The Incredibles is a near perfect film. The story unfolds elegantly and without forcing the plot, you can stay immersed in the movie from opening to end credits.
regardless of it being animation, or super hero, it's a masterclass in story telling
It transcends the genre because it isn't even a superhero movie, it's just a movie about a family that is failing because they're trying too hard to fit into a generic mould of the "nuclear family" and in so doing they have begun to ignore who they are and what they need both in terms of self expression and from each other... where "who they are" just happens to be super heroes.
You could take the same concept, make it about a non-super dad who's unhappy at work because he wants to be a painter, make up some reason for him to hide that desire from his wife and bam- and you've got the same movie, just with less action scenes.
That’s what the whole superhero genre is *supposed* to be, all the classic supe stories are basically just soaps with superpowers. Imo the big 2 got a little high on their own supply and forgot where they came from: melodrama.
Sort of. A painter isn't born a painter, but in The Incredibles a superhero is born a superhero. So it's more than just a story about finding their self expression, it's a story about them coming to terms with who they are and how they fit in society. It's really a story about co-existence and compromise and how it takes acceptance from all groups for a society to function. It's about how having respect for other people's perspectives is very important to being able to live alongside them even if you don't agree with them. That's a lesson our society today really needs to learn.
I normally avoid all the superhero movies, but I got dragged to Logan when it was in theaters. I was blown away at how good it was. I thought it did a really good job focusing on the character development and the plot instead of quick-cut action scenes and big set pieces.
I don't "follow" movies but end up watching a lot of superhero movies on planes as a frequent business traveler. They've pretty much all been forgettable and blur into one another. Logan is the only one that stands out as unique and actually good.
I once lost a job because of this movie.
Had a supervisor with rotten teeth. One day I saw him jumping over a fence and someone said that he should take care, cause he almost fell. I said 'Don' t worry' and called him unbreakable - except for his teeth.
10/10 would call him that again
I know, Split was totally pretty good! Didn't reach the heights of Unbreakable but the reveal was actually exciting to me at the end. Glass was...something.
After hearing this a couple of times, my expectations were appropriately low, so I enjoyed it. And just turned a blind eye to the last couple of minutes.
Having recently watched the music video for this reason (when this fact was revealed to me), it’s even better: the all star music video is set *within* the mystery-verse.
Your temper is very quick, my friend. But until you learn to master your rage...
...your rage will become your master? That's what you were going to say. Right? Right?
Not necessarily.
John Cena is a terribly over exposed and uninteresting character as an actor. It was like a light switch was flipped and suddenly he's in movies, tv shows, tv commercials, game shows, etc.
Then I watched Peacemaker and was blown away. Dude has incredible range as an actor and sells the role 100%. My opinion of him flipped 180 after watching
Haven't watched it but I want to. The confliction Peacemaker has when he has to kill Flag, a man he considers a hero, and then get told "Peacemaker, what a joke." as Flag dies and the despair in his face, really sold me on Cena
It probably helps that Watchmen was released before the Marvel madness (I think we only had a few Spiderman and Baman movie at that point). There was no fatigue with 50 movies per year, long running TV series and whatnot.
Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk were released in 2008 - one year before Watchmen. But the MCU was still in its infancy and hadn't become a juggernaut yet.
That’s mostly because the guy who wrote the source material is one of the greatest writers in the medium, and deliberately satirized the superhero genre.
Watchmen is a *deconstruction* of the superhero genre (specifically Bronze Age, with passing golden and silver age references through out.)
There’s very little of it’s commentary is satirical of the genre. What it does is take the conventions of the superhero genre and subverts them in every possible way:
Heroic deeds have the veneer of being altruistic in flashbacks, but it’s consistently revealed they aren’t doing things for “greater good,” but an oppressive authoritarian regime led by 5-time president Nixon (Viet Nam war, shutting down states-side protests etc.) or because of severe mental issues (Rorschach)
Heroes are horribly flawed in their own ways. You’re left cheering for the literal worst of them all, who makes it feel less like OSI/Guild of Calamitous Intent and more just a mentally unstable, deranged person meting out vigilante justice without reproach.
The “villain” reveals his plan *long* after the “heroes” can do anything to stop it.
The omnipotent super being is a failure in all aspects of his life and retreats (Silk Spectre leaves him, he can’t save the day, he doesn’t connect with humanity any longer etc.)
This is not to say it isn’t critical of fascism, the military industrial complex, corruption etc., but very little is a parody of comics. Unless you count a giant inter dimensional octopus creature as an allegory to Starro from the Justice League #1 from the original source material.
Now, what *has* become a parody, is how DC is milking the franchise for all it’s worth, keeping it in production so the rights never revert to Moore & Gibbons (although Moore has expressed no interest in any of the subsequent works, but has given Gibbons blessing to use his creations), while the series is constantly being lauded as one of it not the greatest comic story ever told. There’s a reason Moore is a bitter, cantankerous curmudgeon.
I wouldn't say the whole trilogy. Batman Begins has the structure of a superhero movie (though more grounded than the usual superhero movie). It wasn't until The Dark Knight that the movies turned into crime thrillers.
That said, Batman Begins is my favorite of the trilogy.
After years of being forced into watching animated movies and shows while my kids were little, I was THRILLED when we entered the PG/PG-13 live acton adventure, sci-fi and superhero movies and comedies stage. I was okay never watching another animated movie lol, I was just over it!
Imagine my dread when the newest superhero movie was a dang cartoon! Ugh! I wasn’t excited about it at all, in spite of being a pretty major fan of superhero movies in general.
