Top 20 comic book movies

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 7:58 pm

Apparently...

http://www.empireonline.com/features/comicbookfilms/

The Last Autobot · Post by **The Last Autobot** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 8:21 pm

Batman Begins is better than Xmen 2 imho.

Superman has a decent 2nd place spot.

Hulk and Superman Returns are better than Batman Returns???? mmmmmmmmm

The list is so-so

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 8:28 pm

Ah. They've overhauled it - I was expecting the same list they printed in an issue earlier this year. Main text's the same... updated with the new Superman, though.

Hulk's still indulgent dross. I thought A History of Violence was boring. And Spidey 2 is better than the first one. [/jmho]

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 8:35 pm

Im glad old boys is in there - thats a ******* amazing movie.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 9:51 pm

Impactor returns 2.0 wrote:Im glad old boys is in there - thats a ******* amazing movie.

Yup.

But Hulk? Constantine?

No Spidey 2?

Not sure where I stand on Batman Returns.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 9:52 pm

yeah I think the rest of the list is just odd to be honest.

Shanti418 · Post by **Shanti418** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 10:12 pm

No way X2 is better than either of the Spidey movies or Batman Begins.

And I thought Superman II was actually better than the first.

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 12:36 am

Not bad, but I'd make a few changes.

Judge Dredd over Constantine
Spider-Man in place of Hulk
Spider-Man 2 in place of Spider-Man
Daredevil: Director's Cut in place of Diabolic
X-Men in place of Mystery Men

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 12:50 am

hmm not sure how to argue X2 over the spiderman films id say they are all quite equall in different respects.

I just thought Hulk was ***** tho.

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 12:56 am

Spidey 2 was better than the first. And X-Men 2 still comes in second to Batman Begins.

Post by **Best First** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 8:21 am

Shanti418 wrote:No way X2 is better than either of the Spidey movies or Batman Begins.

And I thought Superman II was actually better than the first.

agree on both counts.

good to see Mystery Men though.

"But how would he see?"

Batman Returns can f right off as far as i am concerned - that's not Batman, its a Tim Burton film about a guy who dresses as a bat and fights crime, if you get what i mean.

Batman Begins would probably get 1 spot for me.

with Spidey 1 & 2 getting the next 2 spots.

And then probably x2.

Obfleur · Post by **Obfleur** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 8:41 am

I would kick Sin City down to last place (or just right of the list).

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 9:51 am

Mystery Men is ace. It gets nowhere near enough love.

Liked Constantine. Okay, I've never read Hellblazer and know there are issues with the adaptation, but on it's own merits I like it. It's stylish, it's fun, it has Keanu at least attempting to act. It's a film based on a comic, ergo it qualifies.

I think Sin City's a bit shallow and wooden once you get past the fact that it looks amazing. But then the books are a bit shallow and wooden. But me loves noir, so

to all who disagree.

Batman Returns... spends too little time on actual Batman. Credit for trying to make the villains fully fledged characters, but the identity of the film suffers for it. There's great big chunks where it could really be anything.

I think X-Men's mediocre... how Halle Berry whined about not playing a big enough part is beyond me. Spider-Man I loved when I first saw it - rewatched it straight away... but when I cam back to it a few months later I just couldn't get through it. Gonna give it another try before 3 comes out... maybe some distance will help. Both do their jobs well, but the sequels are much more accomplished. Which is odd as I hated Spidey 2 first time I saw it... though there was a legit reason for that which no longer applies.

Superman II again = better than the first. Not least for not having a crap bit with Lois thinking poetry whilst flying.

I'd say it's a trend with second films being better because the origin guff is out of the way, but Batman Begins kicks the everloving **** out of everything. Possibly because of the flashback structure.

Hulk, again, rubbish.

Where do people stand on From Hell and V for Vendetta?

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 10:06 am

Brendocon wrote:Not least for not having a crap bit with Lois thinking poetry whilst flying.

Hmm, possibly worse movie scene ever!

I think Superman II probably is better, but the sheer epic scope of the first comes close. I love those Krypton scenes, so grand.

Brendocon wrote:Where do people stand on From Hell and V for Vendetta?

Enjoyed both, especially V For Vendetta (shame Portman was such a weak link). Must get it on DVD soon. But.... I'd hadn't read the novels. Which of course is important...

