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Jul 11 2023

The Indiana Jones Films Ranked

Now that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny has been released, the Indiana Jones film franchise is complete and we can rank all five films.

The quality of these films are generally high, some of which are genuine masterpieces. Even the films that rank at the bottom are entertaining with their own merits, but have their flaws, of course.

Here are the Indiana Jones films ranked from least to best. Be aware of spoilers ahead and feel free to drop a comment about your own preferences!

5. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

It had been nearly twenty years since Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade came out in theaters when the fourth film premiered. This was the best they could come up with? This was the film that gave us the infamous phrase nuke the fridge because Indy survived a nuclear explosion by hiding in a refrigerator. Our favorite archaeologist deals with the 1950s as he searches for the lost city of Ankakor in South America.  Among the 1950s tropes Indy grapples with include the red scare, bug-eyed aliens, and a greaser who turned out to be his son.

It was great seeing Harrison Ford reprising his role as Indiana Jones and how the adventurer functioned in a different decade. Some of the images from director Steven Spielberg were jaw dropping such as Indiana witnessing an atomic mushroom cloud or a great motorcycle chase on a college campus. But more often than not it felt like many of the filmmakers were phoning it in and taking the easy route. The film is riddled with obvious and needless CG images and stunts, and most of it looked fake. There was little sense of danger in many scenes.

Despite the fact that the script had been worked on forever, it still needed work as the motivations of characters did not make sense. The camaraderie between Indiana and his son was undeveloped and paled when compared to that of Indy and his father in the previous film.

4. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

As the franchise’s only prequel the second Indiana Jones film turned out to be the darkest in the franchise due to personal issues regarding divorces that creators Spielberg and George Lucas were going through at the time. The result was that the film feels mean spirited at times and dated with its misogyny and questionable depictions of other cultures.

It lacked the epic scale of Raiders of the Lost Ark and the filmmakers reveled too much in trying to gross out audiences and with trying too hard to be different from the first film. At times, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom felt more like a romantic comedy instead of an adventure film. Also, the MacGuffin Indy hunted for was far less impressive when compared to the Holy Grail or the Ark of the Covenant. What exactly do the Sankara Stones do except glow? The characters were annoying and unlikeable especially Willie Scott. She was supposed to be a sharp contrast to the tough-as-nails Marion Ravenwood from the previous film. But by trying to make Willie the opposite of Marion, the filmmakers turned her into a stereotypical screaming damsel in distress who lacked any substance.

Despite its faults, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom has some of the franchise’s greatest action scenes that still hold up to today and are iconic. Ford was great as always, as was the production design and score by John Williams.

3. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

The fifth and final Indiana Jones film has had a mixed reaction from fans. It will take some time to see how it holds up, but for now this is the rank it has earned. There was a lot of trepidation over the film since Spielberg did not direct it and many questioned how an old Ford could believably play a swashbuckling treasure hunter. But the film is an enjoyable send off to the franchise.

Even though Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny lacks a lot of Spielberg’s visual flair, director James Mangold does a fine job with this look at Indiana Jones as a senior citizen in the late 1960s. Embittered over the death of his son which destroyed his marriage and facing retirement, Indiana carries out one final treasure hunt with his goddaughter, which involves time traveling to ancient Syracuse and meeting Archimedes.  Harrison Ford Is Too Old for This Shit – Rolling Stone

There are some issues with the plot mechanics and its credibility (something that the other films suffer from, such as characters using life rafts to jump from an airplane and other feats that would have killed them). But Ford has some good chemistry with Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who plays his goddaughter and the film has some exciting moments, especially during a flashback scene set in World War II and an intense tuk-tuk chase sequence. Anyone hesitant about the film because of Spielberg’s absence should put doubts aside and see Indiana Jones in his last great cinematic adventure.

2. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

After the mixed reaction to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Spielberg and Lucas went back to basics and delivered a rousing adventure that is nearly as great as the first film. It is also the funniest film in the franchise.

The film opens with a rousing flashback to 1912 which features River Phoenix as a teenaged Indy. After we find out why he fears snakes and how he got his famous fedora hat, the film jumps forward to 1938. Indiana travels to a pre-World War II Europe to find his missing father, who he has not spoken to in some time. Sean Connery was magnificent as Indiana’s father and the two actors share some of the best moments in the franchise thanks to their incredible chemistry.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade follows some of the same beats as Raiders of the Lost Ark, such as Nazis, intense chases, epic scenery and spine-tingling explorations of ancient sites. Thanks to Spielberg’s skills, a great script and inspired acting, the third film is definitely classic cinema. Oh, be sure to watch the film to the end as it features one of the most beautiful ending scenes ever filmed as Indiana Jones and his companions ride off into the sunset.

