TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2015

The one constant of my blog (and it’s not timely entries) is that every year I visit the movies I paid to see at the movie theatre.  There were numerous movies in 2015 that I waited to see on VOD or DVD but the list below are the ones that got my butt to a seat in the theatre (usually with a large Slurpee and a pretzel too...boy that adds up).

SAW THAT - so let’s take a look at the 2015 Movies I saw (in order) at the Cineplex.  Some of these movies I saw multiple times as is noted in the parenthesis.

Kingsman: The Secret Service

Furious 7

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2 IMAX)

Mad Max: Fury Road (5, 1 IMAX)

Poltergeist

Jurassic World (2 IMAX)

Ted 2

Ant-Man (IMAX)

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (1, 1 IMAX)

The Green Inferno

The Walk (IMAX)

The Martian

James Bond: Spectre (IMAX)

Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

Creed

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (IMAX)

The Hateful Eight (70mm Limited Road-show)

Total = 17 different movies

Total = 25 different showings

With only seventeen different movies in the running, choosing a Top 10 was a bit challenging.  Truly there are only sixteen movies since Poltergeist was more like forced duty since my nieces begged me to see it.  I’m not the market audience for Poltergeist as I don’t need a reboot of this series, and even with all that the movie lived down to my lowly expectations.  It was generic, bad, and instantly forgettable.

The only movie I had a lot of anticipation for was Mad Max: Fury Road and this one blew me away.  The first time I saw it I was heavily medicated due to an allergy situation and my brain had a struggle processing the pure assault I was under.  Repeated viewings made me appreciate this movie more and more and shockingly on my last viewing I dragged my wife to see it and even she had to admit being entertained.  “Witness!” is now a much enjoyed phrase around the house.  With a 97% approval rating and buzz about a possible Best Picture nomination for the Academy Awards, I couldn’t be happier.

That said let’s take a spoiler free look at my Top 10 favorites for this calendar year.

1. Mad Max: Fury Road

This movie is a sheet assault on our senses.  If you haven’t seen it then do so instantly.  I am in sheer awe of the vision of George Miller and the world he created with a budget behind him.  Would the movie have been better with Mel Gibson as Mad Max...possibly?  I did like what Tom Hardy did with the limited role, but this franchise has always been about the world and Max drifting from one scenario to another.  This movie can, and should, be embraced by all moviegoers because of the pure levels of creativity and imagination on display.

2. Jurassic World

Wow, dinosaurs run amok and it was entertaining as hell!  When I heard that this movie was going to center around a fully functional dinosaur theme park and that Chris Pratt was going to train raptors, my initial thought was “This movie will suck!”  I couldn’t have been more wrong.  By definition Jurassic World is: Pure bubble gum entertainment!

 3. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The haters are hating on this one and some people are so wrong that they’re resorting to the weakest of comparisons.  Is The Force Awakens a classic?  No.  Star Wars has produced two classics A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back (thank you Gary Kurtz).  If we’re honest this series will never achieve that level of greatness, in fact it’s impossible.  However Return of the Jedi is decent, and somewhere between greatness and decent lies this new entry.  I was entertained throughout and I’m aware that the magic of 1977 and 1980 will never be recaptured...but this new entry has me curious to see what will follow...and I think Kylo Ren (not Rey) is the strongest original character delivered to this franchise in decades.

4. The Hateful Eight

Christmas morning I went to see this at the limited 70mm road-show engagement.  It was worth it!  I’m a Tarantino fan through-and-through!  Hateful Eight is purely a character-piece that essentially takes place in one setting.  It’d be a stellar play.  The dialogue was strong and the characters, and surprises, were handled perfectly.  When the bloodbath starts (and it does) I was legitimately shocked because what I thought was going to happen did not happen.  Go into this one spoiler free.

5. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

Tom Cruise hanging outside of an airplane!  Yep, this is an exciting movie!  Cruise’s energy and enthusiasm are a marvel to behold and I hope he doesn’t seriously injure himself at some point in the hope of keeping audiences entertained.  There are some great action pieces in this movie and a thrilling break-in sequence.  I’ve never been unhappy with any entry in this franchise and can safely say, “I am a Mission Impossible fan!”

 6. Avengers: Age of Ultron

More Hawkeye!  We all win with Renner!  I loved the original Avengers and this movie is a decent sequel.  The biggest problem with this film is that it gives us more of the same but doesn’t strive to give us something different.  There’s a thrill to seeing this entire team working and interacting with each other but the climax felt like the finale of the first movie (replace alien army with robot army).  I was hoping for more but glad that the wheels didn’t even come close to falling off the wagon.

 7. The Walk

It’s a travesty that this movie was overlooked by audiences.  It was a great caper movie with an incredible third act and the IMAX experience had me up on that wire with the main character.  Televisions will never be able to capture the magic of what IMAX delivered but I’m sure everyone reading this missed this movie at the theatre so go see it immediately.

