Geek culture is constantly on the rise, making it a bit tough to keep up with everything related to sci-fi, fantasy, and everything geek-related, but that's a good thing! While it may be possible to see everything, I personally didn't have the time to do so, but I saw as much as I could. And boy, were there so many great moments to choose from!
Of course, there are some that I did see that didn't stand out, so they are unfortunately not going to be mentioned on this list (sorry Crimes of Grindelwald, too many plot holes). There are also others that I was told to not waste my time on (*coughJurrasicWorldcough*), so I skipped them altogether. But, as always, there is big...
...In effect. And now, let us begin this list with a king!
Black Panther - the coronation ceremony
Well done, Ryan Coogler, well done! Black Panter exceeded
expectations and provided not only a reat MCU flick, but also the best Disney
princess (go Shuri!)! There were many great moments to choose from, but from
the start, I knew which one stood out the most: the coronation scene. It begins
as a massive celebration on a procession of hovercrafts as the Wakandans drain a
river right before it spills over into a waterfall. The Wakandan tribes then
fill up the rocky crevices, cheering as T’Challa comes forth for the ceremony.
The camera pans across each Wakandan tribe, showing the distinct differences in
their clothing, jewelry, and makeup. Each tribe is awash in vibrant colors the
celebrates both their tribe and country, allowing for them to be separate from
the other tribes and yet whole together as a people. And this royal ceremony isn’t
just a party for their new king, it is a celebration of their culture. The
feeling of pride and excitement is beautifully and masterfully captured in this
scene, and in a unique method for every MCU film to date, the viewers can share
in this same sense of enthusiasm. Never has any moment in the MCU felt like it
was welcoming everyone to be part of this world.
The Flash - Iris jumps off a building to save Barry
Iris got a lot of flack after the show's 4th season. She may have had her episode when she was accidentally transferred Barry's powers, but her incorporation as the "Team Flash" lead didn't fly so well with fans. The 5th season, however, seemed to have the idea to break Iris of her do-nothing leadership. When Barry is kidnapped and his powers inhibited by Ragdoll, it's up to Ralph and Iris to save his life. After Ralph drops a fourth wall breaking quip about getting around the city because he "saw it in a comic book," (I personally think he was referencing The Incredibles), they reach the rooftop where Barry is held captive, and Ragdoll shoves him over the edge when Iris puts her gun down. Without a second thought, she leaps right over with him, clutching the key to the power-inhibiting cuffs as she matches Barry's rate of falling. She unlocks the cuffs, and his powers are back in full gear. Her courage and gusto in this scene renewed the faith in her character for many of the show's previously disappointed viewers.
Annihilation - the tattoo appears on Lena's arm
This surprisingly deep and beautiful film didn't do so well at the box office, but it was so mind-boggling that it spawned dozens of videos on YouTube deconstructing and analyzing every scene. While many go off on wild theories, some do ground the film as being a metaphor for suffering. The five main characters enter the "Shimmer," the alien entity that is transforming a section of the world that the military has sent several troops into without any returning. The mutations of the flora and fauna are beautiful yet grotesque, and soon the ladies are starting to notice that they themselves are starting to experience strange mutations too. As it turns out, they each are suffering from different tragedies, ranging from physical they have no control over, to life events, to self-inflicted. One of the ladies, Anya, has a very distinct and noticeable tattoo on her left arm, one that matches the tattoo of the soldier who was featured in a video of the mutations affecting him. She is killed by a bear after experiencing a nervous breakdown, and Josie willingly allows the mutations to claim her and transforms into a human-shaped bush of otherworldly flowers. Lena, totally alone at this point, breaks down and sobs, and as she rises, ready to seek out the last surviving member of her party, Ventress, her left arm comes into view; she has the tattoo now. It's a very subtle change, but makes an impact as it ties together Lena with others in the Shimmer before her.
To better explain this moment, as it's a bit too deep for me, and also because I don't want to completely parrot the words from the gentleman who did do the research, please check out this wonderfully made video by Dan Olson, who does a lovely job of explaining what's really going on in this film, and the significance of the tattoo.
