I reviewed Absolute Batman vols. 1 and 2 around a month ago. Needless to say it made quite an impression. It remains my favorite of the Absolute comics that I've read so far.
I recently read more of the Absolute titles, and what you see below are my thoughts on each. I've ranked these titles from most to least liked. Here we go!
1. Absolute Wonder Woman vols. 1 and 2 by Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman and Others.
Man, there are some great moments in this series. There are things that bring a smile to your face, and things that feel gratifying. I found myself very invested in this version of an oft over-complicated character, and I was glad they could give her a fresh start.
With Wonder Woman there are often uneasy compromises between Greek mythology, the modern world, modern attitudes, and a tendency to (over) sexualize the character. Kelly Thompson obviates any such compromises by putting Diana solidly within Greco-Roman mythology, and by asserting her presence in the modern world as if it were a self-evident fact.
Steve Trevor, however, seems like a character cut out from a rom-com. Even so this is a small complaint, and moreover one that could be addressed in future issues. He only needs some tiny flaw to make him more convincing.
There has been criticism that this title features too much exposition in its later issues. I'd agree with that. Some of these later issues do need a little less "tell" and a lot more "show."
2. Absolute Martian Manhunter vol. 1 by Deniz Camp, Javier Rodriguez and Others
Javier Rodriguez is, as of now, my favorite artist. The story which unfolds in Absolute Martian Manhunter is a little confusing at times, but I suppose that was to some extent the point. I really enjoyed the battle between the two heavies near the end, and the contrast between John Jones and his alien counterpart is very compelling.
I wonder, however, if the writer didn't paint himself into a corner with this one. How would it continue? How would this character/storyline blend with others? As it is it seems more like a pocket universe within the larger Absolute continuity, and with vol. 1's tale told I'm not sure what more there is to say about the character.
3. Absolute Green Lantern vol. 1 by Al Ewing, Jahnoy Lindsay and Others
I am not now nor have I ever been a big Green Lantern fan. I always thought his (and it's usually a "his") powers were a little silly. And don't get me started on all the different colors of the spectrum and the related nonsense. To me all those differently colored lanterns are just a step removed from the Speed Force so often invoked in more recent Flash comics.
And yet I loved this series. Volume 1 (I haven't yet read Volume 2) offers a great mythos on which to build future adventures, and even if Green Lantern's mythos isn't quite as good (or consistent) as Wonder Woman's it's still very well thought out and promises many good stories in the future.
I doubt Absolute Batman will be dethroned anytime soon, but I could see Absolute Green Lantern supplanting Absolute Wonder Woman a few issues down the line. It replaces an old system of magic with a new one, sure, but the new system is WAY cooler.
4. Absolute Superman by...?
I've only read bits of this one online, but what I read seemed very political and heavy-handed. I may return to it in the future.
I'm not a big fan of Jason Aaron though. I doubt my opinion of this series will change much upon further readings.
5. Absolute Flash by...?
What a disappointment. As in the case of Absolute Superman I've only read parts of this series, but nothing I've read has impressed me. The Flash is my all-time favorite superhero, and I think the Absolute line let him down.
Part of my problem with Absolute Flash is that there is a definite hole in the Absolute line up that could have been filled by this title. In Absolute Batman you've got VIOLENCE, in Absolute Wonder Woman and Absolute Green Lantern you've got magic, and in Absolute Martian Manhunter you've got a kind of surreal psychology that acts as a counterpoint to what's going on in Absolute Batman. Absolute Flash could have rounded out this collection by being a more science-oriented title, crafting a more rational/scientific world around a character with impossible abilities.
But no, they didn't do that. Not really.
Bonus points for NO Speed Force however, at least not yet. That's a welcome change.
6. Absolute Catwoman by...?
Haven't read any of these. Could be interesting.
7. Absolute Green Arrow by...?
Haven't read any of these either. Cool costume though. There's always something a little silly about heroes walking around with bows and arrows in a world full of machine guns, but hey, maybe the creators manage to make that particular trope convincing.
8. Other Titles
Again, haven't read any. There are several one-shots and the DC All-In Special which inaugurated the line.
For reviews of older superhero movies click here and here. It felt like it was time to get rid of the "baggage" those older entries carried, so I started again from October 2018's Venom.
Of course the coronavirus has disrupted the film industry between the last entry and this one, but it's 2020 nevertheless and I still feel that superhero movies have lost a lot of their novelty. I'm not saying they've gotten worse, I'm not saying they're going to decline in popularity, but I am saying that from this point onward I'll be more inclined to view them as just films, and judge them on their own merits.
