This video is brought to you by HookSounds. It has been 7 years since I made my first
top 10 superhero movies video, and since then we have had quite a few new contenders for
the best superhero movie of all time prize. So today I wanted to make an updated list
of my not 10, but 15 favorite superhero movies of all time, because 10 just wasn’t enough
and I already have way too many honorable mentions anyway. Will this list be controversial, probably,
everything on the Internet is, but keep in mind these are my personal opinions, and if
you disagree, instead of taking it as a personal stab in the back, why don’t you let me know
your top 15 down below in the comments? Alright, let’s jump into this, starting
with… Number 15: Deadpool. I feel like the fun and cultural impact of
the first Deadpool movie has faded in people’s memories over the years, and I’m not really
sure why. It might be from the over-saturation of Deadpool
and Deadpool-style content of self-aware raunchy goofy superhero stuff that maybe people are
starting to view this as a bit tired, but I’d argue that the first Deadpool is one
of the most fun superhero movies ever made, and about as perfect of an onscreen adaptation
of a comic character you’re gonna get. A relatively simple origin story plot structure
provides a canvas for funny jokes, memorable characters, creative ideas, and badass rated-R
action. Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson is a casting
choice made in heaven, the self-aware humor, especially at the time this came out, was
hilarious and not overdone, and on that note, when this came out this was pretty revolutionary
for superhero films, an R-rated blockbuster superhero movie was a huge success, and was
a great breath of fresh air when these movies were starting to become a little same-y. So yeah, I think Deadpool gets forgotten a
bit, but I’d put it up there in the top 15. Before we continue, do you like music, but
do you hate it when you use music in a video and it gets copyright-claimed when you put
it on YouTube? Well look no further than HookSounds, an original
and highly curated royalty free music library, which creates useful and authentic stock music,
owning 100% of the rights, so you can use it in your content without having to worry
about this or even worse this. It’s affordable with an easy-to-use website,
and has tracks like this one, Crank Up Dreams, this one, Jazz Cafe, this one, Epic Mind,
and you know thousands more. You can sort by genre, moods, BPM, duration,
it's a great service and if you visit them through my link in the description and use
code BHL10, you get 10% of your purchase and help out the channel. So, use the link down below, code BHL10, and
start hooking them sounds, not their official slogan I’d like to stress. Number 14: The Suicide Squad. One of the more recent films on this list,
The Suicide Squad really cemented it's place here for me on my second viewing. On the first viewing, I thought it was a ton
of fun, darkly hilarious, creative, full of incredibly memorable characters, full of crazy
action set pieces, leaned into the absurdity and weirdness in a very James Gunn way, but
lacked a bit of emotion or heart that some of Gunn’s other superhero films have had. But upon the rewatch, it honestly also has
that heart, it’s just done in I suppose a bit more of a different and subtle way than
something like Guardians for example, but the heart with the team dynamic, the arc that
develops with Bloodsport and Ratcatcher, and Ratcatcher’s final moment especially ties
this movie’s story and emotions together perfectly. It’s a super violent, super goofy weird
superhero movie with a surprisingly wholesome message, all put together in an incredibly
fun and creative style, and it’s one that I look forward to rewatching many times. Number 13: Dredd. Taking a little bit of a darker turn now,
but still in the theme of stylish, incredibly done films, and just extremely entertaining
films, Dredd is another somewhat forgotten or underrated gem. Maybe if this had come out after Deadpool
smashed the box office as an r-rated superhero film it would’ve done better, but Dredd
has one of my favorite comic book movie worlds and atmospheres ever, it does such a good
job of painting the picture and drawing you into this dark, dirty, grim crime world in
a slightly claustrophobic way in the building block but only in a way that serves the story’s
purpose. Karl Urban as Judge Dredd is a phenomenal
casting choice, he has some of the coolest movie one-liners and moments from the past
decade, Lena Headey’s a fantastic villain, all the casting is great, the effects are
incredible, there’s the kind of crazy violence you’d want from a Judge Dredd movie, it
