The spooky season coverage continues with the top 10 horror films of the 2000s! In a decade full of excellent remakes and bold new genre favourites, it was tough to whittle it down to just 10 – but these are the best of the best, representing the scariest, goriest and straight out terrifying films of the decade. While there may be a few notable omissions (sorry American Psycho, we still love you) these are the films that continue to haunt us, making us check under the bed and in the closet for chainsaw wielding maniacs and mutant cannibals. We’ve even snuck a few hidden gems in that might make their way into your annual Halloween rotation, just make sure to see them on an empty stomach!
10. Final Destination (2000)
New Line Cinema, 2000
Fans of the Saw and Wrong Turn franchises owe a lot to Final Destination for raising the bar in Hollywood horror deaths. An extension of the teen slasher films popularised during the 90s, the film adds an intriguing spin on the genre, by making Death itself the killer; picking off the cast in increasingly complex and clever ways. After witnessing a vision of the plane he has boarded crashing shortly after takeoff, Alex Browning (Devon Sawa) and several of his classmates are unceremoniously thrown off the flight, shortly before that vision becomes a reality and the plane explodes. As the few survivors are slowly taken out through a series of “accidents”, Alex begins to suspect that Death is catching up to them as punishment for missing the flight and must team up with his friends to circumvent their gruesome, untimely demises. While the franchise went on to have some truly spectacular and over-the-top death scenes in future instalments, the original film remains the best, giving the characters real depth as they struggle with their different approaches to the grief and guilt they feel after surviving the plane wreck. That isn’t to say that the deaths aren’t incredibly engaging; long, slow sequences that ratchet up the tension and keep you guessing with multiple red herrings before dropping the final hammer. The music also adds immensely to the film, giving the invisible Death its own eery musical cues that make the hairs on your neck stand up as you start scanning the room for instruments of doom. More than anything, Final Destination is a fun horror film, filled with enjoyable characters and deaths that will make you scream and wait with bated breath for the next inventive fatality.
9. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Strike Entertainment/Universal Pictures, 2004
Before they were tackling two of the biggest super-hero properties of the modern age, writer James Gunn and director Zack Snyder were in the somewhat unenviable position of remaking the definitive zombie movie of all time for modern audiences: George Romero’s 1978 masterpiece Dawn of the Dead. The duo retains the core narrative of survivors of the initial zombie outbreak sheltering in an abandoned shopping mall but they wisely update it for modern audiences, adding in a larger and more diverse cast of characters that play off your classic horror stereotypes in fun and interesting ways (look out for Modern Family’s own Phil Dunphy in a completely different type of role). The late, great Ving Rhames steals the show here as badass security guard Kenneth, a tough-as-nails fighter who has no time for anyone else’s problems at first but who comes to tolerate and respect these people once the gravity of the situation reveals itself and their shared predicament bonds them. Like the original, Dawn of the Dead is at its best when the zombie’s gory goodness is on full display with flesh being torn apart and heads popping off in spectacularly over-the-top fashion that rivals original makeup and effects artist Tom Savini’s work. It doesn’t quite reinvent the genre, but it does provide a fun update to one of the greatest horror films of all time that respects the source material and keeps you engaged by throwing new zombified problems at our characters at every turn. Forget the zombie dogs, all hail the rise of the zombie baby!
8. House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
Universal Pictures, 2003
Rob Zombie’s films can be somewhat divisive amongst horror fans. The man certainly commits to his heavy metal roots with a distinct style that borders on an experimental film. Colours flash and images fade in and out of negative as we cut randomly to scenes of the backwards hillbillies dancing, and linger on scenes long enough to make even the most hardened horror veteran slightly uncomfortable. House of 1000 Corpses remains Zombie’s best film due to its utter commitment to the madness; a 2000s update of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre with more creativity in its kills and some absolutely bonkers twists in the second half. When two young couples travelling across America in search of the country’s greatest roadside attractions come across Captain Spaulding’s (Sid Haig doing his best attempt at a demented Colonel Sanders) Haunted House, they jump at the chance to learn more about the local legend of Dr Satan, leading them to a literal house of horrors, filled to the brim with psychopathic rednecks hell-bent on inflicting all sorts of horrific torture on their victims. The first hour of the film deftly weaves together Zombie’s twisted sense of humour with graphic, almost fetishised violence, but it is the final thirty minutes of the film that are pure slasher pulp, filled with excellent practical effects and edge of your seat chase scenes. Once you lay eyes on that legendary doctor though, I dare say you may never forget it; I know I’ve had plenty of nightmares featuring the macabre man himself.
7. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
New Line Cinema, 2003
Tobe Hooper’s iconic 1974 classic is a film held in high regards by many horror fans, bringing audiences face to face with the chainsaw wielding maniac Leatherface for the first time. Marcus Nispel’s 2003 film is a surprisingly competent remake, recreating that same sense of dread as you hear that chainsaw slowly whirring to life in the distance while expanding on the original’s lore with some cannibalistic new additions to the skin-wearing baddie’s family. Heroine Erin (Jessica Biel) almost outdoes Marilyn Burns’ original lead performance in fact, with more intelligence in those tricky situations and the ability to run in a straight line instead of flailing about as Leatherface (Andrew Bryniarski) steamrolls after her. Speaking of Leatherface, there’s more than enough of the big guy here to satiate series fans, with all the gore and carnage that you’d expect to come from his deadly weapon. The real star however is R. Lee Ermey’s Sherriff Hoyt, a chilling presence who is completely unhinged and whose motivations slowly come to life as his penchant for violence increases. It may not be as good as the original (rare few remakes actually are) but this is still an incredibly fun ride through those familiar Texas backwoods, and one of the best horror remakes ever made.
6. Saw (2004)
Twisted Pictures/Lionsgate, 2004
Before James Wan was helming the action movie madness of the Fast & Furious franchise, he was the fledgling young director behind a 2004 sleeper hit that altered the landscape of modern horror. With a budget of $1.2m, a small cast and a young director, the film really needed to bring something special to the table to cut through the crowd. Wan struck this sweet spot with Saw, a twisted psychological thriller that explored the limits of desperate survival and its gruesome consequences. Before a series of increasingly gory sequels left the plot behind, the original filmplaced strangers Adam (Leigh Whannell) and Lawrence (Cary Elwes) in an abandoned basement with (what appears to be) a recently murdered third man. Chained to the wall with a deadly time limit in place, the pair’s only means to escape was left on the floor between them – a rusty handsaw. It’s a very simple setting and concept that represents the film’s small scale and budget, yet Saw set itself apart with a chilling atmosphere, constant intensity and a series of creative twists. In a genre where so many half-baked ideas and low budget efforts fall by the wayside, Saw was the hit the industry needed to bring this type of horror into the mainstream in the early 2000’s. Releasing in the following two years, Saw II and Saw III capitalised on this success with more gruesome traps and last-second twists before the series inevitably grew stale as instalments kept coming. Despite this, the initial outing is still one of the most infamous horror releases of the decade – just be sure not to fire up a series marathon over dinner.
5. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Universal Pictures, 2004
Well here’s an entry on the list that isn’t quite like the others. As one of the most critically acclaimed films of the decade, 2004’s Shaun of the Dead is not the first movie most would think of when horror is the subject. Netting a modest sum in cinemas, the film grew to become a cult hit in the years since its release as one of the best comedy-horror mashups of all time. The decidedly British tale follows average-joe appliance salesman Shaun (Simon Pegg) and his unemployed layabout best-friend Ed (Nick Frost) as they attempt to outrun a quickly unfolding zombie apocalypse. Desperate to save his under-appreciated girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield) and naïve mother Barbara (Penelope Wilton), Shaun plans a route through the suburbs to what he believes is their last safe haven – the local pub. What ensues is a series of hilarious events as the well-meaning Shaun is constantly running into the shambling dead, all while trying to manage a crew of onlookers who are quick to provide criticism whenever his plans go up in smoke. While there are a number of physical setups that drive the laughs, the real magic comes from director Edgar Wright’s writing. The lines are instantly quotable from characters that are refreshingly relatable when compared to most other zombie flicks – plus there’s a few genuinely bittersweet moments that cut through both the laughs and the scares to give the film some much-needed heart. While it certainly doesn’t have the terrifying scares of other films on this list, Shaun of the Dead is a horror movie painted thick with smart, well-written and wholehearted comedy. It conquers a genre mix that has never been done as well again and, unless you can find another movie in which legendary British actor Bill Nighy is struck in the head with a cricket bat in his lounge room, you’ll be hard-pressed finding anything quite like Shaun of the Dead.
4. The Strangers (2008)
Rogue Pictures, 2008
Few things are as frightening as the possibility of intruders. People lurking within your house, invading your privacy and completely shattering your illusion of safety. For young couple James (Scott Speedman) and Kristen (Liv Tyler) that nightmare has become a reality as they find their isolated holiday home beset upon by three masked individuals who want nothing more than to torment their victims for as long as possible before ending it all. A taut, high tension game of cat-and-mouse from beginning to end, the film is at its best (and scariest) when the attackers are stalking their prey, fading in and out of the shadows within the house unbeknownst to the occupants; a white mask that is there one minute and gone the next. It’s horrifying stuff that will have you checking every corner of the room before heading to bed. Once the couple begins to realise what is happening, the film puts the pedal to the metal as the trio of intruders prove to be not just good at hiding but also extremely clever (a rarity for the horror genre); thwarting escape attempt after escape attempt, constantly getting your hopes up and dashing them. Perhaps scariest of all is the lack of motivation. There is no complex reason for wanting these people dead nor any particular reason they were chosen to be attacked; it was simply a matter of the wrong place at the wrong time. Despite only being very loosely “based on true events”, that opening line seeps into your brain and gives The Strangers true staying power, implanting a terrible thought in your mind that will have you thinking about it long after the credits roll: could this happen to me?
3. The Ring (2002)
Dreamworks Pictures, 2002
Hollywood has a history of bastardising their attempts at remaking foreign films (Oldboy anyone?) which makes director Gore Verbinski’s interpretation of the 1998 Japanese classic Ringu all the more impressive. Led by a pitch-perfect performance from Naomi Watts, The Ring is less of a through and through horror film and more of a mystery with horror elements. While that might sound like a bit of a cheat to include on the list, the creepy atmosphere that it builds is so haunting and infecting that it gets under your skin better than most “pure” horror films. The Ring crosses that barrier into a truly excellent film regardless of genre, telling the tale of Watts’ Rachel, a single mother whose niece is found dead one week after watching a mysterious video tape. As Rachel’s investigation into her niece’s death goes deeper, she enlists the help of her ex-boyfriend Noah (Martin Henderson) and the pair begin to uncover a terrifying tale of ghostly spirits and child abuse as they race against the clock to avoid their own grisly demises within the week. Watts and Henderson’s chemistry is excellent; subtle and moving in all the right places, with a side-story of Noah reconnecting with his son and the possibility of the family unit reuniting working to ground the characters and provide the audience with an easy way to get invested. Once the ghostly occurrences become more frequent and the mystery begins to reveal itself, The Ring becomes a non-stop ride of tension right till the very end; a chilling tale that will surely become an annual favourite come spooky season.
2. The Hills Have Eyes (2006)
20th Century Fox/Craven-Maddalena Films, 2006
The Hills Have Eyes is a disgusting film. A remake of seminal horror director Wes Craven’s sophomore feature, the film follows a particularly unfortunate American family who make a detour through the New Mexico desert on their way to San Diego, only to be waylaid by a family of hideous cannibals, mutated generations earlier by atomic bomb testing in the area during the 70’s. There’s a certain uncleanliness to the film that comes across in every aspect, whether that be the barren, filthy desert setting, littered with bones and viscera, or the make-up and effects work on the cannibals to make them look truly nightmare inducing. However by the time the hour mark hits, the whole affair takes a shift into truly unsettlingly disgusting territory, and boy does it do it well. The RV attack scene will have you reaching for the nearest bucket to throw up in, shielding your eyes from the horrors you are seeing. This is not one for the weak stomached and even less for the easily frightened. Scenes and characters from The Hills Have Eyes have haunted me for almost 15 years since I first laid eyes upon them. They’ve kept me up at night and stopped me from eating. If you consider yourself a horror aficionado then give it a go, but don’t come crying to me when you can’t sleep for a month afterwards.
