While it's fun and amusing to look on and laugh at the poor teams stuck in the dregs of sports hell as we did with the last list, there are much different emotions for a list such as this. Often, it's feelings of bitterness, resentment and envy that comes to the following organizations as sports fans look on and wish it was their favorite team that was always on top and holding that bright future. In the era of salary caps, free agency and parity (or mediocrity some would argue), the franchises that are consistently on top are often the subject of hatred, but their fans don't care because they're too busy revelling in their successes. Again, as with the last list, teams must show a commitment to winning both on and off the field.
Honorable Mention - Detroit Red Wings, NHL - Since we didn't include any NHL franchises in the previous discussion, it seemed only fair to not include any in this discussion as well. Thus, the Red Wings, one of the most successful sports franchises in any sport, are excluded from this list. Nonetheless, they still deserve mentioning here as they are a model of consistency when it comes to hiring quality coaches and front office members, signing quality free agents, drafting well and most importantly winning games.
5. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - A tough call between the Angels and fellow LA team the Lakers, but the Angels win out because of their ability to make the playoffs consistently in the most competitive sport (in that only 8 total teams make the postseason each year). The Lakers were a one-man team until they stole Pau Gasol from Memphis, and it's hard to give their front office credit for that thievery. The Angels, on the other hand, have been a mainstay in the MLB postseason in recent years, and despite the fact they've only appeared in 1 World Series (which they won in 2002), the appearances are far more meaningful than those of an NBA team. The Angels have a strong coaching staff under Mike Scioscia and a very successful front office that has consistently found young talent making the Angels are one of the strongest organizations in baseball.
4. Indianapolis Colts - Some would argue that the Colts are themselves a one-man team, and that Peyton Manning is good enough to elevate the entire franchise. This simply isn't the case, and football people in the know agree that the Colts are well run from the top down. For a team that has significant turnover on its defense due to salary cap restrictions thanks to its offense, the Colts are consistently among the best defensive teams in the league. Virtually all of the Colts' stars are homegrown players that they drafted, running down the list from Manning to Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, Joseph Addai... And the list goes on. Add to this a very good coaching staff with one of the NFL's most successful regular season coaches of all time (Tony Dungy), and you have a very strong organization.
3. San Antonio Spurs - Surprisingly, the Spurs are the only team that I really deemed worthy of this list from the NBA. It's hard to value a playoff appearance for an NBA team given the fact that literally over half the league makes the postseason each year (16 out of 30), so an NBA team must be particularly impressive in the postseason to make this cut. The Spurs, having now won 4 of the last 10 NBA titles in an era of parity, have also progressed to at least the second round each year of that time-frame. While the Spurs are considered among the luckiest franchises for landing Tim Duncan in the draft lottery, many, many examples show that one player cannot carry a team to a title in the NBA. That's where the Spurs deserve the most credit: they have brought in strong supporting players year in and year out and have developed some very strong players out of players drafted late in the first round or discarded from other teams. Again, the coaching staff is one of the league's best anchored by head coach Gregg Popovich who has been among the most successful head coaches in NBA history, and has done so in an era and a conference that is among the toughest ever.
2. New England Patriots - Say what you must about Spygate (I'll be the first guy to agree with you that no matter what they say, the Pats did it because they knew it would help them), the Patriots have been successful over the past 7 years because of the strength of their coaching, scouting and player development. One of the signs of a truly strong franchise is the ability to bring in big-name veteran free agents for below market value because they just want a chance at a title, and that's what the Pats have done year after year. Players like Rodney Harrison, Randy Moss, and Corey Dillon have flocked to the Pats and despite their known character issues, have flourished with the team. Much like the Colts and Spurs above, the Patriots were lucky that they found a player that blossomed into one of the best at his position in Tom Brady, but football is the ultimate team game and now team could find the success the Patriots have if all they had was Brady and a bunch of no-names. The Patriots front office has been extraordinarily successful at bringing in those no-names and sculpting them into players that fit the team and the system, and then using them to win championships. They also have a decent coach, I guess.
