Man of Faith

This year has been an interesting one so far. Without getting into too many details let’s just say that things have been good, but they have also been hard. A long time ago I accepted that no matter what I do in my life there are going to be hard things that will happen to me, and that I am going to have to do my best to endure and have a positive attitude about them. But for some reason this year I felt that my hardships seemed to weigh me down more than usual. Whether it was financial struggles, my wife's constant sickness, confusion about career paths, or the spiritual battles I have faced, things seemed to be a little more difficult than usual. I felt more discouraged, and more distracted than normal. I doubted and complained more, and I felt that I didn't have as much hope. I've experienced these feeling at various moments through out my life, but many times this year they seemed to linger more than usual. 

(To help paint the picture, for anyone who's read or seen Harry Potter I kind of felt like how Harry feels in the Order of the Phoenix)

After a lot pondering I felt as though my faith in things was beginning to dwindle. Not only my faith in my religious beliefs, but also faith in other things as well. I've always considered faith as the belief or trust in something that leads to action. Faith, is one of the most basic principles in life, and it seemed to be falling out of my grasp.

As I started to recognize that faith was missing from my life I also started watching the TV show Lost (which has become one of my favorite new shows).

(Once again I am going to use another pop culture reference because that's what I do, I watch movies and TV and think of how I can apply it to my life. I think that's really just my way of justifying watching so many movies.)

Lost is about a group of strangers that are abandoned on a mysterious island, and the show chronicles their efforts to try and get off the island. As I watched it there was one character, John Locke, that was really interesting to me. If there was one characteristic that defined John Locke it would be his faith, and his belief that he had a purpose on the island. He was an ordinary man, who had experienced a very hard and sad life. When he first landed on the island he had an experience that changed him. It caused him to believe that there was a bigger purpose to him being on the island. Most of the people around him doubted him, and thought he was crazy, but he didn't let that stop him. He went out and tried to discover the mysteries that the island held. He exercised his faith, but many times he ended up failing which caused him to doubt again. Then something else would happen that would renew his faith, and give him determination to move forward again.

Locke made a lot of mistakes along the way in developing his faith, but it always made him stronger person. In the end he was never really able to fully understand the full secrets of the island, but he always received the answers he needed at the time he needed them.

Life is so much like being lost on an island with no really direction or purpose. Just as John Locke and the other characters were all lost on the island, we in sense are all lost here on earth. We are trying to finding purpose, understanding, and meaning to everything. We have experiences that lead us to either accept faith or deny it, and most of it depends on our attitude. Just like they don’t find answers to everything that happens around them, we too won’t have answers to every question, but we can find answers to the most important ones, and that is where faith comes in.

After watching this show, and through a few other experiences, I realized that I was lacking the first step of faith. Instead of believing I had been entertaining thoughts of doubt, disbelief, and discouragement. I was letting those moments of despair determine the outcome of my life, rather than believing in the things I knew and exercising my faith to determine my own outcomes.

Since this experience I have made a resolve that I would try and live as a Man of Faith. One who believes in and trusts in things I know and feel to be true. One who tries to avoid doubt, discouragement, distraction, disobedience, and disbelief.

This simple principle of faith (the belief or trust in something that leads to action) has been so pivotal and life changing in my life these last few months. I still struggle with being 100% faithful to the things I know, and like John Locke sometimes I fail. But I have felt a huge difference in my life as I have tried to live by faith, and not just on my own!

No matter what one believes in, faith is essential. I choose to have faith in Jesus Christ and his teachings, but whatever you believe in, have faith in something. I know that faith centered on Christ is what has helped me drive away fear, doubt, confusion, distraction, and discouragement!  

So what did I think of Lost?

So back in July I started watching the TV show Lost. I started watching it not expecting too much. I enjoyed the first episode but once I watched the fourth episode, Walkabout, I was hooked! From there on I pretty much binge watched the whole series and finished it in about 2 and half months.

(There are some spoilers, but not too many, so beware if you have seen the end don't want it spoiled)

After I finished season 1, I was so excited about this show that I posted on Facebook saying that Lost may be my new favorite TV show, but I was surprised by the response I got from it. There were a few people that said they loved it, but there was also a lot negativity towards it. I'm not gonna lie, I was a little discouraged by it, but I kept on watching, and the more I watched the more enthralled and excited I became. There were a few episodes here and there were just okay, but besides that almost every single episodes was outstanding, even if they didn't answer every question.

Then I got to final episode. The episode to close out the show, to sum everything up, and answer all the questions. Going into it I knew there were many people disappointed by it, but that there were also a lot who loved it. So what did I think of it........

Well at first I was a little confused (like I was many times watching this show), but then once I saw Jack meet up with everyone else and the Micheal Giacchino's music started playing I started to tear up like a little baby! Even though I didn't totally get what was going on, I knew that Jack was finally able to let go, and move on, and that the thing that was most important to him now was the relationships he made with the people on the island. And for me that was enough. I was satisfied, and the more I began to think about it, and piece together other things I began to love it even more. Now I can get why people were frustrated that it didn't answer every question, and there are still a few things that I wish could have been answered, but isn't that kind of how life is? We don't always get answers to everything, and rather than trying to answer everything we should focus on the things that are most important, like are our relationships, and learning to overcome our stumbling blocks in our our lives. Anyway that's what I got out of it, and I loved the final!

