'Mad Max' still presents scary vision of the future 40 years later

I can't imagine what audiences thought when they were confronted with the world of George Miller's Mad Max 40 years ago. Even Star Wars, as far our as it is, presents a fairly old fashioned story with recognizable archetypes. This film is definitely set on planet earth but a pretty terrifying one in the not too distant future.

What's curious about the first Mad Max is that it presents a society on the brink of crumbling down but not fully gone to seed. Max is a happy, seemingly well adjusted family man at the beginning of the film, there's a law enforcement structure -- albeit one that's under siege -- and there still seems to be the basic necessities.

By the time The Road Warrior (a.k.a. Mad Max 2) arrives Max is a shell of a man and we're in a full post-apocalyptic wasteland, and all the films that followed (Thunderdome and the Oscar nominated Fury Road) present a similarly horrifying universe where oil an eventually water are so scarce that people who have them are in supreme positions of power.

The character of Max himself has always been more mythic than tangible. As Mel Gibson played him, he was a noble badass hero turned vengeful, taciturn assassin. Tom Hardy brought more pathos and physicality to the role, but the series was never about Max (as evidenced by Charlize Theron's more substantive role in the last film).

These movies have always been not so stealthy commentaries on our current environment. They are alarming warnings of what our world could be if traditional structures (like the police) break down and everyone becomes lawless. And even when Max triumphs in the end -- with the exception of Fury Road -- the victories never really feel complete and certainly don't permanently upend the status quo.

This scenario has always seemed like the stuff of fantasy until recent years, where the political climate has been so toxic and yes, mad, that the world presented in these movies doesn't feel quite so far fetched anymore.

I also don't know what is says about me that this original movie truly comes alive when Max goes mad. He becomes our vengeful id, slaughtering bad guys with aplomb but also without remorse. It's the kind of character Mel Gibson has always been too eerily good at playing and perhaps his off-screen behavior suggests why he has a knack for playing righteous anger.

Unfortunately, it appears at though we may never see another iteration of these films from their legendary creator, George Miller.is in his mid 70s now, and it seems as though the character and franchise is hopelessly bogged down in studio wrangling. This is a huge shame, because right now we could really use the shock of this world back on the big screen where it belongs.

Why do great movies like 'Booksmart' bomb?

The critically acclaimed new comedy Booksmart didn't just underperform at the box office this past weekend. It was obliterated. It grossed under $10 million in its wide debut, pretty much nailing it as dead on arrival from a commercial perspective.

To add insult to injury, the weekend's 'winner' was a poorly reviewed live action remake of Aladdin, yes the one with a blue Will Smith in it.

Hopefully, like other great recent overlooked films like Eighth Grade, Green Room and It Follows, Booksmart will find its audience eventually and be appreciated for the very special movie that it is. Still, it's failure is really disheartening, especially if like me you want to see Hollywood continue to make emotionally grounded, earthbound movies about human beings.

That shouldn't be too much to ask. Films like this don't always underperform. But the trend of films like this flopping does seem to be increasing with each year. And, it won't be lost on some less enlightened industry executives that this was a film starring two women, written by a woman and directed by a woman. The financial failure of this film will hang around their necks.

But they of course were not responsible for the advertising of this movie, which I believe made a fatal mistake in minimizing this movie to being a 'female Superbad."

Sure, the plots of both films are fairly similar -- nerds want to out of high school with a bang, hilarious hijinks take place when they do for better of worse.

Superbad was a very funny movie (although I haven't revisited it in years) but it only scratches the surface of this substance here. There is not broad, goofy 'McLovin' narrative to placate people just looking for laughs.

This film is has more in common with a more like LadyBird, but with admittedly a lot more laughs.

I have a hunch that a lot of people heard the Superbad comparison and thought: well, I saw that movie so I don't need to rush to see that one. It wasn't positioned as a comedy event the way Superbad or even Bridesmaids was -- and since its stars are not household names yet, the movie needed a bigger push than it got.

My hope is the unfortunate financial performance will motivate studios to market female-led comedies better rather than not making them at all. And they should sell a movie on its own terms rather than linking it to a predominately male version of a similar story that came earlier.

'Booksmart' is a bold, perfect debut for director Olivia Wilde

I went into the new movie Booksmart on its side. Its trailer had always made me laugh and charmed me, but nothing prepared me for how much I was going to fall in love with this film. It was a breath of fresh air and it really gave me hope that humane, character-driven movies will continue to have a future.

