Deadpool charmed his way into theaters last weekend, and it's earned seriously rave reviews. Although I have never gotten into superhero comics, I do have my own go-to superhero flicks for action, adventure, comedy, and a whole lot of fun. Check out my Top 6:
Superman, 1978
Starring Christopher Reeve (aka the best Superman ever), the Superman film redefined action films when I first saw it on VHS. Heroics, spandex, cool backstories, and even romance? It sounded a lot better than the at-the-time popular and extremely dark Batman films. The franchise has since revitalized with Henry Cavill in the lead role but, if we're honest, no one can beat Christopher Reeve (although Cavill's got the extreme blue-eye thing down).
Batman, 1989
Once I'd grown up a bit, and experienced more of Tim Burton's style, I grew to appreciate his pretty awesome Batman film. Yes, it was dark, but it was so artistically complete that I just had fun watching it. Not to mention, Jack Nicholson brought the best and most terrifying Joker to the screen; the depths of darkness on screen, and Tim Burton made it all work without drowning the viewer in all that craziness.
The Mask, 1994
Alright, so this might stretch the limitations of 'superhero' but The Mask must be included on my top list. In many ways, the film was more like a free-for-all improv session for Jim Carrey, riding on a very simple plot structure, but somehow that makes it work. There are few Carrey films I can really sit through (those Ace Ventura films test my patience), and The Mask is one. It's just a fun film, with amazing production and visual design, and really well-written characters (despite the ridiculosity).
The Adventures of Sharkboy & Lavagirl, 2005
Not a hardcore action superhero film, but a favorite nonetheless, Sharkboy & Lavagirl was a major part of my superhero experience. While comic books might be filled with superheroines, I hadn't been exposed to many in film (outside the Wonder Woman television show). I loved Lavagirl - her powers, her practical costume, and her really cool attitude. The film also featured a young Taylor Lautner as Sharkboy before becoming a wolf-man.
Sky High, 2005
Sky High might be considered the High School Musical of superhero films, but I can safely say that it does more for female superheroes than most hardcore action films I've recently seen. Featuring four (yes, four) strong super women, the writing brings each to the forefront with a variety of powers, each having their use in defeating the female supervillain. That's an actual balanced ensemble of four women and four men in the main group of protagonists (Avengers, take notes). It's a fun, comedic, and strong film with a lot of great characters.
Captain America: The First Avenger, 2011
We've reached the current swarm of superheroes. Captain America brought forth the new Marvel monopoly with a really powerful film. The writing, the effects, the cast - it quickly became one of my top films. With Chris Evans as the lead (one of many Chris' heading up superhero films), Captain America was a superhero built on something more than muscles, riches, or vigilante justice. Cap was a hero with heart, and many of us fell in love with him before the muscles.
The Avengers, 2012
After introductions to the other heroes (Thor and Iron Man), The Avengers brought together an ensemble group within the spy network of SHIELD. The dynamic was intense from the beginning and the film became more about figuring out that dynamic rather than simply defeating the intensely charismatic Loki, making it a much more complex film. Black Widow became super popular as one of the two female heroes featured in the film, the other being Maria Hill, Nick Fury's right hand. With her popularity and Marvel still on a roll, is it too much to ask for some more superheroines?
Stay tuned for news, a new Film of the Week, and a behind the scenes look at a classic!
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