The Blu-ray.com Community Top Comic Book Films of All Time (Please Read 1st Post)
the Deadline for your votes is set for:
Monday (August 1st) at noon eastern time (9 am pacific)
With all of the comic book films hitting as of late, and the heated discussions that come with them, I thought it would be fun to put together a Bluray.com community list of the best of all time. thewerepuppygrr has done a top notch job running these threads as of late, so with his permission I have asked if I can just reuse the same rules/ formula for this, as it has worked quite well thus far.
What qualifies? Any film that is based on a comic book series (Kingsman, Road to Perdition, Ghost World, etc.), contains a superhero (Unbreakable, Chronicle, The Incredibles, etc.), or found its success later in the comic form (Conan the Barbarian, Green Hornet, The Shadow, etc.). If unsure, feel free to ask.
Rules
1) Simply list your top 20 - 25 films favourite comic book films of all time in descending order, the higher up the film is, the more points it'll get, like this:
1. 25 Points
2. 19 Points
3. 18 Points
4. 17 Points
5. 16 Points
................
16. 5 Points
17. 4 Points
18. 3 Points
19. 2 Points
20. 1 Point
................
21. 1 Point
22. 1 Point
23. 1 Point
24. 1 Point
25. 1 Point
Your top film gets 25 points, because it's your favourite so it deserves a little bit extra. Also continuing what thewerepuppygrr set forward, you have the option of the additional 21 - 25, they all get 1 point each, which will hopefully avoid us getting many tie breakers and might allow us to add some lesser known films in the comic book world. If you can't think of 5 extra films worth mentioning, then don't worry, the minimum amount of submission is 20 films, the extra 5 are for people who might want them.
And please, list your films in the order given, no randomly ordered submission will be counted.
2) Like mentioned above, Minimum amount of films listed is 20 and Maximum is 25. If you can't list 20 comic book films, all the films on your list will only receive 1 point each towards the total so be sure to reach that 20 milestone.
3) Please only make one list - Make only one list on this thread. However, you are free to update and change your original post as often as you'd like until the deadline. It will make tallying very hard if there are multiple lists from one person. Just find your original post and click 'Edit' to make your changes. If you do re-post your list twice or more, I'll message you to remove them.
4) Add a short review of your film choices - In an attempt to personalize the list as a whole, I want members to post a short bit of prose about their choice. This can range from a short sentence consisting of a couple of words to a couple of lines long paragraph, or you can link to a previous review you wrote when the film was released.
This is not compulsory, and you can write these short pieces on however many of your choices you want, even if it's only for your first pick., however the more input the better, the short words of wisdom will be included on the final tallied up list in a well presented manner, and you're list will be linked with you're description so others who see your words will hopefully want to look at your other choices as well.
5) Finally, just to remind you, the Deadline is set for:
Monday (August 1st) at noon eastern time (9 am pacific).
I thought this would give everyone enough time to see Batman v Superman: Ultimate Cut before signing off on their lists. Suicide Squad comes out August 5, so if there is enough demand, maybe I can extend it a week or two, but at the same time I don't want this to go on for too long. A month and a half already seems like plenty enough time to me.
Please make sure you get your list in and make any final edits before this deadline, as any changes after that will not count.
Last edited by spawningblue; 06-14-2016 at 11:08 PM.
Subject to change pre-deadline, blurbs coming soon...
1. The Adventures of Tintin (2011)
2. The Dark Knight (2008)
3. Batman Begins (2005)
4. Spider-Man 2 (theatrical cut) (2004)
5: X2: X-Men United (2003)
6: V for Vendetta (2006)
7: A History of Violence (2005)
8: Man of Steel (2013)
9: Captain America: Civil War (2016)
10: Sin City (2005)
11: Superman: The Movie (1978)
12: The Incredibles (2004)
13: Iron Man (2008)
14: Hulk (2003)
15: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
16: Spider-Man (2002)
17: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
18: Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
19: The Wolverine (unrated cut) (2013)
20: Wanted (2008)
21: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
22: Batman (1989)
23: Deadpool (2016)
24: Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (Ultimate Edition) (2016)
25: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Last edited by imsounoriginal; 07-07-2016 at 03:02 PM.