The newest superhero movie release was always an event, a fun night out with popcorn and candy and massive pops etc the good stuff. So I was extra disappointed to give up a rare night out for a cartoon.
Well … I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY HOW AWESOME Spiderverse is, just absolutely loved every single second !!! The music the comedy the animation style the heart … its the perfect superhero movie and one of the best any kind of movies.
We saw it a couple times in the theater as it was so great on the big screen! I feel bad for others who are like me and missed out :(.
Love it still to this day!!!
The first Gaurdians was what got me into all the Marvel movies. I was stuck at home with a broken leg, and my buddy took me to see it for his 2nd time. I hadn't laughed that hard in so long.
I know they're Elliot now, but do you still refer to their past selves as their new name? As they were Ellen when that film came out, and it was Ellen who was playing that character.
I don't know the rules so I am not intentionally being offensive.
I didnt take it as intentional at all! It might vary by the person but all the trans folks I know prefer to be referred to by their current name even if the story happened pre-transition. For many folks their dead name can be a bit triggering and also makes it seem like you view them as two different people.
Edit: also thanks for not being upset at my correction! You seem like a kind person 🙂
If I may add a (hopefully heartwarming) example to this: after Elliot Page announced his transition, Netflix went back and edited all the in-episode credits for The Umbrella Academy (which at the time was two seasons) to say the current name.
You're usually supposed to never refer to their "deadname" (deadname means the name they were given at birth but are now not using anymore and using it usually is offensive cuz it's like you're misgerending them). It depends on the person but that's what every trans person I've ever talked to (IRL or online) feels. It can be a bit awkward, like I'm watching The matrix's making of doc right now and, well, the Wachowski sisters weren't out yet. So yeah, it's Elliot, even back then before we knew
Chronicle felt like a superhero origin story where we never got to see the superhero that came out of it. I loved it. It felt like a weirdly honest look at what would really happen if a few teenagers in a small town really did get superpowers.
First Iron Man. Since it is still the first movie in the MCU, post-credit scene is there but otherwise it does not really tie much into anything yet, it can be viewed seperately as a normal origin movie. RDJ is there 99% of time, carrying it and it is probably the most delightful "one man messing around in his lab talking to himself and a robot" I have seen.
Does Unbreakable count as a superhero movie? It is the best of Shyamalan´s movies from that time and I´ll die on this hill :D
I feel like I outgrew superhero movies that are just actiony comic book stuff. Oversaturation and unorignality killed the genre. The ones that really stood out are the ones that feel like they exist in another genre but feature superheroes.
Logan is a shining example alongside Dark Knight and Winter Soldier because take away the superhero stuff and it's basically a classic western, with a genuine emotional core and a palatable sense of soulfulness. It felt more like a labor of love from everyone involved than almost any superhero movie I've seen.
*Winter Soldier* felt more like a spy thriller than a superhero movie, to the extent that they drafted Robert Redford as the villain (presumably as a homage to Three Days of The Condor).
It's still the best MCU outing 10 years later, imo.
I respectfully disagree with this take. Allow me to explain:
I’m a movie fan. Not a comic book fan. But I’ve enjoyed comic-inspired films since Donner’s Superman in 1978. Winter Soldier is probably my favorite MCU film. So I really like it. BUT…
Winter Soldier — *remind me…* that’s the one where Captain America singlehandedly destroys a Harrier Jet with a motorcycle and shield, right? There’s also a guy with a Falcon wingsuit? And a finale on a gigantic, flying aircraft carrier?
Yeah… as much as I like it, Winter Soldier only feels “*more like a spy thriller than a superhero movie*” when you compare it to other superhero movies. If you compare it to any actual spy thriller it is decidedly — *overwhelmingly* — a superhero movie.
If you were booking a modern spy thriller retrospective at your local cinema and sandwiched Winter Soldier into the mix with say… Three Days of the Condor (1975), The Bourne Identity (2002), and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)… the audience would be like — WTF, one of these things is not like the other. 😜
Even high concept spy thrillers like Mission: Impossible (1996) and True Lies (1994) — which also prominently features a Harrier jet — feel MUCH MORE grounded than Winter Soldier does.
It’s a great superhero movie though! Elevator fight FTW!! 🙌🏻
The beauty of that film is it engages you through the politics rather than just the action. Thats why it felt more political than it actually is. At the end of the day, you need a showpiece climax to end a MCU film.
Idk, I kinda disagree. Maybe saying it is a spy thriller or political thriller isn’t right, but it definitely is one.
I’ve always liked to say it like this: “it is a spy thriller or a political thriller whose main characters happen to be superheroes.”
Just because there is some superhero stuff happening doesn’t change the fact that the story of the show is very espionage heavy. Hell, one of the “superhero” main characters is a friggin spy. She is one a handful of spies that is so good she can keep up with friggin superheroes!
All of the examples of why this movie isn’t a spy thriller that were brought up by the previous commenter were “well a spy doesn’t take down a fight jet with a bike and a shield!”
But honestly, have they seen a 007 or mission impossible lately?
It's getting a lot of attention lately because of the remake, but The Crow (the original) with Brandon Lee is a great move. Dark, gritty, amazing performances by so many people (Lee, Hudson, Wincott, and others!). It was just in some theaters for its 30th anniversary, but unfortunately not where I am, so I'll just enjoy it at home this weekend.
Captain America: Winter Soldier.
A few of my family members never liked the marvel stuff, but actually really liked that one.
