Film Talk | Transformers

Discussing the Transformers movie franchise, from the first to the latest instalment

Transformers: Age of Extinction Screenshot
source: youtube.com

The Transformers franchise has become one of the most talked about movie franchises of all time, as it has gone through an extremely successful original (Transformers, 2007), which amassed a worldwide gross of $710 million, followed by 3 successful sequels, which altogether including the first gave the Transformers movie franchise a total worldwide gross of $3,757,212,051 (billion).

The Transformers movies, although commercially successful, have received a lot of negativity from hardcore movie watchers around the world because of its lack of character development, predictable storyline's and the overuse of action in each Transformers instalment. However, some (including myself) may argue that it is all of the action that makes it such an appealing movie to see at the movie theatres, as occasionally it is nice to watch a movie, not for the shocking plots, but rather for the madness of never-ending explosions and havoc on-screen.

Not to mention, Transformers is a franchise clearly designed with families in mind, as the whole family can get together to watch a Transformers movie, and when the whole family is sat together watching a movie, usually the last thing on anyone's mind is whether the characters are being developed or if the storyline is original and unpredictable. As most will be purely happy that the movie was entertaining, as at the end of the day isn't that why we all pay to watch movies at the cinema. 

On the other hand, of course it's nice to watch a movie with originality, exceptional characters and a great direction for the movie, which is why I enjoy watching thrillers and dramas, as these are the genres where the best masterpieces in film-making will be found. Plus, when did you last hear of an action movie receiving an Oscar award or a Golden Globe award, as I'm pretty sure this doesn't happen all that often. However, action movies/franchises like Transformers are almost always the box office hits, which is simply due to the lasting entertainment that they provide for movie-goers.

As far, you can probably tell that I'm a Transformers fan, but that doesn't mean that I can't be subjective with my thoughts as I would be the first to step forward if someone was to claim that Transformers was the greatest movie franchise to set foot on-screen, as it is far from the greatest. But that isn't necessarily to say that it is the worst, as if I'm not mistaken there are thousands of movies worse than Transformers and this year alone there will be at least another 50 that could be added to the list of movies worse that Transformers.

So, lets take a separate look at each of the Transformers movies that have been created so far.

Transformers (2007)

Transformers (2007)
source: wallpapers.mi9.com (CC image)

When it all began back in 2007, we saw Transformers adapted from a children's animated TV series into a movie made for the big-screen. Michael Bay directed the movie, which some argue as being the problem, but I believe that this was a wise decision being that Transformers required a direction that was going to include plenty of thirst-filling action, being that Bay is well known for adding a bombardment of explosions into his movies.

The balance of good vs. evil is always a formula for entertainment, as who doesn't want to see the bad guys (the decepticons) getting their butts kicked by the good guys (the autobots). From the very moment the movie began, it was clear that this was going to be a movie flooded with CGI, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, as the CGI was brilliantly mixed with live-action from a cast of actors/actresses who performed very well throughout the movie. The best performance certainly came from Shia LaBeouf who played the leading role as Sam Witwicky, which must have been an interesting character to play considering he had to spend a lot of the time screaming at nothing (the transformers).

The idea alone of the transformers is an interesting one, as they are robot aliens who have come to earth and they have the ability to turn (transform) into vehicles of any kind. Michael Bay has executed a difficult movie, but it is certainly a joint effort that has pulled-off the entire show, being the work of the CGI animators, the entire cast (including the voice-over actors), the producers and Paramount Studio who we can all thank for funding the entire project (along with DreamWorks Studios).

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
source: mr-movie.com (CC image)

Transformers first sequel, and what a bitter disappointment it was, but luckily for the production studio the movie grossed more than the first, meaning that this wouldn't be the end for the franchise.

Getting down to the movie itself, the attempted comedy throughout was almost embarrassing with plenty of hit and miss moments. Although, in fairness the movie did have some credibility with the returning director, Michael Bay, as well as Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox and our favourite here at Augustus Worth, being the parents of LaBeouf's character, as they actually were heartfelt and funny to watch.

Then there was the return of the transformers (autobots and the decepticons), who as before brought with them plenty of action, although there were a few annoying autobots who did not fit to our liking and probably not anyone else's.

The movies ending was entertaining as you'd expect, however, it felt like a wasted opportunity to do something with more substance, offering more to the story's plot. That being said it may have not been as good as we were all expecting, but the movie did reveal more about the back-story behind the transformers and how they came to know of earth in the first place.

This movie, in all was one I'd feel a little pushed to have to watch again, as for the first time watching the movie it felt as though the movie would never end. That isn't the feeling that you want to get on the first time viewing a movie, although, for fans of the franchise it is crucial that at some point you see the movie as it does tell you more about the transformers, revealing new twists on the original telling of the story of the transformers in the original.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
source: kingosamurai347.wordpress.com (CC image)

The third Transformers instalment, ending an era for Shia LaBeouf, who made a wise decision to end his time doing Transformers movies after doing this final instalment. Megan Fox's character was nowhere to be seen in this instalment resulting in the end for her time in the Transformers movies, with her character being replaced by another, equally attractive and a similarly low-talented actress, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. This bringing more reason to question Michael Bay on his choice of supporting actresses in the Transformers franchise, which is one of the few questions I would like to ask Bay.

The movie itself was an improvement on the second instalment, having more depth to the story, but the in the end it still wasn't as good as the original. Although, the movie was jam-packed full of action, being the Transformers movie that so far had the most action, but the comedy still felt a little dry, but bearable. 

There is more battling between the transformers (autobots and decepticons) with more characters introduced throughout the movie with an ending that was the first to offer shock to the system, leaving audiences wondering whether this would be the end. Think again, after a worldwide gross of $1.1 billion, there was no chance that the production studios were going to lay this franchise to rest, and there has already been a third sequel to the franchise.

Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)

Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
source: nydailynews.com (CC image)

The fourth and latest Transformers instalment, starring a whole new cast of actors/actresses including Mark Wahlberg and Kelsey Grammer. The transformers (autobots and a new enemy, not the decepticons) are back and ready to face an unknown enemy, who are interested in wiping out the autobots, which I guess is pretty much the same idea that the decepticons had. However, the latest bad guy (Galvatron) is much more intense than that of the decepticons, being more prepared and quicker in taking down the autobots.

This Transformers instalment is all new and really does feel like the whole franchise is being started over, although with plenty of similarities to the first 3 instalments. Age of Extinction sees the autobots for the first time act in a more brutal manner towards the humans, as they begin to lay waste to the bad guys (humans) that dare to set fire upon the autobots. A welcomed surprise in my opinion, as the whole protecting the humans, even those who try to kill the autobots, was beginning to get a little old and unlikely given the power that the transformers have. 

Age of Extinction has more action than any of the other Transformers instalments, it is less afraid of seeing humans be killed in the casualties of war and it feels as though the entire franchise has been given a new lease of life.

Mark Wahlberg is a superstar in Hollywood today, probably being the reason why Michael Bay made the decision to cast him as the lead following the step-down of Shia LaBeouf from the franchise. Wahlberg managed to own the screen throughout the movie, being the biggest draw for fans of the Transformers franchise and the actor himself. Wahlberg's character held his own throughout the movie with the help of an alien gun, allowing him to contribute to the success of battles between the gun guys and the bad guys, something that LaBeouf's character never did.

As many have said, this was a far better sequel than the second and third, bringing the franchise back to the former glory that it once had after the release of the original Transformers movie. Arguably, some of the characters could have had better actors/actresses cast as the parts, but luckily the ones who were cast well; such as Mark Wahlberg, Kelsey Grammer and Stanley Tucci made the whole movie work.

Then, as a happy surprise for all of the hardcore transformers fans, they put dinobots into the movie, which were very cool to watch (spoiler alert- coming up) as they worked with the autobots to stop the reincarnation of Megatron and his ruthless army. 

(CONCLUSION)

Whether you love or loathe the Transformers franchise, one thing is certain, which is that with the amount of money that the Transformers movies are grossing, it isn't just a hope that there will be more sequels to come, but a fact, as the latest Transformers movie has made a more-than handsome return on the budget it received, meaning that the studio will be excited to have another instalment made for the franchise. The only question remaining is if Michael Bay and Mark Wahlberg will be returning to their positions for the next Transformers project.


So, what did you think about the Transformers movies? Do you love or loathe the Transformers franchise since Michael Bay began directing the movies? Are you looking forward to a fifth Transformers instalment or would you sooner the Transformers franchise be stopped now whilst the going is good? Leave your answers in the comments box below.