I don't care that people say the only reason this film is so good is because of Heath Ledger. I don't care that people say "well it's not a Batman movie or a comic-book movie, it's a crime movie with Batman in it". I don't care that people say it's overrated. I don't care about any of that. All of that is nonsense to me. What I know is that this film is a pinnacle of comic book filmmaking, a pinnacle of blockbuster filmmaking, and one of the best films to be released in the past 25 years. And all the elements of a Batman film are here. The Batmobile, the gadgets, the villains, the detective work, the stellar father/son dynamic between Alfred and Bruce, the heroism, and the tragedy. It also has everything you're looking for in a film: an engaging plot, interesting characters (notice it's plural), breathtaking set pieces, gorgeous camera-work, rousing music, and moving drama. The film is not afraid to ask tough philosophical questions, or call into question our ideas of what we value in our heroes and in ourselves. And to date, this is the best experience I've had in an IMAX theater. For better or worse, this film remains the benchmark for all superhero films to follow. All of these reasons and more is why The Dark Knight is at the top of my list.
The Incredibles
After the world decides that it's tired of being saved, a crime-fighting superhero couple and their kids must adjust to normality and the mundane despite their extraordinary skills. Their frustration and lack of fulfillment is keenly felt and totally relatable, especially in a society that continues to celebrate the average. They must rely on each other to get by, even in normal everyday events, emanating a theme of family that the audience can personally identify with. Kudos to Brad Bird for structuring the film around the relationship of the family, which makes it all the more involving when the fireworks begin to fly in the second and third acts. Because you're so invested in the characters, you truly fear for them when they're in danger, and you genuinely cheer for them in each little victory they achieve. Adding to the mix is one of the best realized villains in the genre's history (which would be copied several times over in future films), along with frenzied/imaginative action and a brilliant score from Michael Giacchino. While not sourced from a comic-book or a graphic novel, The Incredibles nonetheless represents the best of what the genre has to offer.
Spider-Man 2
Capitalizing on the success of his 2002 hit Spider-Man, Sam Raimi returned with a bigger budget and more confidence to deliver the best web-slinging adventure film to date. The film feels like a natural continuation of what come before, and the stakes are all the more personable and real not just for our hero, but for our villain and supporting characters as well. There's hardly a character in this film that doesn't feel alive and fully fleshed out, and all contribute to the story in one way or another. Then there's the action which represents some of the most perfectly staged sequences of the genre. Not only is the action appropriately frenetic and palpable, but because the characters are so well-realized you become emotionally invested in the set pieces as well. It's such a shame that Sony didn't let Sam Raimi fully realize his version of Spider-Man 3, because it would have been a top tier candidate for the best superhero film trilogy of all time.
Iron Man
When referring to the MCU, there are several titles that have been released which turned out to be some of the best comic-book films of all time. But it's hard to acknowledge their greatness without recognizing the film that started it all, 2008's Iron Man. Not only is this film the granddaddy of the MCU, but it's also a great film in its own right. It boasts a watertight script, sure-handed direction thanks to Jon Favreau, an appropriately scene-chewing villain embodied in Jeff Bridges, and last but certainly not least is its star Robert Downey Jr. in the role he was born to play. His character arc in this film feels honest and sincere and earned, and it's the best transformation a hero has undergone in any MCU film to date. Then there's the rousing action and acts of derring do that are downright inspiring, and there were times I found myself wanting to stand up and cheer, as there were also a few times I found myself in tears because I was so emotionally invested in the characters. All in all, Iron Man remains the best film of the MCU, not only because it started it all, but also because it was perfectly realized from script to screen.
