago for every other film he ever did I fall every

Cohen brother But he wins her for Blade Runner

2049 which was kind of the hot no thing in 2017

Everybody was going Google over it, which is

fine. I didn't have it as high as DJ we compromised

on this but I still find the fact that Denny

Villeneuve Villanueve depending on how you want

to pronounce it, I guess Was able to to DJs point

tightrope A beloved franchise and still make

most people happy I think he's gonna be a little

bit better off with dune because Everybody laughed

at dune when it came out. They were like david

lynch. You're a crazy guy. Why are you making

this because i'm crazy? So now he's gonna make

dune and everybody will probably either love

it or hate it I think most people probably love

it because it's again, uh, daily. No, denny is

a great director and he is I mean between arrival

sicario, uh blader under 2049 he's kind of in

the catbird seat almost and Maybe again with

inception as well. Probably just have to rewatch

this again. I remember being beautiful and having

very interesting Concepts and the CG was amazing

is being immersed in the world again was kind

of cool But I mean it deserves to be in the talk

because it was pretty damn important film for

the past decade to come out Another director

to make multiple appearances on the countdown

so far today. My number three was inception That's

already been talked about Dan's number three

was a rival that's already been talked about

So Matt right back to you for your guys's number

two. Hey, we're getting down nitty -gritty Okay,

so I guess this is probably gonna big bring up

the bait depending on where everybody stands

Dan's already kind of alluded to hit where where

he falls with the sci -fi action genre and DJ

and I had to we compromised I think this was

just the other ones we had a comment or no this

we did not have this in common at all because

We had your list. Yeah, I did not we had Spirited

where it stands so we had spirited debate, but

we decided on this being number two and It could

be up for debate whether you wanted to be sci

-fi or action or whatever It might be but you

can't can't deny it was probably one of the best

films of a decade genre list depending on what

genre we want to put in and we put mad max fear

road number number two um it's a it's a tight

rope whether you want to consider this sci -fi

or action is it more sci -fi more action i would

lean more action but you know what it's the perfect

smorgasbord yeah of everything i want it's futuristic

it's what the earth could be or maybe what it's

turning into now We don't know we don't know

what's really going on the desert of new mexico

or even the outback of australia They could have

guitar players with big speakers with no eyes

ripping a cord while they are chasing down one

armed women It could be a thing because it is

the wild wild Oz out there in Australia. But

I think it definitely fits as far as, you know,

it does have science fiction and fantasy elements.

I 100 % copped out, though, and eliminated it

just so I can have other picks because I know

for sure it's going to end up in one of my other

genres. So I just I was looking for excuses not

to include stuff on my list because I was running

out of spots. So I think it definitely deserves

to be in the discussion. But I cheated and canceled

it on the technicality. You got a double down

sometimes Come on this film gave us the most

debate for the simple reason I look at it more

of a I know this and Don are both kind of postal

post -apocalyptic, but Don has to talk in the

eighth aspect. But again I'm not going to have

to fight me long to put Mad Max Fury Road on

the list. I'm like, OK, you you won me over.

It's the one of the greatest your arm, buddy.

You really have to twist my my stubby arm to

get this on the list. I didn't wait. I was debating

you, but I was in the back of my mind. I was

like, this is a Chris film you've seen. I think

you just wanted to give me crap and say give

me crap. I love this movie. I know you do. Then

I'm assuming you canceled this one out as well.