1. The Descent (2005)
Celador Films/Pathe UK, 2005
Few films capture the terror and crushing isolation of claustrophobia as well as The Descent. The film, which follows five women trapped on a spelunking adventure into a cave system in the Appalachian Mountains, would be horrifying enough even without the addition of Gollum-like creatures lurking in the depths, ready to rip apart anything foolish enough to enter their nest. What separates The Descent from your typical monster movie is director/writer Neil Marshall’s commitment to creating fully fledged, well rounded characters, led by a fantastic performance from Shauna MacDonald. MacDonald truly shines as the traumatised Sarah, a year on from losing her husband and daughter in an accident and still grieving as she joins her friends in an attempt to recapture her adrenaline-fuelled former life. The interplay between these women is at the centre of this horrific journey and they are all intelligent characters with genuinely useful skills in escaping the cave, whether that be through fighting skills, medical training or situational awareness. No one ever feels like they are there simply to add to the body-count which makes it all the more horrifying when they start getting picked off one by one in increasingly gruesome ways. The creatures that stalk them are engines of pure death, existing only to feed, and the violence they inflict is extremely gritty and confronting, catapulting them to top-tier movie creepy crawlies. The Descent is something of a hidden gem in the horror genre nowadays but this a masterfully executed, tight-wire walk of tension and violence that deserves a bigger following and your attention now.
It’s October which means that the spooky season is officially upon us! We’ve put together the 10 best horror films of the 2010s to kick things off, including some of the goriest, most nightmare inducing entries to ever grace the genre. So sit back, grab some popcorn or a nice bloody steak and enjoy some or all of the entries on the list; you’re guaranteed to have a blast… or ongoing psychological trauma.
10. The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
Lionsgate, 2011
Not in the mood for a really heavy horror film? Feel like something a little light? Then look no further than The Cabin in the Woods, a horror comedy that blurs the two lines between those two genres so perfectly that you’re never without a giant grin on your face. The genre stereotype of a group of teenagers partying together at a secluded house in the woods is given a new lease on life with an added big brother twist that sees a shadowy government organisation attempting to kill our heroes by dropping all manor of nasties into the cabin and surrounding forest. While it is a little light on genuinely scary moments, majority of the fun in The Cabin in the Woods comes from the sense of anticipation it creates as you try to guess what new horror is about to drop into the mix; leading to an absolutely insane and gory finale that might not deliver a satisfying conclusion for some, but sticks to its guns in defying expectations. Look out for one of Chris Hemsworth’s earliest pre-Thor performances, as well as hilarious, scene stealing turns from veterans Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford.
9. IT (2017)
New Line Cinema, 2017
What a monumental task it was to adapt the behemoth of a novel that Stephen King’s IT is and make it palatable for modern audiences. Andy Muschietti did just that with his two-film opus and, while the second film might be a bit too bloated in sections and lackluster in the scare department, the first is absolutely superb in establishing an atmosphere of pure tension and terror upon our seven main children protagonists and the iconic Pennywise the Clown (Bill Skarsgard). The film straddles the line between drama and horror, giving you plenty of time with each of the main protagonists to really understand their interplay within the group and what makes them tick; drilling down to their core fears that feed the evil Clown preying on the otherwise peaceful rural town of Derry, Maine. The attachment the film gives the audience to these children means when the scares hit, they hit hard, with particularly powerful performances from Jack Dylan Grazer and Sophia Lillie highlighting just how much more scary things can be to children, sometimes helpless in the world around them when adults turn a blind eye. What knocks the film down a few pegs is its over-reliance on jump scares, particularly in the sound mixing, with a burst of harsh strings blaring out anytime anything remotely chilling happens. It knocks you off balance and lessens the scares considerably as they repeat the trick right throughout, which is particularly disappointing given how utterly terrifying these scenes are without these tricks. Some of the scenes in IT are so ingrained in my brain at this point that I can see them when I close my eyes at night (a particularly annoying bedtime routine) and if that isn’t a testament to how truly frightening the core idea of this film is, then I don’t know what else is.
8. Evil Dead (2013)
TriStar Pictures, 2013
When talks began of a reboot of Sam Raimi’s beloved horror comedy The Evil Dead there was a resoundingly mixed response. This was one of the last of the iconic 80’s horror franchises to get the remake treatment and by dropping the comedy aspect entirely to embrace the horrific nature of its story it also becomes one of the best. Gone is franchise star Bruce Campbell, replaced by Jane Levy’s Mia; a college student struggling with addiction who is brought to her family’s secluded cabin by her brother and friends in order to detox from the cocktail of drugs in her system. When the group stumbles upon the ancient “Book of the Dead” and (in typical horror fashion) start reading, all manner of ancient ghouls and evil entities arise to torment the group. Fede Alvarez’ debut English language feature may just be one of the goriest films ever made. We’re talking arms dismembered with bread knives, faces cut open with shards of glass; truly horrifying stuff. Yet everything moves at such a fast pace and the film draws on the audiences fascination with the “Book of the Dead” and the new horrors that are unveiled with every new passage read that you never really get too tied up in any one scene to the point where the violence feels like overkill. Don’t get me wrong – this is definitely not for the squeamish and you should proceed with caution, but those that finish will be rewarded with a completely different take on the original source material that respects what came before while overhauling it for modern horror audiences to terrific results.
7. What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
Unison Films, 2014
Before he burst onto the mainstream scene with blockbuster’s like Thor: Ragnarok and Jojo Rabbit, Academy award-winning director Taika Waititi was making low-budget horror-comedy gold in his home country of New Zealand with What We Do in the Shadows. The vampire comedy, framed as a mockumentary in the style of The Office, is a masterclass in subtle, nuanced humour that only gets better on repeat viewings as you uncover more and more of the mile a minute jokes that are impossible to uncover on a single viewing. We follow vampire flatmates Viago (Waititi), Vladislav (Jermaine Clement) and Deacon (Johnny Brugh) as they take us on a tour of New Zealand’s vampire hotspots and give us an inside look into the day-to-day activities of vampires. It’s a truly hilarious introspective into what would otherwise be mundane but, when looked at through the eyes of a vampire, take on so much more life. Something as simple as opening the curtains becomes a life and death gamble if the sun is out and a pile of uncleaned bloody dishes in the sink becomes a major hassle when you’re trying to seduce new victims to your house to suck their blood. The core cast are all fantastic, with the witty back-and-forth banter never stopping and the introduction of a colourful cast of supporting characters like recently turned vampire Nick (Cori Gonzalez-Macuer) and leader of local werewolf group Anton (Rhys Darby) to flesh out the hilarious supernatural underworld of New Zealand. If you haven’t seen What We Do in the Shadows yet and find you can’t handle the scary stuff, then this is the film for you. Do yourself a favour after and dive into the excellent TV show of the same name currently airing. Thank me later.
6. The Witch (2015)
A24, 2015
Production designer turned director Robert Eggers’ debut film The Witch is an enthralling slow burn period piece that seeps into your brain as you watch and quietly takes you into its clutches, building your connection to a struggling New England family before ripping the rug out from under you and sending your expectations hurtling away. Made with an impeccable attention to detail – from the costumes and sets to the true to the time period dialogue – the film transports you to 1630’s New England, where a young family exiles themselves from their Puritan colony to live a devout Christian life, setting up a farm on the outskirts of a forest. If you’ve seen any horror film you can probably guess that there is something not quite right about the forest but that is where the genre staples end for The Witch. Once we arrive at the farm we rarely leave, with Eggers homing in on the hardships of daily life for the family as they toil away simply to make ends meet. This slow build in tension is only compounded once family members start disappearing and accusations of witchcraft start flying, leading to an absolutely nail-biting, balls-to-the-wall conclusion which will have you transfixed and eager to immediately dive in again to uncover the myriad of secrets Eggers has sprinkled throughout the film.
5. The Conjuring (2013)
New Line Cinema, 2013
Big budget studio horror often misses the mark by placing an over-reliance on the tropes of the genre; mistaking loud telegraphed jump scares and disposable paper thin characters for some sort beloved genre element. It’s understandable to a degree, as these films cost significantly more than typical cheap horror and therefore have to appeal to the broadest possible audience to make their money back. With 2013’s The Conjuring director James Wan showed studios and audiences alike that it was possible to make big budget horror with real, lived-in characters that felt authentic and who the audience could really invest in while also delivering bone chilling scares and sequences simply dripping with tension. Demonologist duo Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) are excellently fleshed out characters whose motivations to help those experiencing the occult are inherently good and don’t require convoluted explanations, leaving plenty of time for spooks. Wan wisely spends a significant portion of the film with the haunted Perron family, showing the loving and caring relationship between siblings and parents and slowly tearing that away as the fear of living in a haunted house slowly chips away at everyone’s happiness and resolve. Once the film hits its stride and the scares start hitting there is really no stopping, with sequence after sequence demonstrating Wan’s excellent understanding and control of the camera and timing of scares. It’s no exaggeration to say that The Conjuring is one of the most genuinely chilling pieces of mainstream horror in recent years, with some of the most unforgettable sequences in horror. I guarantee you’ll never look at “Hide and Seek” the same way again.
4. Midsommar (2019)
A24, 2019
The vast majority of horror films thrive on the darkness. It creates an instant element of dread and foreboding, hiding creatures that lurk in the night and confusing those classic teenage characters stumbling around the haunted house. Ari Aster’s sophomore feature flips that idea on its head, spending almost the entirety of its mammoth runtime in complete, almost blinding light as we follow a group of college students on a trip to an idealistic Swedish colony on the eve of their Midsommar celebrations. Aster’s ability to wring every drop of tension out of the otherwise peaceful situation and slowly build an atmosphere of pure dread is incredible; creeping from mild issues with translation and misunderstandings in cultural traditions to full on cult death rituals and murder plots as the bonds between the group of travelling friends are slowly unwound. Unlike most films of its ilk, Midsommar’s characters are all extremely well written, with interesting interactions and various sub-plots that set them off against each other at a time when the worst thing they could be is divided. Aster plays into the horror trope stereotypes with your typical assortment of characters – the jock, the jerk, the nerd and the final girl – but never dips into the clichés of those characters within the genre, instead poking fun and giving the characters a respectable amount of street smarts that won’t have you yelling orders at the screen. Let’s not forget the absolutely phenomenal performance from British newcomer Florence Pugh, who gives a hauntingly somber performance as Dani, a young girl who has experienced incredible trauma and is slowly coming undone, only to be thrust into this fresh nightmare scenario. It’s a star-making turn that warrants a viewing of the film alone before you even begin to mention the incredible supporting cast, directing and cinematography. Add this to your watch list and let the festivities begin!
3. Halloween (2018)
Universal Pictures, 2018
Another classic horror franchise got the Evil Dead reboot treatment here with Jamie Lee Curtis reprising her role as the most iconic final girl of all time – Laurie Strode – in a new instalment of the Hallloween franchise. Wisely side-stepping the myriad of varying quality sequels, this reboot picks up 40 years after the events of the original John Carpenter classic, with notorious killer Michael Myers safely incarcerated at a mental institution while Laurie deals with a particularly bad case of PTSD. When a pair of prodding podcasters upset the big man with an investigation into the Haddonfield murders, Michael decides to escape his bonds and go on a repeat killing spree in his old neighbourhood; slashing his way through Laurie’s granddaughter Allyson’s (Andi Matichak) friends on the way to a final confrontation with the one that got away herself. Fan service can derail a film of this type by throwing too many Easter eggs and camera winks at the audience, but David Gordon-Green’s film toes the line just right, giving you those moments you’ve come to the expect from the franchise – like a particularly awesome tracking shot that follows Michael through a series of houses on the quest for his weapon of choice – whilst also building the character of Laurie in a meaningful way. This is a woman who was completely traumatised as a young girl and has lived her entire life out of fear and in response to the idea of Michael returning. That’s a fascinating angle that allows Curtis to play with the character and redefine her for a modern age, which she absolutely does as a total badass, ready with all manner of weapons and booby traps to torment her tormentor. This is a prime example of a reboot/sequel to a major franchise done perfectly right; chock-a-block with scares and gore whilst completely justifying its existence by bringing a meaningful and impactful story to these beloved characters. Bring on the rest of the trilogy!
