Oscar Isaac has got a little new film out this week which you may, just may, have heard of called Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the latest in the ever-popular and ever-expanding saga. With the one exception of X-Men: Apocalypse where he plays the titular villain and is made to constantly shout whilst looking uncomfortable in a blue outfit, Isaac always integrates seamlessly into any film he is in, elevating the material with his performances. He always tends to pick really interesting projects and a portray characters in a real range of genres as well. In Star Wars: The Last Jedi, he returns as Resistance Fighter pilot, Poe Dameron, in an expanded role after being introduced (and underused) in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

I thought this would be a suitable time to have a look back at Isaac’s career so far and count down his Top Five films. These films are based on both his performance in them and their quality.

 

5) Drive

I’m generally not the biggest fan of director Nicolas Winding Refn and took particular offence last year to The Neon Demon, but Drive is probably his most accessible film. Isaac plays Carey Mulligan’s debt-ridden husband who has recently been released from prison. He hires Ryan Gosling’s stone-cold getaway driver for a job, which turns out to be a disaster but Isaac does really well as a character who wants to turn his life around and wants the best for his family.

4) The Two Faces of January

The Two Faces of January is the directorial debut of screenwriter Hossein Amini and a film that really holds up to repeat viewings, a kind-of Hitchock meets Agatha Christie blend. Oscar Isaac is excellent here as Rydal, a tour guide who scams tourists whose character arc is vastly developed as he meets The MacFarland’s, played by Viggo Mortensen and Kirsten Dunst. What works with the film and with his performance is you’re never really sure what his character intentions are and Isaac manages to portray this brilliantly. If you haven’t seen this film, definitely one to check out.

3) Ex_Machina

Alex Garland’s debut is tense and a slow-burn, yet a very philosophical watch and the film makes for a great character study. Isaac plays here as the CEO of a search engine company against Domhnall Gleeson’s computer programmer, who wins the opportunity to spend the week with him. Isaac has a very meaty role and as the film progresses, the film asks some tough, ethical questions of its audience which his character is central to. A different role for the actor, but one that he pulls off really well.

2) Inside Llewyn Davis

The Coen Brothers’ Inside Llewyn Davis is an extremely underrated film in the director’s catalogue, with many quick to watch it and dismiss it. I loved it on first go and it gets better each time I rewatch it. Again, another new direction for Isaac who portrays the titular character, an individual who is trying to find his place in the world but finds himself constantly struggling. It’s a great film and one that I would rank really highly in the Coen Brothers’ entire body of work.

1) A Most Violent Year 

It has taken me a very long time to realize just how good A Most Violent Year is. I initially thought it was rather indulgent with there being a great 100 minute film in it. Since then, after rewatching it multiple times, I now consider it to be a masterpiece. You may have read when I wrote my favourite films from that year, I placed it at 12th – I’d probably now go about 5th. The film is paced so well and there are so many perfectly orchestrated scenes in the film. As well as trying to convince you to go and watch this film, you also get a career-best performance from Oscar Isaac here. Isaac’s performance channels many other crime drama’s, for example The Godfather and his character has so many layers to him. A Most Violent Year is a most incredible film.

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So there we go. What do you think? What did I miss? If you haven’t watched any of these films, I’d highly recommend you do so as they’re all really worthwhile and I hope this actor’s career continues to go from strength to strength.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is out now  in UK cinemas 

With 2017 bringing us a slew of comic-book films, 7 to be exact (6 live-action, 1 animation) and them all receiving very different receptions now would seem like a suitable time to rank them. Although comic-book films are increasingly prevalent every year at the moment in the film industry with 2016 jumping up to 6 releases, 2017 further continues this trend.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to chug along and this year, we’ve had 3 new films – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Thor: Ragnarok. Marvel continue to prove with these films in their general reception that they are the current juggernauts and things look very promising indeed for next year’s big team-up which these films culminate in – Avengers: Infinity War.

2017 has been an even more important year for DC in their quest to also prop up a cinematic universe, like Marvel. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad were both received very negatively last year (I liked BvS a lot and can just about give a pass to Suicide Squad) so 2017 has been very important in them proving why they should also have a share of the market. 2017 saw the releases of Wonder Woman, which practically did a U-turn for the DCEU in its brilliant reception. Although Justice League, the culmiation of the DCEU films thus far which sees our favourite superheroes team up, wasn’t received nearly as well, in terms of reception, people have accepted it a little more than either of 2016’s releases. The Lego Batman Movie also features in this list, which is not an official entry in the DCEU but it’s still a comic-book film nonetheless based on the DC character of Batman.

The trend of comic-book films aimed more towards adults , which kicked off with Deadpool last year, continues with Marvel’s solo X-Men offering this year, Logan and it is also Hugh Jackman’s swansong as the character.

So this hasn’t just been a typical year in this genre hence why I have felt the need to rank them. Let’s get started!