American film comedy has been in real peril for years. There have only been the occasional gem since 2011's Bridesmaids, as television has long surpassed Hollywood's output in terms of quality and success. Studios seem to have determined that comic book epics are just so much more profitable that mainstream comedy, that one of the most durable genres in movie history has started to die a slow death.

And Olivia Wilde has come to the rescue. Wilde has really arrived as a major film director here. This is peak James L. Brooks good. The writing is razor sharp -- with multiple walk-on characters coming in and slaying from the sidelines. She has managed to make a teen comedy that feels original but is so joyful, heartbreaking and authentic. Oh, and the soundtrack is supremely dope, too.

It's a mistake to brand it as a female Superbad. As hilarious as that movie was it didn't go as emotionally deep as Booksmart does . It features one of the most lovingly realized female friendships I've ever seen on-screen with co-leads Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever both giving incredibly winning, star-making performances as our overachieving heroes.

Of course, the structure is simple enough -- all the great '80s coming of age films whose DNA it shares do the same thing: the days before graduation, the stakes are raised and you're in this weird nexis between childhood and adulthood. For people like the leads, who spent high school only focused on academics, this time can be tinged with regret and frustration.

Many of us dream of having at least one night to make up for all the mayhem we missed and in this film we get to do just that. This movie takes you for an uproarious ride that you're not going to want to get off of. It's about being ready to grow up but missing being a kid at the same time.

American Graffiti got it that ambiguous feeling. Say Anything got it, too. And this film, which is in their class, gets it too, but in a way that is effortless and woke without apology and buoyant and sincere.

Honestly I can't stop gushing about this movie. I want it be a hit; the way Eighth Grade deserved to be, the way Boyhood should have been. Coming of age films, when done right, are so special because they can really serve up a little of everything -- romance, tears, laughs, terror.

The graduation days have formed the bedrock for many a narrative and this movie has many brilliant set pieces -- but it's relationship at the center that makes this movie a modern classic.

I can't believe I've already seen two films year that will be in my top 10 and have emerged as all time favorites with (Us, too) but it's happened. The bar is now very high for the rest of 2019.

Sequels that excite me and sequels that leave me cold

Sequels are almost always a dicey proposition. Unless a film sets up a clear trajectory for a story to continue -- Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a great example of this -- it can feel like a cynical exercise in regurgitating what you liked about the first film but perhaps with a bigger budget.

Deadpool 2 comes to mind as an example of one of those. These films are almost only naked cash grabs and even when they're good they're also missing staying power.

Two recent trailers really illustrate this dichotomy for me. The first is the exciting and eerie new trailer for the follow-up to the monster blockbuster It.

I enjoyed It a lot. It felt like Stranger Things: The Movie at times, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It was reasonably scary but not so much so that average filmgoers couldn't have fun with it, which is why I think it became the most profitable horror film of all time.

Still, I remembered thinking that the decision to split the film's narrative in two -- which made sense from a pacing and profit perspective -- might diminish the second film. In the first film, our heroes are able to overcome the nefarious Pennywise the Clown.

Although Pennywise is and was a formidable villain, but at the end of the day -- a bunch of kids defeat him without one of them losing their lives.

I get it, that's the Stephen King narrative, and these movies aren't trying too hard to deviate from it -- but it always sapped a little tension out of story for me when the kids become adults. Why should they be scared of a clown they already killed?

But then the new trailer came out -- and oh man is it fun. It's one of the more interesting trailers I've seen in a while, presenting an extended and creepy scene featuring Jessica Chastain (one of the big names in a cast that also includes Bill Hader and James McAvoy) opposite an old woman we can only presumed has been possessed by Pennywise. It's a nice slow boil of a scene and then the trailer kicks into high gear with quick cuts of those ominous balloons and more all punctuated by actor Bill Skarsgard's unmistakable giggle.

I found myself riveting and excited to revisit a world that was well-established in the first film.

And then there's the new Terminator: Dark Fate trailer. There's no doubt it's a thrill to see Linda Hamilton back in action, and her presence at the center of this new film definitely makes me more psyched to see it than Genisys or Salvation. But the problem is that those films (some would also argue Terminator 3, although I find it amusing) went a long way in terms of sullied what goodwill there was for the first two classic Terminator films.

The problem is that those films ended conclusively and didn't really carve out a window for the franchise to continue. Arnold lowers himself into lava, the last of his kind at the end of the second film and that should have closed the time travel loop.