1. Boston Red Sox - And we conclude our Boston slurp-fest with the team that appears poised to dominate the MLB for the next 5 years or more. Under Theo Epstein, GM since 2002, the Sox have been the best-run organization in their sport and are quickly developing the deepest farm system in the Majors to go along with the best active roster. While the Sox have the benefit of a huge market and no salary cap, many MLB teams have proven that money can't buy championships (see New York Yankees since 2002 and New York Mets) and that teams shouldn't sacrifice their entire farm system in an attempt to acquire veterans to win now. Boston has a quality manager in Terry Francona, but with the talent on the roster Francona's player-friendly approach is precisely what the team needs to find on the field success. All this makes the Sox the favorite to win this year's World Series, and subsequently our number 1.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Top 5 Worst-Run Organizations in Sports
In honor of the upcoming NBA draft (tonight at 6:30), let's have a little fun and run down the five worst-run organizations in the Big Three pro sports (NFL, NBA and MLB; sorry hockey fans, but American stopped caring about 3 years ago). In order to make this prestigious list, the organization must show a deliberate and sustained approach to failure, both on the field and off. Teams on this list have been consistently poor in regards to on-field performance and front office decision-making, and while some have made strides at one time or another, all are still considered the worst of the worst in the sport. Let's begin.
5. Los Angeles Clippers - Okay, so many would argue that the Clips deserve to be higher on this list because of the fact that for many years the ownership made no qualms about the fact that their sole intention was to make money, and they thought they knew the dirty little secret of sports: an owner can make a profit without having to spend money on players or coaches, because people will still come. This thinking led to years of misery for Clippers faithful (if there is such a thing) until a story-book run to the conference semifinals in 2005 got fans excited again, moving LA down the list. Unfortunately, this good fortune turned bad as the owners suddenly started overspending on players and extended coach Mike Dunleavy's contract in the middle of yet another losing season. A few injuries to key players later, and the Clips are back in the cellar where the belong.
4. Detroit Lions - The war chant of Detroit sport fans, no matter the venue or sport, has become "Fire Matt Millen" as these tortured souls have watched the front office of the Lions fail to pull the team out of the gutter year after year. Millen, the Lions GM that has been much maligned but evidently has incriminating photos of the teams owners, has been touted as the main cause of the Lions failings. But the fact is, the team has been awful since well before Millen's time, and even a Hall of Fame running back like Barry Sanders couldn't help the team move beyond mediocrity. And let's not forget the drafting of wide receivers with their first pick in four out of five years, including 3 straight from 2003-05. Only one of those three, Roy Williams, is even in the league anymore.
3. Pittsburgh Pirates - The laughing stock of the MLB now that the Rays are starting to turn things around (and the Rays avoid this list because they at least appeared to have a plan for the last couple years) are the woeful Pirates. Pittsburgh, a team with a long and storied history, has not seen the postseason since 1992 and has not even been in contention for a vast majority of the seasons since. The team has a history in that period of trading its best players in order to dump salary (see, most recently, Brian Giles and Aramis Ramirez) and getting little in return. While Jason Bay turned out to be a solid player coming back in the Giles deal, he is currently the only player on that team that you or I have even heard of. Despite a new and very nice stadium, it's hard to say the future looks bright for the Pirates.
2. New York Knicks - Hard to believe they found their way out of the number 1 hole, but the hiring of Donnie Walsh as GM and Mike D'antoni as head coach are two huge steps in the right direction for a franchise that has been downright embarressing since Patrick Ewing retired. The culprit: Isiah Thomas. No man, without committing a heinous crime (yes, we're talking about you Juice), has done more to sully a stellar professional playing career after retirement, than the aforementioned Thomas. Few will remember him now as the fearless leader of one of the great franchises of the late '80s and early '90s. He will now forever be known as the man that virtually destroyed the NBA's flagship franchise with his ludicrous general management and coaching moves. And that's without mentioning the $10+ million blackeye resulting from a sexual harassment suit. Thanks for the memories, Isiah.
