We've all seen 100 Greatest Movies lists. Many of us have a revolving Top Ten wandering around the backs of our minds most of the time. But we're not here to debate cinematic innovation or auteur theory, nor are we here to celebrate the pure bums-on-seats arithmetic of highest-grossing-movies lists (which have their place too, of course).
We're here to champion the movies that get us out of the house on Saturday nights, that come imbued with the smell of popcorn and the taste of pick'n'mix. Movies that make audiences whoop and cheer. Hollywood movies, fun movies, exciting movies, BIG movies. It's hard to define a blockbuster – they fall somewhere in a shifting Venn diagram of action, entertainment, spectacle and money – but we all know when we've seen one.
We gave Digital Spy readers a longlist of 150 candidates released after 2000, and invited you to vote for as many as you liked that you felt deserved to rise to the top.
Enough of the trailers, let's get to the main feature...
100 Sin City
Frank Miller's starkly black-and-white (or should that be noir and white?) comic didn't seem an obvious candidate for a movie adaptation, but Robert Rodriguez used green-screen technology to perfectly capture its sharp definition and clean angles, smartly juggling its interwoven tales of dark deeds on dark streets, where men are men and women are, frankly, objectified beyond belief.
99 Watchmen
They said it couldn't be done. How could anyone ever successfully bring Alan Moore's classic comic to life on screen? Whether you enjoyed the Watchmen film or preferred HBO's more recent series, director Zack Snyder must be lauded for tackling such an ambitious project, pushing the boundaries of what superhero cinema was capable of back in 2009.
98 Man of Steel
Man of Steel graced us all with Henry Cavill, the man whose jaw could cut through anything, as the titular Superman. In this 2013 reboot, Clark Kent is forced to confront his alien heritage and the magnitude of his existence on Earth, when malevolent members of his race arrive with a catastrophic agenda.
97 Thor: The Dark World
While the MCU was still finding its feet, Alan Taylor had the difficult job of following Kenneth Branagh's weighty, Shakespeare-flavoured Thor with a story that introduced the Aether (later recognised as the Reality Stone) into the cinematic cosmos. Christopher Eccleston may not have enjoyed his time on the movie playing Malekith the Dark Elf, but you can't deny his glowering presence adds a menace that many movie supervillains have notably lacked.
96 Birds of Prey
Though Suicide Squad gifted us with Margot Robbie's take on Harley Quinn, it cast a long shadow on the future of her character. Luckily, we got Birds of Prey – a neon-blood-soaked, funny, violent, anti-hero caper. The male gaze is happily obliterated in a technicolour firework display, but not at the expense of a raucously good time.
95 The Bourne Supremacy
The second Bourne movie feels a little overlooked these days, but at the time it revolutionised action movies. Paul Greengrass, fresh off the gritty, realistic drama Omagh, brought an urgency and handheld vitality to the genre, grounding Jason Bourne 100% in the real world. And that climactic car chase through Moscow is an absolute classic of its kind, viscerally thrilling and a new benchmark for the stunt sequences that came after.
94 Furious 7
Perhaps the most emotional of the franchise, Furious 7 was Paul Walker's last appearance in the series after his death in 2013. The movie follows a similar plot to, well, every other Fast & Furious film, except that it had the unexpected and certainly unwanted emotional core of having to bid farewell to one of its stars.
93 Fast Five
Fast 5 marks the moment when the franchise moved away from its tried-and-true plot of street racing and towards the action/heist/suspense stories. It was a move that paid off. It's also the first appearance of Dwayne Johnson as Luke Hobbs, a character who would eventually get his own spin-off with Jason Statham and Idris Elba.
92 Transformers
Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox starred in this actually enjoyable film adaptation of the popular toy line and animated series. Though the objectification of Fox was a bit icky, the movie had heart – plus Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime. The remaining sequels would never reach the same level as the 2007 original (excepting Bumblebee), so we remember this one fondly.
91 Venom
Such a refreshing change to see Tom Hardy's actual face (not pictured). Playing Eddie Brock (and at least some part of his motion-capture/ CGI symbiote parasite) evidently appealed to some deep desire to do slapstick. Although the film is a violent action superhero spin-off, it's also a comedy, and Hardy throws himself into the role with gusto. Then throws himself on to the ceiling.
90 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
One of the most expensive films ever made ($300m, and only beaten by the next Pirates movie and a trio of Avengers), the third Pirates of the Caribbean outing was the one where it all went a bit surreal. Not that Dead Man's Chest's squid-faced buccaneer wasn't surreal, but At World's End began with a ship carried over the dunes of the afterlife by an army of crabs, and crewed by a dozen identical Jack Sparrows. Barmy and delicious.
89 District 9
A timeless allegory, District 9 is a 'found footage'-style movie that follows the despicable conditions in which aliens are forced to live in on Earth. But soon they gain an ally through the government agent who is responsible for their relocation. It is, at its core, a story of bigotry and power and is necessary watching now as ever.
88 Star Trek Into Darkness
"I'm not playing Khan," insisted Benedict Cumberbatch of his Star Trek villain, even though everyone knew he was playing Khan. Buffed up and gravelly, he led the crew of the rebooted Enterprise a merry dance through a tale of treason and revenge, lending an operatic note not seen before to the venerable sci-fi franchise.
87 Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
In the fourth instalment in the series, the IMF is wrongly accused of bombing the Kremlin. Ethan and his team race against time to find the real culprits and clear the reputation of their organisation. It garnered a 94% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and was lauded for its action sequences and fast-paced thrills, not least that bum-squeaking exterior ascent of the Burj Khalifa.
86 The Day After Tomorrow
A prophecy of doom that still chills (pardon the pun) to this day: we're still living in the "tomorrow" period, but the day after is on its way – when climate change shifts the Atlantic currents and potentially buries the entire northern hemisphere under fifty feet of snow. Thank goodness for father and son Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal finding their way back to each other and giving all the frozen spectacle a warm heart.