But then miraculously more terminators kept getting sent back (and forth) to kill John Connor. I thought the 'idea' behind Salvation was cool -- we never did get to see John Connor's adult story play out and it sounded cool in theory -- but two movies in row have proven its not.

And, somehow, Arnold Schwarzenegger pops up again. He looks great, I love the beard, but at 71 years old what is he going to be doing in this movie? I get it, it feels weird doing one of these without him. It's like Indiana Jones without Harrison Ford. But why do another one? Money, of course.

It's not that the first films really 'said' much. Sure it could be a cautionary tale about technology -- but these were mostly just fantastic chase films with groundbreaking action and effects. There was not a single shot that really wowed me or surprised me in this new trailer, besides the appearance of Hamilton.

In fact, none of the more recent Terminator films feel like they advanced the sci-fi action genre since Terminator 2's groundbreaking use of CGI back in 1991 -- which is a problem. In order to justify its existence, it's gotta sell me on something more than the return of James Cameron as a producer.

I sense that audiences are already over this franchise anyway. Although Genisys made bank overseas, it couldn't even crack 100 million here in the U.S. even with Arnold Schwarzenegger back in the lead.

As I always so, I will wait for the reviews -- and maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised. But right now I'm high on It: Chapter Two and lukewarm on Terminator: Dark State

I love 'John Wick' but I feel weird about its gun fetishism

Almost every kind of gun you can imagine in on display and used to great effect in the new blockbuster film John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum, and it's hard to deny that the movie fetishizes guns in ways that might make some people uncomfortable.

Besides more shots to the face than maybe any movie I've ever seen, not since The Matrix (ironically another Keanu Reeves movie) have I seen guns look sexier in a film. There's a killer scene when Reeves' Wick constructs his own gun out of the spare parts of an old model and another big applause line comes when in a deadpan he announces he "needs a lot of guns."

I have know idea how Reeves feels about gun off-screen or the filmmakers for this matter, but I know how I feel about them -- I hate them. You wanna hunt, do target practice -- sure, fine. But I'm one of the most pro-gun control people you've ever seen -- it's just common sense, as far as I'm concerned.

But I'd be lying if I didn't totally get a thrill out of Reeves (and Halle Berry) massacring anyone who gets in their way with an arsenal of weapons.

It helps considerably that the violence in the Wick films is pretty cartoonishly outlandish. You rarely see the after effects of the carnage. In fact, in this new film many of the people who get shot and killer are wearing helmets, so we never even see their faces.

But every once and a while I found myself stepping outside myself and wondering: Why do I like this? Am I a violent person deep down inside, are all of us?

Of course, I am not the first person to point this out. The right in particular loves to troll the left about the violent Hollywood movies it makes and enjoys. It's supposed to highlight our supposed hypocrisy on guns although making a piece of fiction that is violent isn't the same thing as condoning violence.

Still, I have some ambiguous feelings here. I have never watched a violent movie and thought 'I want to go do that.' That doesn't absolve me or anyone else involved from feeling a little bit of requisite guilt. Ironically my favorite action set piece in the film (and one of the best I've ever seen) involved knife throwing, but there's no question that the gun is our hero's weapon of choice and therefore it becomes ours.

I am not advocating against movies like these. I am not even anti-cartoon violence per se. I have been and probably always will be an enormous James Bond fan and maybe only twice over the course of that 57 year old franchise have they ever made a death mean something (think the endings of On Her Majesty's Secret Service and Skyfall).

Nothing really matters in the John Wick universe, except maybe his dog and to a lesser extent his car. This is a series which suggests that nearly everyone is a badass assassin (although never more badass than Wick) and if you if you embrace that conceit than you also pretty much have to see life as being pretty cheap in these movies.

When the movie was over, I felt wiped. It was a real endurance test in some ways. And I am not sure if the series will age well as we continue to reflect on this era of mass shootings being the new normal. On the other hand, this fantasy violence -- which has no real repercussions and is meant to simply entertain -- can provide a cathartic rush and a diversion from the terrors of the real world.

That's what these films have done for me, for the most part. But I can understand why some people may want to walk away from this book rather than read chapter four.

'John Wick 3' is a wild action workout that might not be topped

Keanu Reeves is 54 years old but you'd never know if you saw John Wick 3. He is as much a physical marvel as Tom Cruise is in the Mission: Impossible films, but while Cruise's persona in those films is largely about his grace and fluidity under pressure, with Reeves' Wick its pure brute force.

