The Sabata Trilogy

The Sabata trilogy, though not as well known as some other westerns like the famed "Man with No Name" trilogy, is still a solid series of Spaghetti Westerns. The films were all released between 1969 and 1971 and were directed by Gianfranco Parolini (Although he's credited as Frank Kramer). There are some additional knock-off films from that time that feature 'Sabata' in the title such as Wanted Sabata from 1970 and Dig Your Grave Friend... Sabata's Coming from 1971 but, these aren't considered part of the official Sabata franchise.

The first film in the trilogy, simply called Sabata, stars Lee Van Cleef as the title character. The plot centers a plan cooked up by the leaders of a small Texas town to rob their own bank, and then sell the bankrupt town's land to the railroad company for a big payout. Of course Sabata, a sharp-shooting gunslinger, foils their plan. Overall, I think this one is a good movie.

The follow-up film, Adios, Sabata, sees the title role recast with Yul Brynner. Interestingly, Van Cleef was offered the role in the sequel but was busy filming The Magnificent Seven Ride a sequel to the classic 1960 film The Magnificent Seven, which starred Yul Brynner. In this one, Sabata is hired to assist with a Mexican revolution by stealing some gold from the Austrian Army. Of the three Sabata films, this one is my least favorite. I don't find the story as compelling as the first and third. Also, nothing against Yul Brynner but, I like Lee Van Cleef better as Sabata.

The third and final film of the trilogy is Return of Sabata, released in 1971. It's a fitting title as it would feature Lee Van Cleef returning to the title role. This film starts off with Sabata working as a sideshow-gunslinger but, he quickly finds himself in the middle of a plot involving a corrupt mayor and counterfeit money. This entry in the series is a bit more comedic than the others but I think it works and I find it really entertaining.

Overall, while none of the films are perfect, I find each one enjoyable for different reasons. Sabata as a character is fun because while he is the protagonist of these films, he's not really a good guy. Yes, he helps out the people of these small towns that are being taken advantage of but, he always seems to care more about getting money for himself than anything else. If you are a fan of westerns and plan on marathoning the trilogy, it's going to eat up a little over 5 hours of your time but I think they're worth it.

10 Superhero Movies Everyone Should See

Usually entries to my ongoing '10 Movies Everyone Should See' series focus on an individual actor or filmmaker. I have previously written posts about Tom Cruise, Sean Connery, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Alfred Hitchcock, and many others. However, the topic of which Superhero films people should see came up recently in a conversation and it felt like a good fit for this series. If you're not familiar with how I make these lists, they aren't necessarily a 'Best of' or 'Top 10', It's merely 10 films that I feel best represent the topic overall. If you're a big fan of comic books, like myself, then you probably will go see any superhero flick that hits theaters. For those with a more casual interest in the genre, these are what I consider some notable selections. 

*Also, for anyone wondering, the only films considered were those featuring superheros. So comic/graphic novel adaptations like Road to Perdition, 300, Sin City, and V for Vendetta are films I thought were best left for a different day.

#10 Logan (2017)

Hugh Jackman played the popular X-Men character Wolverine for 17 years and did a fantastic job overall. But it was his last film in the X-Men universe that gave us arguably his best performance.

#9 Watchmen (2009)

I know people are split on Watchmen but whatever your view on how the source material was handled, it is still a well-made, visually striking film, worth watching at least once.

#8 The Avengers (2012)

Even though the X-Men franchise had been showing that superhero teams in movies could work since 2000, this was the first time we saw heros from several different franchises come together in a major motion picture. It was a game-changer.

#7  Blade (1998)

Blade isn't perfect, the CGI especially hasn't held up, but it's still a cool movie. The story is interesting, it's a solid action-horror mashup, Wesley Snipes is awesome, and the quality of the film should be appreciated even more when you consider the status of comic book movies at the time. Blade came out just a year after Batman & Robin, Spawn, and Steel.

#6 Superman (1978)

It's been 40 years since this one hit theaters and I think for a lot of people, myself included, Christopher Reeve is still the definitive live-action Superman.

#5 Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Guardians of the Galaxy isn't my favorite of the Marvel films but it stands out because it came at a time when many where looking at comic book movies and saying "Let's make them gritty". The folks at Marvel on the other hand were saying "Let's get weird and do the one with the sentient tree and talking racoon".

