Ranking Every Single X-Men Franchise Film

Ranking Every Single X-Men Franchise Film

The X-Men franchise, save for The New Mutants, has come to an end. With Dark Phoenix in theaters, the comic book movie franchise that arguably started the phenomenon will now close this chapter before it returns to Disney. With ten x-Men films and two spin-off Deadpool movies, I'm going to rank the twelve entries in celebration of a franchise that changed modern cinema forever.

12. X-Men: Origins - The Wolverine: It was an interesting idea. To tell the story of the Wolverine from the very beginning. This was actually supposed to be an entire spin-off series, with origin films for both Cyclops and Magneto in development with Fox before the film hit theaters. But with troubled production comes a very bad movie. While there are some moments of bright spots, like the beginning montage throughout the wars, the rest of the film is either boring, cringe-worthy, or downright confusing. And while the film did its job of telling the origin story of Logan, it did so in the most convoluted, unnecessary way possible. 

11. X-Men: Dark Phoenix: Dark Phoenix is not awful, like X-Men: Origins, but there's almost nothing good about the movie. It's 90 percent boring and generic, 9 percent terrible and awful, and 1 percent good, if not great. It was the result of a first directorial effort from Simon Kinberg who had never stepped in front of a camera before, as well a story that honestly didn't need to be told again (more on the Phoenix Saga later). The cast is great, which is what this film has over Origins, but that's about all it has going for it.  

10. X-Men: The Last Stand: At least this film was trying to be inventive. At least it was trying to be something different. I even respect the fact that it tried to go for a B-plot with the mutant cure. That was an interesting concept. Granted, the story and execution of the story were awful, but at least it tried. And while I like the cast from Dark Phoenix more, I think that this film's cast was consistent with their characters. Charles Xavier in Dark Phoenix was a jerk for absolutely no reason. In The Last Stand, it's at least another opportunity to see our favorite characters, like Logan, Magneto, and Charles. 

9. X-Men: Apocalypse: I think this film has a bad reputation. It's not great, no. I think Apocalypse is a terrible villain, one of the worst in the franchise. But I think that it's a standard X-Men film. It's goes through some conventions that are true to the X-Men franchise. It's got the cast from Days of Future Past and First Class. I would argue that the magneto scene in the forest is one of the best in the franchise (it belonged in a better movie). And the Logan cameo was great. Unnecessary? Absolutely. But it was great nonetheless. That being said, the young cast did not stand out at all. They were bland and generic and were trying way too hard; the only one that seemed comfortable was Kodi Smit-McPhee as Nightcrawler. The Four Horsemen are also terrible. And the third act is the epitome of generic. But aside from that, there isn't a lot to hate about the film. It's mildly entertaining. That's the best I can give it. 

8. The Wolverine: I always admire films that go for something different. While I can't say I love James Mangold's take on the character the first time around, I can say that I really did appreciate how he went for something completely different in The Wolverine. The fact that they sent him to Japan with an entire new cast of characters while still being haunted by Jean was really, really interesting. And a theme that was later explored in Logan, that being Wolverine dying from the inside, was fascinating. It wasn't anything external that was trying to kill him, and that was refreshing. I wasn't quite sure why he had to have a romance with Mariko, and the third act devolved when the Silver Samurai appeared, but other than that, it's a solid, solid entry into the X-Men franchise. 

7. X-Men: The first film did for comic book movies what the MCU did for extended universes. It essentially started it all. While the film doesn't hold up quite as well as it used to, it's still a marvel (no pun intended). The characters are rich and have motivations that are real. The fact that Bryan Singer was able to take these characters that have supernatural abilities, but make them relatable and human was absolutely fantastic. The cast is amazing as well; Jackman as Logan, Stewart as Xavier, and McKellan as Magneto are perfect castings. I think the allegory of minorities and oppression are also really interesting. That being said, there's nothing that really, really stands out. It's a solid entry in the X-Men franchise, and it's the first one.  

6. X-Men: First Class: First Class essentially revived a franchise that was coming off the back of Last Stand and Origins, two films that many thought killed the franchise. But with this new cast, which rivals the original, and an interesting setting, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the film succeeds in being a solid entry in the franchise. Also, this movie has the best cameo out of any film ever. Period. 

5. Deadpool 2: Deadpool 2 is interesting. It's trying to be even more meta than the original. And while it tries to subvert the superhero movie genre, it actually falls into some of the tropes that makes the film a little more generic than the first. The team that Deadpool assembles is interesting, but not as interesting as just him, Colossus, and Negasonic Teenage Warhead. That being said, Deadpool is amazing, as per usual (Ryan Reynolds was born for this), and he and Cable have an interesting chemistry. Domino is a nice addition, and the film has some genuine belly laughs hidden inside the constant giggling at references. 

4. X-2: X-Men United: While the first X-Men film kicked everything off with a bang, X-2 did what many sequels couldn't, and still can't; it kept everything from the original that was good, improved on everything that wasn't, and was different and original. It really is the epitome of how a sequel should improve on the original. Much like Spider-Man 2, X-2 took the three-dimensional characters established in the original and gave them more depth, gave them more heart, and gave them more relatability. In addition, X-2 had intrigue, introducing William Stryker and the Weapon X program. X-2 is everything the first X-Men film is and so, so much more.

