Superhero Movies

I am a fan of superhero movies.

Here are my top 10.

Guardians of the Galaxy - just brilliant, the humour is wonderful, the characters are perfect and the story is great. All this around a cool 70s soundtrack.

Avengers Assemble - this is just an excellent story which keeps going from start to finish, action packed with some brilliant moments of humour (the Hulk puny God line is perfect).

Batman Begins - I just love this reboot, the story is excellent and I think it really captures the comic book world (the follow up movies are good but a bit too real worldy). Plus I love the fact that Batman is vulnerable, it gives these stories an extra edge. I must say, an excellent trilogy.

Deadpool - this was a surprise as I wasn't expecting big things, however it's quirky humour really delivered.

Spiderman (2002) - this movie kick started the huge trend in recent super hero movies and I loved it, less dark and more fun. Ok so the affects aren't quite up to the latest movies but the story is great and so are the characters (far better than the latest re-boot).

Iron Man - Robert Downey plays this role perfectly and I love the story (ok so the ending is not brilliant).

Watchmen - I actually love this movie. Ok so it has quite a few faults (the 70s style sex scene!), but I just love the atmosphere and the portrayal of super heroes as vulnerable, everyday people.

Incredibles - it might be animated and it might be a kids film but it is an original concept and a great story, plus the animation is also very good.

Superman (1978) - it may be old and it may be a bit dated, but it set the superhero movie standard, plus the cast is excellent.

Sin City - this is my final choice, it may be violent and a bit surreal, but the imagery is brilliant and I love the characters.

Honourable mentions to: X-Men 2, Spiderman 2, The Dark Knight Rises, Captain America: Midnight Soldier, Kick Ass and Avengers 2.

Steve Martin Movies

I am a big Steve Martin fan, he has my sense of humous (wacky and weird but not over the top), he is also a very down to earth actor who everyone can relate too. I don't think his earlier movies are for everyone, they are quite weird, but his later movies were a lot more mainstream.

These are my top 10 (plus 1) Steve Martin movies.

Parenthood - one of my all time favourite movies. It is not just Steve Martin, it has lots of good actors, but Martin is the core. It captures all aspects of Parenthood perfectly and with humour. Anyone who is a parent can relate to it.

LA Story - this is typical Martin. Very wacky and surreal. It has a great atmosphere too it and is quite emotional.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - the story in this is just brilliant, as is the humour. As in other films Martins interaction alongside another brilliant actor, Michael Caine, is just fantastic.

Planes Trains and Automobiles - another brilliant double act movie, with the excellent John Candy. In fact Martin plays the straight guy and it works very well. The story in this is also very good.

The Man with Two Brains - one of Martins earlier movies and as such on the more wacky side. This is a very weird story but also very funny.

Father of the Bride - yes it is mainstream and no it doesn't have the anarchic humour of a lot of his films, but this does have lots of emotion and feeling. It also has a real life story which people can relate too.

Cheaper By the Dozen - another mainstream movie and again another family orientated story line. I really like the emotion of the ending of the film.

All of Me - another earlier movie, with a weirder story line. Again very funny and another great performance alongside another actor, Lily Tomlin. The 'back in bowl' line is a big favourite of me and my wife's.

Roxanne - very clever and very funny. Martin plays this unusual role very, very well.

The Three Amigos - the humour on this is a bit more on the slapstick side, and it's not just about Martin, all three of the leads are equally as funny.

The Jerk - a very, very weird movie. It is Martin at the very start of his movie career and he is at his wackiest, but it is very funny. The story is very weird. It has to be included in any list of Martins movies.

Favourite Movies

These are my favourite movies, each of them I watch regularly.

I make no bones about my movie tastes being fairly mainsteam.

Life of Brian - not only is this hilarious, it is also very clever and a very good story. It is non stop comedy from beginning to end. The other Python films were a bit disappointing in comparison, although the Holy Grail does have some excellent individual sketches. "He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy".

Aliens - the first movie set the scene, but was long and a drawn out, this one is a good (all be it simple) story, has great characters, has great action and really scary aliens. "Game over man, game over".

Stranger than Fiction - I love weird and quirky and this has it in bucket loads. It is also a nice romance with some real emotion (the guitar/song scene is wonderful). This is one of the only films I like with Dustin Hoffman in it. And it is about a book. "I brought you some flours".

Batman Begins - how a superhero movie should be, a great story, real/gritty atmosphere and a hero who is vulnerable. The city of Gotham also feels like a comic book city rather than just New York. "And why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up".

Parenthood - brilliant look at the roller coaster ride of parenting with many types of family and experiences. Excellent story, good humour, great characters/cast and the great Steve Martin (one of my favourite actors). "Women have choices, and men have responsibilities".

The Matrix - brilliant science fiction, mind blowing story and some movie changing affects. "You take the blue pill, the story ends. You wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.".

Speed Racer - a visual spectacular. Fun filled action all the way. Another feel good movie. And it has a hilarious chimp. "Cool beans".

Guardians of the Galaxy - real super/anti heroes with a huge dose of humour. Heroes, humour, evil baddies, sci-fi, aliens, a sentient tree and a 70s soundtrack. This is just great fun all the way. "I am Groot".

Back to the Future - a fantastic story. The time travel works, the characters are good and it's funny. This is a great family fun film. With the greatest car ever. "Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads".

The Shawshank Redemption - wonderfully real story, full of atmosphere and emotion. Underpinned with some great acting. "Same old shit, different day".

Shaun of the Dead - British humour at its best. Wonderfully funny, great comic acting, what is there not to like. "Okay. But dogs CAN look up!".

Love Actually - I love feel good movies and this is one of the best. Excellent intertwining of stories. Some good characters, some good humour and it has some very emotional moments. "There was more than one lobster present at the birth of Jesus?".

Die Hard - the ultimate action movie, brilliant characters, fantastic story, great action and a dose of humour. "Yippee-ki-yay, motherf.....".

Toy Story - the best animated film ever. A wonderful story, great characters, full of emotion another feel good movie. It set a new standards for all subsequent animated films to follow. "To infinity and beyond".

Dodgeball - brilliant humour, very very funny. It manages to find exactly the right level without going over the top, which most comedies fail to do. "dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge!".

Honourable mentions: LA Story, Watchmen, Big, Avengers Assemble, About Time, Airplane, Star Wars, Blade Runner, The Warriors, Big, The Secret Of my Success, Top Gun, An Officer and a Gentleman and Groundhog Day.