#4 Wonder Woman (2017)

This is far from the best film on the list but, it was the first wildly successful, female-led, comic book movie, and for that alone it's worth watching. Plus, it's pretty good until the third act.

#3 Ironman (2008)

To date the MCU consists of 20 films and it is the all-time highest grossing film franchise of all time, and it all started with Ironman. It might not be everyone's favorite MCU film but, it's hard to deny its impact.

#2 Hellboy (2004)

I just really like the Hellboy films and it's my list... Go watch Hellboy, it's a fun movie.

#1 Batman (1989)

Comic book movies have always had a pretty spotty track record. Sure, the MCU films have helped to establish some quality standards (and even then not all of those films are great) but I think it was Tim Burton's Batman that was the high water mark for the genre for a long time.


 Honorable Mentions: The Incredibles (2004), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2016), X-Men (2000), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Spider-Man (2004), Batman (1966)

What are your 'must-see' superhero film? Leave a comment below.
-and-
To check out the other entries in this series click HERE

The Harry Potter Films

As you can imagine, since I write a movie blog, I love movies and I watch a ton of them. However, there is occasionally a popular film or even a whole franchise that never piqued my interest. This was the case with the 'Harry Potter' movies. People would frequently recommend them to me, but all I knew about the series was acquired through a sort of pop-culture osmosis; My brother is a big fan of both the films and books, I knew of actors like Daniel Radcliff and Emma Watson, I knew that it was about some kids who do magic, and I knew that the franchise made boatloads of money (over 7.7 billion dollars at the box-office). Unfortunately that never was enough to convince me to put in the 19+ hours required to watch them all. Plus, I've never been that big on fantasy films in general.

Then recently it happened. I gave in. I crumbled under years of people telling me that I needed to watch these movies. Well, better late than never I suppose. I picked up the 8-film Blu-ray box set and, over the course of several nights, finally watched the 'Harry Potter' films. I've gone into many individual movies with no expectations and little-to-no prior knowledge of the source material before, but never a whole series of films... so this was going to be an interesting experience either way. None of them are bad, and a few I actually really enjoyed. It's a bit of a mixed bag, but I jotted down a couple of my thoughts after each one.

 Now, I never read the books, I've never taken a deep dive in to any Harry Potter lore, and I obviously have no personal nostalgia for any of these films. So, if you're a diehard fan of these movies, don't get upset if I didn't like a couple.

Let's start with 2001's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. There are a few parts that drag a bit as characters have to spout off a bunch of exposition in order to build the world but, I never read the books so some of that was helpful.  I thought this one was decent.

Next up is the 2002 film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. While there are a few good moments in the film, this was one of my least favorites of the bunch. It feels about a half hour too long, and a lot of stuff just seems to happen regardless if it's important to the story or not.

And now we move on to the third film in the series, 2004's Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The first two films in the series were fine, but this is the first one that I really, whole-heartedly enjoyed. It's a little darker in tone, and the plot seems more focused. Sirius Black (played by Gary Oldman) first appears in this one and he's one of the highlights of the series for me. I'll definitely re-watch this one in the future.

Halfway there. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was released in 2005 and is the forth film in the franchise. Having just watched Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which I really liked, just a few days earlier I was ready to be impressed. As it turns out this one was a 50/50 split for me. At times I thought this was the best one so far, and at other points I felt the complete opposite.

Moving on to the fifth film in the series, 2007's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and... I didn't care for this one. It's not bad, just kind of boring. It has one of the shortest runtimes in the series (about 8 mins shorter than the series average) but the film feels like the longest to me. It's hard to put my finger on, but I just wasn't into this movie. This one did have a different screenwriter than the other seven, so maybe that was it.

Released in 2009, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is the sixth film in the series and I think it's one of the better ones. Not much to say about this one, it's a good blend of style and substance, and I was pretty entertained throughout. 

Movie #7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 from 2010. I'm never a fan of splitting a film into two parts because part 1 never has a satisfying conclusion, and that's the case here as well. With that being said, I didn't dislike this entry in the series. Some of the quieter and exposition heavy scenes can drag a bit but, I thought it was still pretty engaging throughout... and I was kind of glad when Dobby died.

