My "Comics to Movies" series of reviews is moving forward rather slowly, but it's still moving. I keep another blog 1000daysofhorror.blogspot.com which I've been giving more attention to.
As the readers who follow my blog (I think there's two) know, I've been working on a series of reviews and commentaries on lesser known movie adaptations of comic books. In the meantime, I put together a list of my personal favorite movies in this genre.
I'm sure I'll be thrown some comments like "What? You included Dick Tracy but not Avengers: Endgame!" Yeah - I did. There are more comic book movies I enjoy immensely, but these below are ones that stand out to me. They're my personal favorites.
I'm sure I'll be thrown some comments like "What? You included Dick Tracy but not Avengers: Endgame!" Yeah - I did. There are more comic book movies I enjoy immensely, but these below are ones that stand out to me. They're my personal favorites.
And while Marvel has made some fun movies these last 10 + years (Ant Man, SpiderMan: Home Coming) as well as some less than savory movies (Doctor Strange - yeah, I didn't like that one). These picks, however, stand above the rest in my mind.
Batman (1989) - This really stems from a nostalgic place for me.
Tim Burton's 1989 movie Batman helped change the general public's idea of the caped crusader from the campy 1966 series image to a darker, grittier, no-nonsense superhero who doesn't spout off lines about good dental hygiene or always crossing on the crosswalk.
While this image of Batman was already common among comic book readers, thanks in large part to artists like Frank Miller and his 1986 four-issue series The Dark Knight Returns, I wasn't reading any of that at the time of Burton's movie. I was heading to second grade in June, 1989.
And this movie was "the movie of the summer." It made a huge impression on me. I became obsessed with Batman after I saw this. It's an obsession that has quieted down some, but hasn't died completely.
I remember the theater exploded in cheers and applause at the scene in the third act where Batman flies his Bat Plane through the cloud cover of Gotham City, lining itself against the full moon to create the bat logo before flying headfirst towards the Joker's deadly parade. I still remember that.
The story line is a serious one, even with the understanding that the audience at the time would predominately be children.
The movie tackles truth, family bonds, trust, dedication, personal honor, selflessness versus greed, and corruption in society,
The movie starts off rather serious as we witness a crime network of teens at work, all organized just to steal a man's wallet. It then goes to just how swift this network is at stealing televisions, and even an entire truck of electronics. It sets a serious tone for a movie about heroes with a huge kid fan-base.
And though critic Roger Ebert wrote that he didn't walk out of this movie with renewed spirits as he wasn't expecting much when walking in, he did say "this movie is nowhere near as bad as it might have been, and probably is the best Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movie." He wrote that in his review back in 1990, I think it's an opinion that still holds true.
Oh, and throw in some Jim Henson puppetry. That's the topping on the pizza!
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) - I admire Marvel Studios for bringing comic heroes to the big screen that aren't as mainstream as commonly recognizable heroes like SpiderMan or Captain America.
Guardians of the Galaxy falls into that category for me. I was unfamiliar with the Guardians until the movie came out. I was sold by the trailer and the positive reviews.
It was definitely one of the first comic movies I sat through and thoroughly enjoyed, and felt good about after watching.
Maybe that's thanks the use of light and colorful atmosphere as opposed to the seemingly consistent dark, shadowy, rainy atmosphere often seen in comic movies.
The humor is right up my alley. I loved the chemistry of the characters. Chris Pratt is a perfect casting choice as Peter Quill/ Starlord. The dialogue was somehow believable...even for Rocket Raccoon. It's original for being a comic-based film. And though I call it a superhero movie, it's really more about individuals very different from each other, yet still able to work together towards a common goal. And those individuals become important to each other after their mission is accomplished. I felt good walking out of the theater when I saw this. This is my favorite among Marvel movies so far, followed closely by Guardians of the Galaxy vol. II.
Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance (1972) - Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vegeance is the first of six samurai movies based on the Manga series by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima. The actors clearly take this movie seriously. The acting, sets, camera work, and dialogue - this is a fantastic and well done film. Granted the effects are certainly a product of a budget probably on the lower side. The fighting scenes are entertaining. It's a darker movie for sure as the protagonist, Ogami Itto, is an assassin-for-hire knowing full well his way of life is evil. But he still maintains a sense of compassion towards those suffering from injustices.