8. Creed

Can we all just agree that Sylvester Stallone deserves a Best Supporting Actor Award for his performance as Rocky Balboa?  This is a great movie.  I’m a Rocky fan and this film follows that blueprint perfectly while also giving us a strong bond between mentor (Rocky) and mentee (Adonis Creed).  The homage’s to the franchise are handled perfectly and there is a strong emotional level to this film that had me misty-eyed at several points.  Of all the entries in my Top 10 this year, I bet upon revisiting this movie its ranking will climb in the future.

9. James Bond: Spectre

I’m a James Bond fan.  I even like the weaker entries (A View to a Kill, Diamonds are Forever, and anything from Timothy Dalton).  Spectre was a solid entry.  It’s not as fast paced as Casino Royale or as exciting as Skyfall but there’s plenty of fun to be had and you can't go wrong with Christoph Waltz chewing up the scenery (heck I love that guy's work in those new Clash of Clans commercials), inspired casting!

 10. Kingsmen: The Secret Service

I know there are people who don’t like this movie.  It’s not good enough or bad enough to feel strongly either way (thanks Don, I borrowed that bit of perspective from you).  I went into this movie expecting nothing and, again, managed to be completely entertained from beginning to end.  There are occasional touches of Mark Millar’s sophomoric humor but for the most part this is a James Bond homage and it plays that role perfectly.

  

And the rest...

Furious 7...so we’re back to a year where a Fast & the Furious movie doesn’t make the Top 10.  I have a lot of love for this franchise and the male bonding that takes place between Vin Diesel and Paul Walker.  This movie was sad to me because of the tragic passing of Paul Walker.  That said, they managed to patch together an entertaining entry and they did his character justice.  My preference in the franchise though is still Parts 4 and 5 which work stellar as bookends.

Ant-Man...it was good but not quite enough to beat out Furious 7.  I enjoyed the fact that not every movie in the Marvel Universe needs to revolve around a plot that leaves the planet in peril.  Smaller hero, smaller scope, but its’ heart is in the right place.

The Martian...the book was better.  Not sure what I expected but overall the movie left me with an overall vibe of “average”.  It’ll probably be worth a revisit at some point.  For anyone interested in seeing this I’d recommend reading Andy Weir’s superior book instead.

Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2...this franchise isn’t marketed for me but I’ve enjoyed each entry.  Catching Fire was easily the high point (which is hard for a sequel to do) but the darkness of this universe is something I appreciate.  The entire saga and the wrap-up were done well.

Ted 2...sequel comedies are usually the hardest sell.  I wasn’t shocked to see the general level of indifference audiences had.  I went to the movie hoping for a ninety minute escape and it succeeded on that level.  I also laughed enough to leave the theatre happy.  I’m not much of a Seth MacFarlane fan but both Ted movies are films that make me smile.

The Green Inferno...I'm a horror fan and an Eli Roth fan (I could listen to his interviews for hours on an endless loop because I am in awe of his rapid-fire love and respect for movies) but I'm not necessarily a fan of cannibal movies.  Needless to say, I did like this movie even though it had me grimacing.  The film's heart and ironic message are handled perfectly.  It'll definitely get a second viewing from me at some point...just not at dinner time.

Poltergeist...weak story and a pale comparison to the Tobe Hooper / Steven Spielberg original.  Some massive plot holes and idiotic character moments of implausibility.  Still, my nieces enjoyed it so I’m wise enough to know this movie was not made for people my age.

I’m hoping that 2016 delivers a wider range of movies that have me excited to get out to the theatre (especially the IMAX which is possibly the greatest addition to the movie going experience of all time).  I know Batman v. Superman is coming and my prediction is that it will be an overcrowded mess because I don’t think Warner Brothers understand how to build a franchise like Marvel did.  Captain America: Civil War looks super although it also looks like it might also be overpopulated with characters.  As for the rest of the upcoming movies...let’s wait and see...

For those interested in previous years Top 10 movies

Top 10 from 2014

Top 10 from 2013

Top 10 from 2011

Top 10 from 2010

Top 10 from 2009

TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2014!

Happy 2015!  As I’ve tried to do every year since 2000ish, I reflect back on the movies that I went out to see in the theatre this year.  This year was a light year for me with only 16 total movies being seen (makes picking a Top 10 easier) and only a total of 22 visits to the movies (because I watched a few films more than once…or 5 times for one entry).

All of my Top 10 choices are worth watching.  I’ll keep my summary to a tight one sentence with a fast point or two for each movie and why they made the cut this year.

TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2015!