85 The Bourne Ultimatum
The Bourne Identity gave secret-agent thrillers a whole new tone, Supremacy rewrote the style rulebook – then Ultimatum took it to another level. If director Paul Greengrass and star Matt Damon were experimenting on Supremacy, by Ultimatum they'd hit their stride, delivering jittery thrills, street-level action and a constant, nail-biting sense of paranoia and dread. You could cut the tension in here with a rolled-up magazine, a spork, a shoe – whatever's surprisingly lethal and easily to hand, tbh.
84 Gravity
As Golden Globes hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler put it: "The story of how George Clooney would rather float away into space and die than spend one more minute with a woman his own age." But Gravity deserved its many plaudits. As well as breaking technical ground with its 360-degree, immersive 3D set-up, it's a stunning depiction of the agoraphobia-inducing beauty of space and a first-rate thriller.
83 Jumanji: The Next Level
If you thought it was funny seeing Dwayne Johnson channel the personality of a nerdy teenage boy, just wait till you see him playing Danny DeVito. Brilliantly repeating the pleasures of the first rebooted film (Welcome to the Jungle) while shaking everything up completely, The Next Level sees Jack Black now playing Ser'Darius Blain's Fridge and a ponderous Kevin Hart as Danny Glover, with delightful additions in Awkwafina and the aforementioned DeVito.
82 Iron Man 2
Though it will always come second to Iron Man (sorry, we couldn't help ourselves) the 2010 follow-up is a solid movie with well-choreographed action and, of course, everyone's favourite bionic man back in action. It also gifted us with Don Cheadle as Rhodey (replacing Terrence Howard), who has gone on to become a fan favourite.
81 The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
They said turning a slim book for children into a trilogy of epic movies would make them bloated and a bit pompous and... well, they were a little right. But the Hobbit trilogy is genuinely epic in scale, and no more so than in the climactic finale, as the dwarves, elves, Laketown people, orcs and – um... the other orcs? – clash in a war for Erebor and dominion over Middle-earth.
80 300
Did Spartans have that many abs? Don't worry about it. And Scottish accents? Don't. Worry. About. It. Isn't there quite problematic West vs East, and anti-Iranian sentiments in there? Well, yeah, actually. If you can somehow separate Zack Snyder's stab-'em-up from its historical setting, problematic overtones and utter daftness, then there's a brutally-thrilling action movie under there.
79 Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
It's long. Not the movie – at 150 minutes, it's practically spritely – but the title. It's a title that means business. The franchise, however, never quite got up a head of steam, running out of puff after Voyage of the Dawn Treader (though Netflix has since picked up the baton), but this opener has bags of charm and a superb villain in the form of Tilda Swinton's White Witch.
78 SPECTRE
Perhaps the best part of the 24th Bond movie in the franchise was the addition of Christoph Waltz as Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Dave Bautista also joined the cast, as well as Lea Seydoux. The movie was well-received, lauded in particular for its inventive and complex storytelling and <that> opening tracking shot through Mexico City's Day of the Dead parade. Let's be honest though, we just love Daniel Craig as Bond.
77 Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
AKA The One Where Tom Cruise Hangs Off The Side Of A Plane For Realsies. Ethan and the gang, disavowed as usual, are in pursuit of the anti-IMF in a sequence of preposterously big set pieces: the dive into the swirling watery sinkhole of data-storage doom, the opera-house gantry fight, the Marrakech motorbike chase. It also introduced franchise regular Rebecca Ferguson to the series and was the first to be directed by now-permanent fixture Christopher McQuarrie. We have no idea what the plot was, but does it matter?
76 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Though it received mixed reviews, we can't ignore Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. It was the highest-grossing film of 2006, the third highest-grossing film of the 2000s, and perhaps most importantly it made the most money out of any in the series. The most impressive feat of the film is undeniably its special effects, best seen in the sprawling, tentacular beard of Bill Nighy's supernatural sea-lord Davy Jones.
75 Aquaman
Another long-awaited success for WB's superhero adaptations, Aquaman had the right balance of heart, humour, and of course, washboard abs... Uh, we mean action! In particular, director James Wan's massive underwater battle in the final act has been lauded by critics. It was undeniably a win for the studio and fans can't wait for more.
74 Edge of Tomorrow
Groundhog Day has a lot to answer for, and all of it good. Edge of Tomorrow takes the 'live, die, repeat' premise to its extreme (even using it as an alternative title for the home ents release), and sees Tom Cruise's weaselly army PR guy learn to be brave when he inherits the power of time-flipping reincarnation from war hero Emily Blunt.
The last act was clearly made up on the fly but no matter: it's an exciting, funny and clever bit of sci-fi from start to finish, and notable as serial scene-stealer Bill Paxton's last high-profile role.
73 Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker
It's safe to say that the final chapter in the Skywalker saga was divisive amongst fans. The Rise of Skywalker will forever be an important part of the canon, and fans will always hold dear to them the last time they saw General Leia in the Star Wars universe (and of course the lovable, even cuter than BB8 addition of D-O).
72 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Riding high on Sherlock's mega-success, Benny Cumbo gave his Smaug everything he had in his vocal arsenal – hauteur, viciousness, rage, pride: the result is a CGI beast that absolutely dominates the movie, as is only fitting given the title. Bilbo and his morally ambivalent dwarf friends have reached their destination, but all that awaits them is horror, paranoia and a terrifying rain of fire...
71 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
It's no easy trick following up one of the biggest movie franchises ever, but Fantastic Beasts managed to find its own furry, fantastical niche in the Potterverse. Not afraid to lean into dark magic where it should, the whole thing is held together by the affable charms of Eddie Redmayne, whose Newt Scamander is part-The Doctor and part-Professor Brian Cox. Accio, franchise!
70 The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
If The Hunger Games struck sparks of class-cruelty and generational conflict, Catching Fire, appropriately enough, threw petrol on it. Newly-minted megastar Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss survived her encounter with the fatal tournament, so what now? Now the Capitol rubs her nose in her victory, forcing her to return in a bigger, more terrifying battle to the death.