John Wick 3 (or the more pretentious John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum) is easily one of the most violent movies I ever seen -- the body count must be in the hundreds, and in what is par for the course with these movies, most people who are getting killed and getting shot in the head -- repeatedly.

There isn't much moral justification for a movie like this, and I am not going to argue that it's smart -- its central conceit that there are elite assassins everywhere who are all seemingly linked under the control of a mythical 'high table' is patently absurd and pretty needlessly complicated.

And yet -- this is one of the most deliriously over the top orgies of action I have ever seen and I got a kick out of (almost) every second of it. The first 15 to 20 minutes alone are such a tour de force of bare knuckle action and suspense that I fear the rest of the series will never top them.

And who knows if Reeves is up for more. He and his stunt doubles are certainly put through the ringer in this one. He spends most of the movie stumbling, soaking wet and get the shit kicked out of him before doling out one ferocious kill after another.

There are scenes so shocking you can't help but audibly grown and gasp -- and one sequence in particular involving some aggressively thrown knives may be one of my favorite action set pieces of all time.



In this installment Wick is definitely more physically vulnerable and constantly under siege and it does feel a little bit like the filmmakers themselves are overwhelmed by how big this franchise has become.

The first Wick film topped out at around $43 million at the box office stateside, the second film added another $50 million to that total. The one, which is even bigger in terms of scale -- will be even bigger still, but I can't see how they will ever be able to surpass the carnage and stunts in this film.

It also has milked the Wick on the run concept to death so I'm hoping if they do another one -- and there absolutely will be if Keanu is physically up for it (I can't say enough how impressive he is here) that they'll mix things up. But may be peak John Wick.

Welcome back John. It's always good to see you.

Indiana Jones and my struggle with the idea of a fifth film

There are some who have argued that the role of Indiana Jones can be transitive, in the same vein as James Bond, passed from actor to actor. I am not one of these people. For me, Harrison Ford is crucial to making that character and those films work. He has owned the part for nearly 40 years, on and off-screen.

Anything featuring the Indiana Jones character without him would feel like a knock-off. I have nothing against Chris Pratt, and some of other leading actors who get bandied about for the famous fedora an whip, but it would feel like a meaningless money grab to me to 'reboot' it.

Of course a case can be made, and a compelling one, that the last Indy movie -- the polarizing to say the least 2008 movie with an awful title -- Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, was also about money. And it certainly made a lot of it. Even if many fans hated it, the movie was the highest grosser in a very profitable franchise.

Even many of that films detractors will agree that it wasn't Ford who failed us with Indy 4, it was producer George Lucas and director Steven Spielberg, who seemed unable to mesh their sensibilities of come up with an exciting, coherent story that justified a fourth movie's existence nearly 20 years after what felt like a climactic one.

The 1950s Cold War setting was an inspired choice I thought, but the film didn't fully capitalize on its period potential and its space alien finale is murky at best.

Still Cool as F

In the years since, a follow-up has been promised (thankfully, a rumored spin-off starring Jones' son Mutt, played by Shia LeBeouf, never came to pass) and then repeatedly delayed.

In his late 70s, Ford is suddenly viable again, and seems to almost exclusively appear in resurrections of his greatest franchises (only Stallone has been able to rival his output). And against the odds, the results have largely been good.

He gave Oscar-worthy, scene stealing performances (albeit in supporting roles) in both The Force Awakens and Blade Runner 2049, one of which became the biggest box office hit of all-time and the other a critically acclaimed modern cult classic.

There is a part of me that has longed for Ford and company to right the wrong of 2008's Indy with a better, more on brand entry that doesn't necessarily pass the torch but bring his story to a more satisfying conclusion. Sort of like how Stallone made the crowd-pleasing Rocky Balboa as a mea culpa for the godawful Rocky V.

But then the news came that Indy 5 was being delayed yet again -- to 2021! Ford will be 78 going on 79 years old by that time. Now, Ford has survived plane crashes and doors nearly crushing his leg and he keeps on kicking. He looks great and fit for his age, and I am sure he can still turn on the charm as the character, but there is no denying the physicality that this role requires.

How will a film with a 79-year-old Indiana Jones at its center function? Can it be entertaining? Clint Eastwood proved he could still carry movie at nearly 90 last year. Whether you liked The Mule or not (and I did), it was undeniably a hit, although it wasn't exactly an action movie either.

Perhaps a film that fully acknowledges Indy's advanced age and maybe even explores the vulnerability of growing old could be interesting territory for Spielberg to plumb. But what worries me is that he and Ford approach this material with a sort of fan service mentality (which really hampered Ready Player One) where they feel they must hit certain beats, have big set pieces and the go home. There hasn't been a real interest in developing the character of Indiana Jones since 1989's Last Crusade.