Road to Perdition
Tom Hanks as a hitman? There were many people who scoffed at the idea, myself included. But just as he effortlessly made his jump from comedy to drama, here he makes a similarly effortless jump from everyman American to a hardened trigger-for-hire who's betrayed by the son of the mobster he works for. Based on a series of comics by Max Allan Collins, this film adaptation is directed with aplomb by Sam Mendes, whose strong sense of drama and character-based filmmaking is supported by wonderfully realized period settings and mobster tension found only in the best of gangster pictures. Paul Newman also shines in one of the best performances of his career as a man torn between his love of his natural-born son (played wonderfully by Daniel Craig) and his love of Tom Hanks's character, the son he wishes he could've had. Rounding out the cast is the wonderful and creepy Maguire played by Jude Law, a photographer who has a thing for "shooting the dead". The film also boasts a wonderful score by Thomas Newman, as well as the last great work of legendary cinemtographer Conrad L. Hall who passed away before being awarded an Oscar for this film. If you're looking for upper-echelon "comic-book" filmmaking, or just damn fine filmmaking in general, look no further.
Captain America: Civil War
Marvel has been at it for eight years now, and Captain America: Civil War truly feels like a natural culmination of everything that has come before. It's a highlight chapter in the ever-expanding narrative of the MCU, and each rousing and captivating moment lands with grace and gusto. It's only flaw might be that because of its reliance on everything that's come before, a casual viewer who hasn't seen any other MCU film might find that the effect is totally lost on them. That being said, anyone who hasn't been living under a rock and has followed the MCU over the years was rewarded with a wonderfully crafted character drama dressed as a big summer blockbuster. The Russo Brothers return to direct after exploding onto the MCU scene with the show-stopping Captain America: The Winter Soldier, while not only managing to top what they did before, but also managing to go toe-to-toe with Joss Whedon's The Avengers in terms of nerdgasms. Chris Evans continues to shine in the title role, completely inhabitating the character of Steve Rogers, and Robert Downey Jr. matches the dedication in his most soulful portrayal of Tony Stark yet. No side is wholly right, and no side is wholly wrong, making this film not only thought provoking, but also relevant to the current divisive political climate in America. And in terms of spectacle, Civil War delivers on all fronts as well, with frenetic and fast-paced action, and then there's that airport sequence which is the single best action setpiece in the entire MCU. Between this and The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Infinity War couldn't be in surer hands than The Russo Brothers.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
There have been several successful meta-action-comedies to have been released over the past few years, but none stand as tall as this Edgar Wright cult classic. I remember going to see this with my friends in an empty theater on opening weekend, and we were all floored at how insanely brilliant it was, and instantly saddened that no one else was there to experience it. I laughed until my gut burst, and I watched in amazement at the wonderfully-realized video game fight scenes. Words jump off the screen just like in a comic-book, and jokes are so masterfully realized and intrinsically laced throughout the film that by the time you're done laughing at one, there's another right on the way. Somehow Edgar Wright also pulled off the impossible and turned Michael Cera into an action hero in a very convincible manner. It may not have the relevance or immediate power of some other comic-book films, but it does offer moments of personal reflection, and it's just damn entertaining to boot. I know I can always count on a fantastic time whenever I choose to revisit it.
Snowpiercer
While Chris Evans may be more known for another series of comic book films, he also starred in this mad sci-fi actioner based on a French graphic novel, Le Transperceneige. Bong Joon Ho directs with masterful skill, expertly blending social commentaries of class warefare and pulpy b-movie thrills, culminating in a ride that you don't want to end (pun intended). Each set piece is somehow more manic than the last, and when lines like "babies taste best" are spewed, it somehow feels natural and not at all out of place. Tilda Swinton also lends her acting chops in spectacular fashion, wonderfully chewing through every scene she's in. You love to hate her, making her one of the better villains this genre has to offer.