3. Deadpool: Deadpool was the most surprising X-Men film. It was original, it was funny, it had heart in the right places, and most of all, it was meta. And that's exactly what Deadpool is. The fact that Ryan Reynolds refused to give up on this character and persisted for this long brought us one of the best comic book films in the last decade. It was the definition of a breath of fresh air; just the right elements of a superhero movie while also being just the right amount of Deadpool.

2. X-Men: Days of Future Past: But while Deadpool may be the most original of the X-Men films, X-Men: Days of Future Past is the quintessential X-MEN film. It has everything that any X-Men fan would want; moments of sorrow, sadness, hope, action, Wolverine, terrific casts, and a message about changing perception on minorities and outcasts. Days of Future Past is a deeper story about what it means to be different hidden underneath a time-travel movie that has Wolverine, TWO Professor X's, and TWO Magnetos. And an amazing Quicksilver scene. 

1. Logan: Logan is an incredible movie. Not a superhero movie. Not a comic book movie. Not a blockbuster. An incredible MOVIE. The action and the spectacle are absolutely nothing compared to the story and the characters. Mangold decided to skip going for eye-candy and told a story about people who are on their last legs, trying to find reasons to stay alive and keep moving. It's a movie that emphasizes hope, purpose, and finality, and does so under the pretense of a Wolverine film. This film will remain one of the best comic book movies EVER for the next fifty years. It's going to stand the test of time. 

Top Ten #24: Ranking the Top Ten Characters from Avengers: Endgame

Top Ten #24: Ranking the Top Ten Characters from Avengers: Endgame

**I WILL DO MY BEST NOT TO SPOIL ANYTHING FROM AVENGERS: ENDGAME, BUT WARNING - MINOR SPOILERS MAY BE IN THIS POST. DISCRETION IS ADVISED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

Avengers: Endgame is inching its way to Avatar's worldwide box office record. With a spectacular cast that has carried the MCU for the past eleven years, it was extremely difficult to rank the top ten characters/performances. This list is entirely subjective, and may not, will not, and should not match yours. 

Dishonorable Mention - Thor: This is an interesting case of a character NOT being on the list being more pertinent than some characters that are. After last year's Avengers: Infinity War, I was completely onboard with Chris Hemsworth's Thor. He was at peak level, both in terms of acting and the character himself. And yet, something went wrong between Infinity War and Endgame. The Russos made a bold choice, and for that, I admire them. I appreciate bold choices rather than lukewarm hesitancy. But with these bold choices, come divides. It's no ones fault, it's just that it appeals to us in different ways, and it just didn't for me. I appreciated it more the second time, no doubt, but ultimately, it was a complete step back for a character that shot up into my top 5 favorite Avengers following Infinity War. 

10. War Machine: James Rhodes has quietly been a part of numerous MCU films (7 films thus far), and has become a mainstay. Here's what I will say about Rhodey in Avengers: Endgame; he doesn't have anything really substantial to do besides look cool and be part of the missions and fights. That being said, with the little screentime that he's given, Don Cheadle is able to capture the essence of the character that makes him such a valuable member of the team and a friend to Tony. He has two great lines, one comedic and one serious, and I think both lend to him being on this list.

9. Bruce Banner: Like Thor, the Russo brothers took a bold path in terms of Bruce Banner and the Hulk. Honestly, I didn't like it as much as I thought I might upon further thought and a second viewing. BUT, it worked a lot better than Thor, and Bruce had a substantial amount of screentime in the film, and because of that, Ruffalo and the Russos deserve some credit for committing to a direction for the character. It just didn't feel satisfying come the credits.

8. Rocket Raccoon: Rocket Raccoon doesn't have a ton to do, but what little he does, he does well. Bradley Cooper completely understands this character at this point, and every lien that comes out of his mouth is so in line with the raccoon that we fell in love with in the original Guardians. 

7. Thanos: Thanos is different in this movie. For better or for worse, Thanos is not the same character that we saw in Avengers: Infinity War. He has a vastly reduced role in the film as well. But, to my surprise, I was actually completely okay with that, and actually on board with it as well. We get to see a different aspect of Thanos that was hinted at in previous films, and while I do prefer the philosopher-Thanos that we got to see in Avengers: Infinity War, this battle-ready version is also extremely complex and interesting. Brolin again brings his A-game with the character, and cements his status, to me at any rate, as the best villain in the MCU.

6. Nebula: Another character that got a a better look in the MCU finale was Nebula, played by Karen Gillan. I didn't enjoy Gillan's performance, I will admit, and I never really have. I understand she was meant to be an android and more machine than person, but Gillan's performance came off more as wooden than robotic. That being said, the character is taken in some new directions that shed some light on her humanity rather than her machinery. She has more layers attached to her as she becomes part of the Avengers team, and it's great to see how she grows through the film. 