Deadpool 2 - The Vanisher's identity is revealed
Deadpool always delivers, but I need to give the spot from this film to a character not named in the title: The Vanisher. As Deadpool is rounding up a ragtag group of wannabe heroes so he can rescue Russell, he is given a resume for a person simply called "The Vanisher." When he looks up, there's nobody there. Still, Deadpool offers him the job. As his group is getting ready to parachute from a plane, everyone in his team is buckled in, and you notice that one seat is noticeably empty, but the seat belt is still buckled, giving the audience a moment to take in that this is the Vanisher sitting there. As they jump from the plane, the camera follows each member of the team, making sure to focus on the one chute that is also falling in perfect formation. Then, one by one, each of Deadpool's team is killed off by landing in unfortunately circumstances. The one chute is no exception, as it suddenly crashes into a power line, revealing who the invisible Vanisher was all along: Brad. Pitt. This shocking and hysterical reveal isn't just one of the best in this film, it's one of the best of the entire year. Hats off to you, Brad. I didn't know you had it in you.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Simmons tests fate
Another season, another long list of moments to pick from. The Philinda kiss was beyond satisfying, Yo-Yo losing her arms, Mack being the adorable romantic he is and bringing Yo-Yo mechanical arms from an android he killed, Deke being revealed to be Fitz's and Simmons's grandson, Coulson facing off against apparitions of the previous seasons' big bads...these are just a few of the highlights this year, making it another tough season to find the top moment. After learning that in the event of Earth's destruction, she, Fitz, and Yo-Yo will be among the survivors, Simmons adopts the attitude that all three of them are invincible, and they need to convince Mack of this so he can release Fitz (after he allowed his Framework self to take over and forcibly remove Daisy's inhibitor) and they can stop the supposed culprit from destroying the world: the Hydra-raised Ruby. Yo-Yo brings Mack to Simmons where she tells him if she convinces him she is invincible, he needs to let Fitz out. By doing this, she takes 4 small beakers, fills 3 with water, and the other with some clear acid. Yo-Yo mixes up the beakers, and slowly, Simmons drinks from two of the beakers as poor Fitz freaks out in his cell and Mack tries in vain to stop her. When there's two left, she calmly drinks from one, then collapses in pain. Fitz begs to be let out because he knows how to counteract the acid, and just as Mack opens the door, Yo-Yo shoves him inside and locks him in. Simmons then stands, showing that she had faked her reaction to that last beaker she drank from. But before the three move out, she pours out the contents of the last beaker, and sure enough, the liquid starts eating away at the metal tray it's on. This scene makes the list for its superb acting from all four actors, the high stakes, and the payoff to make the viewers believe that maybe Simmons is right; that she, Yo-Yo, and Fitz are invincible.
Legends of Tomorrow - Mallus vs.....Beebo?
Just when you thought this show couldn't get any wackier, this happens. Beebo is the Arrowverse's recurring gag of a toy that appears to be a combination of a Tickle-Me-Elmo and a Furby, and has made several appearances throughout the CW shows since he was introduced last year. A demon called Mallus has been released by Damian Darhk, and the Legends have the totems that, when used all at once, can create a guardian that has the power to defeat Mallus. Their first attempt fails miserably, but upon their second try, Nate pulls a Ghostbusters boo-boo and allows his idea of a guardian to form: Beebo. So this demon, Mallus, who has been imprisoned throughout time and space for his horribly evil nature, is going to take on a giant, lovable toy, to save all of history. In one of the most ridiculous fights ever to be put to TV, the Legends, controlling the giant Beebo, battle Mallus, complete with his ridiculous phrases, bubbly giggles, and movements inspired by The Matrix. And how does it end? Beebo launches Mallus into the air, then, slams him into the ground in a puff of blue, heart shaped dust. Mallus is defeated, and the Legends emerge in a huge crater, covered in blue fur and fluff. For how amazingly silly this boss battle was, it further incites our imaginations, wondering what other goofy match-ups are coming in the future.
Incredibles 2 - the movie goes meta
We've waited 14 years for this film, and while it had its strong points, it didn't come close to surpassing the first film. Still, Brad Bird is an excellent filmmaker, and I wanted to focus on an aspect of his film that went overlooked by most because it perfectly showed the message he was going for. Bird often puts messages in his films, such as the anti-guns in The Iron Giant, and the multiple themes going on in the first Incredibles movie. He demonstrates the underlying message of this sequel in one of the most clever ways possible: by showing. Elastigirl and Evelyn have developed a means of tracking where the Screenslaver is projecting their message, and when they interrupt Helen's interview, she tracks it, then starts to swing her way toward the signal. All the while that she's closing in on the signal, the Screenslaver speaks out on the various ways people are easily distracted and it makes them impressionable. The Screenslaver's speech is perfectly illustrated as their words are simply background noise while the viewers watch Elastigirl close in on them. We're not paying close attention to what we're hearing because we're too engrossed in what we're watching. Brad Bird just showed us what it is that the Screenslaver sees is a problem with society. Well played, Brad.