1. Raiders of the Lost Ark

Also known as Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, this is the first and still greatest Indiana Jones film. When thinking about the recent Martin Scorsese “This is Cinema” meme, Raiders of the Lost Ark certainly applies to that phrase!

Set in 1936, Raiders of the Lost Ark introduces us to Indiana Jones, a two-fisted, globe-trotting archaeologist who hunts ancient treasures. Inspired by the movie serials of the 1930s and 1940s, Raider of the Lost Ark elevated that kind of cinema into the greatest action-adventure film of all time. This was due to the groundbreaking collaboration between George Lucas and Steven Spielberg who wanted to do his version of James Bond. Here’s a bit of trivia, Lucas initially called the hero Indiana Smith and we’re glad the name was changed to Jones since it flows much better!

Spielberg was at his best when directing this monumental film. It featured many of his trademark visual touches like his God light on characters and inventive composition of shadows and silhouettes to showcase characters. Of course, none of this would mean much without a great script, which is what the film thankfully had from Lawrence Kasdan. Each shot was nearly perfect as the level of excitement and mystery increased with each passing second. Raiders of the Lost Ark is true cinematic treasure that has endured through the years and set a standard with adventure films that is difficult to match. That is why it is the best of the Indiana Jones films.

NOTEWORTHY MENTION

Young Indiana Jones and the Mystery of the Blues

During the 1990s, ABC aired The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, which were historical dramas about Indy when he was a child and a young adult. The episodes had opening and closing segments that starred George Hall as an old Indiana Jones in his 90s telling tales of his youth. In one episode, “Young Indiana Jones and the Mystery of the Blues”, Harrison Ford reprised the role as a bearded Indiana in 1950 who told a story about himself in Chicago in 1920. This episode has been recut into a television film with the same title, but honestly the best part of the episode involved the two segments with Ford.

José Soto

Apr 15 2023

Top Ten Mario Video Games

With the stunning success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie it’s a great time to look back at the Nintendo franchise that inspired the film and rank them in order of awesomeness! How does this list compares to yours? Be sure to drop a comment.

10. New Super Mario Bros

As Mario’s first new side-scrolling game in several years, this title was released for the Nintendo DS and brought a new visual style to the series that was continued for many games after it and was highly influential. It was a return to Mario’s roots after many 3D games were released, with fun 2D levels and multiple power-ups and secrets to explore.

9. Super Mario 3D Land

This title for the Nintendo 3DS has Mario going through familiar 3D levels, but the action is similar to his earlier 2D side-scrolling games, and it has the return of his iconic raccoon suite from Super Mario Bros 3. The levels are great fun to play and are an inspiration for the later 3D World game.

8. Super Mario Land

Mario’s first portable game for the Game Boy is simple, but incredibly fun and shows how easy it is to pick up a Mario game and have a great time. Based on the NES original, the levels are short, but exciting and challenging. The game even has side scrolling shooting levels, which provides a unique experience in Mario games.

7. Super Mario Bros 2

Mario’s second NES game is in some ways the most unique. He travels to the  dream world of Subcon and battles a new enemy named Wart and his shyguy minions. The action is different from every other title and features his brother Luigi and his friends Peach and Toad as playable characters for the first time. The ending sequence is also a fan favorite, which reveals it was all a dream.

6. Super Mario 3D World

An evolution of the earlier Super Mario 3D Land, having Cat Mario running through fun and exciting levels in a 3D world is something every Nintendo fan should experience and the cat suit is perhaps Mario’s best powerup, The remaster of this title includes Bowser’s Fury, which is the first foray into an open world Mario game that is a fun hint of things to come for future Mario games.

5. Super Mario Bros 3

Mario’s last NES title was his best on the console. This title featured a return to the Mushroom Kingdom and showed for the first time, Bowser’s kids, such as Lemmy Koopa, Wendy O Koopa, and Ludwig Von Koopa, to name a few, who have become fan favorites in their own right and have appeared in many other games, as well. This game expanded on the original game in a huge way, with an overworld to go through, and new power ups such as Mario’s raccoon suit that enable him to fly. Taking off and flying above your foes is an epic moment in Mario gaming!