My hunch tells me this movie is probably never going to happen. Ford's age is simply going to catch up with him eventually (the tragic loss of his former Star Wars cast-mates Carrie Fisher and Peter Mayhew made that reality all too plain) and Spielberg's heart never has seen to be in it. As talented as Spielberg is, he's no Spring chicken either, and it's clear that when he is not emotionally invested in a movie, it suffers.

I think I don't want to see this movie made, but if it is made I want it to be with Ford and Spielberg (and a tighter, better script), and I'm worried it'll be Pratt and someone like Colin Trevorrow. Sigh.

Flashback 1979: My favorite movies from 40 years ago

The 1970s are my favorite era of movies -- and 1979 in particular is a very strong year. A lot of major directors of the area will still operating at the peak of their powers (although Steven Spielberg suffered a rare blunder with his bloated WWII comedy 1941) and some cool, iconoclastic movies found a fairly wide audience.

It's year where a sober drama about divorce and a horror film about an alien stalking a crew in space were among the year's highest grossers -- that could never happen now.

There were still edgy, 70s-style dramas and thrillers coming out as late at 1982, but this year may represent a special moment in time within a golden age of auteur-driven filmmaking.

10) Manhattan - There is no doubt that allegations against Woody Allen regarding his behavior with underage women has cast a pall over this film and its subplot involving his romance with a minor but if you can put that discomfort aside (and many can't) it remains one of his cinematic crowning achievements. It's beautiful, funny and a real valentine to a certain kind of romantic New York City that I find irresistible.

9) The Muppet Movie - The first feature film starring Jim Henson's beloved misfit muppets is a bonafide classic and sets the template for all the muppet movies to come -- charming musical numbers mixed with vaudeville humor and enough inside jokes to amuse both kids and adults. The celebrity cameos manage not to detract from the fun and every character from Kermit to Miss Piggy and Gonzo (just to name a few) all get a chance to shine.

8) Kramer vs. Kramer - The buzziest, biggest hit of the year nabbed Oscars for Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep (and nomination for the heartbreaking little Justin Henry) in this film about a family devastated by divorce. Elements of the film are arguably problematic now (it pretty wholeheartedly takes the Hoffman character's side) but it's hard to deny the conviction of the performances or the sincerity of the film's approach.

7) All That Jazz - Director Bob Fosse takes an unflinching and sometimes very unflattering look at himself in this dazzling combination of musical and biopic. Featuring Roy Scheider against type as his facsimile, the film takes wild diversions through the fourth wall, through musical theater and back down to earth again in a challenging, self consciously theatrical film.

6) Monty Python's Life of Brian - A film that almost deliberately tries to offend as many people as possible with a bawdy, rebellious take on organized religion. Probably the most cohesive Python movie in terms of plot, but also full of several standout sketchy bits and a jaw dropping finale in terms of how subversive it is. There's no way this one could be made or released today I reckon.

5) Rocky II - The film that inspired Ryan Coogler's Creed (this sequel was a favorite of the director and his father), this follow-up to the classic original is widely celebrated by fans as one of the best in the series. The focus is still on drama rather than larger than life opponents and Stallone (who wrote and directed) finds even more pathos in the Rocky character because of subplot involving his new married life with Adrian. A sensitive and exciting continuation of one of my favorite movie sagas.

4) Being There - I love Hoffman in Kramer vs. Kramer, but my personal pick in the Best Actor category would have been Peter Sellers for his brilliant, restrained work here as a total simpleton who gets elevated to the highest echelons of power because his musings are mistaken for profound wisdom. A wonderful satire of American shallowness with an undercurrent of melancholy illustrated by its indelible, mercurial ending.

3) Apocalypse Now - Director Francis Coppola's Vietnam epic has long been misremembered as a big budget disaster when it reality it was a box office hit and a smash with most critics. It's one of the most visually stunning, emotionally devastating war films ever made with great whacked out performances from legends like Robert Duvall, Martin Sheen and Marlon Brando. It's a film as insane as the war that inspired it, and I mean that as a compliment

2) Alien - One of the scariest, most unsettling horror films ever made -- full of quiet dread and menace. A motley crew peppered with great character actors like Yaphet Kotto, Harry Dean Stantion and a breakout Sigourney Weaver must face down a venomous alien creature who has only one mode -- kill. Gorgeously shot and directed by Ridley Scott, it has a timeless quality and its pitch black tone helps it stand out

1) The Jerk - Steve Martin's greatest comic performance in movies may just be his first. It was a victory lap of sorts after his unconventional stand up routines turned him into a stadium-filling super star but he is by no means resting on his laurels. Speeding through high and low comedy like cartoon freight-train, this unabashedly silly, politically incorrect movie was a favorite of Stanley Kubrick's an it's easy to see why. It's an absurdist delight with so many laughs that still hold up to this day.