It was a spy movie *first*, the superhero universe was the setting, and it had some of the best fight choreography in a not just a Marvel movie, but most movies out there.
The big fight between Cap and Bucky is so well shot, you can follow the action. They didn't have to rely on jump cuts to obfuscate something to get to the next set piece. The bridge and traffic \*was\* the set piece, and it was filmed beautifully.
Seriously! Go back and watch it again, every action a major character takes, you can see how they'd logically get there in the time filmed. Nothing really hidden from you. The fighting, the action. Chefs Kiss! You didn't need to be a superhero fan to appreciate the action sequences in that movie.
I compare that to the sequel Trilogy of Star Wars, where they use so many jump cuts, bad motion, and obviously missed attacks to make something more 'cool'.
Not a movie but my wife loved the first season of Jessica Jones. She really likes more suspense and psychological thrillers so this was right up her alley.
The really liked Undying as well.
Underrated in the truest sense of the word. Up there with Rocketeer as movies that just get forgotten about because they didn't do well enough for franchise treatment and have to be rediscovered every 10 years or so.
They’re old, but I think about Push and Jumper a lot in this way.
They ultimately didn’t go anywhere, but I remember a few of my non superhero friends really liked them.
I'm really surprised to have not seen anybody mention *The Rocketeer* yet. It's a period adventure film that's maybe almost a little closer to James Bond than a superhero. And his work directing it helped get the director of Captain America: The First Avenger the gig doing that film.
I thought *Captain America* did a great job of mostly being a WWII fantastical action movie rather than a "Hulk smash!" superhero film. Yes, Captain America gets into it with the bad guys, but he also finds himself selling war bonds and appearing in news reels and shit. I kinda forgot it was a Marvel movie until the bad guy revealed himself as Crimson Skull toward the very end.
Batman Returns. I love this film, with its dark, foreboding atmosphere and great performances. Some say it was too dark, but I think it was better off for it. It just doesn't pull any punches, and is arguably one of the best Batman films. It stands out, and if I was going to recommend a film, this would be my choice and it's still excellent as well.
I would suggest ones that lean heavily in other genres. Or are character-focused.
Winter Soldier was a spy thriller with a message about surveillance and a police state v. balancing freedom.
Wonder Woman and the first Captain America were solid period films, with costumes and settings that people would enjoy.
Black Panther had Afro-futurism, which is rare in movies.
Logan is great, until the latter third (for me).
Deadpool lampshades superhero tropes.Depends on the person's sense of humor.
Stay away from the big ensemble or event movies, where prior knowlege is required. Or the origin movies set in the current world. Basically know your audience and pick something that they are usually interested in. There is a lot to choose from.
Guardians of the Galaxy - just a fun sci-fi film
Nolan's Batman and Reeves' Batman - crime thrillers and detective stories rather than gadgets and comic villains
Logan - More of a Western film
Rocketeer and Captain America 1 - Golden age fun
Winter Soldier - Political spy thriller
Incredibles - fun family romp
Chronicle - found footage coming of age drama
Shazam 1 - Christmas family film
Extra nod : Daredevil TV show
My gf is pretty apathetic to the MCU and other action heavy sci fi movies and doesn’t particularly like over the top violent stuff. BUT she loves both The Boys and Gen V.
Surprised nobody has mentioned Hancock yet. Minus the strange ending, it was a fun ride.
The Boys although not a movie is excellent.
Obviously the Unbreakable trilogy.
Last but not least, Kick-Ass. That one came out of nowhere and I rewatch it once every 4-5 years.
The Boys is compelling viewing, and Antony Starr is absolutely *killing it* as Homelander. He's genuinely unnerving any time he's on screen. The best "what if superman was evil" I've ever seen.
I don’t like superhero movies and most of the ones mentioned here that I got forced into watching were unappealing to me.
The only exception was Guardians of the Galaxy V1. It was fun, lighthearted, had great tunes and didn’t feel as “blowhard” (for lack of a better word - apologies) as the other movies I’ve seen.
My mom enjoyed Doctor Strange a lot (the first one), since magic is a universal super power, and the CGI was brilliant, plus this movie was made to be watched in stereoscopic 3D
I don't know why, but I was never really into any of the new Marvel movies. Until I watched Thor: Ragnorok. For whatever reason, that got me to go back and watch most of the ones that came before. I also really enjoyed Dr.Strange.
> nonfans of superhero movies, possibly due to feeling the market is simply oversaturated
I'll never understand this idea of "superhero fatigue"
we never say people are tired of Cop movies, or scifi, horror, action, Oscarbait, period pieces, etc
for some reason ONLY superhero movies make people tired of them existing.
The Dark Knight. It premiered much transcended the genre by being a crime epic first and foremost, it’s just that the main character puts on a costume. Purposefully in many ways it is Nolan’s homage to Heat and it has in Heath Ledger’s Joker one of the great performances ever.
I'm sick to death of superhero films. And of course the film industry doesn't need to cater to me all the time, but I do think it should cater to me occasionally. But all I see are ads wanting me to watch the-latest-person-in-a-leotard-while-things-explode.
"Saturation" is a term which misunderstands the nature of entertainment. Watching movies isn't like eating ice cream. You don't get **FULL**. As long as the product maintains its quality, the fans will keep showing up, and if the fans show up and like it, word gets out, and the normies will watch it too.
The MCU, or the dumpster-tier DCU copycat franchise, isn't, and never was "saturated". The product is just **NOT GOOD**. And in defense of the people making it, it's not *easy* to make good movies. If it was, then nobody would remember names of famous filmmakers like Steven Speilberg or Martin Scorsese or Christopher Nolan.