1. Oakland Raiders - An easy choice given the downward spiral this franchise has seen in the last 5 years since losing the Super Bowl. The Raiders, who even at the time of their Super Bowl loss were considered an old folks home for NFL players, have added new members to their solid list of past-their-prime stars in the years since, most notably Warren Sapp. Many of these players have received excessive contracts that have left the team crippled by the salary cap and unable to rebuild. Add to this the numerous failed draft picks (here's looking at you, Robert Gallery) and the coaching carousel led by the league's worst owner Al Davis, and you have a recipe for horrible failure. Even with the team finally seeming to go into rebuilding mode, they can't help but make mistakes. Take this offseason, where the signed wideout Javon Walker to a large contract despite his well-known character issues, and the alleged "letter of resignation" sent by Davis to head coach Lane Kiffin for him to sign, and you see why this team has to rank where it does. While there may be other franchises run worse than Oakland, none have fallen so far, so fast.
5. Los Angeles Clippers - Okay, so many would argue that the Clips deserve to be higher on this list because of the fact that for many years the ownership made no qualms about the fact that their sole intention was to make money, and they thought they knew the dirty little secret of sports: an owner can make a profit without having to spend money on players or coaches, because people will still come. This thinking led to years of misery for Clippers faithful (if there is such a thing) until a story-book run to the conference semifinals in 2005 got fans excited again, moving LA down the list. Unfortunately, this good fortune turned bad as the owners suddenly started overspending on players and extended coach Mike Dunleavy's contract in the middle of yet another losing season. A few injuries to key players later, and the Clips are back in the cellar where the belong.
4. Detroit Lions - The war chant of Detroit sport fans, no matter the venue or sport, has become "Fire Matt Millen" as these tortured souls have watched the front office of the Lions fail to pull the team out of the gutter year after year. Millen, the Lions GM that has been much maligned but evidently has incriminating photos of the teams owners, has been touted as the main cause of the Lions failings. But the fact is, the team has been awful since well before Millen's time, and even a Hall of Fame running back like Barry Sanders couldn't help the team move beyond mediocrity. And let's not forget the drafting of wide receivers with their first pick in four out of five years, including 3 straight from 2003-05. Only one of those three, Roy Williams, is even in the league anymore.
3. Pittsburgh Pirates - The laughing stock of the MLB now that the Rays are starting to turn things around (and the Rays avoid this list because they at least appeared to have a plan for the last couple years) are the woeful Pirates. Pittsburgh, a team with a long and storied history, has not seen the postseason since 1992 and has not even been in contention for a vast majority of the seasons since. The team has a history in that period of trading its best players in order to dump salary (see, most recently, Brian Giles and Aramis Ramirez) and getting little in return. While Jason Bay turned out to be a solid player coming back in the Giles deal, he is currently the only player on that team that you or I have even heard of. Despite a new and very nice stadium, it's hard to say the future looks bright for the Pirates.
2. New York Knicks - Hard to believe they found their way out of the number 1 hole, but the hiring of Donnie Walsh as GM and Mike D'antoni as head coach are two huge steps in the right direction for a franchise that has been downright embarressing since Patrick Ewing retired. The culprit: Isiah Thomas. No man, without committing a heinous crime (yes, we're talking about you Juice), has done more to sully a stellar professional playing career after retirement, than the aforementioned Thomas. Few will remember him now as the fearless leader of one of the great franchises of the late '80s and early '90s. He will now forever be known as the man that virtually destroyed the NBA's flagship franchise with his ludicrous general management and coaching moves. And that's without mentioning the $10+ million blackeye resulting from a sexual harassment suit. Thanks for the memories, Isiah.