Sky Movies Movie Library: Complete List - Updated Weekly

All of the movies available on Sky Movies UK, all in one, convenient place

Welcome to the complete list of all Sky Movies (UK) movies, organised into genres. We've created this list to ease finding that right movie to watch, without having to trudge through the Sky Movies channels, plus, we have added the latest releases from the last week to the top of our list, along with the week-to-comes releases so that you can plan ahead.

The UK's only movie channels (Sky Movies) which provide showings of the latest movies a year before any other network. This has inspired us to create this list for Sky Movies subscribers and for those looking into the service and its movie selection (as it currently stands).

Without further delay, here's the list of Sky Movies movies which are currently available on the service.

Sky Movies (UK) Library

(Bold- our recommendations)

  

This Weeks Releases: "300: Rise of an Empire" (2014), "Ain't them Bodies Saints" (2013), "Alexander" (2004), "Alien Abduction" (2014), "The Cable Guy" (1996), "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (2005), "Drive Hard" (2014), "Fort Bliss" (2014), "In Secret" (2014), "Maleficent" (2014), "Man of Tai Chi" (2013), "Mean Girls" (2004), "The Million Dollar Duck" (1971), "The Monkey's Uncle" (1965), "Mulan II" (2005), "One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing" (1975), "Return to Nim's Island" (2013), "The Last King of Scotland" (2006), "The Million Dollar Duck" (1971), "Saw IV" (2007), "Sense and Sensibility" (1995),  "Transcendence" (2014), "The Trials of Cate McCall (2013), "The Zero Theorem" (2013), "When the Lights Went Out" (2012).

Last Chance to View: "3:10 to Yuma" (1957), "A Few Good Men" (1992), "Austin Powers: The Spy Who S*****d Me" (1999), "Awakenings" (1990), "Beautiful Creatures" (2013), " Best in Show" (2000), "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" (2001), "Conception" (2011), "Deja Vu" (2006), "Demolition Man" (1993), "Free Willy" (1993), "Hairbrained" (2013), "Hyde Park on Hudson" (2012), "In the Line of Fire" (1993), "Last Action Hero" (1993), "The Man with two Brains" (1983), "Maverick" (1994), "McCabe & Mrs. Miller" (1971),"Men in Black II" (2002), "My Girl" (1991), "Oz: The Great and Powerful" (2013), "Penthouse North" (2011), "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" (1987), "Pooh's Huffalump Movie" (2005), "Stir Crazy" (1980), "Struck by Lightning" (2012), "The Adventures of Huck Finn" (1993), "The Age of Innocence" (1993), "The Good Witch's Destiny" (2013), "The Guilt Trip" (2012), "The Last Boy Scout" (1991), "The Love Bug" (1969), "The Muppets Take Manhattan" (1984), "The Pacifier" (2005), "The Pelican Brief" (1993), "The Rookie" (2002), "The Shaggy D,A," (1976), "Tinker Bell and the Secret of the Wings" (2012), "Trading Places" (1983), "Training Day" (2001).

Genres

Action & Adventure: "A Bridge too Far" (1977), "A Good Day to Die Hard" (2013), "After the Sunset" (2004), "Aftermath" (2012), "Against All Flags" (1952), "All is Lost" (2013), "Allan Quatermain & The Lost City of Gold" (1986), "Anaconda" (1997), "Arachnophobia" (1990), "Assault on Precinct 13" (2005), "Bad Boys II" (2003), "Barb Wire" (1995), "Batman Begins" (2005), "Battle of the Damned" (2013), "Behind Enemy Lines 4: Seal Team 8" (2014), "Big Trouble in Little China" (1986), "Black Hawk Down" (2001), "Bloodsport" (1988), "Born to Fight" (2011), "Born to Race: Fast Track" (2014), "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" (2014), Commando (1985), "Con Air" (1997), "Constantine" (2005), "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000), "Cyborg" (1989), "Days of Thunder" (1990), "Death Warrant" (1990), "Deep Blue Sea" (1999), "Deep Impact" (1997), "Die Hard" (1988), "Die Hard 2: Die Harder" (1990), "Die Hard with a Vengeance" (1995), "Drop Zone" (1994), "Elysium" (2013), "Enter the Dragon" (1973), "Eragon" (2006), "Escape from L.A. (1996), "Executive Decision" (1995), "Fantastic Four" (2005), "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" (2007), "Fast and Furious 6" (2013), "Fire with Fire" (2012), "Getaway" (2013), "Godzilla" (1998), "Hammer of the Gods" (2013), "Hell is for Heroes" (1962), "Highwaymen" (2004), "Hudson Hawk" (1990), "Hulk" (2003), "In Security" (2013), "In the Line of Fire" (1993), "Iron Man 3" (2013), "Ironclad: Battle for Blood" (2014), "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit" (2014), "Jack the Giant Slayer" (2013), "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" (1959), "Judge Dredd" (1995), "Kick-Ass 2" (2013), "Kill Bill: Vol. 1" (2003), Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), "King Arthur" (2004), "Lethal Weapon" (1987), "Lethal Weapon 2" (1989), "Lone Survivor" (2013),"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (2001), "Mad Max" (1979), "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior" (1981), "Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome" (1985), "A Man Apart" (2003), "Man of Steel" (2013), "Miami Vice" (2006),"Mission: Impossible III"(2006),"Murphy's Law" (1986), "National Treasure" (2004), "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" (2007), "Noah" (2014), "The One" (2001), "Pacific Rim" (2013), "Pain & Gain" (2013), "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters" (2013), "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" (2006), "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" (2003), "Platoon" (1986), "Predator" (1987), "Predator 2" (1990), "Proof of Life" (2000), "R.I.P.D." (2013), "Romancing the Stone" (1984), "S.W.A.T" (2003), "Sahara" (2005), "Speed" (1994), "Speed 2: Cruise Control" (1997), "Spider-Man 2" (2004), "Stealth" (2005), "Tall Tale" (1994), "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938), "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" (2014), "The Day After Tomorrow" (2004), "The Fast and the Furious" (2001), " The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" (2006), "The Four Feathers" (2002), "The Golden Voyage of Sinbad" (1974), "The Greatest Story Ever Told" (1965), "The Guns of Navarone" (1961), "The Host" (2013), "The Italian Job" (2003), "The Jewel of the Nile" (1985), "The Karate Kid" (1984), "The Karate Kid - Part II" (1986), "The Karate Kid III" (1989), "The Last Boy Scout" (1991), "The Last Samurai" (2003), "The Lone Ranger" (2013), "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003), "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" (2002), "The Man" (2005), "The Mask of Zorro" (1998), "The Next Karate Kid" (1994), "The Patriot" (2000), "The Peacemaker" (1997), "The Poseidon Adventure" (1972), "The Rocketeer" (1991), "The Saint" (1997), "The Wolverine" (2013), "Thor: The Dark World", "Three Kings" (1999), "Transporter 2" (2005), "The Transporter"(2002), "Uncommon Valor" (1983), "Underworld" (2003), "V for Vendetta" (2005), "Volcano" (1997), "White House Down" (2013), "xXx2: The Next Level" (2005), "Young Sherlock Holmes" (1985). "2 Fast 2 Furious" (2003), "3:10 to Yuma" (2007), "47 Ronin" (2013).

Comedy: "About Schmidt" (2002), "Austin Powers in Goldmember" (2002), "Big Top Pee-Wee" (1988), "Boat Trip" (2002), The Brass Teapot" (2012), "Casting Coach" (2013), "The Castle" (1997), "Cavemen" (2013), "Coffee Town" (2013), "Crystal Fairy" (2013), "Dead Men on Campus" (1998), "Elf" (2003), "Hatari!" (1962), "The Hot Flashes" (2013), "I Want Candy" (2007), "I Was a Male War Bride" (1949), "Jackass: The Movie" (2002), "Monkey Business" (1952), "Mr. Woodcock" (2007), "Nacho Libre" (2006), "One Chance" (2013), "One Fine Day" (1996), "Our Idiot Brother" (2011), "Outside Bet" (2012), "Shirley Valentine" (1989), "Simone" (2002), "Someone Marry Barry" (2014), "Stand Up Guys" (2012), "Syrup" (2013), "This is 40: Unrated" (2012), "The Way, Way Back" (2013), "Whole Lotta Sole" (2011), "8 Minutes Idle" (2012).