Solo - a mistake is fixed
I may be a Star Wars fan, but Disney seriously needs to think twice before milking that cash cow beyond its limits. That being said, Solo was definitely not a bad movie, but the Star Wars universe would still be complete without it. There were a few moments that stood out, but I chose the moment that sticks it to George Lucas's face: Han shoots Beckett in the middle of his monologue. Back in the late 1990s, Lucas added new scenes and effects to the original trilogy, adding an absolutely deplorable moment in A New Hope, instead of Han shooting Greedo in the Mos Isley cantina first, Lucas edited the scene to show them shooting at each other at the same time, and Han moving his head out of the way at the last second. This is a moment that never should have happened and has inspired a line of products stating, "Han Shot First." This is why the moment where Han shoots Beckett is one of the best moments of the year: Ron Howard undoes the stupid decision Lucas made 20 years ago and shows that Han is the type that will always shoot his threats first. Thanks, Ron.
Avengers: Infinity War - Scarlet Witch does what no person should ever endure
It was tough to single out one moment from this intense film, but upon taking a closer look at this particular moment, I realized that it really was far more important than most viewers realized. Scarlet Witch received a lot of flack in Captain America: Civil War for her powers being too powerful and caused her to go on the run with Vision in tow. When the threat of Thanos is realized, Wanda is told that she has the power to destroy one of the Infinity Stones and prevent him from carrying out his genocidal plan. During the battle of Wakanda, it finally falls on Wanda to destroy the Stone, which is also the life force behind Vision, after Shuri was prevented from attempting to remove it with the chance of him being able to live without it. In an agonizing scene, Wanda, standing between Thanos and Vision, is charged with one of the most difficult actions ever put to film: hold off one of the most powerful beings in the universe while destroying a nearly indestructable Infinity Stone, which also means certain death for the man she loves, when she's already lost her own family and the world has marked her for a villain. With tears in her eyes and the weight of the universe on her shoulders, she manages to succeed, if only for a brief moment.
Ready Player One - Daito enters the battle
This is one of my all-time favorite books, and I'm very glad that author Ernest Cline was involved with the project, or else the (sadly) necessary changes would have ruined the whole thing. The Shining sequence was brilliant, the Iron Giant segment was awesome, but I'm going to give the best moment to Daito in this list. Daito was killed midway through the book in both the OASIS and reality, so it was nice to see him survive the film. First of all, when I saw this movie in the theaters, I was nerding out so much when I saw that they kept the Sorrento piloting MechaGodzilla scene that I wasn't ready for the moment-topping action. Daito has been meditating in the real world while the rest of his team has been battling Sorrento and the IOI Sixers, and when he enters the OASIS, he is totally calm and ready for the fight. As the camera focuses on MechaGodzilla crushing his opposition, you see a ship appear in the sky above him: SERENITY.
And then it gets better.
Daito's avatar, in full samurai armor, opens up his inventory and selects his fighter bot to combat MechaGodzilla: GUNDAM RX-78-2.
Nerds and geeks alike pretty much couldn't take much more awesomeness than this. Of course, Daito/Gundam unleashes the most damage on Sorrento/MechaGodzilla, and when he can no longer keep the Gundam form, he presents his middle finger to Sorrento before his blows Daito's avatar away. I just can't even anymore. This was incredible.
Ant-Man and The Wasp - Luis's storytelling skills never fail
Truthfully, this is one I wanted to put on my list in 2015, but that moment between Scott and Cassie was too precious to skip. So now that Ant-Man has come back, I absolutely have to give this spot to Luis. Luis is one of the greatest side characters in film history, and his storytelling skills are one of the highlights of the year, not just in geek films. Luis, Dave and Kurt are held hostage by Sonny's goons and he is chosen for interrogation to find out where Scott is. After a fun bit of whether or not the drug used is a truth serum, Luis jumps right into how he first met Scott in prison, and when told he doesn't need to go back that far, Dave pops in with one of the best lines in the MCU: "you put a dime in him, you gotta let the whole song play up." So I'm not going to say much else because Michael Pena can speak for himself as to why this scene is one of the best this year.
Although I will add, watch Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly as they reenact Luis's version of the story, it really adds to this scene.
Wreck-It-Ralph 2: Ralph Breaks the Internet - Ralph's final trope
Ralph certainly meant to live up to the title of his second movie. To raise money for a new steering wheel for the Sugar Rush video game, Ralph, exploring the internet, strikes up a partnership with Yesss, who will pay him for the likes he earns on videos and gifs. In order to achieve this, Ralph releases videos of himself playing with cats, cooking, going Bob Ross (complete with the fro!) with painting, and allowing himself to get hurt in silly pratfalls. He hits on just about every trope and cliche found in popular videos across the internet. But if you left the theater right after the movie ended, you missed the final one that, when you really think about it, is nuts that you didn't think of him doing this too. Ralph, in the post-credits scene, Rick-Rolls the audience. Yes, he actually sings, "Never Gonna Give You Up." It's a true ending that lives up to the title of the film and brings the most appropriate true ending. And better is that Rick Astley shared his reaction video!
