Jason Bourne

They just ran out of nouns I guess. That’s what happens when you make more than three… you start running out of nouns. Imagine the pressure to come up with a really good noun after the likes of “Identify”, “Supremacy”, and “Ultimatum” – those are all great nouns. You might get four nouns maybe (“Legacy” is not bad I guess), but five… give it up. And so they did… just called it Jason Bourne. Oh, they also gave up on finding anything new to wrap this fifth Bourne film around – they ran out of story for Bourne to act on. Just used the same stuff – warped CIA directors, foreign assets living in small hotel rooms (who takes these jobs?), and Jason Bourne’s fractured psyche. It’s all kind of the same. In fact, some of it is exactly the same… but it still sort of works.

We left Jason Bourne a couple of films ago after he discovered his true identity and faced down his creators. He said that it “ended there”, back in Ultimatum, but it didn’t. He says he remembers everything now. But it turns out he still doesn’t have the whole story, so we need Universal to keep making these movies – it’s about closure I guess… and millions of dollars in profits. We now find Bourne off the grid in Greece – a traveling fist fighter, beating and allowing himself to be beaten on – a sort of self-imposed punishment, we suppose, for all of the damage he’s done. Bourne’s wracked with guilt for the lives he’s taken as Treadstone’s super assassin and unclear about his true nature – is he a killer at his core or a brain-washed victim of an off-track security machine? Enter former colleague and Moped partner Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) who has continued to monitor the CIA’s nasty doings via the cyber-underground since she went on the run in Ultimatum.  She has information about a new and even more insidious CIA program and has also stumbled onto some troubling news about Bourne’s father Darth Vader… errr, I mean Richard Webb and his role in Treadstone. And Bang! Bourne has something to do again – it’s tired motivation, but it’s something. 

The first thing to do of course is to get out the old passports and start Bourne Carmen San Diego-ing around the globe – check. On the other side, the CIA still has access to every camera everywhere (including in space) and they pick up Bourne’s re-entry – check. Some of them get that “we’re in deep stuff” look on their faces and plot to take out Bourne because he knows too much – check. While others raise one eyebrow guessing that something is amiss here – check, check, check, and… check, check. It’s like setting up for a game of Clue for the umpteenth time – same suspects, same rooms. But we keep playing Clue don’t we? And you’ll keep watching Jason Bourne. Because despite the familiarity, the film is still able to create significant tension. Writer-director Paul Greengrass’ action is consistently crisp. Although not as good as those in Ultimatum, Bourne’s confrontations and chase scenes are still exciting and all pulled off without the over-the-top CGI bombast that most blockbusters fall back on. Still, the hub-bub seems less important this time. Even a new out-of-the-headlines subplot that has the CIA secretly embedding a massive surveillance program within a popular social media platform fails to generate the energy of the original trilogy. The lack of an intriguing story line puts it all back on an older, thicker Bourne to carry the film home – quick-walking, almost reluctantly this time, in search of himself. Jason Bourne is still frenetic and fun, but its path is worn and has lost a step or two. 6 out of 10.

Zoolander 2 is better than you've heard

Ben Stiller, the co-writer, director, and star of Zoolander and Zoolander 2 commented in Vogue (where else?) prior to 2’s release that “they want a sequel until they get one.” Stiller must have known what the critics were about to do to the sequel to his 2001 outrageous spoof on fashion vanity. If you’re the type that checks the Rotten Tomatoes scores before venturing out to see a film, you’ll know that most of the big-wig critics have panned 2 – some brutally. But don’t believe ‘em. Most of these guys didn’t like the first film at its release either, although they wouldn’t admit that now. Zoolander 2 is funny enough. Granted, it’s not as good a the first, sequels rarely are. But if you really liked Zoolander – meaning, you’re not just faking it to fit in – then you’ll likely enjoy Zoolander 2. And if you didn’t like Derek and the gang the first time, then you’re not going to this movie anyway… unless you’re a movie critic.

Zoolander 2’s plot is just as amazingly idiotic as the first film’s story line. You all recall the old one – the really, really, really, good looking Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller), greatest male supermodel of his generation, is brainwashed by Mugatu, the deranged designer of the piano neck-tie (Will Ferrell), to assassinate the Claymation guy – err… I mean the Malaysian prime minister, in order to maintain cheap child labor in sweatshops that support the fashion industry – marvelously inane, right? Now, 14-years later, we find Zoolander in seclusion after a tragic accident at the center he built for Kids Who Can't Read Good and Who Wanna Learn to Do Other Stuff Good Too. Hansel (Owen Wilson) is not hot right now either, having suffered a horrifying injury to his face when Derek’s center collapsed. Both are lured out of retirement and thrust into a mystery of murdered celebrities, selfies, and a quest for eternal youth and really good skin. I told you… astronomically ridiculous, just as it should be.