Sin City
Batman Begins
Captain America: The Winter Solider
The Avengers
Superman
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Deadpool
Dredd
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns - Deluxe Edition
Guardians of the Galaxy
Spider-Man
V for Vendetta
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
The Dark Knight Rises
X-Men: First Class
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Heavily Considered: Edge of Tomorrow, Wanted, The Wolverine - Unrated Cut, A History of Violence, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Thor, Kick-Ass, Iron Man 2, Batman, Batman Returns, Superman II - The Richard Donner Cut, X2: X-Men United, X-Men, Captain America: The First Avenger, The Adventures of Tintin, Watchmen - Director's Cut, Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Batman: Under the Red Hood, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, Hellboy, Blade, Blade II, Men in Black, Unbreakable
Last edited by Darth Marcus; 08-18-2016 at 08:58 PM.
It's all in good fun. I have been let down by a majority of Marvel's films, but I expect them to take most of the top slots. What I'm really curious is where gems like Hellboy or Kickass fit in, or non superhero titles like Ghost World, Road to Perdition, or Creepshow. Then there are the older classics like Christopher Reeves' Superman or Tim Burtons' Batman that seem to be mostly forgotten is best of lists. Hopefully it ends up being a varied list!
1. X-Men: Days of Future Past
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
3. Spider-man 2
4. X2
5. Guardians of the Galaxy
6. The Dark Knight
7. The Avengers
8. Avengers 2: Age of Ultron
9. Dredd
10. Snowpiercer
11. Captain America: Civil War
12. 300
13. Ant-Man
14. Batman Begins
15. Sin City
16. Thor
17. Captain America
18. Iron Man
19. X-men
20. Watchmen
21. V for Vendetta
11. Dark Knight Rises
12. Deadpool
13. X2: United
14. Spider-Man 2
15. Dark Knight
16. Avengers
17. Man of Steel
18. Edge of Tomorrow (All You Need is Kill)
19. Iron Man
20. Watchmen (Director's Cut)
21. Captain America: Civil War
22. The Wolverine
23. The Punisher ('04)
24. Snowpiercer
25. 30 Days of Night
1. X-Men 2
2. Spider-Man 2
3. Guardians of the Galaxy
4. The Dark Knight
5. Sin City
6. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
7. Captain America: Civil War
8. The Avengers
9. Iron Man
10. Batman Begins
11. Spider-Man
12. X-Men First Class
13. Batman (1989)
14. The Dark Knight Rises
15. V for Vendetta
16. X-Men: Days of Future Past
17. Watchmen
18. Hellboy
19. Iron Man 2
20. Kingsman: The Secret Service
21. Deadpool
22. Kick-Ass
23. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
24. Spider-Man 3
25. Iron Man 3
I think. I'm not 100% sure on it but it feels right
It's all in good fun. I have been let down by a majority of Marvel's films, but I expect them to take most of the top slots. What I'm really curious is where gems like Hellboy or Kickass fit in, or non superhero titles like Ghost World, Road to Perdition, or Creepshow. Then there are the older classics like Christopher Reeves' Superman or Tim Burtons' Batman that seem to be mostly forgotten is best of lists. Hopefully it ends up being a varied list!
Is there any place I can find a comprehensive list of films inspired by comics/graphic novels other than the mainstream marvel/dc brands? There are probably a few I'm even unaware of.
Is there any place I can find a comprehensive list of films inspired by comics/graphic novels other than the mainstream marvel/dc brands? There are probably a few I'm even unaware of.
1. Spider-Man 2
2. The Dark Knight
3. Road to Perdition
4. Unbreakable
5. Deadpool
6. Winter Soldier
7. X2
8. Iron Man
9. Guardians of the Galaxy
10. Days of Future Past
11. Scott Pilgrim
12. Avengers
13. Batman Begins
14. Edge of Tomorrow
15. Dredd
16. Sin City
17. Hellboy 2
18. Kingsman
19. Blade
20. 300
21. Civil War
22. Superman
23. Batman Returns
24. Hellboy
25. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
I feel like my list is a mess. I have a hard time mixing the non superhero movies.