the the Alright, so for my number two Man, this

is a debate for me between two and one I can

go back and forth depending on what day you ask

me probably It was my number one as far as the

half decade went. I dropped it down to number

two for the total decade I'm going with 2013

film spike Jones's her This one just Completely

blew me away when it came out in 2013. Hey also

Amy Adams involved in this one But we're talking

about maybe mostly walking Phoenix and obviously

the voice performance by Scarlett Johansson but

this Was so timely when it came out. It's probably

even more timely as the decade has continued

to go through as far as the I don't know what

you want to say like the the psychological aspects

of it or the There's so many questions that brings

up on a higher level of thinking that I think

it's just so worthy of being discussed in this

Genre, I mean you do have your fun science fiction

action films like we're talking about we can

talk about an edge of tomorrow or a Pacific Rim,

you know You have your fantastic elements like

what we get with some of the ones that involve

aliens You get your think pieces like inception

and things like that. This is so like out of

left field though It's like a science fiction

film like I had never seen before And it still

sticks with me. I still can't get Amanda to watch

it So that is on my goal of my list of things

to do is to finally get her to watch it I don't

know if it'll appeal to her but it appeals to

me so much I've been singing its praises since

2013 and I won't stop anytime soon. It is my

number two and that is her Matt or DJ any thoughts

on that one? I'm just glad I found somebody else

that likes this movie other than me. I had it

near and around my list. Remember, we were talking

about this on one of our last shows and you just

mentioned this is Scarlett Johansson's great

acting performance under her skin. I protest

that this is maybe her best acting performance,

mainly because she's not in the freaking movie.

You just have her voice and she's a fully realized

character that I So for she makes me laugh, she

it's this movie, I think mainly because I had

zero expectation for it, because I was like,

let's keep Phoenix 11, whatever. Because if you

look from go from Joker to this, this is like

the most normal wiki feelings you're ever going

to see in a movie. Talk about a decade for an

actor, too. Exactly. But yeah, this movie says

it's about connection. And what is what? Oh.

I think to AI is it different from getting to

a person and scene where him and Amy Adams are

just kind of on the roof near the ends is like

So much stuff I can pull out of this movie. That's

so good. I come back to watching it all I'm just

glad that somebody else like that because again

a lot of people don't like this movie I don't

know why I don't either I don't make sense to

me Dan what's your number two? My name is who's

one that's been talked about already and it's

one that I know Kevin hates But it's under the

skin is Absolutely love this film it is you know

talking about experiences one of the most Unique

experiences, I think if any film I've watched

this the last decade, you know DJ mentioned the

beach scene It's one of the most disturbing moments

in film and I think just in the mundanity of

it and how mundane it's shot It's just you just

watching This all takes place. There's like no

score for film. That's filled with score This

just you know, it's just the crying of a baby

just fills fills the air and it's just you know

It just seems so real which I think is why that

moment works also someone the most tender moments

the secrets with a different the foreign man

in a car and You know for a film that is no lacking

in humanity It's one of the most humane moments

in all film that I've seen seen last decade and

you know Scarlett Johansson Just doing so much

with with saying so little and especially how

it ends ends in such a kind of a tragic way that

really haunts you but and I think I think it

says a lot and I think the score itself is just

mind -tickling effective and how it how it can

just mess with your head and the visuals as well

or. Fantastic. It's just you know, again, I think

and the shores matter DJ mentioned, you know

This is something I think Kubrick would appreciate

and I think that's very true Kubrickian gets

thrown around a lot But I think there's probably

no other film that came out last decade that

better better represents that Than under the

skin because it has that although it's saying

so much it's talking about humanity It's talking

about who we are There's also a coldness to it

that you tend to see with Kubrick films. Um,

and so I thought you know, it does very much

Remind me of of that. So yeah, that's why it's

my number two. It was And remains it's I think

it was there number two halfway through and it's

still there now so Excellent. All right, so multiple

people loving under the skin I'll have no problem

with that. I'll let it slide. I'm just kidding

I made no digs about it Number one, it's time

for everybody's number one picks We'll start

with the simplistic review crew. What do you

guys have a number one? The only other movie

we had in common, uh, and it's really high because

it's been mentioned. It's, uh, just tomorrow

lie, live, die, repeat. I like to call it all

you need is kill because that's what it's based

off of a manga called all you need is kill. And

you were talking about how it's a great action

movie. I mean, it's written by one of my favorite

screenwriters, Christopher McCrory. It co -stars

one of my favorite actresses and Emily Blunt.