1. Oakland Raiders - An easy choice given the downward spiral this franchise has seen in the last 5 years since losing the Super Bowl. The Raiders, who even at the time of their Super Bowl loss were considered an old folks home for NFL players, have added new members to their solid list of past-their-prime stars in the years since, most notably Warren Sapp. Many of these players have received excessive contracts that have left the team crippled by the salary cap and unable to rebuild. Add to this the numerous failed draft picks (here's looking at you, Robert Gallery) and the coaching carousel led by the league's worst owner Al Davis, and you have a recipe for horrible failure. Even with the team finally seeming to go into rebuilding mode, they can't help but make mistakes. Take this offseason, where the signed wideout Javon Walker to a large contract despite his well-known character issues, and the alleged "letter of resignation" sent by Davis to head coach Lane Kiffin for him to sign, and you see why this team has to rank where it does. While there may be other franchises run worse than Oakland, none have fallen so far, so fast.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Top 5 Worst Superhero Movies
Yesterday we discussed the Top 5 Best Superhero Movies since 2000, which was a difficult thing to do. A much easier list to choose is the Top 5 Worst Superhero Movies, not because there have been a lot, but because some have been so terrible that they stick in the memory like a traumatic event. These movies share much in common with the best superhero movies, including corny dialogue, ridiculous costumes, and lame origin stories, but for whatever reason, these movies failed to get past these to become decent films.
5. The Punisher (2004) - Corny dialogue, cliched supporting characters, and a witch doctor made this movie something of a disappointment, though my expectations were not too high to begin with. You gotta give them props for originality, though. It's not too often you see a gay mobster.
4. Ghostrider (2007) - Ah, Nicolas Cage, the man whose CGI skeleton has as much acting depth as he does.... As with most of the films on this list, stilted, corny dialogue makes one cringe throughout the whole movie. Eva Mendes plays quite possibly the world's worst journalist, and the relationship between her and Cage is poorly developed. Throw in the random eyewitness who sounds like a crackpot even to the movie audience who knows of the existence of the Rider, and you have the makings of a terrible film.
3. Catwoman (2004) - Halle Berry plays basketball... that's all you need to know about this one. And what kind of superhero movie has an evil beautician as its villain?
2. Hulk (2003) - As with Catwoman, Hulk was hamstrung with a ridiculous nemeses. A pack of wild dogs (including a ferocious poodle!) and a man who can turn into whatever he touches just do not make compelling enemies. While the graphics were decent, the plot was so contrived as to make the movie unwatchable. It's not surprising Marvel decided to start over with the franchise.
1. Batman and Robin (1997) - Without a doubt, hands down the worst superhero movie in existence. This movie nearly spelled the death of the comic book movie genre, would put the Batman franchise in stasis for nearly a decade, and caused a "do-over" with the franchise. Where to start with this wreck? How about casting? First of all, the Governator should never be cast as a scientist. He was completely wrong for the part of Mr. Freeze. And George Clooney is easily the worst Batman to date. Then there was the way the movie turned Bane from one of the toughest, most threatening Batman villains into a brainless henchman. How about a little respect for the man who broke the Batman? Throw in the gratuitous closeups of anatomically-correct bat suits, and you've got a movie that stinks to high heaven.
5. The Punisher (2004) - Corny dialogue, cliched supporting characters, and a witch doctor made this movie something of a disappointment, though my expectations were not too high to begin with. You gotta give them props for originality, though. It's not too often you see a gay mobster.
4. Ghostrider (2007) - Ah, Nicolas Cage, the man whose CGI skeleton has as much acting depth as he does.... As with most of the films on this list, stilted, corny dialogue makes one cringe throughout the whole movie. Eva Mendes plays quite possibly the world's worst journalist, and the relationship between her and Cage is poorly developed. Throw in the random eyewitness who sounds like a crackpot even to the movie audience who knows of the existence of the Rider, and you have the makings of a terrible film.
3. Catwoman (2004) - Halle Berry plays basketball... that's all you need to know about this one. And what kind of superhero movie has an evil beautician as its villain?