And Sin City showed to me that you can be faithful to the comic and still make a great film. I dearly hope they can do the same for Watchmen.

Going deeper...

Constantine: moved too far away from the comic.
Ghost World: lovely little movie.
Burton Batman films: too little Batman - Burton even admitted he loved the 60s show and the villains best. First film better than the second. Cool score tho.
Superman Returns: Loved how faithful it was to the originals, but needed a fresher plot.
Dick Tracy: Enjoyable enough movie I guess, but considering the omissions from the list, no thanks.
Hulk: I've got nothing against a thoughtful telling of a comic origin (and I'll watch anything with Connelly in) but the lame ending was unforgivable.
Hellboy: good. But great?
Oldboy: a US remake is on the way.

Road to Perdition: interesting choice, good film.
Blade: Isn't the sequel better?
Batman Begins: Bloody great innit? But in hindsight, I wish the fight scenes could have been handled more smoothly.
X:Men 2: Y'know, the third one is growing on me and might be my fave!

Spider-man 2 is my favourite comic movie.

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 10:23 am

spiderfrommars wrote:Constantine: moved too far away from the comic.
...
X:Men 2: Y'know, the third one is growing on me and might be my fave!

Interesting. I've had a theory about X3 (well, about most adaptations, but X3 crystallised it for me) - most people I know who aren't comic fans really enjoyed it. Whereas a lot of people I know who are couldn't stand it.

I think it's a film I'd enjoy a lot more the second time. Whilst I loved a lot of what was in it and really wanted to like the film, there was too much in it that I hated... a lot of it being the bastardised potential of a lot of characters. Once I've accepted the change (Ultimate universe stylee) it'll probably grow on me more.

Where was I? Oh, right - it's knowledge of the source. Knowing the characters of Juggernaut, Phoenix, Psylocke... knowing how the Wolvey/Scott/Jean dynamic is "meant" to be... ruined my enjoyment of the film. People who don't know that sort of stuff aren't tied down by it and can just enjoy the movie.

Which brings me back to why I quoted Constantine...

I enjoyed it probably because I wasn't hindered by preconceptions from the source material. You, obviously the opposite.

... yet you like X3.

Tangent! I had a great discussion with my sister a while back on the subject of comic book movies. Her thought was the strength of the series lies in the villains - Superman only ever really fights Lex Luthor... it gets a bit repetitive and hasn't got a lot of places to go (what you said about needing a fresher plot). Spidey has dozens of iconic villains and thus has lots of stories that can be told before it gets stale.

Batman also has lots of villains, but the series got a bit tied up in trying to cram in as many big name ones as possible, to the detriment of the films. Batman Begins used two "low profile" villains that worked for the plot, and pulled it off magnificently.

[/not really going anywhere]

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 10:42 am

Well Supes does have some worthy villains, which is why I'm pissed off if the rumours are true that Singer wants Zod in the next movie. No need to retread old ground.

No doubt about it, Cyclops and Rogue got shafted in X3. But I really liked the epic scale of it. The battle at the end is ace.

Plus I don't know X-Men comics as well as, say, Spidey. Hmm, I'm sensing a correlation here...

Shanti418 · Post by **Shanti418** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:50 am

Although I liked Dick Tracy/Hellboy, I have to admit, one of those should definitely go to make room for V for Vendetta. That was a f****** well done film.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 12:02 pm

I didnt get Hellboy at all - i didnt understand who he was, what the point of him was, what was going on . just thought it was crap all over.

red guy fights slugs, can beat, cant beat em, do i care? no.

Post by **Best First** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 12:52 pm

Hellboy was ok for me. but again not great.

I think i agree about X-3, its just more fun than the other two, X-men 2 may actually be a first, a movie that's a bit too true to the source material - stuff that was angsty on the page was a bit whiney and up its own arse on the screen.

X-men 2 - good, but a bit up its own arse.

Same for Superman Returns.

Essentially singer needs to learn to mic pathos and action a bit better, rather than subsuming one to the other.

Obvious reference point: Batman Begins.

x-3 wise, I know x-lore inside out and the chnages didn't bother me, maybe because what was going on was entertaining. That said x-men comics were gash by that point so it favoured well in comparison. Ok, Jean suffered a bit, but Psylcke is a mess of a character anyway and Juggy has only really been developed beyond a low rent hulk in teh last few years anyway, having him as a generic strong guy (and a mutant) really matters not.