It stars a guy that no matter how crazy his off

-screen crap gets, he never. ever phones in a

performance, no matter how whatever film he's

in and Tom Cruise, it has a great concept. But

the manga, we're going to talk about the action,

which is amazing. Doug Lyman and stuff like that.

But there's a lot of stuff in a rewatch. This

movie begs for a rewatch. And my favorite moment

in this movie that I think is very analytical

is it ties back into the manga. All you need

is kill, which is a play on all you need is love.

There's a scene, I guess, spoiler, because this

thing happens over and over and over again. But

where Tom Cruise is kind of falling for Emily

Blunt's character, Emily Blunt's character, this

is it, and kills herself. And it shows that love

is not what you need right now. All you need

to do is kill. And right after that moment is

the montage of Tom Cruise saving nobody. He just

walks on the bridge. People are asking him to

help and he just keeps going. And because he

does that, he gets farther than he got before.

And I go, that's a really smart way to pull in

that manga concept and the concept of the movie.

Because again, on the surface, it's just Tom

Cruise blowing up stuff. But there are things

in this movie, if you rewatch it 75 ,000 times

like I did, that you will pull out. Like, wow,

this is really, really good. And the fact that

it was so underappreciated because they didn't

want to go with killing the title, which I thought

All You Need Is Kills is a really cool title

compared to Edge of Tomorrow, which makes no

sense, or Live, Die, Repeat, which is as kitschy

as I've ever heard in my life. It makes a lot

of sense for the film, because guess what happens?

It just screams of studio head that doesn't understand

the concept of the movie. But the movie was underappreciated.

Nobody saw it, but everybody who I know has seen

it goes, yeah, it's a good movie. At the least

bit. Most people love this movie. I don't know

a lot of people that go, yeah, that movie sucks.

I don't know that many. This movie is really,

really good. If you take Groundhog Day and Starship

Troopers and make a movie out of it, that's pretty

damn clever. And I think this movie is a movie

that if you haven't seen sci -fi wise, you will

be rewarded watching it. Absolutely. Matt, obviously

you were in agreement with this one. Yeah, we

both had it. We both had it in our top. These

were one of two films that we had in our collective

list. list for very divergence in a lot of ways,

but we agreed on this one for being number one.

And I mean, to DJ's point, he brings up a more

analytical, deeper meaning behind the film. I

just like the mech robots blowing up the aliens.

I think it's really cool. And once again, it's

kind of got everything you want. It has A little

bit of everything is for everybody. It's got

the year your blow up stuff So you got your guys

yeah blow up stuff and then you have your kind

of like buddy film in a lot of ways where you

have Emily Blunt and Tom Cruise kind of like

Learning how to cooperate together, but then

they have like they're tough like tough group

of roughneck characters near the end which I

think is really cool and you got aliens that

kind of look like aliens from Gears of War so

that appeals to your video game nerds and stuff

like that and you get a lot of stuff that It's

just put together and Doug Lyman does a great

job of just choreographed like doing the choreography

for everything Christopher Bokori wrote a really

cool script and a really good idea Tom Cruise

again to DJ's point doesn't really phone in a

performance. I don't care if it's the mummy I

don't care what it is. This guy is money. He's

not the mummy. He's money. That's what He doesn't

even know it You didn't know how nobody is right

there. I even tied in another Doug Liman movie

in there. How you like that? And Emily Blunt

is Emily Blunt. She's always great. And she I

think this was her second film on this list.

So that's a lot of fun as well. And I think I've

only seen this one time. I saw it at home. I

was like, wow, this movie is a lot of fun. And

I'm probably gonna have to rewatch it again,

because it's worth it much damn fun. Yeah, I

agree. Definitely, if you haven't seen this one

and you're listening now, put it on your list.

Watch it soon. You'll enjoy it. You'll have some

fun, that's for sure. My number one, I'm kind

of surprised that it hasn't come up by anybody

yet. this point, but I guess I'll be the first

one to mention it. Going to a film that I guess

technically was released in 2014, but for us

in the States, we didn't get it until 2015. That's

why it didn't make my half decade list because

I hadn't seen it yet. The director has already

come up, obviously, and that is Alex Garland.

