Essential Super Hero Movie Collection

[Shinobu]

(Talking Strictly Theatrical Release Movies here)

In the past two weeks I've been watching a hero movie a night.  I started with Captain America, then Iron Man, then Thor, and then I went out and bought Iron Man 2 and Avengers (which I didn't own yet) and watched each of those.  I skipped a couple of nights but then the Hulk movie arrived (most recent one) and I watched it (wasn't available at my local store so I ordered from Amazon).  After that I had to go back and watch Avengers again -- it's one of those that I can watch repeatedly I think.

After all of that I wasn't sure where to turn -- but I settled on X-Men 1 and then 2.  I will never watch X3 again, but I stopped at the store on the way home tonight and picked up X-Men First Class, which I had seen once in the theater and liked quite a bit.

I also own all three Spiderman films (not counting the new one).  I haven't actually watched Spiderman 3 yet, I know it wasn't considered great.  But I'll probably watch all three of those on successive nights.

I don't own Dark Knight Rises yet, but probably the next step would be to watch all three of those.

Once upon a time it was hard to name a really good superhero film, let alone talk about a good library of them.  We're kind of in a golden age for superheroes on film (in my opinion anyway). 

I'm curious what people would consider essential additions to a great superhero movie library.  I'd probably consider all of the above (jury's still out on Spiderman 3 obviously, and X3 is definitely out).

I own the first Tim Burton Batman film, and consider it quite good.  I don't have plans to ever own any of the ones that followed, or watch them again.  I own and pretty much like Watchmen, despite it's faults.  I'd probably include that in my own collection even if I can understand why many wouldn't.  I own Hellboy, that's fun so I'd include it.  And I have a real soft spot for Mystery Men.

I'm sure there are a few others I'm forgetting that are good.  Maybe the original Christopher Reeves Superman, it's been so long since I've seen that.  My friend recently told me that I should watch Daredevil, that he really liked it despite bad reviews.  And I did like Kick-Ass a lot, even though I haven't bought it yet.  Think I saw it twice in the theater though.

For theatrical animated releases, it's hard to top The Incredibles of course, and I'm also quite fond of Despicable Me and Megamind (supervillain movies count too!)

So:

Iron Man
Iron Man 2
Thor
Hulk
Captain America
Avengers

X-Men
X2
X-Men:  First Class

Spiderman
Spiderman 2

Batman (Burton)

Batman Begins
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight Rises

Superman (Christopher Reeves) (maybe?)

Hellboy
Mystery Men
Watchmen
Kick-Ass
The Incredibles
Despicable Me
Megamind

Anyway... curious what people would add or subtract or are flabbergasted that I didn't mention...

(And why isn't there a She-Hulk movie yet?  That's a different topic -- what superhero most deserves a movie.)

[Tenzhi]

Let's see...  I'd add Hellboy 2, and I much preferred The Amazing Spider-Man to the other three.  I didn't care for X-Men or its two sequels (haven't seen First Class).  I'd add the original Punisher movie with Dolph Lundgren as well as Punisher: War Zone - but not the Thomas Jane film, I hated that one.  I like the second Burton Batman (Batman Returns?) as much as the first.  And Batman: Mask of the Phantasm received a theatrical release, so it should be here (though, really, most of the DC Animated offerings are pretty worthwhile even if they didn't get theatrical releases).

I thought Constantine was pretty good, even though I would've preferred it a bit more British.

And Spawn was pretty good except for the cheesy Hell/Malebolgia FX.

[Septipheran]

Thinking a little outside the box, there's a vigilante movie I watched on Netflix several months ago called Boy Wonder. It was on the gritty side- nothing groundbreaking but I thought it was a good watch.

I agree with Tenzhi that the new Amazing Spiderman is better than the Toby McGuire trilogy.

Also on the subject of Iron Man 2, I ran into this neat article about that movie recently. I found it really interesting, if anyone wants to check it out.

http://www.policymic.com/articles/17501/iron-man-3-movie-tony-stark-may-be-the-first-super-hero-republican-and-here-is-why

Also- Superman 2. Probably the only Superman movie I liked. And we can't forget about The Crow.

[Little Green Frog]

I think V for Vendetta should definitely be on the list.

[JaguarX]

I think V for Vendetta should definitely be on the list.

yep.

I'm with the Frog on that one.


And Watchmen should be added. Nitty gritty and not so "eat your wheaties, kids." cheesy like many of them. It's like how it would truly be if people was super heroes, with one that is considered crazy but no nonsense, one that basically a depressed shell of himself, a smart one with a great scheme, all powerful blue guy that is nearly out of touch with humanity, and etc.

[Triplash]

I'd call Hancock essential. Ghost Rider, Fantastic Four.

I really liked Daredevil as well, I honestly can't see what all the hate is about toward that movie. Now the spinoff, Elektra, I liked much less.

If you liked Mystery Men you might wanna check out The Specials. It has a similar tongue-in-cheek vibe to it.

Unbreakable is a superhero movie. An unusual style, but it is.

Bulletproof Monk is one of my personal favorites.