Superhero Movies On The Way
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023 in the States)
Shazam! Fury of the Gods (June 2023 in the States)
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2022 in the States)
Aquaman 2 (December 2022 in the States)
Captain Marvel 2 (November 2022 in the States)
The Flash (November 2022 in the States)
Black Panther II (July 2022 in the States)
Thor: Love and Thunder (May 2022 in the States)
Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness (March 2022)
The Batman (March 2022 in the States)
Spider-Man: Far From Home sequel (December 2021 in the States)
Eternals (November 2021 in the States) The Suicide Squad (August 2021 in the States) Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (July 2021 in the States) Venom: Let There Be Carnage (Taiwan Release Date Unknown, June 2021 in the States)
Black Widow (April 30, 2020 in Taiwan, May 2021 in the States)
Morbius, the Living Vampire (March 2021 in both Taiwan and the States)
Wonder Woman 1984
What I Liked: The movie makes a lot of emotional if not logical sense. It's a lot like Avengers: Endgame that way. Gal Gadot is making great strides as an actress, and Kristen Wiig (one of my favorite actresses) was an excellent choice for Cheetah. The fight at the end was well done, and the movie feels conclusive in a way that the first didn't.
What I Didn't Like: I felt like Maxwell Lord's character could have been realized better. He never seemed to have enough motivation to do what he was doing. The subplot involving his son hits all the right notes, but impoverished beginnings wasn't enough to explain his great ambition.
A couple other things bothered me, namely: why was a fighter jet parked with a full tank of fuel in the Smithsonian parking lot? And what was the deal with her suddenly being able to turn things invisible? At a certain point in the movie you have to throw physics out the window, but those two details really bothered me.
Future/Sequels: The next DC film will be James Gunn's The Suicide Squad in August. After that it's a LONG wait before we finally (hopefully) see The Flash. As far as Wonder Woman goes, there's an Amazons movie planned, and sometime after that Wonder Woman 3 will appear.
The New Mutants
What I Liked: It was better than I thought it would be. The general atmosphere and the way in which the characters relate to each other is in line with what writer Chris Claremont did in the comics. Anya Taylor-Joy is good as Magick, even though her one-liners near the end made me cringe.
What I Didn't Like: This movie just doesn't give itself enough time to get going. A good horror movie is all about building up tension, and there's precious little tension in this movie. As it is the "bad guys" (who are obviously not the real bad guys) just appear out of nowhere, there's a giant bear, and then the movie just ends. Do we blame director Josh Boone for that? Or Fox? Or Marvel? I have no idea.
Future/Sequels: Nope. Marvel owns this property now, and the best anyone could hope for is an offhand reference in the next, Marvel-produced Deadpool. IF that movie ever happens.
Bloodshot
What I Liked: A guy movie if there ever was one. If you liked any of The Fast and the Furious franchise you'll probably like this one too. It's a solid action film. Oh, and the actress that co-stars alongside Vin Diesel is achingly beautiful.
What I Didn't Like: That "underwater kata" scene is unintentionally hilarious. It doesn't quite derail the entire movie, but it seemed like an odd choice. Why was that necessary for Guy Pearce's plot to work?
Future/Sequels: A Valiant Cinematic Universe? There were plans for Bloodshot 2, two Harbinger movies, and then a movie featuring both Bloodshot and Harbinger. As of now Harbinger has moved to Paramount Pictures, so all of that's uncertain.
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
What I Liked: The fight scenes are cool. Ewan McGregor - in what little screen time this movie can afford him - makes a great villain.
What I Didn't Like: Everything else. As a character Harley Quinn is a complete enigma - and not in an interesting way. Huntress and Black Canary are far easier to relate to, but again, Harley Quinn's endless monologues push them into the background. To top it off this movie is terribly, existentially boring.
Future/Sequels: Lord I hope not. Wonder Woman 1984 is due this summer, and James Gunn's The Suicide Squad is due next year, but if the directors of those movies have any sense they'll distance their films from this one.
Joker
What I Liked: This movie is brilliant. Joaquin Phoenix doesn't disappoint, and director Todd Philips more than rises to the occasion. Just the way the title pops up in the beginning is masterful. This is the kind of movie that sparks debates, avoids safe choices, and gets people riled up. It's also a harrowing portrait of both one man's struggle with mental illness and the uncaring nature of the society he lives in.
What I Didn't Like: This is a small complaint, but I think this movie tried a bit too hard to tie the Joker into the larger Batman mythos. Having Thomas Wayne in the movie was enough; there was no need to include other members of the Wayne family.
Future/Sequels: Please Joaquin Phoenix, DON'T do another one. And don't appear in anything else Batman-related. This one was just about perfect the way it was. Just leave it there and it'll age like wine.
Spider-Man: Far From Home
What I Liked: Zendaya. She was my favorite thing about this movie. Her character holds the whole thing together. Without MJ this movie wouldn't make a lot of sense.
Also Mysterio's illusions. I don't think I'm giving any plot points away when I mention them. His illusions are some of the more visually impressive things in the MCU.
And speaking Mysterio's illusions, the battle at the end is great. Setting this battle in London was a good choice.
What I Didn't Like: You can see the plot twist coming from a mile away. Maybe not calling him "Mysterio" right of the bat would have helped.
