Forget TRON: Legacy - give me the sequel to Buckaroo Banzai!

http://www.filmcritic.com/features/2010/12/2010-science-fiction/

 John Scalzi - The Most Notable Science-Fiction Films of 2010
 Posted by John
Scalzi<http://comments.blogs.amctv.com/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=270&id=3013>on
Dec
22 2010
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 [image: John Scalzi]<http://comments.blogs.amctv.com/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=270&id=3013>
John Scalzi<http://comments.blogs.amctv.com/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=270&id=3013>
John Scalzi is an award-winning science fiction writer.
full bio of John
Scalzi<http://comments.blogs.amctv.com/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=270&id=3013>
   With the successful release of *Tron: Legacy*, we're pretty much done
with science-fiction film in 2010. Last year around this time I did a piece
on my thoughts on the most-notable science-fiction films of the year; I'm
going to repeat that now, except, you know, with this year's films.

*Inception* <http://www.filmcritic.com/reviews/2010/inception/>
Christopher Nolan's inner-space exploration of the mind gets my nod for the
best science-fiction film of the year, hands down, and also my nod as one of
the best films of the year in any genre. I also think it's a lock for a Best
Picture nomination and probably a Best Director nomination as well. (It
already has nominations for both at the Golden Globes.) Importantly, it's
good science fiction in no small part because it's a very good film. Its
plot rewards attention -- Nolan is a director who takes as a given the idea
that his audience isn't stupid, which is gratifying these days -- and its
look offers a sumptuousness that rewards staring. The acting wasn't bad,
either.

Significantly, Nolan used practical effects whenever possible (the hallway
fight scenes used a revolving set), which gave his dream worlds an
ironically concrete grounding in reality. He's in many ways as old-school a
filmmaker as there is out there. Nolan's attention to detail and willingness
to assume his audience has a brain despite the fact that he's making $200
million films makes me hope that the future of intelligent film isn't just
confined to tiny indies. And that's worth an award or two right there.
 *Iron Man 2* <http://www.filmcritic.com/reviews/2010/iron-man-2/>
Financially the most successful science-fiction film of the year --
domestically, that is. (*Inception* has it beat worldwide, which tells you
something about the movie-business wisdom that movies can't be too complex
if you want them to travel.) *Iron Man 2* represents the current state of
the art for studio filmmaking. And what is the current state of the art?
It's pretty, loud, steeped in pop culture, and just smart enough that you
don't have to feel embarrassed that you're watching it as you shovel popcorn
into your mouth.

This is a better state of the art than usual, so you won't hear me complain
too much. On the other hand, I will say that if Hollywood decided to take a
year or two off on comic-book-hero films, I wouldn't complain too much about
that either. They won't do that, of course -- they're making too much money
off of them -- but creatively they can do worse than to give us a breather.

*Despicable Me <http://www.filmcritic.com/reviews/2010/despicable-me/> and
Megamind <http://www.filmcritic.com/reviews/2010/megamind/>*
A friend of mine griped about the fact that these animated films did better
financially than the large majority of science-fiction films made for
adults. But I can't find it in my heart to get too worked up about it.
First, they were perfectly decent entertainments, particularly *Despicable
Me*, and when a film pretty much does what it says it will on the tin you
can't fault it too much. Two of the most successful films of the year amused
children with the power of science fiction? Cry me a river. It's never too
early for geek indoctrination.

*Predators* <http://www.filmcritic.com/reviews/2010/predators/>
This film, aside from being the best Predator film since the first one --
yes, I know, what does that really mean? -- interests me because it's pretty
much the exact definition of a "programmer": a not-too-expensive flick
designed to appeal to a particular segment of an audience and to make just
enough money to pay itself back. It did. For this I commend producer Robert
Rodriguez. I'm not saying he wouldn't have been happy if his film made more,
mind you. But I think he looked at the $125 million the film made worldwide
-- three times what it cost to make -- then looked at the flick and said,
"That'll do, *Predators*. That'll do."

*Splice* <http://www.filmcritic.com/reviews/2010/splice/>
And this is what happens when you make a programmer and it doesn't work.
Shame, that. I find it interesting that Adrien Brody was the star of this
and *Predators*.

*Tron: Legacy <http://www.filmcritic.com/reviews/2010/tron-legacy/>*
I know that as a geek of long standing I'm supposed to look at the $46
million opening weekend of this film as a vindication of my lifestyle
choices. Some wit online noted that *Tron* was like *Twilight* for nerds,
and, God help me, I can't fault that assessment. But I'll tell you what: I
look at *Tron: Legacy*, and the thought that comes to my head is not, This
is payback for the jock who stuffed me into a locker, but, instead, Why does
*Tron* have a sequel and not *The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the
8th Dimension*? Because that, to me, would be vindication. For everything.
Ever.



Johne Cook
| http://raygunrevival.com | http://authorculture.blogspot.com |

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