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Post by Icctrombone on Dec 17, 2016 15:34:06 GMT -5
On the 5th Day of Christmas, the Russos gave to me 12 superheroes, 2 super-villains, and a really cool airport fight scene 8. Captain America: Civil War (2016) I love the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I could have put half its films on this list. But I'm not. I only made room for one. Iron Man was a great film. I loved it more than I've ever loved the Iron Man comic. Robert Downey Jr. created an iconic character. The Avengers was perhaps the best pure-fun rollercoaster blockbuster I had yet seen. The movie didn't capture for me anything much of what I love about Avengers. But it didn't matter. It was such a nonstop thrill ride. I laughed and gasped at every moment it wanted me to. I was completely under its spell. And Guardians of the Galaxy... is a movie whose existence made me so ridiculously happy. I consider this film released earlier in the year to be the height of the MCU. At least so far. I think Cei-U! was generous in allowing us to include films from up to this year. Including 2017 films might have been pushing it. But I'm already pretty convinced that Spider-Man: Homecoming is my favorite superhero film of all time. Superhero action. I just hadn't yet been that impressed with the films. Some hints of cool powers seen in a couple X-Men films, as I mentioned before. But this is what I was looking for. An all-out brawl where people are using their powers. I wanted Ant-Man riding Hawkeye's arrow and getting inside Iron Man's circuits. I wanted Spider-Man grabbing Captain America's shield with his webbing and quipping during the fight to the annoyance of others. I wanted Ant-Man to become Giant Man. I love that airport fight scene. And then the climax. About 95% of superhero movie climaxes disappoint me. But the pathos of the final battle between Captain America and Iron Man. Those actors exuded the emotion of the moment. I felt every blow. I felt like a saw a friendship crack further with every blow. And, as alluded to, that was Spider-Man. My favorite superhero. Perfectly captured on the screen. This was it. This was the superhero movie I wanted. For now. I expect the MCU to top it several times yet. Tomorrow's entry is a film I have a history with. This movie made me sad. |
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Post by hondobrode on Dec 17, 2016 16:08:09 GMT -5
One of my favorite strip characters ever, Dick Tracy  I'm not normally a Warren Beatty fan, but I love everything he did with this movie. It's the perfect balance of over-the-top four color adventure and sensationalism. Nothing just happens, it HAPPENS !! Beatty is great as Tracy and all the star cast didn't hurt at all either.  Disney was hoping to have this continue as a franchise, and I could see that happening. Outside of Batman, I don't think anyone else has as diverse or bizarre a rogue's gallery as Tracy. From left to right starting at the top : Itchy, Tracy, Influence, Pruneface, Breathless Mahone, Flattop, and Big Boy Caprice. Madonna was really good in this and I think she enjoyed it. I remember one scene towards the end where Tracy fights a guy who was like a father figure to The Kid, but was exploiting him. Tracy gives him a good thrashing and we see the outside of this tiny shack and it's like it's on hinges with the walls rocking back and forth at diagonal angles. That burned into my memory. Hopefully Disney eventually returns to this. |
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Roquefort Raider
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Dec 17, 2016 16:15:00 GMT -5
In the fifth day of Christmas, Marjane gave to me… #8 PersépolisNominated for an oscar and co-winner of the Jury prize at Cannes, Persepolis describe the Iranian revolution and the Iran-Iraq war as seen through the eyes of a little girl, followed by her well-meaning but heart breaking exile to the west, followed by a difficult coming of age story. It is an emotional roller-coaster but also has moments of pure joy. Persepolis does a brilliant job in showing us the anguish of the people who saw in the revolution the promise of a better tomorrow, who believed they would at last get a real democracy. A people who sincerely hoped that it would finally be captain of its own fate. How terrible to see those dreams drown in the sea of an abject reality… To see how the state imposes its religious yoke on everyone, how it lies about not having any political prisoners, how “the veil is synonym of freedom”. And to us westerners, it is a great opportunity to see how real people (and not abstract individuals) endure the ordeal. The film pretty much follows the comics, down to the artist’s style, which is a blessing. I cried watching a cartoon. And I ain’t ashamed! |
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Post by DubipR on Dec 17, 2016 16:50:32 GMT -5
#8- DUCKTALESDisney Comics to comic fans is either special or just ho-hum them. Either you grew up reading the comics or didn't care. Carl Barks is the exception. Creating Uncle Scrooge McDuck was one of the greatest contributions to Disney that wasn't a film or TV property back in 1947. Creating a universe that was Walt approved but strengthen by given Barks the free reign to make Scrooge and his family (Donald and his nephews) have more adventures than one comic should have. Barks throughout the years became synonymous with ducks (as they should be) and his work found an audience for many generations in print form. But it was in the late 1980s (debuting in 1987) that Barks' creations found a worldwide audience of mass appeal.... enter DuckTales  The writers took a majority of Barks written classics and spun them into afternoon television viewing for millions. Barks staples like the Beagle Boys, Magica DeSpell and Flintheart Glomgold were perfect foils each week. And taking it up a notch, spinning off new and creative characters like Launchpad McQuack. I was in my late teens when this came out but it was mandatory watching when it came on after school. 