Future/Sequels: A third one seems likely. Still no word as to whether this take on Spider-man will tie into Sony's other Spiderverse films.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix
Got bored and saw it the other day. It was blazing hot outside, and there wasn't much else to do. What I Liked: For one thing it wasn't nearly as bad as some of the reviews would lead you to believe. It's definitely NOT great, but if you were able to sit through Apocalypse you'll be able to sit through this one. It's actually not bad up until Jean visits the house, though after that point... What I Didn't Like: At times this movie just doesn't make sense. WHY do the cops show up after Jean visits that house? And WHY do the two mutant factions fight in New York? And WHY do the aliens insist on boarding the train from the other end, when they're clearly walking all along its length, thus making it incredibly easy for the X-Men to fight them off? To make things worse, Sophie Turner really can't carry a movie. Watching her interact with some of the other, more talented cast members is truly cringeworthy. As bad as this movie is, it's still better than X3, and yet I found myself missing Famke Janssen throughout the film. Most inexplicable of all is Magneto. First he says revenge is wrong and that he's given up on it. Then someone gets killed and he's all about revenge again. Then he learns about the Phoenix Force and he's all about saving Jean. This, and that magnetism/telekinesis battle between him and Jean is the most unintentionally hilarious thing I've seen in a long time. Future/Sequels: As far as anyone knows, The New Mutants is still coming out next year. After that it'll be a long wait before we see Marvel Studios' take on the same set of characters.
Avengers: Endgame
What I Liked: Everything. This movie is awesome from beginning to end.
What I Didn't Like: Only two (very small) complaints: 1) Bruce and Nebula's explanation for their "heist" probably isn't going to satisfy anyone who bothers to think it through, and 2) the part at the end where all the "Marvel superheroines" line up and go into battle seems a bit too much like checking off an item on a checklist.
Future/Sequels: The next MCU offering is Spider-Man: Far From Home later this summer. No other films have been given a release date as yet. I think it's fair to say that Marvel will make a big announcement soon.
Hellboy
What I Liked: Uh... it's more... British than the original? That's good, right? More interesting? And uh... the fight with the giants is kind of cool. Brief but cool. This movie has the quirkiness that made the Mignola comics good. Upping the gore was also a good idea. Not sure about the humor though. Seems like they should have doubled down on that part. Making this movie funnier would have also differentiated it from the original. As it is it strays too close to the Del Toro version. What I Didn't Like: It's pretty bad right from the beginning. For me the worst thing was the sequence explaining Hellboy's origins. This part of the movie ventures so close to Del Toro's version that you can't help but compare this one to that one, and this one is always going to suffer by comparison. They should have avoided that altogether. Future/Sequels: Ha ha not likely.
Shazam!
What I Liked: Zachary Levi and Asher Angel are both examples of great casting, the story is well thought out, and the battle at the end takes some interesting twists and turns. I consider Shazam! a vast improvement over Aquaman, which was trying to do too much in too short a time, and also Captain Marvel, which was in my opinion one hot mess of a movie. Shazam! is much smaller-scale compared to those other two films, but its smallness works to its advantage. It's very focused and to the point.
Mark Strong, who was wasted on Martin Campbell's Green Lantern, has much more to do in Shazam! Even if his reasons for being "evil" aren't that well thought out, he's still a good (bad) villain.
What I Didn't Like: The battle at the end goes on a bit too long. I think shortening it would have made for a better movie. The introduction of the rest of the Marvel Family feels a bit rushed, even if it was gratifying to see them onscreen together.
Future/Sequels: No definite plans for any sequels as yet, but one of Shazam's other villains is introduced in a post-credits scene. It's early to say, but I think this movie will be well received and I'd be surprised if a sequel isn't announced soon.
Captain Marvel
What I Liked: There's a part about halfway through, when Carol Danvers is reunited with an old friend. In that part you can see Brie Larson's skill as an actress. The fight on the spaceship near the end is oddly satisfying, but some of my satisfaction may have to do with 90s soundtrack, and the fact that I was a much younger guy when those songs were everywhere. Nostalgia, in other words.
What I Didn't Like: Going back to the comic books, I never found Carol Danvers especially interesting, and this movie did nothing to change my mind. Really, what is her reason for doing anything in this film? At what point does her character change or make any real kind of discovery? She's also so much more powerful than anyone she comes up against in this movie. There's no sense of threat when "danger" strikes. Jude Law? Nope. The Skrulls? Not really. Ronan the Accuser? Their confrontation is a non-event. I've also got to say, the explanation given for Nick Fury losing his eye really bothered me. It's always seemed like this event should be of crucial importance, but in the movie it's explained in such an offhand manner. The randomness of this explanation diminished the entire film.
Future/Sequels: Strap yourself in because Avengers: Endgame is less than two months away. After Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home Marvel has announced no other films, though if Captain Marvel does well I'm sure we'll see a sequel. I've heard a lot of talk about an Eternals movie, but we'll see. I think what's going to make or break a Captain Marvel sequel is the Asian market, especially China. If it goes over big in Beijing and Shanghai (as Aquaman did) you can be sure there will be another one. If, however, this movie fails to find an audience in such places, I imagine Kevin Feige will start vaguely alluding to "future adventures" without making any real commitment.
Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
Does this one count? Batman and the Justice League are in it. It also features the newer and older versions of Aquaman. What I Liked: It's a funny movie, though not as good as the first. This said, it's not nearly as hyper as the first one, which might be a relief for those who found the first film slightly overwhelming. What I Didn't Like: It does drag a bit toward the end. It's weird to say, but I found myself having to really concentrate on Lego Movie 2. There are SO many references, to so many things, that after the first hour my brain got tired. Future/Sequels: There might be a sequel to the Lego Batman movie, though there's no release date as yet. There might also be The Billion Brick Race.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
What I Liked: Everything. In my opinion this movie's awesome from start to finish. The characters, the plot, the animation, the soundtrack, all of it's great. I suppose it depends on how it does financially, but Spider-Verse could be a real game-changer for CBMs. For me the best part of the film was the Bill Sienkiewicz-inspired sequence halfway through. I've been a huge fan of that guy for years, and seeing his art animated almost brought tears to my eyes. That version of the Kingpin? That's all Bill Sienkiewicz. What I Didn't Like: Small complaint: no Spider-Woman. I've always liked Spider-Woman more than Spider-Man, and it would've been wonderful to see Jessica Drew (finally) show up in this movie. Future/Sequels: There's talk that Spider-Woman could feature in the sequel alongside Spider-Gwen and Silk, but such plans are tentative of course. It's entirely possible that a sequel would feature Spider-Man 2099 instead.
Aquaman
What I Liked: Atlantis looks cool. Amber Heard is easy on the eyes. The battle in the end - aside from a ridiculous pause in the action for a predictably romantic moment - looks amazing. What I Didn't Like: Weird moments of exposition. Instead of showing the audience what's happening/has happened, the characters in this movie often feel the need to stop whatever they're doing and explain things. The only part of this movie where the action flows seamlessly is when Aquaman and Black Manta have their big showdown halfway through. The part in the beginning about Aquaman's parents could have been removed entirely. It adds absolutely nothing to the story, and starting the movie from the adult Aquaman's first appearance would have made a lot more sense. This movie gets dumber as it goes along. By the end I was laughing at certain scenes and bits of dialogue, and I wasn't the only one. And before someone chimes in with "at least it doesn't take itself so seriously," let's remember there's a difference between laughing WITH a movie and laughing AT a movie. The small ray of hope being that it's not as terrible as Justice League. Not that this is saying much. Future/Sequels: Shazam!, also set in the DCEU, will be out in a few months. After that it's a long wait until Wonder Woman 1984. Aquaman 2? It's kind of early to tell, but the movie's been doing well in China, and those wanting a completely brainless superhero romp will be all over this one.
Venom
What I Liked: After a really clunky beginning there are some great action sequences. Everything after Venom shows up is much better than the 15 minutes that try (and fail) to set up the story. The fight between Venom and Riot near the end is very good. What I Didn't Like: That beginning part. It feels like they weren't sure what kind of movie they were making. Horror? Action? Science fiction? Going more for the "body horror" elements would have improved the film, and the spaceship/alien invasion subplot could have been dispensed with altogether. As clunky as the beginning is, the dialogue throughout the movie is by far the worst part. None of the actors seem at ease with what they're saying, and a couple of lines are unintentionally hilarious. Future/Sequels: There are plans for a sequel with Woody Harrelson's Carnage in a bigger role. I think that after setting up the general premise, a sequel is bound to be better. Harrelson would also make a great villain. Last I heard, Sony's next comic-based movie will be Morbius the Living Vampire, with Jared Leto as Morbius. There may be some crossover between Venom and Morbius. Related Entries:
With various DC movies in various stages of production, I've decided to shorten this list. It begins with Batman Begins. For still older movies (and yes, I've seen them all!), look here.
****
Excellent!Had to see it twice!
***
Good movie with a few flaws.
**
Not bad, but not great.
*
I’d watch it once if I was bored enough.
[no stars]
Just terrible.
@
So bad it’s kind of good.
2000s
18. Batman Begins (2005) ****
Hell yes. This
was a movie Batman as we always wanted to see him. Not the neurotic guy
with all the gadgets, but the kind of guy who could kick your ass. The
scarecrow is awesome here. 19. V for Vendetta (2005) ***
Great
film, made by the Wachowskis of Matrix fame. Hugo Weaving is
fantastic, and even if they dumbed down the source material it's still
worth your time. 20. Superman Returns (2006) **
Not
as bad as some people make it out to be. Yeah, Superman does come off
as a stalker, and I don't know why they had to do so many of his flying
scenes in CGI, but the part where Kevin Spacy and co. deliver a beatdown
is excellent.
21. The Dark Knight (2008) ****
Still hands-down the best superhero movie ever made. And yes, I liked The Avengers.