But the plot is really not important in these films – It’s just a superficial tool to create a superficial movie about the superficial. This idea and odd-ball approach was peculiar back in 2001. So much so that it took some time for audiences to catch up to the fresh weirdness of it. Initial critical and public response to the first film was underwhelming at best. Post-big-screen Zoolander, however, hit stride quickly and developed a fervent audience. Mention Mugatu’s name and call for a “walk-off” in a crowd of Millennials and they’ll know just what you’re talking about. This same generation now flashes Blue Steel, Magnum, and Le Tigre, on selfies all over Instagram, Facebook, and the rest any chance they get (wait… all these selfie poses look the same… Mugatu was right). The fact that the vanity the first film made fun of has now become mainstream works both for and against Zoolander 2. Stiller exploits the expanding selfie culture throughout the film, most memorably to capture the over-the-top demise of really, really, good looking Justin Bieber in 2’s cleverly moronic opening scene. But the weirdness is now the orthodox. Stiller’s team settles, generally, for revisiting the same gags from the first film with several efforts coming off as a bit worn. There’s still some edge there though. Between Derek and Hansel’s serious debate on whether being plus size makes you a terrible person (left unresolved) to their “mind-blowing” exchange with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson on self realization, there’s still more hits than misses.

Although I doubt any part of Zoolander 2 will infuse itself in our conscience and language the way the first film did, it’ll still fill up your silliness cup. If not fresh, Zoolander 2 is still fun in its absurdity. Ferrell’s Mugatu is in fine form – his summarizing diatribes on the fashion world and its rulers are by themselves worth the price of admission, reminding us of how ridiculous this all really is. Insert the all-in Penelope Cruz as an Interpol Fashion Policy Detective, Kristen Wiig’s way over-the-top aging fashion doyenne and new Mugatu lust interest, and a never-ending parade of celebrity and fashion icons, and you’re ready to get stupid. So to all of the jaded professional rag writers and bloggers out there – stop the complaining all ready, this isn’t the sequel to El Cid. Try to have a little fun – RELAX!

7 out of 10.

How does Star Wars: The Force Awakens rate with the Best Space Movies?

I know. The new Star Wars has been out for weeks - what took me so long? Not to worry. To make up for my tardiness, you get Pat's Top 10 Space Movies of All Time list! - What could be better? I'll give it away here... The Force Awakens does not make the cut. But read my review anyway and then delve into the list. 

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Star Wars: Episode VII - New faces, same story

The core appeal of The Force Awakens, and the obvious focus of its writers and director, is the nostalgia of it all. The purpose of this long-awaited first film of the new trilogy, it seems, is not to astound as much as it is to reacquaint. Watching Awakens is like meeting an old high-school friend – a good friend… some one you looked up to maybe. It’s quite exhilarating at first, but the excitement of the encounter wears off as you notice how much your friend has aged, like you, and that your old buddy doesn’t have a lot of news that’s truly interesting, even after all these years.

Although Awakens is the first film of the series not to have George Lucas listed as a writer (insert J.J. Abrams who also directs), its story follows the same course as Lucas’ first three. The Empire is done, having gone the same way as its puny Death Star, and has been replaced by The First Order, which looks much like its predecessor only with bigger weapons. The secular First Order is out to defeat the Republic and rule the galaxy (no change there) and its spiritual controllers from the Dark Side wish to finish the deal by extinguishing the last of the Jedi (and no change there). They are all searching for Skywalker who has disappeared, without trace (maybe), after a vaguely defined betrayal by a student Jedi.

Awakens' strategy is clear throughout; hook and hold with the old while hoping we can imprint enough on what little is new to assure the success of episodes VIII and IX. Fortunately, Star Wars’ far-far-away galaxy is still a very small place, making it easy for Abrams to bring all of the old and new together.  All key planets in the story seem within fractions of light years of each other and key characters are serendipitously closely clustered. Random crashes on planets place our main players within walking distance of each other. But I shouldn’t nitpick… maybe this is just The Force at work. After all, Star Wars has always been an interstellar soap opera – a space western never preoccupied much with the science part of its “Science Fiction”. It’s really part of the franchise’s charm I suppose – spacecrafts banking like F-16’s whether they’re in space or atmosphere. The Millennium Falcon (oops… mini-spoiler… yes, the old bird is back) still looks to have the aerodynamics of a cardboard box but maneuvers like a P-51 when negotiating the trenches of Jakku. Like the old faces we see, however, these quirks will be friendly reminders of familiar and fond places for most.  

