MCU: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

[Stout]

Just seen this yesterday and I’m not as high on it as my brother who says it’s top 3 but I put it at number 9. Yes we ranked the Marvel movies after this.

it’s pretty damn good the end fight scene is really up there. I didn’t know much about the character coming in but left a fan and wanting to see more.

up next Venom

I have to agree with you on this. I loved it and absolutely raved about it, but no way is it Top 3 for Marvel. Top 10, sure.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I have to agree with you on this. I loved it and absolutely raved about it, but no way is it Top 3 for Marvel. Top 10, sure.

That just seems so strange to me, that you could love and rave about a Marvel movie and it still not be among your top 3 Marvel films. I mildly enjoyed several Marvel movies but not a one of them would make my top 500 list, or come anywhere close to making make my love and rant about group.

I'm not saying anyone shouldn't like what they like, I just don't understand what it is that works so well in these movies for so many people that doesn't appeal as much to me. Usually when there's a disconnect between my movie opinion and this forum's it's because the movie is too dark or edgy for my tastes (Se7en for example) but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

Edit: I thought about it some more and realized I'd forgotten a few movies. Captain Marvel would be high on my list (at least top 40), the Avengers might make my top 200 and Guardians of the Galaxy wouldn't miss my top 500 by very much. And to be fair I haven't seen the last 2 Spiderman movies, Infinity War, Ant-Man and The Wasp or anything in phase 4.

 

[Stout]

That just seems so strange to me, that you could love and rave about a Marvel movie and it still not be among your top 3 Marvel films. I mildly enjoyed several Marvel movies but not a one of them would make my top 500 list, or come anywhere close to making make my love and rant about group.

I'm not saying anyone shouldn't like what they like, I just don't understand what it is that works so well in these movies for so many people that doesn't appeal as much to me. Usually when there's a disconnect between my movie opinion and this forum's it's because the movie is too dark or edgy for my tastes (Se7en for example) but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

Edit: I thought about it some more and realized I'd forgotten a few movies. Captain Marvel would be high on my list (at least top 40), the Avengers might make my top 200 and Guardians of the Galaxy wouldn't miss my top 500 by very much. And to be fair I haven't seen the last 2 Spiderman movies, Infinity War, Ant-Man and The Wasp or anything in phase 4.

Captain Marvel? CAPTAIN MARVEL is in your top 40? That explains so, so much about our differences here. Ranks near the bottom of the Marvel offerings, for me, and isn't a very good movie. Did you mean Captain America? As in Winter Soldier? Civil War?

Avengers (1), Iron Man, Guardians (1 and 2), Black Panther, Winter Soldier, Spider Man (more recent ones), Ant Man (for my money), Infinity Wars, Shang Chi, etc, are at the top of the Marvel offerings.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Captain Marvel? CAPTAIN MARVEL is in your top 40? That explains so, so much about our differences here. Ranks near the bottom of the Marvel offerings, for me, and isn't a very good movie. Did you mean Captain America? As in Winter Soldier? Civil War?

Avengers (1), Iron Man, Guardians (1 and 2), Black Panther, Winter Soldier, Spider Man (more recent ones), Ant Man (for my money), Infinity Wars, Shang Chi, etc, are at the top of the Marvel offerings.

For me it's Captain Marvel by quite a bit then something like Avengers, Guardians, Winter Soldier, Ant Man, Iron Man, Guardians (2), Endgame, Thor, Ragnarok, Iron Man 3, Ultron, Dark World and Civil War.

As for Captain Marvel, switch out Brie Larson for any other actress (or actor) and the movie probably ends up below Endgame and well out of my favorites list. Brie made me laugh and charmed me in a way I've rarely seen in a modern movie.

 

[Stout]

For me it's Captain Marvel by quite a bit then something like Avengers, Guardians, Winter Soldier, Ant Man, Iron Man, Guardians (2), Endgame, Thor, Ragnarok, Iron Man 3, Ultron, Dark World and Civil War.

As for Captain Marvel, switch out Brie Larson for any other actress (or actor) and the movie probably ends up below Endgame and well out of my favorites list. Brie made me laugh and charmed me in a way I've rarely seen in a modern movie.

Brie was fantastic, has a great smirk, and had good chemistry with Samuel L. There were a few nice moments in the movie. Unfortunately, it was an absolute writing train wreck. Doesn't even crack top 20 Marvel for me.