Venom - Venom's temporary host
This film may have ranked low with critics and mixed reactions from audiences, but we gotta hand it to Tom Hardy for this role. If it weren't for him, this film wouldn't have worked in any way possible, and completely lacking any fun at all. Despite the film itself being fairly weak, the conversations between Eddie and Venom were a hoot. The scene that stood finds Eddie, having been separated from Venom, being led out to the woods to be executed after being interrogated by Drake/Riot for Venom's whereabouts. As Drake's goons are readying to shoot him, one by one, they are sucked away by Venom, but Eddie doesn't know where Venom is coming from. Down to the last one, Venom finally appears...in a woman's body. Venom chomps off the dude's head and throws the body away, and as Eddie vocally admires his appreciation for Venom's new form, specifically She-Venom, she grabs him and kisses him passionately, and Venom transfers himself back to Eddie, revealing that his temporary host was Anne, Eddie's ex-fiancee that Venom is shipping hard. Once Venom is completely absorbed back into Eddie, Anne suddenly reacts in shock at the revelation that she bit off a guy's head. Not only is this one of the best kisses in geek history, it's wrapped up nicely with Michelle Williams' quip.
Lost in Space - Robot saves Will
There's a right way and a wrong way to reboot a franchise. The Lost in Space reboot is a rare example of the right way to do it. From the first episode, there were twists and turns regarding all the characters, not the least of which was the clever means of having Doctor Smith being a woman. One of the standout parts of this series is the relationship between Will Robinson and Robot, having the two share a special bond after Will saves Robot's life, which in turn causes him to become his companion. When the Robinsons try to free the Jupiter 24 from the ice, Will and Robot are trapped in a closet that has no safety harnesses. After the very narrow escape before the ice crushed the ship, Mrs. Robinson runs off to find Will. Will is found in the closet, clinging to Robot, who is comforting him in one of the most human forms he can take. It's a very sweet and standout moment, demonstrating how strong they've become thus far, and setting up the upcoming emotional gut punch when Will has to order him off a cliff later.
This clip is currently unavailable, but here's a clip focusing on Will and Robot's friendship.
Daredevil - Matt's faith is restored
This third and, sadly, final season for Matt Murdoch has been a roller coaster from start to finish. As a superhero that has the uncommon character trait of being religious, faith played a major role this time around. Although the fight choreography exceeded itself yet again, and Daredevil finally had that showdown with Kingpin, it's the moment that bring Matt back to his Catholic roots that stands apart. One of Kingpin's goons was Ray Nadeem, whose conscience was troubled by his deals with the baddie. He finally can no longer take the guilt of his actions and then makes the fatal decision to testify in court against Kingpin, and is promptly shot afterwards. However, Ray's complete commitment to doing the right thing in putting Kingpin away was enough for Matt to reevaluate his beliefs, and his faith is later restored. Matt is a good example of someone rightfully questioning and losing their faith after traumatic events, and Ray's self sacrifice provides Matt the convincing means to believe again. For a more in-depth look at Matt's spiritual journey, as well as this particular scene, please check out the video below.
Tomb Raider - Lara's first kill
In terms of an origin story, Tomb Raider did a fine job of following Lara Croft as she became the adventurer we know her to be. Undoubtedly, the most important scene in the film is the one where she's practicing MMA and has to tap out when she's bested by her opponent. After surviving a narrow escape from Trinity, Lara is tired and injured, hiding out in the wild. One of the Trinity goons finds her and attempts to take her in, but she fights back, using her MMA training. She fights for her life while he fights in order to subdue her. She soon reaches the best possible position and has him under her, not realizing that she is holding his mouth and nose under the water of the oversized puddle. Very slowly, he begins to succumb to the lack of oxygen, and yet Lara still holds him until he goes limp, and one last bubble breaks the surface of the water. It's then that Lara realizes that the guy is dead, and she lets him go, looking vulnerable and shocked as she mentally digests what she's just done. The scene is sold by Alicia Vikander's incredible performance, and the realism in both the survival instincts taking over Lara, and the perfect choreography that adds to the depth and emotion of the scene.
