EDITORIALS: The Moment

EDITORIALS: The Moment

A reason why we enjoy so many CBM's even if the story line is horrible. Well atleast in my opinion.

Editorial Opinion
By Spook - May 13, 2011 02:05 PM EST
Filed Under: Other



As I strolled into the theatre for the fourth time to see Thor, I asked myself a question: What is it that keeps me wanting to come back? What is it that makes me smile and enjoy the movie so much? The answer to that question is “The Moment”—an aspect during the movie where you stand up, fist bump the air, and say to yourself ‘WOW!’ Now I know that may be a little extreme, but we all know that these moments exist. It is the one thing we strive for every time we pop a movie into the DVD player or go to the theatre. I believe it’s the one thing that can make or break a CBM. If you take a look back over time, some of the best CBM’s have had this moment. Take for instance the first Superman. Who wasn’t jumping out of their seat when Superman was lifting the helicopter up with one hand while supporting Louis Lane with the other? I know I was. How about a more recent movie? In The Incredible Hulk, who wasn’t running around the house saying “Hulk Smash” after they finished watching it?

I seriously believe that studios need to concentrate on bringing this aspect into their movies. It can make you feel like you are really watching a superhero movie. Here are some other examples for me:

Thor-When he regains his power, he straight-up dominated the Destroyer. I understand a lot of you guys wished the fight could have been longer; but for me, I absolutely loved the fact that he came out and owned the fight. Just goes to show how powerful Thor can really be. It makes you really wonder that if Iron Man and Thor really were to fight in the Avengers, how would Iron Man have a chance?

The Dark Knight- When the Joker is hanging upside down and says, “So this is what happens when an unstoppable force meets and immoveable object”. That whole sequence was great, from the tech used to take out the villains to the fact that the Joker laughed while plummeting to his death because he knew that Batman would not let him die. It was the absolute best way to end the chaos of the Joker.

Iron Man 2- The scene at the race track where he is getting it handed to him and finally just mans up, wraps the whips around him, and pulls Whiplash in to defeat him. With the look he gave through the mask, you could tell that he had enough of it already. Also, at the end of the movie when he pulls out his lasers and wipes out all the drones; it was impressive to say the least.

Iron Man- At the end of the movie when he looks up at all the reporters and states, “I am Iron Man.” I also really enjoyed the sequence when he takes down all the terrorists as Iron Man for the first time. Shows how accurate and great his tech can be.

Sin City- One of my all time favorite movies. This movie for me had so many great quotes. Two of my favorite lines ever are at the beginning of the movie when Bruce Willis’ character states: “Took away his weapon, both of them” (referring to both his genitalia and his weapon). And in the sequence at the church where the preacher asked if she was worth dying for and Marv answered, “Worth dying for, worth killing for, worth going to hell for.” My buddy and I walked around for months throwing out quotes from this movie.

Watchmen- When Rorschach gets terminated at the end of the movie. Nobody wanted him to die, but he stood up for what was right. He didn’t falter; he stayed true to himself and went down as the only real hero of the movie.

Kick Ass- Both fighting scenes for Hit Girl.

Now I know there are a lot more examples out there, and if enough people enjoy the idea maybe I will go back and try to make a list of all the previous CBM’s in another article (or someone with a little more talent for writing can compose it). I just wanted to get my opinion out and see what the rest of you guys thought about the subject.
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AlexdoxA
AlexdoxA - 5/13/2011, 3:22 PM
Awesome article...
golden123
golden123 - 5/13/2011, 3:26 PM
Actually the majority of us like these movies so much because it brings the world of a comic book to life, and for the great stories. Bad CBMs have had their moments. We still don't like those CBMs though. We'll some of us anyway. X3, Spider-Man 3, Superman Returns, Daredevil, Origins, The Hulk, The Punisher movies, and etc. have all had their moments, but all of them are looked down upon (for the most part) by the fanboy community. All in all this so called "editorial" does little to persaude and make a point than it does to list your favorite part of each CBM you liked. Why not just put this in features?
Spook
Spook - 5/13/2011, 3:37 PM
@golden123.. If you feel this is better suited for 'features' then I will move it overthere, no problem. And although i agree with you in the reason you state we like or dislike the movies, for me though when I am watching a movie, I really want that moment where I jump up in excitement.
golden123
golden123 - 5/13/2011, 4:00 PM
@Spook: No hard feelings. This is a pretty cool feature. I haven't seen anything like it, and I enjoy seeing that moment in the CBMs I watch, too, although this article was placed in editorials so I thought you were trying to prove a point or something.
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 5/13/2011, 4:50 PM
SPOOK @ Very well written and I wouldn't put IRON MAN II up there lol... but all the rest are class!

Thank [frick] u didn't put no X-Men up there lol!

Awesome read man!