So with that all said here are 10 reasons why I thought Lost was amazing!

1. Interesting and Engaging Characters

From the beginning to the end, the writers of the show always put the characters above everything else, and for me that's why I think this show did so well. It was always about the characters. A lot of other movies and TV shows start off with focusing on an event or some kind of an idea, and then through in some characters. With Lost they started with characters, and then crafted everything else around them, and that's why I think this show was successful, and I was able to relate to all the characters. Even if there are still a lot of unanswered questions, and we got to see a darn good ending to some of the most amazing characters to ever grace television.

2. Mythology

I don't think I've ever seen anything like the mythology in Lost. From the time travel, the numbers, the monster, and the all amazing connections between characters, this show introduces so many fascinating concepts. Sure it doesn't conclude or explain all of them in detail, but it still added a great mystery and suspense to the show.

3. Interpretation

I loved the way they ended the show, and allowed the fans to interpret the ending in way that is satisfying to them. It gives a lot of answers, but not all of all them but at the same time it gives you enough to interpret it the way you would like. It's kind of like how the movie Inception ended and in how it never says whether or not the main character Cobb is still dreaming or not, but the important thing is that he is with his kids now (which was always his main goal). Lost ends in a similar way that shows that each of the characters were able to get what was most important to them. At least that's my interpretation.

4. Good vs. Evil

Lost has such an awesome narrative about good and evil. There are so many great analogies to the battle of good and evil. I'm not going to get into all of them, but one of my favorites is Jacob's wine bottle analogy.

5. Letting Go

One of the central themes of Lost is the idea of letting go. In a sense that is the reason why all of the characters were brought to the island in the first place, because they all had something they had to let go of in their lives. In the finale it shows through Jack's eyes that once someone is finally able to let go of certain things in our lives, they are finally able to move on to the next stage of their life.

6. Spiritual

I love that Lost was never afraid to tackle the subject of spirituality. Most of the media tends to stay away from it, even though it is huge part of a lot of peoples lives. I like how the spiritual themes though were never specific to one belief, but rather it embraces different ideas and then lets the viewers interpret them for themselves. One aspect of the finale I thought was interesting was when Jack goes into the church to see the coffin you see around him a collection of different religious symbols. I also really liked Ben's story of the apostle Thomas.

7. Time Travel

When time travel was first introduced to me on Lost, I was not really feeling it. I thought it seemed to be out of place, but as it began to unfold and explain it more I totally changed my attitude about it. Season 5 is probably one of my favorite season because the time travel was handled so well and was so interesting.

9. Faith & Science

This was another interesting theme that was explored throughout the show. Their's the man of science, Jack Shepard, and the man of faith, John Locke, and its intriguing to see how each of them respond to things taking place on the island. The show raises the question about whether the events on the island are that of science or something more. It's interesting to thinking about this in our own lives and whether our world and life is based on science or faith.

10. People in New Light

One thing I loved about this show was that my perception of the characters was always changing. I went from hating one to loving them later on. The character of Jin, was one that I really did not like in the beginning, but as his back story unfolded and I understood why he acted the way he did, he became someone I could relate with, and I liked his character much better. Watching this show made me think about how in my own life many times I judge some based on their actions, rather than taking the time to understand why a person acts a certain way. It made me realize that everyone has their own story, their own experiences, and their own to beliefs as to why they behave a certain way, and that my approach to the people I meet shouldn't be to judge them critically, but rather should I try to understand their situation.

So to end I got a little carried away, like I do with most my blog posts, and decided to share my favorite Lost characters and episodes.

Favorite Characters

John Locke

 Jack Shepherd

Ben Linus

Desmond Fume

Sawyer

Favorite Episodes:

Walkabout- Season 1

Do No Harm -Season 1

Through the Looking Glass- Season 3

The Shape of Things to Come -Season 4

LaFleur- Season 5

Dr. Linus- Season 6

The End- Season 6

Superhero Movies From Worst to Best: 5-1

5. Spider-man 2

Directed by: Sam Raimi

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kristen Dunst, Alfred Molina, James Franco

Released: June 2004

First watched: Midnight showing, with all my buddies

Last year when I blogged about my favorite movie series Spider-man made the number 12, but there was one mistake I made in that post. I put that the Amazing Spider-man was the best movie. While the Amazing Spider-man is a great movie, I've since come to the conclusion that Spider-man 2 takes the cake as the best Spider-man film. The thing I love about this movie is that it depicts Peter Parker as your average person, with the same problems that you and I face. It shows him trying to balance the complexities of life by being a college student, trying to make a living by struggling to manage two jobs, making time for his friends and family, and on top of that he has to be Spider-man and save the day. You usually don’t see most superheroes struggle with these types of things. These aspects of the character really helped me connect with the character. The other thing that’s great about this movie is that even though it shows these aspects of Peter Parker's life, it still has all of the emotion, drama, and action that makes a superhero movie so entertaining! This movie has easily the best villain in all of the Spider-man films in Doc Ock, and along with that comes some of the best action sequences of the series. Another strong point of this film is the relationship between Peter Parker and his best friend Harry Osborn. The tension is great between them, and whenever the two are together they make some of the best scenes of the whole movie. Still not the biggest fan of Kristen Dunst in this movie, but with that said she still doesn't detract enough to make this movie not great. This movie is funny, action packed, exciting, moving, and makes one of the best superhero movies! 