Family: "Alice in Wonderland" (2010), "Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva La Fiesta!" (2012), "Garfield" (2004), "The Last Keepers" (2013), "Neverland", " The Odd Life of Timothy Green" (2012), "Primates of the Caribbean" (2012), "Santa Paws II: The Santa Pups" (2012), "Secondhand Lions" (2003), "A Gentleman's Gentleman" (1941), "Babes in Toyland" (1961), "Bedtime Stories" (2008), "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" (2008), "Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 (2011), "Big Red" (1962), "Boundin'" (2004), "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen" (2004), "Disney's The Kid" (2000), "First Kid" (1996), "Greyfriars Bobby" (1961), "Heavyweights" (1994), "Jungle 2 Jungle" (1997), "Knick Knack" (1989), "La Luna" (2012), "Meet the Deedles (1998), "National Treasure" (2004), "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" (2007), "Operation Dumbo Drop" (1995), "Party Central" (2014), "Rascal" (1969), "Remember the Titans" (2000), "Rocketman" (1997), "Secretariat" (2010), "Snow Buddies" (2008), "Son of Flubber" (1963), "Spooky Buddies" (2011), "Super Buddies" (2013), "Tall Tale" (1994), "The Absent Minded Professor" (1961), "The Adventures of Huck Finn" (1993), "The Ballad of Nessie" (2011), "The Bears and I" (1974), "The Big Bad Wolf" (1934), "The Last Great Warrior" (1994), "The Love Bug" (1969), "The Million Dollar Duck" (1971), "The Pacifier" (2005), "The Prince and the Pauper" (1962), "The Rookie" (2002), "The Santa Clause" (1994), "The Santa Clause 2" (2002), "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause" (2006), "The Shaggy D.A." (1976), "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" (2010), "The Young Black Stallion" (2003), "Tin Toy" (1988), "Tom and Huck" (1995), "Treasure Island" (1950), "Tron" (1982), "Tuck Everlasting" (2002), "Underdog" (2007), "Whispers: An Elephant's Tale" (2000), "White Fang" (1990).

Family/Animation: "Robots", "101 Dalmatians" (1996), "Aladdin and the King of Thieves" (1996), "Disney's A Christmas Carol" (2009), "Donald and Pluto (1936), "Donald's Vacation" (1940), "Dumbo" (1941), "Finding Nemo" (2003), "Frozen" (2013), "Home on the Range" (2004), "Monsters University" (2013), "Mulan II (2005), "Peter Pan" (1953), "Return to Neverland" (2002), "Planes" (2013), "Pooh's Heffalump Movie" (2005), "Robin Hood" (1973), "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (1937), "Stitch! The Movie" (2003), "Tangled" (2010), "The Aristocats" (1970), "The Fox and the Hound" (1981), "The Great Mouse Detective" (1986), "The Incredibles" (2004), "The Jungle Book" (1967), "The Little Mermaid" (1989), "The Princess and the Frog" (2009), "The Rescuers Down Under" (1990), "The Three Caballeros" (1945), "Tinker Bell" (2008), "Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue" (2010), "Tinker Bell and the Pirate Fairy" (2014), "Toy Story" (1995), "Toy Story 2" (1999).

Thriller: "Alone" (2013), "American Gigolo" (1980), "Black Rain" (1989), "Blood Work" (2002), "Breakdown" (1997), "Bullitt" (1968), "Call Northside 777" (1948), "Cape Fear" (1962), "Captain Phillips" (2013), "Cellular" (2004), "Chain Reaction" (1996), "City Heat" (1984), "City of God" (2002), "Crave" (2012), "Crawlspace" (2012), "Dangerous Mind of a Hooligan" (2014), "Dead Calm" (1988), "Deadfall" (2013), "Death Wish" (1974), "Derailed" (2005), "Eden" (2012), "Eye for an Eye" (1996), "Falling Down" (1992), "Fear" (1996), "Four Brothers" (2005), "Gangs of New York" (2002), "Get Carter" (2000), "Hard Eight" (1997), "Hours" (2013), "I Against I" (2012), "In Dreams" (1999), "Internal Affairs" (1990), "Jaws: The Revenge" (1987), "Jennifer Eight" (1992), "John Q" (2002), "Joyride 3" (2014), "K-19: The Widowmaker" (2002), "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" (2005), "Kiss the Girls" (1998), "Magic Magic" (2013), "The Man Who Wasn't There" (2001), "Mine Games" (2012), "Mississippi Burning" (1988), "Murder at 1600" (1997), "Nick of Time" (1995), "No Good Deed" (2003), "Oldboy" (2013), "Penthouse North" (2011), "Plush" (2013), "Red Rock West" (1992), "The Reluctant Fundamentalist"(2012), "Ripley's Game" (2002), "Runner Runner" (2013), "Scarface" (1983), "Se7en" (1995), "Seconds" (1966), "Shaft" (2000), "Shame the Devil" (2013), "Spy Game" (2001), "Summer of Sam" (1999), "Surveillance" (2008), "The Suspect" (2013), "The Temp" (1993), "The Bone Collector" (1999), "The Call" (2013), "The Chamber" (1996), "The Counselor: Extended Cut" (2013), "The Deadly Game" (2013), "The Enemy Below" (1957), "The Lives of Others" (2006), "The Machinist" (2004), "The Manchurian Candidate" (2004), "The Oxford Murders" (2008), "The Pelican Brief" (1993), "The Sum of all Fears" (2002), "The Truth About Emanuel" (2013), "The Two Jakes" (1990), "The Untouchables" (1987), "Things to do in Denver when you're Dead" (1995), "Three Days of the Condor" (1975), "Traffic" (2000), "Veronica Mars" (2014), "Violet & Daisy" (2011), "Witness" (1984), "2 Days in the Valley" (1996).

Drama: "A Christmas Carol" (1984), "A Dirty Shame" (2005), "A Star is Born" (1954), "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1951), "About Time" (2013), "Ace in the Hole" (1951), "Adore" (2013), "Alfie" (2004), "Ali" (2001), "Alive" (1993), "All About Eve" (1950), "Almost Christmas" (2013), "American History X" (1998), "American Hustle" (2013), "Amistad" (1997), "Anastasia" (1956), "Any Day Now", "Appaloosa" (2008), "Ashes" (2012), "August: Osage County" (2013), " The Barbarian and the Geisha" (1958), "Barefoot" (2014), "Battle of the Year" (2013), "Before Midnight" (2013), "Being Flynn" (2012), "Bernie" (2011), "Beyond the Sea", "Birth" (2004), "Blue Jasmine" (2013), "Borrowed Time" (2013), "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (1961), "Bridge on the River Kwai" (1958), "Brokeback Mountain" (2005), "The Butler" (2013), "Casualties of War" (1989), "Catch-22" (1970), "Chasing Mavericks" (2012), "Cherry" (2013), "Cinderella Man" (2005), "Closed Circuit" (2013), "Coach Carter" (2005), "Cold Comes the Night" (2013), "Cold Mountain" (2003), "Courage Under Fire" (1996), "Cruel Intentions" (1999), "D-Day The Sixth of June" (1956), "Days of Heaven" (1978), "Decoding Annie Parker" (2013), "Dirty Dancing 2", "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights" (2004), "Do the Right Thing" (1989), "Down the Shore" (2011), "East of Eden" (1955), "Easy Rider" (1969), "Emperor" (2012), "Empire of the Sun" (1987), "Endless Love" (2014), "Five Easy Pieces" (1970), "Flags of Our Fathers" (2006), "Flashdance" (1983), "Flesh and Bone" (1993), "Frontera" (2014), "Frozen River" (2008), "Full Metal Jacket" (1987), "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" (2005), "Goodbye World" (2013), "Goodfellas" (1991), "Gorillas in the Mist" (1988), "Green Street" (2005), "Guns of Batasi" (1964), "Healing" (2014), "Heartburn" (1986), "Hud" (1963), "Hustle & Flow" (2005), "I Melt with You" (2011), " In Harm's Way" (1965), "In Secret" (2014), "Inescapable" (2012), "Intersection" (1994), "Jarhead" (2005), "Jobs" (2013), "Knife Fight" (2012), "Kramer Vs Kramer" (1979), "Labor Day" (2013), "Let it Snow" (2013), "Life is Beautiful" (1997), "Life of a King" (2013), "The Lifeguard", "Little Children" (2006), "The Lookalike" (2014), "Lorenzo's Oil" (1992), "Love and Honor" (2013), "Love Story" (1970), "Mad Dog and Glory (1993), "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" (2013), "Mean Creek" (2004), "Mean Machine" (1974), "Mean Machine" (2001), "Midnight Express" (1978), "Miracle on 34th Street" (1947), "Mo' Better Blues" (1990), "Monster's Ball" (2001), "Moonstruck" (1987), "My Girl" (1991), "Nebraska" (2013), "Niagara" (1953), "Night Falls on Manhattan" (1997), "Ocean's 11" (1960), "Ordinary People" (1980), "Philadelphia" (1993), "Philomena" (2013), "Pride and Glory" (2008), "Promised Land" (2013), "Purple Rain" (1984), "Raging Bull" (1980), "Rebel Without a Cause" (1955), "Regarding Henry" (1991), "Rumble Fish" (1983), "Saturday Night Fever" (1977), "Save the Last Dance" (2001), "The Sessions" (2012), "Some Kind of Wonderful" (1987), "Spike Island" (2012), "Staying Alive" (1983), "Steel Magnolias" (1989), "Stone of Destiny" (2008), "Taxi Driver" (1976), "The Age of Innocence" (1993), "The Beach" (1999), "The Bodyguard" (1992), "The Canyons" (2013), "The Conversation" (1974), "The Devils" (1971), "The East" (2013), "The Great Gatsby" (2013), "The Green Mile" (1999), "The High and the Mighty" (1954), "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness" (1958), "The Men" (1950), "The New World" (2005), "The Panic in Needle Park" (1971), "The People Vs. Larry Flynt" (1996), "The Remains of the Day" (1993), "The Sea Inside" (2004), "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013), "The Ten Commandments" (1956), "Thelma & Louise" (1991), "The Property is Condemned" (1966), "Titanic" (1997), "To Kill a Mockingbird" (1963), "Trance" (2013), "Twilight" (1998), "Urban Cowboy" (1980), "The Washington Snipers", "Who's Afraid of Virginia" (1966),"Wish you Were Here" (2012), "Wolf" (1994), "World Trade Center" (2006), "25th Hour" (2002), "42" (2013), "96 Minutes" (2011).