 

[Finito]

That just seems so strange to me, that you could love and rave about a Marvel movie and it still not be among your top 3 Marvel films. I mildly enjoyed several Marvel movies but not a one of them would make my top 500 list, or come anywhere close to making make my love and rant about group.

I'm not saying anyone shouldn't like what they like, I just don't understand what it is that works so well in these movies for so many people that doesn't appeal as much to me. Usually when there's a disconnect between my movie opinion and this forum's it's because the movie is too dark or edgy for my tastes (Se7en for example) but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

Edit: I thought about it some more and realized I'd forgotten a few movies. Captain Marvel would be high on my list (at least top 40), the Avengers might make my top 200 and Guardians of the Galaxy wouldn't miss my top 500 by very much. And to be fair I haven't seen the last 2 Spiderman movies, Infinity War, Ant-Man and The Wasp or anything in phase 4.

your saying top 500 films of all time?

I oh have to disagree here. I think you can make a case for Endgame being the greatest movie of all time. When you think about 10+ years and 20 movies all leading up to a climax and it lived up to the hype! To me that’s just insane to have that kind of expectation and deliver.

 

[Finito]

For me it's Captain Marvel by quite a bit then something like Avengers, Guardians, Winter Soldier, Ant Man, Iron Man, Guardians (2), Endgame, Thor, Ragnarok, Iron Man 3, Ultron, Dark World and Civil War.

As for Captain Marvel, switch out Brie Larson for any other actress (or actor) and the movie probably ends up below Endgame and well out of my favorites list. Brie made me laugh and charmed me in a way I've rarely seen in a modern movie.

I really liked Captain Marvel I don’t get all the hate for that movie but it’s not even top 5

 

[AzStevenCal]

Brie was fantastic, has a great smirk, and had good chemistry with Samuel L. There were a few nice moments in the movie. Unfortunately, it was an absolute writing train wreck. Doesn't even crack top 20 Marvel for me.

Sure, there were obvious flaws in Captain Marvel, but I walked away from the movie feeling much better than I did when I sat down to watch it, and that was the case through a dozen viewings. I can't ask for more than that.

 

[AzStevenCal]

your saying top 500 films of all time?

I oh have to disagree here. I think you can make a case for Endgame being the greatest movie of all time. When you think about 10+ years and 20 movies all leading up to a climax and it lived up to the hype! To me that’s just insane to have that kind of expectation and deliver.

Well, there's really no disagreeing, it's just my personal opinion with no intention of trying to convince others they should feel the same way. So it may very well deserve to be top 500 or top 50 or whatever, it just doesn't make my own top 500.

Mostly I watch movies to be entertained and I rank them based on that, not based on whether one movie was better than any other. My analysis isn't deep or nuanced, it's usually just a simple decision about how soon and how often I'd want to re-watch a film.

 

[Finito]

Well, there's really no disagreeing, it's just my personal opinion with no intention of trying to convince others they should feel the same way. So it may very well deserve to be top 500 or top 50 or whatever, it just doesn't make my own top 500.

Mostly I watch movies to be entertained and I rank them based on that, not based on whether one movie was better than any other. My analysis isn't deep, it's usually just a simple decision about how soon and how often I'd want to re-watch a film.

oh your opinion is 100% yours and I respect that

what’s your top 10?

 

[AzStevenCal]

oh your opinion is 100% yours and I respect that

what’s your top 10?

Of all time? It's very fluid. My answer would probably change each time if I replied once an hour every hour for the next year. Some movies would show up in that list frequently such as Godfather, Godfather 2, Casablanca, Maltese Falcon, Philadelphia Story, Star Wars (4), My Fair Lady, Pulp Fiction, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, Titanic, Snatch, RED, Pitch Perfect, Decoy Bride, Captain Marvel, Skyfall, Smokey and the Bandit, Blues Brothers, Airplane, Tremors, Wait Until Dark and so many others. But other than maybe the first 2 Godfathers, none of those movies would make my top 10 list every time I made it.

 

[Chaplin]

Of all time? It's very fluid. My answer would probably change each time if I replied once an hour every hour for the next year. Some movies would show up in that list frequently such as Godfather, Godfather 2, Casablanca, Maltese Falcon, Philadelphia Story, Star Wars (4), My Fair Lady, Pulp Fiction, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, Titanic, Snatch, RED, Pitch Perfect, Decoy Bride, Captain Marvel, Skyfall, Smokey and the Bandit, Blues Brothers, Airplane, Tremors, Wait Until Dark and so many others. But other than maybe the first 2 Godfathers, none of those movies would make my top 10 list every time I made it.