5. Clint Barton: Everyone's favorite missing Avenger from the previous film, Renner has a big role to play in this movie, and he does some great things with the character. Everyone knows Hawkeye by now; we've seen him since 2011 in the original Thor. But this Hawkeye is different; he's damaged, he's broken, but he's a fighter. He has a bite and an edge to him that makes him dangerous. But he still retains that personality that drew us all to him in the first place, which is why this version of Hawkeye is so dynamic. 

4. Ant-Man: Believe it or not, while some of the darker moments of the film rang true, the comedy was outstanding as well, thanks in large part to Rudd's Scott Lang. Scott Lang provides the perfect counter to the rest of the Avengers. You would think a goofy character like him wouldn't fit quite as well in the mix, but he melds right in, just like he did in Captain America: Civil War. He also plays a huge, integral part in the main storyline, and Rudd even gets to show off his dramatic chops towards the beginning of the film, which he does spectacularly. 

3. Black Widow: Natasha Romanoff has been in quite a few Marvel movies by now, and Scarlett Johansson knows this character. Markus and McFeely (the writers of this film) know her intimately as well, and were able to give her a lot of time to shine. This is a version of Natasha that's broken after the devastating loss of Infinity War, who's trying to move on but can't. And we see her struggle with her relationships with other characters and how integral she is to the entire team dynamic. You don't realize until this movie just how much she means to the team, but more importantly, also how much the team means to her. 

2. Tony Stark: The godfather of the MCU, Robert Downey Jr. practically IS Iron Man, and he shows it. This is his and Chris Evan's movie, and he shows his dramatic acting chops, his comedic timing, and irresistible charisma and charm that made us fall in love with him in the first place. Tony has been a part of our lives, and the general pop culture for eleven years now, and Downey proves why in this film.

1. Captain America: While I was so close to giving the top spot to Tony, Steve really embodies what it means to be an Avenger in this movie. He is the reason why all the Avengers will fall into battle with him, no matter what the circumstances are. No matter how dire, or how severe the situation may be, Steve is ready to fight until his last, and that cornerstone has not gone unnoticed in the MCU. While, yes, I believe Robert Downey Jr. delivered a stronger performance in this movie (by a bit actually), I think Steve's character arc was the most satisfying. We've seen how much he's changed and grown and how much the world has changed him. And by the time the movie was over, I felt that Steve Rogers really was the MVP of not just this movie, but the entire MCU. 

Top Ten #23 - Top Ten Endgame Predictions

Top Ten #23 - Top Ten Endgame Predictions

It's close. It's so unbelievably close. In ten days, I will be in a theater, watching the culmination of my childhood on the big screen for three hours. And on top of that, i will know next to nothing about the plot. But, there are a few things that I think I do know for sure, so let's break down the top 10 predictions I have for the upcoming MCU installment. These are things that I THINK will happen, not things I HOPE will happen, although, for a lot of them there is a bit of overlap. They are in order from least likely to most likely.

10. Present-Day Thanos is in Less Than 30 Minute of the Movie: This one might be interesting if it's true. We have seen, in the toys and the promotional material at any rate, no less than one shot of the Mad Titan in "present day", and that was him walking through the field on Titan 2 with the damaged gauntlet. That's it. The only other shots and images of Thanos we've seen are, surprisingly, with his full armor, a repaired arm and gauntlet, and a sword? How does this make any sense, unless this is not the present-day Thanos, but a version of Thanos from the past? It would make sense. At the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War, we see Thanos take off his armor as a symbol of what he's becoming: more powerful than we even know. But in the past, he needed the armor and the weapons to fight. If he only has two stones (which some toys suggest), it stands to reason that he would need the armor. Which all points to this being a past version of Thanos that will antagonize the Avengers in Endgame. 

9. Steve Wields a Form of Mjolnir: Perhaps you may see this more of just a wish, and I can tell you straight up that this is definitely one of the strongest overlaps between "hope and wish". But you have to think about what the MCU has been hinting at and building up to. In Avengers: Age of Ultron, it was strongly hinted that Steve has the capability to at least move Mjolnir. What do we know about the hammer? We know it measures your worthiness in order for you to wield it. Vision is (or was, before he blasted Rhodey out of the sky and fell in love) an essentially perfectly moral being. That's why he was able to wield the hammer. What if, and follow me here, in his final act of heroism, Steve makes the ultimate sacrifice, and that's where Mjolnir decides he's finally worthy? We are traveling to alternate dimensions, or the past, or something o the sort, so who's to say Mjolnir isn't coming back? The Russos are pulling ZERO punches for this film, and I think it's very, very possible. 

8. Steve Dies: Out of the original six, I think if anyone is to die in the upcoming film, it's going to be Steve. We have to look past a "gut feeling" and back to what the previous films have been setting up. What was one of the first acts of bravery that Steve Rogers ever pulled? It was before he was even juiced up on the serum; Tommy Lee Jones threw a fake grenade in the middle of a military camp and Rogers jumped on it. Sacrifice. The first instance of Captain America, not Steve Rogers, that we see is sacrifice. We then see him later willing to die and crash his plane and bury the Tesseract so that millions would survive. If there was one character willing to sacrifice himself and do "whatever it takes" to get his friends, especially Bucky, back from the dead, it's Steve. 