So with hooks firmly in place, Abrams attempts to sell the new - new faces that is not new ideas. Abrams shows us a dark helmeted villain, a cocky pilot, and a daydreamer young upstart living on planet Podunk and longing for adventure – hmmm… I know these guys from somewhere. The new faces maneuver in the same places as the old once stood and often in identical ways. There’s nothing wrong in visiting the past. But it’s never quite the same is it. Ford’s Solo is the clear star – giving us glimpses of the old Hans. But they’re just glimpses, barely enough to make up for the disappointing Princess, err… General Leia, who has obviously had a too many packs of Camels while ruling the Republic all these years. Awakens is fun – it’s good and better than the mess heaved upon us in episodes I - III. But at some point we’re going to have to move on aren’t we? Here’s for hoping that episode VIII can better transport us from old to new and and from good to great. Awakens gets a 7 out of 10.

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So Star Wars: The Force Awakens certainly doesn’t rank in my list of Best Space Films. Take a look at what does.

I’ve narrowed the science fiction genre to “Space Films” for this list. There’s a lot of good sci-fi films out their that never leave earth's gravity field - but that's another list. To make this list below, you’ve got to spend some time out there in zero-gravity, in the cold confines of the great vacuum – dealing with whatever you find in that final frontier. But enough of the cliches, Here we go!

Pat's Best Space Movies 

#10 - Apollo 13 (1995)

“Houston, we have a problem” … in space. A gripping true event turned into a gripping film. I admire films that can take a story that everybody knows and still rivet you to your seat. Ron Howard's no-frills direction conveys the isolation and desperation of being lost in space and the lengths taken and ingenuity expended on all sides to return home. Nail biter, tear jerker, and flag waver for the human race all wrapped into one. Sneaks by another real-lifer, The Right Stuff (which would be on the honorable mention list if I had one) to get here.

#9 - Solaris (2002)

Space psychodrama. If you go looking, don’t be fooled by the professional critics when they tell you that the 1972 Solaris is better than the 2002 Hollywood version – they’re movie snobs and these guys always think that the older, non-Hollywood version of anything is better. They’re both good – but I take Clooney in 2002. This is space madness (maybe). Something weird has happened on a space station observing the planet Solaris. A psychologist (Clooney) arrives to investigate, but no one is able to explain exactly what has happened except that memories our becoming real. Surreal, cerebral, ambiguous, and incredibly interesting. A short story that one might give many different meanings to or take many different messages from. 

#8 Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The best of the Star Wars Series. As big and flashy as the original but the characters have hit their strides in this one. Imaginative and engrossing – best of the space fantasies and the most compelling of the tales of the mythic clash between good and evil.  

#7 - Silent Running (1972)

I doubt that many have seen this early 70’s sci-fier, but Silent Running is an out of the ordinary thing that should be seen. Bruce Dern plays plant-loving botanist Freeman Lowell who happily carries out his duties on the spaceship Valley Forge, a giant orbiting greenhouse which contains the last remaining samples of flora from a now-barren Earth. When Lowell is ordered to destroy his cargo and return home, he is faced with a choice of what lives and what dies.

#6 - 2001 (1968) 

Although not completely accessible without reading Clark's novel maybe, it is still the most beautiful space film. Kubrick conveys the film's arguments with imagery and music in unprecedented fashion. A mesmerizing and cryptic look at beginnings and ends and beyond. So why didn’t I put this on top of my list? That’s a good question. I don’t know.

#5 - Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

The Wrath of Kahn represents sweet redemption from the disaster that was the first Star Trek movie. And maybe it is the satisfaction of seeing that the ol’ crew of the Enterprise could hit their stride again that puts Kahn on my list. Ricardo Mantalban creates a top-10 villain and the film is pumped full of cool add-ons; the Kobyayashi Maru Scenario, Spock dies (temporarily), and Khan’s giant chest - and that line... "I have and always will be your friend" - it doesn't get any better. 