Now on to the thrilling conclusion, 2011's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. This one has a lot of action and tying up loose ends going on. As a result, it was one of the only films in the franchise that didn't feel as long as it's runtime. This one wasn't my favorite, but I feel like it was a solid end to the series.

My general reaction when the end credits would roll after each of these movies ranged from "Hey, that one was pretty good" to "Well, maybe the next one will be better". However, while some of the films in the series feel a bit too long and there are some unintentionally funny moments scattered throughout, I did get invested in the story, I liked a number of the characters, and I enjoyed the movies overall more than I expected to. I found the series as a whole to be an intriguing balance of whimsical fun and drama. It stumbles on more than one occasion but when it works, it really works and I can see why so many people kept coming back for each new installment.
I'm obviously not a die-hard fan of these movies, and I should probably see them all at least one or two more times each before giving a definitive ranking, but after going through the series once here's how they stack up for me:

1) Prisoner of Azkaban

2) Deathly Hallows Pt.2

3) Half-Blood Prince

4) Goblet of Fire

5) Deathly Hallows Pt.1

6)  Sorcerer's Stone

7) Chamber of Secrets

8) Order of the Phoenix 

As always, if you have a suggestion for a review leave a comment below. Also, I'm curious as to how others rank these movies -and- Is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and it's sequel worth checking out?

Ranking the 'Saw' Movies

I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with the horror genre. Psycho from 1960 is my favorite film of all-time and I love all of the old classics Dracula(1931), Frankenstein(1931), The Mummy (1932) The Wolf Man(1941), Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), etc. However, I don't get into a lot of modern horror flicks and when I do it's usually some low-budget, direct to video, schlock I come across on Amazon Prime Video or Netflix that I can get a few laughs out of. That's what makes the Saw series unique for me. It's a modern horror franchise that, for the most part, I enjoy. I wouldn't call any of the films great, but most of them are good enough. So, here is how I rank the Saw films:


#8 Jigsaw (2017)

This one is pretty bad. I watched all of the films in the franchise in the theater and this is the only one that I seriously considered walking out on.

#7 Saw 3D (2010)
I like the 'Saw' films, but this is one of the weakest ones in the franchise. The Jigsaw traps aren't very clever and the plot feels lazy.

#6 Saw VI (2009)
This one isn't awful, it's just kind of forgettable.

#5 Saw V (2008)
This is entertaining enough to watch at least once. However, it is a weaker entry in the Saw series 

#4 Saw II (2005)
It's a pretty good follow-up to the original. Having 8 people involved in one Jigsaw game was an interesting idea, but it wasn't as unnerving as some of the individualized ones from other films in the series. 

#3 Saw III (2006)
This isn't my favorite but it's a solid entry in the series. It's an intense movie with an ending I really like, so I can excuse the overuse of flashbacks.

#2 Saw IV (2007)
I think this is one of the most entertaining in the series and I prefer it over Saw II or III.

#1 Saw (2004)
This is one of those movies that I've seen a number of times and my eyes are still glued to the screen every time I watch it. I enjoy the entire Saw series, but this first one is definitely my favorite. 

A Look Back at the 'American Pie' Films

For those who don't already know, the American Pie film franchise is a series of teen comedies, full of people finding themselves in awkward and often embarrassing situations... with a bit of gross-out humor thrown in for good measure. These are not high-concept cinematic masterpieces and even though I usually don't get into these types of movies, I've always enjoyed this franchise. 

Now, I'm only going to focus on the main series and not any of the spinoffs like American Pie Presents: Band Camp or American Pie Presents: Beta House. This is because;

 A) All those spinoffs were direct-to-video releases and they're all awful, so I don't want to rewatch any of them for this piece.

B) Other than Eugene Levy, none of the core original cast is in the spinoffs.

Now, none of these films were hits with critics for obvious reasons (the first film features Jason Biggs humping an apple pie), but they all did well at the box-office. Looking back, the first three films are pretty dated but a lot of the jokes still get a laugh out of me and the pop-punk/alt. rock soundtrack each film has is right up my alley. I find the core cast of this series to be a bit of a mixed bag with actors Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Alyson Hannigan, and Eugene Levy all giving memorable performances, whereas some others like Chris Kline, Tara Reid, and Thomas Ian Nicholas are kind of forgettable.