just does everything exactly right that you’d want for this kind of film. Number 12: The Dark Knight Rises. And here is where people are gonna start hating
on this video, particularly this pick paired with the next one. But keep in mind, all of these movies are
fantastic, that's why they're on this list. Although maybe people hate this movie I can’t
remember what the general opinion is, but I love it. I think it perfectly captures that epic finale
feeling that it was looking for, and for a superhero trilogy as epic as the Nolan Batman
films, that makes it a pretty excellent film. I know the complaints, the ending isn’t
satisfying, Batman’s barely in it, Bruce Wayne spends most of the film being caused
pain by a rope like his name is Anastasia Steele, it's boring, etc etc. I disagree that it’s boring and I think
those other things are what make the film interesting, yes it isn’t a typical superhero
movie in the traditional sense but it's a very compelling drama epic and an interesting
and satisfying arc for this familiar character to now have to go through. The action when it is there is phenomenal
and the fact that you had to wait for it makes it feel even more intense, Bane as a villain
gets mocked a lot but I also think he’s a great addition, and I liked how the film
ended honestly, I thought it was a solid payoff for this version of the character. This is more of a Nolan film than a Batman
film for sure, but hey, I think it’s great. Number 11: Thor: Ragnarok. Told you someone would get mad, Ragnarok is
above Dark Knight Rises, Ragnarok is on the list at all? Yeah apparently this movie is controversial
now, I saw some takes about Love and Thunder being like, this series went so down the drain
when Taika Waititi took over. And I’m here thinking, what are you talking
about? Like yes ok, a few visuals in terms of how
it's shot and the lighting look a bit flat. And that's really all I’d complain about. A lot of the other visuals are awesome by
the way. I rewatched all the Thor movies recently in
preparation for Love and Thunder and this is exactly what this character needed. In The Dark World he is a boring character
who doesn't have a lot going on. Now they did a total shift in tone and it
works perfectly, Hemsworth works really well as a comedic lead especially with Taika's
style of comedy, the film on the whole is one of the most laugh out loud MCU movies,
it's so weird in a really fun way, and the general style that it took of this more 80s
but also metal Norse type of vibe is so much fun. It doesn't take itself remotely seriously
and is one of the most enjoyable superhero movie experiences I’ve ever had and that's
why it's on my list. Number 10: Iron Man. Had to go back to the one that started it
all for the MCU, and there’s a reason this successfully kicked off such a game-changing
franchise. Back when Iron Man was being made, Marvel
didn't have the film rights to its most popular characters, so in making a film franchise
based on its lesser known characters, there was only one way to get people to see them:
make them good. And they kicked it off perfectly with Iron
Man, a bit of a risk in a lot of ways. Hiring for a blockbuster action film the director
whose biggest film up to this point was Elf, hiring actor Robert Downey Jr. who was not
the beloved star then that he is now, and just letting the creative team behind it go
make a movie where apparently a lot of the dialogue was improvised. And yet it paid off, with a badass superhero
movie that people just couldn't help but love. The movie has funny and witty banter between
characters, perfect casting, incredible visual effects that couldn't have done a better job
in bringing the comic book suit to life, a great soundtrack, a compelling redemption
arc, and again, the film is just cool. This is how you get people on board with a
character they don’t know, make him awesome. So yeah, Iron Man kicked everything off for
the MCU and is still one of its best entries to date. Number 9: X-Men: Days of Future Past. Possibly because of how this franchise fizzled
out, people forget how incredible some X-Men films were, and none more so in my opinion
than Days of Future Past. This movie is a perfect fun summer blockbuster,
you’ve got charismatic heroes, fun action scenes, over dramatic emotional moments that
for some reason really hit me hard, and it had on top of that the added spice of seeing
two casts of the same characters crossover, in what is more commonplace now but back then
was relatively unprecedented. But the great thing about this movie is it’s
not just built on, look we got the casts to cross over, isn’t that cool. The nature of the time travel story makes