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Post by Prince Hal on Dec 17, 2016 17:29:48 GMT -5
# 8 Duck Tales (1987-1990)(Can't believe I posted this tight after dubip! Haven't even read today's entries yet! Hope I'm not being redundant...)  I was never more than a barbershop reader of the Duck comics, though I always wanted to be caught up in their world. For lots of reasons, I was and still am attracted to small-town stories – Andy Hardy movies, Kings Row, the few Little Archies I ever saw – and the detailed world of Duckburg should have been right up my alley. It just never happened, at least until Duck Tales appeared. Had it not been that my kids were of an age to enjoy them, I wouldn’t have watched them, but for a while there, we tuned in every day. The characters and characterizations were fun, the stories were adult enough for kids, and kiddie enough for adults (like the old Warner Brothers cartoons), and the animation a step above most cartoons of the time. My kids and I not only watched the shows, we created our own scenarios and played them in the basement, outside, and with their blocks and toy cars and planes. I haven’t seen a one of these in a hundred years, and I have to say that they seemed to run their course around the time that the Rescue Rangers show appeared and it was like too much of a good thing. But I will always have a warm spot in my heart for Huey, Dewey, Louie, Unca Scrooge, the Beagle Boys, Launchpad McQuack and all the rest. BUT WHERE WERE THE *$@! ACTION FIGURES?!
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Post by MDG on Dec 17, 2016 17:34:21 GMT -5
Ghost World
A good example of a movie that gets the tone right, even if the story strayed from the source. Like someone said earlier, I wasn’t sure about adding a “plot” about a relationship between Enid and Seymour, (and you gotta wonder if having a cute teenage girl attracted to an older crotchety guy wasn’t some sort of wish-fulfillment ion the part of Clowes and Zwigoff), but the look and details match the original story very well. Sometimes the 90s seem a long time ago.
The trailer:
Also, the whole number from Gumnaam (which, though you won’t get it from this, is a variation on Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None”).
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Post by foxley on Dec 17, 2016 17:56:27 GMT -5
8. Batman: Assault on Arkham
I was giving serious consideration to including the Suicide Squad movie on my list. However, I ultimately decided that I needed a little more time and a few re-watchings to determine if it really is a favourite. But I am a huge Suicide Squad fan, so I gave the Suicide Squad movie's place to what I regard as the Squad's truest realization in a media other than comics: this direct-to-dvd release. First of all, don't let the title fool you. This is a Suicide Squad film, not a Batman one. Batman functions primarily as an antagonist; threatening to get in the way of the Squad's mission. This has everything I expect from a Squad story: unlikable protagonists, overwhelming odds, hidden agendas, double-crosses, betrayals, Captain Boomerang being an annoying pain in the butt... And they got Amanda Waller right! This an excellent little film and I'd recommend it to any Suicide Squad fans.
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Post by String on Dec 17, 2016 19:53:50 GMT -5
#8 Young Justice
No, these aren't your regular teen titans. Rather, they're heroes in waiting, in training, and in some instances, our only hope. The premise of the series may be off-putting if you think about it. After going off on their own to rescue a clone of Superman from Project Cadmus, Batman decides to utilize their sidekicks in a more effective fashion (at least from his viewpoint) by having them perform covert missions for the the more-public League. But at the heart of this series is these youngsters' desires to prove themselves, not only to their mentors but to each other. They make mistakes, try to fix them and may make more in the process. It's a dangerous learning curve as the villains of the world join together as the Light, in an effort to destroy the League and control the world. Season Two ups the ante as the Light facilitates an alien invasion by the Reach while framing the League. The cast expands with new members and heroes such as Jaime Reyes, the new Blue Beetle who truly shines here. Members mature (Dick quits being Robin and becomes Nightwing) while some retire (like Wally) and some undertake dangers to save the world and face their heritage (Aqualad). It's action, it's drama, it's love, it's suspense, and it's brilliant. They even had their own tie-in comic which showcased moments and trials that happened in-between episodes. Best news of all, WB just announced that the show will be brought back for a third season, with the original creators involved. Merry Christmas indeed.
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Post by Paste Pot Paul on Dec 17, 2016 20:27:07 GMT -5
8. Jessica Jones
cos its ... orsum
I considered Luke Cage and Daredevil Season 2 for entry as well, but in comparison with this they pale. I struggled to get into it initially and am very happy I persevered, there are a number of reasons it resonated with me. For starters David Tennant's Purple Man is close to the nastiest, creepiest sumbitch to come out of comics. Here we have the reality of a man who is able to manipulate people into obeying his every whim, and its not pretty, its not comic book bad guy, its barely even human. Well it is human and that's the hard thing to accept about him. Jessica and Luke, just so well done, the seed sown for what is one of my favourite relationships in the MU, both actors delivering everything we could ask of them. Lastly, New York City, IMHO a character all on its own in this show, the first time Ive really noticed just how claustrophobic such a huge place could be. Ive watched (as have we all) numerous shows set in NY, but have never felt the dirt, dark, and sheer weight of the surroundings as shown here. I guess living in a small town, in a country with no corresponding massive urban settlement (our largest are too spread out) its hard to even imagine a New York/London/Paris, let alone empathise with the inhabitants.