Last edited by Ironhorse75; 07-31-2016 at 11:45 PM.
01. Spider-Man 2
02. Batman (1989)
03. Captain America: Civil War
04. The Dark Knight
05. Captain America: Winter Soldier
06. Marvel's The Avengers
07. Superman II
08. The Rocketeer
09. Deadpool
10. X-Men: First Class
11. Guardians of the Galaxy
12. X2: X-Men United
13. DREDD
14. Crow
15. Batman Begins
16. Spiderman
17. Blade
18. V for Vendetta
19. Hellboy
20. Man of Steel
21. Constantine
22. Sin City
23. Big Hero 6
24. Ant-Man
25. Speed Racer
Cheers,
CC-
Last edited by captaincarl; 07-27-2016 at 04:43 PM.
1. Dark Knight
2. Batman (1989)
3. CA: Civil War
4. Batman Begins
5. Avengers
6. Batman Returns
7. Iron Man
8. Edge of Tomorrow (Live. Die. Repeat.)
9. Winter Solider
10. X2: X-Men United
11. The Wolverine
12. Thor
13. Mask of the Phantasm
14. X-Men
15. Road to Perdition
16. V for Vendetta
17. X-Men Days of Future Past
18. 300
19. Superman II (Donner Cut)
20. Hellboy
21. Man of Steel
22. Snowpiercer
23. Big Hero 6
24. Ant Man
25. Batman V Superman
Bit of a side note before I begin: Though Oldboy DOES count as a comic book film because it was based on a Manga, I will exclude it from here my list. As for reasons why, I'd say its because it just doesn't count as one in my mind. Anyway, on to the show:
[Show spoiler]
1. Unbreakable.
"They say this one has a surprise ending."
Unbreakable is not just my favorite comic book film of all time; It's one of my top 10 favorite films period. Here's a film that understands what makes comics and superheroes so great. The film is all about the mythology of comics, what it means to be a hero. As Quentin Tarantino put it, this is a Superman story if he didn't know he was Superman. Yes, it lacks the kinetic colorful punch and costuming of contemporary superhero films, but what it doesn't lack is in story or character. Despite the film's understated presentation, the actors give absolutely fantastic performances. Bruce Willis' David Dunn is easily one of his best roles while Samuel L Jackson plays against his usual large ham badass in more ways than one as the crippled and calm comics enthusiast Elijah Price. Coupled with one of James Newton Howard's absolutely best scores and some signature twists by M. Night Shyamalan and you've got a work that will stand the test of time. It's a kind of a shame that the film came out so early when the superhero boon began; Had it came out now, it would have rightly earned the acclaimed it should have received instead of the mixed response it got back in 2000. A wonderful film and what I consider to be high point of the genre.
2. Watchmen (Director's Cut).
"It's a joke. It's all a joke! Mother forgive me..."
Director Zack Snyder's adaptation of the famous graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons is not a pleasant movie. Its a gruesome, sexual, nihilistic and pretty unpleasant take on the genre. It's also incredibly ambitious, tightly paced, highly faithful and goes into territory that, despite its 1985 setting, still feels relevant today. Snyder's three hour opus is a love letter to the book through and through. Complicated characters, gorgeous visual design, an eclectic soundtrack, and strong performances (with Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Billy Crudup being the standouts) all help bring the book to life. It's not without problems such as the tacky sex scene or Carla Gugino's slight miscasting as the older Silk Spectre and the running time will not sit well with some viewers. Plus, there are some scenes where it feels the film is biting off more than it can chew towards the end, mainly with Dr. Manhattan's speech about "turning air into gold". But ultimately, Watchmen is an adaptation that works wonderfully and I wouldn't have it any other way.
And thank God they changed the ending!
3. The Dark Knight.
"The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming."