7. (A Version of) The Young Avengers: Whether or not we've realized it, the Young Avengers have been subtlety planted throughout the past 21 movies of the MCU. You may not think we have enough characters to round out a lineup, but we actually do. Let's just assume that there is "dimension hopping" or "time travel" that brings the Avengers to the future. Harley OR Tony and Pepper's daughter (Morgan Stark) could be Iron Man. Cassie Lang is the new Ant-Man (Woman)/Stature like she is in the comics. Monica Rambeau takes the mantle of Captain Marvel. Katherine Langford can be a young Hawkeye. These seeds have been planted all across the MCU for a young group of heroes. And think of the emotional stakes. Let's say Tony goes to this future and realizes in order to save his reality, he has to give up a life with his daughter, Morgan. That would be the most bitter sacrifice, next to giving up his own life, that he could ever make. 

6. Thor Goes to Hel: Isn't it interesting that while all the other main characters are off doing their own things with the Quantum Realm, Thor is not seen? He's usually on his own side-quests. Isn't it also interesting that Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie is confirmed to be in the film? Isn't it also interesting that Hela and the Ancient One have been "confirmed" to show up? What does this point to? I think this points to Thor going to Hel. It's been set up in previous films, namely Age of Ultorn and Ragnarok, and I think in a last ditch effort to revert what Thanos has done, Thor will head, presumably with Rocket and maybe with Captain Marvel to the lowest dimension to see if he can't rescue some old allies (Loki? Perhaps?).

5. The Avengers Fight Thanos (from the past) on Xandar: Stick with me on this one. Because this theory is very oddly specific, but I believe there is precedent and evidence backing this one up. Going back to my earlier prediction, I do believe we're not dealing with a present-day Thanos, but a Thanos pre-Infinity crusade. That's why we see him descending on the planet in the "Special Look" via a portal, not the Space Stone, and why he has his armor and a sword. I think that this version of Thanos is about to ruin Xandar when the Avengers show up to stop him. This might be the final fight. Who knows? But we see a planet that the Sanctuary 2 is hovering over, and it looks like it could be Xandar. It would make sense for the Avengers to go back to the last time that Thanos didn't have any infinity stones and fight him there. There was even a "leaked" scene that detailed the Avengers fighting a losing battle on Xandar against Thanos. I think this one has some legitimacy. 

4. Dimension Hopping: Time travel has been the fan-favorite theory heading into the fourth installment in the Avengers franchise. And while, yes, I do think there is some legitimacy to it, I also think the Russos would be that obvious. I think what would make more sense was using the Quantum Realm to hop between dimensions and realities, which is how the Avengers plan to get their own batch of infinity stones to stop Thanos. I think that somehow, some way, the Avengers are dealing with past events, and I think this is how they get there. 

3. Hulk Goes BESERK: Speaking of things that have been set up, where's Hulk been? Our friendly green goliath has been having some issues as of late, and Endgame looks to bring him back in a BIG way. I think it's almost guaranteed that Hulk is going to finally come out, whether it be through world-breaker Hulk or Professor Hulk, and beat up some fools like we've never seen before. You though you saw the best of him in The Avengers when he was fighting the Leviathan, or in Ragnarok when he was beating up Thor? You haven't seen anything yet. 

2, The Dusted Return (By the Beginning of the Third Act): I think the non-parenthetical part of the prediction is no-brainer. 99 percent sure that this one will happen. So I added caveat to make things a little more interesting. I think that the Avengers will be able to get the dusted back before the end of the second hour. I think that it makes sense to have the dusted back in some capacity so that they can all square off in one grand finale and beat up Thanos. After all, we have to see Spider-Man and Rocket Raccoon for just a little bit, no?

1. Avengers Assemble: But to me, the thing that I'm MOST confident about happening in the film is Captain America uttering the words "Avengers Assemble". Joss Whedon almost gave it to us in Avengers: Age of Ultron, so he's said it before. But if this is Cap's last fim, and if Cap is going ot have a huge role in teh film like the Russos have said, then you can bet a million and a HALF that Steve Rogers is going to turn to the Avengers and say "Avengers Assemble". And I think that alone would be worth the price of admission. 

Avengers: Endgame hits theaters on April 26th, 2019. 

MCU Ranked (Including Captain Marvel)

MCU Ranked (Including Captain Marvel)

A new Marvel film has arrived with this year's Captain Marvel. How does it stack to the rest of the MCU? Let's see where I would put the 21st film in the MCU. Note that this is simply my ranking and is completely subjective; it is not necessarily based on the quality of the film, though in some cases it will be, but rather the kind of experience I have watching the film, whether it was in theaters or on rewatches.

**SPOILER ALERT FOR THE ENTIRE MCU DOWN BELOW. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED**

21. Thor

I don't like Thor. While I don't believe that this is the worst MCU film in terms of quality and performance, something about this film does not appeal to me in the slightest. When watching the film, the character of Thor doesn't come off as relatable, but rather annoying and bratty, which was perhaps the intention, but the execution wasn't so great. Loki wasn't quite hitting his stride and wasn't really the main villain, which made the villain not all that focused. When making this list, I judged these films based on whether or not I'd want to watch this movie right at the moment, and Thor, as per usual, comes at the bottom. 