Sci-Fi: "The Abyss: 'Special Edition'" (1989), "Aeon Flux" (2005), "After Earth" (2013), "Aliens: Special Edition" (1986), "AVP- Alien Vs. Predator" (2004), "Barbarella" (1967), "Cloud Atlas" (2012), "Darkman" (1990), "Fire in the Sky" (1993), "The Fly" (1958), "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956), "John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars" (2001), "Masters of the Universe" (1987), "Resident Evil: Apocalypse" (2004), "Signs" (2002), "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" (2004), "Species" (1995), "Sphere" (1997), "Star Trek Into Darkness" (2013), "Star Trek: Nemesis" (2002), "Starship Troopers" (1997), "Sunshine" (2007), "The 6th Day" (2000), " The X Files" (1998), "Time Lapse" (2014), "X-Men" (2000), "X-Men 2" (2003).

Horror: "American Mary" (2012), "Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid" (2004), "Antichrist" (2009), "April Fool's Day", "Banshee Chapter" (2013), "The Borderlands" (2013), "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (1992), "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Cabin Fever: Patient Zero" (2014), "Cherry Falls" (1999), "Christine" (1983), "Dawn of the Dead" (2004), "Devil's Due" (2014), "Eight Legged Freaks" (2002), "Final Destination 2" (2003), "Final Destination 3" (2006), "The Fly" (1986), "The Fly II" (1989), "Frankenstein's Army" (2013), "Freddy Vs Jason" (2003), "Friday the 13th Part II" (1981), "Friday the 13th Part III" (1982), "The Frighteners" (1996), "Hellboy" (2004), "Hollow Man" (2000), "Hostel" (2005), "House on Haunted Hill" (1999), "I Still Know What you Did Last Summer" (1998), "Jason X" (2001), "Lake Placid" (1999), "Nothing Left to Fear" (2013), "Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones" (2014), "Pet Sematary" (1989), "Pet Sematary II" (1992), "REC" (2007), Rosemary's Baby" (1968), "Saw III" (2006), "Saw IV" (2007), "Stephen King's Thinner" (1996), "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (2003), "The Amityville Horror" (1979), "The Conjuring" (2013), "The Crow" (1993), "The Haunting" (1999), "The Hills Have Eyes" (2006), "The Hills Have Eyes II" (2007), "The Lost Boys" (1987), "The Omen" (2006), "The Purge" (2013), "The Seasoning House" (2013), "The Shining" (1980), "The Thing" (1982), "The Village" (2004), "The Wicker Man" (2006), "Underworld Evolution" (2006), "V/H/S/2" (2013), "Videodrome" (1982), "Willow Creek" (2013), "World War Z (Extended Cut)" (2013), "Wrong Turn 2 - Dead End" (2007), "28 Days Later" (2002), "28 Weeks Later" (2007).

Summary of Our Sky Movies Recommendations: "The Cable Guy" (1996), "Maleficent" (2014), "The Last King of Scotland" (2006), "Men in Black II" (2002), Planes, Trains and Automobiles" (1987), "Training Day" (2001), "Batman Begins" (2005), "Big Trouble in Little China" (1986), "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" (2014), "Die Hard" (1988), "Die Hard 2: Die Harder" (1990), "Die Hard with a Vengeance" (1995), "Iron Man 3" (2013), "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (2001), "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" (2002), "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003), "Man of Steel" (2013), "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" (2003), "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" (2006), "Predator" (1987), "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" (2014), "The Wolverine" (2013), "Thor: The Dark World", "Elf" (2003), "101 Dalmatians" (1996), "Disney's A Christmas Carol" (2009), "Finding Nemo" (2003), "Frozen" (2013), "Monsters University" (2013), "Robin Hood" (1973), "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (1937), "Tangled" (2010), "The Jungle Book" (1967), "Toy Story" (1995), "Toy Story 2" (1999), "Captain Phillips" (2013), "Gangs of New York" (2002), "Scarface" (1983), "Se7en" (1995), "American History X" (1998), "American Hustle" (2013), "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (1961), "Brokeback Mountain" (2005), "The Butler" (2013), "Cinderella Man" (2005), "Cold Mountain" (2003), "The Great Gatsby" (2013), "Thelma & Louise" (1991), "Titanic" (1997), "To Kill a Mockingbird" (1963), "Signs" (2002), "X-Men" (2000), "X-Men 2" (2003), "The Conjuring" (2013), "The Crow" (1993), "The Purge" (2013), "The Village" (2004), "World War Z (Extended Cut)" (2013), "28 Days Later" (2002), "28 Weeks Later" (2007),


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The 19 Billion Dollar Movies: Including Batman, Bond & Potter

The worldwide highest grossing movies of all time that have reached the billion dollar mark and above.

The Box Office's Billion Dollar Movies
source: rotoscopers.com (CC image)

After recently taking a look at the list of movies that have hit the billion dollar mark at the global box office, we thought it would be interesting to produce a list of these special commercial successes which have layered production companies back pockets with a pretty green bill or two.

Some of these movies came as little surprise to us, as they were marketed extremely well and had all of the commercial elements that would lead to an extremely financially successful movie. However, there are others that we were surprised to see on the list, but then again, not all commercially successful movies are all that greatly put together, although, with the CGI storm which is delivered in these movies, the typical audience viewer will likely be entertained by those lesser brilliantly master-pieced movies.

The billion dollar hitters include an entire array of sequels, on-top of Disney magic originals, David Cameron, Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, Christopher Nolan and even Michael Bay directorial pieces. These movies are not always, or in fact, very rarely adored by critics, however, clearly audiences were stunned by these movies, as they all saw a flooding of audiences fighting for tickets at the cinemas.

It looks to be an interesting year in 2015, as we see a whole line-up of possibilities for as to which movies may reach the billion dollar mark. The biggest hopes being Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (due out 18th December, 2015 in the US & UK), Avengers: Age of Ultron (due out 1st May, 2015 in the US & 24th April, 2015 in the UK) and Jurassic World (due out 12th June, 2015 in the US & UK).

Without further delay, here are the billion dollar hitters.