7) The Lego Batman Movie

The Lego Batman Movie is a film of two halves – its first act is particularly impressive and constantly cracks jokes left, right and centre and is surprisingly very cine-literate. The opening sequence which is a fight between Batman and the Joker is particularly well-crafted and the gags keep coming at a rapid pace and there is so much to absorb on-screen, little references to the character and previous incarnations scattered across the screen – it is pure eye-candy. The voice cast are generally pretty strong and Lorne Balfe’s score is generally competent and there are a couple of memorable, dark and brooding themes that elevate the narrative, particularly in the opening fight sequence. Unfortunately, the film completely tanks in its second half. The reason why it tanks, primarily is because it chooses to go down a specific narrative which I won’t spoil but it really doesn’t do the film any favours. Part of why the first act works really well is because the filmmakers are clearly respectful of the source material but all that respect goes out of the window in the second half and this very much becomes a film centered for children. (My full review here)

6) Justice League

I debated whether to put Justice League in last position because between this and The Lego Batman Movie, at least the latter has a brilliant first half. But because that film so violently tanks in its second half and at least, Justice League has a bit more promise, it just edges that film out. Still, Justice League is an absolute mess and is the result of again in the DCEU, too many cooks in the kitchen. Snyder and Whedon as filmmakers pull in completely different directions, with Whedon injecting more humour into the film whereas Snyder has always been the more visionary filmmaker. Whilst I was watching the film, I never felt the stakes faced against these characters and the film has no sense of flow. 120 minutes is a very short run time for the story this film tries to tell and is the shortest DCEU installment thus far. The film neglects to develop its new characters of Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash that it introduces and has a very forgettable, one-dimensional CGI villain with typical end-of-the-world antics. One also has to wonder what this fim could have been. I’m confident that if we ever see a Snyder cut of the film, it will be leaps and bounds ahead of the theatrical cut and could really elevate the film. (My full review here)

5) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is unevenly paced and overstuffed but the amount of heart it has allows it to just about be successful. Gunn hasn’t made your typical sequel but the story he chooses to tell is all over the place and at times, incoherent. The film retains much of the heart the first film had and this is what allows the film to work better than a film such as Avengers: Age of Ultron or X-Men: Apocalypse which were lunk-headed, equally overstuffed and had zero heart. Gunn manages to further expand the mythology of this sub-universe of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Guardians of the Galaxy are very much an important and established strand of this behemoth. I just wish the film was better. It is only because of the characters and the amount of attention invested in them that I can just about be positive in my overall opinion. (My full review here)

And now for the good one’s…

4) Wonder Woman 

Wonder Woman is immensely enjoyable for a long strength of its lengthy runtime, has a lot of heart and is surprisingly quite human for a comic-book film. Action sequences are used quite sparingly in this film, Jenkins really puts these characters at the forefront and develops them strongly. The performances, pretty much across the board, are excellent and the film looks great visually. Unfortunately, it does fall into the trap of stumbling in its final act where it becomes quite formulaic and contrived but until this point, it is a very fine film and definitely the strongest DCEU film so far. (My full review here)

3) Thor: Ragnarok

Thor: Ragnarok is a Taika Waititi film through and through – it retains his signature humour and really inverts expectations on what a Thor film should be. This feels refreshingly different from the first two films, more vibrantly coloured and more comical. The film is extremely entertaining and puts the characters that we have grown to like over the course of the films in rather vulnerable positions throughout the film and there is a real sense of danger prevalent. Unlike recent comic book films which have a great, big (and boring) action climax at the end of the film to save the world, Thor: Ragnarok actually earns its finale. The marketing for this film has also been extremely impressive upon viewing the final product – there’s a lot that Marvel have managed to withold from its audiences which is very satisfying. (My full review here)

2) Spider-Man: Homecoming

It was a tough choice where to place this with Thor: Ragnarok but ultimately Spider-Man: Homecoming, to my surprise, was more of a breath of fresh air in what has been quite a convoluted genre of late. I thought it struck just the right tone between seriousness and humour and it is a very realistic and grounded film in the Marvel canon. It also features one of the best villains we’ve had in Michael Keaton’s Vulture who is extremely sinister and narcissitic. The whole cast are generally excellent and I was really invested in the narrative that Watts portrays. Watts also does well to not aim too high in terms of visual effects and although there are a couple of impressive action sequences, they never reach the heights of some of the other Marvel films which further helps to keep this film very grounded. (My full review here)

And the best comic-book film of 2017 is…

1) Logan 

There was never any competition as to which film would get the top spot as Logan absolutely floored me in terms of how good it was. It’s not just the best comic-book film of 2017, it’s also one of the best films overall of the year. Logan is not really a superhero film, it is more of a Western film that just happens to have a superhero starring in it. The Western genre is a genre that is close to my heart so not only is it refreshing to be given another ace Western but for it to be in the shape of Logan is extremely impressive. The film is gritty, swearytastic and deliciously violent, fully earning the film a 15 / R rating. The performances by the cast all-round are great and Mangold directs this film with real flair. The film has a lot of emotional beats and really develops these characters that we have come to empathise with over the course of this franchise. The story, also manages to surprise with a couple of great twists and turns. I’m not sure if it’s better than The Wolverine but it is definitely equal to it and both of Mangold’s efforts are the best comic-book films since The Dark Knight. (My full review here)