The plot is complex, the performances are amazing, and the direction is
first-rate. How could Nolan have ever topped this one? 22. The Spirit (2008)
Fuck this movie is bad. I saw Sin City so many times I had the lines memorized, and with The Spirit I
was hoping for something similarly classic. Unfortunately, Frank
Miller isn't quite as good in the absence of Robert
Rodriguez.
23. Watchmen (2009) ***
Two
problems with this movie: the actors are too pretty, and way too much
kung fu fighting. Aside from these two problems, it is faithful to the
comic book and works on many levels. Snyder might have bungled Sucker Punch, but this movie gave me hope for Man of Steel.
2010s
24. Jonah Hex (2010) *
Josh
Brolin stars as an ex-confederate soldier who can talk to dead people.
John Malkovich is the villain. It was almost a good movie, but the
soundtrack ruins the better moments and it gets pretty corny near the
end.
25. Green Lantern (2011)
The
movie had everything going for it. I'm not even a big fan of Green
Lantern, but when I heard about the director and the cast I got really
excited. Unfortunately the road to Green Lantern is paved with good
intentions.
26. The Dark Knight Rises (2012) **
This
movie just bored me. It's over three hours long, and Bane is
unintentionally hilarious at times. Anne Hathaway makes a great
Catwoman, but that's all I can say in favor of this film.
27. Man of Steel (2013) **
Half
of a great movie, and half of a Michael Bay movie. It starts out well,
even though some of the details surrounding Krypton don't bear thinking
about. Henry Cavill is a great Superman, but Zack Snyder was trying
too hard to please too large an audience.
28. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice ***1/2
I
don't care what the critics say - this is a great f*&king movie. I
was unimpressed by Man of Steel - but this? This is the one I've been
waiting for. Probably a bit slow - or even too dark -
for some, but I loved it. The extra 1/2 star is for the Ultimate
Edition, which improves upon the theatrical cut. This is DC done well.
29. Suicide Squad (2016)*
I
was disappointed by this one. There is WAY too much backstory, and
many of the characters are underdeveloped. Harley Quinn seems entirely
too sane to have earned her reputation, and as a character
Deadshot is unconvincing. Joel Kinnaman does a valiant job of keeping
the whole thing together, Viola Davis and Jared Leto give memorable (if
brief) performances, but there's just not enough to hang a whole movie
on.
30. Wonder Woman (2017)**
The Good News: 1) It's better than Suicide Squad, and 2) Gal Gadot is a good enough actress to carry this movie. The Bad News: 1) There are moments where this movie stops dead in its tracks, 2) the villain is completely undeveloped, and 3) parts of this movie bear an unfortunate resemblance to Captain America: the First Avenger. The best bits are those in which the characters reflect on the differences between our world and Diana's. I'm sad to say, however, that these moments are sandwiched between two halves of an action movie that doesn't quite work.
On the Way
31. Justice League (2017)
Having
set up the general premise in Batman v. Superman, Warner Bros. will
introduce this superhero team to the big screen. Confirmed
members are Batman, Superman (?), Wonder Woman, Cyborg, the Flash, and
Aquaman. Zack Snyder has recently stepped down as director, and Joss Whedon (!) is conducting reshoots.
32. The Flash (?)
Ezra
Miller will play the Flash. He's already appeared briefly in both
Batman v. Superman and Suicide Squad (and also the Justice League
footage). This movie has been in developmental limbo for a while now, and the 2018 release date is doubtful.
33. Aquaman (2018)
Jason Momoa will play Aquaman. James Wan is directing. He has stated that it will be more "fun" than Batman v. Superman.
34. Shazam (2019?)
The
Rock (OK, Dwayne Johnson) has already been cast as Black Adam.
35. Justice League Part 2 (?)
...so
not only are we getting the second Avengers film, but we're also
getting a second Justice League film in the same year. It boggles the
mind. The date of this film was pushed back to accommodate The Batman.
36. Cyborg (2020)
Ray
Fisher has already been cast as Cyborg. He appears in Batman v.
Superman for a moment. A scientist creates him with the aid of a Mother Box.
37. Green Lantern Corps (2020)
Some conceptual art for this film appeared at the SDCC. As for the rest, your guess is as good as mine!
38. Justice League Dark (?)
Doug Liman dropped out as director. As of now they're still writing the script.
39. The Batman (?)
Ben Affleck is still on board, though the studio is taking their time with it. An appearance by Deathstroke seems likely.
40. Other Projects
Superman/Man of Steel II, a Suicide Squad sequel, Gotham City Sirens, Black Adam, Nightwing, and Batgirl have all been discussed at one time or another. At the time of writing Batgirl seems most likely to happen, given that Joss Whedon is actively involved with Justice League.