Black Lightning - Black Lightning meets Thunder
And the biggest oops of the year goes to....Jefferson. Until recently, Jefferson had been in retirement as Black Lightning for years, and completely unaware than his metahuman powers could be passed down to his daughters. His elder daughter, Anissa, has discovered that she has super strength and is bulletproof, but she has only told her mother, Lynn, and doesn't know that her father is Black Lightning. Anissa, under the hero name of Thunder, jumps into action when Lynn is beset by thugs, and takes them out easily, then goes to Lynn to free her from her restraints. But then, Jefferson appears to do just the same: save Lynn. Unbeknownst to him, Anissa isn't the enemy, so he blasts her with his lightning. The two do battle as Lynn, still bound and gagged, watches in horror as her husband and daughter blindly battle each other. Also note actress Christine Adams' face as she tries to make eye contact with Jefferson before he engages Anissa; she does try to stop him, but is powerless to do so. It's a great scene in that the two are both fighting each other for the same reason, and how neither recognized the other until the fight is over.
Doctor Who - bubble wrap
Well, they've done it again. Doctor Who has a habit of taking the most random, everyday items and making them terrifying. From stone angels to libraries, gas masks, and even breathing, this show can and will make just about anything simple deadly. So what does The Doctor do this time? Turn bubble wrap into a deadly device. In a future where a company called Kerblam acts like a futuristic Amazon, one of the workers that's caught Ryan's attention, a young lady named Kira, opens a box and pulls out the bubble wrap. Poor Ryan watches in horror as Kira slowly fingers one of the bubbles in the wrap, and then pops it, promptly causing an explosion that incinerates her. Thanks a lot for making us scared of bubble wrap now, writers! Geez...
The Walking Dead - the torch is passed
We lost Rick this year, but since Andrew Lincoln is signed on for more TWD projects, we will definitely be seeing more of him in the future. So.....what to do while we wait? Well, we follow after the newly appointed lead. After Rick's exit, the show jumps ahead 6 years to find a new group of heroes fleeing from zombies, all of which are fighting back, but despite their resistance, are still being swarmed by zombies. Just as everything looks grim, several are shot, clearing a way for these survivors to escape. A voice calls from afar, telling them to come, and when they do, they introduce themselves to their savior: a 7-year-old girl, armed to the teeth. When they ask who she is, the camera cuts to Carl's familiar hat on the ground, which she picks up and puts it on, saying her name: "Judith. Judith Grimes." Moving the show forward 6 years was a risky choice, and putting the role of primary hero in the hands of Rick's (step) daughter was just as bold.
Supernatural - nobody puts Baby in a hypothetical situation
If there's one constant in Dean's life, it's his love for his Impala, Baby. There was even an entire episode that was filmed from Baby's point of view, demonstrating just how important of a car this bad girl is. In this episode, Sam is trying to get Dean to think hypothetically, and uses the example of "if somebody stole the Impala, what would you do?" Dean freezes with a deadpan face, and with that face translating through his voice, he gives his one word response: "murder." The dialogue continues, Sam still trying to get his point across, but Dean is still bent on making it clear what his actions would be should his previous Baby be taken from him. Brilliant moment, and great acting!
My Hero Acadamia: Two Heroes - David's picture
The popular anime had a film released this year, focusing on Deku and Allmight attending a superhero conference, and meeting up with Allmight's college buddy, David. David is later revealed to be the source behind a coup that incapacitated Allmight, leaving Deku, David's daughter Melissa, and his other friends from school to try to save the day. David's only motivation was to cause a distraction so he could use some technology to help save Allmight, not knowing that he is willingly transferring his One for All powers to the quirkless Deku. Then, the head goon, Wolfram, rises up, revealing that he had a master plan all along and shoots David. David watches in horror as Wolfram's powers amass, but Allmight and Deku are able to defeat him with the infamous "United States of Smash" attack. As David watches, he released that he snapped a picture of Deku during the fight. He had always had a picture of Allmight in his heyday on his phone, looking at it from time to time to remind him of his goal to stabilize his friend. With the picture of Deku in its place, he then realizes that Deku is meant to be the next Allmight, having not yet been told, or even figured it out until then. He smiles when he finally understands that his friend knows what he's doing, and at the revelation that Deku will eventually be what Allmight was. As one who's not too familiar with the anime, I still found this moment powerful and touching, showing how far a best friend would go to save his, and secure in the knowledge that in the end, his hero is making way for the new and very worthy hero.
The clip is currently unavailable, but here's a review of the film from one of my favorite channels.
Also, Melissa was an awesome character. Just sayin'.