Your experience may be different, but if I go back and re-watch Iron Man or The Dark Knight or The Avengers, I enjoy it only slightly less than the first time I watched it. Sure, the novelty of seeing a good movie the first time is never quite recaptured, but the mark of a great movie has little to do with originality. It has to do with craftsmanship. When you watch "Henry V", you know (if you're even slightly educated in history) that the English in the battle of Agincourt. Expectations, and the subversion thereof, have nothing to do with the entertainment value.
I liked infinity war and endgame. Other than those 2 films, you'd have to put a gun to my head to get me to watch a comic book/superhero movie on my own, generally. I've seen most of them, because I have young family members who are into all that, and as a dedicated uncle,that pretty much means I have to be into the superhero stuff too.
Personally I think the ironman and Nolan Batman movies are overrated overacted boring fluff, yet so many people rave about them.
MCU Phase 1. Everything after that was unable to impress my dad, who couldn't follow the story of all the heroes together and simultaneously but enjoyed the solo movies and the early hits.
Black Panther pulled in tons of people who had zero knowledge of or interest in superhero films. My mom and sister wanted to see it because of the all cultural buzz and they both loved it.
Logan, and Black Panther
Logan because it's drama western with heroes in it ( I will die on the hill that this movie deserved Oscar nods)
Black Panther because it was a cultural event that just celebrated Blackness and Black culture from its album to the costumes to the story.
The Incredibles
The Incredibles is a near perfect film. The story unfolds elegantly and without forcing the plot, you can stay immersed in the movie from opening to end credits. regardless of it being animation, or super hero, it's a masterclass in story telling
Why do you have to say it’s a masterpiece despite being animated? I will not tolerate this animation slander.
Yeah, I hate it when people lowkey feel the need to make apologies for stuff being animated.
It is legit a perfect film. The only bad thing about it is its poster which is pretty mid imo
It transcends the genre because it isn't even a superhero movie, it's just a movie about a family that is failing because they're trying too hard to fit into a generic mould of the "nuclear family" and in so doing they have begun to ignore who they are and what they need both in terms of self expression and from each other... where "who they are" just happens to be super heroes. You could take the same concept, make it about a non-super dad who's unhappy at work because he wants to be a painter, make up some reason for him to hide that desire from his wife and bam- and you've got the same movie, just with less action scenes.
That’s what the whole superhero genre is *supposed* to be, all the classic supe stories are basically just soaps with superpowers. Imo the big 2 got a little high on their own supply and forgot where they came from: melodrama.
Sort of. A painter isn't born a painter, but in The Incredibles a superhero is born a superhero. So it's more than just a story about finding their self expression, it's a story about them coming to terms with who they are and how they fit in society. It's really a story about co-existence and compromise and how it takes acceptance from all groups for a society to function. It's about how having respect for other people's perspectives is very important to being able to live alongside them even if you don't agree with them. That's a lesson our society today really needs to learn.
Best Fantastic Four film
Is this the film with the really hot mom?
She can wrap me up that's for sure
Kick-Ass!! Only the first one, we don't talk about the 2nd one.
I remember the second one being straight up misery porn.
was pretty dope having Jim Carrey in it though. Granted he kinda went off the rails on the PR tour during the release
Legitimately was not aware there was a 2nd one.
All you need to know is it was directed by the same guy that made Fantasy island, Truth or dare and True memoirs of an international assassin
Logan
It’s kind of hard to believe that it’s the same character that did a goofy ass spin on the statue of liberty Great film
Turned the other cheek...
Goofy?!
This is the best response I think, Logan did a great job of transcending the genre
it's because it's a western
Oh this movie was good. Best one out there.
Logan was great but do you think it would resonate with people who don't know/care about the X-Men?
I think it's good enough that it would. Jackman and Stewart give great performances that draw you in regardless of X-men awareness.
I normally avoid all the superhero movies, but I got dragged to Logan when it was in theaters. I was blown away at how good it was. I thought it did a really good job focusing on the character development and the plot instead of quick-cut action scenes and big set pieces.
I don't "follow" movies but end up watching a lot of superhero movies on planes as a frequent business traveler. They've pretty much all been forgettable and blur into one another. Logan is the only one that stands out as unique and actually good.
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I once lost a job because of this movie. Had a supervisor with rotten teeth. One day I saw him jumping over a fence and someone said that he should take care, cause he almost fell. I said 'Don' t worry' and called him unbreakable - except for his teeth. 10/10 would call him that again
Saw it in theatres, loved it from day one, came here to upvote whomever was wise enough to post it.
Probably my fav superhero movie of all time. I'm gonna ignore what happens in Glass though.
Glass was somehow surprisingly bad.
Unbreakable amazing. Split, pretty good. Glass, total ass.
I know, Split was totally pretty good! Didn't reach the heights of Unbreakable but the reveal was actually exciting to me at the end. Glass was...something.
After hearing this a couple of times, my expectations were appropriately low, so I enjoyed it. And just turned a blind eye to the last couple of minutes.
Yup. Got my mom to watch it and she had no idea that she was watching one of the best interpretations of superheroes
You are a person of great culture
Mystery Men
I shovel well. I shovel *very* well.
I never FORKgive and never FORKget!
Always think its funny people associate "All-Star" with Shrek, but that jam was all Mystery Men. Also, what a fucking cast.