Let's start, obviously, with 1999's American Pie. This first film focuses on a group of friends who are high school seniors that make a pact that they'll each find a girl and have sex by the end of prom night. It's a premise that worked in '99 but probably wouldn't do so well today. Even though each character gets their own story beats, Jim Levenstein (played by Jason Biggs) is the real standout of the movie, and he becomes the true main character in subsequent films.

Next up is American Pie 2 which was released in 2001 and stars all the same cast as it's predecessor. The film picks up with each of our main characters from the previous film after their first year at college. It's summer break and the guys rent a lake house for a summer of fun and plans to end it with a big party. Alyson Hannigan's character (Michelle Flaherty) has a bigger role in this film, with her and Jim developing a relationship. The best way I can describe this one is, uneven. It has some of the series' best moments, and also some of the most skippable.

The third entry in the series, American Wedding, came out in 2003 with some noticeable absences to the cast. There's no Chris Klein, Mena Suvari, Tara Reid, or Natasha Lyonne, but when rewatching the movie I really didn't miss any of their characters. In this one everyone is done with college and, as the title suggests, they're all preparing for Jim's wedding to Michelle. Of course, shenanigans ensue, and even the characters in the film acknowledge how remarkable it is that Jim gets into all these crazy situations and ends up coming out of it on top. 

Nine years later the cast of the original came back together for one last time for 2012's American Reunion, and this probably the last we'll see of that original cast in an American Pie film (unless all of the actors get real desperate for money in the future). I never went to the theater to see this one and, in fact, only recently watched it for the first time. While I do enjoy the series, I thought American Wedding was a satisfying conclusion so I passed on this one initially. It's been thirteen years since the gang graduated high school and they're all back in town for a reunion. This one is definitely the weakest of the bunch and a lot of the jokes don't land as well as they did in previous films. It's not terrible, but the movie relies a little too much on the viewer's nostalgia for the older films.

Overall, I wouldn't call any of these movies great, but I think they're fun. Maybe I was just at the right age as these movies came out but, despite their flaws, I find myself going back to them every so often. 

Ranking the Mission:Impossible films

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE

Mission: Impossible is one of my all-time favorite film franchises and, with a new entry in the series now in theaters, it seemed like a good time to take a look back, rewatch, and rank the films.

#6 Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)

By far the low point of the franchise, Mission: Impossible 2 at times doesn't feel like it belongs among the other films. I still enjoy it, but wouldn't call it good.

#5 Mission: Impossible 3 (2006)

M:I 3 is a good movie and there is a lot to like. It's well paced with some fun action scenes and a solid villain. While it's a nice addition to the Mission: Impossible franchise, it's also the most forgettable.

#4 Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)

I've gone back and forth on where this one should rank. When I first saw it I didn't like it as much as Mission: Impossible 3 and after a second viewing I would've put it above the original. Over time though it settled into the #3 slot.

#3 Mission: Impossible (1996)

The first in the series still holds up as one of my favorites. Rogue Nation is probably a better movie overall, but it's my list and when I feel like watching a Mission: Impossible film I'm more likely to put on the original. 



#2 Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) 
The latest Mission: Impossible film is one of the best yet. It takes a lot what I liked about Rogue Nation and builds on it to deliver a fun, action-packed flick.

#1 Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)

This is the high water mark of the franchise for me. The film is exciting, Simon Pegg gets a bigger role than he had in M:I 3, and Tom Cruise climbing the Burj Kalifa is still my favorite Mission: Impossible sequence.

Today's Movie: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

This one has been out for a few days now so I figured I'd check it out. Now,  I wasn't a huge fan of the first 'Guardians of the Galaxy' film from 2014 but I thought it was a fine comic book movie. (If you want to see where I have it ranked among the other Marvel Cinematic Universe films click here to check out that post.)

So, as usual, since this one is still in theaters I'll try to avoid any major spoilers for those who are interested in seeing the film. However, I will give you a few things I liked, disliked, and my overall rating.