2. The Conjuring 2 (2016)
New Line Cinema, 2016
A follow-up to one of the most successful original horror franchises in recent memory was never going to be an easy win. The history of horror franchises was stacked against director James Wan in that regard. Nevertheless the horror veteran rallied and crafted a perfect follow-up to the demonic hit, following an all new family in Enfield, England experiencing some truly spooky things, who are once again helped by Demonologist duo Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga). Wan, admittedly, doesn’t change his style too dramatically and the film has something of a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality, but when your first film was as successful and genuinely terrifying as The Conjuring was you can’t blame him. Where Wan improves upon the original is in the effectiveness of the scares. They alternate between elaborate, camera shifting anomalies – like teenage girl Janet (Madison Wolfe) sinking through the floor and appearing on the ceiling in the room below – to simple yet extremely effective spooks that rely on camera angles shifting back and forth until something goes bump in the night. The characters are all once again incredibly well fleshed out and the dynamic within the Hodgson family is instantly recognisable and relatable, to the point that they become our main characters more so than the Warrens. That isn’t to say that the Warren’s aren’t key players here and Farmiga in particular is excellent as Lorraine begins to experience visions of future calamities and is slowly unhinged and tormented by a sinister entity. What makes The Conjuring 2 so chilling and memorable is the imagery. There’s a now instantly recognisable iconography of “The Nun” (before the crappy spin-off) and the leather armchair in the Hodgson residence that will make the hairs stand-up on your head whenever you hear the squeak of a leather seat. There’s a reason that the film spawned a myriad of spin-offs on the strength of two of its key scares alone and while those may vary in quality, there is no denying that The Conjuring 2 is one of the most terrifying and memorable films of the decade.
1.Hereditary (2018)
A24, 2018
Watching Hereditary in a packed theatre was a simply surreal experience. This may be the singularly most unsettling film that I have ever seen, slowly establishing a feeling of unease that creeps over you and seeps into your bones as you witness the horrifying story of the Graham family unfold. Ari Aster delivers one of the best debut features, maybe ever, in this tale of overcoming grief which follows Toni Collette’s Annie on a journey to discover more about her estranged, recently deceased mother who she keeps seeing appear in the shadows of her home. As horrific events after horrific events begin to befall the family, Annie finds herself on a downward spiral to insanity as she struggles to balance the discoveries she is making with a crumbling family structure, leading to a propulsive final few minutes that you will not forget anytime soon. Aster displays such a mastery over the camera here, fading shapes in and out of the shadows and playing with the intensity of the blackness in scenes to the point where you constantly second-guess if what you are seeing is on-screen or simply a product of your imagination. It’s an incredibly effective way of establishing that primal sense of uneasiness – if you can’t trust yourself and your own mind then who can you trust? – and ensures that when the scares do hit they hit like a blow to the head. There is a scene so truly shocking and unexpected that I found myself physically disgusted and unable to shake that feeling for at least the next hour; it sets the tone for what is to come in such an effective way that you never truly feel safe again until the credits roll. If all that isn’t doing it for you then perhaps the fact that the performances are absolutely incredible will, with Toni Colette putting in a criminally-overlooked, award-worthy performance that belongs in the pantheon of great horror performances. Hereditary is not only the most terrifying and shocking horror film of the 2010’s, it may be one of, if not, the most horrifying film ever made. If you consider yourself a true horror fan, then you really can’t skip out on Hereditary any longer. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Christopher Nolan is one of the finest working directors today. It’s an irrefutable fact. The man has made 10 films to date and most, if not all, are excellent pieces of cinema. The man can seemingly do no wrong as far as the box office goes as well, as one of the rare few filmmakers whose films consistently appeal to large audiences and rake in big bucks. Understandably then, with his new film Tenet poised to hit screens Warner Bros is keen to get it to as many people as possible. With the current pandemic sweeping the world this is proving easier said than done with Tenet‘s release date constantly being shifted back. Whilst we may not know for sure when we’ll see Nolan’s latest we do know that his other 10 films are pretty widely available to watch now (Following excluded), so there’s never been a better time to dive into Christopher Nolan’s filmography. We’ve done just that, attempting to rank them all from least to most great. It’s a tight line to walk in some respects and honestly, if you have the time you should check them all out, but if you want to know the best of the best, read on.
10. Following (1999)
Next Wave Films, 1999
Nolan’s first film Following barely even qualifies as one by today’s standards, clocking in at a measly 70 minutes. It is even more impressive then, that Nolan’s debut feature never feels rushed or half-baked; taking its time to lay the important pieces of its twisty narrative and letting certain scenes sit to heighten their impact and hint at connections between story shreds. Following also introduced audiences to Nolan’s obsession with time and non-linear storytelling, two features that would become a staple throughout his career. Here we follow a young nameless writer (Jeremy Theobald). Jobless and hungry for inspiration the writer spends his days targeting random people and following them throughout the streets of London, searching for an interesting story to tell until he begins following Cobb (Alex Haw), a young man who takes the writer under his wing as a burglar, targeting apartments in the middle of the day and taking whatever they want. Cobb is a curious young individual though, and seemingly doesn’t rob to amass riches or things, but rather to disrupt peoples lives and force them to reassess their place in life and the things they consider necessary. When Cobb and the writer burgle a young nameless Blond woman’s (Lucy Russell) house, the writer strikes up an ill-advised romance with her, ingratiating himself further and further into her life until she asks him to burgle something incredibly precious for her. Nolan’s demonstrates an early mastery over story control and shot composition, making what would in lesser hands be an incredibly confusing narrative easy to piece together and understand, whilst keeping you guessing about where it is heading at all times. Whilst the dour ending may not appeal to some, it is nonetheless an incredibly impressive debut feature and an essential viewing in tracing Nolan’s growth into larger, more complex stories.
9. Insomnia (2002)
Warner Bros, 2002
When you think of Christopher Nolan’s later lofty, high-concept work you wouldn’t necessarily expect that the man had tackled a fairly standard cop procedural story before. That’s exactly what Insomnia is, but as is tradition with Nolan, with a twist. Adapted from the 1997 Norwegian film of the same name the story focuses on Al Pacino as Detective Dormer who travels to the small Alaskan town of Nightmute to assist with an investigation into the brutal murder of a young girl. Nightmute is in a curious part of the world however, with daylight stretching on for days on end without darkness, wreaking havoc on Dormer’s sleep schedule and causing him to slowly lose his grasp on reality and rational thinking. This is all exacerbated when a terrible tragedy strikes Dormer and his partner Hap (Martin Donovan) and the killer slowly begins to circle the detective and play with his slowly deteriorating mind. As far as an adaptation goes, Insomnia nails all the right aspects of the original film whilst throwing in a few new tweaks to update the film for English-speaking audiences. Going into this expecting an intriguing murder case however is the wrong mindset as the film is more concerned with analysing the character of Dormer and the slow unravelling of his mind. It works due to the two anchoring, powerhouse performances of Al Pacino and Robin Williams, both of who are on their A-game and willing to show completely different sides of themselves to the audience, particularly Williams. It’s an extremely dark role for the famous comedian and one that he absolutely commits to, instilling his mysterious character with a carefully calculated demeanour and facade that hides the more sinister presence lurking within. Pacino similarly wows as Dormer’s behaviour gets more and more erratic as the case goes on, sacrificing all shreds of morality that he has in order to solve the case and save his soul in the process. Whilst these performances are great, the film does move at a particularly slow pace which may be off-putting to some. If you can stand the length however, you will be rewarded with a rich character study that shows two of the finest actors ever to do it at their peaks.
8. Dunkirk (2017)
Warner Bros, 2017
The main lead in Dunkirk, British soldier Tommy (Fionn Whitehead) tries to go to the bathroom twice in the opening 5 minutes of the film and is stopped short by enemy gunfire. He never tries again and we’re led to believe he held it in the rest of the movie. That’s one of the best ways to describe the experience of Dunkirk, a film that puts you right in the thick of it during the English and French Allies escape from the beach of Dunkirk following a loss at the Battle of France. There’s a constant feeling of dread and tension that seeps into you whilst you watch Dunkirk, almost without you knowing, and it’s only once that final title card comes up that you feel the pure stress you have been under begin to ease. The film is composed of many overlapping story threads that together make one cohesive picture. One arc follows Tommy and a rag tag group of soldiers who attempt to leave the beach on multiple different naval crafts, another puts you in the air with Air Force pilot Farrier (Tom Hardy) as he attempts to protect the boats ferrying soldiers back to Britain, and yet another follows a civilian vessel crewed by local sailor Mr Dawson (Mark Rylance), his son Peter (Tom Glynn-Carney) and local school boy George (Barry Keoghan) as they venture into the deadly waters of Dunkirk to bring back as many soldiers as they can. All of the performances in Dunkirk are phenomenal, there’s no doubt about that, in particular Mark Rylance as a sailor who seems acutely aware of the terror he is sailing into but knows he has a duty to help those who defend his country. The film manages to evoke the horror of war and the constant fear of the enemy without every really showing you the enemy. There are bombs dropped and enemy fighters flying overhead but they are given no face, no human figure to grasp onto and it somehow makes the whole experience that much more terrifying, almost like a horror film. Some unseen force is constantly lurking and even when it isn’t physically there its presence is constantly bearing down on the soldiers and testing their mental strength. Being Nolan he seems determined to play with the timeline here, intentionally showing scenes out of order and at different intervals so that when we see a plane flying overhead in one scene early on we see the converse side of that scene from Farrier’s perspective an hour later. It’s a needless addition here and distracts attention away from the already brilliantly pared back and tense story, a departure for Nolan. Nevertheless Dunkirk is a phenomenal war film that will not soon be forgotten.
7. Memento (2000)
Summit Entertainment, 2000
Of all his time-bending films, Nolan’s sophomore feature Memento is surely his most inventive and unusual, telling the story of Leonard (Guy Pierce), a man on the hunt for his wife’s murderer who suffers from short term memory loss and uses a complex system of polaroids and tattoos to remember information as his memory refreshes every 15 minutes or so. If that weren’t enough of an original plot, the whole film is actually presented in reverse, beginning with Leonard’s assassination of a man and following the events preceding that murder. Now when I say reverse I don’t mean some opening death followed by a record scratch with a character exclaiming “How did I get here?”. I mean quite literally backwards, with chunks of story preceding the murder interspersed with footage of Leonard in a hotel room hunting for clues which eventually come together and meet up to tell the story of the day before the murder. If you think that this is ridiculous and that you already know the plot let me assure you that not only is this a reasonable assumption (I said the same thing) but trust me when I say you do not know where this is going, as the films closing scenes flip the entire story on its head. Guy Pierce gives a career-best performance here as the forgetful Leonard, a man incapable of making new memories since the moment of his accident but with an acute memory of his wife’s murder and a singular drive to exact revenge on her killer. Joining Leonard on his loopy ride are Carrie-Ann Moss as a young bartender who has her life completely changed by Leonard’s mission and Joe Pantoliano as Teddy, a man whose allegiance is constantly in question but who seems determined to help Leonard catch his man. Memento is one of those films where the hype around the film threaten to overshadow the film itself, but missing out on this one would be doing yourself a disservice. This is the film that put Christopher Nolan on the map, and rightly so, as it is one of the most inventive and unique stories that you will ever experience, with a conclusion so satisfying and unexpected that it justified the man being handed the keys to the kingdom of Batman (more on that later).
