My Top Five Comic Book Movies

With Deadpool, Batman v Superman and Captain America: Civil War all coming out this year so far, this is going to be a big year for comic book movies. Especially with even more comic books films coming this year. So I decided to do a top five comic book movies.

To decide what my top five would be I set up some dogma. The comic book doesn't need to be a superhero one. It can be from any language (E.G. French or Manga). They had to live-action films. Anything that had a comic based on the movie after the movie was released or for its promotion does not count (so no Star Wars, Mad Max: Fury Road or The Matrix)

So now you know my precedent, my top five (in alphabetical order)...

Blue is the Warmest Colour (Directed by Abdellatif Kechiche)

Easily one of the most controversial winners of the Palme d'Or. Blue is the Warmest Colour tracks Adele's (played by Adèle Exarchopoulos) relationships towards the end of high school and how she falls for Emma (played by Lea Seydoux). Some parts of the graphic novel were changed to adapt it for the big screen. Mainly the name of the main character which was changed from Clementine to Adele.

Most the controversy surrounding this movie was based around the working conditions the main actors were faced with during the shooting along with its raw deception of sexuality between the couple. Many have said that the sex scenes (of which the longest is seven minutes long) are unrealistic while others have argued that fact.

When heading into this movie I knew about the controversy surrounding this movie but when I finished it I didn't care. I was indulged in the story and the characters. The director Abdellatif Kechiche depicts Adele's character in ways so few directors could. We see here sleep, eat, have a could, her doing her hair just so it wouldn't get in her face and more. With so many comic books movies, espically the superhero ones, portraying characters of over the top wonder and personality, it's refreshing to see what great comic book movies can do.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Directed by Edgar Wright)

After not making its money back at the box office this movie has since gone on to become a cult classic and deservedly so. The third feature from Edgar Wright and his first American one perfectly shows his skill as a director. The titular character is played by Michael Cera (in his best role since Juno) and he plays his role to the best of his great abilities. Scott Pilgrim falls for a girl of whom if he wants to date he must defeat his seven evil exes. The supporting cast includes Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Brie Larson, Anna Kendrick, Alison Pill, Brandon Routh and Jason Schwartzman. The movie was based off a six part graphic novel written and drawn by Bryan Lee O'Malley.

With it being so easy to be accused of style over substance, especially for Edgar Wright, the movie is thankfully backed by a strong script and characters. This can mainly be seen in character of Scott Pilgrim. The movie has several set pieces, mainly when Scott confronts the seven evil exes, and each one feels unique. As we movie on to the next ex-boyfriend the battles represent where Scott's mind and character arc are at and by the last one we get a very satisfying ending to Scott's journey as a character.

The movie also contains some great production work from set designers and the sound team to really tie this movie together. Edgar Wright being Edgar Wright ads jokes into the movie that aren't dialogue delivered and it makes for a more entertaining movie.

Also check this out (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FOzD4Sfgag) for why so many people like Edgar Wright's style and this for his dedication (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgfMTlP1tLg).

Snowpiercer (Directed by Bong Joon-Ho)

Inspired by the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige, Bong Joon-Ho presents one of the most stark and original visions of a post apocalyptic world since Mad Max. After a climate engineering accident the world is transformed into an ice age and the only survivors are the ones on a train that is self sufficient and is always on the move. The movie is played by Chris Evans in to date his most sophisticated role.Bong Joon-Ho has built up a strong resume of movies before this (Memories of Murder, The Host and Mother) which probably helped to get so many great actors in this movie. Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, Ewen Bremner, Ko Asung, John Hurt and Ed Harris.

The movie is a metaphor for society today with most of the cast being from the tail end of the train where they sleep in tight quarters with everyone else and are severed protein bars. For once they one of their rebellions work and they start making progress to the front of the train. On their journey through the train, they move towards the higher classes of which I could go into great detail but you can just watch this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm9qKj1Q_OU).

Not all of this movie is philosophical, there are some very creative set pieces of action during this movie. One notable one takes place in the dark. Along with the great Chris Evans performance, gorgeous cinematography and precise directing, Snowpiecer is a great action you probably haven't seen.

Spider-Man 2 (Directed by Sam Raimi)

Of all the super-hero movies out there this is the one with the most character and emotionally driven plot. I really wish more super-hero sequels would follow what this movie did to build upon its predecessor (looking at you Iron Man 2/3, Thor 2, Avengers 2 and a couple more). Sam Raimi's adaption of Spider-Man might not be the most faithful to the comics but emotion wise i'll be damned if it isn't.

In Spider-Man 2 Raimi has more freedom to tell a story because all the back story we need is in Spider-Man (and the opening credits of this movie). We see Peter Parker's (played by Toby Maguire) responsibilities be tested here especially when he starts to lose his abilities. We also see Parker come to turns with a villain that he had a part in creating. Parker's relation with Mary Jane (played by Kirsten Dunst) is one of the main character driven parts of this movie and it pays off. When you watch Spider-Man 2 it really just shows you how Spider-Man 3 didn't work at all.

Also I can't talk about this movie without talking about the train scene. You can say that Peter Parker became Spider-Man in the last movie but in this scene really becomes Spider-Man. The action scene is both a scene with action and one that like every other scene in the movie moves the characters forward plot wise. At the end of the scene I do get a little teary because it's hard not to like that scene.

Superman (Directed by Richard Donner)

This is undeniably the grandfather of super-hero films. While this movie may not feature any amazing action scenes by today's standards it is one that perfectly captures the essence of Superman. Superman may not turn up for a while in this movie but it's more then worth the wait.

With every subsequent Superman movie (except Superman 2) the superman character has never been portrayed the way he should be. Even if you think his underpants on the outside thing is cheesy, you can't deny that Superman should be the good boy scout and the mantle of "truth and justice the American way". I'm not even American but I know this is what Superman stands for, he is a man who helps people because he can. Where as movies like Man of Steel and Batman v Superman don't portray him in the way he should. Yes, he does help people but his stance on political matters is, lack for a better word, stupid. Superman shouldn't be involved in that stuff.

Christopher Reeve is still THE Superman to this day and he is backed by a strong supporting cast of Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder and Marlon Brando. Even if this movie's SFX don't hold up, this is an uplifting super-hero movie to watch compared to the darker DC adaptions of present.

Honorable Mentions

Dredd, Watchmen, The Dark Knight trilogy, Spider-Man, Captain American: The Winter Soldier/Civil War, Iron Man, X-Men 1,2, First Class and Days of Future Past, Superman 2, Oldboy, V for Vendetta, Kingsman the Secret Service, Sin City, A History of Violence, Road to Perdition and We Are the Best!.

So those are my top five choices, what do you think if you have seen any of them? What are you picks for your top five?

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