69 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
In a movie of two halves, JA Bayona both destroyed and revived the Jurassic franchise – the island is no more, annihilated in a volcanic eruption the likes of which we hadn't seen since Gollum fell in the lava, then, following a fantastically atmospheric stalk-and-chase through the spooky mansion by new monstrosity the Indoraptor, the dinosaurs are released into the world. Where that leaves us will be seen in the forthcoming Jurassic World: Dominion.
68 Iron Man 3
The Mandarin, a shadowy, Bin Laden-like figure lurking in the background of international acts of terrorism would seem to be a worthy foe for Tony Stark. But Tony is suffering from PTSD and the Mandarin is not who he seems. (A last-minute rewrite stripped Rebecca Hall of a potentially great villain reveal, alas.) Still, there's always Trevor Slattery. They say his King Lear was the toast of Croydon.
67 Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Some would say that a Dawn comes before a Rise, but not in the Apes franchise. In Rise..., benign scientist James Franco created super-smart chimpanzee Caesar only to see the world fall apart when a pandemic wipes out most of humanity. In Dawn, we really get down to monkey business, and post-apocalyptic forest-living has never looked so wet, nor so cold. Caesar's people are chafing for revenge against the humans, while they in turn can't let their warmongering ways go. Can Caesar keep the peace? (Hint: no.)
66 X-Men: First Class
Matthew Vaughn's X-Men: First Class gave us the recast, James Bond-esque mutant mash-up prequel that we didn't know we wanted, all while sidestepping that messy timeline (for a little while), adding a pre-Oscar megawatt Jennifer Lawrence and perfectly recasting the unrecastable Xavier and Magneto. Also, Hugh Jackman's Wolverine steals the film with one, very sweary, line.
65 Kill Bill Vol 2
Kill Bill Vol 2 was the rare occasion where a sequel was not only a good follow-up, but also a well-received movie in its own right. Quentin Tarantino's sequel sees Uma Thurman reprise her role as the murderous Bride who finally gets her revenge, but not without suffering herself. It's a beautiful, if supremely gory, film. Ah, Tarantino.
64 Mission: Impossible – Fallout
By the sixth outing, most franchises are suffering from major fatigue, but Fallout gave M:I a massive shot in the arm. Once again it's a series of set pieces strung together by the search for a macguffin (plutonium cores, manipulated by Solomon Lane), but what set pieces – BASE-jumping into Paris, a foot race across the rooftops of London, a motorbike gun-battle and that mind-blowing helicopter fight in the Himalayas (actually Norway's distinctive Preikestolen).
63 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The first of three in the Hobbit series, An Unexpected Journey introduces us to a young Bilbo Baggins, played by Martin Freeman. It is undeniably the best of the trilogy, and though it received mixed reviews from critics, it surely ushered in a new generation of fans of Tolkien's work. For that, we are grateful.
62 The Bourne Identity
The director of '90s hip-kid touchstones Swingers and Go isn't the obvious choice to kickstart a potential action franchise, but Doug Liman gave The Bourne Identity everything that James Bond had abandoned: plausible motives, believable skills and, crucially, he put him on the outside of the military-espionage machine, an ordinary guy on the run, fighting the same corporate-governmental powers that ruin all our lives. Plus that scene where Matt Damon cuts Franka Potente's hair... Phew. *Fans self, blushes*
61 X-Men
by David Opie, Deputy TV Editor
Being a comic book fan in the '90s was rough. This was back when superheroes were still seen as geeky, long before Marvel had taken over multiplexes worldwide. No-one outside of comic book shops had even heard of Iron Man. But they had heard of the X-Men, thanks in large part to a phenomenal animated series which dominated the Saturday mornings of an entire generation.
Blade had tested the waters a couple of years earlier, but in 2000, it was the first live-action X-Men film which truly paved the way for superhero domination at the box office. Fox played it safe, outfitting the team with black leather costumes instead of their usual colourful spandex. Still, it was such a rush to finally see so many of my favourite characters duke it out on the big screen. I no longer had to imagine what it was like to see Cyclops shoot his optic beam or Storm conjure lightning from the sky.
While the first X-Men film had its flaws, it's still surprising to look back and see how much it got right. David Hayter's script didn't shy away from the oppression mutants face, reflecting the experiences of many marginalised groups in authentic comic book fashion. The complicated relationship Professor Xavier shares with Magneto wisely grounded the film too, thanks in large part to pitch-perfect performances from Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen.
And don't forget that Hugh Jackman inhabited the role of Wolverine body and soul, forging an extraordinary legacy that made it impossible to ever imagine anyone else in the role.
60 Django Unchained
A white director (and predominantly white top-billed cast) rendering a stylised, almost comic-book take on the evils of slavery is problematic to say the least. But there's no denying Django Unchained offers a powerful fantasy of historical revenge against the plantation owners, pimps and traffickers who abuse the superheroically resilient and resourceful Django (Jamie Foxx, never better).
59 Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi
Initially labelled the most divisive Star Wars film (a mantle now contested by Episode IX), The Last Jedi is a moving and wonderful exposition on the contemporary saga characters we know and love. Rian Johnson's exquisite storytelling and carefully plotted developments gave a much-needed freshness to the series and depth to its characters.
58 X2: X-Men United
Writing interesting supervillains isn't easy, as Marvel and DC have both learned to their cost in recent years. They should have paid more attention to X-Men 2: Ian McKellen's Magneto flips back and forth between enemy and ally, never relinquishing the values that drive him – don't trust humans. Brian Cox's vile Stryker makes war on the mutants, and it's up to Professor X and Magneto to put their differences aside in the battle to save their kind.
57 Inglourious Basterds
Inglourious Basterds is one of Tarantino's better revisionist history films, in which a Jewish girl gets her revenge by setting Nazis (Hitler included) on fire in a locked cinema. It can also be viewed as an indictment of the viewer's giddiness in seeing others suffer (schadenfreude to the extreme). Whatever your take, it's a cathartic whirlwind of violence and emotion.
56 Interstellar
A movie that's looking more and more like a prophecy, Interstellar tells the story of a group of scientists searching for a new planet now that Earth has become inhabitable. It is one of many films in which Christopher Nolan explores themes around humanity, science, relationships, and time, set to extraordinary visuals (that wave!) and an intense Hans Zimmer score.