6. Interstellar (2014)
Warner Bros, 2014
Yes, I know the twist in Interstellar is divisive and a bit of a cop-out to some but I happen to love it. Nolan’s most earnest and emotionally devastating film places human interaction and one particular family’s struggle to carry the fate of an entire civilization at the heart of its space opera story: a warm counterpoint to the otherwise sterile, cold intergalactic adventures that the genre is known for. Regardless of your thoughts on the ending you can’t deny that the preceding three hours of Interstellar are a visually breathtaking spectacle and a solidly paced mystery that intrigues from the outset and breaks you down in the same way as Matthew McConaughey’s emotionally scarred astronaut Coop. Coop’s family is irreversibly changed when he is asked to venture out into the cosmos in order to find an inhabitable planet for the human race to continue, leaving behind his son Tom (Timothee Chalamet) and daughter Murph (Mackenzie Foy). His journey is further complicated by the increased passing of times in different parts of the galaxy, causing Coop and the rest of his crew – scientists Brand (Anne Hathaway) and Doyle (Wes Bentley) – to age far more slowly than the people they have left behind on Earth. The central relationship of Interstellar is between Coop and his children (played by Jessica Chastain and Casey Affleck as adults) and the almost insurmountable guilt Coops bears for leaving them, knowing that it is also the only way that they will ever have a future. McConaughey is phenomenal and the scenes where he is allowed to sit with these feelings and become unhinged are Oscar-worthy. Frequent Nolan collaborator Hans Zimmer also returns to score the film, crafting another booming, epic score that highlights all the huge moments while also creating the perfect melancholy soundtrack to Coop’s internal struggles. Interstellar asks for a commitment from the audience: to stick through its almost oppressive runtime and to embrace the human themes that Nolan is placing at the forefront. If you go in with an open mind and enjoy the ride it can be one of the most rewarding and fun sci-fi experiences in recent memory.
5. The Prestige (2006)
Warner Bros, 2006
The Prestige may just feature a plot and setting better suited to Nolan’s style than any other on this list. The nineteenth-century thriller follows rival magicians Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) as they engage in increasingly desperate attempts to outdo each other following a tragic accident that drove them apart many years earlier. As a tale built around old-school stage magic, this is a film that hinges on misdirection, tricking the audience and providing last minute reveals that throw all your expectations to the wind. These tropes have Christopher Nolan written all over them, and it’s clear he’s revelled in crafting the complex drama that always has one more ace up its sleeve. Jackman falls right into his element as a charismatic showman that soaks up the spotlight, yet he also brings an edge and intensity that hint at what he eventually dug into during 2013’s Prisoners. Similarly, Bale is also at the top of his game here, playing to his strengths as a layered and complicated character that saw the actor lead Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. The core of The Prestige comes down to the intense and increasingly hostile battle between these two incredibly different characters, however the downtime between their sabotage attempts and dramatic reveals does tend to weigh on the film over its two-hour runtime. Supporting roles filled by the likes of Scarlett Johansson, Michael Caine and even the late David Bowie do well to propel things forward, but the real heights of the story come and go like flashes of lightning only to be followed by lengthy stretches of downtime before the next exciting act. While definitely a slow-burn, The Prestige is still Christopher Nolan deep within his element – an intense thriller that keeps you guessing right up until the final curtain falls.
4. Inception (2010)
Warner Bros, 2010
Nolan’s most original piece of work and highest grossing film outside the Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception is a fantastic sci-fi espionage romp with a killer conceit: Leonardo DiCaprio’s Cobb leading a team through the dreams of a corporate bigwig in order implant the idea of breaking up his father’s company in his subconsciousness, thus ensuring Ken Watanabe’s company’s continued survival. There’s a lot on the line for Cobb; who was forced to flee his native America after being accused of the murder of his wife Molly (Marion Cotillard), whose memory stalks Cobb and the team throughout the dreams he enters, threatening to bring the whole operation down and dooming Cobb to prison. It’s a tightly wound, expertly crafted story that constantly makes you question what you know and toys with the idea of reality in a way that hadn’t been seen before and which numerous films have drawn inspiration from (I’m looking at you Doctor Strange) with buildings folding in on themselves and gravity fluctuating and reversing as the team ventures deeper and deeper into the mind. Whilst most will remember it for the inventive story Inception also has one of the best casts assembled in recent years including Michael Caine, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and a young Tom Hardy before he broke big. Whilst it is well and truly DiCaprio’s show here, Page, Gordon-Levitt and Hardy all get their chances to shine, with the latter two rising to superstar status following these performances. Cilian Murphy also gets to showcase an impressive emotional range; an opportunity that he had previously not been afforded by Nolan, as the tortured heir to a fortune who must break down the troubled relationship he had with his father and come to understand forgiveness in order to move forward. Let’s not forget the amazing score by Hans Zimmer who practically reinvented the epic film score going forward with booming horns spaced between quieter string sections. Inception may also include his finest single piece of music in the phenomenal “Time” which works as well on its own as it does as a part of the score and never fails to transport you to a dream-like state.
3. Batman Begins (2005)
Warner Bros, 2005
The first piece of what would go on to become Nolan’s defining trilogy, Batman Begins was a huge turning point for both the acclaimed director and the industry as a whole at the time. Before the 2005 blockbuster was released, superhero movies were definitely not the bankable sure-fire hits that we expect today – especially when these films featured Gotham City’s Batman. The late 80’s and early 90’s saw some passable Tim Burton interpretations in Batman and Batman Returns, both proving too much for 1995’s Batman Forever to live up to. Yet the wheels well and truly fell off with 1997’s Batman & Robin, a circus of terrible one-liners, cheesy overacting and a wooden George Clooney inexplicably donning a bat costume with nipples built onto it. With such a grim history, it was safe to say that expectations were low when Nolan’s Batman Begins attempted to reboot the troubled hero’s film career almost a decade later. However, against all odds, it was just plain brilliant. The franchise was finally represented as the dark, gritty psychological thriller that had defined it off-screen for years, with Nolan’s signature style transforming the hero from a corny joke into a multilayered, complex action star. Christian Bale seems almost born for the role as Batman, bringing a quiet confidence to Bruce Wayne by day and a brooding intensity to the dark vigilante by night. Michael Caine has since become synonymous with loyal butler and caretaker Alfred Pennyworth, and both Cillian Murphy and Liam Neeson bring grounded performances to otherwise outrageous villains in Scarecrow and Ra’s al Ghul respectively. It’s certainly a lengthy start to the trilogy and you tend to feel it at times, but the time spent here building Batman from the ground up pays off immensely throughout the film and the trilogy as a whole. Following entries would go on to perfect the formula, however Batman Begins will always be the huge gamble that kickstarted the silver screen’s superhero renaissance that we’ve been living in ever since.
2. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Warner Bros, 2012
As the third and final entry in Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, TheDark Knight Rises also proved to be the riskiest. Introducing new heroes, villains and storylines into its almost three-hour runtime would be difficult at the best of times, but the film also needed to deliver on years of development with a fitting conclusion. As expected, TheDark Knight Rises went on to round out the trilogy with a bang, rising to reach the same record-breaking heights as its predecessor did in 2008. Bale once again effortlessly delivers the lead role as Bruce Wayne and his cloaked alter ego, especially in the more focused scenes where he’s forced to pull himself together, broken in both body and spirit. New entries Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) and Officer John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) are woven in perfectly, seamlessly slotting into the plot and fleshing out more of the famous comic characters. The return of franchise favourites Gary Oldman, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman is also a treat, and each of their characters are given fitting conclusions to arcs as the hero’s allies. The plot itself is a lengthy tale that explores both Batman’s history and legacy, with much of the film driven by Tom Hardy’s brutal and imposing Bane. As a character, Tom Hardy delivers Bane as a fierce and immovable force that stands tall as one of Batman’s toughest enemies to date. However as TheDark Knight Rises moves toward its grand ending, his character begins to lose steam when paired with another new entry, Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard). Cotillard did the best with what she was given, however she was unfortunately saddled with a fairly generic character whose greatest twist was a known factor for anyone remotely familiar with the franchise. It doesn’t detract too much from the rest of the film, but the character is almost completely forgotten in a film already juggling so much. Despite this minor gripe however, The Dark Knight Rises easily brings a triumphant end to Nolan’s revival of the world’s greatest detective, setting an incredibly high standard for not only superhero franchises, but any action thriller worth its salt going forward.
1. The Dark Knight (2008)
Warner Bros, 2008
The fact that The Dark Knight takes first place upon our list of Christopher Nolan films will come as little surprise to most. The second chapter in the director’s Batman trilogy has left a huge legacy for reasons both triumphant and tragic, and it would be hard to find anyone unfamiliar with the film on at least some level. After the runaway success of Batman Begins, Nolan set out to raise the bar even higher by expanding the roster, dialing up the action and delivering constant, adrenaline-pumping tension. Christian Bale reprises his role as the billionaire crime-fighter alongside Michael Caine’s Alfred Pennyworth, Gary Oldman’s Jim Gordon and Morgan Freeman’s Lucius Fox, with each bringing the experience and pedigree we’d seen during their initial outing. Aaron Eckhart joins the cast as Harvey Dent, performing well alongside a re-cast Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) to bring the infamous origin story of Two-Face to life. Yet it’s impossible to discuss The Dark Knight without mentioning the incredible, Oscar-winning performance by Heath Ledger as the infamous Joker. Ledger embodies the enigmatic villain in every scene, creating a character so unique and interesting that Hollywood has since become obsessed with replicating it. Yet Batman’s arch enemy has never been as strong as he is here within The Dark Knight, where his manic and erratic nature mask the fact that he’s always the smartest man in the room. From the film’s intense opening to its dramatic conclusion, the audience is always led to believe that the Joker is a criminal mastermind with nothing to lose – and Ledger just makes it an absolute blast to watch. It’s unfortunate that we’ll never know just what he may have brought to the table for the trilogy’s finale, however it’s safe to say that his final big screen performance will always be remembered as an absolute masterclass. Between stellar characters like these alongside some breakneck pacing, explosive action and a timeless plot, The Dark Knight is not just Nolan’s greatest work to date, but easily one of the greatest films of the past generation.
Judd Apatow has been around comedy his whole life and it shows with an extensive background in stand-up comedy and a long list of producing credits which extend to some of the best comedies of all time – including Anchorman, Bridesmaids and Step Brothers to name just a few. He’s also not afraid of getting behind the camera and has proven himself something of a surefire bet on the film front, helming some of the most beloved comedies of the last 15 years. With a keen focus on stories about everyday people and their ordinary struggles, told through the eyes of witty, often down-on-their-luck characters who must master themselves in order to succeed, Apatow has perfected a particular brand of crude, reference-heavy humour and made stars of many of today’s leading talents including Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Amy Schumer and his own wife Leslie Mann. With his newest, potentially star-making film on the horizon; the Pete Davidson starring The King of Staten Island, we thought it was the perfect time to journey back through Apatow’s filmography and get you up-to-speed before you check out his latest.
5. Funny People (2009)
Universal Pictures, 2009
Apatow’s comedies always try to find humour in everyday life. That has always been his defining characteristic and something that, up until Funny People, had always seemed to work. By basing the humour around everyday-life, you also have to address the fact that not everything in life is funny and find ways to work these elements into the films to further the character’s journeys and not depress the audience. Having done that successfully twice before, Apatow decided to steer further away from the comedy here and into “dramedy” territory as we follow popular stand-up comic George Simmons (Adam Sandler) in the twilight of his career and on the verge of receiving a cancer diagnosis that forces him to re-evaluate his whole life. Fame has left Simmons sad and alone so he employs aspiring stand-up Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) as his assistant to help him get his affairs in order and to form a genuine bond with someone. The pair’s adventures eventually lead Simmons down memory lane and inspire him to attempt to reconnect with former flame and the love of his life Laura (Leslie Mann) in a last ditch attempt to give his life meaning before he goes to the great beyond. Funny People’s biggest problem – and only Apatow film with this problem – is that it doesn’t live up to its title: it is not funny. This is a film with a heavy focus on stand-up comedy; placing some of the best comedians of the day in these roles – Aziz Ansari, Jonah Hill, Aubrey Plaza – and none of the jokes are even remotely chuckle-worthy. We are meant to believe that Ira is awful at the job with his middling sets focusing on bad sex and fart jokes, but even when he “gets better” the jokes don’t actually improve. Such lacklustre performance by the majority of the cast means that the brunt of the work falls on Adam Sandler and it’s not right to expect him to bear that burden whilst also shouldering this dark, dramatic storyline. The plot essentially serves as a walk down memory lane for the Sandman, with Simmons’s past movies echoing his own with shades of Billy Madison and The Waterboy amongst them. The issue here is that Sandler plays such a wholly unlikeable character who expects the world to shift around him and attempts to break up his ex-girlfriend’s family in order to find some happiness. It’s almost impossible to root for the guy and instead of trying to steer him towards the light Apatow doubles down on Simmons’ hateful side, stopping any empathetic reaction from the audience and shifting their support to Ira, who just isn’t developed enough as a character to lead the story. The only bright spark in the whole film comes from Eric Bana as the clueless, ridiculously over-the-top Australian husband of Laura, who steals absolutely every scene he is in.