#1 – GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

A ragtag group of cosmic misfits bands together to battle the forces of evil – in space!  I loved this movie, the music, and how it made me feel.  Guardians came out at a tough point for me personally this year and going to see this movie (five times) took me back to a simpler time where movies could simply be fun bubble gum entertainment.  The fact that Marvel broke away from their superhero movie blueprint and took a risk on something different, and it paid off so well, awesome for Marvel Studios!  Keep them coming as I’m geeked for this July’s Ant-Man and May’s Avengers: Age of Ultron!
 

#2 – CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

Captain America is working for S.H.I.E.L.D. against the sinister forces of HYDRA.  I love this movie!  Depending on the day it may even switch places with the #1 movie.  However, the deciding factor was that Guardians brought me back five times to see it do to the overall level of fun.  CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER is a great movie but it is also very much a drama.  Much like Nolan’s THE DARK KNIGHT, this is the sort of superhero movie that transcends the drama and even people who do not enjoy superhero movies will find themselves being swept up in the sheet excitement of what is on display in this movie.  I loved CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, and I feel it’s underappreciated.  Thankfully audiences and fans embraced this movie because for a superhero movie this is one of the greatest ever made.

#3 – THE RAID 2: BERANDAL

S.W.A.T. officer Rama survived the first movie but now has to go undercover for years in both a prison and then as a mob enforcer.  Any movie that has two villains named BASEBALL BAT MAN and HAMMER GIRL is going to be awesome!  That is a rule.  Now, the original RAID: REDEMPTION caught me off guard with its assault of pure martial arts mayhem.  I thought that there would be no possible way to recreate that adrenaline rush.  WRONG!  WRONG!  The RAID 2 delivers massive martial arts battles along with one of the best car chase-battle sequences I have ever seen and all of this encircles a solid mafia movie as well.  But then when Rama does get to the final battle and we find out there’s going to be more than one marquee fight…wow!  Action lovers are required to see this movie!  It’s a credit to my #1 and #2 movies on this list that they were able to surpass this movie because RAID 2 is a movie I love!

#4 – GODZILLA

A giant prehistoric monster rises from the ocean...but is he friend of foe?  I love this movie for several reasons.  First, because it helps wipe away the horrific memories of the 1998 Tri-Star movie.  Second, this is the first movie in my life that I was able to watch in private with my wife at an actual movie theatre (as I was allowed to take notes for my upcoming book THERE GOES TOKYO 2: KAIJU BOOGALOO).  Finally, this movie’s hype swept me up and got me to see a movie on opening night at the IMAX, something I avoid – crowds, and it was a rewarding experience.  I know there are critics and haters of this movie, and you’re allowed your opinions.  I loved this film.

#5 – THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES

Bilbo Baggins helps his dwarf buddies deal with a massive dragon and then an even larger army of orcs all hell bent on swiping a mountain's worth of treasure.  This is a testament to the talent of Peter Jackson.  I was a huge fan of THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy.  However, I did not particularly enjoy the first two Hobbit movies.  I felt they were needlessly long, overly impressed with their own visual effects, and lacking in any form of interesting characters beyond Bilbo and Gandalf.  Begrudgingly I went to the movies to see the finale to the Hobbit series.  I am glad I did.  This was a rewarding movie that had a great pace and some wonderful action sequences and finally some strong characterization.

 

#6 – BIG HERO 6

A lonely boy genius loses a brother but gains a robotic friend who helps him become a superhero.  It’s rare for a cartoony movie to win me over.  I was a huge fan of THE INCREDIBLES and the TOY STORY movies but the rest I watch more to appease my wife than because I’m excited to watch them.  Here’s the rare example of a “kid’s movie” that had a strong plot and good characters and took me on a journey that I knew nothing about.  Bay-Max was a likeable hero and the villain and third act battle genuinely deliver some surprises that I was not prepared for.  There’s an emotional heft to this movie that is also rewarding.  Plus, any movie with Stan Lee and a stinger-scene immediately qualifies as one of the best films of the year.

#7 – SNOWPIERCER

The planet Earth is a barren frozen wasteland, and the sole survivors of mankind live a class system onboard a gigantic train that never stops moving.  Is it as good as all the summer time Internet hype?  Nope.  Is it a good science fiction movie with an original premise and a nice social commentary/satire.  Absolutely.  I love when movies take me on a journey where I have no clue of the destination or the reveals along the way.  Snowpiercer succeeded on every level.

#8 – X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST

Wolverine must travel from a dystopian future back into the past to correct an ill advised assassination on a world leader, good time ensue.  I am not much of a Brian Singer fan.  I think he’s overrated and don’t think he has much of an eye for how to deliver a solid action sequence.  None of his earlier X-Men movies really hit me in the right manner.  Then, when Matthew Vaughn took over the franchise with X-MEN: FIRST CLASS I was fully onboard and loving every aspect from the casting of characters to the action (yes action!).  Then Singer came back.  Ug!  But, surprise, I did enjoy this movie…just not as much as First Class.  It’s a solid time travel movie with original ideas and makes great use of the talented cast.  The action though is a bit flat and thus shows that Singer needs to hand over action filming to a back-up director because it is clearly not his strong point.