First off, some of the problems I had with the first movie are still present in this one. Now, the film is well made so these are more personal preference things than anything else. Like it's predecessor this movie is jam packed with comedy and, for me, it's a bit much. I like some levity in my comic book films, after all they are about masked heros fighting super villains and the concept is inherently a bit silly. But there are a few too many jokes here and at times it felt like the comedy was slowing down the plot and got in the way of dramatic tension that should have existed. Additionally, I'm still not crazy about all the characters in this film franchise (Nebula, for example is one I just don't care for) so that does knock the movie down a peg for me.

I don't want to get too nitpicky because I did enjoy the film, so I'm going to move on to some highlights. Kurt Russell gives a standout performance in just about every movie he's in and this one was no different. I thought he was great in the movie, I liked his character, and his interactions with Star-Lord (played by Chris Pratt) we're some of the best moments of the film. Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper) was my favorite character in the first 'Guardians of the Galaxy' and, even though I mentioned earlier how the film is a bit overstuffed with jokes, all of the comedic moments with Rocket worked for me again in this one. I also enjoyed the inclusion of Mantis (played by Pom Klementieff) and baby Groot, who I thought going in might be more annoying than anything, had some legitimately funny moments. Also, as in the first film, this one has a pretty good soundtrack that perfectly compliments the overall vibe of the movie.

Overall, I enjoyed this one a little more than the previous 'Guardians of the Galaxy'. There are some pacing issues but I did get a few laughs out of it and there was some growth to many of the characters. If you liked the first film then I recommend checking it out.

I give it a 4 out of 5.

Have a suggestion for a review?

Leave it in the comments below.

Tonight's Movie: Logan

I had some moderately high expectations going into this one; I had heard good things, read a couple of positive reviews, and the movie currently sits at a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes... So, while I'm not saying the movie is terrible by any stretch of the imagination, I do think it is a bit overrated.
Also, like I often do when reviewing a new film, I'm going to avoid any plot points that may spoil the movie and, instead, offer up my overall impression of the movie.

Now, while I do love the X-Men comic book characters, I have always been pretty critical of the big screen adaptations but, the one consistent positive is Hugh Jackman. Like so many good and bad X-Men films that came before (all of which I've ranked in a previous post that you can check out by clicking here) it's hard not to love Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine. It is one of the all-time best live-action/comic book character castings, and Jackman doesn't disappoint in this one. And the same can be said for most of the acting throughout, I generally enjoyed most of the performances. Patrick Stewart is pretty solid as always and the girl who plays 'X-23' was good as well.

The overall look and feel of this film is a bit different than all the previous X-Men movies; It has a somber tone and a bit of a Western feel (which I liked), and also carries an R-rating which seemed necessary to tell this particular story. It's easy to feel some superhero fatigue with as many of these comic book movies that come out now but, this one felt like something fairly fresh in a formulaic genre. There are some great action scenes but, there are also a few times when the film drags a bit and the 137min runtime could've been cut down slightly. I didn't find the film's villain all that interesting , and there is at least one character that could've been completely cut from the film without it really affecting the plot at all. The first and third act I enjoyed but, it was the middle of the film that started to run on a bit. Additionally, if you are familiar with all of the previous X-Men movies then you may end up with a few unanswered questions throughout the film.

Overall, this is a movie that I really wanted to love and, while it is enjoyable as a whole, it's far from perfect. Maybe this one is worthy of the high praise it has received thus far, but I found it to be a slightly below what I was hoping for.

I give it a 3.5 out of 5.


Have a suggestion for a review?
Leave it in the comments below.

80's Month Day 24: Rocky III

Obviously the third film in the 'Rocky' franchise, Rocky III was released in 1982. The film stars all of the keys actors from the first two films; Sylvester Stallone, Burgess Meredith, Talia Shire, Burt Young, and Carl Weathers, as well as introducing Mr. T as Clubber Lang (a character that only appears in this film).

The film picks up where the previous one left off, with Rocky being the Heavy-Weight Champion having recently beaten Apollo Creed in a rematch. However, this entry marks a bit of a turning point in the series for two main reasons; First off, Apollo Creed (played by Carl Weathers) isn't Rocky's opponent like he was in the previous two films, and second, Rocky's friend/manager/trainer Mickey Goldmill dies in the movie. Rocky early on loses a fight to a trash-talking challenger Clubber Lang, after being distracted by Mickey having a heart-attack. Afterwards, and for good reason, Rocky is pretty down, demoralized, and has lost the will to go into the ring and box without Mickey in his corner. However, his old rival Apollo tells him that the he can beat Clubber Lang if he gets back the "Eye of the Tiger" (a hunger and passion to win). So, Apollo trains Rocky, a friendship between the two starts to form, and pretty soon Rocky is ready for a rematch with Clubber. What follows is a middle of the road fight sequence with Rocky, of course, emerging victorious.