55 Spider-Man 2
The most emotionally satisfying of Tobey Maguire's outings in the red and blue spandex sees him struggling against his own subconscious desire to give up the job. His relationship with MJ is in pieces, his friendship with Harry Osborn is very much flipped on its head, and tragic scientist Doc Ock is running amok. How's he going to fix all this, while also keeping his identity secret? He isn't, that's how.
54 Spider-Man
by Laurence Mozafari, Editor
After growing up on a diet of Fox's '90s Spider-Man cartoon series, finally seeing the wall-crawler come to life in the cinema as a 12-year-old was perfection. It had serious, tear-jerking, emotional weight, as Peter lost Uncle Ben, and turned down a relationship with MJ to protect her. Then even greater tweaks – yep, organic webbing makes waaay more sense than Peter inventing it, don't @ me – and casting that actually reflected the comics. Just forget Tobey Maguire is a 27-year-old at high-school, OK?
JK Simmons was so ideal as J Jonah Jameson that Marvel and Sony found a way to bring him back, James Franco was hateable as the smarmy Harry Osborn, and Kirsten Dunst is the perfect girl-next-door, Mary Jane Watson, although she did need saving a bit too much.
I'd never seen Willem Dafoe before, and his real-life goblinesque expressions were perfect for his deranged turn as The Green Goblin. Years later, he'd refuse to talk to me about Spider-Man during an interview when the inevitable reboot came along, but I'll let that slide.
From Peter's hilarious first costume, to the upside-down kiss, and first-person web-swinging, the movie captured Spidey better than I could have ever imagined. And don't even get me started on that phenomenal – yet very of-its-time – soundtrack, Aerosmith covering the classic '60s Spidey cartoon theme, while 'Hero' by Nickelback's Chad Kroeger still makes my Spidey senses tingle.
53 Deadpool 2
Deadpool 2 managed to catch lightning in a bottle again, sort of. The movie has the same meta-jokes and crass humour without feeling too much like a rip-off of its predecessor. Most of this is down to Ryan Reynolds' delivery, and the addition of a fuller cast to balance him out. Plus it has the best mid-credits scene ever.
52 Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
Each Star Wars movie brings something new and distinctive to the franchise, and in Revenge of the Sith, it's RIVERS OF LAVA. The volcanic planet of Mustafar sees Obi-Wan and Anakin finally face off in the climactic battle we'd been promised since Alec Guinness first mentioned a great pilot called Anakin Skywalker, and we weren't disappointed. The prequels may not have lived up to the originals, but now and again they really hit the spot.
51 Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
Jumanji, a kids book adaptation that was as much an exercise in early CGI as anything, wasn't an obvious choice for a shot of Dwayne Johnson-flavoured adrenaline, but his presence in the reboot was perfectly judged: his massively underrated comedic skills effortlessly balance those of Jack Black, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan, each playing against type as goofy teens stuck in improbable videogame bodies.
50 The Martian
When you're watching Ridley Scott's The Martian, nothing else in the world matters. The fate of astronaut Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon, is your one and only concern as he battles to conquer life on Mars and make it back home. It's a story of survival, of never giving up. And boy, do we all need some of that right now.
49 Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel was a long time coming and an undeniably positive addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whether you liked it or not, it was long overdue to have a woman at the centre of a superhero film, and Brie Larson did an exceptional job with the role. The '90s soundtrack and two-eyed Nick Fury made for a fun watch.
48 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
The Basilisk in the second Harry Potter movie is the coolest of all the threats faced by the boy who lived, simultaneously provoking fear and fascination as it snakes through Hogwarts' pipes. We're also introduced to Tom Riddle for the first time and another piece of Voldemort's backstory falls into place, imploring you to jump straight into the next film (toilet breaks be damned!).
47 X-Men: Days of Future Past
Combining all the strengths of the original X-Men movies with the best of the new generation, Days of Future Past sees Wolverine on the brink of destruction by unbeatable robots, sent back into his 1970s body to warn the new crew of their impending doom. Once again, Xavier and Magneto battle for the soul of mutantkind in a spectacular, apocalyptic showdown.
46 Star Trek
Star Trek has been a lot of things. Progressive. Powerful. Painfully complicated to understand. But it's never quite been 'cool', well, until JJ Abrams' 2009 mainstream movie reboot. Sexy Spock, cool Kirk, and even a cameo from the legendary Leonard Nimoy. It boldly went very mainstream and phasers were set to 'stun'.
45 Dunkirk
We didn't think any war film would be able to top the lasting impact of Saving Private Ryan's harrowing opening scene, but then Dunkirk came along to blow it out of the water. The film is 106 minutes of visceral trepidation and stress, but the way in which it draws you into the jeopardy using three interwoven timelines (approximately a week, a day and an hour respectively) is no mean feat.
44 Avengers: Age of Ultron
Avengers: Age of Ultron was the second team-up film and 11th in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Though it has since been eclipsed by Endgame, at its time Age of Ultron was a film of great heart. It received mixed reviews, but like most Marvel fare, the fans' response was very positive. It is both a spectacle and a good story.
43 John Wick
On paper, John Wick shouldn't work. The plot consists of a former assassin going on a bloody rampage to avenge his dog (and car), and yet it's stretched out across three instalments with another on the way. But let's face it, you don't go for the storylines. The magnetism of Keanu Reeves is not to be underestimated, and John Wick's extreme violence is even more impressive when you consider that he does a lot of his own stunts.
42 The Hunger Games
Jennifer Lawrence may have already had an Oscar nomination for Winter's Bone by the time The Hunger Games came out, but it's the movie that cemented her stardom. YA fiction has a tendency toward melodrama and unearned emotion, but Hunger Games' grounding in a real-feeling world of poverty and neglect pushes sentimentality to one side and wears its righteous political rage on its sleeve.