Now, if we were branching out from 'essentials' to 'these also exist', I'd add a couple more. But I'll hide those cause that's not the point.

Spoiler for Hidden:

I've always had a soft spot of my own for Steel, that cheesy one with Shaq. And yes I do know it was terrible... but dangit it had heart.

Speaking of terrible, look up My Super Ex-Girlfriend, Blankman, Meteor Man, and Leonard Part 6. Now that is how you do "so bad it's funny"

Woody Harrelson was in a pretty gritty one called Defendor. He plays a wannabe vigilante instead of a superhero though, and it's more a drama than a hero movie, so it's not for this list.

I haven't seen Green Lantern, but it exists.  >.>

As does the Green Hornet.

And though I personally couldn't stand them, there's also Zoom and Sky High.

[Tenzhi]

And Watchmen should be added.

But then it would be there twice.

Though, personally, I still prefer the giant Lovecraftian psy-alien approach from the book(s), the movie was pretty good.

I also really liked Sin City, though while it was certainly based on a comic book (or graphic novel, if you insist) I couldn't call it a 'superhero' movie.

And I thought League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was a lot of fun, though I saw it before reading the comics.  After reading the comics - I still thought it was fun, so NYEAH! 

[The Fifth Horseman]

Ghost Rider is the poster child of 90's antiheroes. Essential? IDK. Neither movie really does the character justice. Parts come close.

[Triplash]

Neither movie really does the character justice.

To be fair though, few movies could do a pre-existing character justice. Of the major forms of entertainment media, movies get the least amount of time in which to develop characters. The average movie is an hour and a half to two hours long, with occasional ones extending up to three. While that may (arguably) be enough time to establish a character that's original to the movie, it's certainly not enough time to recreate the impression you have of a character that has already been established somewhere else.

An hour and a half? That's only two episodes of a 45 minute tv series. Four episodes if you're talking about a 22 minute series. As for comics and books... well, unless you can read an entire book or a complete line of comics in less than two hours, then a movie is shorter than those as well. Liked the story in a video game you played? Did you get through that entire game the first time you played, while paying close attention to the storyline, in two hours? Movies just don't get the opportunity to do real justice to adaptations very often. Movies won't run for 84 episodes, or 132 issues. The best you can hope for is to capture the "spirit" of the original, that same positive feeling you get when you pick up the book / open the comic / turn on the tv / play the game. But honestly, imho, movies are the major form of entertainment least capable of character depth, precisely because they're over so quickly.

...But yeah, aside from Hancock, I don't know if I'd call any of those essential either. I just thought I'd mention them

[mikoroshi]

I know it's based off of an anime/manga, but "Casshern" is one of my favorites.  The plot is kinda nonsensical (I chalk it up to there being some Japanese cultural mores and narrative aspects in it that I'm just not familiar with) but it is simultaneously beautiful and intense.  I've watched it a buncha times before plotting fight scenes for my books.

[Starsman]

I agree with Tenzhi that the new Amazing Spiderman is better than the Toby McGuire trilogy.

Don't do this to me... really... I have not seen it... didn't see it in theathers... plese... dont make me curious... I dont want to... please!!!!

[Little Green Frog]

Don't do this to me... really... I have not seen it... didn't see it in theathers... plese... dont make me curious... I dont want to... please!!!!

I am sorry to do this to you, but I concur with Tenzhi an Septipheran. The new Spidey movie is great.

[mikoroshi]

I am sorry to do this to you, but I concur with Tenzhi an Septipheran. The new Spidey movie is great.

Thirded

[houtex]

The hive mind has spoken, resistance is just plain silliness and stuff, you must see New Spidey.  It is worthy.

/But I'm not forcin' you... but really totally worth seeing, and bein' on the list, and better than Tobey's.  Although I do think the first Tobey one was pretty good stuff too, then it got sillier and sillier.

[Aggelakis]

I liked the first Toby Spidey A LOT, I think he was a FANTASTIC casting choice. Damn near perfect. I think the first movie was incredibly solid. I ignore the other movies, just like I heard someone thought about making a fourth Indiana Jones (but it never came out). (*glares* IT NEVER CAME OUT.)

I *realllllllly* liked Amazing Spidey, even though I was biased against the kid playing Peter. I didn't like him at all in the Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and I wasn't looking forward to his performance in Spidey. But he surprised me.

[Triplash]

I ignore the other movies, just like I heard someone thought about making a fourth Indiana Jones (but it never came out). (*glares* IT NEVER CAME OUT.)

I heard they were going to put the same kid in it that they were going to put in that Transformers movie that didn't get made. What was it... Stewie LeBeef or something like that?

Weird how stuff with that kid in it never gets made.

[Shinobu]

Well okay, the crowd has spoken... tonight's movie was the Tobey Spiderman.  Tomorrow, the 2nd one (which I remember liking for the most part).  Then Saturday, the third one (which I have never watched... it may turn out to be like that one time that I thought I watched an X3 film, but of course they never made one, right?)