Movies Grossing A Billion Dollars or More (at the Box Office)

(Listed highest to lowest- based on Box Office Mojo's estimated box office records)

No.1 - Avatar (2009)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $2,787,965,087

US Domestic Box Office Gross: $749,766,139

Budget: $237 million plus $9 million (re-release)

No.2 - Titanic (1997)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $2,186,772,302

US Domestic Box Office Gross: $600,788,188

Budget: $200 million

No.3 - Marvel's The Avengers (2012)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $1,518,594,910

US Domestic Box Office Gross: $623,357,910

Budget: $220 million

No.4 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $1,341,511,219

US Domestic Box Office Gross: $381,011,219

Budget: $250 million (shared with part 1)

No.5 - Frozen (2013)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $1,274,219,009

US Domestic Box Office Gross: $400,738,009

Budget: $150 million

No.6 - Iron Man 3 (2013)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $1,215,439,994

US Domestic Box Office Gross: $409,013,994

Budget: $200 million

No.7 - Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $1,123,794,079

US Domestic Gross: $352,390,543

Budget: $195 million

No.8 - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $1,119,929,521

US Domestic Box Office Gross: $377,027,325

Budget: $94 million

No.9 - Skyfall (2012)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $1,108,561,013
US Domestic Box Office Gross: $304,360,277
Budget: $200 million

No.10 - Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $1,087,404,499
US Domestic Box Office Gross: $245,439,076
Budget: $210 million

No.11 - The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $1,084,439,099
US Domestic Box Office Gross: $448,139,099
Budget: $250 million

No.12 - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $1,066,179,725
US Domestic Box Office Gross: $423,315,812
Budget: $225 million

No.13 - Toy Story 3 (2010)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $1,063,171,911
US Domestic Box Office Gross: $415,004,880
Budget: $200 million

No.14 - Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $1,045,713,802
US Domestic Box Office Gross: $241,071,802
Budget: $250 million

No.15 - Jurassic Park (1993)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $1,029,153,882
US Domestic Box Office Gross: $357,067,947
Budget: $63 million

No.16 - Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $1,027,044,677
US Domestic Box Office Gross: $431,088,295
Budget: $115 million

No.17 - Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $1,025,467,110
US Domestic Box Office Gross: $334,191,110
Budget: $200 million

No.18 - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $1,017,003,568
US Domestic Box Office Gross: $303,003,568
Budget: $200-$315 million

No.19 - The Dark Knight (2008)

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $1,004,558,444
US Domestic Box Office Gross: $533,345,358
Budget: $185 million


Any surprises on this list? Were there any movies that you were surprised didn't hit a billion dollars at the box office? Let us know in the comments box below.

Tom Cruise Net Worth

How much is Tom Cruise worth?

Tom Cruise Net Worth
source: en.wikipedia.org

 Net Worth: $450 Million

 Date of Birth: 3rd July, 1962

 Source of Wealth: Actor, Film Producer, Screenwriter, Television Director

Year Standing - 2015: Tom Cruise has some tasty upcoming projects which look to be exciting for us (as movie goers) and for Cruise himself.

Upcoming Projects (Movies) - 2015: "Mission: Impossible 5", "Top Gun 2", "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back"

How Rich is Tom Cruise?: Tom Cruise is an American actor and producer with a net worth of $450 million. Cruise is widely known as one of Hollywood's hottest actors, starring as the leading man in many of Hollywood's biggest blockbuster movies. Having spent more than 3 decades as an actor Tom is still at the top of his game, most famously known for his role as Ethan Hunt in the hit movie franchise, "Mission: Impossible".

Tom Cruise's Acting Career - How Has it Made Cruise Wealthy?: After playing for years in supporting and minor roles as an actor, Cruise had his big break when he received the leading role in "Risky Business" (1983), confirming him as as an up-and-coming Hollywood actor. The movie also earned him his first Golden Globe nomination.

Cruise then continued to star in hit-movie after hit-movie, from "Top Gun" (1986) to "Rain Man" (1988). Cruise received his first Oscar nomination in "Born on the Fourth of July" (1989), followed by a Golden Globe nomination for "A Few Good Men" (1992). 

However, Cruise's bank balance surely rose after he starred in and produced "Mission: Impossible", making him $70 million, later doing 3 sequels, all of which went on to become box office successes, and sure enough they earned Cruise a grand total of $290 million. That's $70 million for the first, $75 million for the second, $75 million for the third and $70 million for the fourth. That is the largest amount of money that any actor has ever received from a single part.

Tom Cruise Net Worth

Tom Cruise's Future Projects - How it Will Affect his Fortune?: Tom Cruise has another "Mission: Impossible" (5) movie due out for release this year (2015), and based on previous earnings, it is expected that Cruise will earn an estimated $70 million from the film. Not to mention Cruise has a "Jack Reacher" sequel and a "Top Gun" sequel in the pipeline, which should earn Cruise a pretty penny or two for his efforts.

Movie Earnings

Taps (1981) - $50 thousand (salary)

Risky Business (1983) - $75 thousand (salary)

Legend (1985) - $500 thousand (salary)

Top Gun (1986) - $2 million (salary)

The Color of Money (1986) - $1 million (salary)

Cocktail (1988) - $3 million (salary)

Rain Man (1988) - $3 million (salary, plus percentage of gross)

Days of Thunder (1990) - $9 million (salary)

Far and Away (1992) - $13 million (salary)

A Few Good Men (1992) - $12.5 million (salary)

The Firm (1993) - $12.5 million (salary)

Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994) - $15 million (salary)

Mission: Impossible (1996) - $70 million (gross participation)

Jerry Maguire (1996) - $20 million (15% gross)

Eyes Wide Shut (1999) - $20 million (salary)

Magnolia (1999) - $100 thousand (salary)

Mission: Impossible 2 (2000) - $75 million (gross participation)

Vanilla Sky (2001) - $20 million (salary, plus 30% of profits)

Minority Report (2002) - $25 million (salary)

The Last Samurai (2003) - $25 million (salary, plus percentage of profits)

War of the Worlds (2005) - $100 million (20% of profit)

Mission: Impossible III (2006) - $75 million (gross participation)

Valkyrie (2008) - $20 million (20% gross)

Knight and Day (2010) - $11 million (salary, plus percentage of profits)

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) - $70 million ($12.5 million salary, plus gross participation)

17 Greatest Superhero Flicks Since X-Men

After the release of X-Men in the year 2000, we began to see a turn of superhero movies flooding onto the big-screen, but which are the best?

The Greatest Superhero Movies of the 21st Century
source: moviespictures.org (CC image)

Since the release of X-Men (2000), we have begun to see some of the best movies ever made for the action genre, which is what triggered us to gather a list of the best superhero movies since the year 2000 when X-Men, one of our favourite superhero movies was released.

We chose X-Men as a starting point for the list, as it was a turning point for superhero movies, as the 90's was bombarded with terrible and cheesy superhero movies, but with X-Men it began to show that there was hope for the superhero comic adaptations onto the big-screen after all.

The first decade of the 21st Century has been a ground-breaking one for superhero movies, as we have seen the Marvel comic adaptations go strength-to-strength opting for a lighter feel, with plenty of humour (bringing the laughs), an edge of romance and of course, lots of action. Whereas the DC Comic adaptations onto the big-screen have opted for a darker, mysterious, but again, plenty of action. 

The Marvel comic adaptations to the big-screen have gone from having weaker, more predictable villains to having darker, more cunning villains, so there has definitely been a turning point for Marvel studios. However, DC Comics adaptations to the big-screen have darker, more devious villains that have a way of scaring the audience just as much as the victims (fictional characters) of their villainous crimes.

No.1 - The Dark Knight

source: bamsmackpow.com (CC image)

To kick-off the list there is the ultimate batman movie, The Dark Knight, the second installment in the Dark Knight trilogy, directed by Christopher Nolan. Our choice in putting this at the top of our list is partly due to our shock and awe in that Christopher Nolan has managed to revitalise the batman franchise with his Dark Knight trilogy. The Dark Knight was a dark, gloomy, but somehow heroic flick, taking Batman, the hero of the story and pinning him up against a devious, haunting "Joker" villain.

However, the star of this movie which brought fans flooding into movie theatres was the villain, Joker (played by Heath Ledger), as he was as entertaining as you might expect (or want) a joker to be, but he was also the perfect psychopathic maniac with a taste for chaos, and the Joker's aim was to reek havoc and chaos upon Gotham city in this sinister Batman sequel.