PAST TOP 10 FAVORITE LISTS
1974 #1 movie - The Godfather Part II
1975 #1 movie - Nashville
1976 #1 movie - Taxi Driver
1977 #1 movie - Star Wars
1978 #1 movie - The Deer Hunter
1984 #1 movie - Ghostbusters
1985 #1 movie - Fletch
1986 #1 movie - Blue Velvet
1987 #1 movie - The Untouchables
1988 #1 movie - Coming to America
1989 #1 movie - Batman
1994 #1 movie - Pulp Fiction
1995 #1 movie - Heat
1996:#1 movie - Fargo
1997 #1 movie - Boogie Nights
1998 #1 movie - The Big Lebowski
1999 #1 movie - Eyes Wide Shut
2004 #1 movie - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2005 #1 movie - A History of Violence
2006 #1 movie - Casino Royale
2007 #1 movie - There Will Be Blood
2008 #1 movie - The Wrestler
2009 #1 movie - Inglourious Basterds

Ranking the Marvel movies cause everybody else is

Clearly Avengers: Endgame is not an ending -- not by a long shot. Sure, maybe some actors haven't renewed their contracts and their costumes will eventually be dawned by new, younger performers. But we are going to keep seeing these films until they stop making money.

That being said, Endgame does bring several arcs full circle and it feels like a homecoming if not a finale. And so a lot of folks are assessing their favorites and debating the value of these behemoth blockbusters. For me, Black Panther is far and above, head and shoulders a better film than any Marvel movie that proceeded it or has followed it -- and dare I say, it'll probably never be supplanted.

That being said, I've enjoyed most of the Marvel movies I've seen, even if some don't have a ton of staying power in my brain. There's been 22 of these things in just 11 years if you can believe it. Here is my off the cuff ranking.

22*) Thor: The Dark World - It's the one Marvel movie I never got around to seeing. I always hear it's terrible and sort of doubles down about what is flawed in the original. Clearly they righted the ship with the third Thor entry embracing Chris Hemsworth's great comic timing, but yeah can't say much about this one cause I've never even seen a scene from it.

21) The Incredible Hulk - Ed Norton was an interesting choice for this role but the movie surrounding him is just incredibly forgettable and like it's Ang Lee predecessor still suffers from inferior CGI technology which isn't convincing at all, It wasn't until Mark Ruffalo's interpretation that you really were able to project a human being behind the hulk. This was just FX gobbley-gook.

20) Thor - Again, not a particularly memorable movie. I do remember Natalie Portman feeling wooden and miscast. The fish-out-of-water stuff with Hemsworth once he comes crashing down to earth is fun, but the attempts to turn this into some sort of Shakespearean drama by director Kenneth Branagh didn't work for me.

19) Captain America: The First Avenger - This may be the first controversial opinion I've had here. Some people adore this one. To me it's a surprisingly hokey entry that doesn't do much for me as an action adventure. I think Chris Evans character works best in more of an ensemble movie where has a contrast to play off of, whereas here he is the whole show.

18) Captain Marvel - This one felt pretty soulless and rudderless to me. It has some pleasures -- Ben Mendelsohn is wryly funny, the '90s jokes land and the de-ageifying is impressive, but I am not sure what makes Brie Larson's character tick and I couldn't help feeling like this movie is mostly table setting for future Marvel movies, a serious flaw that corrupts a lot of these films.

17) Avengers: Age of Ultron - Although I enjoyed James Spader's vocal work as the villain, this was perhaps the inevitable letdown following the home run of The Avengers. The characters' bickering was definitely less charming this time around, and the side characters played by Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor Johnson added little to the mix. It's not a bad movie necessarily, but not an especially memorable one.

16) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - I know I am in the minority on this but I kind of find these movies too cutesy and self-satisfied. The 1970s soundtracks feel pandering and the stakes always feel inconsequential. I am sure they can and will grow on me, but this entry in particular felt like a victory lap far too soon for my tastes.