What's coming up? Who's in it? Who should be in it? To start with, this is the schedule so far:
Wonder Woman (June 2, 2017)
Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7, 2017)
Thor: Ragnarok (November 3, 2017)
Justice League (November 17, 2017)
Black Panther (February 16, 2018)
New Mutants (April 13, 2018)
Avengers: Infinity War (May 4, 2018)
Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6, 2018)
Deadpool 2 (June 1, 2018)
X-Men: Dark Phoenix (November 2, 2018)
Aquaman (December 21, 2018)
Captain Marvel (March 8, 2019)
Avengers 4 (May 3, 2019)
Spider-Man: Homecoming 2 (July 5, 2019)
...and I'm leaving Shazam (2019?), Cyborg (2020?), and Green Lantern Corps (2020?) off the list. Despite Dwayne Johnson's best intentions, these three movies are still "in development," and also have no directors, extended cast, or crew attached. Warner Bros. announced their release dates long ago, but I'm thinking that these dates will be altered depending on how Justice League is received. So taking ONLY from the above list, this the order in which I want to see these movies, from most looked-forward-to, to least looked-forward-to.
1. Wonder Woman (2017! Very soon!) After Alien: Covenant, this is my most-anticipated movie of summer 2017. I've loved Wonder Woman since I was little, Gal Godot is BEAUTIFUL, Patty Jenkins is a great director, and yes, I'm one of those freaks who saw Batman v. Superman TWICE in the theater. There's always the chance that Warner Bros. will "Suicide Squad" what might have otherwise been a terrific movie, but if the trailers are anything to go by, it's going to be good.
2. Justice League (2017) I'm a bit skeptical, but interested to see what they'll do. On the one hand, I'm tired of the Avengers, and on the other hand I'm dying to see DC's most famous superhero team hit the screen. I only worry that the studio's going to give us a more derivative DC movie, to appease Marvel fans. It could be great - I'm certainly hoping it is - but it could also be an Avengers clone.
3. Black Panther (2018) Chadwick Boseman has already proven that he can play Black Panther, and Ryan Coogler has already proven that he can direct great films. I just hope they don't try too hard to tie this in to other Marvel Studios properties. Black Panther deserves his own film.
4. Thor: Ragnarok (2017) As said elsewhere, the trailer was AWESOME. I even heard somewhere that Beta Ray Bill was going to be in it. People complain about Thor: the Dark Thor, but I thought that movie was very close in spirit to the comics Walt Simonson did back in the 80s. This one, I think, will be even better.
5. New Mutants (2018) After Thor: Ragnarok we enter into uncharted territory. Josh Boone's New Mutants is still a big question mark, but I always liked the team, and the movie draws a lot of inspiration from Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz's run on the comics. (So did the Legion TV show, by the way).
6. Avengers: Infinity War (2018) Thanos. Finally. Earth's mightiest heroes get to see if Tony's "nightmare" from Age of Ultron becomes real, and worlds will probably hang in the balance. I'm just wondering how diluted everything will be by that point. Since 2008, we've gone from the relatively realistic Iron Man to a world inhabited by Asgardian gods, guardians of the galaxy, and sorcerers. Will Marvel be able to hold it all together? Will it seem even remotely realistic, or will it resemble a computer game? Only 2018 will tell.
7. Deadpool 2 (2018) Yes, Deadpool was great, but you've got to wonder when so much time passes between sequels. I have confidence that Ryan Reynolds can still give a great performance, but it remains to be seen what kind of chemistry he'll have with Josh Brolin, and what a change of directors will mean for the sequel. Tim Miller put his heart and soul into Deadpool. Will David Leitch do the same?
8. Aquaman (2018) It could be amazing. It could be crap. I have a lot of faith in director James Wan, and a superhero movie set underwater sounds epic, but Wan is a stranger to budgets this size, and the story might take a backseat to special effects.
9. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) I liked the first Ant-Man a lot more than I thought I would. Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly can definitely carry a movie, and Peyton Reed is still signed on as director. I can't muster up that much enthusiasm for this project, however.
10. Captain Marvel (2019) Captain Marvel is a boring character. This is my biggest gripe. Maybe after further details are released I'll feel more excited about this movie.
11. Avengers 4 (2019) More Avengers? Yawn. By this point it will have been SEVEN YEARS since the first one, and after Ultron and Thanos it's hard to think of anyone good (outside of the "forbidden" Doctor Doom) that they could fight. If they killed most of the Avengers off in Infinity War, I'd be a lot more interested in Avengers 4.
12. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) Another Spider-Man movie. This will be #6. While I think it's more appropriate for the character, I'm not feeling the "high school vibe" so much. I plan on seeing it, but my level of anticipation is not high.
13. Spider-Man: Homecoming 2 (2019) Let you know after I've seen the first one.
14. X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2018) If I had to put money on it, I'd say that this is going to be terrible. It's still listed as being in "early pre-production," but it's slated for release on November 2 of next year. The Dark Phoenix Saga is something you'd have to do over the course of multiple films, and it's not something you want to rush into. Besides this, there's the fact that Sophie Turner is a less-than-memorable Jean Grey.
I have omitted Stamp Day for Superman,
which was produced by the US Government, and cannot be classified as a
feature film. There are also a few "DC imprint films" (Road to Perdition, A History of Violence, Stardust, The Losers, Gen 13, RED, and RED 2 that are not here for various reasons.