And then by Sunday I'll have to buy Amazing Spiderman so I can watch and compare.  ^_^

But yeah, Tobey is an excellent Peter Parker... that first film, nothing wrong with it really.  Except that the most dramatic scene is between two people in masks, makes it very hard to convey the emotion of the scene.  That always bugged me, although I'm not sure how you could have avoided it.

[Aggelakis]

I heard they were going to put the same kid in it that they were going to put in that Transformers movie that didn't get made. What was it... Stewie LeBeef or something like that?

Weird how stuff with that kid in it never gets made.

Suddenly watching a movie in my head with Stewie Griffin in place of that kid. Instantly 100x better.

[Septipheran]

Am I the only one who thinks that the epitome of Spiderman casting would have been either Donald Glover or Elijah Wood, depending on the approach? (Glover for the last trilogy and Wood for the new films.)

[Tannim222]

Here's a few from my personal library (a mix from fair, nostalgic, to my favorites in no particular order)

The Crow
Blade 1 and 2
Incredibles
V for Vendetta
Watchmen
Superman 1 and 2
Batman (Burton)
Nolan Batman Triology
X-Men 1 and 2
Spiderman 1 and 2
Amazing Spiderman
Iron Man 1 and 2
Thor
Captain America
Avengers
Mega Mind
Mystery Men
Kick-Ass
Conan the Barbarian (from short stories to comic then movie so it counts!)
Punisher (80's for pure nostalgia - wouldn't recommend it outside of anyone who was around to see it first, Thomas Jane was fair, War Zone was brutal but not really a good film per se)
Hancock
Sin City
300
Hellboy 1 and 2
League of Extraordinay Gentlemen

For my personal tastes I despised the following:
Spiderman 3
Fantastic Four 1 and 2
Ghost Rider 1 and 2
Daredevil
Hulk (even though I own it and mostly because of the stupid gamma-dogs and final fight)
Any Crow film after the first
Green Hornet

[Electric-Knight]

Just going to chime in with my opinions...

I loved the Sam Raimi/Toby McGuire Spiderman movies. I was completely ready to enjoy the Amazing Spiderman and... it almost was worth it, but then completely not. It just completely failed, for me, to hold any weight/integrity. It went after the shallow cheap thrill and never hit home to me at all. Just a matter of taste, I'm sure.

Spidey 3 is totally worth watching, I believe and worthy of being in the collection. I understand the criticism and I criticized it as well. it is not as good as the first two. It's flawed. However, the bulk of it is quite good and, once you get past the fact that it is not the best, it is quite entertaining. Honestly, a few tweaks here and there and it'd be right up there.

I like your list, although I am not a fan of the Watchmen movie. I love the books too much, I suppose, but it also falls short on the integrity side for me.
I always forget about Hellboy... I really enjoy that first movie.

Batman Returns (the second Burton Batman film) I find to be better than the first one (watching them again somewhat recently).
Michelle Pfieffer's Catwoman is just to die for.
And I honestly love the psychological angle of that film.

I do believe the top tier is the first two Spidey films and all of the Avenger related films (not including the Hulk movies) as well as The Dark Knight.
I do, however, feel that the Christopher Reeve Superman movie needs to be there as well. I love the first one. And Superman II is fun enough to include as well. I actually picked up a 4 disc set of those four movies (for SUPERRRRR cheap) and I can't stand 3 and 4 is bad, but mildly entertaining (I suppose I could say the same about both, but the "comedy" bits in 3 are just unbearable for me, lol). Of course, the Superman movie certainly has childhood sentimental enjoyment for me, but I do believe it holds up, if you truly like that oldschool true blue super hero of the old Superman.


I really enjoyed the Thomas Jane Punisher movie. It was one of those watchings that I can't entirely say why I liked it so much, but I did.

I also enjoyed the Green Lantern a good amount. From what I've seen (this is not absolute though), people who are or were knowledgeable comic fans of Green Lantern had major problems with the movie. While Green lantern was my favorite when I was a very little kid (just always thought it was the coolest power... the anything power sorta thing), I really know next to nothing about the comics (just knew him from the old cartoon).

I'd honestly recommend Green Lantern (certainly watch it) if you don't think you'll have any such hangup with it. I don't know... my wife and I are exceptionally picky about films that we enjoy (and we tend not to like shallow, cooldudeguy crap and things where stupidity reigns), but we both really enjoyed the GL film. It's not the best thing ever... and I think it is a step or so below the Iron Mans, Cap and Thor... but most all of them are below those movies, in my opinion.

I'll second My Super Ex Girlfriend and Defendor. Defendor was really enjoyable, but Woody Harrelson tends to be that way!
Oh, and Unbreakable is best experienced not knowing what it really is... but, if you haven't seen it... include it because it has comicbooks in it. 

Does Popeye count? Hrm... not sure I'd include it anyway, lol.

The first Ghostrider is... while certainly cheesy... possibly enjoyable.

Sometimes I enjoy X3... sometimes its overdone melodrama makes me wonder how I enjoyed it before... one of those weird things... seems to depend on what I'm focusing on... the fun and action of it... or expecting more from it.

Make what you will of that bunch of rambling.

