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#10
X-MEN: FIRST CLASS (2011)
X-Men: First Class poster

CAST
MICHAEL FASSBENDER, JAMES McAVOY, KEVIN BACON, ROSE BYRNE, NICHOLAS HOULT, JANUARY JONES, JENNIFER LAWRENCE

DIRECTED BY
MATTHEW VAUGHN

Bouncing back from the derided X-Men: The Last Stand was not going to be an easy task, yet X-Men: First Class did just that. A stylish and sexy prequel that takes a look at the relationships and motives of influential mutant leaders Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender), this Matthew Vaughn directed film gave the lagging X-Men franchise to kick up the ass it so sorely needed.

 

 


#9
THOR (2011)
Thor poster

CAST
CHRIS HEMSWORTH, JAIMIE ALEXANDER, IDRIS ELBA, TOM HIDDLESTON, ANTHONY HOPKINS, NATALIE PORTMAN, STELLAN SKARSGARD

DIRECTED BY
KENNETH BRANAGH

In the degree of difficulty stakes Thor was right up there in regards to comic book adaptations. Yet Marvel Studio’s gutsy decision to give Kenneth Branagh the reigns and cast then unknown Australian Chris Hemsworth as the God of Thunder paid dividends, with Thor an impressive feat of scale, design and terrific performances (Tom Hiddleston’s cheeky villainous turn as Loki among them).

 

 

 

#8
IRON MAN (2008)
Iron Man poster

CAST
ROBERT DOWNEY JR, LESLIE BIBB, JEFF BRIDGES, JOHN FAVREAU, TERRENCE HOWARD, GWENYTH PALTROW, SHAUN TOUB

DIRECTED BY
JON FAVREAU

The first film to kick of Marvel Studios’ “Avengers Initiative”, Iron Man made the impossible possible by taking on of Marvel’s more complex characters and turned him into a global superstar up there with Spider-Man and Wolverine.

The casting of one time bad boy Robert Downey Jr. as billionaire genius Tony Stark was a big reason for its success.

 

 

 

#7
BLADE (1998)
Blade poster

CAST
WESLEY SNIPES, STEPHEN DORFF, ARLY JOVER, UDO KIER, KRIS KRISTOFFERSON, DONAL LOGUE, N’BUSHE WRIGHT

DIRECTED BY
STEPHEN NORRINGTON

Although a barely known character outside of comic book land, Blade quickly became a household name and proved that Marvel had the tools to match DC in creating top grade superhero movie entertainment.

Wesley Snipes was at his ass kicking best as Blade, a daylight walking vampire whose mission in life is to slay his own kind. Now if only he can get his hand of those Twilight pansies…

 

 

 

#6
X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST (2014)
X-Men: Days of Future psoter

CAST
MICHAEL FASSBENDER, HUGH JACKMAN, JAMES MCAVOY, PETER DINKLAGE, JENNIFER LAWRENCE, IAN MCKELLAN, PATRICK STEWART

DIRECTED BY
BRYAN SINGER

Director Bryan Singer’s return to the super-hero franchise he established resulted in the best X-Men movie since, well, Singer’s last turn at the reigns, the now classic X2.

This all-star mash of the franchise’s original stars (Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellan, Patrick Stewart) and its newest additions (Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence) always ran the risk of being a cluttered affair. Yet in Singer’s capable hands, X-Men: Days of Future Past is a bold, dark and entertaining chapter in a genre defining franchise.

 

 

 

#5
SPIDER-MAN 2 (2004)
Spider-Man 2 poster

CAST
TOBEY MAGUIRE, KIRSTEN DUNST, JAMES FRANCO, ROSEMARY HARRIS, ALFRED MOLINA, J.K. SIMMONS

DIRECTED BY
SAM RAIMI

While the first Spider-Man movie was a perfectly portrayed action adventure morality tale, its sequel upped the ante with director Sam Raimi weaving a web of more action, more drama and higher stakes as Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) takes on the demented Dr. Octopus (Alfred Molina).

Sadly, it only went downhill from there with Raimi dropping the ball with Spider-Man 3. A reboot of the series is due in June.

 

 

 

#4
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014)
Guardians of the Galaxy psoter

CAST
CHRIS PRATT, ZOE SALDANA, DAVE BAUTISTA, BRADLEY COOPER (VOICE OF), VIN DIESEL (VOICE OF), LEE PACE, MICHAEL ROOKER

DIRECTED BY
JAMES GUNN

An energetic space adventure with plenty of laughs to go along with its awesome visuals, Guardians of the Galaxy may not boast big name superheroes, yet under the direction of James Gunn it does a great job in establishing itself as one of the more entertaining Marvel comic book adaptations to hit the silver screen.

With a charismatic cast (led by sure to be superstar Chris Pratt) and a soundtrack of classic hits a part of its arsenal, Guardians of the Galaxy is pure fun on film, an all-rounder of a blockbuster and one of Marvel’s best yet.

 

 


#3
X2 (2003)
X2 poster

CAST
HALE BERRY, HUGH JACKMAN, FAMKE JANSSEN, JAMES MARSDEN, IAN McKELLAN, ANNA PAQUIN, PATRICK STEWART

DIRECTED BY
BRYAN SINGER

X-Men successfully set the stage for filmmaker Bryan Singer to take this group of mutant superheros into even bigger territory, with X2 an edgier and thrilling sequel that featured Marvel’s greatest mutants taking on their biggest threat in the maniacal General Striker (Brian Cox).

Hugh Jackman is at his ferocious best as Wolverine, while Singer continued to successfully push the inequality message featured throughout the series.

 

 

 

#2
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (2014)
Captain America: The Winter Soldier poster

CAST
CHRIS EVANS, FRANK GRILLO, SAMUEL L. JACKSON, SCARLETT JOHANSSON, ANTHONY MACKIE, ROBERT REDFORD, SEBASTIAN STAN

DIRECTED BY
ANTHONY RUSSO, JOE RUSSO

Raising the bar on how comic book movies should be made, Captain America: The Winter Soldier features everyone’s favourite American hero Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) trying to solve a conspiracy of diabolical proportions, evoking the paranoia tinged thrillers of the ‘70s and blending it with top grade action filmmaking courtesy of brother directing tandem Anthony and Joe Russo.

With the stakes high and the entertainment factor even higher, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is - much like The Dark Knight– a comic book movie that elevates its genre, providing a weight that makes its superhero shenanigans that much more important.     

 

 

 

#1
THE AVENGERS (2012)
The Avengers poster

CAST
ROBERT DOWNEY JR, CHRIS EVANS, CHRIS HEMSWORTH, SAMUEL L. JACKSON, SCRALETT JOHNSSON, JEREMY RENNER, MARK RUFFALO

DIRECTED BY
JOSS WHEDON

A dream movie for many a comic book fan, The Avengers caps Marvel Studios’ build-up of superhero movies (Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger) to a one movie event that reaches its impossibly lofty ambition of becoming the superhero movie of our time.

With Firefly creator Joss Whedon handling script and directing duties, every single 144 minutes of screen time delivers entertainment spectacle of the highest quality as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes take on the villainous Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and an army of extra-terrestrial invaders. 

Orchestrating a great balancing act, Whedon gives every character their chance to shine and perfectly blends action, sci-fi and wit. It is a term seldom used, but The Avengers could be the Star Wars of a new generation.

 

 

 

 
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