41 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
AKA The One Where *SPOILER* dies. In a way, the entire instalment is built around its climax, which needed to happen exactly as it did so that the multiple pay-offs of The Deathly Hallows could work. That it also stands alone as a mature, atmospheric thriller is its greatest achievement. Harry is tasked with accessing the reluctant Professor Slughorn's secret memories while an unknown assailant repeatedly attempts to kill him. But who? And why?
40 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The book is the longest and – many would claim – most in need of editing of the entire series. Yet writer Michael Goldenberg worked wonders to boil it down to its essence, and the result is a genuinely action-packed instalment, which sees Harry uncover the prophecy that Voldemort seeks and which explains their relationship, plus a final showdown that finally lets Ralph Fiennes cut loose as the vile, reptilian sorcerer.
39 Mad Max: Fury Road
by Gabriella Geisinger, Deputy Movies Editor
Mad Max: Fury Road is a film that starts with a bang and refuses to slow down. What could have been a testosterone-fuelled bloodbath was a film of great heart and important messages.
Perhaps the most impressive feat in George Miller's long-delayed reimagining of the wasteland was the stunts. Its larger-than-life cars (car seems too simple a word for them) set against the vast expanse of the Namibian desert made for a viewing experience that was hellishly divine. This alone would have been enough to make the film good. But what makes it great is its story and the cast that brought that story to life.
It's a critique of many topical issues: environmental destruction, patriarchal mania and religious zealotry amongst others, yes, but these critiques are all happy, perhaps accidental, consequences of the story itself. A story of redemption.
Then there's Charlize Theron, whose steely demeanour and ability to disappear into any role lends Furiosa a seething, relatable, palpable anger twinned with a deep well of grief and love. Tom Hardy, another chameleon, grunts his way through the film and somehow manages to be endearing, loveable, and totally terrifying.
Buoyed by Angharad, Capable, Toast, Dag, and Cheedo – each with a unique skill set and personality, not merely Immortan Joe's wives – and a manic Nicholas Hoult as Nux, this apocalyptic adventure is more than just a big-car romp. It is a deeply-felt and powerful movie with messages rife for the taking... if you care to hear them.
38 Logan
Logan is Hugh Jackman's Wolverine swan song, and the shift he puts in for the final instalment in the trilogy is well and truly deserving of a Hollywood pay cheque. The raw emotion on display is palpable and, on occasion, breathtaking. And not just from Jackman: Dafne Keen plays a young mutant who he has sworn to protect, and their relationship is a thing of beauty.
37 Spider-Man: Far from Home
Far from Home had the daunting task of being the direct follow-up after the devastating Avengers: Endgame, and it took that in its stride. It both honoured the legacy of the MCU film while also creating a stand-out sequel in its own right. Tom Holland was endearing and earnest as Peter Parker and Zendaya continued to shine as MJ.
36 Kill Bill Vol 1
By Abby Robinson, TV Writer
The day I first laid eyes on Uma Thurman in Kill Bill was the day my first girl crush was born.
I wasn't 18 years old when I pressed play (as I legally should have been here in the UK). Far from it, actually. But I wasn't afraid, I was mesmerised. The yellow PVC catsuit certainly helped, as did her mastery of a samurai sword. But it was The Bride / Black Mamba's hound-like tenacity, iron will, and never-say-die attitude which I fell in love with as an impressionable teenager. They were traits I could apply in my own world, and even if I didn't have the means to secure a piece of ancient Japanese weaponry, it was the next best thing.
There is one word, above any other, that adequately captured the woman who stood before me as I sat on my living room floor with a bowl of Butterkist toffee popcorn balanced on my legs: iconic.
And who doesn't want to be that?
Like Tarantino's earlier films, Kill Bill: Volume 1 is a violent affair. Blood and guts cartwheel and fizz before your eyes. Metal sings as it makes contact with flesh and bone. But the thwacking and cracking is a caricature, lifted straight from the pages of a comic book. It's so far removed from real-world barbarity that any fear or repulsion that you might have had going into this instantly dissolves, leaving you to drink in the spectacle.
35 Spider-Man: Homecoming
Homecoming gave us our first feature-length look at Tom Holland as Peter Parker and he quickly won everyone's hearts. The movie is more authentic (if you can use that word about superheroes) to the teen experience. With Zendaya and Marisa Tomei as MJ and Aunt May respectively, Homecoming proved to be a boon to Sony and the MCU.
34 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
You've got the proud sons of Durmstrang, the lovely ladies of Beauxbatons Academy, you've got Merpeople, dragons and Death Eaters (oh my). You've got the very welcome presence of Brendan Gleeson as Mad-Eye Moody, David Tennant in his pre-Doctor Who role of Barty Crouch Jr, and Robert Pattinson as tragic Cedric Diggory. And you've got that absolute punch in the stomach when Harry returns from his duel with Voldemort, school trumpets joyfully parping, only for the world to see that something has gone horribly, horribly wrong...
33 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 1
Perhaps the most divisive of the series, Deathly Hallows Part 1 makes a big tonal gear change after its high-speed opening to slow everything right down as Harry, Ron and Hermione hide out in the woods. While the pace frustrated many viewers – just get on with finding the horcruxes already! – we'd argue that it's the necessary deep breath before the explosive finale. You couldn't have the scale and splendour of Part 2 without the relative peace and quiet that came before. Also Dobby. WAAAAAAAHHHHHH!
32 Kingsman: The Secret Service
After the Bourne series, it didn't seem like there was anywhere for secret agents to go. Bond had the cool, cold-blooded glamour, Jason Bourne had down-and-dirty realism. Kingsman took a new direction with a tone all of its own, occasionally surreal, often funny, always hyper and with the levels turned up to 11. Taron Egerton – arriving as a fully-formed star – rubbed up brilliantly against a maximum-camp Colin Firth in an ultra-violent hybrid of debonair '60s style and '00s excess.
31 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2
When you've got an ensemble this strong you don't strictly need a good story, but they came up with one anyway – Star-Lord meets his father, the celestial living planet Ego, and is torn between his apparent destiny among the Gods and life with his douchebag buddies. Drax gets all the best lines ("HAHA! I have FAMOUSLY huge turds!") but it's the surprisingly emotional climax involving Yondu, aka the Cool Mary Poppins, that gets us every time.