A Quiet Place - world building done right
This surprise hit is filled with details in every scene that show exactly what this world is like, where monsters that cannot see but can hear even the smallest sound terrorize the country. In a perfect example of "show, don't tell," everything you need to know about how the Abbott family survives in this deadly environment, and how the world has adapted to this new threat. The barefooted Abbotts are silently raiding an abandoned store for cough medicine, with the aisles mostly picked clean except for a few foods that are too noisy for consumption. One of the boys, Beau, has found a toy rocket, but since it makes noise, his dad tells him he needs to leave it behind. His deaf sister, Regan, has a brief chat with him, removes the batteries, then hands him the rocket, signing for him to keep it their secret. But as they leave, Beau snatches up the batteries and installs them as he lags behind the rest of his family. When he turns on this rocket, it wails out basic toy sounds, and he is totally enraptured, but the rest of his family spins around in utter horror. Lee tries to run to him, but it's too late, one of the monsters gets to him right before the camera cuts away. In just under 5 minutes, the audience is completely aware of the circumstances and dangers of this world, setting everyone off on a crazy ride.
Aquaman - Mera utilizes wine
A fun and surprisingly beautiful movie, Aquaman gave us a better introduction to Arthur's eventual lady love, Mera. Mera is not only a cool character, she also has the underused ability to control water, particularly in being able to draw it from any source she can find from. After she and Arthur are attacked in Sicily, they are split up while four Atlanteans follow after Mera. After a crazy rooftop chase, Mera crashes through one roof, then takes out one the soldiers responsible. Analyzing her surroundings, Mera finds that there are wine bottles all around. When two more soldiers track her, her eyes begin to glow as they do when she channels her powers, and she draws upon not just the water in the wine, but the wine itself to create burgundy spears. The soldiers are skewered by her wine shards and promptly defeated. Mera's distinct power over wine and being able to utilize it the way she did was a clever means of subverting the expectation the audience had on her powers of water.
Since this film just came out, the clip is not yet available. I was able to find a TV spot that does have pieces of this particular scene, so I guess it'll have to do!
World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth - the Daughter of the Sea
Blizzard's release of the latest WOW expansion, Battle for Azeroth, had so many pre-release products going out, mostly in the teasing betas, the Before the Storm book (good read, if you're into WOW), other short stories and artwork sold with the collector's edition package, and finally, the Warbringers shorts. Some of these Warbringers were released before the previous expansion, Legion, but this particular patch was going to focus on the ladies: the Horde Warchief Sylvanas, the fallen High Elf-turned-Naga Queen Azshara, and the mage who sacrificed nearly everything for peace only to lose it all, Jaina Proudmore. In trying to bring peace between the Alliance and Horde, Jaina lost her love, Arthas, whom she also had a hand in defeating, her own father when he refused to stop attacking the Horde leader Thrall in a time of peace, her entire city of Theramore, her protege Kindi, and because she didn't take part in the battle against the Legion at The Broken Shore, her own king. Few characters in Azeroth have dealt with the loss that Jaina has. In her Warbringers short, she sings a shanty that was written about her at the time her father was killed by the Horde, which was was responsible for, telling all who hear to beware "the daughter of the sea" and telling the tale of how her father was slain as she let him die. The song continues as Jaina is rowed out to sea by a walking skeleton and tormented by the lost souls of people who died that fateful day. As the song begins to wrap, Jaina raises her father's ship, previously lost to the depths, and says, "I'm listening now...father." The skeleton boatman comes in to focus, then fades away, showing that her father himself took her to his ship's final resting place. Now that it's been surfaced, Jaina takes command of the ship, finishing the song herself. It ends with: "beware, beware, the daughter of the sea, beware, beware....of me." This entire short, from start to finish, was one of the most satisfying, exciting, and overall best non-game items that Blizzard ever released (the later released short, "Old Soldier" about Saurfang is an extremely close second). Jaina's back, and this time, she's holding nothing back.
And let's not forget her awesome moment of enabling that boat to fly and fire arcane cannons during the siege of Lorderon!
iZombie - the melodramatic response
This is a first time entry on my list, having finally been able to actually remember to watch this show. Liv's most recent brain meal belonged to a hopeless romantic named Annie, who was supposed to meet with another hopeless romantic when she was killed. Liv meets this date, Allan, played by Sam Huntington, when she interviews him for info on the murder. Allan, completely in love with Annie, has no idea that his dream girl is dead. When Liv reveals this to him, Allan spreads his arms, and wails the most melodramatic, heart-wrenching "NOOOOOOO!" you will ever see. It's a brilliant performance from the delightful Huntington that stands out as one of this year's best geek moments.
The exact clip is sadly unavailable, but here's a short one that comes afterward that still shows how well Sam fits into this role.