4. Man of Steel

Directed by: Zack Synder

Starring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Laurence Fishburne, Russell Crowe

Released: June 2013

First watched: Opening day at the Cine Capri at Harkins Temple Marketplace with Friends

This movie seems to be a mixed bag with most people, with some people saying that it was a decent revival of Superman. I am not one of those people. I absolutely loved this movie! I recently wrote about it in blog post that you can read here, so I won't say too much about it here, but I do want to say a few things. First off the cast is excellent, from Henry Cavill stepping into the difficult role of Superman/Clark Kent to Kevin Costner and Russell Crowe as Clark's fathers, and Michael Shannon as the tyrant ruler General Zod. The relationship that Clark has with both his real parents and adoptive parents is one that I thought was depicted perfectly in this movie, and one of the strongest aspects of the movie. From the opening sequences on Krypton, to the final shot of Clark Kent in the Daily Planet, I was completely engaged in this movie. I felt a real connection to Clark’s journey of him trying to discover who he really is. They showed him as a lost and confused soul, who seeks to find his place in a world where he shouldn't fit in. Some people found the action to be a little overboard, and while I can see why they feel that way, I loved it. I thought that the action added such an intensity to the movie, that other Superman films, and other superhero movies are missing. I’m not sure what a lot people were expecting when they watched this film, or what they saw, but what I saw was a movie that was full of intense action, great drama, emotionally engaging, and profoundly moving. For that I can't wait to see this new universe of Superman unfold, and I'm especially excited to see how Superman and Batman will face off in the sequel.

3. X2: X-men United

Directed by: Bryan Singer

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Ian Mckellan, Patrick Stewart

Released: May 2003

First watched: The midnight showing with my brother Matt and his friends

The very best X-men movie to date takes my number 3 stop for best superhero movie! When this movie first came out I loved it so much that I saw in theaters 4 times. There are not very many movies that I have seen that many times in the theaters. First off there are so many great themes in this movie. This movie demonstrates perfectly the conflict that is so central to the X-men, which is the fear of those that are different. Rather than not addressing this central plot, like some of the other films have done, this film does not hold back in addressing this issue. It shows the hate that the main villain, William Striker, feels towards the mutants, the fear and anger that Storm has towards normal humans, and lack of understanding shown by Bobby Drake’s (aka Ice-man) not wanting him to be a mutant. It’s also demonstrates through the character Nightcrawler how love and understanding towards those that fear you can give you peace. It’s such a great narrative that does a great job at balancing these many themes and also many characters. This film also gives us some of the best action sequences in any movie. My two favorite are the opening scene which shows Nightcrawler take out the whole secret service, and the scene where Wolverine has to defend the mansion from invaders. The plot of this film is very interesting and does a great job at keeping your attention. It’s deep, but it never gets too complicated. The final scenes are incredibly intense, and also amazingly heartbreaking. While this movie has some deep themes, intense action, and serious moments, there is still a lot of fun to it. For me this was the first superhero movie that was a true masterpiece and it still holds up well today. 

2. The Avengers

Directed by: Joss Whedon

Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Samuel L. Jackson

Released: May 2012

First watched: Opening day, with friends at AMC

I had some high expectations for this movie and Joss Whedon and his crew surpassed them. Most movies usually meet my expectations, but very few blow past them and this was one of those movies. I've actually already blogged about this movie twice now (you can check them out here and here) so I’m not going to say too much about it, but it needs to be known that this is the seconds best superhero movie. This movie doesn't have as many emotional themes as the X-men or Man of Steel, or my number one picked, but this movie succeeded in areas that those other films didn’t. It is pure fun and incredibly entertaining. It’s almost impossible for me to watch this movie and not enjoy myself. It is surprisingly hilarious, smart, exciting, action packed, intense, thrilling, and very character driven. It does an outstanding job at blending 6 different characters, and giving each of them time to shine. Sure there are a few that shine a little bit more than others, but it’s nothing that detracts from the film. It’s such a balanced film that blends so many different factors into it and makes it one of the most entertaining movies ever made. While I’m very excited to see what Joss Whedon has in store for the next Avengers film, I don't think any other movie can ever quite entertain to the level that this movie did. But with that said, I could be proven wrong! 