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What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments or tweet @TheFilmMeister

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With Blade Runner 2049 out in cinemas and Roger Deakins’ spectacular cinematography within it, I thought now would be a suitable to list my favourite work of his. Deakins is one of the best cinematographers of our time, all of his works rich in memorable imagery and scope. To prove my point, Deakins still hasn’t earned an Oscar for his work despite being nominated 13 times, who along with George J. Folsey, holds the record for the most Oscar nominations for Best Cinematography without a win.  I’m hoping Blade Runner 2049 corrects this crime as he does some fantastic work again and it would be a nice amalgamation of his work if he were to win. Please note that I am not ranking the following films based on their quality, I am ranking them based on the quality of Deakins’ cinematography. Without further ado, here are my Top Five Roger Deakins-shot films:

5) Fargo 

I really, truly struggled on what to have as my 5th choice. I debated between Prisoners, Skyfall, Kundun and The Shawshank Redemption, I ultimately chose Fargo, one of two Coen Brothers’ films that feature on this list. Not only is Fargo one of their best works, a rich and darkly comic crime thriller with some fantastic performances, it is heightened by Deakins’ awe-inspiring cinematography that perfectly encapsulates the isolated community both through the characters that live within it but also its chilly climate. Out of the five films on this list, this seems as though it was probably the easiest film to shoot but Deakins does so much with so little and manages to attain the sense of a boring, bland habitat of America the Coens wanted to shoot this gem of a film on.

4) Blade Runner 2049

Deakins’ latest project sees him reteam with Denis Villeneuve (the first of two films directed by him on this list) and whilst I have some problems with the film on first viewing, I have no problems with Deakins’ cinematography at all. His work truly elevates the film and distinguishes between the macro and micro elements of the world created. A fight sequence in a theatre is particularly wonderfully staged as is a three-way sex scene. Every single shot by Deakins feels meticulously crafted throughout the film and there are many instances in the film where my jaw dropped in amazement. Deakins was the perfect choice to take over from Jordan Cronenweth’s work on the original and he takes respectful inspiration from him. Surely this must earn him the Oscar this year? (My review here)

3) Sicario

The second of the two Denis Villeneuve films on this list, Roger Deakins’ work on Sicario is sublime. The film contains some exhilarating action sequences to its merit, the highlight being Deakins’ shooting of what is possibly one of the most intense traffic jams in cinematic history and very creative use of night vision for an action sequence set underground. Deakins is able to distinguish between the binary oppositions of good and bad, light and dark, urban and rural, America and Mexico through his use of lighting and contributes to the panic-inducing, kept-in-the-dark feeling the film manages to sustain throughout its run time. For Deakins’ sake, it’s a shame that The Revenant was released in the same year which cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki blew all the other nominees out of the water but any other year, Sicario would be a fine winner. (My review here)

2) No Country For Old Men 

The second of the two Coen Brothers films on this list, No Country For Old Men is Deakins at his best. In this revisionist Western, Deakins beautifully contrasts the light and dark, both physically and metaphorically with the rich and vivid characters portrayed on-screen. There are multiple instances where Deakins’ work is just jaw-dropping, particularly in Javier Bardem’s scenes and an extremely intense shoot-out in a hotel and the surrounding vicinity late on into the film.

1) The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford 

For me, there was never really any competition – my favourite Roger Deakins-shot film is The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Deakins makes maxiumum effect of this Western period setting and his cinematography is dream-like. A train robbery sequence early on in the film at night is simply staggering and Deakins maximises and juxtaposes the use of lights (through lanterns and natural light) and shadows. It’s a very sensory and human experience. Deakins also makes use of his self-titled ‘Deakinizers’, blurred effects around the border of a frame by taking old wide angle lenses and mounting them onto other cameras which really help attain the period feel of the film. Both this film and No Country For Old Men were nominated for the Best Cinematography Academy Award but lost out to Robert Elswit for his work on Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood. This is the film that should have won and not only is the actual film incredibly underrated, this by far is Deakins’ best work.

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So there we go, there’s my personal Top Five. It was an extremely tough task and there are a lot of other works of his that are fully deserving to be of mention. What are your opinions of his work? What are your favourite Deakins-shot films? Let me know in the comments or tweet @TheFilmMeister

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Blade Runner 2049 is currently playing in UK cinemas 

 

Guy Pearce has got a new film out this week called ‘Brimstone’, a Western thriller directed by Dutch director Martin Koolhoven and co-stars Dakota Fanning, Kit Harrington and Pearce’s wife, Carice van Houten. Pearce always integrates seamlessly into any film he is in and always elevates the material with his performances (even something deeply flawed as ‘Alien: Covenant‘). In ‘Brimstone’ he plays the villain, a ruthless Reverend. Pearce has played some brilliant villains, which will feature in this list and hopefully he’ll be the highlight of this film again. I thought this would be a suitable time to have a look back at Pearce’s career and count down his Top Five films, in my opinion. These films are based on both his performance in them and their quality – if I was ranking simply based on his performance, the list would dramatically change.

