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

LOOK WHAT I FOUND!

In the script Jason was found in the
lake where he had been left
at the conclusion of The New Blood.

In the 1970s and 1980s when someone cleaned out a basement, attic, or under a bed there was undoubtedly the anticipation and inevitable joy of discovery as some long forgotten, or presumed lost, item was unearthed.

In 2014 that joy of discovery often happens on a computer hard drive.  So, I was sitting down working on my next book when an errant click on a folder revealed a subfolder that I had not viewed since (according to the records) 2006!  Inside this folder were two - TWO - screenplays that I had written back in 2002.  Now, both of these screenplays were originally meant solely as practice as I honed my craft.  In order to learn the proper technique and writing style when shifting from prose to a script I decided to write two sequels for franchises of which I was a fan.  I never had any expectations that they would be sold, made, or even see the light of day beyond my computer.  In fact, I wrongfully assumed that both had been deleted.  Nope.  THEY LIVE!

In the script Michael Myers was a serial killer
who the Halloween movies were
based upon.

So, let's talk about the first one with this entry.  This was my attempt at a horror screenplay that would have inter-mixed Jason Vorhees and Michael Myers.  The script was written shortly after the theatrical release of Halloween H2O where Jamie Lee Curtis returned to that series...and, at the time, presumably killed Michael.  It was a decent movie, but nothing stellar or memorable.

In a nutshell I wanted to see something SPECTACUAR!  I wanted a movie with a plot, with a body count, and where the two lead killing machines battled not only themselves, but also a black-ops mercenary team.

So I set out to write...
JASON VS. MICHAEL: THE ULTIMATE EVIL!

Now, anyone who knows me (and if you don't listen to the podcast - www.donandhisamazingfriend.com) knows that I demand that all sequels play fair and straight with the audience and with the history that has been presented in previous entries.  So, when I wrote my story I was sure to include both the ending to Halloween H2O as well as all the key elements from Friday the 13th Parts 1-7.  I had "outs" to explain the lesser entries in each series.  I introduced new characters and populated the town of Forest Green (formerly Crystal Lake) with enough characters/victims to build a solid body count.

In rereading the story several stand-out scenes in the script jumped out:
*Jason kills two scuba divers in Crystal Lake
*Michael kills an ambulance crew and an unfortunate homeowner (with a riding lawn mower)
*Jason battles a heavily armed squad of soldiers in a hardware store
*Michael Myers and Jason destroy a bar and the entire patronage during their battle


My simple Photoshop image that I printed and
had on my desk for inspiration.

*Michael meets not one, not two, but three awesome "death scenes" as Jason truly unleashes on him
*There is a HUGE EXPLOSION!

Considering I haven't seen this script in almost a decade, I was amazed at how well it read and how evenly paced it was.  Frankly, and selfishly, I wish someone would call and offer to make this movie because even though Freddy vs. Jason was fun...it still wasn't as perfect a movie as Michael vs. Jason (or Jason vs. Michael) could have been.

Here's a small sampling of the script.  This scene is the beginning of Act 2 where I've basically set in place that Jason is on the loose and a well-armed science team has purposely set loose Michael Myers in the area in the hopes that they'll be able to have not one but two regenerating beings that may lead them towards the development of a true undying Super Soldier.

Please keep in mind this was a first draft and the formatting may be off as I switched from Final Draft to Blogger.

*****

EXT. FOREST - NIGHT
Rebecca and Paulson are cutting through the dense trees as best they can in the sheer darkness.

OFFICER PAULSON
Are you sure you know where you’re going?  Besides, it may not even be there

REBECCA
Keep your voice down.

They hear radio communications farther off in the forest.

REBECCA (cont’d)
But right now that’s our only shot at putting some serious distance between us and them.
 

They walk a ways further, ducking low to avoid some flashlight beams.

REBECCA (cont’d)
There.

Rebecca points ahead to a ditch, her bike is laying in it.

OFFICER PAULSON
I don’t see the ambulance, or my squad car.

REBECCA
Well we got lucky here.  Apparently they didn’t feel like messing with my bike.
 

She walks over, rolls it out of the ditch, and examines it.

REBECCA (cont’d)
The only problem is the starter.  It’s been acting up on me.  Everybody within walking distance of us is going to hear this thing turn over.
 

OFFICER PAULSON
So I guess we hope it starts on the first try.

REBECCA
I guess.  Keep your fingers crossed.
 

She kick starts the cycle...and nothing happens.  She tries a second time.  Nothing.

MERCENARY #3
Hold it!

Rebecca and Paulson look over to see a merc with his machine gun pointed right at them.

MERCENARY #3 (cont’d)
Don’t move.
(into his comm)
I have them sir.  At the original acquisition site.

CAPTAIN FLENNA (o.s.)
Keep them there.  We’re on the way.
 