1. The Dark Knight Trilogy (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises)

Directed by: Christopher Nolan

Starring: Christian Bale, Liam Nesson, Heath Ledger, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Aaron Eckhart,  Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman

Released: Begins-June 2005, Dark Knight-July 2008, Rises- July 2012

First watched: Begins- Midnight showing with friends, Dark Knight- at home with my brother Matt, Rises- midnight showing at the Cine Capri at Tempe Marketplace with friends

Alright I’m kind of cheating here, but all three of these movies would have been 1 ,2, and 3 anyway. This way I don’t have to rank them (if you look at my blog from a year ago you will see that I placed The Dark Knight Rises as my favorite, but it’s always changing), and I kind of see all these movies as one big movie anyway. I’m sure this ranking is no surprise to anyone who knows me well. Like the Avengers I've blogged about these movies once before, and actually wrote a lot already about it. With that said I just want to add some further reasoning as to why these movies are my favorite. So you know those movies that every once in while you watch, and the next several hours, or even days after watching it you can't stop thinking about it? Well for me all three of these films are those types of movies. These films are not only amazing for their incredible production values (such as the amazing action, the beautiful music, the great acting, the amazing set designs, the realistic special effects, the intricate characters, the beautiful cinematography, or the incredible story), but for the way it’s helped me think about life. I love how Christopher Nolan set out to make a movie much more than just a superhero film, but a movie that allows the viewer to think about how the events in the films can have an impact on their lives. For example, the line in Batman Begins “Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves back up”, has had a great influence in my life when I have had to face hard things in my life. There are so many other themes throughout these films that influenced me or helped me understand different things about life. Now I know I'm probably a little biased since I've always been a Batman fan, but Christopher Nolan truly created a masterpiece with these three films that I think can't ever be beat. As excited as I am to see Superman and Batman duke it out on the big screen in a few years, (and I believe that Ben Affleck will make a good Batman), I don't think any other Batman movie will top these movies, and I'm totally cool with that. While I may be pleasantly surprised one day, I think that anything that comes after these movies will just be icing on the cake.





Well there it is, my list of the best superhero movies! Once again I had a lot of fun making this list, and appreciate everyone who showed their support. What should my next list be?

Its a great time to be a superhero fan. I'm probably going to have to updated this list pretty soon!This year alone we still get to see the return of Thor and Loki to the big screen, and then next year we get a new Captain America, X-men, Spider-man, and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Hopefully some of those will be able to crack my top 10! So what are some of your favorite superhero films?

Superhero Movies From Worst to Best: 10-6

10. The Amazing Spider-man

Directed by: Marc Webb

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Martin Sheen, Sally Field

Released: July 2012

First watched: In California on vacation with the Jacksons

The Amazing Spider-man does a great job at living up to its name. The thing that I like most about this movie is Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker. I talked about in my review of the first Spider-man how I thought that Tobey MaGuire nailed the part of being the awkward and nerdy Peter Parker, but he was never really able to pull off the sarcastic and fun side of Peter Parker, that is part of who Peter Parker really is. Andrew Garfield was able to portray both of theses aspects of Peter Parker. While this movie can feel like a repeat of the first Spider-man movie by rehashing the origin story, the filmmakers were still able to do in an interesting way that felt different from the other film. Even though I knew the death of Uncle Ben was coming I was still nervous and anxious for it to happen. They did a great job of tying you emotionally to the story, even a little bit more than the first did. I like also how they decided to go with Gwen Stacey as Peter’s love interest instead of Mary Jane. Emma Stone was great in this role, and they really nailed the chemistry between the two characters. I know I keep comparing this to other Spider-man, but their chemistry and love story was a lot better than Mary Jane and Peter in other films. I never really cared that much if he didn't end up with Mary Jane, were as in this one I was rooting for them to be together. The fight scenes were pretty awesome as well, and I thought they did a good job at showing us something new. With that said the villain, The Lizard, felt a little similar to the villains in the other films, but overall he was pretty good. I really enjoyed this movie and I’m looking forward to seeing this story continue in the Amazing Spider-man 2, which comes out next summer. 

9. Iron Man

Directed by: Jon Favreau

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow , Terrence Howard

Released: May 2008

First watched: December 2009 at my friend Jacob’s house

When I first saw this movie I was actually a little disappointed. I had just got done with my two year mission to Australia and I had not yet seen it. I heard so many good things about this movie, and I was really excited to watch it. I’m not sure if it was still hard for me to sit through a movie since I hadn't watched any for two years, or if I just wasn't digging Robert Downey’s arrogant portrayal of Tony Stark, but I just wasn't too impressed with the whole thing. About year and half later I decided to give this movie another try and I was surprised at how much I was actually enjoying it. Tony Stark started out very arrogant but he was humbled and I really liked that aspect of the movie. Tony building his suit in the cave, and the sacrifice of his friend Yinsen are probably my favorite parts of the whole movie. I started to see, that this movie was smart, funny, and thrilling. These were three elements that seemed to be missing from a lot of superhero movies up to this point. Before this movie Iron Man, wasn't one of Marvel’s most popular characters, but now he’s probably one of the most recognizable names in the world. This movie put Iron Man on the map to stardom, and rightfully so since it’s a very entertaining and enjoyable film. 