5) The Proposition

Australian director John Hillcoat‘s feature length debut is his best film to date with a very subdued performance by Pearce in the lead role as Charlie Burns. Charlie goes through all manners of hell in this film and Nick Cave’s script puts Pearce front and centre in this epic. It’s a really underrated and underwatched film and features multiple performances as well as Pearce in this film that are highly worthy of mention, in particular the late John Hurt.

4) Memento

‘Memento’ is Christopher Nolan’s second film after ‘Following’ but his first with a fair budget and a well-known cast. Guy Pearce is excellent as the amnesiac Leonard who tries to learn through conversations, violence and tattoos to search for the people who attacked him and killed his wife. ‘Memento’ is highly original in having its narrative play backwards and also experimenting through colour. It’s an ingenius concept and ‘Memento’ really put Nolan on the map of filmmakers to take seriously.  If you want your first film to watch from this director and have a great Guy Pearce performance within it, this is a great place to start.

3) The King’s Speech 

Tom Hooper’s ‘The King’s Speech’ recieved many accolades and recieved many nominations for its performances but Guy Pearce, in my opinion, was unfairly left out. Pearce plays Edward, Prince of Wales who becomes King temporarily until he abdicates due to his relationship with Wallace Simpson, a twice-divorced American. One can really sense in Pearce’s performance the inner turmoil the character has to go through, trying to conform to expectations whilst at the same time doing what enriches him best. It’s a very meaty role and one that Pearce wholly succeeds in pulling off.

2) Iron Man 3

It may come a bit of a surprise that I have ranked this entry in the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe behemoth. But ‘Iron Man 3’ is one of the most original entries largely thanks to Shane Black’s direction and a fair amount of plot surprises sprinkled in. Guy Pearce excels as Aldrich Killian. Again, Pearce plays a character who is suffering his own personal problems and Pearce is really able to elevate the material with his performance. 

1) Lawless

‘Lawless’ is the weakest film quality-wise on this list but Pearce absolutely knocks it out of the park as the villainous Marshal Charley Rakes who antagonises the Bondurat brothers by trying to shut down their Prohibtion-era moonshine business. Pearce plays a really nasty, slimy character who is unpredictable, suitably ruthless and menacing. He really steals the show here and dramatically elevates the quality of the film. ‘Lawless’ would otherwise be a slightly above-average but a deeply flawed crime film. It still is largely but at least the threat from Pearce’s character seems extremely real.

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So there we go, there’s my personal Top Five. You’re probably wondering though, where are ‘L. A. Confidential’, ‘The Hurt Locker’ and ‘Animal Kingdom’? Well whilst I do like those films, I feel that these five are more special to me although these films do contain some of his best performances too and are mostly excellent films in their own right. Pearce has such a wide range of performances and films that he his career has spanned across many genres.  Here’s hoping ‘Brimstone’ is worthwhile (it has all the signs)and that this very versatile and talented actor’s career continues to flourish.

‘Brimstone’ will be released in UK cinemas on Friday 29th September

Christian Bale has got a new film out this week called ‘The Promise’ which is the new film directed by Terry George and co-stars Oscar Isaac and Charlotte Le Bon. I thought this would be a suitable time to have a look back at Bale’s career and count down his Top Five films, in my opinion. These films are based on both his performance in them and their quality – if I was ranking simply based on his performance, the list would dramatically change.

5) Batman Begins

Christopher Nolan’s first Batman film that redefined the comic-book genre and introduced the idea of an origin story, Bale gets a lot to do here and his performance as Bruce Wayne / Batman is very conservative.

4) 3:10 To Yuma

I’m a sucker for Westerns and James Mangold’s remake of ‘3:10 To Yuma’ had me giddy. It is perhaps one of the best remakes to date – Mangold manages to use the iconography of the genre but also stick his signature stamp onto it. Bale’s character is very multi-dimensional and he really goes through a lot of stick and Russell Crowe also gives a great performance here.

3) Out Of The Furnace 

A very unlikely choice and although ‘Out Of The Furnace’, on paper is Scott Cooper’s worst film, for me the film is near-perfect. It is a revenge thriller full of many layers and Bale’s performance as the troubled protagonist is completely full of conviction and his character goes through a hell of a lot in this film. Forget ‘American Hustle’ of that year, this was the film Bale shone in!

2) The Prestige

A very close race and I was tempted to put this first, Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Prestige’ is a masterpiece and full of brains. It is endlessly rewatchable and I always notice something new in this film each time I watch it. Both Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale are excellent here but I think Bale gives the better performance as a character full of layers. It’s a shame that this film is quite underrated when it comes to Nolan’s filmography but if you can seek it out, it is more than worth your attention.