20. The Incredible Hulk

This movie gets a lot of hate. Is it deserved? Not particularly. For all the hate that it gets (for all intents and purposes, this is the runt of the MCU, the forgotten child), this film is fine. It is structurally sound, has mediocre at best visual effects, decent performances, and a couple average (by MCU standards) villains. So why is it so low on my list? Because it's boring. I talked about this a lot in my rewind review, but this film is absolutely boring. You don't care at all about Edward Norton's Bruce Banner; it's nothing that he did specifically, it's simply the way his character was written. Mark Ruffalo's Banner has a type of charisma that Norton is lacking. Liv Tyler and William Hurt are fine; the villain is a CGI hunk of nonsenses. But other than that, this film is exceedingly boring; there is nothing that stands out about the film except for the "Hulk Smash"; and it was done a lot better in The Avengers. 

19. Iron Man 2

On a completely opposite note from The Incredible Hulk, we have Iron Man 2. Iron Man 2 is almost the complete opposite of The Incredible Hulk because there is so much fundamentally and intrinsically wrong with the film, yet somehow, Robert Downey, Jr., somehow manages to carry the film to being somewhat entertaining. Getting the bad out of the way, Mickey Rourke is absolutely atrocious as the villain. While some other villains may be bland and cookie-cutter thin, whenever I see Iron Man 2, I question what was going on in Feige and Favreau's heads when they watched the footage back. His performance is next-level bad. The plot is a complete mess; there is nearly nothing coherent, and the party scene with Tony is one of the worst in the MCU. These alone should have dumped this film right down to the last spot, as well as numerous other things. BUT, for some reason, whenever Tony Stark, Pepper Potts, and company are interacting on screen, it makes it watchable. Whatever they're doing, you feel invested simply because Tony is just such a compelling character. So, Iron Man 2 lands on the number 19 spot.  

18. Thor: The Dark World

This film is another MCU film that gets a bad rap, and I can see why. But regardless of what everyone else says, this isn't the worst way to spend a couple hours. Granted, that's not the quote that anyone wants for their movie on the back of the Blu-Ray, but this film isn't really the worst way to spend your time. It's not nearly the best, hence why it's so low, but it's a "fine, blah" movie. The villain is awful, but not atrocious. The humor is very hit and miss. Loki is the saving grace of the movie; around this time was when everyone started to love the character. I argue that Thor was also very good, just given bad dialogue. I understand why Hemsworth was getting tired of the character, but he was finally starting to find a nice little niche that he expanded on in Thor: Ragnarok. Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis are nothing character and the B-plot with Selvig is ridiculous. Like I said, just a very "blah" movie. 

17. Iron Man 3

Iron Man 3 gets a lot of hate. You either love it or you hate it. And I am one of those who don't have either opinion about the film. I think it's fine. There are some sequences that are absolutely brilliant; for example, the Mark 42 is my favorite suit out of all of them. Tat being said, there are some sequences that I think are atrocious, such as the Mandarin twist. Unlike most people, I don't think the twist ruins the entire film, but I do think that it's one of the weirdest, worst sequences in the MCU. The villains are weak, and at a certain point in the movie, I was only watching because of Tony and his tech, not the actual story. The scenes with the kid, Harley, weren't that great either and there was really no point for Tony to be hanging out with him. Overall, there are some good laughs and entertainment, especially in the first thirty to forty minutes, but after that, it goes downhill. 

16. Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2

This is a film that you can watch once, enjoy for what it is, and forget about it. It's not as good as the first movie in my opinion, simply because it suffers from the same thing as Ant-Man and the Wasp does, which is lack of a sense of urgency. There isn't this impending doom or rising stakes, no matter how low, that are coming upon the film. Even though it is a more personal story between Peter and Ego, I do think that the over reliance on jokes does begin to show itself eventually. I do think this is the point on the list where I can classify these films as "good"; I don't quite consider the previous films to be "good", just enjoyable. I think what saves this movie is the ending scene with Yondu and Peter, as both actors (Pratt and Rooker) really do sell the emotion. 

15. Ant-Man

The first Ant-Man was a revelation. Much like Guardians of the Galaxy, this brought forth a new corner of the MCU. It showed us that we could have small-time heroes in their own little part of the universe. I think what really sells this movie is Paul Rudd; he has such an absolute charisma about him that completely relates you to him even before any of his character is revealed. He is the epitome of the "good, average Joe". I think that he carries this film. Additionally, having Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lily, as well as the wonderful Michael Pena make a great supporting cast. But the first time I saw this film, what stood out the most was the shrinking technology that was utilized; when we saw it for the first time used in such creative ways, it was so great to see. So Ant-Man settles in on the number 15 spot in the list. 