4. Super Mario World

The high point of 2D mario gaming, this launch title for the Super NES had Mario’s dinosaur pal Yoshi appearing for the first time running through beautifully designed areas in Dinosaur Island while battling Bowser and his offspring, the Koopa Kids. This game perfected everything that came before, such as an interactive overworld, a Superman-like cape to fly around, and a huge amount of levels to explore.

3. Super Mario 64

This was the first and arguably the most influential 3D game of all time. Being able to move Mario in a fully immersive 3D world changed video games forever and had you going though varied and exciting levels while battling Bowser and his minions. The first time you were able to move Mario in any direction and explore Peach’s castle is a moment that so memorable and is just one of many such moments that Mario games have provided.

2. Super Mario Bros.

The original that reinvigorated the video game genre after the Atari crash of 1983, this side-scrolling classic introduced Bowser, Princess Peach, goombas and the Mushroom Kingdom that are now icons for all gaming. The numerous levels and secrets in each world were groundbreaking at the time and made Mario a household name.

1. Super Mario Galaxy

The pinnacle of 3D Mario gaming, this adventure has Mario soaring through outer space in wildly inventive levels that changed how 3D platformers were played. The sheer fun and excitement of this game is what makes Mario an icon who long ago surpassed his gaming roots and now is a movie star.

C.S. Link

Mar 23 2023

Top Ten Worst Star Trek Captains

We’ve celebrated Star Trek’s legendary starship captains, but for every Kirk, Picard or Sisko there are some truly horrendous captains that appeared in the Star Trek television shows and films. Here are the worst Star Trek captains in the history of Starfleet.  

10. Captain Liam Shaw (Star Trek: Picard Season Three)

Command: U.S.S. Titan-A, NCC-80102-A

This guy is certainly the best of the worst. Shaw is abrasive, rude, risk-averse and an all-around jerk. But what cements Liam Shaw’s place on this list was how he dumped command of his ship, the Titan A, onto Will Riker, instead of acting like a real captain and getting the Titan out of danger. Still, many times during Star Trek: Picard, Shaw was the voice of reason and he was not afraid to say “Wait a minute, should we be doing this?” whenever our heroes ran off to danger. Also, he often was a scene stealer thanks to Todd Stashwick’s acting skills, especially once we learned he was a survivor of the Battle of Wolf 359.

9. Captain J.T. Esteban (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)

Command: U.S.S. Grissom, NCC-638

The list has many risk-averse commanding officers and J.T. Esteban is great example of this trait. During his brief appearance in the film, Esteban came off as an unyielding, by-the-book type who refused to listen to reason. What was even worse with Esteban was that he was too slow to react to sudden developments and this cost him his life, along with the crew of the Grissom when the Klingons destroyed his ship.

8. Captain John Harriman (Star Trek Generations)

Command: U.S.S. Enterprise-B, NCC-1701-B

“It won’t be installed until Tuesday!” was the infamous catchphrase from this hapless captain. Harriman had the unenviable task of following up the legendary James T. Kirk as he assumed command of the Enterprise B during the opening scenes of Star Trek Generations. Right away, Harriman was in over his head and was frozen with indecision as he tried to command the Enterprise literally under the shadow of Kirk.

7. Captain Lawrence Styles (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)

Command: U.S.S. Excelsior, NX-2000

Styles was a pompous, egotistical jerk who had the audacity to think his shiny new Excelsior was superior to the original Enterprise. Yes, the Excelsior was new with the latest tech, but that does not mean it becomes a legend. The minute he was introduced in the film and displayed a dismissive attitude towards the Enterprise and the original crew, fans instantly disliked him and for good reason. One of the best moments in the film was when he saw his beloved ship suffer an epic malfunction as it tried to pursue the Enterprise as it took off on its last voyage.

6. Captain Gabriel Lorca (Star Trek: Discovery Season One)

Command: U.S.S. Discovery, NCC-1031

The captain of the Discovery was popular when he was first introduced due to his no-nonsense and stern attitude that was a more realistic portrayal of a commanding officer. He even gave the disgraced Michael Burnham a chance to redeem herself by posting her on the ship. However, once it was revealed that Lorca was actually a manipulative wannabe despot from the Mirror Universe, he earned a permanent spot on this list. It’s too bad Lorca turned out to be such a dick, for a while, he was the best character on the show.