1) The Dark Knight

What would a Christian Bale list be without this iconic film? ‘The Dark Knight’ is the film that rules all comic-book films and which all comic-book films strive to reach the quality of. It is simply breathtaking and features perfect measures of action, brains and narrative. Performance-wise, of coure this is the late-Heath Ledger’s film with his daring turn as the Joker which ultimately earnt him a posthumous Academy Award. Bale’s Bruce Wayne / Batman does get sidelined but Bale really develops as a character here and particularly in the now-iconic prison interrogation sequence, Bale more than holds up his own against Ledger. Great film and a measured Christian Bale performance.

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So there we go, there’s my personal Top Five. You’re probably wondering though, where are ‘The Machinist’, ‘American Hustle’, ‘The Fighter’ (for which he won an Oscar for) and ‘The Big Short‘? Well whilst I do like those films, I feel that these five are more special to me although these films do contain some of his best performances too. Here’s hoping ‘The Promise’ is worthwhile and that this very versatile and talented actor’s career continues to flourish.

‘The Promise’ will be released in UK cinemas on Friday 28th April

With 2016 bringing us a slew of comic-book films, 6 to be exact and them all receiving very different receptions now would seem like a suitable time to rank them. Although comic-book films are prevalent every year at the moment, 2016 has allowed them to branch out with DC ramping up their cinematic universe with the releases of ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ and ‘Suicide Squad’ so we now officially have the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe which will continue to battle each other throughout the next few years. DC have had a particularly hard time this year with both of their films receiving negative reviews and drawing lots of controversy. I love controversy as I have had different reactions to both films but I can understand why they have drawn up so much debate. ‘Suicide Squad’ is also the first comic-book film to be from the perspective of the villains and ‘Deadpool’, a comic-book adaptation that is 15 / R-rated and it really earns this rating. I wrote a post earlier on this year but I do think this will be interesting for the future as we will hopefully get some adult-orientated comic-book films.

So this hasn’t just been a typical year in this genre hence why I have felt the need to rank them. Let’s get started!

6) X-Men: Apocalypse 

‘X-Men: Apocalypse’ severely drops the ball big time – it is far and away the worst entry in the entire franchise and apart from a promising first 45 minutes or so, is an overlong CGI bore. The story is incoherent and sloppy and particularly towards the film’s climax, the film is unwatchable. Even the acting which is normally stellar is very underwhelming and there are many examples of both old and new characters phoning it in. Oscar Isaac is an especially awful villain and it’s such a shame to see such a talented actor reduced to a throw-away role like this. There is some stuff to like here – there are a couple of good sequences peppered throughout the first two thirds of the film and particularly the film’s opening is  rather promising but other than this, it is with heavy heart that this film is an outright disaster. (Review here)

And now for the good one’s…

5) Deadpool

‘Deadpool’ is unfortunately a bit of a disappointment given the hype it has recieved but individual set pieces and sequences are absolutely fantastic. Director Tim Miller really knows how to direct action and the opening action sequence is perhaps the most exciting action sequence in a comic-book film this year. Ryan Reynolds is also perfect in the titular role but the rest of the cast aren’t particularly great. It does suffer from a low budget and tonally, it can be quite obnoxious in parts. The humour is also quite primitive given the directions that they could have gone in although I do admit that I did chuckle a few times. Fox also heavy-handedly promote their X-Men universe to the point where it feels that is being rammed down the audience’s throat which is a shame. It would be great to see Deadpool team up with his X-Men counterparts but a constant reminder that this is happening shouldn’t occur. The film is also so focussed with lambasting every other comic book film that exists that it falls into conventionality, particularly the third act. Now all this would seem negative – there is a lot to like in this film but it is also deeply flawed. Sadly, Tim Miller won’t be returning to direct the sequel. (Review here)

4) Suicide Squad

‘Suicide Squad’ is unfortunately a disappointment compared to the promise of the trailers that have preceded the film for the past year and half. It is quite noticeable that this film has been tampered with by the studio – the film often feels like a music video in its editing and the whole film feels incredibly disjointed and its humour feels very forced at times. The story is virtually non-existent – it is paper thin and the characters are solely put first. Now that all said, there are large portions of the film that David Ayer seems to have made that are left in the film and there are some outstanding sequences buried in this middling adaptation. Ayer also does a very good job in developing the characters enough for audiences to care about them and warrant a sequel even if the film that they are in here isn’t the best. The cast assembled here have clearly put in a lot of effort into their roles and the performances clearly pay off with Margot Robbie, Jared Leto and Viola Davis being the standouts. There is one exception which is Cara Delevingne who is absolutely god-awful in this. Although very promising in places, ‘Suicide Squad’ is ultimately nowhere near good enough as it should have been and is further evidence of a director’s vision being compromised by the studio. But I would definitely be up for a sequel with the hope of an improved narrative and less studio interference. (Review here)