4. Trainwreck (2015)
Universal Pictures, 2015
2015’s Trainwreck marked a turning point for Apatow as the first film he directed that he didn’t write himself. That credit goes to the film’s star Amy Schumer whose career shot into the stratosphere on the back of this raunchy romantic comedy about the relationship-phobic Amy (Schumer) who, against her better judgement, begins to fall for smart, down-to-earth doctor-to-the-stars Aaron (Bill Hader); a decision which forces her to reevaluate her life’s trajectory and leave behind the string of one night stands she has become accustomed to. Despite not being written by him, Trainwreck bears most of the hallmarks of an Apatow flick, even the bad ones. Clocking in at a meaty 2 hours, the film certainly feels the length at times but the endearing characters at the centre of the romance, particularly Bill Hader, and the typically solid jokes do enough to offset the runtime. Trainwreck actually might be Apatow’s least funny film but unlike Funny People it almost feels intentional as the script is clearly something intensely personal for Schumer and places a lot of focus on the key relationships in Amy’s life and building your investment in these people. However, your enjoyment of Trainwreck hinges entirely on your tolerance for Schumer – a somewhat divisive comedian – with a particularly sarcastic and dry wit, so much so that it can be off-putting at times. The character, to some degree, needs to be like this in order to show you Amy’s growth but her sense of humour is something that not everyone will take a shining to. Regardless of your feelings for Schumer, Apatow does a great job filming the material and sprinkling in his own sense of humour; clearly drawing on his comedy status to gather a few high profile players, including LeBron James as Aaron’s client. The NBA star surprisingly gives one of the best performances by an athlete in a film that I have ever seen, underplaying his wealth and status as an average guy to hilarious results. Trainwreck marked something of a shift for Apatow into singularly character-focused features that almost mirror the star’s real life – a risky prospect and trend that he looks to be continuing with Pete Davidson’s upcoming semi-autobiographical film – and one which thankfully doesn’t live up to its title.
3. This is 40 (2012)
Universal Pictures, 2012
Of all of Apatow’s films, This is 40 is the one I find myself going back to the most. I understand all the common criticisms about the film – it’s overly long and there is no particularly tangible driving story to it – but there is something just so inherently watchable about the film that I find myself constantly throwing it on. We follow the family of Pete (Paul Rudd), Debbie (Leslie Mann) and their daughters Sadie (Maude Apatow) and Charlotte (Iris Apatow) throughout their daily lives as Pete and Debbie struggle to come to terms with turning 40, raising two daughters, a host of financial issues and the possible breakdown of their marriage. Like most of Apatow’s films, the humour is found in the mundane everyday things and Apatow makes the wise choice of letting Mann and Rudd run wild with the humour, improvising much of it and capitalising off the excellent chemistry between the pair. The film is a sort of pseudo-sequel in the Apatow universe as these 4 main characters are all pulled from Knocked Up (more on that later). Like that film, Apatow surrounds his core actors with a phenomenal supporting cast including Albert Brooks, Jason Segel, Chris O’Dowd, Lena Dunham and Megan Fox, who are all given small sub-plots and character traits that really help to flesh out the world and make you feel like you are watching real people. Brooks shines as Pete’s ageing cheapskate father who constantly mooches off his son to support his new wife and twin teen sons, constantly finding new ways to guilt Pete for even suggesting he get a job. It might not be as laugh-out-loud funny as the next two movies on the list but This is 40 is a criminally under-seen gem from the director; a slice of suburban hilarity with a good message to boot.
2. The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)
Universal Pictures, 2005
The early 2000’s were hugely successful years for romantic comedies. The genre pretty much defined the decade, and classics like Bridget Jones’ Diary, Love Actually and My Big Fat Greek Wedding were all carving out their own slices of the cake. This might just explain why Apatow’s surprise hit The 40 Year-Old Virgin did as well as it did back in 2005 – it’s the anti rom-com. Amongst a sea of generic films trying to set themselves apart, the story of a placid, middle-aged IT salesman yet to reach home base was the palate cleanser Hollywood never knew it needed. In the same year that he began leading the legendary US version of The Office, Steve Carell was fantastic as titular virgin Andy Stitzer, giving his character the right mix of desperation and good intentions for audiences to follow wholeheartedly. Andy’s colleagues David (Paul Rudd), Cal (Seth Rogan) and Jay (Romany Malco) make the most of the situation, doing what they can to help their naïve friend while berating him at every opportunity. Granted, some of the humour is fairly low-brow by today’s standards and it’s not really a plot that needs revisiting, but Apatow does more than enough to keep it from becoming complete smut with some genuinely heartwarming character moments and at least a little restraint when things inevitably heat up. Despite its apparent target audience, the director also builds a solid supporting cast of strong female characters who never fail to miss a beat, including beleaguered single mother Trish (Catherine Keener), her teenage daughter Marla (Kat Dennings), local shopkeeper Beth (Elizabeth Banks), unfortunate alcoholic Nicky (Leslie Mann) and of course Andy’s stone-cold manager Paula (Jane Lynch). It’s not always pretty, but The 40 Year-Old Virgin still brings an unexpectedly charming story spun with some great comedic talent, ultimately proving that every dog does indeed have his day.
1. Knocked Up (2007)
Universal Pictures, 2007
Apatow’s finest work to date is undoubtedly the hilarious pregnancy comedy Knocked Up, which cemented the director as one of the most adept at modern comedy, with a particular knack for tapping into the cultural zeitgeist with witty, reference-heavy jokes practically spilling out of every scene. It also helped establish Seth Rogen – one of the finest comedians working today – as a bonafide leading man more than capable of carrying a film and delivering a layered character with heart who goes beyond typical comedy stereotypes to be someone the audience can actually relate to and who seems like a real person. The situation itself is also incredibly real and rooted in everyday life as we follow Ben Stone (Rogen), a lovable jobless stoner who spends his days smoking and wasting time with his friends (a veritable smorgasbord of comedic talent in Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Jason Segel and Martin Starr). When Ben runs into career-focused reporter Alison (Katherine Heigl) at a club, the two hit it off leading to a one-night stand with consequences as Alison falls pregnant. Being a decent guy, Ben attempts to make things work with Alison and take responsibility for his life, discovering what kind of a man he is in the process to hilarious results. Knocked Up‘s structure and writing are something of a Judd Apatow speciality, a formula that he consistently attempts to improve on and alter to sometimes mixed results. This particular instance of it, however, was the perfect execution – grounding the story in a somewhat more down-to-earth situation than The 40 Year-Old Virgin – following relatable characters through their everyday activities and then exposing them to some sort of change to find the humour in those awkward and uncomfortable moments in life. Every part of Knocked Up lands: the key performances from Rogen and Heigl are well developed and you understand both of their perspective to this situation perfectly well, the supporting cast is out of this world and ensures that almost every scene is just brimming with laughs, and the jokes are well written and hit hard, without underpinning the heart of the story or distracting from it. Knocked Up is not only Apatow’s best work, but one of the best comedies of the 2000’s period: a game changer for modern comedy that set the bar for years to come.
With 23 films and 10 years of films under its belt, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the most impactful and prolific franchises in cinema history. Dominating the box office year after year since 2008’s game changing Iron Man; Marvel Studios has fundamentally changed the way that superhero films are received by mainstream audiences and how we view cinematic storytelling, with story threads and arcs often unfolding through multiple films and franchises. With the release of Black Widow delayed we are looking at one of the longest breaks between MCU films since the series began, so we thought it was the perfect time to reflect and rank all 23 films (spoilers included). Not every placement is going to make you cheer like the finale of Endgame but we think we’ve got everything just about where it should be. Yes that includes Captain Marvel. Go on. Try and fight us on it. We can do this all day.
23. Captain Marvel
Marvel Studios, 2019
Marvel really needed a win with Captain Marvel. As the studio’s first female-led superhero film and direct response to DC’s massive hit Wonder Woman, it had a lot riding on its shoulders. Add to that the almost insurmountable pressure of being the direct lead-in to the franchise’s culmination in Avengers: Endgame and you understand the ridiculous amount of pressure on the film to succeed. Not only does it not come close to meeting those challenges, it’s also the worst thing that Marvel has put to film; a stale retread of all the origin story cliche’s that the series as a whole has left in the dust. Brie Larson as the titular hero does nothing to excite, delivering a bland, one-note performance without even the slightest speck of emotion or fun. The odd quips here and there land with a thud and it becomes frustratingly hard to buy into the emotional portion of her story as she just refuses to react to the constant stream of revelations about her past with anything more than a slight, almost imperceptible widening of the eyes. The film’s cardinal sin, however, may just be the complete and utter waste it makes of the phenomenal Jude Law, whose villain is barely given any characterisation or direction other than to dart his eyes side to side when no one is looking, so that when the ‘shock’ reveal of his betrayal comes to light the directors can say that they had alluded to it in a subtle way. With the franchise in desperate need of a course correction similar to Thor after The Dark World, here’s hoping Larson and co. can find their Taika Waititi.
22. Thor: The Dark World
Marvel Studios, 2013
Thor: The Dark World is about as basic and boring as Marvel gets sequel-wise: a generic villain whose only motive is to rule the universe attempts to gain access to some sort of inexplicably powerful item and must be stopped by our hero. There’s really nothing more to it than that and it’s a perfectly serviceable film for introducing another infinity stone to audiences, even if it does nothing to further the overall story or character of Thor. Chris Hemsworth does fine work as the God of Thunder as he battles the evil Dark Elf Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), but going back to his earlier work post-Ragnarok is a bizarre experience, as the earlier films made Thor a much more straight-laced, royal character instead of the wise cracking, off-kilter hero he is in the more recent films. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but (as covered later) Ragnarok has only served to highlight just how poorly utilised and underdeveloped Thor initially was in a franchise that wasn’t taking the chances then that it is now. The bright spot here (and in every film he’s in) is Tom Hiddleston as Loki, who completely steals every scene he’s in, bringing bursts of life to an otherwise fairly dull proceeding. The fact that one of the infinity stones, the Aether, is at play here, means that The Dark World is almost required viewing prior to Infinity War and Endgame, which ultimately only draws more attention and disdain towards this otherwise lacklustre but watchable adventure.
21. The Incredible Hulk
Marvel Studios, 2008
Admit it. You forgot this one existed didn’t you? Produced by Universal Studios before Disney had control of Marvel and featuring Edward Norton as the green meanie instead Mark Ruffalo, who is now synonymous with the role, The Incredible Hulk isn’t as bad as you might remember or think. A surprisingly dark outing for the MCU before it had mastered its “equal-parts jokes and action” tone, Edward Norton is solid as Bruce Banner as he attempts to outrun his girlfriend’s father General Ross (William Hurt) who is intent on dissecting him, hoping to reveal the secret to a new line of super soldiers. It’s a silly plot but the fact that everyone really commits and leans into the seriousness somehow actually makes it work. The action hits where it needs to, transitioning from an almost Bourne-like chase scene through a Brazilian Favela to all out destructive mayhem in the final act, reminiscent of Godzilla and other monster movies, with an epic showdown between the Hulk and his comic arch-nemesis Emil Blonsky, later known as The Abomination – played to creepy perfection by the criminally underrated Tim Roth. Whilst actors like Norton and Roth aren’t who most audiences would associate with huge powerhouse superheroes today, they work as these characters remarkably well, mainly due to the fact that they can worry less about the largely CGI action scenes and focus on their character moments, giving both Blonsky and Banner well rounded arcs which culminate in and give surprising emotional weight to their final smackdown. Despite its solid craftsmanship and performances, however, The Incredible Hulk really doesn’t have any wider significance in the overall MCU apart from a recurring appearance from Hurt and the action pails in comparison to the sheer spectacle of later films.