Ugh Pulp Fiction.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Ugh Pulp Fiction.

I knew it was coming but I was expecting "Ugh Titanic" or maybe "Ugh Tremors" before I got a Pulp Fiction response.

 

[Chaplin]

I knew it was coming but I was expecting "Ugh Titanic" or maybe "Ugh Tremors" before I got a Pulp Fiction response.

Pulp Fiction IMO is the most overrated movie in history.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Pulp Fiction IMO is the most overrated movie in history.

That's funny, I say the same thing about a movie from that same year. My momma always said life is like a box of chocolates.

For me, watching Pulp Fiction the first time was one of my absolute best theater trips ever. And it was even better the 2nd and third time I watched it in the theater, the reactions around the room to the adrenaline injection scene were priceless. It probably doesn't show up on my top favorites list very regularly but I caught the movie leading up to the Zed's dead scenes and found myself once again getting a kick out of the movie.

 

[Chaplin]

That's funny, I say the same thing about a movie from that same year. My momma always said life is like a box of chocolates.

For me, watching Pulp Fiction the first time was one of my absolute best theater trips ever. And it was even better the 2nd and third time I watched it in the theater, the reactions around the room to the adrenaline injection scene were priceless. It probably doesn't show up on my top favorites list very regularly but I caught the movie leading up to the Zed's dead scenes and found myself once again getting a kick out of the movie.

I felt that way the first time I saw it too, but the years and multiple viewings have made me re-evaluate.

Its got a great first and last 20 minutes, but it still remains a stage play put on film. Only thing that makes it a “film” is the way it plays with time and the violence.

Now I know that many here will likely think I dislike the movie—I don’t. I do think it’s maybe #4 in Tarantino’s catalog at best, when most of the world thinks it’s the best thing since sliced bread.

Brilliant screenplay, and taken that alone, it is worthy of being called great. But seeing the Bruce Willis stuff on film is borderline excruciating.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I felt that way the first time I saw it too, but the years and multiple viewings have made me re-evaluate.

Its got a great first and last 20 minutes, but it still remains a stage play put on film. Only thing that makes it a “film” is the way it plays with time and the violence.

Now I know that many here will likely think I dislike the movie—I don’t. I do think it’s maybe #4 in Tarantino’s catalog at best, when most of the world thinks it’s the best thing since sliced bread.

Brilliant screenplay, and taken that alone, it is worthy of being called great. But seeing the Bruce Willis stuff on film is borderline excruciating.

I can understand this but there's a personal moment for us that the movie always recaptures when we watch it. My wife and I saw it the day it first hit the local theater. I liked it, mostly; my wife despised it, mostly.

Anyway, our 18 year old son mentioned he wanted to see it too so we all went out. Surreptitiously watching him during that overdose scene (including the phone call leading up to it) is one of our favorite moments in life. Then, at his insistence, we took him and his best friend to see it the next day and again, it was just incredible watching their reactions. Those memory comes rushing back every time we watch the movie and probably greatly influence how we'd rate the film.

 

[Chaplin]

I can understand this but there's a personal moment for us that the movie always recaptures when we watch it. My wife and I saw it the day it first hit the local theater. I liked it, mostly; my wife despised it, mostly.

Anyway, our 18 year old son mentioned he wanted to see it so we took him. Surreptitiously watching him during that overdose scene (including the phone call leading up to it) is one of our favorite moments in life. Then, at his insistence, we took him and his best friend to see it the next day and again, it was just incredible watching their reactions. That memory comes rushing back every time we watch the movie.

That is fantastic Steve. If any movie can do something like that, it’s done it’s job.

The best one for me was in 1993, when I saw that shot of the brontosaurus at the same time as Alan Grant, I fell in love with movies. I already knew I was going to film school (I was starting at UofA in the fall), but I saw that shot and thought, “I’ll be able to do THAT??”

Suffice it to say, I never did do that, but it’s a great memory nonetheless.

 

[Covert Rain]

Took the family to see this. The wife actually called this one of her favorite Marvel movies so far and my son and daughter loved it. I think it cracks my top 10 for sure but not sure I liked it as much as the wife but still thought is was really good. I wasn't expecting it to be this good to be honest. I was wrong. Martial arts choreography is one of my biggest pet peeves with Hollywood movies since I studied for over a decade. The fight sequences were excellent. Just all around good movie. Marvel once again nailed it.