There is a big step-up in quality from here…

3) Captain America: Civil War

‘Captain America: Civil War’ is a very solid effort from the Russo brothers and is an improvement over ‘The Winter Soldier’. It has a great cast and is one of the rare ensemble comic book films of recent times to not feel overstuffed. The film is however overlong – it takes a long while to get going and there is a lot of excess baggage that could have been trimmed but when the film does get going after 45 minutes or so, it’s surprisingly coherent for a film that has a lot of characters to juggle and is well-paced. Surprisingly, the film also features one of the best villains in the franchise, an aspect that Marvel are not good at and consistently fail at even in their best films, but Daniel Bruhl makes for a menacing and calculative three-dimensional villain and is the best comic-book villain of the year out of all these films. This is a strong comic-book film that develops the MCU but the reason why it’s at 3rd is because it doesn’t do particularly much in the way of risks. (Review here)

2) Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

It was a tough choice where to rank this film – in many ways, this could have been my favourite or it could have been behind ‘Captain America: Civil War’. Although ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ is wildly uneven and its overstuffed story is very incoherent at times, there are aspects of this film that are absolutely stunning. Director Zack Snyder took a lot of risks here and although this film has received a whole host of different responses, this is by no means a safe comic-book film and is more of an experiment. Snyder’s treatment of these superheroes is very controversial at times (here Batman kills people unlike in the comics for example) and there are some gaping plot holes and some questionable decisions in the plot. Larry Fong’s cinematography is jaw-droppingly good and there are some outstanding camera shot that are a pure spectacle to behold. A lot of the cast here are great – Ben Affleck’s performance is a brilliant rendition of the Caped Crusader and Gal Gadot and Jeremy Irons are also welcome additions. Unfortunately Henry Cavill’s Superman is sidelined but is more fleshed out in the superior Ultimate Cut. The film does suffer in its final act which is an action sequence too long and Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor is a misfire. This film is a marked improvement over its predecessor, ‘Man of Steel’ and the film is very entertaining and features some outstanding sequences and some interesting ideas. ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ is not your conventional comic-book film and is all the better for it. Sadly I don’t think Zack Snyder will be given quite as much creative freedom for ‘Justice League’. (Review here)

1) Doctor Strange 

‘Doctor Strange’ is a delight from start to finish – it is thoroughly entertaining, extremely well-paced and has perhaps the best visual effects that I have seen in a film for a while. The film is bolstered by its excellent cast who are all wonderful and Scott Derrickson is a clear fit for the material –  you can really tell the passion that has gone into this film behind the camera. It’s a lot more stripped down than a lot of the other comic-book films this year  which means the film can get a chance to breathe and develop these characters. Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular character is wonderful as is the rest of the cast which was a given from day one – when you have a cast comprising of Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benjamin Bratt, Mads Mikkelsen and Tilda Swinton, you know you are in for a treat. Although the film takes less risks than ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’, it is more coherent and has a lot of heart to it which gives this film the edge. A really impressive film and hopefully we’ll have plenty more to see from these characters as the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand. (Review here)

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What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments or tweet @TheFilmMeister

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With 2016 bringing not only one but two ‘X-Men’ films, now would seem like a suitable time to rank the entire lot. It is currently the 7th highest grossing film franchise of all time so clearly a very profitable brand and one that is generally regarded highly. In my opinion, the series is mostly very good – at its best, near-perfect, but at its worst, crushingly disappointing.

Let’s get started!

9) X-Men: Apocalypse

Unfortunately, ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’ is the only bad film of this series. Apart from a promising first 45 minutes or so, the film is a CGI bore. The story is incoherent and sloppy and particularly towards the film’s climax, the film is unwatchable. Even the acting which is normally stellar in this series is very underwhelming and there are many examples of both old and new characters phoning it in. Oscar Isaac’s titular villain is a total disaster and the film is even mean-spirited in places taking unnecessary shots at ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’ which ends up backfiring on itself. There is some stuff to like here however – amidst all of the incoherency, there are a couple of good sequences and the film opens up rather promisingly but other than this, this is a film to avoid. (Review here)

Now for the good ones…

8) X-Men 2 (alternatively known as ‘X2’)

Generally regarded as the pinnacle of this franchise, I’ve always found this film to be quite baggy in places and muddled but it sets itself very nicely for ‘The Last Stand’ and has a great villain in Brian Cox as William Stryker, a recurring character in this series. Perhaps the reason why I dismiss it a little is because of how much I had enjoyed its predecessor which redefined the comic book genre. This film is a lot less enjoyable and at times, is a chore to sit through and the film has a lot of exposition in it which does make the film come down a bit at times. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy the film – I just don’t understand why it is generally regarded as the best entry.