What happens when you take The Long Halloween, The Killing Joke, Michael Mann's Heat, put them in a blender and set it to frappe for two and half hours? Why, you get what is considered one of the greatest comic book films of all time, maybe even one of the best movies ever. This, along with the original Iron Man, showed the potential of how good Comic Book and Superhero movies could be. Christopher Nolan's thunderously violent but exhilarating sequel to the excellent Batman Begins has been etched in the pop culture subconscious for years now and its mark on moviemaking is still felt, though unfortunately many have missed the point of the film's darkness. Yes, its a bleak movie but that's not the only thing that makes it great. The action, the scale, the cast, the themes it explores - the film pulls most these off without a hitch and of course, who can forget about Heath Ledger's magnificent take on the Clown Prince of Crime? I actually have something if a found memory seeing this opening weekend: I was being sent to summer school and I was having a miserable time there. So, in response to that, my mom plucked me out of there and the next day, we went to the film right on Friday in an old theater playing on the biggest screen. To say it was spectacular from start to finish would be an understatement.
4. X-Men Days of Future Past (Theatrical Cut).
"I don't want your suffering. I DON'T WANT YOUR FUTURE!"
Easily my favorite superhero/CBM of the 2010's, Days Of Future Past marks the triumphant return of director Bryan Singer to the X-Men franchise by combining the best of both worlds (the old cast from the original trilogy and the new cast from First Class) into a tension filled time traveling romp between the groovy 70's and the bombed out wastelands of the future. If there's one thing that this film doesn't do as good as the series previous best X2, it's pacing. DOFP lacks the lightning fast precision that film had. But what it lacks in pacing, it more than makes up for in story and emotion. This is easily the series darkest installment, where the stakes have never been higher. Yet despite all that, the film refuses to let itself be devoured by that. In the end, its a movie about hope and how it can be the strongest power of all. And if you think that sounds cheesy, you'd be - surprisingly - wrong.
5. Darkman.
"They...They took...They took my hands!"
Something of a precursor to Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films, Darkman was born out of his failed attempts to get the licenses to make movies for both Batman and The Shadow. Despite the film's weird shifts in tone (it manages to be wacky, exciting and tragic - sometimes all at the same time), the film never looses its awesome B-movie magic. The design for the titular hero is at once simple but effective, burying him bandages, coats and cloaks, with a nice amount of body horror thrown in. As a character, Darkman himself is charismatic but tragic, once an intelligent scientist by the name Peyton Westlake (Liam Neeson, in one of my favorite roles of his) trying to repair damaged skin. But after a raid by ruthless gangsters, he is reborn with the ability to feel no pain and severe anger issues. The film's low budget shows at times, with wonky matting and CG but it makes up for that in its energy and entertainment value. Easily one of Raimi's best films.
6. Hellboy II: The Golden Army.
"Let this remind you why you once feared the dark..."
Guillermo Del Toro's first Hellboy movie was a wonderful landmark on both the genre and his career and thanks to the success of Pan's Labyrinth, his sequel to the original was able to let him go nuts with his ideas and see what comes out. And The Golden Army does not disappoint in this regard. Working with a story that was co-written by series creator Mike Mignola himself, this super sized sequel takes what was great about the original (the creature design, the humor, the colorful characters) and doubles down. Even the villain, Prince Nuada is better, with much more sympathetic motives than the baddie of the previous film (though Rasputin was no slouch). While it lacks the Gothic, almost Lovecraftian feel of the original, it makes for in pure childish delight and wonder. That and how many movies where you can see a demon and fish dude sing Barry Manilow? Not many.
7. X2: X-Men United.
"Have you tried....not being a mutant?"