#4 - Alien (1979)

One of the best in the science-fiction/Space/horror genre.  The crew of the cargo ship Nostromo lands on a barren planet in response to an SOS signal only to encounter an acid-dripping alien killing machine.  Unlike its revved-up sequel Aliens, Alien is slow paced tenseness as the crew attempts to search and destroy but finds themselves the hunted instead of the hunters.

#3 - Interstellar (2014)

Interstellar has as much to do with sentiment as it does with outer space. It’s an ambitious composition with big themes. The world has turned against its inhabitants. Blight and global famine have reduced mankind and its governments down to a single focus on survival. The search for a solution includes escaping earth to a new world. Mankind’s exodus will be made possible by the mysterious appearance of a wormhole near Saturn. Its origin is unknown but its timely arrival must be more than a coincidence. Who will win the race against time, man or nature (or man’s nature)? Both the heart and head parts of Interstellar are complex and large-scale things. Some will find the film incredible… others may find it inane as it pits the human attributes of faith and love up against instinct and logic. I obviously found myself in the first of those two categories. 

#2 - Contact (1997)

This is a special movie to me.  The interplay of science (understanding based on observation) and spirituality has permeated my mind for most of my life.  Contact is about the search for life outside of our little planet.  But the movie is more about ideas of fact, faith, and human nature, than the potential scariness or oddities of life beyond ours. The movie has the depth that you would expect from a product based on Carl Sagan’s work – which it is.  A science-fiction core wrapped in a discussion of what we believe and why.

#1 - Aliens (1986)

I’m not sure why I have listed this at #1. Maybe because it’s so much dang fun to watch. Rarely is the sequel better than the first but Aliens is the exception. From where Director Ridley Scott left off with the horror of a single, inexplicable monster in Alien, director James Cameron speeds up the action using legions of monster bugs with Ripley (the lone survivor from the previous encounter) embedded with high-tech Marines to battle them.  This is a modern sci-fi classic and one of my favorite movies of all time. Intense suspense with muscular story telling. 

Pitch Perfect 2 prevails despite a few flat notes

It must have been hard to decide how to approach making a sequel to the 2012 surprise hit Pitch Perfect. There’s always the question, I presume, of how to maintain the essence of a hit film’s appeal without settling for just creating a duplicate. The balance between what stays and what new directions are added plays a large part in determining whether the sequel is more satisfying than the original. Kay Cannon again produces the script for the film and, although Pitch 2’s setting has been tweaked and there are a few new faces on the screen, she and first time director Elizabeth Banks choose mainly to stay with the stuff that worked the first time. Some of the old and new notes work in Pitch 2 but a few don’t.

At the core of the success of first Pitch Perfect was the A Cappella soundtrack. That’s A Cappella… you know, instrument free singing… making music with your mouth. Yeah, go figure. But if you think I’m off base with that assessment, check out the sales of the Pitch Perfect soundtracks – the first quickly went platinum and the new Pitch 2 album debuted last week at number one on Billboard. The gorgeous harmonizing (ok extremely auto-tuned harmonizing) in Pitch 1 was backed up with a solid cast and an upbeat and life-affirming message, and Pitch 2 tries to hold fast to those winning and money-making attributes. The Barden College Bellas are still singing, cast intact, with the extremely likable Anna Kendrick as Beca now leading the group. The Bellas have put together a string of national championships and are riding high as seniors until a severe wardrobe malfunction befalls Fat Amy, the self-titled, plus-sized soloist played by Rebel Wilson, at a performance for the President and the group is banned from national competition as a penalty. There is a loophole though – the Bellas can still compete Internationally. The deal becomes that if they triumph at the World A Cappella Championship the ban will be lifted – but if they lose, there done for good.  

Like I said – bit of a new setting but the tricks, jokes, and story path are pretty much the same. The Bella girls – with their diverse spirits and talents, and unique quirks, must find themselves again as they pass through a new crossroads. I wont tell you whether they are, in the end, able hit their tonal centre in this new and bigger stage but I will let you in on the off- and on-key notes produced along the way.

A little flat-

• Marginalizing the Treblemakers – As the Barden Bellas move to the global stage they effectively leave behind their local competitors from Pitch 1, The Barden College Treblemakers. That’s a shame as the all-boy group sounded great and provided the feel-good budding romance between their lead singer Jesse (Skylar Austin) and Kendrick’s Beca. Neither the sound nor the romance is adequately replaced in Pitch 2. 
• Beca’s identity crisis – The small subplot and gags involving Beca slipping from her true alternative DJ style into a cliché pop-girl and her alarming (to her) attraction to the statuesque female lead of the German A Cappella team, seem like random and late script add-on’s and generally fall flat.  
• The new Bella Pledge – Hailey Stienfeld (True Grit) as Emily, a freshmen pledge to the Bellas and the only new member to the group, is a complete miss. Stienfeld, who was so good in her starring True Grit role, seems way out of place here and her performance comes off forced and awkward. Stienfeld’s Emily adds little and a new romance between her and the geeky magician Trebleman Benji (Ben Platt) is less interesting than the Beca-Jesse pairing.  