Thumbs up!
ClarkFarley2012
ClarkFarley2012 - 5/13/2011, 5:15 PM
Great article. Seeing all these CB movies come to life is a dream come true. My wow moment in Thor was when he owned the hell out of the Frost Giants when he told Thor " run home little princess".
Spook
Spook - 5/13/2011, 5:17 PM
Well I tried moving it into features. Apparently I did something wrong. Any advice? And thanks for the positive comments.
dmm5
dmm5 - 5/13/2011, 5:20 PM
If I had done the last battle scene of Iron Man 2.... Maaaaan it would've been epic! Y'all would've been praising me geeks! Lol just saying
kookevin3
kookevin3 - 5/13/2011, 5:22 PM
When Rorschach screams "DO IT!!!" chills went down my spine.
NeoBaggins
NeoBaggins - 5/13/2011, 5:29 PM
Thanks for helping me understand that I'm not crazy... or I am, and your just crazy too lol. But I'm compelled to go see THOR again. It would be my third time.

This may be an unusual THOR moment that leaves me in awe. It's not a pivotal story element or a moment rooted in emotion, which THOR is full of over all MARVEL movies. But It's a simple, short, action sequence. I just love the way it looks. So surreal and powerful:

After Loki multiplies and knocks THOR to the floor of the bridge, he summons lightening to Mjolnir which creates a blast powerful enough to break Loki's magic. The blast destroys the duplicates and leaves the real Loki flying to the ground. It looks so incredible and I can't put my finger on why. It's in slo-motion, but a strange slo-motion and the entire shot is beautiful. The wide shot of the bridge, the stars in the background and Loki and Thor. The effect may even be a glitch that accidentally looks the way it does. Or maybe Kenneth Branagh is a visual genius. I could literally go see the the entire movie just for the moment. I couldn't watch it alone, I'd have to see the whole movie to get the full impact. It looks awesome.

Trying to edit my post and almost reporting myself.

LP4
LP4 - 5/13/2011, 5:31 PM
@Spook- Dude- I LOVE THAT [frick]ING PICTURE YOU POSTED!!! Awesome! lol
marvel72
marvel72 - 5/13/2011, 5:36 PM
@ spook

great article,mate.

i've only seen thor twice,but i love it as well.

great moments for me.

blade-the night club scene at the start.

the incredible hulk-the fight with genral ross on the school campus.

x-men 2-nightcrawler in the white house.

watchmen-dr.manhatten origin.

iron man-the segment that featured the rescue of the villagers,the tank & the jet fighters.

spider-man 2-the fight with doc ock in the bank,down the side of the building & on the train.

thor-thor vs the frost giants,vs the destroyer & vs loki.

iron man 2-the race track & the team up with war machine against the drones.

superman the movie-helicopter scene

superman returns-plane rescue at the baseball stadium.
Argentine
Argentine - 5/13/2011, 5:48 PM
Great article! THE MOMENT to me is the whole of TDK, but foremost, when the batmovile gets smashed up and Bats juts storms out with the batbike!!!
NeoBaggins
NeoBaggins - 5/13/2011, 5:49 PM
marvel72 Wow, I pretty much feel the same way about all of those you mentioned.

I also like when Batman lands on Scarecrows van. And the way after he beat those dudes ass in the club in TDK, he jumps up on Maroni's table with a BatStar in his fist. The look on his face is priceless.

But the opening scene of Blade is ridiculous. The music makes it even more epic.
marvel72
marvel72 - 5/13/2011, 6:04 PM
@ neobaggins

i would of listed more,but i felt i was taking over spook article.

but yeah fantastic moments,the blade opening i remember seeing that scene for the first time.

when its about to kick off then the music kicks in,amazing i knew i was in for something special.

your avatar very hypnotic.
capcyclopsftw
capcyclopsftw - 5/13/2011, 6:13 PM
When Iron Man suits up for the first time in the Mark II.

When he suiting up in the Mark V in IM2.

Nightcrawler in the white house.

When the batmobile gets crushed in TDK AND then the bat cycle comes bursting out.

When Daredevil breaks Kingpins knees.
OR Spidey 1 at the fair or Spidey 2 on the train.
capcyclopsftw
capcyclopsftw - 5/13/2011, 6:17 PM
I guarantee CAP will have a few too.

Bats flying down the stairs with all the bats around him in BB.

So many to choose from!

Supes rescuing the plane in SR.

When MJ first sees Peter as Spidey. I seriously got butterflies.

Wolverine in x1 when he first takes out his blades and the middle blade comes out real slow while out his outer blades are already outside the dudes face!
LP4
LP4 - 5/13/2011, 6:32 PM
@Bane- Oh cool thanks! Yeah i'll be sure to check that out.
dahamma
dahamma - 5/13/2011, 6:37 PM
Iron Man When he got int he MARK III Armor, man I felt like screamin at the screen! lol that was EPIC

In THOR, which i just got back from seeing the second time, has got to be when he gained his powers back! DUde so powerful he DESTROYED the...uh.. DESTROYER easily!