#9 – INTERSTELLAR

A former astronaut learns of a NASA plan to search for habitable life in another galaxy and decides the fate of humankind is worth more than spending time with his daughter.  Christopher Nolan wanted to make his version of 2001 and he did manage to make a thought provoking and visually entertaining movie.  I’m not sure if it will have the shelf life of Kubrick’s masterpiece, but much like my #7 movie this movie was over and days later I was still reflecting on it and it is a movie that definitely needs a repeat viewing.
I’m still not certain if I understand the final third of this movie, but it’s kept me thinking.

#10 – TUSK

A funny podcaster goes looking for a goofy story and meets a not-so-goofy man who is looking to turn a human into a walrus, hilarity does not ensue.  Good for you Kevin Smith.  I’m a fan, but a critical one, and you’ve made mistakes along the way but this movie is not one of them.  The goal was to make a 1970s-era horror movie and TUSK is 100% that.  The movie has a small audience appeal but it’s a great horror movie and one that wisely avoids the happy ending (as the best offerings of the 70s always did).  #WALRUSYES   #WALRUSFOREVER

 

AND THE REST…

Who didn’t make the Top 10 cut…?

THE LEGO MOVIE – Overall not my type of movie.  My life loved it, and it was enjoyable, especially since they incorporated a nice father-son bonding plotline.

MALEFICENT – I’m not an Angelina Jolie fan but the movie was decent and she delivered a good performance.  I like the twist ending as well.

DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES – I’m not the hugest Planet of the Apes fan but I’ve seen all the movies.  This one was good, not great, and it didn’t stay with me, or surprise me, to the level that RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES did.

SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR – This movie was released ten years too late.  It was good and Eva Green as the femme fatale is dynamite.  Still, very awkward for me to be sitting in a movie theatre all alone on opening day.  If you liked the first one, you’ll like this one and I am a fan of a sequel that feels like a perfect follow-up to the original.

BIRDMAN – A good movie with some neat editing and camera work, but frankly I’m amazed this has gotten all the critical acclaim that this movie has earned.  I must have missed something because I did not feel it was as genre-bending as most people rave.

ROBOCOP – The original Robocop movie is one of my all time favorite movies.  This one had no chance from the PG-13 rating to the wasted screen time of Samuel Jackson, to the muted action and storyline.  It was better than it had any right to be, but Hollywood needs to focus on making original ideas and not remaking films that got things perfect on their first outing.  Honestly, this is the closest movie in 2014 that I did not like, but that’s probably too harsh.  This movie was just dull and generic.

Hopefully 2016 as some solid offerings that draw me back to the movies more.  I’m also looking to continue finding retro showings which are always my favorites and sadly I missed the chance to see any of these in 2015.

Guardians of the Galaxy - "What a bunch of A-holes"!



Love the line-up...especially how Rocket Raccoon ends up front and center!

 
Ok, I have been burned by so many previews in my lifetime I can't even begin to list them.  Three that stick out immediately are Robocop 2, Superman Returns, and Star Wars: Attack of the Clones.  These were the kinds of previews that held so much promise, looked exciting, and delivered exactly what I wanted in a 2-minute reel.  Unfortunately then the movies came out and not only did I hate them all, but as I sat in a dark theatre I found my brain thinking, "How did that great preview turn into this horrible movie?"  Robocop 2...bad story, bad acting, and not faithful to the characters of the original.  But man was that a great preview.  Superman Returns...BORING!  The most boring superhero movie ever...the only good scene was the plane rescue - AND THAT'S WHAT THE PREVIEW SHOWED!  Star Wars: Attack of the Clones...worst love story and acting ever!  Parts of that movie felt like they were written by a child's view of what romance was.  I have read better fan fiction...of course none of those moments were included in the movie's preview (a wise decision).


Marvel's GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY!

So here we are.  Guardians of the Galaxy.  This is going to be the make-or-break movie for Marvel.  If this thing takes off at the box office then no characters are off limits for the big screen.  I'll be expecting my Moon Knight big screen movie shortly.  However, if Guardians tanks...then Moon Knight may end up on Netflix as a series or (shudder) as a guest star on the horrible Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. TV show (which I pray nightly will be cancelled).


People in America that don't read comics have no clue who the Guardians of the Galaxy are.  Trust me, nobody who isn't a comic book fan can name any of them.  So the first preview is a real introduction on many levels and wisely that is exactly how the studio treats it - as an introduction.  In two minutes we see all the members of the Guardians, get a brief bio of each member with their rap sheet, and then have a fast montage of each character doing some action stuff.  The preview is zippy, it works, and the inclusion of the Blue Suede Hooked on a Feeling classic was a perfect decision.



Great image from the teaser poster!

