EDITORIAL: The Top Ten Greatest Comic Book Movies of All Time
Here is my list of the greatest cbms of all time. Check it out!
The Top Ten Greatest CBMs of All Time! (in no particular order)
This is the top ten greatest comic book movies of all time. Some will agree with this and some will disagree, but nonetheless, there will be a discussion about it. So, ten movies will be analyzed, dissected, and torn apart to prove why they're worthy of being among the greatest comic book movies to grace the big screen. Enjoy!
Guardians of the Galaxy
This movie even being made was a huge surprise to people. You have a team of characters that no one in the general public, let alone the comic book community knows about, so it was a huge risk. However, it paid off greatly in a movie with spectacle, nostalgia, and plenty of awesome humor and heart to please everyone.
Deadpool
When the cgi test footage came out for Deadpool, it would be an understatement to say that comic book fans were a little excited. So, after that, there was an uproar of demand for a live action Deadpool movie that resembled the footage, and well...that's exactly what happened. As soon as everyone got their first glimpse at the first promo picture for the movie, veryone knew the characters were in good hands. However, many were shocked to see the movie and see not only a great depiction of the character, but an enjoyable, hilarious, action-packed film in a package with a bow tie of a moral sotry about love being skin deep. After watching Deadpool, it is very understandable that fans want the film's crew to tackle the X-Men.
Captain America: Civil War
This Marvel Studios film is an adaptation of the controversial Civil War mini series by writer Mark Millar and artist Steve McNiven. The film isn't a completely accurate adaptation of the comic, but it keeps the essence of the story while giving introductions to iconic Marvel characters like Black Panther and Spider-Man to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Further, Civil War explores political themes and expands on the Marvel universe's narrative going all the way back to Iron Man. It is suspenseful, gives good arguments on some favorite characters' morals, and delivers great action scenes that will make this superhero movie one to remember.
Iron Man
The movie that started it all. Here is the film that kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe; a risky movie adaptation of a popular character that wasn't quite Spider-Man or Batman, but blew everyone's socks off. It is a cool, action-packed redemption story that is steeped in fantasy, but offers enough realism to be relatable. There are amazing performances from Jeff Bridges, Gwenyth Paltrow, and Robert Downey Jr., who completely nails the mannerisms of Tony Stark to the point of being associated with him in real life. If moviegoers/comic book fans are the girl and the MCU is the guy, then Iron Man made a great first impression.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
From the Russo brothers (Civil War) is the second installment of the Captain America trilogy. It takes one of the greatest Captain America stories and turns it into an amazing espionage film that harkens back to classic spy stories of the 70s and packs an emotional punch. This film references many plot points from the first Captain America film, furthering the story of Steve Rogers and the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole. Audiences see a Steve Rogers who embodies the often-seen-as silly concept of an uncorruptable hero that never shirks their morality and good nature, even in a morally gray world.
The Avengers
There isn't much to say about this one, but there also isn't enough to say about it. Here is the film that truly kicked off the most recent comic book movie boom while solidifying Marvel Studios as a legitimate force to be reckoned with in the film industry. Rather than the typical question of what it would be like if comic books were in real life, this film answers the question: what if comic books were real? From Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly's Joss Whedon comes a great culmination of several film franchises into one event film; something that had never been done before. It is a mixture of the silver age Avengers, the Ultimates, and plenty of Marvel lore to satisfy the inner fanboy, but also plenty of humor, great dialogue, and great action sequences that make this film an amazing experience.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Based on Brian Lee O'Malley's magnum opus is a very faithful adaptation of one of the greatest graphic novel series' ever told. Unlike most in this list, Scott Pilgrim is a simple story about average people and love in youth; shown in a very realistic manner. This film is emotional, hilarious, and extremely exciting, with pop culture references left and right and ambitious ideas that are awesome and weird at the same time.
Spider-Man
Here is Sam Raimi's modern masterpiece that, like Richard Donner's Superman showed that a man could fly, showed that comic book movies could be awesome as hell in the 21st century. This movie is a perfect blend of inspiration, most noticably silver age Spider-Man, Ultimate Spider-Man, and Richard Donner's Superman, in a warm blanket of iconic Danny Elfman music. There are too many iconic scenes, lines, and shots to count, and so much heart that will make you feel proud and able to relate to the trials and tribulations of Peter Parker. This was the film that made me a comic book fan when it came out when I was only four years old, and sticks to my heart very dearly. At the least, let's hope Spider-Man: Homecoming has half of this much heart and iconic scenes in 2017.
The Dark Knight
Christopher Nolan's masterpiece and second film in his Dark Knight trilogy is held as one of the greatest films in modern cinema, with one of the greatest performances in Heath Ledger's Joker. Despite its distance from comic book lore, it is littered with Killing Joke themes and takes on classic characters that remind everyone why Batman's world is one of the greatest worlds in comic book history. It is masterful fimmaking and storytelling that is intense, emotionally disturbing, and unexpected at every corner, with great performances and deep themes that raise questions about human nature.
Kick-Ass
Here is a different take on the modern superhero; one about a high school kid with no superpowers that actually tries to be a superhero. Out of a simple story about an average kid who loves comic books comes a wacky tale about the mob, crimefighters, and teenage drama. This film is funny, bloody, and tells a heartfelt coming-of-age story that takes place in the real world with all its craziness, amped to an eleven.
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