[Thirty-Seven]

I heard they were going to put the same kid in it that they were going to put in that Transformers movie that didn't get made. What was it... Stewie LeBeef or something like that?

Weird how stuff with that kid in it never gets made.

Dunno what you are talking about... the Transformer movies were great fun!  (Except for the race parody twins, Megan Fox, moms getting high, robot testicles, and probing robot tongues).

[Ice Trix]

Along similar lines to Kick Ass is Super (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1512235/) parts had me laughing out loud.

Griff the invisible is kinda the anti super hero movie, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1509803 . Not brilliant but I'd put it on the watch list.

[houtex]

Make what you will of that bunch of rambling.

Well, I can make a hat... a brooch... a pterodactyl...

[/Johnny]

[Shinobu]

So as it turned out, I apparently didn't own Spiderman 2.  I went out and bought that yesterday and watched it (and bought Amazing Spiderman while I was at it).

But I'd already seen that movie and liked it, it's on my list.  Tonight I watched Spiderman 3 for the first time.

It's... not as bad as I feared.  It's actually fairly good -- not, mind you, on the same level as the first two, but it was not filled with mile-wide plot holes, mind-numbingly stupid off-screen deaths of major characters, and characters acting incredibly out of character, like a certain third X-Man film I could name.  Instead it mostly suffers from too many plots and too many villains, making it difficult to really develop any of the story threads.

I'd be willing to see it again.  I'm not sure I'd put it on my list, but meh.

Will watch Amazing Spiderman tomorrow night.  ^_^

[Sajaana]

Here are some films I like that are derived from the comics that haven't been mentioned yet.  A lot of contemporary spins on the "Golden Age" here.  Maybe I have some crossover with horror or science fiction, but comic heroes, nevertheless.

Flash Gordon (1980)
Heavy Metal (1981)
Swamp Thing (1982)
The Rocketeer (1991)
The Shadow (1994)
RocketMan (1997)
Spawn (1997)

[mrultimate]

Off the Beaten path is

Defendor starring Woody Harrelson

and

Super starring Rainn Wilson and Ellen Page.

Also I'd recconmend all the DC Animated movies. The story telling and voice acting are superb.

I'm looking forward to this years movies.

[mrultimate]

Oh yeah what "superhero" movie collection would be complete without......

Howard The Duck!

and yes I own it!

[Kaos Arcanna]

The Marvel Animated Doctor Strange is pretty good, and it's on Netflix, I think.

[Pep Rally]

A lot of good suggestions in here.  I myself can't help but pick up all the hero movies that come out on DVD.

 I'm pleasantly surprised someone else has even heard of The Specials. Not the greatest, but a fun little movie by James Gunn, who also directed Super, which also has a cameo by Nathan Fillion, who's also in Joss Whedon's Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog. I highly recommend DHSAB.

Speaking of Joss, you could pick up the original Buffy movie with Kristy Swanson. Not as good as the series, but not so bad, and it's good to see the "trouble"  that she got into in LA that forced her, and her mom to move to Sunnydale.

I will say I was disappointed in the new Amazing Spider-man. I really wanted to like it, but the new cool rebel teen spider-man just seemed like a jerk to me, and the movie just seemed to drag without much fun.   The crane scene actually made me cringe.  I had to go back and watch the Sam Raimi Trilogy again.
 
The first is great, the 2nd was the best superhero film until The Avengers came out, and the 3rd was good, but as some have said, it just tried to put too much into it.  This wasn't Raimi's fault, but the studios. They wanted to cram the new popular Venom into it which changed the original script.  I thought he did a good job of making it at least make some sense, and it was still fun, and had some of the best superaction scenes to date.

Another Raimi film, The Darkman, from 1990, is also good.

I actually thought Daredevil was okay, and have heard the director's cut is much better, so that's something for me to see. I even liked Elektra. It's not great, but I like Jennifer Garner, and the villains she fights were pretty cool. Typhoid Mary, and the tattoos that come to life guy.

Green Lantern was pretty good as well.

X-men Origins:Wolverine wasn't too bad either, although I didn't like how Deadpool had a zillion powers. It might be good to see before the new Wolverine comes out, which looks to be better than the first.

The Spirit was kind of an odd movie with visuals much like Sin City, but worth a watch anyways for Scarlett, and Samuel L.

Another kinda odd one was Ghost Rider: SoV, which I kinda enjoyed. Pretty simple plot, and some jarring camera work, but I guess that was to make you feel how much of a psycho GR is. Some cool effects with his fiery chain, and turning a huge mining machine into a huge mining machine from Hell.

Mystery Men, and Sky High are two of my all time favorites.  Both are just fun movies. MM has Tom Waits as a mad scientist who makes non-lethal weapons, and Pee Wee Herman as a flatulating superhero, and SH has Bruce Campbell as a sonic powered gym teacher, Lynda Carter as Principal Powers, Kurt Russell as a cheesy Superman-type, and 2 guys from "The Kids in the Hall" as teachers. The soundtrack is also great with some good covers of 80's classics, and a great TMBG song.  I can't recommend either enough.