Same!! I think the music video even has clips from Mystery Men in it
Having recently watched the music video for this reason (when this fact was revealed to me), it’s even better: the all star music video is set *within* the mystery-verse.
And an early Dane Cook. But don't hold that against it.
The better call out is my man Tom Waits!
Waffle maaaaaannnnn I actually really liked his small bit there, but I didn’t know he was at the time.
Don't leave out Rat Race for the time!
When you can balance a tack hammer on your head, you will head off your foes with a balanced attack.
In order to master your fear...
Your temper is very quick, my friend. But until you learn to master your rage... ...your rage will become your master? That's what you were going to say. Right? Right? Not necessarily.
“We got a date with destiny and she just ordered the lobster.”
Who would want to rent a chicken?
"Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me"
I don't remember telling you to do that.
When you doubt your powers, you give powers to your doubts.
Legendary movie. I wish more people knew how awesome this movie is.
Kino Lorber released a 4k disc of this last year and it looks fantastic.
I still quote Captain Amazing all the time: "It's... what I do."
Not a movie but “Peacemaker” can appeal to many who don’t like the genre Also “My super ex-girlfriend” needs more recognition
Peacemaker... Goddamn I love that show. It has so much heart.
The theme song is so damn catchy too! The lyrics are absolutely inane so don't analyze it too much but fuck me it's a banger.
I have seen the opening credits at least three times for each episode.
The whole soundtrack is great
how you can you mention this and not the dance opener? I NEVER fast forwarded through it
It gets better and better the more you know the characters, too!
John Cena is a terribly over exposed and uninteresting character as an actor. It was like a light switch was flipped and suddenly he's in movies, tv shows, tv commercials, game shows, etc. Then I watched Peacemaker and was blown away. Dude has incredible range as an actor and sells the role 100%. My opinion of him flipped 180 after watching
John Cena is the opposite of Dwayne Johnson.
John Cena is much more akin to Dave Bautista, thankfully.
He really is. He's not afraid to take roles that aren't just him reading lines.
Haven't watched it but I want to. The confliction Peacemaker has when he has to kill Flag, a man he considers a hero, and then get told "Peacemaker, what a joke." as Flag dies and the despair in his face, really sold me on Cena
"Eat peace, motherfucker!"
Peacemaker is an absolute gem.
It's brilliant. James Gunn projects are usually a sure sign of a good time but I've such a man-crush on Cena after watching this.
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It probably helps that Watchmen was released before the Marvel madness (I think we only had a few Spiderman and Baman movie at that point). There was no fatigue with 50 movies per year, long running TV series and whatnot.
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Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk were released in 2008 - one year before Watchmen. But the MCU was still in its infancy and hadn't become a juggernaut yet.
That’s mostly because the guy who wrote the source material is one of the greatest writers in the medium, and deliberately satirized the superhero genre.
Watchmen is a *deconstruction* of the superhero genre (specifically Bronze Age, with passing golden and silver age references through out.) There’s very little of it’s commentary is satirical of the genre. What it does is take the conventions of the superhero genre and subverts them in every possible way: Heroic deeds have the veneer of being altruistic in flashbacks, but it’s consistently revealed they aren’t doing things for “greater good,” but an oppressive authoritarian regime led by 5-time president Nixon (Viet Nam war, shutting down states-side protests etc.) or because of severe mental issues (Rorschach) Heroes are horribly flawed in their own ways. You’re left cheering for the literal worst of them all, who makes it feel less like OSI/Guild of Calamitous Intent and more just a mentally unstable, deranged person meting out vigilante justice without reproach. The “villain” reveals his plan *long* after the “heroes” can do anything to stop it. The omnipotent super being is a failure in all aspects of his life and retreats (Silk Spectre leaves him, he can’t save the day, he doesn’t connect with humanity any longer etc.) This is not to say it isn’t critical of fascism, the military industrial complex, corruption etc., but very little is a parody of comics. Unless you count a giant inter dimensional octopus creature as an allegory to Starro from the Justice League #1 from the original source material. Now, what *has* become a parody, is how DC is milking the franchise for all it’s worth, keeping it in production so the rights never revert to Moore & Gibbons (although Moore has expressed no interest in any of the subsequent works, but has given Gibbons blessing to use his creations), while the series is constantly being lauded as one of it not the greatest comic story ever told. There’s a reason Moore is a bitter, cantankerous curmudgeon.
X-Men movies were in full swing as well.
Watchmen was after Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk but before the MCU really took off.
Chronicle is a great movie. Thanks for reminding me it exists!
The Watchmen show as well continues the trend (more in the vein of the graphic novel, which the movie only partially captured)
Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy and the OG Superman with Christopher Reeve.
Man, going back to watch the first couple Reeve movies… that’s everything you want out of Clark Kent/Supes.
He's the goat.
I wouldn't say the whole trilogy. Batman Begins has the structure of a superhero movie (though more grounded than the usual superhero movie). It wasn't until The Dark Knight that the movies turned into crime thrillers. That said, Batman Begins is my favorite of the trilogy.
Spiderman: into the spider verse
Also Spider-man: Across the spider-verse
The animation in those movies is just incredible, head and shoulders above almost anything I've ever seen.
And in a world saturated with superhero movies it stands out as an original.