No.2 - The Avengers (aka The Avengers Assemble)

source: (courtesy of) Marvel Studios

The ultimate superhero force has arrived and they are as bad-ass as individual superheroes as they are as a bad-ass super-team. Including everyone's favourite Marvel superheroes; Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Captain America and the other less-so superheroes. This is a force not be reckoned with, but certainly a force which demands audiences attention, as it truly is the ultimate superhero movie.

Although, we made a calculated decision to put The Avengers second on the list of the top superhero movies as we feel that although the blend of superheroes in the same movie was a good idea, and the fact that it lacked a real sense of danger and possibility that the superheroes might lose, a little too predictable. Not that this effected the entertainment that the movie provided, hence why it has been ranked second on our list. A must-watch for any true superhero comic movie adaptation fan.

No.3 - Iron Man

source: recommandedmovies.com (CC image)

Iron Man was the first Marvel superhero movie from the 21st Century that we really found a hint of perfection from, and the choice to cast Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man/Tony Stark was in-genius. Downey Jr. has a charisma that shines through into his character in Iron Man which makes the movie an absolute delight to watch and the story truly played justice to the comic, making Iron Man one of the best superhero movies of all time, not just of the 21st Century (as far).

No.4 - The Incredibles

source: animationfascination.wordpress.com (CC image)

Superhero movies have long been created as live-action movies, which no-one can argue as not being good, or even great at times, but when a superhero movie is done in animation it is always going to be interesting. The Incredibles was a fun animated movie produced by Pixar Studios, and who better to create an animated superhero flick that the studio which brought us Toy Story.

What made The Incredibles such a great superhero movie (and a great movie in general) is that they set the movie around a family of superheroes. The dad (the super-strong), the mum (the super-stretchy), the son (the super-fast) and the daughter (the super-invisible) all come together to fight the evil villain, which was an original idea, which worked. The whole movie is non-stop fun and shines the light on real family values and family life, as well as exploiting the superpowers which each of the family members possess throughout the movie.

No.5 -  Batman Begins

source: soundtrackdreams.com (CC image)

The beginning of the best batman trilogy ever created by DC Comics, which took Batman/Bruce Wayne (played by Christian Bale) and showed his difficult past and his journey to becoming the superhero that we all know and love.

Christopher Nolan envisioned Gotham city as a dark, gloomy, corrupt city which is run by criminal organisations and every part of the legal system is too corrupt to take hold of the system to bring justice to the city. That is until Bruce Wayne goes on his journey (throughout the movie), training to become a stronger and wiser human being, and when he comes back to Gotham city Bruce Wayne is ready to bring justice to the Gotham, doing so through the face of Batman.

Nolan truly grasped the batman character and all of the elements which made Gotham city what it was and brought it all to the big-screens in a way that brought batman into the 21st Century, with a realistic portrayal (and feel) of what the world that batman lived in would look like, and started the darkest (as of yet) superhero trilogy that we have ever seen, mastering the qualities of a great batman movie.

No.6 - Captain America: The Winter Soldier

source: (courtesy of) Marvel Studios

Captain America has finally got a movie to show-off just how powerful and great-of a superhero he really is. We feel that the first Captain America (Captain America: The First Avenger) film didn't quite fit-in with all of the other Marvel "Avengers" superheroes and all of the superpowers that they have. Whereas this sequel focused on the bad-ass elements of Captain America, which assured us that Captain America wasn't the joke of the "Avengers" team, but rather an adequate leader for the gang of unstoppable ("Avengers") superheroes.

But it was the bad guy that really shone in this sequel to Captain America, as The Winter Soldier (bad guy) was a suitable match to take-on Captain America in the battle for dominance. The twist to The Winter Soldier (that we will not give away) was unexpected and breath-taking, bringing emotion to Captain America which made the whole movie that bit better. Although, it had to have been the fact that the movies story took so many twists and turns that made it so darn enjoyable to watch, but it was the brilliantly perfect bad guy which was the icing on the cake for us.

To further our reassurance for the credibility of the Captain America character, the film-makers have made the wise decision in getting rid of Captain America's light coloured costume and shield, replacing them with darker shades of colour, enabling us (the audience) to take Captain America more seriously as a superhero (and it worked tremendously).

No.7 - Thor

source: flickr.com (CC image)

The Marvel superheroes all have an edge of glorified brilliance and Thor's is unlike any other, as he is an immortal (god to humans) prince from his home-world, however, because of his arrogance he is banished from his home-world and sent to earth along with his hammer (which he is unable to wield), taken from his powers and left with the mortal existence of a human being. This transformation causes some hilarious moments,(spoiler alert) my favourite being when Thor (played by Chris Hemsworth) is in the hospital and has an outburst attacking the staff, until he his finally injected with a drug to put him to sleep. The funny moments continue throughout the movie, although there is always an element of seriousness which is beautifully balanced with the humour.

A fan favourite character in this movie is the bad guy (villain), Loki, who has ambitions to be king (instead of Thor), which causes plenty of friction between Thor and Loki, which again is funny as it is brotherly fighting making it nearly harmless (most of the time).

No.8 - X2: X-Men United

source: digitalspy.co.uk (CC image)

The X-Men franchise took a turn for the better with this sequel to X-Men (2000), showing more of Wolverine (a fan favourite character), who acts as a guardian for the younger mutants in this sequel. An entertaining X-Men movie which revealed more of Wolverine's past, as throughout the whole movie, we found that all we wanted to see was more of Wolverine, not caring all that much for the other array of characters.

The amount of action in this sequel is the real selling point, but the story is engaging which helped give the movie more substance, but admittedly (as most would agree), without Wolverine this movie would have been flat-out rubbish. That should be saying something.

No.9 - Watchmen

source: movies.com (CC image)

Zack Snyder's superhero directorial début is a smash hit as far as we're concerned, as all of the different cast of superheroes in this movie are so darned interesting (as well as entertaining). It's a complex and dark viewing, but that was what made it such a delight to watch, but being a superhero-nut when it comes to the action genre, this was a must-see, but it must be admitted that Zack Snyder's "300" made this a must-see for me. The gritty adaptation has all of the elements that make a superhero movie great, but there is no telling what's going to happen unless you see the movie all the way through, again, with this element of unpredictability there is no reason (that we can come up with) that should stop you from wanting to see this movie.

No.10 - Iron Man 3

source: da.wikipedia.org (CC image)

The first two Iron Man movies were an absolute triumph, and we've all forgiven Marvel studio's for changing director's on this installment as it was just as entertaining as the first two, and from our surprise the story was gripping, the action was plentiful, and Robert Downey Jr. performed at his best. The villain. Trevor Slattery (played by Ben Kingsley) was the best we have so-far seen in an Iron Man movie, which was a highlight for the movie as-far as we are concerned, and the direction of the movie was well done.

No.11 - The Dark Knight Rises

source: shortboxpodcast.com (CC image)

As a follow-up to The Dark Knight (2008), it was never going to be a walk in the park to create a sequel to such a floor-less superhero movie with a villain (Joker) that couldn't do-no wrong in audiences books. However, Christopher Nolan wasn't afraid, as he tasked Tom Hardy to play the villain, Bane, who was the first villain to be able to match Batman's strength and seemingly defeat Batman. Causing Batman to have to find back his strength, overcoming an amount of obstacles in doing so, to enable him to save Gotham city from the wrath of Bane, who has plans to annihilate Gotham city.

No.12 - Spider-Man 2

source: flickeringmyth.com (CC image)

Spider-Man gets a bad wrap for the disaster which was Spider-Man 3, but we believe that Spider-Man 2 was a great superhero movies with a flaw here and there (although, no movie's perfect). The villain, Dr. Otto Octavius was a match for Spider-Man's powers and had the rough-and-tough exterior which an evil villain needs for audiences to take them seriously, which can be seen in the image above.

No.13 - Man of Steel

source: hollywoodreporter.com (CC image)

At long last, a Superman movie we can take seriously, and who better to direct a serious Superman movie than Zack Snyder (director of "300" and "Watchmen"), who has proven himself to be a bankable director and an action-genius for the movies. The decision to change the title of the movie from the overused Superman to "Man of Steel" was a nice-call for the DC Comics Studio, as it helped give a fresher feel to the Superman character. Henry Cavill played Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman with real distinction and we've known for some time (at Augustus Worth) that Henry Cavill was going to be a big-shot at Hollywood some day. This is one Superman movie you're going to be proud to have in your stack of DVD's, and are sure to want to watch again and again.