14. Captain America: The First Avenger

While the second and third Captain America films usually get all the love, this film deserves a lot of credit. It sets up the true mascot, the true icon, heart and soul of the MCU. Steve Rogers is the true epitome of a hero and a good person, and this film shows what he's made of. While it may seem low at number 14, that's simply a testament to how good Marvel has been. This is a really good movie. There are parts where it slows down considerably, and yes the action isn't the best. But other than that, there's nothing else that is really wrong with the film. Red Skull is a great villain and is underrated in my opinion. A quality film, if I do say so myself. 

13. Ant-Man and the Wasp

The 20th film in the MCU slots in very nicely at number 13. I believe that this is a better film than the first one, just by a little bit. It improves on the first villain considerably with the Ghost character. I won't say much about the film that I haven't said in the review, posted on the blog, but I'll quick touch upon a few things. The humor is wonderful, the pacing is a little slow, but the dynamics between the characters are awesome as usual. Michael Pena steals the show again and Michelle Pfeiffer is a welcome addition to the MCU. It's one of the rare films in the MCU that isn't connected to anything and I believe that truly benefits it as it tells a truly self-contained story. 

12. Guardians of the Galaxy

I didn't like Guardians of the Galaxy as much as I thought I would when I rewatched it. The villain, Ronan the Accuser, is rather weak, and the third act was slightly messy and convoluted. I honestly felt after watching the movie that it was all a set up just to introduce the power stone, but in the middle of it, was a story. But more than the story were the characters, and what truly set this film apart was that it managed to set five characters that all had their own individual personalities and arcs and give them a compelling reason to be part of the same group. Oh, and did I mention that one of them is a talking tree and raccoon? 

11. Avengers: Age of Ultron

I think that this is the most underrated film in the MCU. I think that it gets more hate than it deserves. I used to think that Captain America: The First Avenger was the most underrated, but then I rewatched Age of Ultron. It definitely has its flaws. At certain points throughout the film the stakes overtake the feasibility. I think that there are too many quips for the film's own good. That being said, I was utterly shocked at how purely entertaining I found the film. There's so much enjoyment to be had; yes, the B-plot with Vision and Thor isn't the best. But the characters on their own, as well as interacting with each other are wonderful. The Hulk and Iron Man fight in the middle is superb, although it does feel like Whedon just wanted an excuse to see that on the big screen. Ultron was a much better villain than I remember him being, although he still isn't the best, but overall, this makes for a seriously fun ride, and nothing more than that. 

10. Captain Marvel

Some critics say Captain Marvel is one of the poorest entries in the MCU in a good lone while. I would like to disagree. The fact that it's at spot number 10 is not a discredit to the film but more a credit to the nine that are ahead. Captain Marvel doesn't necessarily have an oomph that a lot of other MCU films have, but it does almost everything well. It has great characters, an intriguing story, and a lot of nice little surprises. On top of that, Talos is one of the best "villains" the MCU has ever produced, with Ben Mendelssohn owning the role. Carol Danvers only had one shot at making her entrance, and I think she stuck the landing. 

9. Black Panther

Black Panther seemed to get too much hype for its own good. I think that the film is great; I think that what it does so well is send deep, controversial, yet important messages in a way that's subtle and open to the audience. On top of that, Chadwick Boseman gives an awesome performance, as well as supporting players Danai Gurrira and Letitia Wright. Michael B. Jordan gives one of the best performances of his career as Erik Killmonger, and the pure Wakandan aspects of the film show that you can build a world in one movie. The world of Wakanda is so truly vibrant and alive, and that's one of the things that I love most about it. Oh, and the Vibraniuim technology is awesome. 

8. Iron Man

The film that started it all about ten years ago, the first Iron Man holds up so incredibly well. Yes, Jeff Bridges goes a little nuts at the end of the movie and it turns into a CGI robot slugfest. But the first hour and a half, hour and forty minutes are nearly flawless. There is drive, there is purpose, and there is motivation behind almost every single scene. Robert Downey Jr. gives the resurgence performance of a lifetime. His chemistry with Gwyneth Paltrow makes the film what it is. And seeing the original Iron Man suits in action are some of the best sequences in the entire MCU. Seeing the Mark III suit up for the first time was something that I wish I could see for the first time over and over again. There's some kind of lightning in a bottle that Favreau captured, which makes this the film that it is.  

7. Doctor Strange

I didn't remember liking Doctor Strange that much the first time I saw it. But then when I saw it again, I loved it. This is the part of the list where I truly love all the films from here on out. Doctor Strange benefits from some of the best performances in the MCU with brilliant actors Benedict Cumberbath, Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton, and Mads Mikkelsen. Now, granted, Kaecillius isn't the best villain, and Dormammu isn't the greatest either, but the fact of the matter is that they're not quite consequential to eh story, at least not as much as other films. This is truly a story about Doctor Stephen Strange finding his way through the mystic arts, and you really get to connect with all the characters. And the action is some of the best in the MCU besides Civil War and Winter Soldier. 

6. Avengers

If Iron Man was lightning in a bottle, then this first Avengers film was something else. There is no replicating watching this film for the first time. The first fifteen to twenty minutes are a little shaky, but once it picks up, it really gets going. Seeing this group of characters that were built up before in the previous phase, and seeing how they would interact was something that was unprecedented. The fight scenes are surreal, and above all, the villain, Loki, is phenomenal. Next to Thanos, who dethroned him this year in Infinity War, Loki is the most compelling, scary, and cunning villains in the MCU. 