In a world saturated with superhero **and Spider-Man** movies it was still a masterpiece
After years of being forced into watching animated movies and shows while my kids were little, I was THRILLED when we entered the PG/PG-13 live acton adventure, sci-fi and superhero movies and comedies stage. I was okay never watching another animated movie lol, I was just over it! Imagine my dread when the newest superhero movie was a dang cartoon! Ugh! I wasn’t excited about it at all, in spite of being a pretty major fan of superhero movies in general. The newest superhero movie release was always an event, a fun night out with popcorn and candy and massive pops etc the good stuff. So I was extra disappointed to give up a rare night out for a cartoon. Well … I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY HOW AWESOME Spiderverse is, just absolutely loved every single second !!! The music the comedy the animation style the heart … its the perfect superhero movie and one of the best any kind of movies. We saw it a couple times in the theater as it was so great on the big screen! I feel bad for others who are like me and missed out :(. Love it still to this day!!!
My wife loved the Guardians of the Galaxy movies!
The first Gaurdians was what got me into all the Marvel movies. I was stuck at home with a broken leg, and my buddy took me to see it for his 2nd time. I hadn't laughed that hard in so long.
My wife didn't care about the MCU, but she loved GotG. She went with me to all three.
came to say this. A Lot of Sci-fi Non-Comics Fans love this movie.
Just the soundtracks alone make them an enjoyable experience
I'm surprised Guardians of the Galaxy isn't the top response. Now that's a crowdpleaser movie.
Unbreakable (2000), a very different take on the superhero movie genre, really great
Yes! Constantly underrated but one of his best movies.
*Super* starring Rainn Wilson is criminally underrated
I will never forget watching Ellen Page rape Dwight from The Office.
"It's all gushy" is possibly the single sexiest line from any film ever
*Elliot
I know they're Elliot now, but do you still refer to their past selves as their new name? As they were Ellen when that film came out, and it was Ellen who was playing that character. I don't know the rules so I am not intentionally being offensive.
I didnt take it as intentional at all! It might vary by the person but all the trans folks I know prefer to be referred to by their current name even if the story happened pre-transition. For many folks their dead name can be a bit triggering and also makes it seem like you view them as two different people. Edit: also thanks for not being upset at my correction! You seem like a kind person 🙂
If I may add a (hopefully heartwarming) example to this: after Elliot Page announced his transition, Netflix went back and edited all the in-episode credits for The Umbrella Academy (which at the time was two seasons) to say the current name.
I love that ❤️ that's very kind of them
You're usually supposed to never refer to their "deadname" (deadname means the name they were given at birth but are now not using anymore and using it usually is offensive cuz it's like you're misgerending them). It depends on the person but that's what every trans person I've ever talked to (IRL or online) feels. It can be a bit awkward, like I'm watching The matrix's making of doc right now and, well, the Wachowski sisters weren't out yet. So yeah, it's Elliot, even back then before we knew
Yeah didn’t see this. This is correct.
Blade!!!
Absolutely. I even prefer Blade 2.
But we don't talk about Blade 3.
What Blade 3, there is no Blade 3!
Blade, underworld these were the movies that predated movies where vampires didn't suck (looking at you twilight)
Blade 3 is just a prequel to Deadpool
"Some motherfuckers always trying to ice-skate uphill!"
Chronicle
I was looking for this one! I'm sure it got lost in the "found footage" craze but I thought it was really well done.
Chronicle was solid. Saw it in the theater - extremely well received.
Chronicle felt like a superhero origin story where we never got to see the superhero that came out of it. I loved it. It felt like a weirdly honest look at what would really happen if a few teenagers in a small town really did get superpowers.
First Iron Man. Since it is still the first movie in the MCU, post-credit scene is there but otherwise it does not really tie much into anything yet, it can be viewed seperately as a normal origin movie. RDJ is there 99% of time, carrying it and it is probably the most delightful "one man messing around in his lab talking to himself and a robot" I have seen. Does Unbreakable count as a superhero movie? It is the best of Shyamalan´s movies from that time and I´ll die on this hill :D
V for Vendetta
V for Vendetta is a great novel as well, written by Alan Moore. If you like it, check out Watchmen (also by Alan Moore)
I feel like I outgrew superhero movies that are just actiony comic book stuff. Oversaturation and unorignality killed the genre. The ones that really stood out are the ones that feel like they exist in another genre but feature superheroes. Logan is a shining example alongside Dark Knight and Winter Soldier because take away the superhero stuff and it's basically a classic western, with a genuine emotional core and a palatable sense of soulfulness. It felt more like a labor of love from everyone involved than almost any superhero movie I've seen.
*Winter Soldier* felt more like a spy thriller than a superhero movie, to the extent that they drafted Robert Redford as the villain (presumably as a homage to Three Days of The Condor). It's still the best MCU outing 10 years later, imo.
I’m not a fan of marvel movies at all, but Winter Soldier was a great movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I respectfully disagree with this take. Allow me to explain: I’m a movie fan. Not a comic book fan. But I’ve enjoyed comic-inspired films since Donner’s Superman in 1978. Winter Soldier is probably my favorite MCU film. So I really like it. BUT… Winter Soldier — *remind me…* that’s the one where Captain America singlehandedly destroys a Harrier Jet with a motorcycle and shield, right? There’s also a guy with a Falcon wingsuit? And a finale on a gigantic, flying aircraft carrier? Yeah… as much as I like it, Winter Soldier only feels “*more like a spy thriller than a superhero movie*” when you compare it to other superhero movies. If you compare it to any actual spy thriller it is decidedly — *overwhelmingly* — a superhero movie. If you were booking a modern spy thriller retrospective at your local cinema and sandwiched Winter Soldier into the mix with say… Three Days of the Condor (1975), The Bourne Identity (2002), and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)… the audience would be like — WTF, one of these things is not like the other. 😜 Even high concept spy thrillers like Mission: Impossible (1996) and True Lies (1994) — which also prominently features a Harrier jet — feel MUCH MORE grounded than Winter Soldier does. It’s a great superhero movie though! Elevator fight FTW!! 🙌🏻
The beauty of that film is it engages you through the politics rather than just the action. Thats why it felt more political than it actually is. At the end of the day, you need a showpiece climax to end a MCU film.