No.14 - X-Men: Days of Future Past

source: yaabot.com (CC image)

X-Men's getting better with age, and so is the cast of actors playing the superheroes (mutants), and again the star of this cast is Wolverine (played by Hugh Jackman). The mix in time was an in-genius idea, bringing the cast from X-Men (2000, older mutants) together with the cast from X-Men: First Class (2011, younger mutants), which gives you double the reason to watch this movie (if you haven't done so already). Plus, Bryan Singer returns to direct the sequel which sees Wolverine sent back in time to change history, to prevent doom for both humans and mutants.

No.15 - The Incredible Hulk

source: digitalspy.co.uk (CC image)

The good "Hulk" movie, at least that's what we're calling it, as this Hulk movie has made the Hulk character look seriously real, and it's all in the facial expressions which were superbly done. The CGI in this movie is something worth the money it takes to see this movie, as the good character (Hulk) and the bad character (Abomination) have the most epic of battles at the end of the movie. Edward Norton played his role Bruce Banner extremely well, as we all knew he would, allowing the whole movie to run smoothly. The tension between Hulk and General Ross is back, and as expected it leaves Bruce Banner spending a lot of the time turning into the 'green' Hulk monster, which at the end of the day is why we all tuned in to watch the movie.

This may have been a more biased choice for this rank in the list, as we're huge fans of the Hulk character, so of course we loved the movie, hence "The Incredible Hulk" making its way onto the list.

No.16 - Kick-Ass

source: pop-break.com (CC image)

No necessarily a superhero movie, but the abilities of Hit-Girl (played by Chloe Grace Moretz) and Big Daddy (played by Nicolas Cage) make it feel as though it is. We were stunned by how good this superhero comedy was, as it felt like the ultimate comedy for superhero fans, but the star of the film, Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass (played by Aaron Johnson) was the main attraction in this movie, as his ability to take a beating was hilarious, which sounds a little twisted when put that way.

(Spoiler alert) The best scene in this movie for us, was when Kick-Ass goes to a drug-dealers apartment to sort out a problem for a friend (girl he likes), and just before he can be hurt by the dealers, Hit-Girl comes in and kills all of the dealers in an epically brutal manor. Simply awesome.

No.17 - The Amazing Spider-Man

source: alexmovieblog.blogspot.com (CC image)

The Spider-Man reboot no-one was expecting, especially as it had only been a decade since the original Spider-Man had been done. But, who's complaining. Spider-Man is played by Andrew Garfield, who does a good job at portraying the life of Peter Parker/Spider-Man, which feels entirely different from Tobey Maguire portrayal of the character, so that was a welcomed surprise. The director, Marc Webb did a good job with the movie, having only ever directed one movie, 500 Days of Summer (in a completely different genre), we would have never matched the director with a superhero movie, but there you go, he did well, announcing himself as the director of now the first, second and third Amazing Spider-Man movies (as-far).

The villain, The Lizard/Dr. Curt Connors, was an interesting idea for a villain, and thankfully the character was played by a great British actor, Rhys Ifans, whose portrayal of the villain was flawless (as far as we are concerned). A good storyline, a good superhero and a good villain, what's there not to like.


Is your favourite superhero movie not on this list? Or, do you completely disagree with the rankings on this list? Let us know in the comments box below. 

The 25 Greatest Animated Movies from the Past Decade (2004-2014)

Only listing the movie originals (no sequels, prequels or spin-off's included)

source: flickr.com

The animation genre has come a long way since Walt Disney first created Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck and Minnie Mouse. A decade is a short amount of time, but in that short amount of time we have seen some of the greatest animated movies of all time find there way onto the big-screens.

Over the past decade, it should come as little surprise that Walt Disney is not the only animation studio releasing animated 'greats', but other newer studios with the likes of DreamWorks Animation, Disney Pixar, Blue Sky Studios and Illumination Entertainment.

Animation movies have adapted and changed a lot over the past decade, which is why we have decided to create a list of the greatest and most significant animated feature film releases from the past decade (2004-2014). 

A lot of these movies will come as little surprise to see, however, we hope there are a few surprises as this was a tricky list to collect given the vast number of perfectly adequate (for this list) movies that have been released in recent years.

There is no better movie genre in our opinion, as animated movies are fun for the whole family with no limits on the ways that they can surprise and really touch on our emotions. This list is mostly based on our opinions, but we are more that sure that there is an array of animated delights on this list that you wouldn't/couldn't disagree with.

The rankings are based on the time of release (in movie theatres) for the movies, although, each and every movie is as deserving as the other for the top spot, had the list been organised from best-to-worst.

2004 (January-December)

The Incredibles
source: cinemablend.com (CC image)

No.1 - The Incredibles 

Release Date- 26th November, 2004
Animation Studio- Pixar

Not a bad movie to start-off the list, as this is the first animated movie of the 21st Century to be set around Superhero's', but not just any Superhero's', a family of Superhero's'. As a huge fan of Marvel and DC Comics movies, it is always fun to watch an animated movie about Superhero's', and I must admit, Pixar have done a fine job as The Incredibles is a movie to add to your collection.

2005 (January-December)

Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
source: top10films.co.uk (CC image)

No.2 - Madagascar

Release Date- 15th July, 2005
Animation Studio- DreamWorks Animation

Zoo animals loose in the wild. This is something that would usually be welcomed (we'd imagine) by animals, but in the case of Alex (the lion), Melvin (the giraffe) and Gloria (the hippo), this is the last thing they want. However, Marty (the zebra) is pleased with the idea of being free in the wild, and all of these characters wind up on a small island, Madagascar. The ultimate animated movie about everyone's favourite zoo animals in a story about zoo animals transitioning from a zoo, where they are fed, given shelter, medicated and kept from harm, to the freedom of the wild, where all of the luxuries of the zoo are non-existent.

No.3 - Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Release Date- 14th October, 2005
Animation Studio- Aardman

Finally, a movie for the one of the greatest shorts of all time, Wallace and Gromit, two of the most beloved animated characters of all time. The movie kept true to Wallace and Gromit fans, as it had a similar feel to that of the shorts which had been done prior to the movie. Aardman, the production company behind Wallace and Gromit, did a marvellous job at producing a movie which paid tribute and added to the Wallace and Gromit collection.

2006 (January-December)

source: danthepixarfan.com (CC image)

No.4 - Cars

Release Date- 28th July, 2006
Animation studio- Pixar

Talking cars, that's something that only Pixar could come-up with, but to our surprise the movie was actually very good. Owen Wilson, voicing Lightning McQueen, really suited the character as every moment during the movie you listened and found yourself being captivated by Lightning McQueen. The story was original (as Pixar movies always are) which made watching the movie more entertaining, if that's possible. We all (or most) have a distinct like for cars, making it somewhat appealing to watch the movie purely because it is about talking cars, in a world of talking vehicles (and no humans). Clearly a movie aimed at young children, but that isn't to say that adults won't enjoy the movies humour and fun storyline.

2007 (January-December)

The Simpsons Movie
source: sporcle.com (CC image)

No.5 - The Simpsons Movie

Release Date- 25th July, 2007
Animation Studio- 20th Century Fox Animation

From the small-screen to the big-screen, The Simpsons is one TV series we've all seen and all enjoy watching (some more than others). The movie could have ruined the series, had it not been very good or true to the series, but thankfully the story was entertaining, original and true to the series. There has always been a time whilst watching The Simpsons TV series that you're wondering, "I wonder what The Simpsons would be like as a movie", but now we all know, and the movie is amazing and makes us as Augustus Worth love the TV series all the more.

No.6 - Ratatouille

Release Date- 12th October, 2007
Animation Studio- Pixar

Another Pixar movie with all of the originality, all of the creativity, and an all new talking animal (or rodent) that we have all expected to see in Pixar's movies. Set in Paris, starring talking rats (one of which has ambitions to be a famous chef), what could be more interesting. The life of a rat, all explained in one movie, plus a few things rats can't do (like talk or cook delicious food), all adding to the reasons why you (and everyone) should take time aside to watch the movie. One of Pixar's best animated feature films.

2008 (January-December)

WALL-E
source: changemakers.com (CC image)

No.7 - Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!

Release Date- 21st March, 2008
Animation Studio- Blue Sky Studios

The Dr Seuss book-to-movie adaptations are always ones to watch out for, and Horton Hears a Who is one of the best, due to the intriguing little town on a speck noticed by an elephant who finds the speck on a flower in the movie. Interesting.