Mercenary #3 as his full attention on Rebecca and Paulson.  He does not notice a shadow moving through the treeline next to him.

Jason is the "eviler" of the killers!
He easily chalks up a body count rivaling
Arnold's from Commando!

MERCENARY #3
We’re all going to just stay right here and -

JASON EXPLODES FROM THE DARKNESS AND THRUSTS A MACHETE INTO THE MERCENARY!  HE IS LIFTED OFF OF THE GROUND SCREAMING!  HIS GUN SWINGS AND FIRES AS HIS FINGERS CLENCH!

Rebecca ducks a hail of bullets but two strike Officer Paulson in the chest.  He goes down - HARD.

REBECCA
Tom!

She moves away from her bike to help him.

OFFICER PAULSON
No!  Get out of here!

Their voices draw Jason’s attention.  He swings his machete and the dead mercenary flies off of it, landing in the woods.  Jason then moves towards them.

OFFICER PAULSON (cont’d)
Go Rebecca!  Get your father!
 

She can see the blood coming from Paulson’s mouth and chest.  It’s clearly a fatal shot.  She struggles with the decision for a moment but then finally Rebecca turns and tries to start her bike.  It doesn’t catch.

Jason moves forward and thrusts his machete down into Paulson.  Officer Paulson doesn’t scream.
Jason marches forward.  He is only a few feet from Rebecca.

The motorcycle starts!  Rebecca kicks it into gear and speeds away just as Jason swings his machete at where she was standing a moment before.  He gets nothing but air.
Rebecca races through the forest!

EXT. THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE TOWN OF CRYSTAL LAKE - NIGHT
A patrol car is stopped in the road, lights still flashing.

CLOSE UP: CRYSTAL LAKE BILLBOARD
Officer Drew is slammed face first against the billboard, his feet dangling above the ground. Jason keeps him pinned there with one arm while the other arm brings an axe into view. Drew is screaming until the axe CHOPS into his back.

A BLAST OF BLOOD SMEARS ACROSS THE SMILING FAMILY ON THE SIGN.
Jason looks at the sign and then his gaze drifts towards the lights of the town below.  He turns and walks away, leaving behind the car, the axe, and Officer Drew still held in place on the billboard.

Michael racks up a good body count
but also is the more sympathetic
of the twin killing machines.

EXT. THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE TOWN OF CRYSTAL LAKE - LATER
The welcome to Crystal Lake billboard still holds Officer Drew in place.

CLOSE UP: A hand reaches up and pulls the axe from the dead officer.  Drew’s corpse PLOPS to the ground.

Carrying the axe, Michael Myers walks towards the Forest Green town square.

*****

It's worth noting that Michael had already had his ass handed to him once by Jason.  The two are on their way to clash in the town bar and begin the total destruction of Forest Green.

Maybe one day I'll visit one of the "money" scenes.

Godzilla 2014 & TGT2




My wife and I are fans!  We were there at the first advance showing
IMAX 3-D was incredible!  When Godzilla roared - WOW!

The summer of 2013 was a Kaiju filled three months in my house.  That’s when I was inspired to collect my thoughts on twenty-three films from the Kaiju Eiga library and see if it would work as a book.  The finished product has worked better than I could have expected.  In fact, the fun of watching movies with giant monsters was so engrossing that it pushed several of my other writing projects (including this blog) to the background.

 



The Sequel!  Prototype cover image!

And, this summer will be more of the same.  Besides booking my tickets for G-Fest XXI in Chicago this July, I have also been hard at work on the second volume of Kaiju Eiga goodness which I am calling There Goes Tokyo 2: Kaiju Boogaloo.  I’ve been talking with my cover artist on various designs and am attaching our first pass (plenty of changes coming).  We want it close enough to the original to invoke a sequel without being too much of a copy.  I'll hold off on any reveals until it's closer to sales time.  At this point in the writing I have completed the Heisei Series and will be shortly entering into the Millennium Series.  All told, this volume will contain thirty different Kaiju movies (so considering both of those series are totaling thirteen movies there’s plenty of room for some surprises - and boy did I watch a couple stinkers!).  The biggest shock was when I compiled my list of possible choices I discovered there's enough Kaiju Eiga films remaining for a third and even a fourth book in the future.  Most likely I'll wait for a Pacific Rim 2 or Godzilla 2 to have at least a couple main films to tie into all these obscure titles. 

I also have an actual novel to finish first.  I'm currently 65 pages into what looks to be a 300+ page book.  I have all the notes and plotting worked out.  There's only one character so that makes much of the writing fairly easy.  Oh and there's...monsters too...but more to human scale.  Besides works in progress I also have a long finished collection which I will be releasing shortly - the completed HORROR 101 - look for it sometime in October.  I have at least managed to get to my computer and write every single day on one project or another (a first for me as a writer).

