Movies

I enjoyed First Class. It was miles better than X3 and the Wolverine spin-offs, and I'd rate it higher than the first X-Men as well. It can't touch X2 though - that was stellar.

masofdas wrote:

Anyone seen Bling Ring or Now You See me

I thought the Bling Ring was expertly hollow, a really smartly made film, whereas Now You See Me was hollow for all the wrong reasons, but passively entertaining, so fair play to it.

I thought First Class was the best X-Men film to date. The main problem is that Matthew Vaughan is now off the sequel. Really, really good director, Vaughan (Kick Ass, Layer Cake and Stardust make up the rest of his work)

Thanks Goat, I think Spidey 2 is next year shanks. I thought First Class was good.

Although I do rank First Class above X3 and the first Wolverine spin-off, it just felt that too much had been sorted by the end of the film. The goodies and the baddies had all lined up exactly as they were in the first X-Men film; I felt they should have left scope for a sequel that showed more gradual shifts in loyalty. Also, it felt bloated to me; I could have cut 10 minutes and made it a great film.

If Days Of Future Past beats X2, we may well have a Dark Knight beater on our hands (The Dark Knight being my favourite superhero film yet; what's yours, GNamer Forum?).

So I went and saw Thor 2 before work and well that's all I'll say without spoiling anything

ZeroSouls wrote:

Although I do rank First Class above X3 and the first Wolverine spin-off, it just felt that too much had been sorted by the end of the film. The goodies and the baddies had all lined up exactly as they were in the first X-Men film; I felt they should have left scope for a sequel that showed more gradual shifts in loyalty. Also, it felt bloated to me; I could have cut 10 minutes and made it a great film.

If Days Of Future Past beats X2, we may well have a Dark Knight beater on our hands (The Dark Knight being my favourite superhero film yet; what's yours, GNamer Forum?).

Your problem with the film is that it DOESN'T leave too much hanging for a sequel? That's not a problem I've ever had with a modern Hollywood superhero film. The new Thor included, which is otherwise pretty excellent. Kat Dennings and Tom Hiddleston are particuarly terrific and I enjoyed Chris O'Dowd's cameo a lot.

I agree on The Dark Knight, unless we're going to include Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, in which case that walks it, hands down. Both for different reasons, but they're outstanding films in their own right, rather than slotting into the 'Good for a blockbuster' box. Avengers, Iron Man 3, Spider-Man 2, the other Nolan Batman films and First Class, actually, also stand out to me. Things like both the Thors and Amazing Spider-Man I do like, but could live without all the same.

The Incredibles counts, right? I'm deadly serious.

MiniblinMoyles wrote:

The Incredibles counts, right? I'm deadly serious.

Oh yes. If we're including The Incredibles, it shoots up to... Well, right behind Scott Pilgrim. I don't know why you wouldn't be serious.

Up, however, remains far and away my favourite Pixar film.

Oh, that's a given. Up is so damn good. The first ten minutes of that is the best thing Pixar has ever done.

Oh, boy, I get to talk about super heroes? Squeeeee!


Okay, so Spider-Man's the best super hero, obviously. Spider-Man 2 is the best film, but the amazing Spider-Man was a better adaptation of the character. Therefore I can't call any of them the best film.


Okay so now we're onto superman. The original, the quintessential, white bread. I've got a lot of time for superman. He's a godlike being who lives among people, who could rule them but who instead helps them. Anyone who says he's a boring character or that interesting stories can't be written about him is just lacking in imagination.
That being said, the films have never quite delivered. Obviously the old films are good but the effects and writing and so on haven't aged well. Then Returns came out, which did a good job of the heroism but was just dull. Then there was Man OF Steel, which had fantastic action but never sold me on superman as an heroic, selfless hero. He just came across as an action hero thrown into a fight. For me, the perfect superman film hasn't been made yet.


So, Batman. Obviously, the Nolan trilogy was ace. For my money it works best as a trilogy, though obviously dark knight was a masterpiece. As a film, it can't be faulted really. It's not my favourite though because it didn't really feel like a superhero film at all. I think batman stands apart from the others.
Similarly, kick ass, watchmen and super, which are each good films but which each have their own foibles keeping them from the top spot.


So the marvel films. I really like the hulk, but I don't really think of him asking superheroes. He's more like a good monster, a la Godzilla. I liked cap but it felt more like a war film. I loved Thor but not for the same reasons, I liked the fish out of water Rom com feel and the pay off when he turned out to be telling the truth.
Iron man... hmm... I enjoyed the film, for sure. But the more I think about them, the less sense they make. For example, he's only a superhero until the technology becomes cheap. Also, in what other film series an I supposed to route for the guy with the army of killer robots?
As for avengers: pretty effects, funny jokes, rubbish action. I felt no jeopardy for any of the characters during the whole film.


The x men! I love me some x men. They work best on their own, away from the rest of the match universe, which is a good thing about the films.
X-Men: really good film, pretty much launched the modern superhero genre. Send dated now in light of what's come.
X-Men 2: absolutely incredible film. Top notch stuff. Both of these films suffer slightly from over-wolverine, at the expense of every other character. Overall though, ace film only let down by a sequel hook...
X-Men the last stand: ...on which this film absolutely failed to deliver. Underrated, I think, but even so, a massive missed opportunity.
X-Men origins wolverine: fuck this film.
X-Men first class: nice little film, great soft reboot. Probably the best one? My only complaint would be that the action never really hit a good high. Hopefully that's something singer can bring back, especially as we're gonna have big robots and bigger stakes.
The wolverine: good film but utterly forgettable.