20. Thor
Marvel Studios, 2011
Of all the earlier Marvel films, Kenneth Branagh’s ambitious fantasy epic Thor is easily the most dated. It’s a shame too, given that this was Marvel’s biggest gamble to date at the time; a visually breathtaking world brought to life with a rich Norse mythology to draw from. Unfortunately, the visuals are about as good as it gets looking back on the first step in Chris Hemsworth’s MCU journey. He shows remarkable chops, having been plucked from relative obscurity to star as the God of Thunder, ably filling the larger than life shoes of Thor and bringing a physicality and arrogance that was almost as close to mirroring the comic as Robert Downey Jr. was as Iron Man. Yet as we mentioned above for The Dark World, the star here is Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, who doesn’t come quite as close to owning the role as he does in later films but brings a whole lot to the character’s tragic backstory and the effect its revelation has on him. He is easily the most well rounded and fleshed out villain that Marvel has put to screen and a lot of that development comes to play here, as we see Loki struggle between his desire to rule and his genuine love for his family. The royal conflict between Thor and Loki is an interesting enough arc on its own to carry a film, however the choice is made to set majority of the film on Earth as Thor interacts with scientists Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard) and Darcy (Kat Dennings). Portman is fine in the role as is Skarsgard who gets more to play with in his recurring roles in the franchise. Even Dennings as the wise-cracking audience surrogate Darcy isn’t as grating as you may remember. No, what grinds the films pace to a halt is the fish-out-of-water storyline as Thor acclimatises to Earth, forcing a number of awkward, unfunny jokes and references that fall flat and seem misplaced given the earlier somewhat violent fight scenes in the film.
19. Ant-Man and the Wasp
Marvel Studios, 2018
The Ant-Man films are a curious beast within the MCU. Often overlooked, given their almost complete lack of significance to the larger universe other than Endgame, they are still enjoyable distractions from the larger, heavier events of the mainline Marvel saga. Paul Rudd is perfectly cast here as Scott Lang, the smallest Avenger and the sequel introduces his partner in crime-fighting in the Wasp, played by Evangeline Lily. Her banter with Rudd was one of the highlights of the first film and that is taken a step further by having Scott on the outs with Hope Van Dyne and her father Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) due to his involvement in Captain America: Civil War. This creates an interesting dynamic, having Scott tagging on to Hope and Hank’s mission as an unwanted presence, creating some great comedic moments through their bickering and inability to agree on the approach to a fight. The action scenes here go a step further than the first film as well, by introducing the Wasp and her more advanced shrinking suit. That same element of having fun with what is being shrunk is still there and adds to the light tone that make these films such fun, as does the return of Michael Peña as Luis, Scott’s fast talking, event-recapping friend. Unfortunately, while the main story here around finding Hank’s wife Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer) is compelling enough, the inclusion of the villain Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) slows the movie to a crawl as there just isn’t any substance to her character, who we spend far too much time with. At the end of the day, the Ant-Man films have only been what makes them so fun: enjoyable breathers from the overarching Marvel storyline. Ant-Man and the Wasp certainly didn’t have an easy task following Infinity War, but when that fun is ground to a halt because of a villain that brings nothing to the table, then what is the point?
18. Iron Man 2
Marvel Studios, 2010
Look, Iron Man 2 gets far more hate than it deserves, hear me out. Often described as the worst of the MCU due to it’s ridiculously over-the-top villain and inclusion of a dancing Sam Rockwell, I’d argue that it all just adds to its charm. Yes, the adaptation of one of the character’s finest comic book arc’s “Demon in a Bottle” essentially boils down to Tony Stark lashing out and just generally being a terrible person to everyone around him, but just as it was so fun to watch Downey Jr. bring this character to life, it’s almost as entertaining to watch him almost bring him crumbling down. Whilst this isn’t the deep examination of Stark’s psyche that the comic was – nor should it be given this is only the second film in the franchise – it does add an extra layer of depth to Tony as we delve into his purpose for being Iron Man and in life in general. It’s a messy road to not much of a conclusion – he solves his mental struggle by building a non-toxic Arc Reactor – and the world-building is nothing like the polished Marvel method of later films; introducing the Avengers initiative as some kind of a reverse psychology bait to get Tony back in the fight. The introduction of Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, however is handled in a suitably deceptive way, as she infiltrates Stark’s company before eventually having to bust out the suit and take on some goons. It’s a fittingly badass way to bring Widow into the fold and a sign of things to come. Now look, is Mickey Rourke absolutely ridiculous as the Russian stereotype Whiplash, complete with two giant electric whips? Yes, of course he is. Is it the same type of campy fun as Ivan Drago in Rocky IV? You betcha. Does Sam Rockwell chew every scene he’s in as the wildly incompetent Justin Hammer? Oh boy does he. Does he really dance? Why yes, yes he does. Is it amazing to watch? Hell yes it is. Give Iron Man 2 another chance. You won’t regret it.
17. Ant-Man
Marvel Studios, 2015
My word did the first Ant-Man film have a rocky road to the screen. Starting life out as the amazing Edgar Wright’s introduction to the MCU, a long and difficult creative process saw him exit the project and the late hiring of Peyton Reed to helm the smallest Avenger’s debut. We’ll never know just how different Wright’s film would have been but Paul Rudd’s first foray as Ant-Man is just delightful. He brings his uniquely comedic sensibilities here to a traditionally stoic and righteous superhero character to hilarious results. There’s an off-kilter charm to Rudd that makes the audience root for him from the outset no matter his shady past, and his quest to establish himself as an upstanding member of the community for his daughter is the emotional core that carries the film and Scott Lang’s arc throughout all his appearances in the franchise. The shrinking action is an interesting twist on the standard hand-to-hand combat of prior films, but the wonder and joy of seeing everyday items shrunk or enlarged to ridiculous proportions wears off quick. Corey Stoll plays a fairly lacklustre villain here, looking to profit from the mass production of the shrinking particles developed by Scott’s mentor Hank Pym (Michael Douglas). What makes it slightly more memorable than the sequel’s villain is the personal connection between Stoll’s character and Douglas’; a mentor-mentee relationship gone sour. By far the best thing about the film, however, has to be an absolutely scene stealing performance by Michael Peña as Scott’s former prison-mate turned roommate Luis, whose hilariously dopey recaps of events prior and general goofy presence allows Rudd some terrific moments to play off as the straight man and adds that extra comedic element to give this franchise its own identity and set it apart from other origin stories in the MCU.
16. Spider-Man: Far From Home
Sony, 2019
If Homecoming revealed anything about what audiences want from a Spider-Man movie, it was apparently that we couldn’t get enough of Peter Parker’s adventures through school, particularly his troubled love life. And that’s the approach returning director Jon Watts and co have taken to the sequel, placing far more importance on Peter’s struggle to balance his Spider-Man duties with having a normal life. It certainly is one of the more defining and fun aspects of the MCU interpretation of Spider-Man but Far From Home gets a little too bogged down in retreading Peter’s angst and general adolescent confusion; constantly presenting him with essentially the same choice of picking MJ (Zendaya) and his friends as they travel across Europe or helping Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) as Spider-Man. Almost always, the choice ends up being the wrong one and while you still feel the weight of Peter’s failures and their effect on him, he doesn’t really actually learn from his mistakes until the plot and runtime dictate the finale is approaching. The scenes between Peter and Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) are incredibly emotional and uplifting as Peter comes to terms with his mentor Tony Stark’s death and his place in a post Iron-Man world, but it just takes a little too long to arrive at this conclusion, and it feels like a lot of what came before was just filler to get us there. The supporting cast around Peter: Tony Revolori, Jacob Batalon, Martin Starr and Zendaya are all phenomenal and stop the film from getting too heavy with Peter’s emotional distress by filling almost every scene without Spidey with jokes, a lot of them firing on all cylinders. However filling the run-time with these side characters and Peter storylines unfortunately detracts from the actual Spider-Man narrative; essentially a rehashing of Iron Man 3_s twist, having Jake Gylenhaal’s (admittedly very charismatic) Quentin Beck, AKA Mysterio, turn out to be a villain masquerading as a hero and confidant to Peter. There’s not really much for a talent of Gylenhaal’s calibre to do here and he has fun with the role in the best possible way, going full on cartoon villain towards the end. Whilst Far From Home does set up our hero for a much more interesting sequel with its post-credits scene, this particular adventure falls just short of the standard set by Homecoming.
15. Black Panther
Marvel Studios, 2018
Black Panther just might be Marvel’s most culturally relevant film to date, sparking a huge response from audience and critical bodies alike, garnering the studio’s first Oscar nomination for best picture. In what might be a somewhat controversial opinion, I believe that the impact of Black Panther itself has surpassed the actual quality of the film. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good. Chadwick Boseman builds upon his already great performance in Civil War to tackle an intensely personal battle for T’Challa as he struggles to fill his father’s shoes as King of Wakanda as well as finding himself embroiled in his first challenge for the throne against his cousin Erik Kilmonger (Michael B. Jordan). Put simply, Jordan is great, too far gone down a vengeful path but still internally conflicted about finding his place in the world, having been raised alone in America and never having known his homeland of Wakanda. The soundtrack, curated by none other than the great Kendrick Lamar, is also excellent, with hard hitting beats and lyrics that complement the action perfectly. However, the problems in Black Panther arise when you look at its story; a fairly straight-forward narrative that is almost a carbon copy of another Disney property: The Lion King. That’s not to say it isn’t powerful, but it just isn’t all that original and the praise for it being a revolutionary piece of cinema may be misplaced when you consider that it is almost a beat for beat re-fabrication in a superhero film skin. Add to that the downright abysmal special effects, particularly in the final fight scene which looks like two rag dolls fighting in its worst moments, devoid of all notion of physics, and you have a solid, entertaining and powerful film that may not be the king it thinks it is. The cultural impact is undeniable, but its place within the MCU isn’t as integral as other origin stories of its ilk.
14. Iron Man 3
Marvel Studios, 2013
I, like many others, hated Iron Man 3 when I first saw it. With a burning passion. The surprise twist infuriated me and made my blood boil. How could they do that to Iron Man’s arch nemesis from the comic books, his fiercest enemy? In the intervening seven years, however, I’ve come around on Tony Stark’s last solo outing. I can’t put my finger on what exactly makes this film so damn re-watchable. It could be the snappy zingers woven everywhere through the dialogue of writer-director Shane Black. It could be the surprisingly impactful relationship Tony develops with his young companion Harley (Ty Simpkins) or the awesome finale filled with different Iron Man suits that makes your inner child and Disney merchandising executives cheer in unison. Hell it could just be that despite its flaws, and there are many, Iron Man 3 is just a whole mess of fun. Guy Pierce is underdeveloped and wasted as a villain and despite its title, Tony Stark isn’t actually in the Iron Man suit for majority of the film. Even the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) reveal gets more bearable with repeat viewings and even though it isn’t what audiences expected, that doesn’t diminish Kingsley’s stellar performance. Let’s also not forget that the film tried to do a hell of a lot with Tony’s character and psyche and largely succeeds, steering toward him towards his “suit of armour around the world” vision that makes up majority of the character’s arc right up until Endgame. Yes it’s sloppy in many ways and challenges your expectations, but could it be that challenging your expectations is a good thing? I offer you a challenge: leave your expectations at the door and give Iron Man 3 another go. You might just be glad that you did… or you might think I’m an idiot in which case go and watch Sam Rockwell dance again to calm down.