I am not a huge Guardians of the Galaxy fan.  I have read all of their incarnations in comics and have never really felt compelled to stay with them.  There's nothing bad about them, but I can't muster an affinity towards them as I do to other superhero characters.  That said, this preview clicked with me on many levels...and had me returning for repeat viewings.  I love Chris Pratt's work on Parks and Recreation and I can immediately see that he is going to be funny and comfortable leading a big screen effort.  John C. Reilly as a member of the Nova Corps...come on, what's not to love!  There is a nice tongue-in-cheek feeling of FUN that maybe the Marvel movies need.  The little ode to Raiders of the Lost Ark in the opening seconds of the preview is all you need to see grasp the vibe of this movie.

If you have not seen the preview check it out immediately...or wait to see it on the big screen on 4/4/14 with Captain America: The Winter Soldier.  The early signs for both movies are so impressive that it takes me back to 1990 all over again...umm...oh yeah that was the year of Robocop 2.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTZ2Tp9yXyM 

 

 

And I'm sure some of you are humming that great cover of BJ Thomas' Hooked on a Feeling from 1970's group Blue Swede, so here's the whole version...get your Ooga Chaka on!

 



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo-qweh7nbQ

SUPERHERO MOVIES - TOP 10 COUNTDOWN - PART 7

ASSEMBLE!

The #1 movie superhero movie of all time!  If your list differs, then you are wrong!

#1 –  AVENGERS (a.k.a. Marvel’s The Avengers)

When I was a child my friend and I used to sit around watching movies and discussing how awesome it would be if one day there was an Avengers movie with all the heavy hitters: Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, and Hawkeye and maybe they would even fight the Hulk.  That was in the 1980s.  2013 and Joss Whedon and Marvel delivered exactly what I wanted and needed in a superhero movie.

I have seen Avengers eight times at the movies in IMAX, in 3D, attached to a Thor 1 & 2 marathon, and in the company of numerous friends (heck my wife even saw it twice in the theatre, unheard of for her).  Each and every time it was a memorable moment and an absolute fun experience.  So let’s look at ten (and there could be more) key reasons why Avengers succeeds for me as a superhero fan where so many other superhero movies before and since have stumbled.

1) THE LOOK!  If you look at a comic book of the Avengers (especially Ultimates’ version) and then look at this movie, there is no doubt what characters you are following.  Even though Captain America has some mask issues, the movie owns it and explains that Agent Coulson designed the suit, so sure maybe it’s not 100% perfect.  “Aren’t the stars and stripes a bit outdated?”  There are no bat-nipples or unnecessary suits of armor-mesh or dark tones.  Samuel Jackson’s Nick Fury is exactly as Ultimates’ writer Mark Millar always envisioned him.  Loki’s horned antler helmet is straight out of 1960s comic books, and kudos for that where other studios would have balked and requested that the look of the helmet be changed.

2)  THE CAST!  Sure Robert Downey Jr. owns every scene he is in, but this movie allows everyone to shine.  This is not Iron Man & The Avengers (as every X-Men movie with Wolverine turned into).  There are some stellar casting choices I especially love Chris Evans remaining stoic and yet out-of-time with his Steve Rogers but once the costume is on he is all patriotic hero and commander.  Mark Ruffalo (who I was not eager about the casting choice) brings a nice awkward touch to Bruce Banner and then his Hulk manages to take over the spotlight of the entire movie (seriously when people talk about this movie do they NOT talk about Hulk first?).  Even Jeremy Renner who is tragically underused is a great casting choice for Hawkeye.  “I suppose if I shoot an arrow into Loki’s eye I’ll feel better.”  Nobody can do cocky and funny like Renner so I’m hopeful that future movies can do him and the character justice (go watch the movie S.W.A.T. and see Renner as the pompous bad guy…that’s pure Hawkeye).

3)  THE BAD GUY!  “I am Loki, and I am burdened with glorious purpose.”  The first issue of the Avengers comic book featured Loki as the villain.  Kudos for the movie to follow suit…and boy did they.  The Loki present in this movie is NOT the weak-kneed unsure Loki from the Thor movie.  From his first appearance Loki is a powerful threat in this movie and it is clear a team will be needed to stop him.  His dialogue is excellent whether he his trading quips with his brother Thor or Tony Stark, being pummeled by Hulk, tricked by Black Widow, or killing S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents, when Loki is on screen you have no choice but to follow his every action and wait with anticipation for the team to form and battle him.  Tom Hiddleston owns this character and continued to win fans over with his appearance at SDCC in 2013 as well as stealing every moment in Thor the Dark World.