30 Wonder Woman
by Laura Jane Turner, TV Editor
You know those kinds of memories where you can picture your surroundings and re-experience exactly how you felt in that moment? That's what comes to me when I reminisce about first seeing Wonder Woman kicking ass on the big screen.
After years of being a fan of comic book flicks, this marked the very first time that I'd seen a strong, empowered woman leading the charge in her very own movie (let's never again mention 2004's Catwoman, deal?).
Shedding the hyper-sexualised WW of the past, Diana was given armour and a nuanced character arc that drew parallels to coming up against the patriarchy. She was not, despite that unnecessary romance with Steve, a tool for the male gaze, but instead a resilient warrior that would push forward no matter the obstacle.
The superhero genre still has a way to go when it comes to representation across the board, but this was a moment in time not to be overlooked – and the impact it had on this (not so super) woman still resonates.
Since then we've had Captain Marvel, Birds of Prey and – a little less conventionally – the girls of Amazon's The Boys, but it was Diana that crossed cityscapes and oceans to get us there.
29 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
This is where the magic began. The books you lost yourself in as a kid brought to life before your very eyes, and every inch as spectacular. Harry, Hogwarts and Hedwig, as real as you and yours. If you don't get goosebumps when you hear John Williams' dazzling score, we're afraid there's nothing more we can do for you.
28 Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens
The Force Awakens was a long (long)-awaited return to the galaxy far, far away. Though some criticised it for its similarity to A New Hope, repeating those beats only further proved that every generation faces similar evils. Rey, Poe, and Finn were instantly beloved, and this will likely be remembered as the best film in the contemporary saga.
27 Avatar
"Dances with Smurfs" chuckled one critic on seeing the tale of a colonial invader going native among ecologically-sound forest-dwellers. Well, who's laughing now? James Cameron's accountant, that's who. Avatar has made $2.8 billion and counting, its success granting its creator a blank cheque to craft four planned sequels. The Na'vi will rise again...
26 Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
Disney making a movie based on a ride was just bonkers enough to work. As much as it may pain some to say, Johnny Depp's performance as Captain Jack was inspired, and the simplicity but high-stakes story was instantly enthralling. It gave us great one-liners and is the kind of film you can watch over and over.
25 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
by Ali Griffiths, Social Editor
The Prisoner of Azkaban stands head and shoulders above the other Harry Potter movies for one reason: Alfonso Cuarón. Although Chris Columbus did an admirable job capturing the candlelit magic of Hogwarts, artfully exploring creaking corridors and stone-walled dungeons, the esoteric weirdness of Azkaban, with its timey-wimey premise and darker glimpse into the wider wizarding world, required a different approach.
And so Cuarón tackles his Harry Potter film like a true auteur, with highly stylised cinematography and direction, full of tilting angles and dramatic close-ups in dingy settings. Not only do these techniques suggest a more mature film, they succeed in bringing the more unhinged elements of the story to life.
Beyond the filmmaking, Prisoner of Azkaban is simply a brilliant time-travel story. It skilfully avoids the genre's biggest paradoxes by playing out the actions of future-Harry-and-Hermione as they happen in the present (ie, we watch Hermione get hit in the head by a rock from two angles) and gives the audience plenty of a-ha moments as it neatly ties up different plot threads.
Bringing this all together are great performances from actors like David Thewlis, whose deeply warm (but tortured) portrayal of Professor Lupin never fails to make us sad, and a handful of brilliant creature designs and special effects. We challenge anyone not to cheer when the gang free Buckbeak.
24 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Free from all that 'Episode' baggage, Rogue One was able to chart its own thrilling course through the galaxy far, far away. Even though we know what's coming, the heart and hope that run through the film make the Battle of Scarif sacrifices as stirring as anything in the Star Wars universe. And that final scene? Vader's never been more terrifying.
23 Jurassic World
The original Jurassic Park broke new ground with its CGI dinosaurs, but by the time of the reboot, anyone with a laptop could add realistic mega-reptiles to their action movie. Jurassic World revisits everything that was great about our first encounter with the T Rex and co, while adding new beasts, new jeopardy and Chris Pratt.
22 The Dark Knight Rises
How do you top The Dark Knight, itself a high-water mark in superhero movies? Christopher Nolan threw it all into the mix – Anne Hathaway as a cat burglar in a jumpsuit (who some might be tempted to call Catwoman), Tom Hardy, masked up and unrecognisable – just how he likes it – and old Inception buddies Joseph Gordon Levitt and Marion Cotillard round out the crew. Gotham is a city under siege by its own criminal elements, and to save it Batman must sacrifice himself.
21 Gladiator
Gladiator boasted impressive battle scenes and the now-iconic line: "Are you not entertained?" Both lead actors were nominated for Oscars (the film was up for a whopping 119 awards in total, worldwide). It was responsible for an increased interest in Roman and classical history, dubbed the "Gladiator Effect". That's power. Though there are plenty of anachronisms and historical inaccuracies, there's much more to love.
20 Joker
by Christian Tobin
"Is this really happening?" It’s a question I've asked myself quite a lot during 2020, and no film in recent years has captured the horror, paranoia and dark comedy of our times better than Joker.
Joaquin Phoenix is magnificent, gliding from sympathetic outcast Arthur Fleck to something altogether more menacing. It's a performance of incredible physicality, all sinewy limbs and explosive rage. Oh, and dance sequences. Terrifying, mesmerising dance sequences.
Director Todd Phillips – fully deserving of his Oscar nomination – presents us with a Gotham that's ready to tear itself apart at any second. And without Bruce Wayne's alter ego to redress the balance, both the city and the film soon spiral into total chaos. Mr J wouldn't want it any other way.
Upon its release, it laughed all the way to the bank and became the most profitable comic book movie *ever* – if you can even call it a 'comic book movie'. By the end, I was longing for the outlandish escapism of a Nolan Batman.