5. Thor: Ragnarok

While I think that the first Avengers is a monumental movie, I think nothing beats the pure entertainment value of the third film in the Thor franchise. This film is a blast from beginning to end, nothing else to it. Yes, there's not much emotional depth in the movie, but there is not a single sequence in the entire movie that bored me. The fight with Hulk and Thor was awesome, as well as any scene with the Grandmaster. Loki, Thor, and Valkyrie make such a great team, and although Hela isn't the best, in the end it doesn't matter that much because this movie is so much fun. 

 4. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

This was the first movie that I saw in the MCU that I truly realized how brilliant the MCU was. This film is nearly perfect; there are just a few things that are missing. The main villains, Winter Soldier and Pierce, aren't the best, though they do do the trick. The color palette is very dark and grey. And the fake death of Nick Fury we all saw coming. THAT BEING SAID, there are so many awesome things about this movie; the action is absolutely incredible, as well as the acting from Evans, Johansson, and Mackie. There are some compelling, emotional scenes and through-lines, especially with Steve and Bucky. This film is the darkest, grittiest MCU film in my opinion, and it deserves the number four spot. 

3. Spider-Man: Homecoming

The third incarnation of Spider-Man, and they got it right. Not only that, they got it nearly perfect. This film is almost COMPLETELY perfect. There isn't anything particularly emotionally deep about the film, but to be quite honest, this movie might jump over Civil War as the number two MCU film. The villain is awesome, Michael Keaton does an amazing job as Vulture, and watching Peter in high school being a normal kid was such a blast to watch. The humor works great, and I think this is almost the complete package. The ONE leg up Civil War and Infinity War have over this film is the action (coincidentally, my top three films all have Holland's Parker), but other than that, this film is awesome. 

2. Captain America: Civil War

The film that was my number one MCU film since 2016, Captain America: Civil War had nearly everything. It had heart, depth, political intrigue, friendships torn, great action, wonderful humor. There wasn't much the Russos didn't do with this film, and on top of actually doing these things, they did them spectacularly. The airport battle scene is head and shoulders above any action scene in the MCU thus far. Tony Stark is a great supporting player and antagonist but this is Steve's movie. This is a movie about Steve coming to terms with the ideals of loyalty and friendship and where his true loyalties lie. The ONE thing this film lacks is a strong antagonist, and I believe if they had cut out the Zemo character, good as he may be, then the film would be nearly perfect. But the Zemo character was a typically weak villain from the MCU, which is why the number one film has a leg up on this one. And the number one is...

1. Avengers: Infinity War

Many have criticized Avengers: Infinity War for not being a complete film; it was merely a compilation of events that were put together. And maybe they're right; they probably are. But the fact of the matter is that at the end of the day, the film that I want to watch the most out of these twenty film is this one. This was such a satisfying compilation of all these different narratives coming together in an unprecedented way. The interactions between the characters were priceless, and the action was superb. I think that, yes, at times you can definitely feel the weight of the film, but it picks right back up. Besides, you're never bored watching any part; every single scene has some value and some weight and purpose, which makes this the perfect "MCU" film.  

Top Ten #22 - Top Ten Characters in Captain Marvel

Top Ten #22 - Top Ten Characters in Captain Marvel

Captain Marvel continues Marvel's success of introducing great characters into the fray. But some are better than others. This list looks at ten important characters in the film and how they rank. This is completely my opinion and subjective; you are entitled to your own opinion, as you should be with all other lists of this nature. Let's get into it.

10. Ronan the Accuser: I'm not going to lie. There are no spoilers in this post, but Ronan the Accuser has a nothing role. He could have been taken out and you would've barely noticed. That's not to say that seeing him again wasn't nice; as much as I don't really like him in Guardians of the Galaxy, it's great to see MCU villains returning. But at the same time, what was the point of him being in the movie? Next to nothing, if you ask me. 

9. Annette Bening's Character: Continuing with the trend of no spoilers, we have Annette Bening. Her character is more important that I had originally thought, so it's not exactly the same criteria that I have with Ronan. I just thought that the performance was extremely bland and forgettable, and there wasn't much character arc invested in at all. There was so much that you could have gone into, and maybe in a future installment, there will be more backstory. But for this film? She was completely underwhelming.

8. Jude Law's Character: You know, with all the hype surrounding who Jude Law would be playing (no spoilers), regardless of his name, his character was of little consequence. Jude Law is a world class actor, make no mistake. So it surprised how incredibly one-note and boring his performance was. There was almost no subtlety with his performance. It's not entirely his fault, granted. The script and screenplay don't really do him any favors. BUT, judging the character on the whole, combining the performance and the character itself, I was even more underwhelmed than I was for the previous two. 

7. Monica Rambeau: The young daughter of Maria Rambeau, she doesn't have much to do in the film. The danger with child actors and children in film is that they usually are bad actors and can take you out of a movie. Luckily, the young girl playing Monica Rambeau was enjoyable. She had charm, wit, and energy, and was likable enough when she was onscreen. She will presumably have a much bigger role in the future, for those of you who know the comics, but for now, she was fun to watch bounce off Carol. 

