25 In 25: My Favorite Films of the First Quarter Century - 2012

A Nolan Film. A Tarantino film. The first Avengers film. Kathryn Bigelow. Affleck and Argo. PTA. Wes Anderson. Bond. Spielberg!! And none of them are my favorites of 2012.

Twas a great year. There is no doubt about that. But for the first, and I think only time, I am choosing three films because they need to be watched. All three are Sci-Fi films that had a modicum of success upon release but found life later on with physical media and became some serious cult classics.

Back then, in 2012, I must have been in my philosophical era, because Ridley Scott came at us with a prequel to Alien with Prometheus, and I, unlike a lot of people, loved this film on first watch. Amid themes of creation, faith vs. science, and humanity, Scott gave us one of the best heel-turns in cinema in David, whom Michael Fassbender brought to horrific life.

And today, two films have been insanely rewatchable for me, and each time I see something new, and I take them in on a deeper level: Looper and Dredd

Rian Johnson, known for directing the only Star Wars sequel trilogy film I’m willing to watch again and the Knives Out series, crafted a true science fiction gem with Looper. The plot might appear simple at first, but Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s narration reveals Johnson’s careful world-building. And the cinematography—especially one standout scene where simply switching lenses during a shot brilliantly illustrates a character getting high—is nothing short of inspired. See this one if you haven’t, and if you have, see it again.

The second film is based on a series of graphic novels that Sly Stallone attempted to adapt in the 90s, which remains the only film I have ever walked out on. This 2012 version, brought to life by Pete Travis with a script by one of my favorite writers, Alex Garland, is a whole other animal.

Set in a dystopian future, the Judges are tasked with carrying out arrests, judgment, and sentencing, as the entire system has become corrupt. While they are seemingly the “good guys,” there is a moral grey area in their work, and deep down, what they do is on the level of fascism… yet in this new world, they are exactly what is needed to help maintain some semblance of civility in a lawless society.

Once again, the camerawork and visual effects in this film are outstanding—particularly the scenes featuring the drug "Slo-Mo."

Karl Urban plays the lead Judge with a Robocop-like efficiency. Lena Headey of Game of Thrones fame plays Ma-Ma in such a deliciously evil way. Olivia Thirlby truly stands out in her role as Urban’s mutant sidekick. Her character possesses abilities that allow her to perceive a person’s true nature, providing an insightful perspective beyond the “black and white” approach of the Judges.

Dystopian sci-fi will always hold a special place in my heart, especially when story, craft, and vision take precedence over spectacle.