15) Guardians of the Galaxy - I was more charmed by this one when I saw in theaters, but after a revisit it really starts to lose my interest once all the admittedly entertaining heroes are introduced and unite. I can't begin to tell you what happens in the third act climax and I can't help shaking the feeling that these films are really meant for kids. I mean the Groot stuff? C'mon.

14) Iron Man 2 - This one is pretty reviled and on the bottom of a lot of peoples' lists, but I liked it just fine when it came out back in 2010. Sure it's overstuffed -- and I wish that Mickey Rourke's villain had more of a chance to be fleshed out (it feels like this movie was really pared down in the edit), but Downey Jr. is still a swaggering delight, Don Cheadle is an improvement over Terrence Howard and that race track battle was terrific.

13) Ant-Man and the Wasp - From a special effects perspective this one is one of the best -- the big-to-small-to-big again car chase is one of the best action sequences in all of Marvel, but this film doesn't have the sense of the discovery the first film had and so it just doubles down on the light humor and likable cast. I had a lot of fun with it though, and I do think casting Paul Rudd in this kind of role was a stroke of genius. He, as always, is a delight.

12) Iron Man 3 - A welcome break with formula with this one, which I appreciate. The movie takes risks by really putting Downey Jr's character through the wringer, having the rely on his wits again like he did in the first film, which is kind of what it great. And what they chose to do with Ben Kingsley's villain is another great in-joke. Shane Black may have been the best person to save this trilogy -- although if memory serves the finale might have been a tad redundant with regards to the previous two installments (in other words human heads on CGI bodies).

11) Avengers: Infinity War - There is a lot I love about this gloomy film. Thanos (finally) emerges as one of the more interesting and dynamic villains these movies have ever produced and I appreciate that the film ends on such a somber note. But, and this is a big butt, some of the character clashes in here are more grating than fun, it's not exactly a movie with a lot of narrative surprises up its sleeve (we all knew Thanos was going to collect every stone) so its essentially a very good trailer to it's follow up.

10) Doctor Strange - Probably one of the most visually dynamic of all the Marvel films, with a truly unique character at its center -- Benedict Cumberbatch's smarmy surgeon turned sorcerer. Some of the East Asian cultural appropriation is probably a bit problematic, but by and large this is smart, engaging mainstream pop entertainment and I'm excited to see how this character evolves in future installments. He was underutilized in the Avengers movies and I think he has the potential to supplant Tony Stark as the de facto leader of the superhero squad.

9) Ant-Man - A delightfully silly movie that is more down-to-earth and accessible than many of the other Marvel movies. I like how it leans into its absurdity more and creates a hero (the always affable Paul Rudd) who is believable and appropriately skeptical about the madness around him. He'd aided by a terrific supporting cast including Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lily and a lovable Michael Pena. This probably the hardest character to pull off and they did it with wonderful humor and style.

8) Captain America: The Winter Soldier - It took me a while to warm up to this one -- I think in part because I never cared much for Bucky or his plight. But I love the homage to 1970s conspiracy thrillers (complete with the casting of Robert Redford in a rare villainous role). In this movie Sam Jackson's Nick Fury finally gets to strut his stuff to full effect and Chris Evans comes into his own as the titular hero whose once cheery facade is permanently changed after the events of this darker entry.

7) Spider-Man: Homecoming - After five movies and two different interpretations I really didn't think it was possible to freshen up the Spider-Man saga, and this movie came around and topped them all (until Spider-Verse came around and topped this and most other superhero movies). Casting an actual youngster -- the extremely likable Tom Holland -- as Spidey was just what these movies needed and this time there's a villain worthy of him -- Michael Keaton's Vulture -- whose motivations and link to Peter Parker make this a very gratifying entry in its own right.

6) Captain America: Civil War - Perhaps I'm on an island with this one but I recall feeling like this was one of the rare Marvel movies (prior to Black Panther) that seemed to be actually be about something. It doesn't go that deep into it but I like that the film attempts to invest real emotional stakes in this struggle between superheroes (where Downey Jr. and Evans' character's relationship takes center stage, as it will again in Endgame). And this features one of the best battle royales in all the Marvel films -- a free-for-all on an airport tarmac.

5) Avengers: Endgame - Sure it's long as hell and perhaps relies a tad to heavily on in-jokes and fan service, but there is no denying how emotionally satisfying this finale of sorts is. It pays homage to Back to the Future part II in particular with a meta time travel subplot and still finds the time to bring certain character's arcs to a logical conclusion. The final fight for the gauntlet is a very well-staged sequence as are others like a jaunt with Hawkeye to Tokyo and a battle between Captain America and himself. And who can't love 'thick' Thor and 'hipster' Hulk?