We're talking about Alicia Vikander, Oscar Isaac

Domino Gleason in a little movie called Ex Machina.

I love, love, love, love, love, love this film.

Amanda hates it, but I love it. It fits what

I look for. When I was talking about stuff like

10 Cloverfield Lane, Snowpiercer, you can even

talk about her a little bit, but a limited cast,

a limited setting. And you just get to see these

people and interact and kind of delve into the

dialogue and the acting and the decisions and

the relationships and all that kind of stuff.

And Alicia Vikander was like a revelation this

last decade for me. I think she's an amazing

actress. Obviously, we've seen Oscar Isaac and

a bunch of different stuff throughout this even

episode today. He's come up multiple times. So

I just any it depends on what week it is. Like

sometimes I'm going to put her ahead of X Machina.

Sometimes I'm going to put X Machina ahead of

her. They're always going to be my number one

and my number two, though. It just depends on

what order I'm going to put them in. But man,

I mean, even if. I know people went nuts about

Oscar Isaac's dance scene too, but it films so

much more than that to me. Like there's so much

and I just kind of love the twists and turns.

I love how it ends. I know some people had a

problem with that, but I love how it ends and

I will champion this forever. So Ex Machina is

my number one DJ or Matt. Any thoughts on that

one? You love this movie don't you I do I mean

it made my top 20 so it was definitely under

consideration and I like the fact that we've

spoken about a lot of films sci -fi wise that

give the It's the idea of connection and love

And kind of like this I don't know you think

about like sci -fi in the 70s and 80s and 60s

even 60s to a certain degree It's very cold dark

dingy just not there isn't a lot of hope for

humanity it's very just bummer whereas i mean

this is a little bit of both because it's kind

of like creating something that could potentially

be loved but then also learning enough humanity

and how dark i mean this this movie isn't really

about love it's more like you guys suck The next

step in evolution because you guys are horrible

and I'm gonna be the machine that so it's got

that Westworld quality So, you know, it's some

biggest comparison I can make to not the film

but so much the TV show But I mean there's so

much about I mean, I love Alex Garland's rule

and we talked about annihilation earlier Dan

brought it up and This is something dark and

cold and just so I don't know. It's it's I love

it. It's clean. It's crisp. And there's something

about this film movie that, but at the end of

the day, it's, you know, we're, we're creating

machines that we think we, we know better than

ourselves or we want to create in our visage.

And then these machines kind of like, I don't

know, there's something about it that just going

to replace us. They're already out there. They're

in the world right now. We think we're creating

our slaves, but we're actually creating our masters.

So I love it. I'm into it. All right, Dan, your

thoughts on Ex Machina and then you are number

one. Yeah, obviously I also really enjoy it.

I debated a lot between annihilation and Ex Machina.

Again, I think. I think the reason I went with

Annihilation is I feel it it it does more that

the story itself. I think is I know it does more

the right right terminology. I think it just

it hit me more with what it was going for and

symptomatically then then Ex Machina, but they're

both brilliant movies and you know, I think if

I remember I think Ex Machina one best special

effects at the Oscar, which is remarkable considering

like, you know, it probably had one hundredth

the budget of the films it was going against.

So that's really cool. Yeah, absolutely. My number

one. Well, guess what, DJ? Kevin's not the only

one that likes her. I also really thank God.

I would like I don't want to give it away. There

we go. Barry still leads so well. He is a senator.

He is. But yeah her when we we did our top 100

favorite films her was you know in my top 10

And well, you know as we're gonna be doing our

top films of the decade I'll just you know, I

won't say a huge amount but There's so much about

this movie that I really enjoy and you know,

it's certainly about relationships and conversation

But what I think what really works with the movie

is there's there's a lack of judgment and And

what it explores like it it opens up on a scene

where walking phoenix is giving this elegant

silky of of love and you kind of you feel it

just the way he's performed the words he's saying

and then you realize it's him making a letter

for someone else because he's you know he's writing

on behalf of someone else for the job he does

basically you know writing personalized notes

to people and loved ones and But I think I think

it's easy to be cynical at something like that.