2. Hulk (2003) - As with Catwoman, Hulk was hamstrung with a ridiculous nemeses. A pack of wild dogs (including a ferocious poodle!) and a man who can turn into whatever he touches just do not make compelling enemies. While the graphics were decent, the plot was so contrived as to make the movie unwatchable. It's not surprising Marvel decided to start over with the franchise.
1. Batman and Robin (1997) - Without a doubt, hands down the worst superhero movie in existence. This movie nearly spelled the death of the comic book movie genre, would put the Batman franchise in stasis for nearly a decade, and caused a "do-over" with the franchise. Where to start with this wreck? How about casting? First of all, the Governator should never be cast as a scientist. He was completely wrong for the part of Mr. Freeze. And George Clooney is easily the worst Batman to date. Then there was the way the movie turned Bane from one of the toughest, most threatening Batman villains into a brainless henchman. How about a little respect for the man who broke the Batman? Throw in the gratuitous closeups of anatomically-correct bat suits, and you've got a movie that stinks to high heaven.
Top Five Hitters in Baseball
Last night I went to the Houston Astros-Texas Rangers game at the horribly cramped and poorly air-conditioned Minute Maid Park, and witnessed Lance Berkman go 2-3 with a walk, double, home run, 2 runs and 2 RBI in the Astros 4-3 victory over their in-state rival. This impressive hitting performance got me to thinking: where does The Big Puma rank among MLB hitters? (By the way, isn't that the best nickname in sports right now, only slightly ahead of Jared "The Round Mound of Touchdown"/"The Hefty Lefty"/"J-Load" Lorenzen, now-former QB for the NY football Giants? But that's another list entirely.) Here we go, in classic drama-building reverse order:
Honorable Mention: Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves - On the strength of this year alone (still batting .395 as of this morning), Jones deserves to make this list. And he's not just a one-year wonder; Jones has been a great hitter virtually his entire career in the majors. He's a rare number 1 overall draft pick that truly lived up to his potential, hitting not just for average but for consistent power over the years. Unfortunately, the guys ahead of him are just too good for him to sneak in.
5. Lance Berkman, Houston Astros - Based on this year alone, The Puma probably deserves to be higher than this, but his career numbers don't quite stack up to the others on here. Berkman is having a career year in both average and power numbers and it doesn't look like he'll be slowing down any time soon. If his careers stats were only a little better, he'd be a spot or two higher.
4. Matt Holliday, Colorado Rockies - As a Rockies fan, I'd love to put Holliday higher on this list but I simply can't because of his home/road splits that imply there may still be something to the Coors Field magic (although, honestly, who doesn't hit better at home?). Holliday is one of the most potent hitters in baseball nonetheless, and he hits for average and power and has shown himself capable of hitting very well in the clutch as he helped lead the Rockies to the World Series last year. Amazing how this guy is on the trading block.
3. Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox - His power numbers are spectacular and have been his entire career. In the clutch, he and teammate David Ortiz may be the two most feared hitters in baseball. He can also hit for average, but as is often the case with the big swingers, his average isn't always consistently high and he's prone to slumps.
2. Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals - It is oh so tempting to put A-Pu at #1, not only because of his phenomenal regular season accomplishments but for his postseason resume as well. Unfortunately, the man who may be the best hitter of this era has been plagued by injuries, many of which seem like just pure bad luck, and these have prevented him from dominating enough to win more than one MVP award. That said, he is the MLB's active batting average leader and is second in home runs, RBI and runs since he entered the league in 2001. Of course, he's second to...
1. Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees - A-Rod has been a model of consistency and dominance in the regular season since he broke in with the Seattle Mariners in 1995 at age 18. The knock on him of lacking that "clutch" ability or "killer instinct" aside, Rodriguez has been the best player in baseball for many years and has put up absolutely staggering numbers, even when playing for the woeful Texas Rangers (although their park is commonly considered among the best hitters parks in baseball). A-Rod is a 3-time AL MVP and is likely to surpass the career home run totals of Hank Aaron and He Who Shall Not Be Named as long as he is able to stay even moderately healthy. No hitters in the game have to ability to hit for power and average at such a consistent clip which gives him the top spot in this list.
