Best geek movies throughout history.
We all know the Marvel formula: a superhero faces a villain who's essentially a mirror-image of themselves. It's a smart concept, and — at its best — allows the villain's identity to shine a light on the hero's character and abilities.
By Tom Bacon9 years ago in Geeks
Have you ever wondered what a Black Widow movie could be like? #Marvel fans across the world certainly have; there have been near-continuous calls for a film to star Scarlett Johansson's sexy assassin, ever since we first met her in Iron Man 2. Now, at last, one fan-film has given us a taste of the story we could see:
Fan films can be tricky things. Just ask Star Trek fans — when one fan film began to look a little too professional (and promised to actually make a profit), CBS/Paramount imposed strict guidelines on what form a fan film could take. The last year or so have seen the Harry Potter franchise face a similar issue, when one fan film, Voldemort: Origin of the Heir, raised 15,000 euros in order to launch what looks like a very slick, professional production.
When Fox launched the #XMen film franchise back in 2000, they never imagined that superhero films would become the mainstream. The last two years have seen the studio finally begin to realize the X-Men's potential, embracing their comic book roots and launching a series of exciting spinoff films. But now, with the X-Men franchise about to head into space, it's time to explore some pretty radical possibilities.
The #MCU is traditionally viewed as having something of a "villain problem," but Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was surely an exception. James Gunn's script gave us a thrilling villain with motives that are about as devilish as they can get; and who can forget the chill of horror as Nebula and Gamora discover the evil that is Ego?
As controversial as Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice may have been, nobody can deny that it was a visual delight. Zack Snyder paid incredible attention to detail with the film's visuals and its character designs, and nowhere does that show more than in Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman.
Note: This article contains significant spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 looks set to be a stratospheric success. Early estimates suggest that it may be Marvel's highest-grossing movie at the box office that doesn't feature Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man! One of the most intriguing plot elements, though, is an end-credits sequence that sets up the origin of Adam Warlock. He's a popular cosmic character who fans have been longing to see enter the MCU for years — but how is he likely to be adapted for the MCU? And what part will he play in the future?
In last year's Captain America: Civil War, we had our first tantalizing glimpse at the nation of Wakanda, which fans across the world wanting more. That desire will finally be fulfilled in next year's solo Black Panther movie, which will finally allow us to dive into the mysteries and wonders of the 'El Dorado' of Africa. Over in the comics, Wakanda has a rich history as one of Marvel's most beloved nations, uniquely combining technological advancements we can only dream about with sorcery and mysticism.
The critics have spoken and the fans are voting with their wallets: Wonder Woman is an absolute hit. One of the reasons for the film's success is that there's a third-act twist that took literally everybody by surprise. We'd known for months that Ares was in it, and clever marketing had left us convinced that Danny Huston's General Ludendorff was actually the God of War.
Warning: Major spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 to follow! "And he was an angel, composed of pure light..." With those nine words, the dying Meredith Quill told us everything we knew about Star-Lord's father — until #GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2, of course! In reality, Meredith was simply interpreting her lover Ego in the only way her mind could interpret him. But she introduces a fascinating question: was Ego an angel? Was he the God he believed himself to be? Or was he actually the Devil?
t wasn't exactly a surprise plot twist, but the third act of Wonder Woman revealed that Diana is no ordinary Amazon. She is the God-Killer — because only a god can kill another god. Thematically, the idea is genius: it subverts the traditional 'mirror-image' villain, by having Diana become the good reflection of Ares. Unfortunately, the twist also exposes the nascent #DCEU to a very real threat: the danger of power creep.
Warning: Major spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 to follow! I know what you're thinking. In what cosmos can #GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2 be described as dark? I mean, you're talking one of Marvel's most psychedelic movies to date, complete with a stunning retro '80s soundtrack, and more dazzling CGI than you can throw a blue-screen at!