Overall, this one isn't my favorite 'Rocky' movie but I do enjoy it. Mickey's death is emotional, Mr. T is an entertaining foe, and the song "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor gets stuck in my head after each viewing.

I give this one a 4 out of 5.

...and if you want to read my ranking of all the 'Rocky' movies, you can by clicking here.

Have a suggestion for a review?

Leave it in the comments below.

80's Month Day 17: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

1989 was a pretty good year for movies, and some of my favorites of the 1980's came out that year. films like Batman, Field of Dreams, UHF, and today's movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. It's a bit of a close call between this one and Raiders of the Lost Ark but I tend to enjoy the third entry in the franchise a little more.

Harrison Ford reprises his role as the iconic Indiana Jones, but in this one he is also joined by screen legend Sean Connery who plays Indiana's father Henry Jones. As much fun as it is to watch Indiana's adventures in these films, it's Connery that pushes this one to the top of the group (this film was even on my list of "10 Sean Connery Movies Everyone Should See" which you can check out by clicking here).

Early on in the film Indiana learns that his father has gone missing while searching for the Holy Grail and, believing that his father must be in trouble after he receives Henry's 'Grail Diary' in the mail, he sets out to find him. Using the diary Indiana pieces together enough clues to find his father who has been captured by Nazi's. After the two are reunited the fun really starts: escaping the castle where Henry was held captive, a motorcycle chase, tanks, an aerial dogfight between the Joneses and German Luftwaffe fighter... and all throughout a really entertaining dynamic and great chemistry between Ford and Connery. Eventually they reach the temple where the grail is kept and, as with all Indiana Jones films, it's full of booby-traps, but Indiana does end up finding the Grail. Start to finish this whole movie is a ton of fun, it's a solid action-adventure flick, and it's definitely worth watching if you've never seen it.

I give this one a 5 out of 5.


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Leave it in the comments below.

80's Month Day 9: Octopussy

With over 20 James Bond films dating back to the the early 60's, there is always debate among Bond fans as to which movie is the best. One movie that no one ever seems to argue in favor of is 1983's Octopussy. Already in his mid-50's by this point Sir. Roger Moore was getting a bit old for the part of Britain's top secret agent. For reference; Sir Sean Connery was 41 when his last official Bond movie Diamonds are Forever was released in 1971.

The plot, in short, involves James Bond being assigned the task of following a Russian general who is stealing jewels and relics, most notably a Faberge egg. This ends up leading Bond to a wealthy Afghan prince named Kamal Khan, and his associate, a woman named Octopussy (played by Maud Adams) who owns a n island exclusively populated by beautiful women. Eventually James uncovers a plot to force disarmament in Europe with the use of a nuclear weapon and, as in all Bond films, 007 foils the evil plan and saves the day.

 The action scenes, for the most part, are average at best and unfortunately in this one James Bond doesn't even have a gun for the majority of the film. Even those signature 007 one-liners, which when done right can result is some of the most memorable Bond moments, make up virtually all of Roger Moore's dialogue in the film. The lines aren't clever and overall it's the whole thing isn't that well written. 
Two of James Bond's gadgets in the movie include a fountain pen filled with acid (the pen cap is also a hearing device) and a small airplane that fits inside of a horse trailer and apparently runs on regular gasoline. Neither one is one are the silliest gadget in a Bond film, but they're not particularly awesome either. That being said, this film also contains the crocodile shaped personal submarine, which is simply ridiculous.

Just look at it... Someone thought this was a good idea.

Overall, I don't think Octopussy is the worst Bond movie but, it's pretty close and definitely not one I  recommend. I give this one a 2 out of 5. 


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Leave it in the comments below. 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe *Updated*

Back in October of 2016 I ranked the Marvel Cinematic Universe films worst-to-first based on a variety of factors; story, villain, initial viewing and rewatchability etc. But most importantly, the list is simply about how much I enjoyed one film over another. Since then, several movies have been added to the MCU with each one building on and often changing the impact of previous films. So, I've updated the rankings which is something I'll be doing after each new installment.

