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| Scene from Logan (2017) |
With 2019 marking the end of a decade, it's time to commemorate the past 10 years with the help of Listmania Decades. Over this year's 12 months, the series will look at a variety of different styles of film in order to highlight everything that made this period unique and exciting. While this isn't meant as a collection of the greatest films ever released, it's more meant as a highlight of films that I would consider to be among my favorite, or ones that are worth remembering in the future. So please feel free to join me every 19th of the month to highlight a new entry that will highlight 25 films that exemplified a certain field of cinema. There's a lot of great work out there, and this list barely captures the bulk of it. Feel free to leave your favorites in the comments so that we can find more to appreciate before this year is through.
THIS MONTH: With July usually being the month when comic book movies take center stage at Comic-Con and at cineplexes internationally, it only feels right to dedicate this month to the superheroes that have defined cinema for the past decade. While this seems too narrow of a field to explore, it's actually wide open, especially as every studio worth two cents seems to be trying to get some sweet moolah. The following is a rundown specifically of movies that feature characters that are either superheroes or described as such. With that said, this list may be incomplete as this only covers up until July 19, 2019, and doesn't feature future films like The Joker. Would it make the list anyway? Who knows. Still, time to blast off with one of the most successful genres that get the butts in seats.
The first outing with the Guardians of the Galaxy was fun, but it was nothing new in the way of cinema. Turns out it was only the set-up for this masterpiece of space operatics. It's a story that pits nuclear families against the real thing with a great turn by Kurt Russell as a man who can create planets from thin air. It's the funniest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as one of the most satisfying third acts, managing to get into some surreal and insane imagery while being a quasi-musical. It's an ambitious crossroads of ideas coming together with some of the most vibrant cinematography of any big-budgeted blockbuster this decade. There hasn't been a film this unique or fun from any studio that matches the opening credits sequence. It's a lovable weird film that deserves your respect, even if you don't love sci-fi or fantasy.
Up until Avengers: Endgame, it seemed like the idea of actors retiring from their roles was the perfect punchline. Who would think of walking away from the fame and iconic role that would make hundreds of millions simply for showing up? For Hugh Jackman, Logan was the end of the road and few directors deserved to take him out like James Mangold. It's not only the best X-Men movie by several miles, but it's also the perfect encapsulation of the genre. Jackman is still strong, but his subtle withering shows a man who cannot save the world forever. Alongside an excellent performance by Laua Kinney as X-23, the film explores what it means to grow old and lose the desire to be a hero, and what keeps us doing it. There's so much power packed into the drama of this film, managing to be the most mature and violent film in the series. It's a farewell to an icon the likes of which the Marvel Cinematic Universe has yet to achieve. Farewell, Logan. Cinema was better for having you.
This is it. This is where the modern era of superhero cinema truly starts. Up to this point, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was just a cute idea that might have not to work. Nowadays, it seems funny that a film featuring characters from THREE franchises crossing over was considered ambitious. However, it gets to the core of what makes these films downright exciting to watch. It's in seeing the characters fight together, where everyone is alongside each other in an iconic shot that hasn't been forgotten yet. This is the triumphant memo sent to the world that Marvel was here to dominate pop culture and it wasn't going to let go. Many franchises have tried to make a film like The Avengers in the seven years since, but none have figured out how to do it as purely and entertainingly as here.
It's a bit exhausting to have so many Spider-Man performances this decade, so to have a film that features dozens, maybe even limitless Spider-Men sounds like a chore right? Well actually, it's quite possibly the best representation of the character ever and a giant step forward for animation. By creating a Spider-Verse with the groundbreaking animation style, the film manages to blend the childlike sensibilities with a deeper story about how anyone can be a hero, whether they exist as an Afro-Latino kid or an anime girl with a robot or a Looney Tunes-esque pig. The film is one of the most delightful, creative, and successful superhero narratives of the decade and hopefully a look into the future of the genre. For now, it's a one of a kind experience that is hard to now fall in love with as a sugarcoated ode to superheroes that is sweet to its core.
What's surprising is that in an era where comic book movies seem to be released by the hour, there haven't been too many that were as much of a phenomenon as Black Panther. The phrase "Wakanda forever!" has become a rallying cry for fans, and the film is a visually stunning look into a culture that hasn't been captured on screen. The Afro-futurist setting was giving so much density that it had TWO soundtracks released and become one of the few superhero films to win multiple Oscars. While this is far from the first black superhero to make the big screen, it's one of the first that feels like it's taken seriously, where the idea of identity between America and Africa are explored so densely that the film somehow becomes more important than how it progresses Marvel's story. If one film is likely to be remembered positively from this era, it's Black Panther. Few films feel this assured on every level, and the cultural response proves it.