Speaking of great soundtracks, although not technically a superhero movie, Josie and the Pussycats were in comics, and I think the movie is underrated.  Fun movie, with some great pop rock songs sung by Kay Hanley of Letters to Cleo, and even the fake Boy Band, and song are pretty hilarious.  Parker Posey, and Alan Cumming are awesome. Also, I like the anti-over-commercialization, and consumerism messages.  Some people don't seem to get that all the ridiculous product placement in the film is a joke, and the filmmakers actually took no money for the placements.

I really liked Scott Pilgrim, and that had some superhero-ish fight scenes, and I rather enjoyed the GI Joe movie, except for maybe Ripcord.

 




 

[Shinobu]

Watched Amazing Spiderman last night.  I thought it was pretty good, overall.  But my biggest impression is that Oscorp is responsible for nearly every villain and hero in New York City.  I've been inspired to create a genetics/robotics corporation for my own stories that churns out dozens of genius scientists who experiment on themselves.

[Manga]

I have some fun but occasionally obscure ones to add to the list (live action only, to be fair):

Silver Hawk - a cheesy but fun Chinese (dubbed into English) superhero action film

Hero, House of Flying Daggers, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - Chinese made, somewhat popular and more mythical super-hero movies

Returner - Japanese cyberpunk futuristic superhero movie, it has everything you need in one place, including aliens!

The Princess Blade - Japanese ninja assassin magic superhero-ish movie

Big Trouble in Little China - Jack Burton says, watch this movie.  See things no one else can see, do things no one else can do!

Sucker Punch - What happens if a bunch of inmates in an asylum make their own virtual world - it's fun but very weird and trippy

Kill Bill - Legendary for being super-hero-like and weird

Supergirl - Cheesy as hell, but still a fun movie to watch

The Matrix - Classic virtual superhero movie

[Triplash]

Speaking of Joss, you could pick up the original Buffy movie with Kristy Swanson. Not as good as the series, but not so bad,

I class the Buffy movie as one of those that are "so bad they're good". You know the ones... if you're looking for their intellectual side, you could be looking for quite a while. But they never tried to be the greatest movie ever made, and they do have their charms, so if you can hold off judging them for not having Oscar performances and Nobel writing you could have a lot of fun with them. I very much enjoy movies like that, moreso even than a high-calibre film in most cases. That's where I'd classify Steel, and the Stallone version of Judge Dredd, and where I'd add gems like Doctor Mordrid and Misfits of Science too.

Another Raimi film, The Darkman, from 1990, is also good.

Ooh, good one! Now you've reminded me of Robocop

Returner - Japanese cyberpunk futuristic superhero movie, it has everything you need in one place, including aliens!

That movie was awesome.

[blackjak]

I heard they were going to put the same kid in it that they were going to put in that Transformers movie that didn't get made. What was it... Stewie LeBeef or something like that?

Weird how stuff with that kid in it never gets made.

Except Holes. Without Holes we wouldn't have Guster Burton. Come on son!

[saipaman]

If you liked Mystery Men you might wanna check out The Specials. It has a similar tongue-in-cheek vibe to it.

What made 'The Specials' for me was the ending.  While they are a dysfunctional group and last on anyone's list of people to call, they do respond to that call.

Whether or not they would survive an encounter with giant ants, is another question.

[Pep Rally]

For Giant ants, you really need to call the Aquabats.

[marconeuro]

Unbreakable
Dredd 2012
Chronicle

[Profit]

I'll be coming up with my list soonish, takes a while to sift through 600 dvds.

But, goto youtube, right now and watch Dirty Laundry with Thomas Jayne.

Here's a link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWpK0wsnitc (NSFW), go right now.

I still don't understand why people didn't like Thomas Jayne as the Punisher.

Sigh.

[JaguarX]

Chronicle was cool. Didnt view it as a super hero movie but thinking about it, I think it fits. it shows what many would do between the three mains, if they woke up with powers. Some will try to use it for good, some will have fun with it, some will use it to try to save people, and some will go nuts. Me, I would be the same and wouldnt use my powers for good nor evil.

Watched Dred 2012--it was, interesting.  I prefered the old version though.

[FatherXmas]

I guess Push can be thought of as a deconstructed superhero movie.

[Little Green Frog]

Dredd 2012

Yes, this. Very entertaining and well produced. I found it to be a very enjoyable movie.

[Ironbull]

Showgirls!!!  Oh wait, no wrong list.   Sooo many great movies named, but to sum it up, I think they are all essential.  Even the bad ones.  After all, we can't succeed unless we first learn failure.  Of course we could have done without some of the epic failures.  (The first attempt at a fantastic 4 movie) Hmmm.....  Do I sense a new topic idea?

[JaguarX]

Showgirls!!!  Oh wait, no wrong list.   Sooo many great movies named, but to sum it up, I think they are all essential.  Even the bad ones.  After all, we can't succeed unless we first learn failure.  Of course we could have done without some of the epic failures.  (The first attempt at a fantastic 4 movie)

Indeed

[MindBlender]

Lets face it folks...We had superior reflexes in our game, so a guy (Bruce Willis) going up against several thugs armed with automatic rifles HAD to have SR as well.  Blade 1 only in my book since the others bored me.  Also, which Hulk movie do we choose as the best for the Ultimate Collection? 