4)  HERO VS. HERO!  Who would win in a fight between Thor and Iron Man?  Can Captain America’s shield stop Thor’s hammer?  Is the Hulk strong enough to lift Thor’s hammer?  These are fan boy questions over the years and Joss Whedon made sure that each of these questions and more would be presented and answered during the course of the movie.  Origin stories can be a dull affair, but with a superteam there is always the necessity of having the good guys battle each other in some manner.  “I have a plan.  Attack.” and with those words Iron Man engages in a battle with Thor that had fans of the comics and movies eager to witness.

5)  “And HULK…SMASH!”  I am a fan of the movie The Incredible Hulk and I was glad that at the least mentions of it were included to be sure it was treated as canon for this cinematic   I thought Edward Norton did a solid job and the Hulk’s ending battle with the Abomination was great.  Then the Avengers reintroduced the Bruce Banner and the Hulk and upped the game to an incredible (no pun intended) new level.  It was a masterstroke to sit on Hulk’s reveal until late into the 2^nd act of the movie.  By this point, everyone knew what to expect but Joss Whedon still managed to create a level of suspense as Hulk chased Black Widow through the lower levels of the SHIELD helicarrier.  When Thor makes the save, there’s a great moment where even he wonders if he has bit off more than he can chew.  In the climax when Hulk is turned loose by Captain America to wreck havoc on the Chitauri invasion…you almost feel sorry for the aliens because they don’t have a chance.
universe.

6)  UNIVERSALLY PLAYING FAIR!  In many sequels or sagas there’s always the need to cheat things a bit to help get everyone exactly where they need to be.  In the Avengers Joss Whedon stays 100% true to all of the previous movies and characters that have already been put into play.  Whether it is a few seconds of flashback as Captain America thinks back on his adventures in WWII or Bruce Banner saying, “The last time I was in New York, I sort of broke…Harlem.”  These moments are faithful to movies made by other writers and directors and Whedon does not try and alter things.  This shows you how deft Joss Whedon is as both writer and director because not only did he not have a hand in these earlier movies, but he builds on each character’s storylines throughout the course of the movie.

7)  CHARACTER MOMENTS!  There are a ton of characters in this movie and each of them have their moments to shine in dialogue and exchanges.  Loki and Thor have two short moments that speak volumes both atop a lonely mountain and at Stark Tower when the battle is starting.  It is clear Thor still loves his brother and is desperate for Loki to return to the side of good.  When Captain America first meets Bruce Banner and respectfully explains that the only word he cares about is Banner’s expertise with locating gamma radiation.  This short moment is the whole reason the Hulk later shows respect for Captain America.  Black Widow’s ability to toy with a Russian general and a god of Asgard with such ease that even the audience is caught off guard.  Tony Stark’s lack of respect for SHIELD, “That man is playing Galaga,” slowly changes as he learns to grow and become a team player.

8)  ACTION PACKED FINALE!  If you are going to make a superhero movie, there has to be an action packed finale.  The Avengers creates a 30 minute war on and above New York City that sets the bar high for any movies that follow.  Throughout the course of the action we are provided with moments of levity in dialogue, “You and I remember Budapest very differently,” and in action when Hulk sucker punches Thor.  There are explosions, nukes, space, monsters, and the rescue of innocent bystanders, “Captain America saved my life.”  All six members of the Avengers have numerous moments to shine as equals.  You believe that this is a team.

9)  THE SEQUEL!  Avengers concludes by playing the groundwork for this super team while allowing each character to travel their separate ways into other movies.  There’s a simple teaser shot of Thanos to remind us that there is a much larger universe in play, "To challenge them is to court death."  But a movie truly succeeds  After Avengers, Iron Man 3 and Thor The Dark World both delivered larger box office totals than the previous films in each of their respective franchises.  This is because fans want more.  Viewers want to experience that rush of excitement that comes with a stellar movie like Avengers.  Marvel was wise to acknowledge this and be sure that Joss Whedon was brought back with control as both writer and director for the sequel.  We know it will be called Avengers: Age of Ultron, and I cannot wait to see this sequel repeatedly in the summer of 2015!

is when the audience wants to spend more time with these characters and their adventures.

10)  THE ICONIC SHOT!  I have the poster for Avengers framed in my man cave.  Not because it is a great poster, in fact I think it’s a fairly weak Photoshop effort.  The poster is framed because in that one moment you see all of the key characters working together, standing heroic in a war torn NYC.  At the start of the Chitauri inv  There is no dialogue needed nor action.  The heroes merely stand poised and ready for combat to defend our planet.  Here they are Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.  In a movie with nothing but greatness, that stands out as my favorite shot of the movie.  Early into the invasion, there is one scene where the camera swoops in and does a 360 spiral around the Avengers and that moment almost brings a tear to my eye and definitely brings a smile to my face.

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!
How did that line not make it into this movie?

 

This wraps up my personal Top 10 countdown of superhero movies.  While my opinion may change over time, over the past 12 months (far too long for me to write this list…sorry but I was working and writing books at the same time) my views on these entries has not changed…although Kick Ass 2 and The Wolverine tried very hard to crack into the Top 10…but I’ll cover that when I look back at the best movies of 2013.  Next time.