No.8 - Kung Fu Panda

Release Date- 4th July, 2008
Animation Studio- DreamWorks Animation

The art of Kung Fu explained in DreamWorks, Kung Fu Panda, featuring Kung Fu masters (all of which are talking animals) and a want-to-be Kung Fu "Panda". It was only ever a short amount of time until an animation studio created a movie set around martial arts (in this case, Kung Fu). But as all good animators know, the characters need to be talking animals, which is why this is great animation movie, with some embarrassingly funny moments.

No.9 - WALL-E

Release Date- 18th July, 2008
Animation Studio- Pixar

Thinking about Pixar is always madness, but that is what we all love about the animation studio, as they are not afraid to take their movies to new and exciting places. Following there usual routine, Pixar creating something different, in this case, WALL-E, starring WALL-E, the robot tasked with cleaning-up earth's waste after earth is abandoned by humans. This is a movie with love, happiness, loneliness and all of the emotions we didn't know (fictional) robots had.

2009 (January-December)

Fantastic Mr. Fox
source: r-trey.blogspot.com

No.10 - Bolt

Release Date- 6th February, 2009
Animation Studio- Walt Disney Animation

Any animated movie starring a 'star' dog, a cat and a crazy hamster is a movie I want to watch, and this movie was fun from start-to-finish. The 'star' dog is voiced by John Travolta which was a welcomed choice for the character, as it adds to the screen presence of the animated character, which is the star of the movie. Plus, a cat and a hamster, this is an odd bunch of characters to travel together but this is why it's a great movie.

No.11 - Coraline

Release Date- 8th May, 2009
Animation Studio- Focus Features

Coraline is a dark animated movie, which oddly feels a lot like a Tim Burton movie (although, Burton has no involvement in the movie). By far one of the best animated movies of all time, which is has a sinister feel throughout the movie, hence the reason why Disney didn't produce the movie, in fact, Coraline couldn't be any further from a Disney movie.

No.12 - Up

Release Date- 9th October, 2009
Animation Studio- Pixar

It's interesting how Pixar have managed to take a seemingly sad story and then twist and turn it into an enlightening, fun, but most of all, entertaining movie. Pixar never cease to amaze us (or audiences everywhere), and Up is no exception. To sum-up the movie, lots would put "Up" at the top of their best animated movies of all time list, which we wouldn't argue with. It's just that good of a movie.

No.13 - Fantastic Mr. Fox

Release Date- 23rd October, 2009
Animation Studio- 20th Century Fox Animation

Puppet like animation is a welcomed delight from Fantastic Mr. Fox, which is also one of the most ground-breaking animated movies I have seen in a very long time. The characters have been perfected beyond perfection, the storyline is gripping, and all of the talking British wild animals are brilliant. And with voices from George Clooney (Mr. Fox), Meryl Streep (Mrs. Fox) and Bill Murray (Badger), that alone gives reason to at the very least watch the movie.

2010 (January-December)

How to Train Your Dragon
source: denofgeek.com (CC image)

No.14 - How to Train Your Dragon

Release Date- 31st March, 2010
Animation Studio- DreamWorks Animation

Viking are interesting, dragons are interesting. That's right, DreamWorks have blended the two together in a world where Vikings rule the lands and dragons rule the sky's, that's why How to Train Your Dragon is such a great movie, as it has taken another great idea and turned it into another great movie.

No.15 - Despicable Me

Release Date- 15th October, 2010
Animation Studio- Illumination Entertainment

A villain unlike any other villain you've ever seen before, as he is only villainous on the outside, as at his core he is a kind spirit, although he does still like to do evil things. This villains name is Gru. The story is a loving one, although, as all great animation movies require, there is a bad guy (not Gru) named Vector, a next generation villain with plans (the same as Gru's) to shrink and steal the moon. It's fun to watch all the way through, as two villains battle to become the ultimate villain which they each aim to do by stealing the moon. Not to mention, there are cute and cuddly yellow minions which are also funny to observe throughout the movie.

No.16 - Megamind

Release Date- 3rd December, 2010
Animation Studio- DreamWorks Animation

The super-villain becoming the hero is an idea which no animation studio had thought of doing, until now, as Megamind is a mind-blowing movie where the super-villain becomes the hero. This is mind-blowing as it sounds like such a simple idea, which DreamWorks have taken and turned into an awesome movie (with an awesome name).

2011 (January-December)

Rango
source: moviestorrents.net (CC image)

No.17 - Tangled

Release Date- 28th January, 2011
Animation Studio- Walt Disney Animation

What's the one character from fairytale's' that Disney haven't turned into an animated movie? Rapunzel would be the correct answer, until now. The movie has all of the usual elements of a Disney princess movie, however, in Tangled Rapunzel is more of a leading lady with a stronger character which is less reliant on a male lead, although that is still the case at times in the movie.

No.18 - Rango

Release Date- 4th March, 2011
Animation Studio- Paramount Pictures

The coolest lizard in the animated movie world, voiced by the coolest actor in Hollywood, Johnny Depp. An interesting animated movie about the world of dessert animals, which admittedly is rather new in terms of animation, as Rango (a lizard) stumbles upon a wild-west-style town where he soon becomes the town sheriff. The wild-wild-west now has an animation movie which has taken steps to involve the time-era in some ways, but it's the interesting characters, good and bad that makes the movie so much fun to watch.

No.19 - Winnie the Pooh

Release Date- 15th April, 2011
Animation Studio- Walt Disney Animation

Winnie the Pooh is a welcomed remake of a classic, which has brought back all of what we loved about the original. The Hundred Acre wood is a welcomed sight in animation, as it has been a long time since we've seen a Winnie the Pooh movie, although there have been plenty of Winnie the Pooh spin-offs'.

No.20 - Arthur Christmas

Release Date- 11th November, 2011
Animation Studio- Aardman/Sony Pictures Animation

Christmas movies are always entertaining, especially when they are animated, as we haven't seen many animated Christmas movies of the years. However, Arthur Christmas, among the few animated Christmas movies that have been made, is a gem if there ever has been one. The collaboration between Aardman and Sony Pictures Animation is one that seems to have worked superbly, as Arthur Christmas had all of the down-to-earth (and British) elements that we have come to expect from Aardman and the Sony Pictures Animation animation that we have come to expect from Sony Pictures Animation.

2012 (January-December)

ParaNorman
source: youtube.com (CC image)

No.21 - Brave

Release Date- 13th August, 2012
Animation Studio- Pixar

Pixar, taking a step back in time, stumbled upon the medieval era and thought they'd create a story about a young princess (being the strong leading lady) and her relationship with her mother, the queen, which is rocky to say the least. This was a fun story to watch unveil on the screen, especially since the movie was so refreshing to watch when compared to the present-day and future movies that Pixar have been eager to create over the years. This was a fun movie with Scottish accents, arrow shooting, bears, and a witch in a medieval kingdom.

No.22 - ParaNorman

Release Date- 14th September, 2012
Animation Studio- Focus Features

Imagine an animated movie with zombies and young people forced to find a way to change the zombies back into humans, then you'll have ParaNorman, the ultimate zombie animated movie (suitable for the whole family to watch).

2013 (January-December)

Frozen
source: flickr.com (CC image)

No.23 - Frozen

Release Date- 6th December, 2013
Animation Studio- Walt Disney Animation

Finally a Christmas(y) animated movie created by Disney (even though Beauty and the Beast was Christmas(y), that movie was created more than two decades ago). There is a catchy storyline, fun characters, funny characters, leading lady characters and supporting male characters, Disney have hit on the head with this one.

2014 (January-December)

Big Hero 6
source: blog.angryasianman.com (CC image)

No.24 - The Lego Movie (aka The LEGO Movie)

Release Date- 14th February, 2014
Animation Studio- Warner Bros. Animation

An animated movie starring all of the coolest movie characters (and others); including Batman, Abraham Lincoln, Gandalf and Green Lantern, this all added into making one of the greatest animated movies of all time, and the greatest animated movie for 2014.

No.25 - Big Hero 6

Release Date- 25th October, 2014
Animation Studio- Walt Disney Animation

An inflatable robot and a team of high-tech heroes, what more does an animated movie need to have to be awesomely entertaining? Nothing. Walt Disney are on a role with the great animated movies that they are producing, and Big Hero 6 is one of the best so far for the 21st Century listing of animated movies produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios.


Did we miss any movies? Let us know in the comments box below.