Like, oh, why would someone allow someone else

to write and do that for them and not do it themselves?

But I think one thing it looks at is anything

different than the gift cards that we have. But

he also then talks about the people that he's

writing with and how they have this loving relationship.

And he's been learning about them throughout.

And so even though it seems like it's set up

as a joke, I think it goes more than that. And

then when he does fall in love with this AI,

The people around him don't judge him for it.

Like they, you know, it's not like he's being

ostracized or something like that. Exactly. It's

something. And I think that's what's interesting

about it is that it removes that element of judgment

for much of the movie. And it's really ironic

too, cause the chemistry between walking Phoenix

and Scarlett Johansson is phenomenal. But then

you realize that they never work with each other.

That itself was artificially created because

it was another actress that was doing that role

and it just didn't work. So they had Scarlett

Johansson go in and fill in that role. So even

though it seems like that, like they're deeply,

you know, in that they're connecting, it was

put together by, you know, movie magic in a way.

So, and again, it made me that and under the

skin, you know, I didn't realize until I'm doing

it now that I've stood to Scarlett Johansson

films back to back, but. Two very different performances

and one where you know, she's on screen and she

says nearly nothing and then another one where

it's only her voice Um, it just to me showed

her range. It's also a really funny film too.

The video game sequences are funny. Um, and uh,

it's beautiful. It's a gorgeous looking movie

and I just love the The future that they create

it feels somewhat real without you know, it hits

that Barometer really well where it's you know,

it's set in the future. So it doesn't seem like

today but not to the point where It's two outlanders,

like the style of clothing and the choices that

they make are interesting and realistic without

being obvious. So I think there's a lot similar

with annihilation to kind of take out of it and

how we deal with relationships, the artificiality

of the world we're creating, but also asking

if there's a benefit to it as well. So I just

there's so much about her that I've really enjoyed

and connected with since the first time I've

seen it probably the movie this decade I've seen

the most out of anything. I just actually rewatched

it for the first time in a long time. And I just

realized why I loved it again. So just cemented

it as my number one pick for this genre. So like

the juxtaposition of, of when he talks to Scarlett

Johansson, it's warm and bubbly. And then when

he talks to his I guess his ex fiance or girlfriend,

Aruni Mara. It's robotic, it cold. Just to flip

the script on that where this is an actual human

person that feels like you're talking to a machine

and you're actually talking to a machine. You're

talking to a human person. That movie is very,

very, very ahead of its time. And I think it's

going to hold up very, very well for what you're

just talking about. How the future is not like

flying cars. It's just like, you know, a realistic

future. Yeah. Man, I'm surprised at the sheer

number of crossover we had. We were very much

in unison today as three different lists. So

just real quickly, films that made it on two

people's lists, that would be her, let's see,

her arrival, Annihilation, Edge of Tomorrow,

Inception. Gravity attack the block and under

the skin those all made two people's list and

we had two films that made all three of our lists

that would be The Martian and Dawn of the Planet

of the Apes so a lot of crossover there But before

we get too far to close the show I want to at

least talk about a few honorable mentions films

that didn't quite make the list and somewhat

of a quick form But before we get to each other's

list Let me just real quick highlight some stuff

that didn't get mentioned that were on the half

decade list for for the cent and for high row

Films like let's see here. We had Europa report

We had Robot and Frank, one of the Pirates of

the Caribbean movies, Hercules as a fantasy film.