8. X-Men First Class

Directed by: Matthew Vaughn

Starring:James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Rose Byrne, Kevin Bacon, Jennifer Lawrence

Released: June 2011

First watched: In theaters at Harkins Superstition with my buddy Rock, and my brother Matt

After the disappointing Wolverine movie in 2009, I began to wonder if we would ever see another good X-men movie. When they announced that the next X-men movie was going to be a prequel and it wasn't going to have Wolverine or any new characters, I was not too excited about it. Lucky though director Matthew Vaughn created a film that was fresh, innovating, and fun. Sure there are some continuity issues with it, and a couple of characters that don’t do much, but this is still one exciting movie. Like Captain America one of this movie’s strengths is setting the film in the 60’s and creating a parallel conflict to the civil rights issues of those days. They were successfully able to make the back stories of Magneto and Professor X very interesting. While most of the movie delivers fun and entertaining scenes, there are also a few very emotional scenes that connect you to the characters. This movie made the X-men movies cool again, and I can't wait for the sequel, X-men: Days of Future Past, next summer! 

7. Thor

Directed by:

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba, Anthony Hopkins

Released: May 2011

First watched: Opening day with our friends the Johnsons

I was not really excited for this movie. Growing up, Thor was one of the few superheroes that I didn't really like, and it was mostly because I didn't know much about him. The trailers looked unimpressive, and I thought that a movie about Thor wouldn't be very good. I’m glad to say though that I was terribly wrong. This is the best standalone movie in the marvel cinematic universe. I think maybe since I didn't know much about Thor and his universe that I didn't really have any expectations for this movie and that’s why I was pleasantly surprised. I found the world of Asgard and their philosophy of mixing science and magic so fascinating. It’s something that hasn't really been done in other movies (besides Masters of the Universe, of which this movie has many similarities with). Like Iron Man this movie also had a theme of a hero that needs to be humbled, but I liked how this movie was also about a relationship between fathers and sons. The relationship of Loki and Thor was also a big highlight of this movie. For me Tom Hiddleston as Loki was probably one of the best comic book villains since the Health Ledger's Joker.  

6. The Incredibles

Directed by: Brad Bird

Released: November 2004

Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Spencer Fox, Jason Lee, Samuel L. Jackson

First watched: With friends at AMC theater

This is one awesome superhero movie, and totally different from your typical superhero movie. I think this is the only superhero movie about a family of superheros. There is so much fun to be had in this movie. The animation is crisp and top notch, the music is fun and emotional, the story is exciting and unpredictable, and the characters are engaging and relatable. This movie has all the right elements for a great superhero movie. It’s funny, intense, action packed, and also very moving. This movie is pretty much the perfect superhero movie. The only reason this movie isn't number one is because the next five movies all connected with me in a more personally way. Besides that though, this is not only one of the best superhero or animated movies ever, it also one of the best films ever. 

Superhero Movies From Worst to Best: 15-11

15. The Wolverine

Directed by: James Mangold

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Tao Okamoto, Hiroyuki Sanada, Rila Fukushima, Famke Janssen

Released: July 2013

First watched: In theaters opening day with Matt and Natalie

As you can tell by my rankings I was not a fan of the previous Wolverine movie. Wolverine is such an awesome character, and Hugh Jackman is the perfect person to play him, and I was really glad to hear that they were going to try and redeem themselves. With all the superhero teams up and movies full of numerous characters (which I typically like) it was nice to have a small and balanced movie that just focused on Wolverine. The Japanese setting added a whole new layer to this film that made it totally different from other superhero films. It was fun watching Wolverine fight Samurai this time instead of other mutants. The Japanese setting and the idea of Wolverine being a ronin (a warrior without a master or purpose) and showing him discover his purpose again was really interesting. I like too how they also explored the idea of Wolverine being mortal, and not being able to heal. The action was great, and it reminded me a lot of the awesome fight scenes from X2. The train sequence was also one of the coolest fight scenes I've seen in awhile! The story is pretty simple, and at times a little predictable. I also was a little disappointed with the two villains, Viper and the Silver Samurai.

14. Iron Man 3

Directed by: Shane Black

Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Ben Kingsley

Released: May 2013

First watched: With friends at AMC opening day

Iron Man 3, the movie that has all the fan boys in rages. Now I just want to say off that the bat that I too was a little disappointed with the plot twist, but overall I think that it played out well I enjoyed this new version of the Mandarin. I talked more about this is another blog post some if you would like to see more of my thoughts on it you can check it out here. (you will need to scroll down a bit to find it) With that part out of the way I want to say that this movie is probably one of the most entertaining movies I've seen, but it’s also carries with it some flaws, besides the plot twist. So first off one it’s biggest strengths was also one of its flaws. This movie is exceptionally funny for a superhero movie, and I really enjoyed that, but there were a few times when the jokes were a little too much. Specifically in the final battle of the film there were a few parts were I thought that humor seemed to take away from the drama and suspense that scene was trying to create. It also had a few characters that at I thought were a little over the top. There are some plot holes here an there, but with all the said this movie’s main goal is to entertain and it certainly does that. I love that it decided to go in a totally different tone and direction from the first two films and do something different. This has some of the best action sequences out of all the Marvel movies. Robert Downey Jr. nails it once again as Tony Stark, and the supporting cast also does a good job at keeping up with him in this one. I also really enjoyed the aspect of Tony struggling emotionally from the events from The Avengers. It reminded us that even though this universe is still moving in more sci-fi and fantasy directions, the characters are still real people and struggle with more things than just saving the world. Once again this movie is super entertaining and fun, and I look forward to watching it again. 