SUPERHERO MOVIES – TOP 10 COUNTDOWN – PART 5

The #3 movie and best superhero sequel ever made – IS AMAZING!

#3 - SPIDER-MAN 2

I love the original Spider-Man trilogy helmed by Sam Raimi…and in case you are wondering I hated the new Amazing Spider-Man movie (but that is a different blog entry). With three attempts, Raimi delivered a superior product by taking not just Spider-Man but the world he inhabited in the comic books and heroically displayed them on the big screen! And unlike the inferior newer version, audiences turned out in massive amounts making billions of dollars over the course of the trilogy.

The superior (haha) moment of Raimi’s efforts has to be Spider-Man 2 which accomplishes every job that the original (and every other superhero sequel) missed the mark on. The original Spider-Man movie told an excellent origin, had a great cast, delivered memorable action scenes, but still displayed some flaws. So when it was time for a follow-up Raimi could have stayed the course but instead he decided to fix those problems and improve upon the other areas.

What were those improvements?


Start off by looking no farther than the villain of Dr. Octopus and the action that ensues. Unlike the original Power Ranger Green Goblin that looked nothing like the comic book character, this version of Doc Ock is a dead ringer, and through the magic of movies and CGI his tentacles become a great character unto themselves. The scene where the tentacles “awaken” in the hospital room is pure Raimi channeling his best Evil Dead-era camera work. Ock starts off as a good character who then becomes a great villain with several memorable battles with Spider-Man. Doc Ock moves like he does in the comics and even with powers the battles between he and Spider-Man show just how difficult fighting a man with four armored tentacles can become. The movie wisely builds to a perfectly sequenced battle atop a NYC elevated train. The action is flawless here with Spider-Man acting exactly like he does in the comic book; webs shooting, sense tingling, saving people, dodging and flipping at unbelievable angles, and looking at every moment like the true superhero the audience expects. Spider-Man’s saving of the runaway train and subsequent being saved by the citizens of New York is a great topper to the single best action moment in superhero cinema. It’s a heartfelt moment that feels genuine (unlike the ham-handed crane sequence of the newer Amazing Spider-Man movie).


Another area of improvement is with the recurring characters and the overall world that Spider-Man inhabits. One of the best parts of Marvel’s comic book series is the soap opera elements that unfold issue-by-issue; this is a world with people’s lives and the trials that each one encounters. Spider-Man 2 wisely spends a good amount of time showing how Peter Parker’s life is not perfect. He is still dealing with his feelings of Mary Jane (and she likewise is allowed her own dilemma) and at the same time he faces Aunt May’s financial worries, his dreams of being a scientist, his shortcomings as a college student, his daily struggles with money and paying the rent, and a lingering doubt that creates a self-induced loss of powers. Read an issue of Amazing Spider-Man and then watch Spider-Man 2 and you’ll see how expertly the world of one merges with the world portrayed on the big screen.

On that note, Peter Parker’s life is never one that invites a happy ending. Spider-Man 2 delivers on this time honored tradition with excellent cliffhanger plot threads involving his former friend Harry learning both Peter’s identity and the lair of his own father’s Green Goblin devices. Just like an issue of Spider-Man is meant to deliver excitement for the consumer to purchase the continuation of the story, the movie builds and leaves the audience waiting for more adventures.


I love Spider-Man 2.

I know many people who have commented that at points it is slow paced and feels overly long but, for me, that is the type of movie I enjoy the most. A movie that takes it’s time to tell a story while building a sense of excitement and awe in me (the fan) so much so that I do not want my time with these characters to end. No other superhero sequel has managed to pull off what Spider-Man 2 does. It improved on every area of the original while delivering a drama-action storyline that made the fanboy in me cheer for more!
At the time of release, I thought that I had seen the pinnacle of what a superhero movie could successfully offer. Spider-Man 2 was my #1 favorite superhero movie of all time…until…

…movies #2 and #1 did everything that Spider-Man 2 succeeded with and took things to a higher level…but they came years later…and required groups of superheroes to supplant Spidey from the top of my list!

SUPERHERO MOVIES – TOP 10 COUNTDOWN – PART 4

AND HERE WE GO...

Faster than a speeding bullet we’re back to the countdown with the best theatrical offerings that DC Comics have ever produced!

#5 – SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE

In today’s era of multiple superhero movies each year, it’s hard to remember back to 1978 which gave us SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE…then the eleven years before Tim Burton’s first Batman offering.  Two superhero movies in spanning all that time.  Yes, I know there were three Superman sequels…but they all suck.  