7) Deadpool

‘Deadpool’ is an interesting spin-off in this franchise and it’s refreshing to see that this film has the courage to push the boundaries in its age rating. It is unfortunately a bit of a disappointment given the hype it has recieved but individual set pieces and sequences are absolutely fantastic. Ryan Reynolds is also perfect in the role. It does suffer from a low budget and tonally, it can be quite obnoxious in parts. The humour is also quite primitive given the directions that they could have gone in although I do admit that I did chuckle a few times. Fox also heavy-handedly promote their X-Men universe to the point where it feels that is being rammed down the audience’s throat which is a shame. It would be great to see Deadpool team up with his X-Men counterparts but a constant reminder that this is happening shouldn’t occur. The film is also so focussed with lambasting every other comic book film that exists that it falls into conventionality, particularly the third act. Now all this would seem negative – there is a lot to like in this film but it is also deeply flawed. (Review here)

There is now a big step-up in quality…

6) X-Men: The Last Stand 

‘X-Men: The Last Stand’ is a very misunderstood film after Bryan Singer’s first two directorial efforts that were so widely praised, ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’ gets a very bad wrap but it is in fact a no-nonsense, entertaining film by Brett Ratner that isn’t scared of deviating the story in set in the first two entries of this franchise. It’s much leaner and simpler than ‘X-Men 2’ but this works in the film’s favour and Ratner doesn’t mess around with killing off some key characters which makes the story very unpredictable and all the more enjoyable. As the film is so economical in its pacing, it falls short in its character development and the film doesn’t carry much of an emotional arc.

5) X-Men: Days Of Future Past

Bryan Singer’s return to the franchise and generally regarded as one of the best instalments, ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ is overrated but the film does have many moments of sheer brilliance and has an interesting narrative.  One of my initial worries when the film first came out was how they were going to handle the heap of characters, but it’s not a big issue at all.  love how Bryan Singer has tried to ‘right the wrongs’ of past films and he has almost got it there, albeit with still a few holes to fix. There are some terrific sequences in the film, most notably the now infamous scene with Evan Peters as Quicksilver breaking Magneto out of the Pentagon. However, the film is about 15 minutes too long and its third act is a bit of a comedown from an otherwise focussed film. Although it’s not quite a triumph , it’s  still a very valiant effort from Bryan Singer.

And now for the greats…

4) X-Men

The film that kickstarted this franchise off. Although the effects may seem quite dated now, ‘X-Men’ is an endlessly entertaining film and Bryan Singer’s best out of his 4 efforts in this franchise. Singer establishes and develops the characters that we have now grown to love and is very faithful to the comics that the film is based on. This film also marks Hugh Jackman’s first appearance as Wolverine who is excellent and as ever, Ian McKellen makes for a menacing villain. As mentioned though, this film hasn’t aged particularly well but it still manages to entertain as the story is very sharply focussed and the film boasts some fun action sequences.

3) X-Men Origins: Wolverine

This is probably the part where you stop reading this list and completely disregard it.  I know this film is generally regarded as the worst entry by a long shot, but allow me to justify myself. I really enjoyed ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ as it is suitably gritty and works as a great revenge tale for the superhero that we have all come to love. There are some outstanding sequences here such as Wolverine’s transformation and there are some cool action scenes, most notably the now infamous helicopter sequence. It does also have a surprising amount of heart as the film explores the relationship between Wolverine and Kayla very well and we really feel for Wolverine when everything is taken away from him. The film also has some really good performances here – Liev Schreiber is the best Sabretooth to be portrayed on-screen to date, Danny Huston makes for a great villain and even Taylor Kitsch and will.i.am, two actors who have played in some terrible films give valiant performances here. What really angered fans with this film was its treatment of Deadpool – I agree that it does make some mistakes with the character but his introduction in the beginning is fantastic and if fans didn’t feel so strongly about this, we would never have got the ‘Deadpool’ film that we have today. Give this film another chance, don’t take it too seriously and you may find yourself having a great time watching this.

2) X-Men: First Class

‘X-Men: First Class’ is an intelligent and extremely entertaining entry in this franchise that marked the beginning of the prequel trilogy and rejuvenated fan opinion of this franchise after ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’ and ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ had been negatively received. This film successfully blends superheroes with history and the film features some fantastic performances, most notably Michael Fassbender who proves himself a great Magneto and in my opinion, has the best scene in this entire franchise in a bar in Argentina. Kevin Bacon also makes for a menacing villain and the film’s new ‘younger’ cast are all a great match for the older cast in the original trilogy. Henry Jackman’s score is very effective here too and there are some great themes. However, the film does stumble in its third act where it does lose some steam but other than this, the film provided a successful return to the franchise and is a film that fans generally regard as one of the best entries in this franchise.

And the best X-Men film is…

1) The Wolverine

A surprise winner compared to other lists, ‘The Wolverine’ is a perfect film up until its final act that does what most other comic book films can’t – not just be a great comic book film but also a great action film to boot. As the characters of Wolverine and the rest of the cast are very well developed, one forgets that they are watching a comic book film half the time and we really feel his pain. The film features some great action sequences particularly one on a bullet train and at a funeral and up until its final action sequence that descends into generic comic book territory is a perfect adaptation of what a Wolverine film should be. Hugh Jackman gives the best performance he has done of this character here and both Rila Fukushima and Tao Okamoto give assured performances and will hopefully progress further into the film industry on the merits of their work here. Marco Beltrami’s score is beautiful and endlessly atmospheric. James Mangold proves himself as a director here and hopefully the sequel to this film will be just as good – we will find out next year!