I reviewed Sword of Vengeance among my "Comic to Movie" reviews, which you can read by clicking here.
Dick Tracy (1990) - What sets the 1990 Warren Beatty movie Dick Tracy apart from other comic book based movies is its style. It's the most comic-styled movie I've seen. It's a modern film noir with bright colors amid a somewhat gritty backdrop.
It was an original style for its day. In other words, Dick Tracy is as close to an acted out comic strip than any other movie I've seen. The colors. The framework. The imagery. And on top of that, the all-star cast make this movie distinct from other movies in this genre. After Batman, which was released the year before, I think Dick Tracy was a source of inspiration for future comic book movies. It's kind of an unsung hero of such movies. I wrote about this film earlier on my blog as well. The link to that can be found here: Dick Tracy
Joker (2019) - This was certainly a different angle for a comic movie. It's based on one of the most iconic antagonists ever printed on old text stock. Without going into too much detail, this movie wasn't afraid to show certain modern mentalities are fueled more by emotion than on reasoning and deduction. I loved this movie for being something audiences haven't seen yet in the way of origin stories and social commentary.
Joaquin Phoenix's performance is fantastic as he depicts the breakdown of a mentally ill man left alienated and alone by his government (via his social worker), his career, those close to him, and finally by his community.
Akira (1988) - This movie is just outright amazing. Based on the 1980s era Manga series, the animation is absolutely striking and impressive. I can't think of a big enough word? The story is unique and brilliant. I just admire this movie so much. I'm not necessarily into anime, so Akira is really the only anime movie I enjoy so far. Friends have recommended other anime titles to me, but I just haven't gotten to those yet. I'm sure I will, though.
The dark apocalyptic story is brilliant. The pace of this movie goes faster and faster. Akira is a masterpiece in animation and storytelling!
Superman II (1980) - Don't get me wrong. I love the first Superman movie! But the second film I've always found more engaging and comic book-y. There's a lot that's been said about Superman the movie. While the first is a fantastic on-screen introduction to the Man of Steel, the sequel gives us a little more of Superman. The audience has more personal insight into Clark Kent/ Superman. Plus, the action with General Zod is really edge-of-your-seat storytelling.
Wonder Woman (2017) - Even though I'm not among the target audience for female superhero films like Wonder Woman, or Captain Marvel, I still have a little more appreciation for female superheros who don't need to rely on male counterparts. Characters like Batgirl, or Supergirl, or She-Hulk are certainly iconic and have a well deserved fan base. Still, Wonder Woman doesn't have a "Wonder Man" to help bolster her popularity in any capacity. She's a source of inspiration for her female fan base. Sure, a character like Batgirl is as well. And that's fantastic. Wonder Woman stands heroic on her own.
The 2017 was such a fun and exciting movie. The action was brilliant. It was nice to get a DC Comics hero that was neither campy nor dark and gritty, hidden in shadows and disguises. And that Wonder Woman was made with an underlying respect evident in the movie is commendable.
The audience in the theater I watched Wonder Woman in applauded at the scene where she climbs onto the battlefield amid gun fire, and walks determined towards the enemies among the storm of bullets. Not since 1989's Batman had I heard an audience applause at a DC Comics movie.
Shazam! (2019) - Shazam! was a surprise of a movie for me, and I'm sure for a ton of other people.
I think the fact this movie did so well surprised a lot of audiences. But it was fun, different, and well played. The movie has a central theme surrounding family. Its story reminds me of the essay scene from the 2000 movie, Finding Forrester where Sean Connery's character, William Forrester, reads Jamal Wallace's essay towards the end of the movie.
He says, "Losing family obliges us to find our family. Not always the family that is our blood, but the family that can become our blood. Should we have the wisdom to open our door to this new family, we will find that the wishes we had for the father who once guided us, and for the brother who once inspired us, are not merely wishes at all. A family is not what you always imagine it will be." That sentiment surely applies to the story of Shazam!
Watching it brought me back to the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland where I first saw Batman in 1989. It's certainly a lot different in style and tone than any Batman movie. But it still left an impression on me.
Zachary Levi playing a kid in the form of an adult, without making it stupid, was believable. I think DC was smart for making this movie with care.
The enthusiasm in this story is refreshing to see. Perhaps it pulled some of that from Marvel's SpiderMan movies? I don't know. But, it's there and great to see.