4) Thor: Ragnarok - One of the biggest and best departures for series was this pure action comedy with a candy colored palate and game cast of scene stealers like Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson as the film's director, Taika Waititi, who voices a hilarious character here. But the star of the show is Chris Hemsworth who finally gets to cut loose and portray Thor as a bit of a doofus, albeit it one yo want to root for. This one probably feels the least burdened by is superherodom and instead functions almost like a throwback to early fantasy films of the 1980s.

3) Iron Man - It started it all and really created the template for everything that followed. This movie worked (and continues to) because it did a tremendous job of establishing the Tony Stark character first (a note perfect Robert Downey, Jr.) and then easing us into the pyrotechnics. I'll never forget the buzz in the audience as Downey Jr and his trusty robot Jarvis try and fail with their Iron Man tech, and once it does work, it's really special. A summer movie classic.

2) The Avengers - The only thing that topped the thrill of that first Iron Man for me in terms of pure comic book spectacle was that 2012 entry that first reunited all these disparate characters in a kind of dysfunctional Ocean's Eleven scenario. Loki makes for a fine funny villain too, and his beat down at the hands of Hulk (who steals this movie) is one of the great movie moments of all time. It's hard to beat in terms of the genuine excitement is created and all credit to Joss Whedon for keeping it coherent.

1) Black Panther - Like I said earlier, it feels weird even including this film on the list, since it's an Oscar-caliber effort that stands on its own as a cinematic achievement. It's nods to the greater Marvel universe are solid but it's the films complex portrait of Wakanda and its people that drive this narrative of new king and a challenger to his thrown. Gorgeous to look at in every way, with real pathos and power behind it, this movie was a game changer that has cast a justifiably big shadow.

RIP Peter Mayhew: He brought beloved Chewbacca to life

Even though he never uttered a single line of traditional dialogue -- Chewbacca has always been one of the most beloved characters in the Star Wars canon and so much of that has to do with the physicality of Peter Mayhew, who sadly passed away today at age 74 following spinal surgery meant to increase his mobility.

A ginormous man (he was 7-foot-3) with a shy demeanor outside of the costume, he was apparently not an actor but a hospital orderly when Lucas discovered him. Mayhew wasn't a traditional movie star type by a mile, but something magic happened when he climbed into that fur suit and his work as the quintessential co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon will continue to enchant audiences for decades.

The character should have been purely silly -- it was inspired by George Lucas' dog after all -- but the way Mayhew filled out that costume made Chewbacca tangible and real (Chewie should never be CGI George) and so Star Wars fans never dismissed him as simply an overgrown puppet.

Obi-Wan Kenobi took him seriously. Han Solo took him seriously. And Luke Skywalker was right to be a little scared of him at first.

He also supplies one of my favorite moments in the original trilogy. In The Empire Strikes Back (which has a lot of classic Chewie scenes) he gives out a plaintive wail when its announced that Han and Luke's fate in the frozen tundra of Hoth is unknown and perilous at best. It's a raw, emotional moment supplied by a character who engenders our affection simply be being affable and irascible throughout all these adventures.

And who could forget Chewie's guffaw which inspires the "laugh it up fuzzball" line from Han, or his frustration at trying to put C-EPO back together again in that same film.

Mayhew of course is wonderful in all these films and it was poignant to see him return in The Force Awakens many years later, although his physical limitations at the time prevented him from shooting scenes where Chewie had to be more mobile.

There's a moment in the first trailer for The Rise of Skywalker (the next installment which brings the current trilogy to a close) where it appears someone, maybe Leia, is holding on to one of the medals Chewie should have received at the end of A New Hope. And there's another moment where Chewie (presumably played by a replacement actor) is back in the co-pilot seat in the Falcon with its original owner Lando Calrissian at the helm, which is probably the most celebrated shot in the whole clip.

Chewie was always getting snubbed and overlooked. From the medal ceremony to the moment in The Force Awakens where Leia appeared to snub him in aftermath of Han's death (director JJ Abrams later conceded this a mistake).

But hopefully now Peter Mayhew will get his due. He inhabited a role that very people ever could and created a character that will always be a source of joy. Chewbacca was just pure fun, not necessarily complex -- but a welcome presence at all times.

A lot of folks will be doing his signature roar tonight.