But that's the point. We're all used to the Clown Prince of Crime, the iconic jester grinning his way from one larger-than-life set piece to another, but Joker places Phoenix's monster squarely among us as the product of an unkind society that would rather laugh and point than understand and learn.
And that's if the whole thing isn't just one giant, unsettling delusion. Whichever way you view it, the punchline still works. Is this really happening? Who the hell knows, but we can't look away – and that's life.
19 Batman Begins
Before Christopher Nolan, Batman was camp. Even Tim Burton's cartoonish take on the World's Greatest Detective was as much a hoot as it was an action adventure. But Batman Begins changed the rules completely: Christian Bale bulked up and committed totally to the role of a billionaire risk addict, forever pursuing unachievable vengeance for his parents' death in a (relatively) real Gotham City.
18 Casino Royale
The first Daniel Craig 007 outing was also the first post-Bourne Bond, and it benefited from both those elements. Craig's Bond was intense, physical and believably dark, fitting perfectly into the established 007 trappings of exotic locales, amazing action set pieces (that parkour chase...) and femmes fatales. A newly vital approach to action and a constantly moving camera allowed Casino Royale to catapult Bond into the 21st century.
17 Inception
BWOOOOOOOONG. The only thing more synonymous with Christopher Nolan's high-concept dreams-within-dreams heist movie – other than its mysterious spinning-token climax – is the fog-horn trailer trend it spawned. This was peak noughties Nolan, fresh off the back of The Dark Knight with his cast of all-star favourites. It's so seminal we're still talking about it now.
16 Iron Man
Marvel Studios wasn't having the best of times. It'd sold off the rights to its big-ticket characters Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, and Hulk wasn't going anywhere good. So Iron Man was the last roll of the dice – and it really was a gamble. Casting the former wild man Robert Downey Jr in a starring role? Playing a character only comics geeks cared about? Worked, though, didn't it? Iron Man was the dawn of the MCU and heralded a new era in Hollywood. It's Marvel's world now, we just live in it.
15 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 2
by Chris Longridge
Bringing 10 years of one singular storyline to a satisfying, cataclysmic end is an achievement not even the MCU can claim (more than one story, innit – fight me). But that's what the Harry Potter team managed. I got into the books when Chamber of Secrets was published – despite being far too old for that kind of nonsense – and followed the series avidly long before Warner Bros converted an abandoned airfield in Hertfordshire into its own magical laboratory.
When the movies arrived, I was thrilled with how well they'd captured the books' unique tone of wonder tempered by sadness and wisdom, and as it went on, each film more confident and mature than the last, I welcomed every Christmas release, knowing for certain that the franchise was in safe hands. There was just no way these movies were going to be bad.
And so it turned out – they somehow even turned Order of the Phoenix (a weighty challenge even for diehard fans) into a thrill ride. So when the final chapter arrived, even though I already knew exactly what was going to happen, it didn't matter: Deathly Hallows Part 2 is a skilful distillation of what makes the entire Harry Potter series great: the deceptively adult themes of betrayal, sacrifice, fear and greed woven into a spectacular battle for Hogwarts, and by extension, Harry's soul. (And Snape's! Don't forget Snape's!)
As much an examination of moral courage and corruption as it is about magic, you're not watching Harry fight Voldemort in the climactic final duel: you're watching your childhood ideals do battle with the failures and resentments of your adult life. Thank God he wins, eh?
14 Deadpool
You have to hand it to Ryan Reynolds: Deadpool got kicked around the floor in Hollywood for years before RR finally got it made, and when he did, it was with full creative control. The result is a foul-mouthed, cynical and extremely funny origin story for the fourth-wall-breaking anti-superhero, with very welcome X-Men cameos and endless snarky gags.
13 Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Should Winter Soldier be at the top of this list? Quite possibly, even just for that lift scene alone. At the very least, Captain America's second solo venture is the first truly great Marvel film. The Russo brothers made their MCU debut here, throwing our Star-Spangled Avenger into the kind of '70s-style conspiracy thriller Francis Coppola himself might have been proud to make.
12 Captain America: Civil War
Perhaps the smartest of all the Marvel movies, Captain America: Civil War is both action-packed yet sophisticated (at least within its oeuvre). It's the closest to a character study we're likely to get in the MCU, and gave us more to love of our favourite heroes. Plus, it set up elements that would be carried through to Endgame.
11 Skyfall
The Best Bond film ever? It's certainly the best of the century, and it ticks off every box director Sam Mendes demanded of it: nostalgic references to 007s past in the shape of the Aston Martin and Q, Union flags, ridonkulous, stylish action sequences including hand-to-hand silhouette combat atop a skyscraper and a siege finale that literally brings it all home.
10 Thor: Ragnarok
Sure, Guardians of the Galaxy certainly paved the way for this one, and Chris Hemsworth was obviously very tired of po-faced Thor, especially after the gloomy gloomfest that was Thor: The Dark World. So enter Taika Waititi – at the time, a cult kooky Kiwi comedy creator, best known for Hunt for the Wilderpeople and What We Do in the Shadows. After crafting some super Team Thor and Darryl skits for the internetz, Marvel took the ingenious gamble of giving him the Thor threequel (Thorquel?).
He boldly reinvented the franchise as an '80s throwback sci-fi comedy space opera, even bolder was the choice to shear the Thunder God's illustrious golden mane. Jeff Goldblum was almost as weird as in real life as the bizarre bohemian baddie, Grandmaster. Thor and Loki have slick brotherly banter ("get help"), while we get Planet Hulk-lite, with Mark Ruffalo's gladiatorial green giant. Plus there's the eye-gouging twist they managed to hide from the trailers, and Taika even voices the film's funniest character, Korg. We wouldn't have 'Dude Thor' in Endgame, or frankly, the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder without the genius Ragnarok reboot rejuvenating the franchise.
9 Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Long before Game of Thrones and the golden age of television readjusted all of our expectations, Two Towers indulged us in a battle scene of monumentally epic proportions. Forty minutes of Orc-on-Elf (et al) action might seem like a lot on paper, but seeing it for the first time on the silver screen was a real sight to behold. And yes, we definitely tried to recreate Legolas’ shield surfing with our parents' saucepan lids (*don''t try this at home).