13. Guardians of the Galaxy
Marvel Studios, 2014
Prior to the Guardians of the Galaxy films, when you looked at Marvel you thought of Iron Man and Spider-Man, not a talking racoon and an anthropomorphic tree. The fact that Rocket Racoon (Bradley Cooper) and Groot (Vin Diesel) are such cultural icons is a testament to the fine work done by Marvel and director James Gunn, who creates a super-hero team to rival the Avengers (although not quite as epic) in a galaxy far removed from Earth, allowing the adventures to include all sorts of whacky and far-fetched ideas and items. Grounding the story within this first outing in that world is the lovable group of rag-tag heroes including Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord, Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Drax (Dave Bautista), alongside Rocket and Groot. The Guardians films are different from a lot of the other MCU films due to the influence of series director Gunn. You can feel his sensibilities and humour all over this franchise, which in turn leaves you with some of the most human, heart-breaking and hilarious stories about finding and belonging to a family. Where this particular outing falls short is in its story and villain. Sure it sets up the key characters brilliantly, giving everyone their own unique personalities and arcs which would follow them across all their appearances in the MCU, but that’s about all it does. Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace) is so woefully underused as a villain, with a motivation for his deeds boiling down to “genocide is good”. It gives the Guardians an inherently evil villain to go up against, but the problem is you just don’t give a damn. Same thing goes with the story too, which is all about keeping one of the Infinity Stones away from Ronan. Useful in the long run of the MCU but not particularly interesting or engaging on its own. No, the success of Guardians of the Galaxy rests solely on its chief team of misfits, who keep you smiling the entire time, even if some of the humour doesn’t hit as hard as the movie thinks it does. Gunn laid down the bones of a great franchise here, which he improved on the second instalment (coming up closer than you think) in almost every way.
12. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Marvel Studios, 2017
Surprise! Just edging out the original is Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 2, a film which carries forward the hilarious and endearing character relationships from the first – spinning its team off in interesting groupings to unexpected results – and which greatly improves on its previous story woes by narrowing it’s focus on Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord and the relationship with his newly found father Ego (Kurt Russell). Now that we as an audience are comfortable and familiar with these characters, James Gunn chooses to give us more of the same and also not to, by splitting up the team on their own individual journeys, to all pretty stellar results. Rocket and Groot accompany longtime frenemy Yondu (Michael Rooker) as he tackles the difficulties of his loyalty and love for Star-Lord, who he had raised from a child before his eventual betrayal. It is definitely the B-storyline here and the funnier one, as we get to spend time with the ridiculously cute Baby Groot, one of Disney’s best marketing achievements in decades. Every scene with him is hilarious and the constant berating he receives from Rocket, who treats him as an adult, only heightens the laughs. Likewise the banter between Yondu and Rocket sizzles, leaving you constantly begging for more. Over on the main front is Star-Lord and the rest of the gang, joined by newcomer Mantis (Pom Klementieff), who explore Ego’s home planet and uncover terrifying secrets whist Quill (Star-Lord) bonds with his father. Quill’s relationship with his father forms the emotional core of the film and brings the audience along on an ultimately heart-breaking journey as we see Quill’s hopes of a family reunion dashed after learning that Ego in fact murdered Quill’s mother, sending Yondu to pick up the child so he could be raised by his father. At the centre of this is Quill’s internal struggle about fatherhood and who raised him, with his ultimate revelation that Yondu was more of a father to him than Ego ever was coming all too late and hitting harder than almost any other emotional beat in the MCU. Oh and did we mention Baby Groot?
11. Doctor Strange
Marvel Studios, 2016
If Guardians of the Galaxy opened the MCU up to space and the technologically advanced, then 2015’s Doctor Strange opened it up to the mystical, as Benedict Cumberbatch’s titular sorcerer Stephen Strange discovers a world of magic and demons, finding himself smack bang in the centre of a decades-old conflict and the only hope to defend the world against the demon Dormammu. What makes this particular origin story stand out within the MCU is the visuals. They’re breathtaking to look at, with bright colours and psychedelic patterns abounding as Strange is given his first glimpse at the wider world of different dimensions and planes of existence. Then there’s the world manipulation. Sure, it might be a bit of a rip-off from Inception with buildings and streets contorting and folding in over each other as Strange and mentor Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) give chase to dark sorcerer Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), but it’s done so well and on such a larger scale that it still feels different. Where Inception used the world manipulation sparingly – only really to show it could be done – Doctor Strange embraces it and makes the world itself almost a character of its own. You never know where things are going to appear from and what is real, and it gives the otherwise fairly basic action scenes a new lease on life. Similarly the fight between Strange and one of Kaecilius’ goons could be a cliched filler fight, but is turned on its head with the fight taking place in a spirit plane, with Strange and his enemy duking it out as metaphysical beings outside of their physical bodies. It’s bold and inventive twists like that that keep the story afloat, elevating what would otherwise be a fairly tame and boring story of stopping the enemy from unleashing an even more powerful force. Whilst the ending bout with Dormammu fails to live up to the previous action, it does get points for its inventiveness, and by subverting genre tropes of having to have a huge spectacle battle to close things out. It makes sense that Strange would fight this particular battle with his mind and gives the character some much needed depth other than being “the guy with magic”.
10. Avengers: Age of Ultron
Marvel Studios, 2015
One of the most underrated films in the MCU, Joss Whedon’s follow-up to his groundbreaking first Avengers film is the rare film that was insanely hyped prior to its release and then seemingly dropped from the collective consciousness of movie-goers overnight. It’s unfair to a film that is extremely ambitious in all that it hopes to achieve, with Whedon largely pulling off everything he hopes to. Looking back on it, sure, Ultron (James Spader) might not be the big bad that everyone was hoping for, and is largely pretty one-note in his motivation for taking on the Avengers, but in terms of the character building within the team itself and the numerous additions it makes to the roster and larger world, Whedon knocks it out of the park. Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans really stand out here, as Whedon sprinkles the seeds which eventually blossom into the full-on confrontation that is Civil War. They both give wonderfully layered performances as they work together to take on Ultron, but in two fundamentally opposed ways. The strange father/son relationship that Stark is thrust into with Ultron is an interesting concept, that – whilst losing steam halfway through the film – aims to show you just how much of an impact Downey has had on the franchise. This carries over to the introduction of the three new Avengers in Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), Vision (Paul Bettany) and Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) who Stark has all had a direct hand in creating, sometimes through less than reputable means (like bombing a country). It pivots so wonderfully into the overprotective stance he takes during Civil War that just goes to show how perfectly overlord producer Kevin Feige has mapped out the franchise and the interweaving tapestries of each character’s stories. It also seems like people seem to be forgetting about the insanely awesome Hulk v Hulkbuster fight scene as well as the literal war against robots that, whilst not as good as the Chitauri invasion from the first Avengers, includes some jaw-dropping choreography that gives everyone their own moments and showcases this original team working together for the last real time.
9. Captain America: The First Avenger
Marvel Studios, 2011
Cap’s first solo outing is undoubtedly the sleeper hit of the MCU, a fun, emotionally charged and action heavy romp through Steve Rogers’ early years from digitally altered pipsqueak to boulder sized, shield toting badass and perpetual nice guy Chris Evans against the backdrop of World War II. Evans is tasked with the most out of the original Avengers lineup, having to imbue such a stoic and iconic character with a broad spectrum of emotions that don’t necessarily always get a chance to shine through in flashy ways. There’s no hint of frustration as he struggles through basic training in the army, yet you sense it there and his constant fight to never let it show. Likewise Evans doesn’t get a big showy emotional outcry as he realises he will never see Peggy again, but instead is given a quiet lingering moment, against the backdrop of mayhem he is embroiled in, in which he takes his (seemingly) last look at a photo of the woman he loves. It’s a powerful performance and one that instantly gets you on board for more adventures starring the star spangled hero. The supporting cast is also phenomenal and doesn’t get enough love within the MCU, particularly Sebastian Stan as Steve’s long-time frenemy Bucky Barnes and Hayley Atwell as the aforementioned Peggy Carter. Peggy’s character also gets shortchanged in that she is the MCU’s true first hero, constantly fighting for her place to fight for her country in the army and having to prove herself against both the German enemy and the sexism within her own ranks. It’s handled with much more subtlety and nuance than Captain Marvel’s blundering obviousness and establishes Peggy’s character in a way so that we understand her more from a supporting role than we do Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers from an entire lead performance. Last but not least is Hugo Weaving’s incredibly menacing performance as Red Skull, one of the best villains the MCU has seen, up there with Loki and Thanos. It’s a shame that we’re unlikely to get to see Weaving back in the role, given his absence in the role from the last two Avengers films, but the character’s return would be a welcome shot of excitement to Phase 4 of the MCU.
8. Iron Man
Marvel Studios, 2008
The one that started it all, Robert Downey Jr’s first introduction as Tony Stark, AKA Iron Man, is still a rip roaring good time which serves as proof of just how special it is when you fill a role with the perfect character. It is almost impossible to imagine anyone else inhabiting the role of the playboy weapons dealer turned superhero at this point and for good reason. Downey brings the perfect blend of charm and arrogance to the role, with emphasis on the charm. There is no doubt that Stark is something of a despicable character to start with, profiteering off the sale of weapons which are bringing death and destruction to hundreds of thousands of people, yet it is his character’s (perhaps intentional) obliviousness to this and cocksure, party boy behaviour that endears him. You are drawn to him because despite his off-putting outgoing appearance there is a heart of gold and genuine intelligence underneath. Part of what makes this first outing so enjoyable is following that initial arc of Stark realising his worth and importance to the world not just as an innovator in the military space but as a protector for everyone. This applies to his personal life too, where Tony realises his importance to those around him: assistant/love interest Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), bodyguard Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau – who also directs) and best friend James Rhodes (a later recast Terrence Howard). The relationship between Downey and Paltrow is so satisfying to watch, their chemistry electric as they light up the screen together with their back and forth exchanges. You believe that she is truly the most important person to Tony and the groundwork laid in this film helps to strengthen that relationship and its importance in later sequels. Despite all the things it does right, villain Obadiah Stane’s (Jeff Bridges) motivations to betray his mentor’s son and genuine friend are tenuous at best, motivated from a place of greed and jealousy that while plausible seems lazy at times, especially in the ease in which he finds the terrorist cell that imprisoned Stark halfway around the world. Nevertheless Bridges gives a great performance and the action scenes between himself and Downey, whilst surpassed later on in the franchise, were incredible to watch at the time and featured some truly spectacular effects.
7. The Avengers
Marvel Studios, 2012
It’s easy to take Joss Whedon’s The Avengers for granted in today’s superhero movie landscape, but its importance to the genre and the MCU cannot be understated. This was the first giant leap that Kevin Feige and co. took in changing the way audiences view franchise cinema; a huge risk that could have derailed all that had come before and was to come. Luckily Whedon pulls it off almost perfectly, crafting a team-up film for the ages, which balances strong character development for almost all its key players with action on a scale previously not seen by audiences, complete with plenty of cheer-out-loud moments as Earth’s mightiest heroes take on Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Whilst Hiddleston may not get as much to do here as he does in the original Thor outing, the background the audience has gained from viewing that film goes a long way to pre-defining his goals and motivation, therefore allowing us to spend more time with the titular team, but not feel cheated by a villain with no depth. Seeing the team interact for the first time is spectacular, with Whedon’s carefully crafted dialogue allowing each of the Avengers to bounce off each other and have their individual character moments. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Captain America (Chris Evans) bump heads over the style of leadership for the team, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has no patience for the politics of S.H.I.E.L.D. and wishes to bring the action, Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) grows frustrated with the boys bickering and newcomer Mark Ruffalo makes one hell of a statement as Bruce Banner, timid scientist who is “always angry”, battling with his internal demons and better instinct to stay out of the fight. It’s a performance that both stands out but also doesn’t overshadow any other member of the team and Ruffalo all but erases audience’s memories of Edward Norton in the role. Just about every scene in The Avengers crackles with electricity and an element of fun, as we see fights and team-ups that comic book fans had only dreamt about before, and which lay the groundwork for bigger and better things to come.