After a half-dozen films of going dark, the D.C. Extended Universe's decision to lighten up produced their new benchmark. With an infectious titular performance by Zachary Levi, the film brings to life a superhero who deconstructs superhero mythology while dealing within the interior logic of a teenager. It's a story that focuses on the displacement felt by foster children and the feeling that comes with having a special gift to give the world. It may still be dark, but the film feels like that wonderfully dangerous films kids watch. They can't believe that they get to see this story full of dark imagery on the outskirts of a delightful comedy. Who knew that it would take a hero with a literal childlike sensibility to get things right. Hopefully, there's more of this in the D.C.E.U.'s future.
Before getting drafted to work on Guardians of the Galaxy, director James Gunn finished his years as a Troma director with this story about a mentally unstable man trying to save his girlfriend. Along with being an astounding indie film, it featured one of Rainn Wilson's best performances. The film may get darker and sadder, but it never lets go of its absurd fantasy, creating a commentary on what real-life heroes would likely look like. It also helps that Gunn worked with Ellen Page to create Boltie. It helped to show just how reasonable Wilson was by comparison as her psychopathic lack of morality created some of the film's truly most demented moments. As far as satires go, it's pretty great and strange though also fairly disturbing.
Ladies and gentlemen, Chris Evans. While he had starred in the Fantastic 4 franchise previously, this was the birth of another career-defining performance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As the penultimate film before The Avengers, it established a history for the universe that featured a brilliant Alan Silverstri score built on Americana and a charismatic turn from Evans that saw him take on the role of a leader. As the man who would define the franchise, second only to Iron Man, this is one of those exciting adventure films that set the bar for everything to follow. It was a great throwback that paid off references to the previous three films, but it also proved just how dense this story truly was going to go.
There was so much pressure put on this film to simply be good. Not only was it because it followed a string of maligned D.C. Extended Universe entries, but also because it would be the first female superhero to be taken seriously. Thankfully, it ended up being the juggernaut that the studio wanted and director Patty Jenkins broke myths that unfortunately held in Hollywood for several decades. The most notable was that female superheroes could lead a film and have it be successful and downright entertaining and inspiring. While it's too early to determine just how much things will change, the performance by Gal Gadot is a thing of wonder, literally. It gives hope that the next decade will have a lot more women leading films both on-screen and behind the scenes. One could hope, as she has for several decades, that Wonder Woman is a symbol of hope for everyone and not just a strange anomaly.
This is the first Iron Man solo film since The Avengers actually assembled, and it's a surprisingly dour one at that. The film literally opens with Eiffle 65's "Blue," suggesting how sad things are going to get as Tony Stark comes to terms with the damage that he bestowed upon the world. His ego is on edge and he must determine whether fighting The Mandarin (a memorable turn by Ben Kingsley) is worth it as he grapples with PTSD and a sense of being defeated emotionally. A lot of thanks goes to director Shane Black, who gives the most complex look at the character and features some of the most memorable moments in his trilogy. This ends the Iron Man mini-arc on a satisfying note, even if he'll be around to serve as a mentor to the next generation. For now, it's the feeling of a hero trying to find the will to go on, and discovering just how hard that actually is.
After Avengers: Age of Ultron, it looked like Thor was forever sidelined to a supporting role. He had missed a significant amount of outings with The Avengers, and his first solo adventure since needed to live up to the absence. What wasn't expected was just how many fun things would wind up being, as director Taika Waititi allows the film to be a hangout movie between Thor and The Hulk, both doing the best work that their characters have ever seen on film. With one of the most vibrant settings imaginable and a supporting cast that features a delightfully flamboyant Jeff Goldblum, charismatic Tessa Thomspon, and demonic Cate Blanchett, the film doesn't waste a frame and proves just how much has changed in the six years since Thor first hit screens. Suddenly space was allowed to be fun, and one can hope that what lies ahead is given the same leeway.