the crossover not just a gimmick and afterthought to sell more tickets but an integral part
of the story and how the characters evolve, and it's a really interesting story at that. Also, the Quicksilver scene. Possibly the best scene in any superhero movie. Number 8: Avengers: Infinity War. I was struggling when deciding whether to
put Infinity War or Endgame on this list, because I think as an event film and a satisfying
culmination and experience, Endgame had more impact. But as just a film itself, I think Infinity
War stands on its own as the better made film overall. And it was still an insane event, don't get
me wrong. But this is everything you’d want from the
conclusion to an epic saga of films, or at least the beginning of a conclusion. It divides the story into multiple different
lanes but it doesn't feel disjointed or all over the place, it’s a coherent interesting
puzzle with all of the individual storylines being interesting, well almost all, and it's
very exciting when they eventually cross over. It features one of the best villains in MCU
history and takes a risk by being told in part from the villain’s perspective, including
his triumph at the end which was one of the most shocking cliffhangers in a mainstream
blockbuster in recent memory. This movie shook up the MCU in a big way that
most other big franchises wouldn't dare to do. It also has great battle scenes, obviously
incredible visual effects, fun character crossovers, it had such insane hype around it and yet
it managed to live up to it. Quick reminder here that if you’re enjoying
this video, drop a like, subscribe, hit the bell button, and comment what your top 15
favorite superhero movies are down below! Also after the vid check out my podcast The
Poorly Planned Podcast, alright back to the vid. Number 7: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Another more recent entry on this list and
the first animated one, Into the Spider-Verse caught me off guard. Yes I was expecting it to be fun, with Phil
Lord and Chris Miller involved and this exciting new animation style looking promising, but
I did not think it’d be one of my favorite superhero movies ever and one of my favorite
movies of 2018. The creativity in the animation can’t be
understated, this might be the best comic book come to life type movie visually, it
utilizes the freedom that animation allows in such fun ways. The creativity isn’t exclusive to the visuals
though as the story is also quite inventive and fun, doing multiverse Spider-Man stuff
before it was cool, and with that Lord and Miller type humor it is one of the funniest
superhero movies out there. Add on top of that some really heartfelt lessons
about family and what it means to be a hero, some spot on voice casting and a very memorable
enormous Kingpin, and you’ve got a film that I think you’d be hard pressed to find
someone who doesn't enjoy. Number 6: The Incredibles. Another animated film, and I know this might
seem like a weird addition here, given that all of these others are actually based on
comic books and this is a wholly original concept, but hey the title is top 15 superhero
movies, and I’d say this is definitely up there as one of the best ones. This movie I’d argue just as a film might
be the best on this list, like all of these are obviously great movies but a lot are really
excellent superhero movies specifically, and while this one fits the bill for that as well,
just as a universal story and film that anyone can watch and enjoy, this one stands out. The family dynamic is the heart of this film
and it's funny that a crazy action packed superhero movie has one of the sweetest, most
relatable, and most believable family dynamics in any film I’ve ever seen. The 50s and 60s mixed with futuristic style
provides a very fun world for the movie to play in, the plot is complex enough to make
it interesting while not being hard for children to follow, it’s hilarious, well animated,
and the actions scene are incredible, yes I did it on purpose sue me, plus it has arguably
the best superhero movie theme of all time, mixing that James Bond Mission Impossible
vibe with a triumphant superhero undertone. Amazing film. Number 5: The Dark Knight. I know, rage, this is only number 5, how dare
you, all that. It’s my personal list, alright, and these
top 5 are all amazing, but on The Dark Knight, it is phenomenal, and possibly the best made
superhero film ever. In terms of technical aspects with sound,
effects, cinematography, this might be the best of any superhero film. There’s a reason for this movie’s iconic
status, it has the best performances in any superhero movie ever, it's tone and style
worked and were done so well here that it influenced how Hollywood made movies for the