6. Avengers: Endgame
Marvel Studios, 2019
Speaking of ‘bigger’, it doesn’t get much more than the final scene of Avengers: Endgame. The culmination of 10 years of MCU films delivers in every sense of the word, tying together almost all of the main original Avengers arcs in immensely satisfying and cathartic ways, even if the road to get there is slightly uneven. Right off the bat the film fires on all cylinders following Thanos’ (Josh Brolin) snap of the fingers as the remaining Avengers fly off to confront the Mad Titan and reverse the effects of the Infinity Stones. It’s an electric start that gets you completely pumped and excited for what is to come… and then it ends. This is Avengers: Endgame’s chief (and really only) issue: the pacing. The film almost resets after this opening scene, as the Avengers each struggle to come to terms with the reality of having lost it all, having to dig deep to find that spark to get going and risk it all “one last time” on a time-travelling treasure hunt to gather the Infinity Stones. Despite the fact that time travel is something of a cop-out here, the quality and, again, pacing of the individual teams’ hunts for the respective Stones vary. Iron Man and Captain America’s journey through the events of the original Avengers film and back further to Stark’s father’s research facility is by far the highlight, giving both characters a final send-off and something of an epilogue to their arcs as Tony begins to understand the tenuous relationship he always had with his father and Steve realises the opportunity afforded to him by the time travel to trade in his crime fighting future for a life with Peggy. It’s a beautiful finale to Cap’s arc that ends on the perfect note with the final shot of him dancing with his beloved. On the other side of this is Thor and Rocket’s (Bradley Cooper) adventure back through the events of Thor: The Dark World which just don’t hold as much weight. The emotionally charged conversation he has with his mother (Rene Russo) just doesn’t have the weight it should, owed partially to the ridiculous “Fat Thor” gimmick, which provides a few laughs at first but wears thin fast. At the end of it all is easily the finest piece of action put to film in the MCU, perhaps in all of superhero cinema as the entire expanded Avengers roster squares off against Thanos’ army. The “Portals” musical theme is goosebumps inducing, hitting all the right rousing notes as Captain America summons his team and charges into battle for the last time. The end of an era that will not soon be forgotten, Avengers: Endgame sets the bar almost impossibly high for what is yet to come in the MCU but if they pulled this off, I believe they can pull off anything.
5. Spider-Man: Homecoming
Sony, 2017
Coming off his stellar, yet all-too-short debut in Civil War, Spider-Man: Homecoming cemented Tom Holland as the best to ever put on the suit, finally bringing together the quips and wisecracking personality of Spider-Man (which Andrew Garfield got right in his series) with the nerdy, socially awkward teen in Peter Parker (which Tobey Maguire excelled at). It’s very clear that Holland absolutely adores the character and this comes across in his performance, as every scene he is in crackles with excitement and fun as Spider-Man attempts to stop the evil Vulture (Michael Keaton) from profiteering off weaponry salvaged from the battle in The Avengers whilst juggling his homework and crush on classmate Liz (Laura Harrier). The best thing about Homecoming is really just how well it nails the character, particularly Peter’s attempts to juggle the task of fighting crime and protecting those he loves with trying to have something of a normal high school experience, something that the sequel expands on (to mixed results). Michael Keaton gives a great performance in his return to the superhero genre, chewing the scenery as the cocky, blue collar thug determined to make as much cash as he can as some kind of revenge for losing his business years earlier because of the Avengers’ antics. It’s a simple motivation sure, but it doesn’t need to be overly complex and it more importantly doesn’t draw too much attention away from Spider-Man. You understand the position the Vulture is in and it allows you to just have fun with the story. This is Spider-Man’s grand entrance to the MCU and return to his former glory at the movies and boy does it make you grin from ear to ear. Director John Watts surrounds Holland with a wide cast of young talent including Zendaya as MJ, Peter’s classmate and general weirdo, and Ned (Jacob Batalon), Peter’s best friend and confidant to Spider-Man; which really serve to flesh out the school environment and sell that classic Spider-Man conceit of the ordinary versus the super. Does Peter save a ferry full of civilians from certain doom and miss out on the chance to ask his crush to the prom? It’s fun stuff and a welcome change from the seemingly unending deadly stakes of the previous few films in the franchise. Most importantly, Homecoming signalled a return to form for the web-slinger; a handing of the baton to the younger generation that will become the new team of Avengers.
4. Captain America: Civil War
Marvel Studios, 2016
Civil War not only marked a huge turning point within the MCU and its ongoing storyline in the lead-up to Thanos’ arrival, but it also served as a test for the Russo Brothers, who made their monumental jump to the MCU from popular comedy series Community with Cap’s second outing (more on that later). Rather than focus solely on Cap, as the name might suggest, Kevin Feige and co entrusted the brothers with the keys to the kingdom, drawing on no less than 12 superstar actors and their superhero counterparts to populate the “war” and deliver giant spectacle action on a scale unseen so far. Sure, we had seen the Avengers team up to take down huge swathes of enemies before but this was something else; doubling the hero count and having them square off against each other, providing audiences and comic book fans alike with their dream match-ups that felt like they were children playing with their action figures. What makes Civil War such a success though is that they did all that whilst keeping the story intensely personal to the character of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), testing his allegiances to his old life in Bucky (Sebastian Stan) and his new one with the Avengers. It is such a difficult position that Steve is put in and Evans pulls off the emotional performance necessary, with small quiet interactions with Black Widow (Scarlett Johannson) and Falcon (Anthony Mackie) fleshing out Steve’s mindset and the struggles that he is going through. Add to this the weight of the death of his former flame Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), which sadly doesn’t get enough screen-time outside of a heart-wrenching scene between Steve and Widow, and you have a man pushed to the limits both emotionally and physically and who still manages to rise up above it all for the greater good. Downey, tasked with slightly less here than most Iron Man or Avengers flicks, nevertheless gives a phenomenal performance and perhaps his best, with the scene in which he learns of Bucky’s involvement in his parent’s death played exquisitely as Stark struggles to comprehend not only the enormity of facing his parents murderer but the ultimate betrayal of one of his closest friends covering up the crime. It’s a heavy, game-changing storyline that plays in heavily in future Avengers films, fracturing the team at a time when they need to be united the most. As if all that wasn’t enough Civil War also introduces Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and the MCU incarnation of our friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man (Tom Holland). Boseman does a great job in his limited role, giving you to get you invested in the character and down for future adventures, but it’s Holland who steals the show here, as perhaps the best representation of Peter Parker he just owns the role with a mixture of goofiness and charisma. You’re instantly ready to follow him through his own adventures and Civil War marks a stellar debut for what has become one of the MCU’s key characters going forward.
3. Thor: Ragnarok
Marvel Studios, 2017
Oh what a difference a new director can make to a franchise. It’s fair to say that the Thor franchise was in something of a limbo prior to Ragnarok. A middling fantasy series given new life with the arrival of director Taika Waititi; the New Zealand native takes Thor from his royal, uptight origins and uproots him, throwing him into a colourful intergalactic adventure full of kooky characters and jokes. Oh and he fights the Hulk too. It’s awesome. Hemsworth too seems energised by the presence of Waititi, bringing more charisma than ever to the role, relishing the chance to explore his comedic side and deliver some zingers. This newfound attitude and snark from Thor allows for a far more enjoyable adventure through the weird and wonderful planet of Sakaar, as Waititi makes the choice to have Thor simply roll with what he is seeing rather than playing it for another fish out of water story like the previous Earth-set adventures. This allows for some excellent banter between the God of Thunder and newcomers like Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie and Jeff Goldblum’s planet ruling Grand Master. Goldblum in particular is perfect casting, excelling and feeding off the weirdness of what is happening around him to give a unique performance as the menacing tyrant of the wasteland world who is also constantly creating laugh-out-loud moments. Speaking of humour, you can’t understate the importance of Waititi’s own CGI creation Korg – a giant alien composed entirely out of rocks with a laid back vibe and New Zealand accent – creating constant belly laughs through his simple but effective inability to read situations correctly. Whilst the story itself is fairly basic, as Thor rushes to stop his half-sister Hela (Cate Blanchett) from destroying Asgard, the pacing is so fantastic that you are never bored and the excellent character moments and non-stop jokes keep you going towards the very smooth transition into Infinity War. If there was ever a question about new blood not being enough to reinvigorate an ailing franchise, Thor: Ragnarok proves otherwise; easily the most purely fun movie in the MCU to date.
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Marvel Studios, 2014
Cap’s second solo outing is undoubtedly his best; a pseudo-spy-thriller set against the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the rise of HYDRA; the shadowy organisation from Cap’s past which had been steadily ingratiating themselves within Nick Fury’s (Samuel L. Jackson) group behind his back. Right from the get go we see that Chris Evans is far more comfortable as the American icon, injecting him with a confidence and dry humour that makes him far more likeable than his fairly underplayed role in The Avengers. The Russo Brother’s MCU debut is very nearly their best film here as they demonstrate a clear understanding of what they want to see on the screen and how best to get it, with the combat in particular shot beautifully in a series of long, wide takes and up-close steady shots that really allow you to understand the geography and intensity of the fight and appreciate the choreography on display. What could be a fairly straightforward story of Cap uncovering the extent of HYDRA’s deception is taken a step further with the reintroduction of Steve’s longtime friend, now brainwashed HYDRA agent, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), known professionally as the Winter Soldier. Having Barnes involved immediately makes the story more intimate and personal for Cap, creating a conflict within him around whether to forgive his friend and try to turn him back to good or accept that the person he once knew, one of the last remnants from his old life, has been corrupted and put an end to him. Evans shows us this conflict flawlessly, fighting back against the system that, for so long, he had stood by and coming into his own as the confident, assertive leader who is able to make the tough call when necessary. Likewise Sebastian Stan is given more screen time than the first film to flesh out the character of Bucky and the internal struggle as he fights against the programming forcing him against his friend and former ally. Add to that a stellar performance from Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, the inclusion of one of the all-time greats Robert Redford in a supporting role and a pulse-pounding score from composer Henry Jackman and you have one of the most tightly made and complete packages of start-to-finish greatness. The Winter Soldier proves that standalone hero films aren’t just filler between Avengers stories. In fact it shows that they can surpass almost everything else in the entire franchise if done correctly, and this one is done flawlessly.
1. Avengers: Infinity War
Marvel Studios, 2018
If there’s one thing the MCU gradually increased in as it went on it was spectacle, and it doesn’t get more spectacular than Avengers: Infinity War, the beginning of the culmination of the entire MCU to date and a showcase for almost every hero that had ever been put to screen by the studio. Not only does it deliver solid, fist-pumping moments for all of its key good guy players but it almost primarily serves as a starring vehicle for the biggest, baddest and best villain the MCU has had in Thanos (Josh Brolin). For years, the purple Titan had been hovering menacingly in the background, taunting the Avengers from afar, but here he makes his full debut, and what a debut it is. From the outset you get the sense that Thanos is something different, when he singlehandedly defeats the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and takes out everyone’s favourite God of Mischief Loki (Tom Hiddleston) – a bold move that immediately presents Thanos as the greatest threat to date. The best villains are those that have a clear motivation and truly believe what they are doing is right and Infinity War works wonders to take you into the mind of Thanos, a tortured soul who has endured great hardships and who will go to these horrific lengths to ensure that the universe as a whole survives, even if it means using the Infinity Stones to wipe out half of all living things. Brolin is phenomenal in the role, menacing and relatable when he needs to be, you don’t entirely despise the man until he completes his deed; a hard feat to achieve normally and even more so when you consider the man was covered in motion capture equipment and still managed to bring such a level of depth to the performance. Outside of Thanos, it’s all about the different match-ups between heroes. Pairing Thor (Chris Hemsworth) with the Guardians of the Galaxy proved to be a stroke of genius, with some hilarious bickering and banter between the Asgardian and Star Lord (Chris Pratt) and the unlikely buddy comedy duo of Thor and Rocket (Bradley Cooper) which carries over into Endgame. Likewise the combination of Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) fires on all cylinders with the pair trading barbs until the Guardians draw their ire and quick wit, leading up to an intense confrontation with Thanos; the fallout of which hits you right in the heartstrings as you realise the bond the pair have formed through this adventure. Oh and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention bearded Cap. That is all. More than anything else though, Infinity War succeeds in delivering everything that we as fans love about these movies: great action, great character moments, one-liners that hit just right and a villain and storyline that provides legitimate menace and stakes for our heroes to overcome. It isn’t a film that you can really jump into if you haven’t seen a lot of the previous instalments but at this point who hasn’t? Infinity War is a film for the fans made by the fans and given all that it does and the stones it took (see what I did there?) to leave us with the ending it did, priming you perfectly for the next film – a tradition that Marvel has cultivated and made popular through its many post-credit scenes – you can’t look at a more perfect MCU film than Avengers: Infinity War.