5. Captain Ben Maxwell (Star Trek: The Next Generation “The Wounded”)

Command: U.S.S. Phoenix, NCC-65420

The ends clearly do not justify the means with this starship captain. He has a tragic backstory where his family was killed by Cardassians during a war. In the episode “The Wounded”, Maxwell took it upon himself to launch preemptive attacks on Cardassians with his starship, the Phoenix, because he was convinced the Cardassians violated a treaty with the United Federation of Planets and were rearming themselves against the Federation. Even though in the end he was correct, his actions nearly sparked a war between the Federation and the Cardassians that the Federation was not in the condition to fight after Starfleet was decimated by the Borg earlier in the season.

4. Captain Ronald Tracey (Star Trek “The Omega Glory”)

Command: U.S.S. Exeter, NCC-1672

How this lunatic ever passed Starfleet Academy is anyone’s guess. First, he got his crew killed when he led a landing party on one of those parallel worlds and contracted a virus that killed everyone on his ship, the Exeter. Then, he openly violated the Prime Directive by taking sides in a local war on the planet. This he did to supposedly provide immortality to humanity. Finally, he tried to get the locals to kill Kirk, Spock and McCoy by exploiting their superstitious beliefs. Great job there, Tracey.

3. Captain Rudy Ransom (Star Trek: Voyager “Equinox, Part I and II”)

Command: U.S.S. Equinox, NCC-72381

Here is another fallen Starfleet captain who flagrantly violated the Prime Directive. Stranded in the distant Delta Quadrant, Ransom and his ship, the Equinox, had suffered numerous calamities. Desperate for fuel to get home faster, Ransom’s crew discovered that dimensional beings generated a power source for the Equinox, but the beings had to be murdered for the fuel.  This led to a disastrous conflict with the Voyager and its crew. Special dishonor also has to go to Ransom’s first officer, Maxwell Burke, for taking command of the Equinox from Ransom after the captain began to see the error of his ways.  

2. “Captain” Tim Watters (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine “Valiant”)

Command: U.S.S. Valiant, NCC-74210

This insufferable snot-nosed punk deserved to be killed for his arrogance. He gets the title of captain in quotes because he was just an elite cadet who wound up in command of the Valiant when the ship’s crew was killed. So, he doesn’t even deserve to be called a captain. Anyway, during his dictatorial command he refused to listen to reason, threw people who disagreed with him in the brig, and let his arrogance kill the remaining crew of the Valiant when he foolishly led a doomed attack on a Jem’Hadar battlecruiser. In the words of Nog, who was one of the few survivors, “in the end, he was a bad captain.”

1. Captain Edward Jellico (Star Trek: The Next Generation “Chain of Command, Part I and II”)

Command: U.S.S. Cairo, NCC-42136 and U.S.S. Enterprise-D, NCC-1701-D

Man, was this guy a raging A-hole! Super strict, authoritarian, obtuse, antagonistic, unwilling to listen to others, Jellico just rubbed people the wrong way. After taking command of the Enterprise D from Jean-Luc Picard, Jellico quickly alienated the ship’s command officers with his brusque, My-Way-Or-The-Highway style of command. Sure, his manner of running things was effective, and arguably realistic according to those with military experience, but he had everyone so wound up that morale plummeted badly on the ship. It was no wonder that we cheered when Riker finally told him off. Unfortunately, this jerkwad was eventually promoted to an admiral as seen in Star Trek: Prodigy, and he has not changed a bit.

Anyone has a different list of captains that should be mentioned? Feel free to leave a comment!

José Soto

Jan 7 2023

Top Ten Most Anticipated Films & TV Shows

It’s 2023! A new year means listing which are the most anticipated upcoming films and TV shows. Keep in mind that several of the entries on this list will probably be delayed to next year or so. Also, note that not everything on the list will turn out to be any good (Transcendence anyone?), and some properties that don’t make the lists will be among this year’s best offerings. So with that…

2023 Films

10. Evil Dead Rise

The newest Evil Dead film has a new and interesting twist with its setting in an urban environment instead of the usual remote woods as seen with the previous films.

9. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

One of the first of many films delayed from last year will also be the final film of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Jason Momoa reprises his role of the Atlantean ruler and superhero for the last time.