next 5 to 10 years. The way Nolan took what was expected of a
film in the superhero genre at this time and was able to fit it into another type of film
entirely pretty much is very impressive and makes for an incredibly compelling movie that
sort of just happens to involve a superhero, while also not being ashamed of being a Batman
movie. There are so many memorable moments, scenes,
lines, characters, it’s dark but not without fun, it's intense and entertaining, there
are a lot of reasons it's still regarded by many to be the best superhero film of all
time. Number 4: Guardians of the Galaxy. I love watching this movie, I’ve seen it
so many times and it never gets old, and I’ve seen it with so many different types of people,
Marvel fans, friends, family members, people who don’t really like superhero movies or
movies at all actually, and never has anyone not enjoyed it, it’s actually crazy. It’s just such a blast of a film, it’s
the modern day Star Wars, an incredibly enjoyable space adventure with lots of fun space action,
lovable characters, and a surprising amount of heart. The friend/family dynamic that builds between
the Guardians feels natural and makes the culmination of the film all the more satisfying. It’s a bit like Iron Man, where to be successful
with an audience that was not at all familiar with the source material they just had to
make a great film, and taking it in the direction of a James Gunn comedy that constantly pokes
fun at the absurdity of the concept but still handles the story with enough sincerity for
you to be invested was a brilliant move. It is also, I'd argue, the funniest superhero
movie of all time. Never get tired of watching this one, it’ll
make you laugh, possibly cry, and you’ll just leave satisfied and smiling. Number 3: Captain America: The Winter Soldier. I know I’ve mentioned this before but let’s
just acknowledge how great 2014 was for superhero movies, literally 3 of the entries on this
list, and that's just so far, who knows if Amazing Spider-Man 2 will be number 1, I do,
I know, it won’t be. But The Winter Soldier was the perfect next
step for Captain America. Much like Thor with Ragnarok later on, Cap
was in a bit of a weird spot post Avengers, his character was seen as kind of lame, a
bit boring, especially in the modern day out of that 1940s setting and style. So what do you do? You lean into that, not only is he in the
modern day but that leads to a lot of confusion and conflict for a guy whose from a time,
and film, where good and bad were very clearly defined, because now with new tech and agencies
and organizations and the gray areas of the modern world good and bad are much harder
to navigate. Putting this very genuine, stick to his principles
type of character in a modern spy thriller was an inspired idea, it makes for a very
interesting film and is part of what made his character much cooler and more compelling
to follow. Also his new way of beating the crap out of
people, that helps to make him cooler as well. The film’s style leads to some of the best
hand-to-hand action in any MCU film or really action film from the past 10 years, the story
is full of twists, it introduces new characters to the MCU that are a lot of fun and adds
more depth to ones we already knew, and it features a sneaky cameo from Abed Nadir, what
more could you want? Number 2: Logan. Logan is one of the more unique entries on
this list and that's part of why it was so exceptional. Taking well established, well beloved characters
and putting them into a much more grounded, r-rated, honestly depressing story with a
glimmer of hope in it, that's a ballsy move and I really respect Fox for going for it. Fox is fascinating in that they made some
of the worst and most studio-like decisions ever and then also made some of the best and
allowed for some of the most creative films to be made in the genre. But anyway, taking a character like Wolverine,
making his film r-rated but not just so he can drop lots of f-bombs and stab people with
blood and it looks cool, although there is definitely a lot of that in here as well,
but also so the film can explore dark themes and a more adult approach to the character,
was a brilliant decision. This film is harrowing, heartbreaking, and
yet has an oddly wholesome and uplifting message about family and life that you just aren’t
really expecting from a Wolverine movie. It combines it with great action sequences
to make one of the most emotionally impactful superhero films and just blockbusters ever,
crossing over genres and what it was thought you could do with a superhero film like this,
and it was the perfect send off for such an iconic character. Before we get to my very mysterious ever elusive