 

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What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments or tweet @TheFilmMeister

With the release of ‘Inside Out’ and ‘The Good Dinosaur’, now seems an appropriate time to rank the films by Pixar. Pixar are geniuses when they come to animation and are yet to make a bad film – even the worst film on this list is still decent by animation standards, it’s just a let-down when compared to what Pixar can achieve.

16) The Good Dinosaur

Pixar’s most recent offering is very disjointed and a tonal jumble but as a film in its own right, it’s decent. The story is all over the place and whilst individual set pieces work, as a whole the film doesn’t quite gel together. That said, the animation here is stunning and there are many sweeping panoramic shots of landscapes that are stunning to behold. (Review here)

15) A Bug’s Life

Pixar’s second film couldn’t quite match their debut, but ‘A Bug’s Life’ is still good fun even if it doesn’t pack the emotional punch that we have come to expect from Pixar. It all feels a little too simplistic and it’s not particularly memorable. Unfortunately, it has too many parallels to DreamWorks ‘Antz’ which came out shortly beforehand.

14) Brave

Although it’s a disjointed film and is second-rate Pixar all the way,’Brave’ still has its moments with its relatable characters and simplistic, easy to follow story.

13) Wall-E

This would normally feature right at the top of many people’s lists, but it’s nowhere near as good as it’s made out to be. There are many dull moments in ‘Wall-E’ and its pacing is uneven, but when the film gets into its rhythm, it’s fabulous.

12) Cars

John Lasseter’s pet project isn’t one of Pixar’s best, but it’s still a satisfying film and good fun. As well as its sequel, the race sequences are wonderfully realised and are exhilarating to watch.

There is now a big step-up in quality…

11) Toy Story

The first ever Pixar film was an incredible debut and it has laid the foundations for sequels that are even better than this original outing. The script is outstanding.

10) Monsters University

Although the sequel to ‘Monsters Inc’ wasn’t quite as refined as its predecessor and had a wobbly first act, it managed to redeem itself half-way through and storms to the end and packs an emotional punch.

9) Finding Nemo

A very memorable and quotable entry to the Pixar canon, ‘Finding Nemo’ is an emotional journey and the characters are wonderfully developed. It doesn’t rank quite as highly as its pacing is a little uneven at times.

8) Cars 2

Many critics and audiences alike aggressively disliked this film, but I thought it was even better than the original. It’s better paced and has an interesting story. It’s barrels of fun.

7) Inside Out

Pete Docter’s most recent film out of three, although this is his worst one, it is still near-perfect. ‘Inside Out’ is extremely original and has a wonderful script but the reason it cannot quite rank as high is because the story is a little too conventional and predictable in parts. (Review here)

6) Ratatouille

Brad Bird’s first of two offerings for Pixar, ‘Ratatouille’ is a tale of how anyone can do anything they want and it’s an uplifting, satisfying and mouth-watering journey of a film. It’s more mature than a lot of other Pixar films which is for the better and elevates the film.

5) Toy Story 2

The sequel that nearly ended up being a disaster, Lasseter decided to release it in cinemas as opposed to straight-to-DVD and it ended up being even better than the original. It’s better paced and features a terrific climax with the characters.

And now for the best of the bunch…

4) Toy Story 3

The 3rd ‘Toy Story’ ended up being the best one and what elevated it from the other two was its emotional heart. It is paced perfectly and the spirit that was present in the first two films lives on here. I just hope they don’t botch up the planned 4th instalment – please, Pixar, leave this perfect trilogy as it is.

3) Monsters Inc

Into the top three, Pete Docter’s first of three offerings, ‘Monsters Inc’ is hilarious and has memorable characters and is very emotional at times. The combination of John Goodman and Billy Crystal is a match made in heaven and the two bounce off each other extremely well.

2) The Incredibles

A close second, ‘The Incredibles’ is better than most superhero films out there and it has a very warm heart. Its superheroes are very relatable and the film is expertly paced. The perfect superhero film.

And the best Pixar film is…

1) Up

The best Pixar film undisputedly, ‘Up’ is an emotional roller coaster yet hilarious at times and and it has a tremendous heart. The first five minutes is perhaps the best opening to a film in history. It’s an extremely memorable and quotable film and it’s just wonderful to watch. A perfect film.

So what does the future hold for Pixar?

‘Finding Dory’, a sequel to ‘Finding Nemo’ is scheduled for June 2016 and ‘Coco’, an original Pixar film directed by Lee Unkrich behind ‘Toy Story 3’ is scheduled for November 2017. ‘Cars 3’, ‘The Incredibles 2’ and ‘Toy Story 4’ are also in development.