On key-

• Becas Internship – Becas new job as an intern at a major music production shop working for a major music producer played by Keegan Michael Key (Key and Peele) is the best new piece in Pitch 2. Key’s great as Beca’s I’m-successful-so-I-have-a-right-to-be-rude music boss who turns the browbeating of his want-to-be interns into an art form.
• The Germans – Pitch 2’s soundtrack is good but does not equal the energy and freshness of the first movie's sound. However, Das Sound Machine from Germany, the reigning World A Cappella Champs, injects some major electricity into the film. For a minute I thought I was watching Dodgeball on The Ocho.
• Anything that Fat Amy says of does – Removing Wilson’s Fat Amy from this film would be like taking Lebron James off the Cavs – what remains wouldn’t be in the running for much. Regardless of the material she has in Pitch 2, Wilson “crushes” every scene and is good for a laugh in the most awkward of moments. 

Sometimes more of the same is ok. Pitch 2 is not as fresh and energetic as its parent but it’s still fun and has its share of big laughs. A wise man once told me that the key to happiness is lowering your expectations. Expect good, not great, with Pitch 2 and enjoy. 7 out of 10. 

How does Avengers Age of Ultron match up against Pat's Best Super Hero Movies?

You may be wondering why, after several months without a post, I’ve chosen to review yet another super hero movie instead of something with more substance like say…  Ex Machina. It’s a good point, I admit, as The Avengers age of Ultron turns out to be just another loud and long comic-book action-hero movie – no better and no worse really than most of the group that is slowing reforming, on film, the Marvel Universe (and making boat loads of money while doing it). But I have ulterior motives. Sure, I’ll jot some thoughts down here on the mighty team’s latest chapter, but watching Ultron reminded me of the mediocre nature of the recent mega-hit Avengers, Iron Man, and Captain America films and has motivated me to make… drum roll… yet another list! Yes it’s true! Announcing… louder drum roll with big tympanis behind the snare… Pat’s Top 9 All Time Best Super Hero Movies.

But first, some words on Ultron to allow the suspense and anticipation to build.

Age of Ultron is a very long movie as far as super-hero films go – 2 hours 21 minutes. And yet, with all of this time, writer-director Josh Whedon (Toy Story, X-Men) fails to create any depth of story ­– rushing, instead, fast-forward through the source, reason, and context for his new villains and heroes in a race to get to another machine-filled action scene. And there are more than enough battles to exhaust you, spreading wide across a cacophony of super bells and whisltes like artificial intelligence in Loki’s scepter turned peace keeping robot gone mad, a giant Iron Man, an infinity-stone power-laced human, thousands of metal (but fragile) flying Ultron-bots, brooding eastern European super villains with bad accents wearing obligatory Adidas warm up jackets (see Behind Enemy Lines or any other film with bad guys from countries with names ending in -slovia), and cities hovering above the ground for not-well understood purposes. And for what? To set up the next three blockbuster movies that’s what.

Whedon does try to bring in some non-super-power back-stories but the attempts come off as awkward and a little silly. Take for example the budding romance between Black Widow and the Hulk… ummm… in the words sung by Belle to the The Beast – “new, and a bit… alarming” (hey, Ultron was distributed by Disney so I’ve got a tie). Or the discovery that Hawkeye is just a family guy who sets the table with his wife and helps his kids do their homework, then carpools with Captain America to the next world-saving event – “you be safe dear, and keep your hands off of that Black Widow girl.” Give credit to this edition though for acknowledging the discrepancies in abilities among the Avengers – it always seems odd when danger strikes and Black Widow pulls out her pistol and starts firing 22-caliber bullets along side the god-like powers of Thor and the nigh-invincible strength of the Hulk. But they’re the glue guys we learn – relatively worthless in the fighting arena but holding the more powerful prima donnas of the team together (and wearing tight black leathers in the case of the Widow).