And there are also the "novelty" superhero films such as "Indian Superman." These movies are/were
exercises in copyright infringement, and never saw theatrical release
outside of their countries of origin. Many of these films are good for a
few laughs, and can be seen in part or in their entirety on YouTube.
****
Excellent!Had to see it twice!
***
Good movie with a few flaws.
**
Not bad, but not great.
*
I’d watch it once if I was bored enough.
[no stars]
Just terrible.
@
So bad it’s kind of good.
1950s, 1960s, 1970s
1. Superman and the Mole Men (1951) *
You
can watch this whole movie on YouTube. It is, by some accounts at
least, the first feature film featuring a DC or Marvel superhero.
2. Batman (1966) @
You
can also watch this one on YouTube. I've read that at the time this
came out, the two stars of the show were banging just about anything in a
skirt. Good times!
3. Superman (1978) ****
This
film is classic, and is STILL one of the best superhero films ever
made! The scene where Lois "dies" really freaked me out when I was a
kid.
1980s
4. Superman 2 (1980) ****
This
one might be even better than the first Superman. Terrence Stamp was
fantastic as General Zod, the plot was well thought out, and many scenes
in this movie are iconic. See it if you haven't already.
5. Swamp Thing (1982) **
Wes Craven directed this before he rose to fame with A Nightmare on Elm Street. As a child it was one of my favorite films, though I can't say I like it quite as much now. Adrienne Barbeau was HOT.
6. Superman 3 (1983) **
Not
quite as good as the first two Superman films. Also quite jokey, but
Richard Pryor was in it, so what could you expect? Gotta love the "bad
Superman" sequence.
7. Supergirl (1984) @
Supergirl,
one of several kryptonians who survived the destruction of Krypton by
fleeing to "inner space," does battle with an evil sorceress. The
actress that plays Supergirl is hot, but this movie makes almost no
sense from beginning to end.
8. Superman 4: The Quest for Peace (1987) **
A
lot of people like to go on about how terrible this one is, but it's
not really trying to be a good film in the first place. Christopher
Reeve takes his last run at being Superman, and the whole thing is
predictably silly. Would have been cooler if "Nuclear Man" had been
Firestorm.
9. Batman (1989) **
Tim
Burton's 1989 movie phenomenon. This is the movie that revived the
genre after years of stagnation. Pretty slow compared to more recent
films, but a lot more like Bob Kane's original Batman comics. In some
ways, Michael Keaton is still my favorite Batman. Fun Trivia: for the
three weeks Jack Nicholson spent filming his scenes as the Joker he
earned $6 million, in addition to a percentage of the box office gross,
which amounted to something between $60 and $90 million!
10. The Return of Swamp Thing (1989) **
A
surprisingly watchable movie. More humorous than the first one, and
Swamp Thing looks less rubbery. It's too bad they never made a third
one, because the run Alan Moore did on the comic book would have
produced some really trippy movies. Fun Trivia #1: Heather Locklear is
in this. Fun Trivia #2: The actress that played Faora in Superman II is Dr. Arcane's mistress.
1990s
11. Batman Returns (1992) *
This
didn't seem so much a movie as an excuse for a toy line. By 1992 I was
already sick of Tim Burton and his quirkiness, and this movie did
nothing to change my opinion of him. Yeah, Michelle Pfeiffer was a damn
sexy Catwoman, but that fact alone did not save this film.
12. Batman Forever (1995) *
This
is where Joel Schumacher stepped into the Batman franchise, and the
results are unsuprising. It's a shiny, pretty movie star world that
proves unbearably dull. It would have been bad enough, but Jim Carrey's
overacting makes it so much worse. Fun Trivia #1: Bruce Wayne breaks a
henchman's neck after Two-Face disrupts the circus. Fun Trivia #2:
During a subsequent discussion, Wayne mentions to Dick Grayson/Robin
that "The circus must be halfway to Metropolis by now." Fun Trivia #3:
Jon Favreau, who would go on to direct both Iron Man and Iron Man 2, is
in this movie for about a second.
13. Batman and Robin (1997)
Gluttons
for punishment would have seen this in the theater. I was probably
next door, watching a better film. Seeing the apocalyptic performance
Arnold Schwarzenegger gives as Mr. Freeze, one marvels that BatmanBegins ever got made at all.
14. Steel (1997)
Shaq
plays John Henry Irons, an ex-soldier who develops a suit of armor and
then sets out to rid the inner city of high tech weaponry. Some
terrifically bad puns in this movie. It was aimed at kids, and the plot
makes little sense.
2000s
15. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003) *
No
wonder Alan Moore wants nothing to do with Hollywood. Movies such as
this one prove his point. This movie lacks the sense of irony that made
the comic book so good, and one wonders what the hell Sean Connery was
thinking.