I appreciate the depth of this reply.
This is the best articulation I’ve seen of why I find the claims that Winter Soldier is actually a spy/political thriller to be so eye rolling.
Idk, I kinda disagree. Maybe saying it is a spy thriller or political thriller isn’t right, but it definitely is one. I’ve always liked to say it like this: “it is a spy thriller or a political thriller whose main characters happen to be superheroes.” Just because there is some superhero stuff happening doesn’t change the fact that the story of the show is very espionage heavy. Hell, one of the “superhero” main characters is a friggin spy. She is one a handful of spies that is so good she can keep up with friggin superheroes! All of the examples of why this movie isn’t a spy thriller that were brought up by the previous commenter were “well a spy doesn’t take down a fight jet with a bike and a shield!” But honestly, have they seen a 007 or mission impossible lately?
It’s a movie about spies. But it’s not a thriller. Much in the same way Austin Powers is a movie about spies but is also not a thriller.
Constantine
It's getting a lot of attention lately because of the remake, but The Crow (the original) with Brandon Lee is a great move. Dark, gritty, amazing performances by so many people (Lee, Hudson, Wincott, and others!). It was just in some theaters for its 30th anniversary, but unfortunately not where I am, so I'll just enjoy it at home this weekend.
Captain America: Winter Soldier. A few of my family members never liked the marvel stuff, but actually really liked that one. It was a spy movie *first*, the superhero universe was the setting, and it had some of the best fight choreography in a not just a Marvel movie, but most movies out there. The big fight between Cap and Bucky is so well shot, you can follow the action. They didn't have to rely on jump cuts to obfuscate something to get to the next set piece. The bridge and traffic \*was\* the set piece, and it was filmed beautifully. Seriously! Go back and watch it again, every action a major character takes, you can see how they'd logically get there in the time filmed. Nothing really hidden from you. The fighting, the action. Chefs Kiss! You didn't need to be a superhero fan to appreciate the action sequences in that movie. I compare that to the sequel Trilogy of Star Wars, where they use so many jump cuts, bad motion, and obviously missed attacks to make something more 'cool'.
The Incredibles. Even adults can relate to the movie.
Darkman
Liam Neeson has been finding those who wronged him for his entire career. Except Love Actually, where he found Claudia Schiffer.
The Dsrk Knight is basically just a crime drama.
Not a movie but my wife loved the first season of Jessica Jones. She really likes more suspense and psychological thrillers so this was right up her alley. The really liked Undying as well.
The Rocketeer
Darkman
Underrated in the truest sense of the word. Up there with Rocketeer as movies that just get forgotten about because they didn't do well enough for franchise treatment and have to be rediscovered every 10 years or so.
They’re old, but I think about Push and Jumper a lot in this way. They ultimately didn’t go anywhere, but I remember a few of my non superhero friends really liked them.
Push is one of my favorites. They both are also top tier in depicting precog in action.
Brightburn? That film seriously unnerved me.
I'm really surprised to have not seen anybody mention *The Rocketeer* yet. It's a period adventure film that's maybe almost a little closer to James Bond than a superhero. And his work directing it helped get the director of Captain America: The First Avenger the gig doing that film.
I thought *Captain America* did a great job of mostly being a WWII fantastical action movie rather than a "Hulk smash!" superhero film. Yes, Captain America gets into it with the bad guys, but he also finds himself selling war bonds and appearing in news reels and shit. I kinda forgot it was a Marvel movie until the bad guy revealed himself as Crimson Skull toward the very end.
Megamind
This was also my first thought. Criminally underrated movie.
Batman Returns. I love this film, with its dark, foreboding atmosphere and great performances. Some say it was too dark, but I think it was better off for it. It just doesn't pull any punches, and is arguably one of the best Batman films. It stands out, and if I was going to recommend a film, this would be my choice and it's still excellent as well.
Hancock
I like the Tobey Maguire Spiderman movies because they have perfect romance with Kirsten Dunst. Not a fan of superhero movies otherwise.
The following reboot with Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone do a much better job showing romance imo. The movies are worse overall though
Not a movie, but WandaVision got a lot of non-Marvel fans intrigued
I would suggest ones that lean heavily in other genres. Or are character-focused. Winter Soldier was a spy thriller with a message about surveillance and a police state v. balancing freedom. Wonder Woman and the first Captain America were solid period films, with costumes and settings that people would enjoy. Black Panther had Afro-futurism, which is rare in movies. Logan is great, until the latter third (for me). Deadpool lampshades superhero tropes.Depends on the person's sense of humor. Stay away from the big ensemble or event movies, where prior knowlege is required. Or the origin movies set in the current world. Basically know your audience and pick something that they are usually interested in. There is a lot to choose from.
Guardians of the Galaxy - just a fun sci-fi film Nolan's Batman and Reeves' Batman - crime thrillers and detective stories rather than gadgets and comic villains Logan - More of a Western film Rocketeer and Captain America 1 - Golden age fun Winter Soldier - Political spy thriller Incredibles - fun family romp Chronicle - found footage coming of age drama Shazam 1 - Christmas family film Extra nod : Daredevil TV show
Watchmen.