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 1:05 pm

Best First wrote:x-3 wise, I know x-lore inside out and the chnages didn't bother me, maybe because what was going on was entertaining. That said x-men comics were gash by that point so it favoured well in comparison. Ok, Jean suffered a bit, but Psylcke is a mess of a character anyway and Juggy has only really been developed beyond a low rent hulk in teh last few years anyway, having him as a generic strong guy (and a mutant) really matters not.

See, much as I slate people who criticise stuff for not being what I want it to be, I tend to be guilty of it myself. I do admit it, though. I'm thoroughly prepared to enjoy X3 next time I see it...

The whole "only so many X-Men" thing grated a bit, as they've got a school full of people who would doubtless kill for the chance to kick it with the team. Didn't buy Hank wanting to shut the school, either. Phoenix felt a bit... well... wasted. I went in expecting lots of big fiery telekinetic awesome carnage... I got Famke Janssen standing about looking a bit moody... followed by a bit of the aforementioned. Liked the subtext of Chuck being a raging hypocrite, but disappointed nobody called him on it.

Juggernaut... the mutant thing doesn't bother me so much. The only interesting thing I've ever seen in Juggs is his relationship with Xavier - was really looking forward to seeing how they'd handle that. And they just glossed over it. May as well have been The Blob.

Like I said - lots in it I love... the negative just left a bit of a bad taste.

Hellboy had zero rewatch value for me. Enjoyed it first time out, but once I'd seen it it just lost all interest.

Ozz · Post by **Ozz** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 5:10 pm

Brendocon wrote:I've had a theory about X3 (well, about most adaptations, but X3 crystallised it for me) - most people I know who aren't comic fans really enjoyed it. Whereas a lot of people I know who are couldn't stand it.

I'm a huge X-comic book fan, and I really liked X3.

I suppose it's because I really don't think change = bad, as I find the case with some of fans of... well, pretty much everything. I loved X-Men: Evolution which differs from the comics greatly. Same with the movies. And my favourite batch of Ultimate X-Men is Vaughan's run, which I think introduced most reimagined elements into the book.

I liked Hellboy, Constatine, but Mystery Men not so much.

Blade 2 is my least favourite of the three. I might have to rewatch that, but now I mainly remember those fugly vampires which double jointed jaws, and I really hated them.

Where's the main article? I can't find the link and I'm wondering what movie is the one which the black ninja dude.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 5:22 pm

On the subject of From Hell, I think what they did was they took one of the best graphic novels I've ever read - then stripped it of anything that made it unique or interesting and made a generic Jack the Ripper movie, changing both the ending to the original and real historic events.

Bah.

Really liked V for Vendetta. Different to the comic, but the spirit was there. £7 from HMV. You know it makes sense.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 9:01 pm

£5.87 at Amazon Jersey. Ooh yeah.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/V-Vendetta-Nata ... 19?ie=UTF8

wideload · Post by **wideload** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 2:42 am

this list sucks...

missing aliens, predator, 1st time burton batman, the crow....

Post by **Best First** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 8:07 am

aliens and Predator are not comic book movies.

Dave - Blade 1 is easily the best IMO.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 8:42 am

Best First wrote:
Dave - Blade 1 is easily the best IMO.

I liked the way they upped the gore and it was a bit Aliens-esque in 2.

But it goes without saying that Dorff is a much better villain than the chap from Bros...

Post by **Best First** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 10:13 am

i liked Blade 2 but felt it was very style over substance - basically a vampie hunter pop vid.

it lacked the doctor lady from 1's outsider POV i think.

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 10:16 am

Best First wrote:aliens and Predator are not comic book movies.

Haven't you heard? Everything that's ever had a comic made based on it counts as a comic book movie.

Obviously.

Blade II did little for me. Only watched it the once though. Can watch the first one over and over.

Love the Pump Panel mix of Confusion.

Post by **Best First** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 10:33 am

der der der der dut dut der der
der der der der dut dut der der
der der der der dut dut der der
der der der der dut dut der der
der der der der dut dut der der

yes.

going on the new criteria - Serenity is best. woot!

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 12:51 pm

blade 2 just seemed utter cheese wit this 'team' of vamps helping to kill 'super' vamps...bluegh - Blade one is cool, and the opening soundtrack, wicked!