Sorry to say it, but I liked Ghost Rider.  This may be due to the fact that most other Cage movies should have been put down behind the barn and not released.


XMen Origins-Wolverine since it answers questions we were waiting for answer to.
XMen-Crated questions the movie above answered.
Avengers
Green Hornet
Sucker Punch-Just for that "what the heck am I on?" feeling when watching it.
Swamp Thing- All 50 times I have watched it
Toxic Avenger-I don't understand why I like it, I just do.

[Rae]

Defendor (not a typo) is a great little 'superhero' film, and Griff the Invisible. Super is also pretty cool.

And I really liked Sky High, too.  And Mystery Men.

But I expecially adore Defendor and Griff.

And Robert Downey Jnr, but that's neither here nor there :-p

[Tenzhi]

XMen Origins-Wolverine since it answers questions we were waiting for answer to.

The only question it answered for me was "Can a movie possibly be worse than its licensed video game?" and the answer was surprisingly "Yes."

[Gothenem]

OK, so I'll separate them into three categories:

Heroic Hero Movies:
Iron Man 1 & 2
Hulk (Ed Norton)
Thor
Spiderman 1&2
Amazing Spiderman (The newest one)
Captain America
Avengers
Superman (Christopher Reeves)
X-Men 1 & 2
X-Men First Class
Incredibles

Dark and Gritty Hero Movies:
V for Vendetta
Watchmen
Batman (1989)
Batman Returns
Batman Begins
Batman: Dark Knight
Batman: Dark Knight Rises
Crow
Hancock
Hellboy 1&2
League of Extraordinary Adventurers

Comedic/Niche Hero Movies:
Kick Ass
Sky High
Mystery Men
Despicable Me
Megamind

And a bonus category - Hero movies to AVOID:
Batman and Robin
Hulk (1991)
Batman and Robin
Super
Batman and Robin
Not Another Superhero Movie
Batman and Robin
Green Hornet
Batman and Robin
Zoom
Batman and Robin

[Frostyfrozen]

May I suggest.
To watch Hero movies:
The Mask of Zorro - 1998
The Legend of Zorro - 2006
Green Lantren - 2011


To avoid Hero movies:
Steel - 1997
Catwoman - 2004

[Ironbull]

The hardest part of watching a Super Hero movie is being a fan before the movie.  Watching Hollywood butcher stories of our favorite Characters is tough.  As much as we try to be objective, it's hard not to get angry when our favorites are twisted into crap balls.  I understand the need for Hollywood to change a little, or add new stories, but screwing with their origins or re-writing back stories is a big no no.  Wolverine origins, X-Men movies.  Blehhh.  If you think those were good, i urge you to go read the comics those movies were taken from.  Wolverines complete back story is so much better than that turd of a movie explains.  Not to mention I'm still not over what they did to Deadpool.  Evil Hollywood bastards.  Poor Wade.

[MindBlender]

The hardest part of watching a Super Hero movie is being a fan before the movie.  Watching Hollywood butcher stories of our favorite Characters is tough.  As much as we try to be objective, it's hard not to get angry when our favorites are twisted into crap balls.  I understand the need for Hollywood to change a little, or add new stories, but screwing with their origins or re-writing back stories is a big no no.  Wolverine origins, X-Men movies.  Blehhh.  If you think those were good, i urge you to go read the comics those movies were taken from.  Wolverines complete back story is so much better than that turd of a movie explains.  Not to mention I'm still not over what they did to Deadpool.  Evil Hollywood bastards.  Poor Wade.

Just watch any movie made from a Stephen King novel.  Most are trashed and he allows it (he is in most of them).  I will never understand Hollyweird.

[LadyShin]

Favorite Superhero movies of all time:

Superman 1-4
Green Lantern
The Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (Galactus is in this one - reminiscent of the 'Coming Storm' in COH)
X-Men
X-2
Wolverine
Daredevil
Elektra
Meteor Man
Iron Man
Iron Man 2
Batman(tim burton)
Batman Returns
Batman Forever
Batman & Robin
Watchmen
Supergirl
Thor
Swamp Thing
Ghost Rider
Hulk (2003)
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
The Crow
The Crow: City of Angels
The Crow: Stairway to Heaven
The Crow: Salvation
The Crow: Wicked Prayer

[Ironbull]

Just watch any movie made from a Stephen King novel.  Most are trashed and he allows it (he is in most of them).  I will never understand Hollyweird.

Yep, got that right.  Silver Bullet wasn't too bad, but for the most part yuck.  Then again, I feel he kinda gives up and gives in on a lot.  The final book in the Gunslinger series is a prime example.  Sometimes writing the end is tougher than writing the beginning.  So my thought s are, if your not ready to end it, don't force it.