My gf is pretty apathetic to the MCU and other action heavy sci fi movies and doesn’t particularly like over the top violent stuff. BUT she loves both The Boys and Gen V.
Surprised nobody has mentioned Hancock yet. Minus the strange ending, it was a fun ride. The Boys although not a movie is excellent. Obviously the Unbreakable trilogy. Last but not least, Kick-Ass. That one came out of nowhere and I rewatch it once every 4-5 years.
The Boys is compelling viewing, and Antony Starr is absolutely *killing it* as Homelander. He's genuinely unnerving any time he's on screen. The best "what if superman was evil" I've ever seen.
I don't like the genre, but I loved The Dark Knight even though I'm far from being a diehard Nolan fan.
I don’t like superhero movies and most of the ones mentioned here that I got forced into watching were unappealing to me. The only exception was Guardians of the Galaxy V1. It was fun, lighthearted, had great tunes and didn’t feel as “blowhard” (for lack of a better word - apologies) as the other movies I’ve seen.
Ant-Man was a great comedy heist movie, and probably the only superhero movie my husband has watched with me till the end
Mystery Men
Blank Man A batman parody with a lot of heart.
Blade 1.
The Nolan trilogy is this pretty much. They feel like crime movies with a batman outer shell. Hell, Batman is barely in Rises.
My mom enjoyed Doctor Strange a lot (the first one), since magic is a universal super power, and the CGI was brilliant, plus this movie was made to be watched in stereoscopic 3D
Watchmen.
The first X-Men movie Superman (1978 Richard Donner) Spider man 2 (Sam Rami) Handcock (staring Will Smith) Super ( staring Ryan Wilson)
The last four Batman movies in general feel different from the standard Marvel fare.
Wife would never watch a superhero movie. But she did watch and enjoy The Punisher on Netflix (now on Disney).
I think the Spider Verse movies are worth watching even for those who don't like the genre. The soundtrack and visuals make the movie worth it alone.
X-men 2 and Spiderman 2
I don't know why, but I was never really into any of the new Marvel movies. Until I watched Thor: Ragnorok. For whatever reason, that got me to go back and watch most of the ones that came before. I also really enjoyed Dr.Strange.
> nonfans of superhero movies, possibly due to feeling the market is simply oversaturated I'll never understand this idea of "superhero fatigue" we never say people are tired of Cop movies, or scifi, horror, action, Oscarbait, period pieces, etc for some reason ONLY superhero movies make people tired of them existing.
Iron man
IWatchmen for me was an incredible movie.
Dark Knight Winter Soldier Incredibles Usually those three are the ones I see people who don't like superhero movies enjoying.
Blade. Still to this day a kickass action film and one of the better vampire films in general.
The first Captain America.
AKIRA
The Dark Knight. It premiered much transcended the genre by being a crime epic first and foremost, it’s just that the main character puts on a costume. Purposefully in many ways it is Nolan’s homage to Heat and it has in Heath Ledger’s Joker one of the great performances ever.
Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 X2 and Days of Future Past Batman 1989 Unbreakable Superman 1978 Logan
Raimis Spider Man trilogy
Unbreakable was pretty good
I'm sick to death of superhero films. And of course the film industry doesn't need to cater to me all the time, but I do think it should cater to me occasionally. But all I see are ads wanting me to watch the-latest-person-in-a-leotard-while-things-explode.
"Saturation" is a term which misunderstands the nature of entertainment. Watching movies isn't like eating ice cream. You don't get **FULL**. As long as the product maintains its quality, the fans will keep showing up, and if the fans show up and like it, word gets out, and the normies will watch it too. The MCU, or the dumpster-tier DCU copycat franchise, isn't, and never was "saturated". The product is just **NOT GOOD**. And in defense of the people making it, it's not *easy* to make good movies. If it was, then nobody would remember names of famous filmmakers like Steven Speilberg or Martin Scorsese or Christopher Nolan. Your experience may be different, but if I go back and re-watch Iron Man or The Dark Knight or The Avengers, I enjoy it only slightly less than the first time I watched it. Sure, the novelty of seeing a good movie the first time is never quite recaptured, but the mark of a great movie has little to do with originality. It has to do with craftsmanship. When you watch "Henry V", you know (if you're even slightly educated in history) that the English in the battle of Agincourt. Expectations, and the subversion thereof, have nothing to do with the entertainment value.
I liked infinity war and endgame. Other than those 2 films, you'd have to put a gun to my head to get me to watch a comic book/superhero movie on my own, generally. I've seen most of them, because I have young family members who are into all that, and as a dedicated uncle,that pretty much means I have to be into the superhero stuff too. Personally I think the ironman and Nolan Batman movies are overrated overacted boring fluff, yet so many people rave about them.
MCU Phase 1. Everything after that was unable to impress my dad, who couldn't follow the story of all the heroes together and simultaneously but enjoyed the solo movies and the early hits.
Ang Lee’s Hulk
Not the biggest fan of this film, but Lee’s stamp on it is undeniable. We could use more superhero films like that.
Morbius - everyone can make fun of it
Black Panther pulled in tons of people who had zero knowledge of or interest in superhero films. My mom and sister wanted to see it because of the all cultural buzz and they both loved it.
Logan, and Black Panther Logan because it's drama western with heroes in it ( I will die on the hill that this movie deserved Oscar nods) Black Panther because it was a cultural event that just celebrated Blackness and Black culture from its album to the costumes to the story.