There isn't a bigger miracle for Dreamworks than making a movie featuring a character named Professor Poopypants that is genuinely sweet. Based on the Dav Pilkey books, this story of a principal who unconsciously turns into a superhero is a fairly absurd and delightful film that gets by on silly humor and a surprisingly highbrow sense of potty jokes. The film is essentially about the childlike wonder that we all want to have, and the pain of adults trying to tear it away. For those worrying that it gets gross, don't worry. Yes, it has a man who loves getting into his underwear, but it's all silly and wonderful in ways that just set out to have fun. There may be more thematically rich comic book adaptations for kids this decade, but none are as dedicated to the feeling of laughter as this.
Avengers: Infinity War ended with one of the modern era's most horrifying cliffhangers. How exactly does the Marvel Cinematic Universe continue? The answer is by blowing up a Hello Kitty Pez dispenser and going on wild miniature car races. Yes, this was one of the last points where Ant-Man wasn't part of The Avengers, and we're going to miss this side of him. He's allowed to be goofy and go on one of the MCU's most fun films while giving deeper mythology for the quantum realm. It's essentially the story of people trying to rescue a building, and thankfully everything is just as realized in its absurdity as that would suggest. It also helps that it introduces The Wasp as his partner, who will hopefully be fighting alongside him again sometime in the near future. Despite being a criminal, he's the ideal family man that the MCU has and the perfect reminder after Infinity War of cherishing what we have.
Many figured that Pixar was done with the animated superhero family in spite of The Incredibles being among the most loved films in their catalog. Luckily, they returned almost 15 years later with a film that doesn't waste time getting back into the swing of things. Everything is back as it should be, with the animation being even more exhilarating and the themes shifting more to the insecurity of women taking roles of leadership. It also features one of the best Mr. Mom-esque subplots as Mr. Incredible takes care of his infant child Jak-Jak, who is discovering that he has powers. He fights a raccoon at one point, and it's one of the best scenes of the film and maybe of Pixar's decade. The film is so much fun and is the perfect continuation of the franchise, making one hope that Incredibles 3 won't take another few decades to finally come around.
Whereas the first film was a more conventional origin story with more juvenile and meta humor, the second is the unapologetic beast that we were promised. The film was allowed to go into some of the most deranged, violent, juvenile, and meta directions imaginable as Ryan Reynolds fully embraces his character. Add in a great performance by Josh Brolin as Cable, and you get the best R-Rated superhero comedy that is also representative of the modern era's love of self-reference. Some have made the argument that this is thematically a parody of Logan, released the year before. If it is, the jokes just got a lot funnier.
Many trilogies have the pressure of making a satisfying conclusion to a film series, but few in the superhero realm could compete with the pressure left by The Dark Knight: the first comic book movie to win an acting Oscar for Heath Ledger's iconic performance. With director Christopher Nolan's farewell to the genre, he chose to go big with one of the most ambitious films of his career. Not only was Batman having to face off against Bane, but he had to fight himself. While existing within the dark realism, the film enters some of the strangest places that the caped crusader has gone. If it's among the sloppiest Batman films of the decade, it's still one of the most unique. With a memorable performance by Anne Hathaway as Selena Kyle's Catwoman, the film is both the death of Nolan's dark gritty reboot and the birth of a new style of filmmaking for D.C. characters, at least for the immediate future. It may not be the perfect conclusion to the trilogy, but it has way too much memorable moments to be ignored.
The end of Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase 3 wasn't with a vibrant fight in Avengers: Endgame. While it marked the end of an era, this real phase-capper reveals just how much the past 10 films were the origin story of a new class of leaders. Peter Parker must learn to be a leader in a post-Avengers world, where not using his powers could result in the harm of millions. He may be a neighborhood kind of guy, but what the film explores is a contemporary problem not only of leadership but the dangers that the MCU will face going forward. It's definitely one of the most perplexing, bold, and satisfying left-turns in recent superhero cinema and sets up a future that, as of this publication, is still unknown to general audiences. Also, Tom Holland proves to be the desired live-action Parker as he leads a just as charismatic supporting cast in a John Hughes-esque journey to England. It may be one of the more difficult nuts to crack on this list, but it's a rewarding culmination of ideas for the modern superhero.
At the time, it would be difficult to call this a superhero film. In some respects, it's a super-VILLAIN origin story. However, director M. Night Shyamalan created one of the most interesting trilogies on this list by exploring how trauma can damage us, forcing us to transform as a form of protection. This may as well be on James McAvoy's list of best performances, as each of the 23 personalities are given perverse delight in one of the most magnetic performances of the year. Along with a great central performance by Anya Taylor Joy, this film is a tense and darkly comic story that next lets up in its B-movie eeriness. It just happens to also feature Shyamalan's best twist since, well, Unbreakable. If nothing else, it got us all excited for Glass in ways that audiences weren't expecting. It was the rebirth of an auteur as an indie filmmaker and a calling card for Blumhouse Productions. Most of all, it proved just how much more superhero cinema needed to step up their game with original ideas.