6. Phil Coulson: Another character that we were looking forward to seeing again in Captain Marvel was Phil Coulson. We last saw him in the MCU films in The Avengers. And while when he was onscreen, he was great as usual, Clark Gregg wasn't given much to do either. This is really a movie of wasted potential. But then again, Coulson didn't really need to do much. It's the case of "why did it have to be Coulson? It could've been anyone" versus "if you had this type of character, might as well have been Coulson". Then again, am I ever going to complain about seeing Gregg play this character onscreen? Absolutely not.

5. Maria Rambeau: Surprisingly, Maria Rambeau, Carol's connection Earth, was a very emotionally satisfying and fulfilling character. She is Carol's connection to her life before space, and when she returns to Earth, Maria is what brings her back. It's refreshing to see a friendship be a connection between a powerful character and her humanity. Lynch's performance was strong, and just what it needed to be.  

4. Carol Danvers: For what it's worth, Larson's Carol Danvers is not fourth on the list as a discredit to her performance. Many argue that her performance was bland, dull, one-note, and even terrible. I argue that she brings the same sort of charisma that Chris Evans does to his role as Steve Rogers, and then some. That sass that she has, mixed with the stoic desire to do good makes for a compelling character, and a leader. You can easily see how she would be able to lead a team that even included A-list Avengers. She's going to ft right in to Avengers: Endgame and the future of the MCU.

3. Nick Fury: Nick Fury is a hardened character who has seen his fair share when we catch up with him in "present"-day, come the first Iron Man. But in the 1990s, Fury was a working man, moving his way up the ranks of SHIELD. Samuel L. Jackson doesn't just play Nick Fury, or even a caricature of himself. He plays Nick Fury thirty years ago. A young, jovial spirit who sees everything for the first time and is introduced to the world of superheroes and space. He and Larson play so incredibly well off of each other, and Jackson knows just went to put that little jaded edge to the character, before reverting back to the happy-go-lucky SHIELD agent. It's not the Nick Fury that we have come to know and love, but it's Nick Fury all the same. 

2. Goose: This cat might have single-handedly carried this movie up a few notches. The only reason that he's not number one was because there wasn't necessarily any character development, but can you blame the filmmakers? There's no need. Regardless, this cat stole every single scene he was in. That's all I'm going to say. Because that's all you need to know. 

1. Talos: What surprised me most about Talos was the subtlety of the character. Ben Mendelssohn does an amazing job with characters like this, broken characters who have a storied past that fuels their motivation. Talos is not your typical villain. Far from it. The way this character was written and the way he was performed was so different in the best possible way.  I don't know why I ever doubted that this character could be this good; I suppose it's the stigma of "Marvel villains" - but Talos stole the show. Hands down.

The 2018 Blockbuster Awards

The 2018 Blockbuster Awards

Ladies and Gentlemen, 2018 has come to a close. As 2019 brings its fair share of gargantuan movies, time to look back on some of the best and worst that big-budget filmmaking had to offer us. Here are my picks for the first annual "Blockbuster Awards"! Keep in mind that these picks are not definitive and are completely subjective. This is my opinion. Enjoy~

Most Disappointing and Worst Blockbuster of 2018: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindewald

Most Average and Forgettable Blockbuster: Solo: A Star Wars Story

Most Overhyped Blockbuster: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Most Unique/"Out There" Blockbuster: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Best Popcorn Flick: Aquaman

Best Visual Effects: Aquaman

Biggest Miscast: Peter Dinklage as Eitri (Avengers: Infinity War)

Best Performance (Male): Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther)

Best Performance (Female): Emily Blunt (Mary Poppins Returns)

Best Score: Mary Poppins Returns

Biggest Laugh: Violet and the Water (Incredibles 2)

Biggest Shock Twist: The Snap (Avengers: Infinity War)

Best Villain: Thanos (Josh Brolin - Avengers: Infinity War)

Best Story/Pacing: Incredibles 2

Best Character Development: Incredibles 2

Best Script: Avengers: Infinity War

Best Picture: Avengers: Infinity War

Top Ten Blockbusters of 2018

Top Ten Blockbusters of 2018

As this site is Access Blockbuster, I make it a point to watch as many of the big blockbusters that come out every year. While I was not able to see all of them, I did see enough to make a top ten list. I like to think that a blockbuster will qualify as a film that has a budget of at least 100 million, or at the very least, films that have a mass appeal and big promotional campaign. With that being said, here are my top 10 favorite blockbusters from 2018. I will not go into detail on these; this is just a list. Reviews for almost all of these films are on the site if you would like to know my in-depth thoughts on each one. Available reviews for each one will be linked. 

10. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

9. Bumblebee

8. Wreck-It Ralph 2: Ralph Breaks the Internet

7. Ant-Man and the Wasp

6. Mary Poppins Returns

5. Black Panther

4. Deadpool 2

3. Mission: Impossible - Fallout

2. Incredibles 2

1. Avengers: Infinity War