#19 The Incredible Hulk (2008)

This one, for me, is the most forgettable of the MCU films. Edward Norton and the rest of the cast are solid but the CGI doesn’t hold up well and the movie just isn't much fun.

#18 Black Panther (2018)

This one was a bit of a letdown for me and the main problem was 'Vibranium'. Up until this film the fictional element was extremely rare, and it was simply known in the MCU as the most durable metal on the planet. However, in this movie Vibranium can do whatever the plot needs it to do and there is a whole mine full of it. 

#17 Iron Man 3 (2013)

This one is a bit of a mixed-bag. Initially I didn’t care for it, probably because I had such high expectations going in, but over time and a few repeat viewings I’ve found a good number of things I really like in the movie.

#16 Thor: The Dark World (2013)

This sequel to 2011’s ‘Thor’ is a solid movie that just suffers from a forgettable villain. We get to see more of Asgard in this one, which is a plus.

#15 Iron Man 2 (2010)

This movie isn't bad,  and it's actually the film I've seen the most on this list, but at times it feels like more of a setup for future MCU films than an Iron Man one. On the plus side, War Machine and Black Widow are fun additions.

#14 Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

While it is a really fun action packed movie, it didn't quite live up to my expectations.  I liked the larger roster of Avengers, but I didn't find Ultron all that menacing. 

#13 Thor (2011)

The film doesn't have the most compelling Marvel hero and it isn't the most action-packed of the bunch, but it's a solid entry and Chris Hemsworth is another example of great casting by the folks at Marvel. 


#12 Doctor Strange (2016)

This one isn't just entertaining but it's also visually captivating. Doctor Strange was never one of my favorite Marvel Comics characters, but that didn't hurt my movie going experience and I thought Benedict Cumberbatch was solid a Stephen Strange.

#11 Ant-Man

I was kind of surprised by how much I enjoyed this one when I first saw it. It’s a really fun movie. There is the one big MCU tie-in when Ant-Man comes across Falcon, but like ‘Iron Man’ the movie is able to stand on its own without relying too heavily on the rest of the MCU.

#10 Captain America: Civil War (2016)

There are a lot things I loved about it and a few things I didn't, but overall it's really entertaining. I would've liked to rank it higher, but there just wasn't enough to put it ahead of the others.

#9 Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Just because it’s #9 doesn’t make it a bad movie. The characters are likeable, and the story is interesting. The biggest flaw is that Ronan the Accuser is an underwhelming villain that felt like nothing more than a place holder until a future Guardians film.

# 8 Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

It's the culmination of 10 years worth of Marvel movies and, while that makes it a satisfying experience for MCU fans, it doesn't really stand on it's own as a film. There is a good chance that it moves up or down significantly on the list as subsequent films build on the events of this one.



#7 Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

It was time for Marvel to do something different with Thor and the Hulk, and in this action-comedy I think they knocked it out of park. This is easily my favorite of the 'Thor' films, and it holds up to repeat viewings.

  
#6 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

 I like the first 'Guardians of the Galaxy' film but it does have it's flaws and, while this one isn't perfect either, I did really enjoy it. A fun film with the characters you love from the first one, plus Kurt Russell. I definitely recommend it.

#5 Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

I probably like this one more than most people. I think it's a really fun and well done movie, especially since origin stories so often end up being boring.

#4 Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Spider-Man's first solo film in the MCU was exactly what I hoped it would be. A fun, action packed film with a Peter Parker who actually looks like a high school student.

 

#3 The Avengers (2012)

There was nothing quite like seeing Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man, Black Widow, and Hawkeye all fighting alongside one another for the first time on the big screen. It’s still one of the coolest MCU moments.

#2 Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

This almost made the #1 spot. It’s an action packed thriller, and one of the all-time best comic book movies. A great addition to the MCU.

#1 Iron Man (2008)

The film that started it all still holds up as my favorite. The plot isn't overly complicated, you can enjoy it for exactly what it is without the need to see any of the other films beforehand, and Robert Downey Jr. is excellent as Tony Stark.

How do you rank the MCU films?

Leave it in the comments below.

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