8. The Super Mario Bros. Movie

The trailers blew away many fans of the beloved video game franchise with its dazzling visuals that accurately adapted the fantasy world of the Mario Brothers. Let’s hope the actual film delivers an epic animated fantasy as promised by the trailers.

7. The Flash

Long delayed and hampered by behind-the-scenes calamities, The Flash will bring back Michael Keaton as Batman and probably set up a new cinematic universe thanks to the time traveling antics of the title hero.

6. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) kicks off with the third Ant-Man film that will be a huge event as it introduces the next big MCU uber foe, Kang the Conqueror.

5. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

It’s the final outing for the great Harrison Ford as the legendary archaeologist. Taking place in the 1960s and featuring Nazis and mystical MacGuffins, this film looks like an exciting conclusion to the Indy Jones saga. However, without Steven Spielberg or George Lucas, the film has to deliver, but it probably will.  

4. 65

Adam Driver stars as a space explorer who crash lands on a primordial world and struggles to survive. The catch is he is on Earth 65 million years ago and dealing with deadly dinosaurs and the incoming doomsday comet that wiped out all dinosaurs. It’s a great concept for a film that promises lots of thrills and adventure.

3. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

The sequel to the classic animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse looks like an even wilder journey into the multiverse. The recent trailer had Miles Morales meeting more and fantastic versions of Spider-Man, including Spider-Man 2099. If it can match the groundbreaking nature of the original then we’ll have another animated classic.

2. Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 3

Director James Gunn bids farewell to the MCU with his conclusion to the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. The trailer had many viewers reaching for their hankies as they beheld the final shots of the beloved and goofy Guardians. The film will close chapters with the Guardians while potentially opening up new ones with new heroes and villains.

1. Dune, Part Two

Visionary director Denis Villeneuve concludes his two-part adaptation of the classic Frank Herbert novel about Paul Atreides and his ascendance into a spiritual warrior and savior in the far future. Dune, Part One was instantly recognized as a groundbreaking and immersive sci-fi epic that properly captured the scope and nuance of the novel. We can only expect more of this with Dune, Part Two.

Other Upcoming Films:

Beau is Afraid; Blue Beetle; Distant; Elemental; Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel; Haunted Mansion;The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes; Knock at the Cabin; The Marvels; Shazam! Fury of the Gods; True Love

Continue reading →
Dec 31 2022

Top Ten Films & TV Shows Of 2022

2022 is done and it is time to briefly look back at the best genre films and television shows that came out in 2022. Of course, every reader’s preference and ranking will be different and everyone will have their opinions about these lists and are entitled to them. Drop a comment if you agree with the rankings or have different ones.

TV Shows

It is clear that we are in the middle of a Golden Age of genre TV shows given there so many high-quality shows that came out in just one year. Many of the streamed or aired TV shows are genuine classics with the top three shows being virtually tied for first place and their ranks can be interchanged.

10. The Peripheral

Loosely based on William Gibson’s book, this was one sci-fi show worth watching. Chloë Moretz Grace stars as a VR gamer in the near future caught up in a mind-bending conspiracy involving time travel and alternate realities.

9. The Sandman

This turned out to be a remarkably faithful adaptation of the classic DC/Vertigo dark fantasy comic book. More like a traditional episodic show with standalone stories, The Sandman was inventive, colorful, disturbing and brilliant.

8. Peacemaker

James Gunn sojourn into the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) took a hysterical turn with the first (and possibly final) DCEU TV show. It took one of the least likeable anti-heroes from The Suicide Squad and turned him into a relatable and emotionally complex character.

7. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Director James Gunn delivered an awesome, heartfelt and funny holiday special starring the Guardians of the Galaxy. In between the gooey holiday scenes were moments of pure laughter as the alien Guardians went to Earth to kidnap the actor Kevin Bacon to present as a Christmas present. The songs were great, too.

6. The Boys

With the introduction of Soldier Boy, The Boys took a turn at satirizing the Marvel Comics heroes with his clear similarities to Captain America. Meanwhile, the series continued to be outrageously violent with gross-out humor and in-your-face commentary about our times.

5. Obi-Wan Kenobi

Ewan McGregor reprised the role he made his own in the Star Wars prequels. The series served as both a sequel to those films and a prequel to the original Star Wars. Despite some flaws, McGregor elevated the show with his brilliant performance as a fallen Jedi who has to rediscover his faith.

4. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Despite some Star Trek shows that faltered in 2022, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds breathed new life in the franchise. This was due to smart scripts that emulated the original Star Trek, a charming cast, and a back-to-basics approach with its storytelling that favored standalone episodes.

3. Andor

Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in Lucasfilm’s ANDOR, exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

This Star Wars show was the ultimate slow burn as the prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story centered on the anti-hero Rebel agent, Cassian Andor. Separate arcs thoroughly examined Andor’s personal growth and the people around him. It also realistically depicted of how a rebellion grows in an authoritarian society.

2. House of the Dragon

Many who were disappointed by the final season of Game of Thrones were pleasantly surprised by this fascinating prequel that focused on the dragon-worshiping Targaryen royal family. Despite its prequel limitations, the show quickly captivated audiences who were drawn back to the fantasy world of George R.R. Martin.

1. Stranger Things 4

The fourth season of Stranger Things managed to reinvigorate the series with fascinating origin stories and situations, and new and memorable characters. At the same time, this season focused on the core characters that were so beloved and who were allowed to grow as they faced terrifying new threats from the Upside Down dimension.

Honorable Mentions:

Doom Patrol; For All Mankind; Halo; The Handmaid’s Tale; Love, Death + Robots; Moon Knight; The Orville; Raised By Wolves; Severance; She-Hulk: Attorney At Law; Snowpiercer, Star Trek: Picard; Star Trek: Prodigy; Superman & Lois; Tales of the Jedi; Titans; Werewolf By Night; The Umbrella Academy; Undone

Films

Surprisingly, the genre offerings for 2022 were not as plentiful as in previous years. Superhero films still dominate the release schedule though many other genre films (horror, animated, sci-fi, fantasy) have made their presence felt as well in a solid year for genre films.

10. Sonic the Hedgehog 2

The sequel film delivered the best family film of the year. It was also an exciting, colorful and largely faithful live-action adaptation of the classic Sega video game hero and his expanded roster of friends and foes.

9. The Black Phone

This film by Scott Derrickson proved why he is one of the best visionary horror directors today with The Black Phone. He cleverly combined classic horror elements from serial killers to psychic phenomenon to ghosts.

8. Nope

Director Jordan Peele’s latest genre offering was an intriguing and original take on the U.F.O. phenomenon. Nope had its fair share of suspense, horror and the contemplative character studies Peele is known for, as well as elements of a neo-Western.

7. Prey

The Predator franchise was unexpectedly revived with the latest film that took the franchise in a new and fresh direction. Placing the film centuries ago, Prey amped up the thrills as the human characters had to rely on their wits and skills instead of technology against the inhuman Predator hunting them.

6. Everything Everywhere All at Once

Michelle Yeoh turned in a fantastic performance as several variations of the same character in this film that gave us a true multiverse of madness. The film truly went out there with its sometimes bizarre depictions of colliding parallel universes.

5. Jurassic World: Dominion

The conclusion to the second Jurassic Park film trilogy ended on a high note full of dinosaurs rampaging in modern-day society. However, the film’s true high note was when it had the main heroes from both trilogies meeting and teaming up to save the world from extinction.

4 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Director Ryan Coogler pulled off the impossible with a sequel that does not feature the star or main character from the original film. This film was full of depth as it explored grief and loss, while expanding the popular Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with the introduction of one of Marvel’s best anti-heroes, Namor.

3. The Batman

We actually got to see the Dark Knight Detective do some actual detective work in this grounded and gritty version of Batman. The dark and brooding film delivered intense action, intrigue and a horrifying version of the Riddler that rivaled classic cinematic serial killers.

2. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

While the year’s top MCU film did not exactly deliver a multiverse of madness, it was a fun deep dive into the MCU with chilling horror elements and wild visuals. Sam Raimi was an inspired choice of a director who utilized his horror and comic book film background to full effect.

1. Avatar: The Way of Water

The sequel to Avatar, the biggest box office hit of all time, surprised many who dismissed it for being an empty special effects-heavy sequel. However, director James Cameron’s breathtaking vision of an alien world and its solid world building and characters helped propel Avatar: The Way of Water into a must-see event.

Honorable Mentions:

Barbarian; Beavis and Butthead Do the Universe; Black Crab; Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers; DC League of Super Pets; Lighthyear; Moonfall; Puss in Boots: The Last Wish; Smile; Strange World; Thor: Love and Thunder; Turning Red