Few films have stuck a middle-finger to superhero conventions this decade as much as director Matthew Vaughn's film that gained notoriety for a girl who played with butterfly knives and cursed like a sailor. While your mileage may vary for the hyperactive violence that flies off the screen, there's no denying that few would think to take the genre into the R-Rating which is itself an achievement. It's an anarchic superhero film for those who find films like Iron Man a bit too tame. It deconstructs superhero culture in fun ways and presents the world with Hit-Girl: simultaneously one of the coolest and most controversial comic book characters of the decade. If it's not the best superhero film of the decade, it's one of the more memorable, in part because it refuses to die without a bloody, bullet-ridden fight.
Following a memorable turn in The LEGO Movie, LEGO Batman returns (predictably) with his own movie. Where it could get by on Will Arnett's excellent voice performance as he acted childishly and called his enemies names, the film is surprisingly complex for a family film. It's at once a deconstruction of the Batman mythos in pop culture, including references to everything from the modern D.C. Extended Universe films to the Adam West era. It's also the perfect family film that explores how someone who feels like an outsider learns to open up and accept help from those wanting to. In a time where heroes have gotten super-dark, LEGO Batman exists as this shining beacon of marketing, managing to charm both on the screen and in the toy stores where you can buy excellent LEGO sets of many of his best (and worst) heroes.
With this film, the Marvel Cinematic Universe truly started to take form. After two Iron Man movies, the series decided to take a gamble by heading to Asgard and exploring a space opera with Shakesperian undertones. It was the birth of several iconic performances, notably Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki. While the next few dozen films would make them household names, their first outing was a solid mix of comedy and drama along with the first look into space. Sure it's gotten a lot more colorful since then, but there's nothing like discovering how weird the MCU was going to get. Thor and Loki weren't going to go anywhere, for better and worse. Thankfully, this proved to be a good thing and the first of many nice surprises from a franchise that was just starting to take shape.
Disney's animation branch breaks into the superhero game with one of the best characters this decade. Baymax is a healthcare robot who has the brain of a scientist and an ability to be blunt in every answer he gives. Scott Adsit's voice acting is on another level and gives the action-comedy a lot more weight. With that said, the film is more than Baymax as it uses its central characters to explore familiar tropes of Disney lore, such as the deceased family and the complex villain. It was also one of the most culturally diverse superhero films to be released by a major studio, featuring a blend of Japanese culture and American in the central hub of San Fransokyo. It's among the most visually creative and exciting films to come out from this studio, even when placed alongside their live-action branch. No hero could compare to Baymax learning to fist-bump. Nobody.
Following Split, this was the end to a franchise that audiences didn't know they wanted. It existed within the confines of comic books but from a different perspective. Director M. Night Shyamalan is more interested in exploring what makes superheroes important to the public and in the process uses his characters to create a dissertation on how mythology is born. Yes, it is among the most divisive films in the trilogy, but for those who can get on its wavelength, it's a surreal look into what comic book movies could've been had Iron Man never happened. It was more thematic, requiring attention to concepts instead of action, and in the process made a trilogy capper that was controversial but nonetheless unique in an area of conventional narratives.
While this list is predominantly representative of traditional superheroes, this Woody Harrelson vehicle is one of the more special and tragic films on the list. Co-starring a pre-Thor Kat Dennings, the film explores a man who fights crime for his own benefit. The journey is fairly conventional, but what gives it heart is the central theme of a man suffering from the grief that more comic book movies could benefit from. It's an odd little film and one that goes beyond the gimmick and explores how one man uses his powers to overcome mental illness and find a sense of happiness. It's a bit of an underrated gem at this point, especially as the second-best citizen hero film of 2010. Still, where Kick-Ass was vulgar fun, this was a flat-out drama that was audacious in simply choosing to be more human and sympathetic.
While the decade would see the X-Men franchise be rebirthed with X-Men: First Class and crash with X-Men: Dark Phoenix, one thing has remained consistent: Hugh Jackman. The actor brought charisma to his role as Wolverine, and it shows in his penultimate outing where he gets the solo adventure that he deserves as he rides through Japan, performing high octane stunts and creating a cross-cultural tone with western themes and mafia movies. While it's imperfect compared to his swan song Logan, there's plenty to love about his first outing with director James Mangold, especially as it captures a deeper emotional resonance that hadn't been seen up to this point in the character. It proved not only that Jackman was capable of bringing power to every performance, but that comic book movies be far more complex than they get credit for.
1. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
The first outing with the Guardians of the Galaxy was fun, but it was nothing new in the way of cinema. Turns out it was only the set-up for this masterpiece of space operatics. It's a story that pits nuclear families against the real thing with a great turn by Kurt Russell as a man who can create planets from thin air. It's the funniest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as one of the most satisfying third acts, managing to get into some surreal and insane imagery while being a quasi-musical. It's an ambitious crossroads of ideas coming together with some of the most vibrant cinematography of any big-budgeted blockbuster this decade. There hasn't been a film this unique or fun from any studio that matches the opening credits sequence. It's a lovable weird film that deserves your respect, even if you don't love sci-fi or fantasy.
2. Logan (2017)
Up until Avengers: Endgame, it seemed like the idea of actors retiring from their roles was the perfect punchline. Who would think of walking away from the fame and iconic role that would make hundreds of millions simply for showing up? For Hugh Jackman, Logan was the end of the road and few directors deserved to take him out like James Mangold. It's not only the best X-Men movie by several miles, but it's also the perfect encapsulation of the genre. Jackman is still strong, but his subtle withering shows a man who cannot save the world forever. Alongside an excellent performance by Laua Kinney as X-23, the film explores what it means to grow old and lose the desire to be a hero, and what keeps us doing it. There's so much power packed into the drama of this film, managing to be the most mature and violent film in the series. It's a farewell to an icon the likes of which the Marvel Cinematic Universe has yet to achieve. Farewell, Logan. Cinema was better for having you.
3. The Avengers (2012)
This is it. This is where the modern era of superhero cinema truly starts. Up to this point, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was just a cute idea that might have not to work. Nowadays, it seems funny that a film featuring characters from THREE franchises crossing over was considered ambitious. However, it gets to the core of what makes these films downright exciting to watch. It's in seeing the characters fight together, where everyone is alongside each other in an iconic shot that hasn't been forgotten yet. This is the triumphant memo sent to the world that Marvel was here to dominate pop culture and it wasn't going to let go. Many franchises have tried to make a film like The Avengers in the seven years since, but none have figured out how to do it as purely and entertainingly as here.
4. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
It's a bit exhausting to have so many Spider-Man performances this decade, so to have a film that features dozens, maybe even limitless Spider-Men sounds like a chore right? Well actually, it's quite possibly the best representation of the character ever and a giant step forward for animation. By creating a Spider-Verse with the groundbreaking animation style, the film manages to blend the childlike sensibilities with a deeper story about how anyone can be a hero, whether they exist as an Afro-Latino kid or an anime girl with a robot or a Looney Tunes-esque pig. The film is one of the most delightful, creative, and successful superhero narratives of the decade and hopefully a look into the future of the genre. For now, it's a one of a kind experience that is hard to now fall in love with as a sugarcoated ode to superheroes that is sweet to its core.
5. Black Panther (2018)
What's surprising is that in an era where comic book movies seem to be released by the hour, there haven't been too many that were as much of a phenomenon as Black Panther. The phrase "Wakanda forever!" has become a rallying cry for fans, and the film is a visually stunning look into a culture that hasn't been captured on screen. The Afro-futurist setting was giving so much density that it had TWO soundtracks released and become one of the few superhero films to win multiple Oscars. While this is far from the first black superhero to make the big screen, it's one of the first that feels like it's taken seriously, where the idea of identity between America and Africa are explored so densely that the film somehow becomes more important than how it progresses Marvel's story. If one film is likely to be remembered positively from this era, it's Black Panther. Few films feel this assured on every level, and the cultural response proves it.
6. Shazam! (2019)
After a half-dozen films of going dark, the D.C. Extended Universe's decision to lighten up produced their new benchmark. With an infectious titular performance by Zachary Levi, the film brings to life a superhero who deconstructs superhero mythology while dealing within the interior logic of a teenager. It's a story that focuses on the displacement felt by foster children and the feeling that comes with having a special gift to give the world. It may still be dark, but the film feels like that wonderfully dangerous films kids watch. They can't believe that they get to see this story full of dark imagery on the outskirts of a delightful comedy. Who knew that it would take a hero with a literal childlike sensibility to get things right. Hopefully, there's more of this in the D.C.E.U.'s future.