People who have fond memories of Superman II should rewatch it to realize that it doesn’t hold up.  Richard Lester’s ham-handed comedic directing (with fired director Richard Donner’s material) doesn’t work for anyone over 10 years old.  The special effects are weak…seriously who can’t tell that those are flying dolls traveling through a miniaturized set?  And the climactic fight(s)?  Well, one of them involves Superman introducing a bunch of new hokey powers: cartoon throwaway shield, zero-gravity hand ray, and the power of illusion!  Then of course the earlier fight in the city of Metropolis which involves the most over extended sequence wear the citizens of Metropolis, all of whom are so annoying that I was routing for their subjugation to Zod, are being blown around town and laughing and having a meery good time.  What a horrendous movie.  And for all its hype, the Richard Donner cut…suffers as well for other reasons.  Of course, both versions of Superman II don’t have Richard Pryor or Nuclear Man…so in that regard they are successes.

However, two years before all the horrible Superman sequels, 1978 brought us an incredible superhero movie that truly made audiences believe that a man could fly.  And wow did flying look fun!  The casting of every character in Superman: The Movie is perfect!  I’ll argue that no other superhero movie has succeeded so solidly in both casting, costumes, and general sets appearance.  Metropolis is New York City!  Luthor is a fiendish villain with a great plan!  And Superman is…SUPER!

Considering how much material Richard Donner needs to cover, the pacing of this movie is fantastic.  The first hour gives us the destruction of Krypton, Jor-El’s reasoning for sending his only son to Earth, the villains of the Phantom Zone, young Kal-El’s landing on Earth, life in Smallville, the death of Pa Kent and his message (thank you Glenn Ford for 10 minutes of a movie that still resonate with such power decades later), the construction of the Fortress of Solitude, and the introduction of Metropolis!  Wow!  Amazing!  I know people are holding out hope for Zac Snyder’s Man of Steel…but man, that’s a lot of work to live up to. 

Superman: The Movie also delivers a 10-minute sequence that still rocks today.  Superman’s first night in Metropolis: saving Lois Lane, catching a helicopter, thwarting a jewel thief, stopping a bank robbery, saving a cat, and rescuing a crashing Air Force One.  Great cinematic stuff!  If I’m ever channel surfing and this segment is even close to airing, I always stop to watch and am never disappointed.

#4 – THE DARK KNIGHT

Watch the movie HEAT with Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro, and then watch The Dark Knight!  Both are the top films of the cop-criminal and hero-villain genres…and I’d argue that the one with the masks and capes is a better effort and I love HEAT.

Christopher Nolan knocks an utter grand slam with his second dive into the world of Batman.  The studios were so confident with Nolan that the movie didn’t even need to have Batman’s name in the title!  There are so many levels taking place in The Dark Knight that it’s easy to lose sight of the social and political commentary and just focus on Batman chasing the Joker and Two-Face.  But go back and rewatch the movie and you’ll see it’s filled to the brim with topics for discussion.

Anyone who hopes to write or a direct a superhero movie needs to watch and learn how Nolan manages to succeed in handling two supervillains (and never loses site of his hero).  So many other films have tried and failed when it comes to the use of multiple enemies for the hero, The Dark Knight is the primer for great implementation.  First, the Joker is shown simply as a force of nature.  He’s the shark from Jaws.  You don’t know why he arrived and why he does the things he does.  You don’t need that information.  All you need to know is when he is on screen really bad things are going to happen – and you’ll be captivated the entire time.  His persona is summed up perfectly as Alfred explains to Bruce Wayne, “Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn." Then there’s Harvey Dent’s fall from grace and emergence as Two-Face.   Powerful stuff with incredibly gross CGI that is too realistic for its own good.  With these two villains, you fear for Batman and every single person in Gotham City.

The success of The Dark Knight is that it stays down to Earth on such a grim and gritty level that while watching a movie where people wear costumes, you can actually find yourself thinking, “If superheroes exist, this is what it would be like.”  At times it’s almost too dark.  Often people I talk to say the reason they don’t like The Dark Knight is because they want their Batman more family friendly and cartoony.  This is why I love The Dark Knight.  Because we’ve already had umpteen versions of Batman as a comic book character from comics, to cartoons, to the 1960’s TV show, to the Burton movies.  It’s easy to lose site that Chris Nolan is the first one to give us a truly grim visage of what life behind a mask can do to both a person and the city is strives to protect.  It’s not pretty but it’s damn original and entertaining!

There’s far too much for me to cover as to why I love The Dark Knight.  For my tastes, it’s the single best example of Batman in any genre ever!  Batman sums it up nicely with, “Sometimes the truth isn't good enough, sometimes people deserve more. Sometimes people deserve to have their faith rewarded...”

The Dark Knight is one helluva reward!

Had my Top 10 list been written three years ago, Superman: The Movie and The Dark Knight would have been ranked #3 and #2 respectively.  Just shows that in the last few years a couple of movies have come out that really shined a powerful light on the superhero genre from comics to movies.

The NEW Movies #3 and #2…are just around the corner…