13. Spider-man

Directed by: Sam Raimi

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco

Released: May 2002

First watched: in theaters opening day with a bunch of friends (had to sit in the front row)

When this movie first came out I did not like it. It really had nothing to do with the movie itself, but it was because it came around the same time as Star Wars Episode II and people were saying that Spider-man was better. So being a loyal Star Wars fan (and a competitive little rascal) I had to defend it. I have since come to a realization that it’s okay to like both, and I have adapted the philosophy of the more the merrier! This movie is another reason why Superhero movies have become such very mainstream, and even though it was one of the first, it’s also better than a lot superhero flicks.  I have always loved Spider-man and I feel that this movie really captures the essence of who Spider-man is. It didn't shy away from showing Spider-man’s true character. I have always loved that Spider-man isn't your typical hero. He’s a nerdy everyday guy. He’s awkward, not very smooth with the ladies, and he loves science. This movie showed this aspect of the character so well. They did a great job with all of the supporting characters as well. One of the things that kind of bugs me about this movie though is the Green Goblins costume. The character is great, and I love how they showed the complex relationship between Peter Park and Harry and Norman Osborn, but they could have some up with a better costume design. I’m also not the biggest fan of Kristen Dunst as Mary Jane. She has her moments when she is good, but overall I found her to be a little annoying. Besides those few things, this is a great Spider-man film, and of the pioneers of Superhero films! 

12. X-men

Directed by: Bryan Singer

Starring: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden

Released: July 2000

First watched: In theaters opening day in Utah with my brothers and my cousins the Feddersons

This is the movie that started it all. Before this movie superhero movies weren't really a big thing. There was would be the occasional one here and there, and the only ones with any real success had been Batman and Superman. After the success of X-men, the Spider-man movies started coming out, and scored big at the box office, and the rest is history. Now there are multiple superhero movies coming out every year. The X-men have always been my favorite characters from the marvel universe. Where most superhero movies just have one character to focus on, this movie had the difficult task of introducing multiple characters to the main stream audience. While Wolverine has the most focus, overall I think this movie did a decent job at introducing all characters. For me it was so fun to finally see these characters on the big screen. I think what this movie did the best was that it demonstrated conflict between mutants and humans. For me that has always been one of the most interesting aspects of X-men, and they were able to show that. Another fun thing about this movie was seeing all of the mutant’s powers displayed a more realistic setting. This film also some pretty intense sequences and does a great job at establishing conflict between the X-men and Magneto, and the mutants and humans.  Since this movie did come out 13 years ago, the special effects and a few other things seem a bit dated, but overall I think that it holds up pretty well. 

11. Unbreakable

Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan

Starring: Bruce Wills, Samuel L. Jackson

Released: November 2000

First watched: at home about 2 months ago

I don't know how I went all these years without seeing this movie. This is not your typical superhero movie, and that’s why its so interesting. Before watching it I had no idea that it was superhero movie. This movie does an amazing job at showing a realistic view point on what it might be like if someone really did start obtaining super powers. Along with demonstrating a fascinating look at the emergence of a man with incredible powers this movie also has an amazing narrative on the ongoing battle between good vs. evil. Samuel L. Jackson does an outstanding job as Elijah Price, the comic book collector, and who helps establish the balance between good and evil. This movie also has a great message about relationships and the importance of families that really stuck with me afterwards. The only really complaint I have about this movie is that it is really slow at times, and it tends to drag in a feel spots. Overall, though it is an outstanding movie, and one that is very unique and unlike any other in this genre. 

Superhero Movies From Worst to Best: 20-16

20. Superman Returns

Directed by: Bryan Singer

Starring: Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, James Marsden, Frank Langella, Kevin Spacey

Released: June 2006

First watched: midnight showing at Cinemark

(Heads up, there are a few spoilers)

This is definitely a much under appreciated superhero film, that doesn't get enough credit. This movie captured the charm and innocence of the original Christopher Reeves films and brought it to a modern audience. Like I said I enjoy and appreciate the old Superman movies, but I feel like this movie helped solve some of the problems I have them. Not all of them, but most of them. The cast does a great job at bringing back the iconic Superman characters back, and I especially thought that Kevin Spacey as Lex Luther was excellent. He still has a stupid plot like in the old ones, but he wasn't as campy. There’s an amazing scene in this movie, where Lex stabs Superman with Kryptonite and then beats him up that is probably one of the most emotional scenes in any superhero movie. There’s a lot of symbolism in this scene that I really connected with. But with all that said this movie still has a few flaws that really prevents it from becoming the best Superman movie. First off there isn't much action in this movie, and when there is, it doesn't really feel like there is too much at stake (besides the final sequence). I also wasn't the biggest fan of Superman having a kid with Lois Lane out of wedlock. I’m not really sure what they were planning to do with that, but it just didn't really seem to fit in the movie. Besides those few things, this is still a worthy Superman film. 