We had most of Hyra's list did not make it here

today. So we would talk about Super Eight, Men

in Black Three, Elysium, Only Lovers Left Alive,

Lucy, About Time, and Interstellar. Some films

that made those half decade list. DJ and Matt,

what about some of the ones that were on your

individual list that didn't make the combined

list? Only ones that haven't been mentioned for

me with source code with yeah Jake Gyllenhaal

Duncan Jones David Bowie son upgrade which is

venom the Venom movie if it was done correctly

and Chronicle which is probably the only found

footage movie that I will actually own Matt what

about you? On the list that we didn't really

talk about I had spring which is more like a

fantasy fable monster love story That was down

the list. I had dread on there as well, too Just

because it's a badass movie. I had the lobster

on here as well, Dan It was just kind of come

out on my list, but it was definitely Up there

and I had the shape of water which is higher

on the list As well, uh, those were kind of ones.

I don't I don't have some love stories on my

list I feel the love. There's a big softy. Yes

My fantasy is to be loved one day by a giant,

uh, gilman I also had shape of water like fighting

for that tenth spot. It just got knocked off

Another one that I wasn't quite sure from a genre

standpoint if I would include it here or not,

but a quiet place I really enjoyed Fits my limited

cast and setting would be Z for Zachariah. I

like that film. I feel like more than a lot of

people I talk to. Add Astra from last year, Interstellar.

I immediately disqualify all Star Wars films

from discussion on all lists because I can't

separate my bias from anything. So I just can't

judge them fairly. If you wanted to stretch it,

maybe a monster calls that one hit an emotional

chord for me And it does have a little bit of

a fantastical element I just feel like it wasn't

sci -fi or fantasy enough to get it on here But

those were some that I would mention Dan. What

about you? So for me some other films that weren't

brought up upstream color the shame through thermos

is long -awaited Follow -up the primer. It's

just been such a long time since I seen it I

just didn't really remember much about it. Like

it was one of those movies. I really enjoyed

at the time but I couldn't like as I was trying

to rethink about it and thinking like oh do I

really like that movie still it just there was

nothing there Safety not guaranteed which I guess

saying it's a science fiction film could be tend

to potentially a spoiler so It's nice little

film I think that's really been forgotten maybe

because column Trevor's follow -ups haven't been

all that well received since then You know, he's

going to do the different Drash of Drash of Park

films and things like that I know a lot of people

didn't like the world's end the end of the you

know, the Edgar Wright trilogy, but I actually

really like that movie I think it's really underrated

and I think it's actually one of Simon Pegg's

best performances so that was honorable mention

for me and Yeah, and similar I didn't include

Star Wars films if I did potentially last Jedi

would mention Mad Max Blade runners up there

some piercers as we talked about In Shaper Waters

movie, I love now I thought about including fantasy,

but I think I separated it out from this list

personally But if I did include that that'd be

you know within my top three top four Yeah, I

think the only other two that were on your half

decade list that haven't been mentioned was Kevin

in the woods and Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows

Possibly a little bit more fine fantasy on those

as well Perhaps uh causing them to not make the

list. Yeah I forgot about about cabinet which

honestly because when I was doing a list it wasn't

they didn't populate as a science fiction film

Um, but yeah, that one is more of a horror. That's

why I didn't really include a sci -fi horror.

It's got some sci -fi That's kind of what I did

with a quiet place too. I kind of thought that

I mean I would have I was trying to include I

was potentially thinking about including get

out in the list as well because the Science elements

and maybe not science fiction, but there is a

science fiction Science fringy. It's like right

on the edge. It's right on the edge because at

the very end You don't know what sci -fi it's

like. Oh, there's a doctor doing experiments

on people If there was ever a horror list I mean

I think I would it would be high higher on the

list sure And I'd probably get in trouble since

Amanda's not in the record if I didn't at least

mention the name Chappy somewhere in here Because

she loves that film I actually like it too, just

like Matt's love of Hercules with the Rock, I

think that's a great film too. One last thing

before we kind of go, man. As we're looking back

at the decade overall, I kind of open with this,

too. I think it's a really strong decade for

science fiction. Also, just look at all the different

directors we talked about from Garland and didn't

even move to we had Ridley Scott here. Obviously,

Christopher Nolan. There is just Bong Joon -ho.