The House with a Clock in its Walls - Cate Blanchett takes out the pumpkins
This movie could have been much better without all the body fluid jokes. The premise was interesting, and the banter between Jack Black and Cate Blanchett was spot on, but the film ultimately failed to impress. However, Cate is someone I haven't had a chance to put on my list for a while, and she is just too awesome to pass up. Having recovered her dormant powers, Mrs. Zimmerman is ready to battle the Izards and prevent them from destroying the world. As she approaches the house with Jonathan and Lewis in tow, their path is blocked by scary jack-o-lanterns. Raising her wand, encased in an umbrella, Mrs. Zimmerman goes into terminator mode and takes out each and every one of those creepy pumpkins. In the hands of a less skilled actress, this moment wouldn't have been that great, but this being Cate Blanchett, her demeanor demonstrates the high stakes of the situation with just a hint of fun, and she sees each and every one of those pumpkins as the extreme threat they are in this universe. Ain't nobody gonna mess with Cate, she's the real deal! This moment is briefly shown at the end of this clip.
The Big Bang Theory - Sheldon sees Amy's wedding dress
The long-suffering Amy is finally marrying Sheldon, so naturally, she wants everything to be perfect. As she tries on wedding dress after wedding dress, it's easy to tell that it's going to be a difficult choice for her because she looks lovely in all of them. And then...she finds the one that she wants: the ugliest, fluffy Southern Belle-esque monstrosity that makes her look like a walking cake. Bernadette doesn't have the heart to tell her how awful it is when Amy buys it, but later in the episode, she comes clean, and Amy is distraught. She tries the dress on at home to see it again, and Sheldon happens to walk in. His reaction: he gasps, and says, "WOW! You look beautiful!" Amy has caused much positive growth in Sheldon's life, and this reaction to this horrendous dress more than makes up for it. Amy may have horrible taste in dresses, but Sheldon loves it. And that's enough for all of us!
Anna and the Apocalypse - "Soldier at War"
I had to double check on the year this film was released. Technically, it was released at several European film festivals in 2017, but it was released to the public in 2018, so in my mind, that counts. I was unfortunately unable to see it since it wasn't released in my area, but I did listen to the soundtrack, which did feature some pretty catchy tunes. One that stood out to me was the song "Solider at War," performed by Ben Wiggins, about taking the lead in smashing the zombies invading Scotland. The music video features the song intercut with scenes from the movie itself, showing the various zombies being dispensed with in entertaining fashions, students dancing in the streets amid zombies running amok, and, my personal favorite, zombies popping out of random places, the best being a ball pit. I hope to see this film so I will be able to enjoy all these sequences in the order they were meant to be seen, but so far, "Soldier at War" is one of the best geek songs to be released this year.
Arrow - the final jail fight
First of all, Daredevil clearly had the best single shot fight scene of the year, but they have a much bigger budget and can do more with their choreography. But ever since Oliver was jailed at the end of the sixth season, there have been fight scenes galore during his time in the slammer that, on a much smaller budget, are still just as impressive. Just when you thought you might get sick of them, Oliver is cleared for release and all the prisoners riot. Although Oliver is on his way to leaving as a free man, he and Ben notice that there are some prison guards, some of which have abused him during his time, are being brutally beaten within an inch of their lives. Oliver won't leave those guards behind, so he and Ben advance toward them. They use two different levels to reach the incapacitated guards, and the camera changes back and forth in a single shot, following Oliver and Ben as they make their way toward the guards, using the quickest and most effective combat strikes and moves as they go. The use of the camera and the fact that this was a 40 second sequence shot flawlessly with believable choreography makes for a smooth scene that doesn't make the viewer dizzy, but enhances the action without looking too cliche or ridiculous.
Teen Titans Go! To The Movies - Robin's nightmare
Now here's a moment that came out of nowhere! Robin is always idolizing Batman, and in this film, he falls asleep, dreaming of the day that Batman names him his successor. He begins to dream in a sequence that completely rips off The Lion King! Instead of a sun rising, the Bat-signal is shown, and the various Justice League members head for Gotham City, some actually chewing on grass, in various animal formations to meet for this momentous event. Then, when Batman reveals Robin, he holds him out over the city the same way Rafiki presented Simba. However, instead of all the heroes cheering, Flash has to point out that Robin isn't a new hero, he's just a sidekick. Poor Robin despairs as Batman falls to peer pressure and just drops Robin off the side of the building, prompting him to awaken. It's common for animation studios to brazenly take massive shots at Disney, but when they're done right, they're amazing. And this was one of them!
Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse - Spider-Ham takes on Scorpion
Can everyone agree that this movie was ridiculously amazing? There was so much fun to the story, the voice acting was spot on, and they used the exact right amount of different variations of Spiderman across the multiverse to not feel too overdone. One of the most interesting choices of Spiderman was Spider-Ham, an actual pig with the powers of the radioactive spider. Being that he is an anthropomophic pig, Spider-Ham/Peter Porker is the silliest of the incarnations. During the final boss battle as the various Spider-Heroes duke it out against Kingpin, Doc Ock, and Scorpion, the latter is dangerously close to taking out Spider-Girl. And out of nowhere....and anvil drops on his head. Spider-Ham is also imbued with the comedic powers of a Warner Brothers cartoon character. This moment literally comes out of nowhere and makes it to the top of the list from this film.
Honorable Mention: Weezer's Africa music video
Weezer is a band I enjoy but not one I follow on a regular basis. Upon seeing that they had released a music video for their cover of Toto's "Africa," I wasn't too interested because I hate covers. But then I saw the full title of the video: it featured "Weird" Al Yankovic! The video is incredibly simple, with the band members just playing their instruments and singing, although lead singer Rivers Cuomo isn't as well lit as everyone else. When the lighting improves, Rivers no longer has his guitar, but an accordion. He was never there at all, Al was! He was lip-synching and faking the guitar playing right from the beginning. And, in true Al fashion, goes to town with his accordion while still lip-syching, and the rest of the band follows suit. To mix a performance like this with such a beautiful song as "Africa" seems completely ridiculous, almost on the verge of sacrilegious. But boy, there was only one was to make it work, and I'll be danged if these lads didn't do it!
Dishonorable Mention: Pacific Rim: Uprising - Mako is killed off
I will admit, I didn't even see this movie. I did see the first, which I thoroughly enjoyed, but when I found out that they actually killed Mako, I refused to see it. Come on, she was a great character, and the filmmakers didn't even allow for her character's death to have an impact on the rest of the movie. So not cool. I'm not even putting a clip of this up, it sucks that much!
Biggest Letdown: Incredibles 2 - where's the greatest good we are ever gonna get?
I said this with the previous mention of the Screenslaver moment: we waited 14 years for this movie. We were promised more Honey. She had only 2 lines. Honey, in the first Incredibles movie, set herself as one of the all-time greatest off camera characters to grace the silver screen. But....only TWO lines???? We deserved more Honey, and she was too good of a character established in a short scene to just give two measly lines to!
Brad, PLEASE! Was giving Honey a few more lines really too much to ask for???? She was eventually included in a deleted scene on the Blu-Ray, and the scene wasn't that great, but Brad was definitely capable of doing something better with her.
Personal Favorite: The Flash - Ralph picks the best soundtrack
Ralph Dibney, the Elongated Man, has been a fun addition to Team Flash, although he has had a tough time of fitting in with the group. In the episode's 100th episode, there's an elaborate plot to assemble a weapon to best this season's big bad, Cicada, so Barry and his daughter, Nora, go back in time to several key moments in the show's history. As they're about to run back to the past, Ralph adds to the moment by striking up Huey Lewis and the News' classic Back to the Future tune, "Back in Time." As both a geek and classic rock lover, I've been waiting for a moment like this in another geek-related show or movie for a long time. And Ralph speaks up for those of us who have been waiting: "when am I gonna get the chance to do that?"
And because I can, here's my favorite Ralph quote from 2017: "For the love of Jeff Goldblum, stop!"
Cutest Moment: Legends of Tomorrow - Brandon Routh sees his wife
Brandon Routh's real-life wife, actress Courtney Ford, was established last year as villain Damian Darhk's daughter, Nora, and came back again in this current season. Naturally, there was chemistry between the two characters whenever this couple played opposite each other. By the end of last season, it was clear that Ray fell hard for Nora. In the 4th season premiere, Ray and the rest of the time are high on a unicorn's magic haze, and Ray, under the influence, hallucinates that he sees Nora. The look on his face when he says, "she's here!" it too bloody adorable, and when the camera cuts to his vision of her, then back to him, it makes you wonder if that's the look he had on his face when she walked down the aisle at their wedding. I'm not much of a romantic, but man, it is so rare to find married actors who go full out like that!
And now, for the best moment of the year!
Incredibles 2 - Jack Jack vs. the Raccoon
You all knew this was coming. And this scene is so amazing it needs no introduction. Enjoy watching it again!
So that was 2018! Hopefully I'll have the time to look into more TV shows this year, and I apologize for not putting up any other blogs despite my promising to do so. I will do my best to have at least 1 up before year's end, should me year be less eventful than 2018 was.
In the meantime, happy new year!