So there you go, none of those films are my favourite super hero films. What is my favourite super hero film?
Robocop.

Wow... That's some impressing costumery. Especially the "ceiling" pose.

That was madam toussades. Everyone has that picture.

You seem so depressed about that fact.  

Solid superhero critique though Buska, I enjoyed reading that.

Good work Buska,

MiniblinMoyles wrote:

Oh, that's a given. Up is so damn good. The first ten minutes of that is the best thing Pixar has ever done.

Agreed, but it has touches of equal quality throughout- Him reading the book, the delicate ending, the bizarre off-the-wall humour surrounding the talking dogs and 'Kevin'. It's both supremely funny and capable of making me cry three times (Three!) every time I watch it. Monsters Inc, Toy Story 3 and WALL-E are also stand-outs. Actually, they all are. What great films.

Except Cars/Cars 2, Bugs Life and Brave. They're all good films, but there's a huge gulf in class.

And that's... impressive costuming. My favourite is the kid dressed up as Batman holding Bruce Wayne's decapitated head.

MiniblinMoyles wrote:

You seem so depressed about that fact.

I thought what me and Spidey had was special.

Yes you're his male Mary Jane

Marty James if you will.

Favourite super hero film? Oooh that's a tough one, its a 3 way fight with avengers assemble, dark knight rises & Watchmen

Mine would have to be the Avengers closely followed by Man of Steel

SquidgyGoat wrote:

ZeroSouls wrote:

Although I do rank First Class above X3 and the first Wolverine spin-off, it just felt that too much had been sorted by the end of the film. The goodies and the baddies had all lined up exactly as they were in the first X-Men film; I felt they should have left scope for a sequel that showed more gradual shifts in loyalty. Also, it felt bloated to me; I could have cut 10 minutes and made it a great film.

If Days Of Future Past beats X2, we may well have a Dark Knight beater on our hands (The Dark Knight being my favourite superhero film yet; what's yours, GNamer Forum?).

Your problem with the film is that it DOESN'T leave too much hanging for a sequel? That's not a problem I've ever had with a modern Hollywood superhero film.

Yes! If you're going to spend a lot of cash on getting a team of great young actors together to play the X-Men before they were called that, let's explore the budding relationships. Let's spend time with Magneto and Professor X before they became best enemies. This heroic and noble friendship that they had lasted ten weeks, tops. And, as I mentioned, everyone ends up in the appropriate good/evil camp by the end; too soon. An opportunity missed (I think I said "a missed opportunity" last time).

And, Jay - word on The Incredibles, which I strangely forgot about. One of the best films there is, in my opinion.

I watched 40 Year Old Virgin last night, they were playing Mortal Kombat Deception with a N64 controller what the.

ZeroJones wrote:

SquidgyGoat wrote:

ZeroSouls wrote:

Although I do rank First Class above X3 and the first Wolverine spin-off, it just felt that too much had been sorted by the end of the film. The goodies and the baddies had all lined up exactly as they were in the first X-Men film; I felt they should have left scope for a sequel that showed more gradual shifts in loyalty. Also, it felt bloated to me; I could have cut 10 minutes and made it a great film.

If Days Of Future Past beats X2, we may well have a Dark Knight beater on our hands (The Dark Knight being my favourite superhero film yet; what's yours, GNamer Forum?).

Your problem with the film is that it DOESN'T leave too much hanging for a sequel? That's not a problem I've ever had with a modern Hollywood superhero film.

Yes! If you're going to spend a lot of cash on getting a team of great young actors together to play the X-Men before they were called that, let's explore the budding relationships. Let's spend time with Magneto and Professor X before they became best enemies. This heroic and noble friendship that they had lasted ten weeks, tops. And, as I mentioned, everyone ends up in the appropriate good/evil camp by the end; too soon. An opportunity missed (I think I said "a missed opportunity" last time).

And, Jay - word on The Incredibles, which I strangely forgot about. One of the best films there is, in my opinion.

Granted, I appreciate your point. I do think there may be more room to explore the friendship between the characters, but I don't think the film is at fault per say for not doing that. However, I take the film for what it is, rather than what it isn't or could have been, as it is a very well-directed and well-paced piece of blockbuster entertainment, and they are disappointingly few and far between. Blockbuster filmmaking is an unappreciatedly difficult art form, and Matthew Vaughan seems to have it down to a tee, and First Class is his best calling card (Kick-Ass remains his best film in my eyes, though).

First class did the Xavier/ Magneto relationship better in one film that the start was prequels did Obi Wan/ Annakin in three.

@Mas films and tv are still awful at showing games. They're still mostly being made by people who've never actually played.

Except Spaced. Edgar Wright knows his videogames.

Oh, there are definitely exceptions, more and more as time goes on. But there's still a big disconnect between a certain generation of filmmakers and the people they portray.