[MindBlender]

Yep, got that right.  Silver Bullet wasn't too bad, but for the most part yuck.  Then again, I feel he kinda gives up and gives in on a lot.  The final book in the Gunslinger series is a prime example.  Sometimes writing the end is tougher than writing the beginning.  So my thought s are, if your not ready to end it, don't force it.

Goes for any media.  Dean Koontz hates...just hates... to collaborate on his books and the Frankenstein series showed it.  He took forever to finish it up AND it was rushed to have the final nail put in the coffin.  The books always started out good, but it seemed that as they went on he wrote like he was "running out of pages" and rushed the ends.

[TimtheEnchanter]

Alright, I now feel the need to plug a couple of lesser-known super-heroic films.

I-man: 1986. When a man is exposed to an alien gas, he acquires the ability to heal instantly and survive any injury or toxin.

 It was made for Wonderful World of Disney, so that oughta give you a clue of the quality of the film. It's no ground-breaking movie by any means, but it's still worth a view for a superhero fan I guess.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091248/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2


C.H.O.M.P.S. 1979. A young man invents a robot dog that has super strength, x-ray vision and can detect crimes being committed. A greedy businessman tries to steal the invention from him.

Sure it's campy, and the tech takes pseudo-science to a new level, but since it's a comedy, it doesn't matter that much. This film can still make me laugh today.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078924/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Pumaman: Low-budget superhero flick about a young man given a mystical medallion by a South American shaman, in order to become a puma- empowered champion like his father before him. In trying to locate the young man initially, the shaman has the nasty habit of pushing candidates out windows to test them

Why do I even know about this film? Sometime during the 80's it came on in a cheap hotel room while my parents and I were on vacation. I didn't even see the whole thing, but woke up at just the right time to be completely freaked out by the weird floating head thing, followed by what I could only assume at the time, was planet Jupiter hovering about in Earth's atmosphere. This is a BAD movie, but I'd still watch it now, once, if I had a copy. And if you don't want to watch it on its own, you can always watch Joel, Tom Servo, and Crooooooooooow heckle it to death.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081693/

[therain93]

Just watch any movie made from a Stephen King novel.  Most are trashed and he allows it (he is in most of them).  I will never understand Hollyweird.

For some reason, the movies made under his Richard Bachmann pseudonym translate much better:  Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me, the Green Mile, and Misery.

[saipaman]

I enjoyed the first 'Black Scorpion' movie.

[Thunder Glove]

For the record, on the Pumaman MST3K episode, it's Mike, not Joel.  (It's season 9, which means that it's also Pearl, Bobo and Brain Guy down in Castle Forrester) I actually kinda like the movie uncut, if only because Vadinho (the supposed sidekick) gets more awesome scenes (including tearing the hero's car apart and insulting him, plus magically healing himself) in the unedited version.

The guy who played Tony/Pumaman went on to become a malpractice attorney, and actually appeared on an episode of the Daily Show back in 2005.

I actually also like the Hulk (2003) film non-ironically, but it needed a better villain and more tank-punching.  It wasn't perfect by any means, but I think it got a lot of things right, and I really liked Bana as Banner, more than Norton.  (Admittedly, I liked Mark Ruffalo more than both of them)

[TimtheEnchanter]

For the record, on the Pumaman MST3K episode, it's Mike, not Joel.  (It's season 9, which means that it's also Pearl, Bobo and Brain Guy down in Castle Forrester)

I doth believeth I hath just been schooled.

[microc]

Old school movie..Johnny scokko and his flying robot. There a short movie that splices some of the episodes into a movie that was on channel 56 Boston mass in the 70'. There also the live version of battleship Yamato. Also fantastic voyage and infra-man and ultraman.

[MaidMercury]

and.....

[Kaos Arcanna]

For the record, on the Pumaman MST3K episode, it's Mike, not Joel.  (It's season 9, which means that it's also Pearl, Bobo and Brain Guy down in Castle Forrester) I actually kinda like the movie uncut, if only because Vadinho (the supposed sidekick) gets more awesome scenes (including tearing the hero's car apart and insulting him, plus magically healing himself) in the unedited version.

The guy who played Tony/Pumaman went on to become a malpractice attorney, and actually appeared on an episode of the Daily Show back in 2005.

I actually also like the Hulk (2003) film non-ironically, but it needed a better villain and more tank-punching.  It wasn't perfect by any means, but I think it got a lot of things right, and I really liked Bana as Banner, more than Norton.  (Admittedly, I liked Mark Ruffalo more than both of them)

When I was a kid, in the summer, CBS (I think) would all show all kinds of weird movies late at night-- and my parents would generally let me stay up that late in the summer, so I saw Puma Man without the MST3K riffing...

Gotta admit I loved the big Guide as he tore apart a car with his bare hands.

[Rust]

I may be repeating here, but three often overlooked "Superhero" flicks I really enjoy:

Punisher - Tom Jane's version from 2004. Probably the best re-imagining of the character I've seen, extremely faithful to the comics (Some scenes are lifted wholesale), and managed to be a very nice homage to the Vigilante Action Films of the 1970s a la Death Wish. If you haven't seen it for whatever reason, do so. It's a slow moving movie, but it builds up to a great climax.