Honorable Mention: Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves - On the strength of this year alone (still batting .395 as of this morning), Jones deserves to make this list. And he's not just a one-year wonder; Jones has been a great hitter virtually his entire career in the majors. He's a rare number 1 overall draft pick that truly lived up to his potential, hitting not just for average but for consistent power over the years. Unfortunately, the guys ahead of him are just too good for him to sneak in.
5. Lance Berkman, Houston Astros - Based on this year alone, The Puma probably deserves to be higher than this, but his career numbers don't quite stack up to the others on here. Berkman is having a career year in both average and power numbers and it doesn't look like he'll be slowing down any time soon. If his careers stats were only a little better, he'd be a spot or two higher.
4. Matt Holliday, Colorado Rockies - As a Rockies fan, I'd love to put Holliday higher on this list but I simply can't because of his home/road splits that imply there may still be something to the Coors Field magic (although, honestly, who doesn't hit better at home?). Holliday is one of the most potent hitters in baseball nonetheless, and he hits for average and power and has shown himself capable of hitting very well in the clutch as he helped lead the Rockies to the World Series last year. Amazing how this guy is on the trading block.
3. Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox - His power numbers are spectacular and have been his entire career. In the clutch, he and teammate David Ortiz may be the two most feared hitters in baseball. He can also hit for average, but as is often the case with the big swingers, his average isn't always consistently high and he's prone to slumps.
2. Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals - It is oh so tempting to put A-Pu at #1, not only because of his phenomenal regular season accomplishments but for his postseason resume as well. Unfortunately, the man who may be the best hitter of this era has been plagued by injuries, many of which seem like just pure bad luck, and these have prevented him from dominating enough to win more than one MVP award. That said, he is the MLB's active batting average leader and is second in home runs, RBI and runs since he entered the league in 2001. Of course, he's second to...
1. Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees - A-Rod has been a model of consistency and dominance in the regular season since he broke in with the Seattle Mariners in 1995 at age 18. The knock on him of lacking that "clutch" ability or "killer instinct" aside, Rodriguez has been the best player in baseball for many years and has put up absolutely staggering numbers, even when playing for the woeful Texas Rangers (although their park is commonly considered among the best hitters parks in baseball). A-Rod is a 3-time AL MVP and is likely to surpass the career home run totals of Hank Aaron and He Who Shall Not Be Named as long as he is able to stay even moderately healthy. No hitters in the game have to ability to hit for power and average at such a consistent clip which gives him the top spot in this list.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Second Opinion: Top Five Superhero Movies
I'll preface my own picks for Top Five Superhero Movies by saying that I have not seen the latest superhero movies, including Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk and Fantastic Four:Rise of the Silver Surfer.
5. Batman Begins (2005) - This movie gets the final spot simply because I felt the list would not be complete without a Batman movie and because of the disaster that was its predecessor, "Batman and Robin". This movie was good, but the distance between it and #4 is large.
4. X2: X-Men United (2003) - The appearance of Nightcrawler and Pyro, along with the cast from the first X-Men movie, made for a strong ensemble of characters with plenty of cool powers to go around, but it was a bit lacking in mutant-on-mutant action (fighting, not the other thing). Still, it was a worthy follow up and didn't fail to meet expectations like the third X-Men film did.
3. Spider-Man (2002) - The original was by far the best of the Spider-man movies. It definitely had the look and feel of a comic book, and though the Green Goblin was not among my favorite Spidey villains, it was a quality retelling of the Spider-man origin story. It was well-cast and (mostly) well acted, without too much over-the-top acting, but enough to make it feel like a comic book from the '70s. "My Spidey-sense is tingling!"