The original X-Men film was a good but not great start to the eventual franchise that would follow. Its main problem I felt was the lack of budget; Watching it again, its obvious that's what held it down from being truly great and a rushed production schedule (you can thank the then current President of Fox Tom Rothman for that). However, the first film proved to be a hit and alongside Blade, brought the proper shot to the arm the genre needed after the disastrous Batman and Robin. And with a bigger budget and more time to fine tune it in comparison to the rush job on the first, X2 was the bigger and better sequel we always want but never seem to get. The actors are more into their roles than the first time around, improved action and VFX, super fast pacing, great score (with John Ottman replacing the late Michael Kamen and establishing the exciting X-Men theme that would later be used for Days of Future Past and Apocalypse) and an ending that was emotional and something of a cliffhanger but still provided a satisfying conclusion (though unfortunately the potential of that cliffhanger was wasted in The Last Stand). Despite that and even after all these years and advancements in the CBM/Superhero genre, X2: X-Men United still holds up wonderfully and is easily one of the franchise's high points.
8. Hellboy.
"In the absence of light, darkness prevails. There are things that go bump in the night, Agent Myers. Make no mistake about that. And we are the ones who bump back."
Prior to doing this film and Blade II, Guillermo Del Toro had a rough learning experience when it came to making movies in Hollywood. His first picture in English, Mimic, was fraught with executive meddling with baffling choices by the higher ups, a completely different ending and other such problems. Del Toro himself compared the production to an infamous scene from Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus, comparing the production to having "your daughter's arms and tongue cut off". But after getting his mojo back with The Devil's Backbone and Blade II, he was able to bring Mike Mignola's Hellboy comics to the screen, mostly unaltered in all of their weird and creepy glory. Filled with memorable characters and a strong Gothic atmosphere, the first Hellboy is something a marvel (no pun intended) in the CBM genre.
9. Blade II.
"You obviously do not know who YOU ARE F***ING WITH!"
If the first Blade film was an action movie with horror elements, then the second is a horror film with action elements. Thanks to a change in director with Mexican madman Guillermo Del Toro, Blade II was a sequel that was better than the original in quite a few ways. Gorier, delving even more into vampire society, a villain who was at once dangerous yet sympathetic, cast additions like Ron Perlman and Norman Reedus, all added with Del Toro's signature use of vibrant coloring. Like the first film, both films remain tremendously watchable and are made in such a slick way that it almost makes you wonder why we don't get enough of these anymore. After the film came out, Del Toro had one of two choices: Either do a third Blade film or pursue his own projects. And sticking to his guns, he decided to show us the tale of a cat loving, nacho eating, cigar chomping, monster squashing demon....
"Some mother****ers are always trying to ice-skate uphill."
10. Blade.
At the time of Blade's release, the comic book movie genre was on life support. After the franchise killing, so bad it's good mess that was Batman and Robin, people probably weren't the mood for comic book movies anymore. But instead of going for camp or colorful settings, 1998's Blade was different. MUCH different. Despite its origins, Blade was not an exercise in silliness but style and ultra violence. An action movie with horror elements, Blade firmly establishes its tone in the first ten minutes with one of the most distinct openings in a comic film: A blood drenched rave operated by Vampires as some poor unwitting human gets caught up in the middle of the madness, only for the titular "hero" to show up and kick some a**. Blisteringly good action, a strong soundtrack, atmosphere and one of Wesley Snipes' best performances. This turned out to be one of the few films director Stephen Norrington got a chance to make (the other was the troubled League of Extraordinary Gentlemen movie) but he did a bang up job with the first film, even though he didn't do the second. Those were the hands of someone with a little more experience.
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The Blu-ray.com Community Top Comic Book Films of All Time (Please Read 1st Post)
It's all in good fun. I have been let down by a majority of Marvel's films, but I expect them to take most of the top slots. What I'm really curious is where gems like Hellboy or Kickass fit in, or non superhero titles like Ghost World, Road to Perdition, or Creepshow. Then there are the older classics like Christopher Reeves' Superman or Tim Burtons' Batman that seem to be mostly forgotten is best of lists. Hopefully it ends up being a varied list!
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