Unbreakable - Back before M. Night Shamallamadingdong went off the deep end - indeed, it's one of the films that helped launch his career. Samuel L. Jackson plays a man plagued all his life with a disease that makes his bones brittle, and as a child he couldn't do much but read comic books. Now an adult and the witness of a terrible accident, he's quite possibly discovered something out of his childhood - a honest to goodness indestructible man (played by Bruce Willis).

This is a great film, stigma surrounding the director or no. It's well put together, it really keeps you guessing (Is Willis' character really gifted or simply lucky?), and has a twist that...well...I'd say it's on par with any comic legendary twist.


Boondock Saints - Okay, so not a real Super Hero movie per say, it's still a movie featuring two brothers who are seemingly chosen by God to become avenging angels for the citizens of Boston. It's an action film at its core like Punisher, but it has the set up and the characters that are very much reminiscent of Comic Book origin stories.

[LydiaFrost]

Thank you for mentioning Misfits of Science, I saw it a long Time ago and couldnt remeber the Name.

You could also try Heroic Trio.

[silvers1]

I would add "Wreck-it Ralph" to the list.  One of the best animated movies I've seen in a while.
Ralph would go in the "anti-hero" category.

I dont agree with the addition of Green Hornet - tried watching it the other night and quit after 45 minutes -
a prime requisite of a movie for me is that I have to like *someone* in the movie. 

[Segev]

While Wreck-It Ralph is an excellent movie - quite possibly the best movie of the last year, and would be up there for the last 10 (though Megamind robs it of any shoo-in status) - it is not a superhero movie. It is a heroic movie, but the tone is not quite right for a "super-heroes" movie. It's closer to epic fantasy in how it plays out.

The down-on-his-luck peasant with something to prove goes and rescues the imprisoned maiden.

The thing, I think, that makes it work so well is that it's not straight-up that; it's also a "adopt the urchin to find your purpose" movie, a coming of age story, and a tale of overcoming one's own limitations and of accepting oneself as one is.

And there's even a dragon - well, giant sapient evil monster - at the end to defeat.

But it's not superheroes.

[Allotrion]

I am dating myself but no one has mentioned The Greatest American Hero.  Very campy, from what I remember, but very popular back in it's day.

[FatherXmas]

I am dating myself but no one has mentioned The Greatest American Hero.  Very campy, from what I remember, but very popular back in it's day.

Really, never heard of it.  How about you Ralph?

But this is about movies and not TV series.

[Pep Rally]

Old school movie..Johnny scokko and his flying robot. There a short movie that splices some of the episodes into a movie that was on channel 56 Boston mass in the 70'. There also the live version of battleship Yamato. Also fantastic voyage and infra-man and ultraman.

Good old Creature double feature.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m--ayWTBWi0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Au_uwewd18


Also, I definitely would have included Misfits of Science, and Greatest American Hero if we were talking TV as well.

[Rust]

AMC has League of Extraordinary Gentlemen on right now. While I've heard it's a pretty poor imitation of the comic and it's the movie that caused Sean Connery to retire...I do love this film.

[FatherXmas]

So much potential.  But so many Alan Moore books are unfilmable.  Then you have the old "I want to put my take on this great story" by the screenwriter, director, cast, etc. which translates into EGO, EGO, EGO.

I was amazed when Hugo Weaving had the guts (for a known property) to go masked for the entire movie. 

See that's the thing that ticks me off with most superhero movies, they wear a mask to protect their identities and to shield their love ones but in the movies it seems the actor portraying them can't keep the damn thing on when in costume.  It's like they get paid by the time their face is visible.

[TimtheEnchanter]

FatherXmas, it's a rare actor who can get their emotions to shine through a mask, especially a non-articulate one like Guy Fawkes. Most probably can't grasp the concept, because they've been trained to do subtlety in a very different way.

And the actors who ARE already trained well to do this sort of thing, well... they don't get the kind of recognition that earns you big roles in films. You usually see them in credits with names like "Dying Orc #11." And if they're not doing that, they're in a themepark, sweating in a 200-degree micro-environment, bringing smiles to the kiddies.

[Rust]

Which is why it's worth giving the actors who are willing to put on the masks (Hugo Weaving and Karl Urban) all the praise in the world.

[Lightslinger]

May be repeating the thread here, but seriously get into the DC animated movies as much as you can, they're pretty much excellent across the board. I'd easily rank a good number of them alongside the best theatrical superhero movies.

[Rust]

Absolutely. DC's live action stuff is hit and miss, but the Animated stuff is almost entirely gold. Especially Justice League: A New Frontier and Batman: Under the Red Hood (Which is actually better then the comics that inspired it).

[blackjak]

Under the Red Hood has made my daughter a new hero to adore. Just a shame that it is the same Jason Todd that we all hated. LOL. She has lost faith in Red Arrow with the new retcon however.

[Kaos Arcanna]

Just watched Superman Unbound yesterday. (Animated movie featuring Superman vs. Brainiac.)


I thought it was pretty good. Lois didn't annoy me. Kara had personality. And Superman didn't come across as a total idiot.