4. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
The first two Thor movies were also-rans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, by-the-numbers fantasy tales about unrelatable deities spouting quasi-Shakespearean language. Thor: Ragnarok changed all that by plunging the god of thunder into his very own sci-fi comedy.
While the supporting players are hilarious – Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk/Bruce Banner, director Taika Waititi’s rock man Korg, Jeff Goldblum’s weird dictator the Grandmaster – Chris Hemsworth matches them gag for gag as Thor. Essential light relief ahead of the universe-threatening action of Avengers: Infinity War.
5. Deadpool (2016)
A fan favourite and cosplay staple, the wisecracking Deadpool was thoroughly wasted in X-Men Origins: Wolverine – they even sewed his mouth shut. That didn’t deter star Ryan Reynolds, however, who lobbied hard to get Wade Wilson his own movie – and won. R-rated, foul-mouthed and relatively low-budget, Deadpool relishes the chance to subvert the rules of the superhero genre.
As well as being a skilled fighter and near-as-dammit immortal, this morally flexible mutant has the unconventional ability to break the fourth wall and talk directly to the audience – just as he does in the comics. There aren’t any others like him.
6. The Incredibles (2004)
It’s not all about Marvel and DC, you know…
Made in Pixar’s earlier days when the studio barely put a foot wrong, The Incredibles puts its own family-friendly spin on the superhero flick. Most of the superpowers on display riff on familiar characters from elsewhere, but Brad Bird’s movie is much more interested in family dynamics.
With supers banned in the movie’s beautifully retro-future, gone-to-seed strong man Mr Incredible comes out of retirement to do some consultancy work for a shadowy organisation – and drags his whole family into a monologuing supervillain’s plans for world domination.
7. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Spider-Man: No Way Home is the moment when Marvel went beyond its characters but focused on the actors who played them, bringing in three generations of Spider-Men to battle old adversaries. It’s a perfect idea and when watch in the cinema, the audible gasps for each Spider-Man when they entered the fray was a joy. Marvel is messing with timelines right now but this is the movie where it worked perfectly