Overall this IS a vote for the Netflix shows as a whole tho, they have all delivered well beyond anything I dared to imagine a couple of years ago. |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Dec 17, 2016 23:26:10 GMT -5
#8 Smallville 2001-2011 I was totally hooked on this show . From the soap opera type Spider-man angst , to the young Kent learning to be a hero. In many ways Superman is my favorite hero for one reason- he does what’s right without repayment and he has a moral high standard to help others. But in this weekly tale, we are witness to Clarks powers slowly unfolding while trying to live a life as a teen in Kansas. Kristin Kreuk plays an absolute babelicious Lana Lang who is the primary love interest for the first 5 years or so and is just one part of an excellent cast for this show. Clark played by Tom Welling is perfectly cast and has a smile that inspires confidence and goodness. Cast as his friend and eventual enemy is Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor and you see the friendship deteriorate like a shakesperian tragedy as the show goes on. later on in the series, they have Lex’s father Played by excellent actor John Glover and the show only gets better. Another plus , was the great soundtrack of modern songs that became part of the landscape of the show. Available on Itunes, natch. The show loses it’s luster for me as the last 4 years or so become “ superhero guest star of the week”. I liked it simple.  The producers vowed that there would never be capes or tights but the very last scene in the last episode has him ripping open his white shirt to reveal the world famous “S”. Ahhh, that’s the stuff. Wow, 3 of us picking this for the same slot! I just wanted to add that Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum are, IMO, the best Superman/Lex that DC has come up with since Christopher Reeves.. they're crazy that that the didn't keep Welling in the role for the movies. |
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Crimebuster
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Post by Crimebuster on Dec 18, 2016 20:41:16 GMT -5
8. Agent Carter
So much about this show is spot on - Hayley Atwell is perfect as Agent Carter, the 40's setting is perfect, and it's a great place to lay the foundation for the other stuff going on in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The second season, while a bit anti-climactic, had a lot to offer as well, particularly in its subtext about gender and race, which, while still overt, was handled more deftly than the somewhat heavy handed delivery in season one. Still, though it wasn't perfect, I certainly hope it returns, because the good far outweighs the mediocre.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Dec 18, 2016 20:44:32 GMT -5
I was very close to putting Agent Carter on my list.... LOVED it. Hayley Atwell was amazing. I think the 2nd season was a little overly hokey, and they tried a little too hard with the MU references.
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Post by foxley on Dec 18, 2016 21:08:50 GMT -5
One of my favorite strip characters ever, Dick Tracy. I'm not normally a Warren Beatty fan, but I love everything he did with this movie. It's the perfect balance of over-the-top four color adventure and sensationalism. Nothing just happens, it HAPPENS !! Beatty is great as Tracy and all the star cast didn't hurt at all either. Disney was hoping to have this continue as a franchise, and I could see that happening. Outside of Batman, I don't think anyone else has as diverse or bizarre a rogue's gallery as Tracy. From left to right starting at the top : Itchy, Tracy, Influence, Pruneface, Breathless Mahone, Flattop, and Big Boy Caprice. Madonna was really good in this and I think she enjoyed it. I remember one scene towards the end where Tracy fights a guy who was like a father figure to The Kid, but was exploiting him. Tracy gives him a good thrashing and we see the outside of this tiny shack and it's like it's on hinges with the walls rocking back and forth at diagonal angles. That burned into my memory. Hopefully Disney eventually returns to this. I realise this film is a favourite of many people, and I'm starting wonder if I am the only person who dislikes it. However, to me this film completely missed the point of Dick Tracy, and in particular his rogue's gallery. Yes, Tracy has one of the best rogue's galleries in comics, but the point is that any one of them is a near match for Tracy. That's why his battles with them become extended battles of wills and chases, as it would take everything Tracy had to bring them down. By cramming so many of the classic foes into one film, all it did was ensure that most of them received only a few minutes screen time and no character focus at all. And then they just had most of them killed in a shootout with the cops: no karmic comeuppance as they would have received in the comics. A triumph of style over substance, and such a wasted opportunity. |
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Post by MDG on Dec 19, 2016 9:02:38 GMT -5
I realise this film is a favourite of many people, and I'm starting wonder if I am the only person who dislikes it. .... A triumph of style over substance, and such a wasted opportunity. No, you're not. I saw it when it came out and never tried to watch it again. I just didn't find it interesting or engaging. |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Dec 19, 2016 9:22:12 GMT -5
# 8 Duck Tales (1987-1990)(Can't believe I posted this tight after dubip! Haven't even read today's entries yet! Hope I'm not being redundant...) You're not the only one who will be repeating this selection  |
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