2. V for Vendetta (2006) - Not your typical superhero movie, V came close to taking the number 1 spot on my list. Though I had never read the comic, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. A frightening allegory for the increasingly secretive and heavy-handed American government in the midst of a "War on Terror", V took the idea to the extreme to examine where the sacrifice of freedom for security would lead. A brilliant cast brought the story to life, and Portman's Evey was not your typical damsel in distress, but proved to be a strong character in her own right. The action was well-paced, the gore used in moderation, and the story was strong.
1. X-Men (2000) - It was the movie that started it all, that brought about the rebirth of the comic book movie after the recent demise of the genre. Sure, the Blade movie of '98 did well enough to justify numerous sequels, but the Blade comic was not mainstream to the extent that X-Men, Spider-man, Superman, or Batman were. X-Men successfully concentrated decades of comic books down into less than two hours, with a story that both stood on its own while limiting the deviation from the comic books. Unlike X2, X-Men had plenty of mutant vs. mutant combat, and did it well. X-Men made the top spot because it set the stage for many films that were to follow, because, being the first, it was fresh and new, and because it was just a high-quality movie.
5. Batman Begins (2005) - This movie gets the final spot simply because I felt the list would not be complete without a Batman movie and because of the disaster that was its predecessor, "Batman and Robin". This movie was good, but the distance between it and #4 is large.
4. X2: X-Men United (2003) - The appearance of Nightcrawler and Pyro, along with the cast from the first X-Men movie, made for a strong ensemble of characters with plenty of cool powers to go around, but it was a bit lacking in mutant-on-mutant action (fighting, not the other thing). Still, it was a worthy follow up and didn't fail to meet expectations like the third X-Men film did.
3. Spider-Man (2002) - The original was by far the best of the Spider-man movies. It definitely had the look and feel of a comic book, and though the Green Goblin was not among my favorite Spidey villains, it was a quality retelling of the Spider-man origin story. It was well-cast and (mostly) well acted, without too much over-the-top acting, but enough to make it feel like a comic book from the '70s. "My Spidey-sense is tingling!"
2. V for Vendetta (2006) - Not your typical superhero movie, V came close to taking the number 1 spot on my list. Though I had never read the comic, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. A frightening allegory for the increasingly secretive and heavy-handed American government in the midst of a "War on Terror", V took the idea to the extreme to examine where the sacrifice of freedom for security would lead. A brilliant cast brought the story to life, and Portman's Evey was not your typical damsel in distress, but proved to be a strong character in her own right. The action was well-paced, the gore used in moderation, and the story was strong.
1. X-Men (2000) - It was the movie that started it all, that brought about the rebirth of the comic book movie after the recent demise of the genre. Sure, the Blade movie of '98 did well enough to justify numerous sequels, but the Blade comic was not mainstream to the extent that X-Men, Spider-man, Superman, or Batman were. X-Men successfully concentrated decades of comic books down into less than two hours, with a story that both stood on its own while limiting the deviation from the comic books. Unlike X2, X-Men had plenty of mutant vs. mutant combat, and did it well. X-Men made the top spot because it set the stage for many films that were to follow, because, being the first, it was fresh and new, and because it was just a high-quality movie.
Fan Five - Origin Story
In the spirit of the Hollywood summer blockbuster season, one marked by the huge successes of Marvel's "Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk," I felt this presented an interesting topic for debate: What are the top five 'superhero' films? Since my knowledge on this topic is relatively limited prior to the mid-90's, and since the genre has undergone a significant re-invention since the 2000 release of "X-Men," I will be limiting the list to films released since that year. This is not based on any scientific formula, just my personal preference. Now without further ado, the inaugural Fan Five.
Honorable Mention: "Unbreakable" - Before M. Night Shyamalan lost his mind (circa "The Village") and his theatrical touch, Unbreakable was a strong and unique addition to the superhero genre. It was an intriguing look at how an average Joe would react to the gift/responsibility of superhuman abilities.