In Hulk of course HULK SMASH and when he did the Gamma Clap thing he does

TDK last scene with the Joker
Spook
Spook - 5/13/2011, 6:54 PM
Feel free to write you opinion of moments you have enjoyed. And if enough people would like me to. I can easily make a list. I own pretty much every comic book movie.
karapandza
karapandza - 5/13/2011, 7:10 PM
Iron Man - When he first puts on Mark II and the camera goes around him with some pretty cool music.

Batman Begins - When hi saves Rachel and that kid and then when he says "It's not who I am underneath, it's what I do that defines me" and then he jumps...

And the ending of The Dark Knight... When cops chase him and he gets on his bike and escape. All the talk in the background is pretty cool!
acvno86
acvno86 - 5/13/2011, 7:32 PM
Spook, I agree 100% with your list. I call them "WWW" moments, "Whoa! Wow! WTF!". Guess, I'll have a sudden chill feeling, goosebumps & gasp instantly when I finally hear Hal Jordan recite the oath in GL inside the theater.
Fonzieismypal
Fonzieismypal - 5/13/2011, 7:38 PM
lol The Joker's final scene in TDK cracks me up!
"Speaking of which, do you know how I got these scars?"
"No! But I know how you got these!"
bahaha Good grief, Nolan! What the [frick]?!
acvno86
acvno86 - 5/13/2011, 8:07 PM



Batman- M.Keaton: First time I saw the Bat-suit.

Iron Man- Rhodes "Next time" scene with the Iron Man suit.

Superman- C.Reeves: Flying scenes.

Spider-man 2: Spidey on the train.

Incredible Hulk: Whenever he screams/shouts, transformation scenes and fight scenes.

X-men 2: Nightcrawler fight!

Blade: Nightclub scene & whenever he was referred to as "the daywalker".

Dark Knight: Joker intro to mob bosses & interrogation by Batman. Dent screaming "No!" when Batman was saving him.

Thor: Thor & friends vs. Destroyer. Destroyer!

Spawn: Cape! & Violator scenes.

Superman returns: Floating in space scene hearing cries for help

Origins: Gambit vs. Logan!

Watchmen: Rorschach scenes! His diary was sent to the newspaper guys

and oh whenever I see Stan Lee cameos I scream inside my head really loud it hurts.



Ghostfire
Ghostfire - 5/13/2011, 8:16 PM
I have so many it ridiculous...

For now I would say when I saw THOR swingin' his hammer against the frost giants.
LFANCH
LFANCH - 5/13/2011, 8:43 PM
cool article. I think these kind of moments are more important in CBMs that other movies. Most of these moments happen when something we have read in comics our whole lives happens, and we finally get to see it in live action.
ToddCasil
ToddCasil - 5/13/2011, 8:54 PM
My favorite geek moment in Thor is when he spins the hammer and flies.
Incredible Hulk, it was when he smashes the ground while saying "Hulk Smash"
Spiderman, just seeing him web swing while suited up.
X-Men 2, Nightcrawler in the Whitehouse, and Wolverine going berserk
Scott Pilgrim, damn near every scene!
BigK1337
BigK1337 - 5/13/2011, 10:45 PM
Great one, man.

Here are some of my favorite moments in Comic Book Movies:
Superman - The scene where he finds Lois dead and decided to reverse that moment from ever happening.
Batman - I think we all know which moment ("I'm Batman").
Fantastic Four - The emergence of Dr. Doom in costume.
The Dark Knight - The Joker dress as a nurse (I seriously find that funny and weird when he just went up to Two-Face, who is still pissed at him for killing Rachel, and speak kindly to him).
Spider-Man 2 - The train fight scene.
Iron Man - The Mark 1 armor part.
Thor - Frost Giant battle sequence.
X-Men - Magneto stoping all those bullets (Matrix totally stole that scene).
And my personal favorite, The Incredible Hulk - The cave scene between him and Betty.
Yourdaddydevilandlord
Yourdaddydevilandlord - 5/13/2011, 10:57 PM
Upon seeing it again, the first time Stark comes out of the cave should have been to Black Sabbath. The bass drum and the behind the nut guitar bend before you see him, and then I am Iron Man, boom!!! It was a let down because I was expecting that so much.
As for good moments, X2, Nightcrawler attack, and Magneto breaking out of prison
Thor, the Frost Giant fight
Iron Man, Rhodey saying Next time while looking at the War Machine armor.
Knight Rider, whenever he hit turbo boost, hey, I was a kid.
Heavy Metal, when he nailed that chick!!!
SkaarJones
SkaarJones - 5/13/2011, 11:01 PM
@ToughGrappler - Wow! I thought the FX were incredible. From creating other realms to the way Thor flew and wielded his hammer. Even the Destroyer looked exactly right. They made it look just like what you would expect from reading the comic. I have no gripe with the FX. I thought the movie was great. Odin/Heimdall/Thor and Loki were all extremely well played. We all know that Thor doesn't usually fare that well against the Destroyer armor though, but it was good to see him on such a high power level.
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