I guess when I agree, sometimes reluctantly, to go to another one of these films, that I’m hoping there will be something different – something that is as fun as the comic books I read as a kid but then more – more of something that I can’t easily explain. Comic-book movies are sort of like soda pop I guess – there are a lot of them in different flavors but they’re all pretty common to us. But on occasion you find a good vanilla coke, like the one I sometimes get at Hires down on 4^th South, that has a special balance of coke, vanilla, and that great drive-in crumbly ice that makes you take a second of pause to be thankful for the small blessings of life. Ultron aint one of those special things. It’s cool and marginally refreshing, but it’s just coke in a can and when you’re done, what’s left is just tossed in the recycle bin. 6 out of 10.

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Pat's Best Super Hero Movies

OK, so now let’s take a look at 9 super-hero films that have that special “something.” My choice of 9 instead of 10 is just a reminder to me that most super-hero films are not made to be great so there should be no surprise that there aren’t even enough good ones to make a top 10 list. I’m sure you’ll disagree with what I’ve got here so let me know what you think. Here we go!

#9 – Hellboy 

Looking at the list as a whole I note that I’ve got some of the darker pieces in here. Hellboy is kind of grimy dark with a character group that may be better described as monster misfits than super heroes. Hellboy is, in fact, an non-malevolent demon working for the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. The character is not a Marvel or DC creation (it was originally published by Dark Horse Comics) and he forms a much more interesting group around him than the Avengers. The Hellboy world is rich and odd with the story and it’s characters given as much attention in the film as the well crafted fight scenes it produces. A refreshing addition to the genre.

#8 – Thor 

Thor is, for me, the Marvel hero that works the best in transition to full-length film. The co-mingling of Norse mythology into the super hero genre seems to fit well on film and provides a rich and surreal setting for interesting story telling. Another key might be the screenplay writing for Thor of Joe Straczynski who wrote for comics and graphic novels before teaming for big-screen efforts – he knows the craft and the two Thor stories to date are much tighter than the hubbub found in the other Avenger heroes’ movies. Thor is beautifully designed and the muscled Hemsworth as Thor, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, and Tom Hiddleston as the wickedly unpredictable Loki form a fascinating triangle among the 9 Realms.

#7 – Watchmen

Different is key here. Sourced from a graphic novel series, it's not quite clear what makes some of these characters super but they are super interesting. And they claim as a team member one of the most fascinating characters of any of my list of nine – Dr. Manhattan (who lives on Mars now I believe). Combine Dr. Manhattan and the Smartest Man in the World with a good story and a catchy ending and you have a memorable super-hero film – which is rare.

#6 – The Crow

Darkly dark. A risen-from-the-dead rock star with a crow as his guide – great starting point for a different type of super-hero film. Maybe most famous for the death if its star, Brandon Lee (son of Bruce Lee), during filming, the film is more scary than action-thriller. Gothic and Poe-like, it crosses horror and science fiction genres to give us a story of the anti-hero vs. a decaying society that is not easily forgotten.

#5 – Superman II

Best of all the Superman movies (how many are there now… 30?). The second sequel film I’ve put on this list – its just much better than the first good but not great Superman offering. Superman II gets right to it. With all the origin description and character building handled in the first installment, the cool trio of villains from Superman’s home planet propels the series to a significant acme. The oldest movie on my list lacks the special effects of the modern super-hero films, but its characters and story telling are much better than what we’ve been getting out of Marvel and DC lately.

#4 – Guardians of the Galaxy

What a joyous surprise. Anti-serious but surprisingly entertaining, Guardians gives a fresh breath to the genre with a dumb (sort of) lunk of a hero and his odd-ball gang of Guardians. Super big and colorful like the comic book it sprang from. Can’t wait for GOTG-II.

#3 – Spiderman II

Spidey has always been my favorite super hero and he hit his stride in this one. Great super villain (Doc-Ock is one of the best), great aunt, and great girlfriend – its like that vanilla coke. Every thing clicked in this one and the out-of-control train ending is superb.

#2 – The Incredible

Just a really good super-hero movie. Don’t get caught in not considering this since it’s Pixar animated. True, the story appeals to kids and adults (and adults who act like kids especially) – but it’s a really, really, really good film.

#1 – Batman Begins

My favorite of all the super hero movies. No cartoony stuff here - no Arnold as Mr. Freeze or DeVito’s sad attempt at a penguin.  The show is elevated in my book by its seriousness and superb balance.  It is a dark drama that is the best origins story of the super-hero genre. The action is surrounded by plot and character.  It’s careful and precise.  And they finally got it right with Bale as the Dark Knight.