 

[Cheesebeef]

very good movie... only the 2nd movie I've seen in the theaters since the pandemic began and I'm glad I did. Saw it at the Chinese Theater IMAX and was a great movie theater experience. Good story, likable characters, solid arcs/set ups and payoffs, emotional dynamic between family at it's core and best of all, it filled up every damn frame of the screen.

rock solid addition to the Marvel Universe. Somehow, they got another one right. It's astounding what Feige has pulled off with the MCU. Like... mind-blowing from a success/quality standpoint. There are varying degrees of both, but there's ALWAYS a baseline met and more often than not the movies either meet it or shoot above it.

 

[Covert Rain]

very good movie... only the 2nd movie I've seen in the theaters since the pandemic began and I'm glad I did. Saw it at the Chinese Theater IMAX and was a great movie theater experience. Good story, likable characters, solid arcs/set ups and payoffs, emotional dynamic between family at it's core and best of all, it filled up every damn frame of the screen.

rock solid addition to the Marvel Universe. Somehow, they got another one right. It's astounding what Feige has pulled off with the MCU. Like... mind-blowing from a success/quality standpoint. There are varying degrees of both, but there's ALWAYS a baseline met and more often than not the movies either meet it or shoot above it.

I am shocked Disney hasn't taken the opportunity to put Feige over more in the Disney world. It's understatement to say he has taken the MCU and hit it out of the park. What's more amazing is he did it with characters that were obscure to most. I still remember when Iron Man came out so many people asking "who?". Why would they start there?!?!!

Honestly, I know they just reupped Kathleen Kennedy but I would have put Feige over Lucas Film too.

 

[Chaplin]

I am shocked Disney hasn't taken the opportunity to put Feige over more in the Disney world. It's understatement to say he has taken the MCU and hit it out of the park. What's more amazing is he did it with characters that were obscure to most. I still remember when Iron Man came out so many people asking "who?". Why would they start there?!?!!

Honestly, I know they just reupped Kathleen Kennedy but I would have put Feige over Lucas Film too.

I wouldn't be surprised if they did offer something more to him and he turned it down. He's got it good right now--why take a chance with Star Wars?

 

[Cheesebeef]

I wouldn't be surprised if they did offer something more to him and he turned it down. He's got it good right now--why take a chance with Star Wars?

they also might not want Feige stretched too thin. He's the golden goose and Disney needs every one of his eggs to come out looking like gold, especially with the way the theme parks have taken a beating the last couple covid years.

Right now, they've got Dave Filoni running the show with Favreau as Godfather, and by all appearances, Filoni has produced some great content with Mando and The Bad Batch. One of my friends who worked on Batch said the guy is just the PERFECT person to shepherd Star Wars into the next decade, mostly done on TV.

 

[Devilmaycare]

For you guys in Hollywood, is Feige really all that? From my perspective he's been great for making money but I'm not sure about artistically. Phase 1 and 2 weren't him remember. They were mainly Farveau and Whedon under Perlmutter running Marvel. Feige took control during phase 2 and is more responsible from phase 3 and 4. IMO the MCU has lost a step in those phases and has become a lot more formulaic and safe. When I rate the MCU movies most of my top ones are from the first couple phases. It was also during that time that Disney bought them. So I don't know if my perception is do to Feige, Disney, or both.

 

[Covert Rain]

I wouldn't be surprised if they did offer something more to him and he turned it down. He's got it good right now--why take a chance with Star Wars?

Why not? It's rich on content and so many places to go. It would allow him to expand his career. He doesn't strike me as someone who is complacent.

they also might not want Feige stretched too thin. He's the golden goose and Disney needs every one of his eggs to come out looking like gold, especially with the way the theme parks have taken a beating the last couple covid years.

Right now, they've got Dave Filoni running the show with Favreau as Godfather, and by all appearances, Filoni has produced some great content with Mando and The Bad Batch. One of my friends who worked on Batch said the guy is just the PERFECT person to shepherd Star Wars into the next decade, mostly done on TV.

That's logical. I view it much like Lasseter. I remember people saying the same thing and yet he managed. Well at least until he screwed it all up personally. Dave Filoni is great for TV stuff. It remains to be seen if he can have the same success in film. Maybe he can. Either that or Favreau could possibly take a bigger role. I think Feige's long term vision is exactly what Star Wars needs.