16. Catwoman (2004) @
Halle
Berry plays Catwoman, Sharon Stone plays the villain, and Benjamin
Bratt plays the most clueless detective in the world. The DC comic book
character in name only. That scene where the cats bring Halle Berry
back to life is hilarious. So bad it's good!
17. Constantine (2005) ***
This
oft-overlooked movie is worth your time. It might not be classic, but
it's a solidly put together film with an interesting protagonist. The
guy that plays the devil near the end is great.
18. Batman Begins (2005) ****
Hell yes. This
was a movie Batman as we always wanted to see him. Not the neurotic guy
with all the gadgets, but the kind of guy who could kick your ass. The
scarecrow is awesome here. 19. V for Vendetta (2005) ***
Great
film, made by the Wachowskis of Matrix fame. Hugo Weaving is
fantastic, and even if they dumbed down the source material it's still
worth your time. 20. Superman Returns (2006) **
Not
as bad as some people make it out to be. Yeah, Superman does come off
as a stalker, and I don't know why they had to do so many of his flying
scenes in CGI, but the part where Kevin Spacy and co. deliver a beatdown
is excellent.
21. The Dark Knight (2008) ****
Still hands-down the best superhero movie ever made. And yes, I liked The Avengers.
The plot is complex, the performances are amazing, and the direction is
first-rate. How could Nolan have ever topped this one? 22. The Spirit (2008)
Fuck this movie is bad. I saw Sin City so many times I had the lines memorized, and with The Spirit I
was hoping for something similarly classic. Unfortunately, Frank
Miller isn't quite as good in the absence of Robert
Rodriguez.
23. Watchmen (2009) ***
Two
problems with this movie: the actors are too pretty, and way too much
kung fu fighting. Aside from these two problems, it is faithful to the
comic book and works on many levels. Snyder might have bungled Sucker Punch, but this movie gave me hope for Man of Steel.
2010s
24. Jonah Hex (2010) *
Josh
Brolin stars as an ex-confederate soldier who can talk to dead people.
John Malkovich is the villain. It was almost a good movie, but the
soundtrack ruins the better moments and it gets pretty corny near the
end.
25. Green Lantern (2011)
The
movie had everything going for it. I'm not even a big fan of Green
Lantern, but when I heard about the director and the cast I got really
excited. Unfortunately the road to Green Lantern is paved with good
intentions.
26. The Dark Knight Rises (2012) **
This
movie just bored me. It's over three hours long, and Bane is
unintentionally hilarious at times. Anne Hathaway makes a great
Catwoman, but that's all I can say in favor of this film.
27. Man of Steel (2013) **
Half
of a great movie, and half of a Michael Bay movie. It starts out well,
even though some of the details surrounding Krypton don't bear thinking
about. Henry Cavill is a great Superman, but Zack Snyder was trying
too hard to please too large an audience.
28. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice ***1/2
I
don't care what the critics say - this is a great f*&king movie. I
was unimpressed by Man of Steel - but this? This is the one I've been waiting for. Probably a bit slow - or even too dark -
for some, but I loved it. The extra 1/2 star is for the Ultimate Edition, which improves upon the theatrical cut. This is DC done well.
29. Suicide Squad (2016)**
I was disappointed by this one. There is WAY too much backstory, and many of the characters are underdeveloped. Harley Quinn seems entirely too sane to have earned her reputation, and as a character Deadshot is unconvincing. Joel Kinnaman does a valiant job of keeping the whole thing together, Viola Davis and Jared Leto give memorable (if brief) performances, but there's just not enough to hang a whole movie on.
On the Way
30. Justice League (2017)
Having
set up the general premise in Batman v. Superman, Warner Bros. will
introduce this superhero team to the big screen. Confirmed
members are Batman, Superman (?), Wonder Woman, Cyborg, the Flash, and Aquaman. Word around the campfire is that Steppenwolf will be the villain.
31. Wonder Woman (2017)
To
me the idea of this movie is a no-brainer - a
female superhero(ine) with a great backstory. Patty Jenkins is
directing, and Gal Gadot will reprise her role from Batman v. Superman. The trailer looks great and I'm looking forward to it.
32. The Flash (2018)
Ezra Miller will play the Flash. He's already appeared briefly in both Batman v. Superman and Suicide Squad (and also the Justice League footage). I can't wait.
33. Aquaman (2018)
Jason Momoa will play Aquaman. James Wan is directing. He has stated that it will be more "fun" than Batman v. Superman.
34. Shazam (2019?)
The
Rock (OK, Dwayne Johnson) has already been cast as Black Adam. Word is
that this film will exist outside the main DC cinematic continuity.
35. Justice League Part 2 (2019)
So
not only are we getting the second Avengers film, but we're also
getting a second Justice League film in the same year. It boggles the
mind.
36. Cyborg (2020)
Ray
Fisher has already been cast as Cyborg. He appears in Batman v.
Superman for a moment. A scientist creates him with the aid of a mother
box.
37. Green Lantern Corps (2020)
Some conceptual art for this film appeared at the SDCC. As for the rest, your guess is as good as mine!