There was so many good directors that had different

films that came out during this decade that I

think it just probably is credit to why we had

so many good films. But Dan. What are kind of

some of your overall thoughts on the decade and

kind of? Maybe some doors that it opened going

forward or just kind of closing thoughts Like

I mentioned as we started I think what we saw

this decade was how the science fiction genre

expanded there's I mean a lot of movie films

that we even touched upon that are really low

budget but Like I think you were a pro report.

It's a good example of it. That's a good -looking

movie considering it's you know, it's Doing things

that you would expect more of a bigger film to

do We had a lot of science fiction films. We

talked about that are based a lot in relationships

oddly enough and I think that's maybe speaks

to what we're trying to figure out this generation

as Technology gets more integrated in everyday

lives understanding our relationship with it

and with one another and how we connect I mean

Connecting to podcast right now through technology

and things of that nature I would see see that's

probably something we're gonna see further and

further as things go on. Because the other question

would be, how does format impact that of science

fiction in a way where we talked about with Gravity,

how that's very much a spectacle film. Well,

if the theaters are somewhat in doubt, do we

see less of that? Do we see more movies like

Ex Machina and less like Gravity? Who knows?

I hope we get a good mixture of both because

I think it leads to better film overall. Yeah,

absolutely DJ and Matt I'll give you we're running

out of time I'll give you a quick minute or two

to kind of sum up your thoughts and closing thoughts

on the science fiction genre and to Tell everybody

how they can hear more about your thoughts on

general stuff. Sure. That's your department Stuart.

I Give my time to mr. Stuart. Oh Well, I won't

speak for DJ but at the same time it's funny

looking at It's almost seems like two parts of

a decade where I feel the first part of 2010

seemed to focus a lot more on fantasy And not

really a care For I mean there was there were

science fiction films, of course inners interspersed

But you look at things like harry potter was

finishing up hungry games was finishing up like

a lot of ya things like that Caribbean was going

on. Yeah iris of caribbean. So there was a lot

of this. I don't want to say kitty films because

I mean these films are for everybody so everybody

can join but then on the second half of the decade

we got these higher working films that just kind

of worked relationship wise trying to figure

out what kind of world we're in and I don't know

if that was some sort of like commentary on the

world that we were entering into but guess what

everybody we are here so this is where we're

at right now so if her was a harbinger for things

to come we're here if all these other things

are a harbinger for things to come we are here

but we can look at the aspect that's if these

science fiction films and these directors and

everybody from all different walks of life and

heritages and nationalities gender everything

else that we're directing all these films that

we're talking about i still have some hope for

us. And that's the most positive you will ever

hear me be, ever, on a podcast. Anyway, you can

catch all of our stuff at simplisticreviews .net.

All the podcasts, all the reviews, everything,

the store where you can buy merchandise for us

as well too, simplisticreviews .net. You can

find everything under the sun on that one website.

We definitely recommend you guys go in there

and subscribing to their show as well You can

keep up to date with everything. We're doing

by following cinema geeks The Twitter is at cinema

geek cast Or you can just go to the website,

geekcastradio .com, where you can find our post

and comment there. We will definitely interact

or respond to any feedback we get as we continue

our journey to do all of these top of the decade

genre lists. Like we said, we already did animated,

so you can check that out if you haven't. Now

we have science fiction and we have more to come.

Dan, how can people stay in touch with you on

the interwebs? You can find me on Twitter at

DxO underscore Dan. All right, and you can also

definitely do that if you're a comic book fan

because Dan is always posting good information

on The best comics that are out there and stuff

to read or stuff that you could expose yourself

to that you might not know exist Definitely do

that and my Twitter is at optimus solo If you

have any questions for me, just hit me up there,

but that does it for this week DJ Matt Thank

you guys so much for joining us It's always a

pleasure to have you guys and listen to your

thoughts on movies and all things geek related

the the