19. Batman

Directed by: Tim Burton

Starring: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger

Released: 1989

First watched: Summer of 1997 at home with my brothers

Now like I mentioned with Superman this is another movie that I appreciate for almost all of the exact same reasons. It has an awesome theme song, it paved the way for more comic book movies, Jack Nicholson is great as the Joker, and of course it’s Batman, so no matter what I'm going to like it (well I guess Batman and Robin sucked, so almost anything). With all that said though, there are a few complaints that I have with this movie. I’m not the biggest fan of Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne. I think he is great when he’s in the Batman costume, but when he’s trying to be billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne he falls flat. The movie drags a little bit, and if the Joker is not on the screen it gets a little boring. They don’t really flesh out Batman’s supporting cast in this one, particularly Commissioner Gordon and Harvey Dent who are in the movie, but are pretty useless throughout. I've heard a few people claim that this movie is better than the Christopher Nolan films, and while I can understand that they enjoy this movie for nostalgic reasons, I don’t really get how people view at as a better movie all together. Now with all the negatively this is still a very enjoyable movie. I really like the feel that Tim Burton set up for this movie. Unlike Batman Returns, this movie felt like a Batman movie, and not a Time Burton movie. I think that it helped remind people that Batman a very fascinating and dark character, and not jokester from the 60’s TV show. The final confrontation between Batman and the Joker on top of the church was also one of my favorite parts of this movie. Overall, it’s a good flick that any Batman and superhero fan will enjoy. 

18. Iron Man 2

Directed by: Jon Favreau

Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke

Released: May 2010

First watched: in theaters with brother Myke and my sister Marianne at Harkins Superstition

Iron Man 2 usually gets a bad rep as being the worst film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s far from being one of the best, but it’s also not quite as bad as everyone says. One of the ways this movie doesn't succeed is that it almost feels like its the exact same movie as the first one. Sometimes I get scenes in this movie mixed up with scenes from the first one. However, there are a lot of things I really liked about this movie. Everything that was great about Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark in the first film is back again in this one. I also really enjoyed the villains in this movie. Sam Rockwell was especially entertaining in his role as Justin Hammer, Tony Stark’s business rival. A lot of people feel like this movie felt more like an Avengers prequel with S.H.I.E.L.D references, but I actually really enjoyed that part of the movie. It was really the first time that I felt that these movies were really going to create bigger, shared universe with all the Marvel characters. The additional of War Machine also made this movie more exciting. There are a lot of great action sequences in this film, and it doesn't ever drag on. I was though a little disappointed that they made the bad guy build another armored suit (like they did in the first one). It just felt a little repetitive. Besides that, there is still a lot of fun to be had with this movie. 

17. X3: X-men The Last Stand 

Directed by: Brett Ratner

Starring: Hugh Jackman ,Halle Berry, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart

Released: May 2006

First Watched: midnight showing at AMC 24

This movie is such a mess, and everyone loves to say how it almost killed the X-men franchise, but I still find it to be incredibly fun. It's messy fun, but still fun. When I first saw this movie I thought it was one of the best movies I had ever seen. I loved how unpredictable it was, and how there so was much action. I did not see the deaths of some of major characters coming, and this was one of the few movies that I actually cried in (that really makes me sound like a nerd). Out of all the movies it has the most comic book feel to it. After a few viewings of it though I started to find that this movie was lacking a few things.  First off it’s only an hour and half long, they could have easily added another half hour or 40 minutes to it to flesh out some of the characters who needed more screen time. A few characters just seemed to be thrown in there to look good. One of the things I love about X-men is the relationships and conflicts between all of the characters. This film had some good moments demonstrating those things, but it also fell short at times. In the end though there are some pretty awesome action sequences in this movie and some pretty emotional scenes (like I said I cried in this movie).  

16. Captain America: The First Avenger

Directed by: Joe Johnson

Starring: Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Stanley Tucci

Released: July 2011

First watched: At AMC  with Taylor

The fearless leader of the Avengers finally got a movie that does him justice. This movie is a solid entry to the Marvel Universe and it does a great job at introducing Captain America to modern audiences. He’s not quite and charismatic as Tony Stark, but he’s a stalwart soldier who follows orders and is willing to put his life on the line if he’s required to do so. His selflessness is one of my favorite things about his character, and while most superheroes have selflessness to some degree, no one quite has it like Captain America. So people may say that makes him less interesting, but I find it more interesting and refreshing. This movie does a fantastic job at showing his valiant and honest nature. This movie is a little cliché in that it’s plot is pretty straightforward and sometimes borrows from other movies, but it still offers some pretty unique things to the superhero movie genre. I love that it’s set during World War II, and features references to the old Captain America comics that came out during World War II. The movie tends to drag a little at times, but not enough to keep uninterested. It’s a great addition to the Marvel world, and I'm very excited for Captain America’s next adventure that comes out next year.