7. Super (2011)
Before getting drafted to work on Guardians of the Galaxy, director James Gunn finished his years as a Troma director with this story about a mentally unstable man trying to save his girlfriend. Along with being an astounding indie film, it featured one of Rainn Wilson's best performances. The film may get darker and sadder, but it never lets go of its absurd fantasy, creating a commentary on what real-life heroes would likely look like. It also helps that Gunn worked with Ellen Page to create Boltie. It helped to show just how reasonable Wilson was by comparison as her psychopathic lack of morality created some of the film's truly most demented moments. As far as satires go, it's pretty great and strange though also fairly disturbing.
8. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Ladies and gentlemen, Chris Evans. While he had starred in the Fantastic 4 franchise previously, this was the birth of another career-defining performance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As the penultimate film before The Avengers, it established a history for the universe that featured a brilliant Alan Silverstri score built on Americana and a charismatic turn from Evans that saw him take on the role of a leader. As the man who would define the franchise, second only to Iron Man, this is one of those exciting adventure films that set the bar for everything to follow. It was a great throwback that paid off references to the previous three films, but it also proved just how dense this story truly was going to go.
9. Wonder Woman (2017)
There was so much pressure put on this film to simply be good. Not only was it because it followed a string of maligned D.C. Extended Universe entries, but also because it would be the first female superhero to be taken seriously. Thankfully, it ended up being the juggernaut that the studio wanted and director Patty Jenkins broke myths that unfortunately held in Hollywood for several decades. The most notable was that female superheroes could lead a film and have it be successful and downright entertaining and inspiring. While it's too early to determine just how much things will change, the performance by Gal Gadot is a thing of wonder, literally. It gives hope that the next decade will have a lot more women leading films both on-screen and behind the scenes. One could hope, as she has for several decades, that Wonder Woman is a symbol of hope for everyone and not just a strange anomaly.
10. Iron Man 3 (2013)
This is the first Iron Man solo film since The Avengers actually assembled, and it's a surprisingly dour one at that. The film literally opens with Eiffle 65's "Blue," suggesting how sad things are going to get as Tony Stark comes to terms with the damage that he bestowed upon the world. His ego is on edge and he must determine whether fighting The Mandarin (a memorable turn by Ben Kingsley) is worth it as he grapples with PTSD and a sense of being defeated emotionally. A lot of thanks goes to director Shane Black, who gives the most complex look at the character and features some of the most memorable moments in his trilogy. This ends the Iron Man mini-arc on a satisfying note, even if he'll be around to serve as a mentor to the next generation. For now, it's the feeling of a hero trying to find the will to go on, and discovering just how hard that actually is.
11. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
After Avengers: Age of Ultron, it looked like Thor was forever sidelined to a supporting role. He had missed a significant amount of outings with The Avengers, and his first solo adventure since needed to live up to the absence. What wasn't expected was just how many fun things would wind up being, as director Taika Waititi allows the film to be a hangout movie between Thor and The Hulk, both doing the best work that their characters have ever seen on film. With one of the most vibrant settings imaginable and a supporting cast that features a delightfully flamboyant Jeff Goldblum, charismatic Tessa Thomspon, and demonic Cate Blanchett, the film doesn't waste a frame and proves just how much has changed in the six years since Thor first hit screens. Suddenly space was allowed to be fun, and one can hope that what lies ahead is given the same leeway.
12. Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017)
There isn't a bigger miracle for Dreamworks than making a movie featuring a character named Professor Poopypants that is genuinely sweet. Based on the Dav Pilkey books, this story of a principal who unconsciously turns into a superhero is a fairly absurd and delightful film that gets by on silly humor and a surprisingly highbrow sense of potty jokes. The film is essentially about the childlike wonder that we all want to have, and the pain of adults trying to tear it away. For those worrying that it gets gross, don't worry. Yes, it has a man who loves getting into his underwear, but it's all silly and wonderful in ways that just set out to have fun. There may be more thematically rich comic book adaptations for kids this decade, but none are as dedicated to the feeling of laughter as this.
13. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Avengers: Infinity War ended with one of the modern era's most horrifying cliffhangers. How exactly does the Marvel Cinematic Universe continue? The answer is by blowing up a Hello Kitty Pez dispenser and going on wild miniature car races. Yes, this was one of the last points where Ant-Man wasn't part of The Avengers, and we're going to miss this side of him. He's allowed to be goofy and go on one of the MCU's most fun films while giving deeper mythology for the quantum realm. It's essentially the story of people trying to rescue a building, and thankfully everything is just as realized in its absurdity as that would suggest. It also helps that it introduces The Wasp as his partner, who will hopefully be fighting alongside him again sometime in the near future. Despite being a criminal, he's the ideal family man that the MCU has and the perfect reminder after Infinity War of cherishing what we have.
14. Incredibles 2 (2018)
Many figured that Pixar was done with the animated superhero family in spite of The Incredibles being among the most loved films in their catalog. Luckily, they returned almost 15 years later with a film that doesn't waste time getting back into the swing of things. Everything is back as it should be, with the animation being even more exhilarating and the themes shifting more to the insecurity of women taking roles of leadership. It also features one of the best Mr. Mom-esque subplots as Mr. Incredible takes care of his infant child Jak-Jak, who is discovering that he has powers. He fights a raccoon at one point, and it's one of the best scenes of the film and maybe of Pixar's decade. The film is so much fun and is the perfect continuation of the franchise, making one hope that Incredibles 3 won't take another few decades to finally come around.
15. Deadpool 2 (2018)
Whereas the first film was a more conventional origin story with more juvenile and meta humor, the second is the unapologetic beast that we were promised. The film was allowed to go into some of the most deranged, violent, juvenile, and meta directions imaginable as Ryan Reynolds fully embraces his character. Add in a great performance by Josh Brolin as Cable, and you get the best R-Rated superhero comedy that is also representative of the modern era's love of self-reference. Some have made the argument that this is thematically a parody of Logan, released the year before. If it is, the jokes just got a lot funnier.
16. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Many trilogies have the pressure of making a satisfying conclusion to a film series, but few in the superhero realm could compete with the pressure left by The Dark Knight: the first comic book movie to win an acting Oscar for Heath Ledger's iconic performance. With director Christopher Nolan's farewell to the genre, he chose to go big with one of the most ambitious films of his career. Not only was Batman having to face off against Bane, but he had to fight himself. While existing within the dark realism, the film enters some of the strangest places that the caped crusader has gone. If it's among the sloppiest Batman films of the decade, it's still one of the most unique. With a memorable performance by Anne Hathaway as Selena Kyle's Catwoman, the film is both the death of Nolan's dark gritty reboot and the birth of a new style of filmmaking for D.C. characters, at least for the immediate future. It may not be the perfect conclusion to the trilogy, but it has way too much memorable moments to be ignored.
17. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
The end of Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase 3 wasn't with a vibrant fight in Avengers: Endgame. While it marked the end of an era, this real phase-capper reveals just how much the past 10 films were the origin story of a new class of leaders. Peter Parker must learn to be a leader in a post-Avengers world, where not using his powers could result in the harm of millions. He may be a neighborhood kind of guy, but what the film explores is a contemporary problem not only of leadership but the dangers that the MCU will face going forward. It's definitely one of the most perplexing, bold, and satisfying left-turns in recent superhero cinema and sets up a future that, as of this publication, is still unknown to general audiences. Also, Tom Holland proves to be the desired live-action Parker as he leads a just as charismatic supporting cast in a John Hughes-esque journey to England. It may be one of the more difficult nuts to crack on this list, but it's a rewarding culmination of ideas for the modern superhero.
18. Split (2017)
At the time, it would be difficult to call this a superhero film. In some respects, it's a super-VILLAIN origin story. However, director M. Night Shyamalan created one of the most interesting trilogies on this list by exploring how trauma can damage us, forcing us to transform as a form of protection. This may as well be on James McAvoy's list of best performances, as each of the 23 personalities are given perverse delight in one of the most magnetic performances of the year. Along with a great central performance by Anya Taylor Joy, this film is a tense and darkly comic story that next lets up in its B-movie eeriness. It just happens to also feature Shyamalan's best twist since, well, Unbreakable. If nothing else, it got us all excited for Glass in ways that audiences weren't expecting. It was the rebirth of an auteur as an indie filmmaker and a calling card for Blumhouse Productions. Most of all, it proved just how much more superhero cinema needed to step up their game with original ideas.