5. "X-Men" (2000) - This is a solid movie on its own merits, but given the strength of the competition, this film would not make my top 5 under normal circumstances. What pushes it over the top is the significance this film has to the re-birth of a genre that was effectively murdered by atrocities such as "Batman and Robin." Before superhero movies made their comeback, it was this movie that made it possible, putting comic book characters into the real world and taking the time to develop the characters as people, not just as action heroes.
4. "Iron Man" (2008) - The first release by Marvel Studios, this movie really surprised me with its quality. I had never been much of an Iron Man fan, but this film was not just another comic book movie, it felt like you watching just a good movie (which is a good thing). The storyline was good, not great, but the character development was excellent and the acting was particularly strong. This film also gets a small boost for the future of Marvel films that it initiates.
3. "Spider-Man" (2002) - The first of the series and, in my opinion, the best. Of all the movies in this list, this one had the greatest comic book 'feel' to it, which makes it stand out. Instead of putting Spidey directly into reality like most comic movies have done lately, this one gave us a comic-like environment where we could actually believe costumed heroes could be roaming around and a villain in a green outfit doesn't seem outlandish.
2. "Batman Begins" (2005) - No franchise needed a re-invention more than this one, and the strength of this film given the recent filmography of Batman pushes this movie even higher up the list. Bolstered by a great cast and a return to the 'dark' beginnings of the Dark Knight, this film had a very strong sense of the comic books and much like Spider-Man, created a world where costumed characters seemed to fit. It also avoided one of the huge problems seen in previous Batman films: complete incompetence of police. No sign of that in this one.
1. "X2: X-Men United" (2003) - My personal favorite of the X-Men series to date, this film gave us plenty when it came to seeing the X-Men in action, but also had a strong storyline and didn't ignore the ever-important character development.
Alright, blogosphere, have at it. Let's hear what you think. Feel free to share your thoughts and if you have any top 5 list ideas, I'd like those too.
Chris F
Honorable Mention: "Unbreakable" - Before M. Night Shyamalan lost his mind (circa "The Village") and his theatrical touch, Unbreakable was a strong and unique addition to the superhero genre. It was an intriguing look at how an average Joe would react to the gift/responsibility of superhuman abilities.
5. "X-Men" (2000) - This is a solid movie on its own merits, but given the strength of the competition, this film would not make my top 5 under normal circumstances. What pushes it over the top is the significance this film has to the re-birth of a genre that was effectively murdered by atrocities such as "Batman and Robin." Before superhero movies made their comeback, it was this movie that made it possible, putting comic book characters into the real world and taking the time to develop the characters as people, not just as action heroes.
4. "Iron Man" (2008) - The first release by Marvel Studios, this movie really surprised me with its quality. I had never been much of an Iron Man fan, but this film was not just another comic book movie, it felt like you watching just a good movie (which is a good thing). The storyline was good, not great, but the character development was excellent and the acting was particularly strong. This film also gets a small boost for the future of Marvel films that it initiates.
3. "Spider-Man" (2002) - The first of the series and, in my opinion, the best. Of all the movies in this list, this one had the greatest comic book 'feel' to it, which makes it stand out. Instead of putting Spidey directly into reality like most comic movies have done lately, this one gave us a comic-like environment where we could actually believe costumed heroes could be roaming around and a villain in a green outfit doesn't seem outlandish.
2. "Batman Begins" (2005) - No franchise needed a re-invention more than this one, and the strength of this film given the recent filmography of Batman pushes this movie even higher up the list. Bolstered by a great cast and a return to the 'dark' beginnings of the Dark Knight, this film had a very strong sense of the comic books and much like Spider-Man, created a world where costumed characters seemed to fit. It also avoided one of the huge problems seen in previous Batman films: complete incompetence of police. No sign of that in this one.
1. "X2: X-Men United" (2003) - My personal favorite of the X-Men series to date, this film gave us plenty when it came to seeing the X-Men in action, but also had a strong storyline and didn't ignore the ever-important character development.
Alright, blogosphere, have at it. Let's hear what you think. Feel free to share your thoughts and if you have any top 5 list ideas, I'd like those too.
Chris F
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