 


My notes, never looked at the page - too dark.

Obviously the big release for Kaiju fans this summer is Legendary’s new Godzilla movie.  This was a first for me, not only seeing a great movie on the big screen multiple times, but also attempting to take notes of the movie at the same time.  It’s an interesting experience writing in a dark movie theatre, there’s no point in trying to look at what you are writing, you simply write and hope at the conclusion of the movie there is something legible and straight on the paper.  Luckily my wife has become a diehard Godzilla fan and was able to assist with the highs and lows of the movie as I furiously wrote.  Did I mention AMC provided us with a private screening?  Well, they didn’t but through fate we were all alone in the theatre.  When the lights came up I had four pages of thorough notes and a surprised look from an usher wondering, “What the hell is this guy doing?”

Here’s a picture of my movie snack leftovers along with my notes, taken as the credits rolled.  Interesting that four pages of notes translated to a nineteen page chapter in the book.  For the diehard fans, look for this to be on sale in December 2014.

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 2

SMASH!     BOOM!

Ok, so this wasn’t so “soon”…but never fear true believers I’m not bailing on the topic yet.  After all, anyone with not 1 but 8 framed superhero posters in his dwelling is so engrossed in the genre that it’ll take more than sloth and writer’s blog to derail him.

So let’s keep it going by continuing my personal picks for the best superhero movies of all time.

#9 – THE ROCKETEER

I love this movie!  I remember seeing it at a sneak preview back in 1991 and loving every moment of it.  A great moment was during the movie after Cliff dons the rocket for the first time to save Malcolm and then flies off into a montage of goofy moments, a patron in the theatre shouted, “Rewind that!  It was awesome!”  This brought out a loud cheer and immense clapping from the audience.  Seriously, there’s not enough clapping in movies anymore.  Still when my first viewing ended, I knew that the movie would fail to cross over into mass appeal.  Not sure why, because it’s essentially Raiders of the Lost Ark meets WWII Superhero.  Joe Johnston is a solid director and managed to mix the genres even more successfully years later with Captain America: The First Avenger (coming soon to my list).

The Rocketeer is probably overlooked by most superhero fans because of the era it takes place in, and that Cliff Secord is more of an adventurer than a superhero.  However, the character was created first in the comic books (thank you Dave Stevens for your stellar ode to Commando Cody and Rocketman!).

Watching The Rocketeer (and I just stumbled upon it on cable which is why I was inspired to return to the countdown) makes me smile.  There’s a simple purity to the action and the era.  Good guys were good.  Bad guys were Nazis and mobsters.  The only minor quibble with the movie is that it was 1-2 years before CGI really took off, so some of the FX is dated…but it still manages to add charm since the entire concept harkens back to the serials of the 1940’s.

Twenty five years later and the movie still is a gem.  If you have never seen it (or at the least in a decade) give it another viewing.  It’s exciting time well spent.

 

#8 – SPIDER-MAN

Let me make it clear that I did NOT enjoy 2012’s offering The Amazing Spider-Man (at all).  In my view it was a completely unnecessary origin story that fell so close to the first (superior) movie that they had to make changes and thus eliminate all the good parts and fill those gaps in with dreck.  Plus, I think Andrew Garfield (and his freakish head and hair) doesn’t look like Peter Parker…he just looks like Andrew Garfield…with poufy hair.

However, back in 2002 the first Spider-Man movie hit!  And it was amazing, spectacular, sensational, and ultimate!  Spider-Man looked like Spider-Man, Peter Parker looked like Peter Parker, and the entire cast looked like they came right out of the comic book…and the origin SPOT ON PERFECT!  Sam Raimi’s love for the character and the world he inhabits shows in every scene and montage.

So why doesn’t Spidey rank higher on the list?  Two reasons weigh this one down a few slots.  First, the Green Goblin’s studio enforced look…horrendous!  He looks like he fell out of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.  Sad that such an iconic Spidey villain was made completely unrecognizable.  Thankfully everyone seems to have learned from their mistakes as all future villains are easily a match from comic-to-screen.  Second, the movie has one or two stumbling points of severely stilted dialogue -  Spider-Man’s conversation with the Green Goblin on the rooftop being a prime example.  It’s cringe worthy!

That aside, the rest of the movie is a hoot that culminates in one of the best superhero vs. supervillain battles in movies (Doc Ock’s future arrival will signal the best).  I still feel so sorry for the pounding that Peter Parker takes at the hands of the Green Goblin, especially that painful pumpkin bomb blast to the mask!  OUCH!

But, when all is said and done the movie delivers popcorn thrills and left audiences happy having learned that “With great power comes great responsibility” and “Who am I?  I’m Spider-Man!”

 

#7 and #6…before 2013…I promise.