19. Kick-Ass (2010)
Few films have stuck a middle-finger to superhero conventions this decade as much as director Matthew Vaughn's film that gained notoriety for a girl who played with butterfly knives and cursed like a sailor. While your mileage may vary for the hyperactive violence that flies off the screen, there's no denying that few would think to take the genre into the R-Rating which is itself an achievement. It's an anarchic superhero film for those who find films like Iron Man a bit too tame. It deconstructs superhero culture in fun ways and presents the world with Hit-Girl: simultaneously one of the coolest and most controversial comic book characters of the decade. If it's not the best superhero film of the decade, it's one of the more memorable, in part because it refuses to die without a bloody, bullet-ridden fight.
20. The LEGO Batman Movie (2017)
Following a memorable turn in The LEGO Movie, LEGO Batman returns (predictably) with his own movie. Where it could get by on Will Arnett's excellent voice performance as he acted childishly and called his enemies names, the film is surprisingly complex for a family film. It's at once a deconstruction of the Batman mythos in pop culture, including references to everything from the modern D.C. Extended Universe films to the Adam West era. It's also the perfect family film that explores how someone who feels like an outsider learns to open up and accept help from those wanting to. In a time where heroes have gotten super-dark, LEGO Batman exists as this shining beacon of marketing, managing to charm both on the screen and in the toy stores where you can buy excellent LEGO sets of many of his best (and worst) heroes.
21. Thor (2011)
With this film, the Marvel Cinematic Universe truly started to take form. After two Iron Man movies, the series decided to take a gamble by heading to Asgard and exploring a space opera with Shakesperian undertones. It was the birth of several iconic performances, notably Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki. While the next few dozen films would make them household names, their first outing was a solid mix of comedy and drama along with the first look into space. Sure it's gotten a lot more colorful since then, but there's nothing like discovering how weird the MCU was going to get. Thor and Loki weren't going to go anywhere, for better and worse. Thankfully, this proved to be a good thing and the first of many nice surprises from a franchise that was just starting to take shape.
22. Big Hero 6 (2014)
Disney's animation branch breaks into the superhero game with one of the best characters this decade. Baymax is a healthcare robot who has the brain of a scientist and an ability to be blunt in every answer he gives. Scott Adsit's voice acting is on another level and gives the action-comedy a lot more weight. With that said, the film is more than Baymax as it uses its central characters to explore familiar tropes of Disney lore, such as the deceased family and the complex villain. It was also one of the most culturally diverse superhero films to be released by a major studio, featuring a blend of Japanese culture and American in the central hub of San Fransokyo. It's among the most visually creative and exciting films to come out from this studio, even when placed alongside their live-action branch. No hero could compare to Baymax learning to fist-bump. Nobody.
23. Glass (2019)
Following Split, this was the end to a franchise that audiences didn't know they wanted. It existed within the confines of comic books but from a different perspective. Director M. Night Shyamalan is more interested in exploring what makes superheroes important to the public and in the process uses his characters to create a dissertation on how mythology is born. Yes, it is among the most divisive films in the trilogy, but for those who can get on its wavelength, it's a surreal look into what comic book movies could've been had Iron Man never happened. It was more thematic, requiring attention to concepts instead of action, and in the process made a trilogy capper that was controversial but nonetheless unique in an area of conventional narratives.
24. Defendor (2010)
While this list is predominantly representative of traditional superheroes, this Woody Harrelson vehicle is one of the more special and tragic films on the list. Co-starring a pre-Thor Kat Dennings, the film explores a man who fights crime for his own benefit. The journey is fairly conventional, but what gives it heart is the central theme of a man suffering from the grief that more comic book movies could benefit from. It's an odd little film and one that goes beyond the gimmick and explores how one man uses his powers to overcome mental illness and find a sense of happiness. It's a bit of an underrated gem at this point, especially as the second-best citizen hero film of 2010. Still, where Kick-Ass was vulgar fun, this was a flat-out drama that was audacious in simply choosing to be more human and sympathetic.
25. The Wolverine (2013)
While the decade would see the X-Men franchise be rebirthed with X-Men: First Class and crash with X-Men: Dark Phoenix, one thing has remained consistent: Hugh Jackman. The actor brought charisma to his role as Wolverine, and it shows in his penultimate outing where he gets the solo adventure that he deserves as he rides through Japan, performing high octane stunts and creating a cross-cultural tone with western themes and mafia movies. While it's imperfect compared to his swan song Logan, there's plenty to love about his first outing with director James Mangold, especially as it captures a deeper emotional resonance that hadn't been seen up to this point in the character. It proved not only that Jackman was capable of bringing power to every performance, but that comic book movies be far more complex than they get credit for.
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