Superhero Movies From Worst to Best: 25-21

25. Superman

Directed by: Richard Donner

Starring: Christopher Reeves, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando, Margot Kidder

Released: 1978

First watched: At home in 1997 with my dad and brothers

Now some people may be wondering why this movie is not as high on my list since this is movie is so revered today . Before I explain why it’s so low, I want to first say that I really do enjoy this movie. Christopher Reeves is spot on as Clark Kent and Superman. He was born to play that role, and its fun to watch him. This was also one of the first superhero/comic book movies, and without this movie pioneering the way we might not have all the other great superhero movies. John Williams’s iconic music is also something I love about this movie. Now with that all said let me explain why it’s not that high on the list. First off I'm not really the biggest fan of some aspects of Lois and Clark's relationship. I really don't enjoy the scene in the movie where Lois Lane and Superman fly around Metropolis, and she starts reading some poem or something. It was just weird and awkward, and felt really out of place. Secondly, I think Gene Hackman is a terrible Lex Luthor. He is very campy and has a pretty lame plan. Lastly (spoiler) I'm really not the biggest fan of how Superman can reverse time, just to save Lois. Now those are my gripes, but overall I still enjoy this movie, and I understand that for its time it was probably pretty amazing, but there are just a lot of other superhero movies I enjoy over this one.  

24. Spider-Man 3

Directed by: Sam Raimi

Released: May 2007

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace

First watched: In theaters opening day, after my region track meet with friends

I don't think that I've ever been so excited for a Spider-man movie as I was for this one. I have always loved the character of Spider-man, and I loved the first two movies. When the trailers came out and it showed that Spider-man was going to be wearing his black suit, fighting his old pal Harry Osborn, and the first appearance of the villain Venom, I thought this was going to be the best Spider-man, and possibly the best superhero movie yet. While I was disappointed with this movie, there were still a lot of things that lived up to my expectations. First off I didn't mind that there were three villains in this movie. Yes Venom was bit of disappointment, but I still really enjoyed the small screen time that he had. The things that really made this movie bad was the horrendous “emo” and dance scenes. I get they were trying to be funny, but it just didn't work. If you take out those scenes you still have a very flawed movie, but it’s a very fun flawed movie, that is still very entertaining. There are some great action sequences and special effects, and if you get past some of the flaws there's also a pretty good story underneath. It is definitely not the greatest superhero movie ever, but there are still a lot of good things in this movie.

23. Superman II

Directed by: Richard Donner/ Richard Lester

Starring: Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Terence Stamp

Released: 1980

First watched: On TV when I was really young

Superman II suffers a little bit from the same things as the first Superman (and I still don't understand how he got his powers back after he loses them) but the reason I like this one better is because Superman actually gets to finally fight somebody. The fact that there was a villain that was actually a threat to him made this movie much more exciting. The first one he mostly just fly’s around saving people, but in this one we got to see him actually go toe to toe with the three Kryptonite baddies. There seemed to be a bigger threat, and it made me care more about the characters than I did in the first one. 

(Also for those who didn't like Man of Steel because Superman kills, they should go back and watch this movie, because he also disposes of General Zod in this one as well)

22. Hulk

Directed by: Ang Lee

Starring: Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Sam Elliott, Josh Lucas, Nick Nolte

Released: June 2003

First watched: In theaters with my pals Hudson and Jackson Halm

Most people like the Incredible Hulk better than this one, but I found this film overall to be more entertaining and memorable. It has a more flaws than the Incredible Hulk, but it also has more strengths. First off, I really enjoyed the ambition of this movie. I really liked how the director, Ang Lee, really tried to go for something different. He tried to make this more than just a superhero movie, and for the most part I felt that he succeeded. It has a very serious and almost kind of somber feel to it, but for some reason that really connected with me. I found the choice of villain in this movie to be very interesting. The used David Banner (who is the Hulk's father), as the main antagonist, and that created a conflict that has never been explored in any other superhero movie. It was almost like Luke Darth Vader conflict. I liked that it aimed to be unique and different from other superhero movies. There are a few scenes that are very intense and emotional that helped make this story more believable. I really liked the cast in this movie as well. With that said though, this movie does suffer from some pacing issues. I’m usually all about making movie’s long, but there are times when this movie seemed to drag on. The special effects are also very outdated and don't quite hold up like they should. Also like the other Hulk film, the action is good, but nothing spectacular. Overall though, I would recommend this movie to anyone who is looking for a different interpretation of a superhero movie. 

21. Batman Forever

Directed by: Joel Schumacher

Starring: Val Kilmer, Jim Carrey, Tommy Lee Jones, Nicole Kidman, Chris O’Donnell

Released: June 1995

First watched: At my house with my best friend Chris in 1996

Surprisingly, this is actually a pretty entertaining Batman movie of the pre-Nolan films. It’s incredibly cheesy at times, but its also really fun. I think director Joel Schumacher was trying to create a balance of the dark, serious nature of Batman, and also the camp style Batman that was around during the 60’s, and for the most part I think that he succeed. This movie is definitely the most comic booky of all the Batman films. There are actually some really good scenes in this movie. The opening sequences and introduction of Two-Face, the death of the Graysons, Robin saving Batman, and when the Riddler and Two-Face invade Wayne manor. With that said, there are also so pretty bad scenes like the Batmobile driving up a wall, pretty much most of the scenes with Chris O'Donnell, and a few times when Jim Carey and Tommy Lee Jones go over the top as Two-Face and the Riddler. There are some very cheesy lines in this movie, but overall it’s a pretty entertaining flick, and much better than Batman and Robin.