definitely not the same pick as it has been for the past decade number 1, here are way
too many honorable mentions that are also great but couldn’t make the list. Superman 1978. A classic in every sense of the word, a well-made
wholesome movie that changed the game for this whole genre. Spider-Man 2. The best of the Raimi Spider-Man films I know
people will be pissed this wasn’t on the main list, but this movie’s still fantastic,
creative, and exciting. X-Men: First Class. Perfect way to soft reboot a franchise, had
the balls to recast some of the most iconic superhero casting choices ever and actually
pulled it off, fun and stylish. The Batman. Leans into its intense over-the-top dark nature,
a really interesting crime thriller with a superhero twist, excellent portrayal of some
aspects of the character and an epic feeling film. Might move onto the list in time, I just feel
like it's too soon for me to put it up there just yet. Spider-Man: Homecoming, gets way too much
hate for God knows what reason at this point, really fun, relatable, down to Earth Peter
Parker high school adventure, hilarious, and one of the best MCU villains as well. Spider-Man: No Way Home. Somehow lived up to expectations, went for
this crazy story and actually made it work, an insane cinema experience and something
I never thought we’d ever see 5 years ago, and also just a solidly made movie ing general. Batman Begins. Often overlooked, but another excellent Nolan
Batman film, sets things up well, definitely the most fun of the three. Captain America: The First Avenger. I’m biased since this is one of the first
superhero movies I ever saw, but it's just such a fun, classic Indiana Jones-ish at times
adventure film. Justice League: Starcrossed. I know it doesn't count really and I know
I’m nostalgia biased but god damn this was my childhood and I love it to this day. And Endgame. As mentioned, tough choice between this and
Infinity War, but this still has some of the most memorable and epic superhero movie moments
of all time, and served as an excellent and extremely satisfying finale for the Infinity
Saga. And finally, number 1, you all saw it coming,
but hey, how could I deny Morbius the top spot. I mean the scene where Milo seductively dances
added 10 years to the life expectancy of every person who saw it. Alright sorry I know Morbius is a dead meme,
number 1 really is Dark Phoenix, purely for the scene where Cyclops sounds like a 12 year
old using the F word for the first time and being really proud of it. Sorry ok, number 1 is really Fant4stic, ok
it’s The Avengers. Of course it’s The Avengers, have you ever
seen one of my other videos? Look I’ll just be honest, I don’t think
a film can ever top The Avengers for me in terms of my favorite superhero movie because
in addition to being an excellent film, I have extreme nostalgia and lots of happy memories
associated with it and you can’t really replicate that unless you show me another
fun superhero film with a similarly exciting buildup and I am similarly 10 years old when
I see it for the first time. Aside from how hyped this was and how much
nostalgia I have for it, it is genuinely just the perfect definition of a superhero movie
for me. It’s silly and goofy but fully aware of
it, it’s self aware when it needs to be but takes itself seriously when it needs to,
it’s laugh out loud funny but still has stakes that matter and emotional points that
hit, it’s a crazy fun culmination of a series of films and an exciting crossover to see
these characters together, and independently of that these characters are just interesting
to watch together and watching them have conflicts and then learn to be a team is a more universal
story that's just satisfying to watch. The final battle is insanely fun and well
done and everything you want, it's got a perfect superhero movie villain, and it is just simply
one of the most fun movies you will ever watch. Plus, The Avengers theme, come on. Then add on top of that my nostalgia for it
and yeah I can’t not make it number 1, again. Even after 7 years, it is still my favorite
superhero movie. So that was my updated list of favorite superhero
movies. Do you agree or disagree with my list? Let me know that and what your list would
be down below in the comments. While you’re at it, be sure to like this
video, check out my Instagram and Twitter @bhl_hudson, my TikTok @bhlhudson, my Letterboxd
@realbhlhudson, check out this podcast that I do with a friend of mine where we talk about
movies, TV shows, a bunch of nonsense, it’s called The Poorly Planned Podcast, and subscribe
for more videos like the one you just watched. Thanks for watching and I’ll see ya next
time.