The middle part of a trilogy – particularly one with such complex and layered storytelling – always had to contend with the danger of serving as more of a 'set-up' for the final instalment, and yet Two Towers managed to stand tall as a satisfying blockbuster movie in its own right.
8 Guardians of the Galaxy
The MCU can be divided into two eras – before Guardians and after. The early films were a little stolid, afraid to take chances (their very existence was gamble enough), and Iron Man was very much the template for tone: action first, plot second, quips third, and all through the Thor and Captain America series, Marvel always seemed to be keeping a jealous eye on DC's dour, super-heavyweight approach to the genre.
Guardians of the Galaxy is another beast entirely, an explosion in a fireworks shop: bright colours, loud noises, huge characters, extreme silliness, fantastic music and a non-stop commitment to fun. It was just like the comics, in other words. James Gunn's world obviously inspired Taika Waititi's Thor Ragnarok, and there's plenty more to come.
The bickering family that is the Guardians of the Galaxy are the MCU in miniature, strong personalities striking sparks off each other and generating endless, proliferating stories. And with the entire cosmos as their playground, where couldn't we go next with Rocket, Groot, Drax, Gamora and Peter?
7 Black Panther
It's been said often enough (not least in this publication) how Black Panther was more than just a superhero movie – it opened doors in Hollywood that prejudice, cynicism and inertia had held shut for decades. And how it opened them: the all-Black, Black-written, Black-directed, Black-styled, African-set adventure kicked right in the nads those executives who said "people don't want to see Black movies" (because apparently Black people aren't people).
Great storytelling is great storytelling, and Black Panther proved that that's all audiences need. That and new, fresh, diverse stories. There's a place for white guys called Chris in the movie world, of course there is, but there's a place too for Black guys called Chad (RIP), and for Black women called Letitia and Danai and Lupita and Angela. It's just the beginning: the horizon just got wider, the cultural pool got deeper, and we're all the richer for it. Wakanda Forever!
6 Avengers Assemble
Avengers Assemble, or simply The Avengers as it's known outside the UK, is the 2012 team-up movie that was the dawn of a new era of superhero movies. Avengers Assemble may have been a bigger-than-before blockbuster, but what made it work was how it centred the story on the superheroes' humanity, rather than their powers alone.
Avengers Assemble pits the heroes against each other, challenging their very beliefs. Captain America believes superheroes should remain free to defend humanity without government interference. Iron Man supports oversight, leaving Black Widow and Hawkeye in the middle.
But the plot never overshadows the action, which varies from hand-to-hand skirmishes to giant set pieces and the destruction of New York City. The tone is balanced between humour and heart. Iron Man's acerbic wit combined with the quickfire banter between the superheroes makes for a fun watch, even as the world's fate hangs in the balance.
And let us not forget how Mark Ruffalo made the character of the Hulk, aka Bruce Banner, into one of the most beloved, sensitive men to grace the MCU. The film boasts well-rounded characters and a comicbook-y plot, winning over die-hard and casual Marvel fans alike.
5 Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
"When Mr Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton."
JRR Tolkien's words created a new world in the minds of a generation, and Peter Jackson lifted them straight from the page and onto our cinema screens – introducing Middle-earth to an even wider new audience.
The traditional tale of good versus evil was told through one naive and unassuming Hobbit by the name of Frodo Baggins, with the burden to defeat the Dark Lord Sauron placed squarely on his shoulders. Part one of what would become an epic trilogy slowly introduced his eight companions, made up of man, elf and dwarf, who would make up the Fellowship of the Ring.
Before Harry Potter or even Marvel came along to redefine the box-office franchise, Lord of the Rings became a cinema experience that left people counting down to the release of the next movie – and to learn of the fate of their favourite characters.
4 Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
"You bow to no-one." If that single line of dialogue, coupled with the sight of an entire city kneeling before a band of four (very small) Hobbits, doesn't bring on the waterworks, your heart is darker than Sauron's.
"I am no man!" Again, your body had better be covered in goose-pimples right now. In one of the best moments in cinematic history (fact), Éowyn had finally broken free of expectation, and her traditional 'place' as a noblewoman, to take out the Witch-King – something that men had long tried and failed to do.
Return of the King was filled to the brim with iconic one-liners and cathartic moments such as these, bringing the epic big-screen adaptation of this much-loved trilogy to a fitting and emotional end.
3 Avengers: Infinity War
The only downside to Avengers: Infinity War was the niggling feeling we all had that our favourite heroes, dusted into non-existence by Thanos, weren't really gone forever (and that if you hadn't seen any other Marvel movie, you'd be lost). But that aside, Infinity War was a breathtaking piece of cinema in which we saw our favourite heroes pushed to the very brink and, for the first time ever, fail.
Showing our heroes as fallible, and then letting us wait and stew in their failure for a year, was a brilliant move from Marvel. With the direction of the Russo brothers, and a sharper-than-a-knife script from Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, Infinity War is the kind of superhero movie that can only be topped by its direct sequel (Endgame).
It also boasts an appearance by Black Panther and the Wakandan army, a moment so gratifying on screen that cheers erupted in cinemas. Of course, they were swiftly followed by tears. The film proved what fans knew all along, that these characters mean more to viewers than just pieces of pop-culture entertainment.
Infinity War may have been mildly eclipsed by Endgame, but fans still return to it time and time again.
2 The Dark Knight
Do we even need to tell you why this one is good? Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight isn't just a perfect blockbuster, or superhero movie, it's almost the perfect movie, albeit very long. It takes cues from the heart-pounding intensity of Heat in bringing the crime-riddled story of Gotham to life, as well as seminal comics like The Killing Joke (like just about every Batman project).
It has the staple Nolan megastar names supporting – "Some men just wanna watch the world burn" – Harvey Dent's Two Face downfall, and of course, the immaculate performance of Heath Ledger as the maniacal Joker. It's stunning to think his casting was considered a risk back then. Sadly, his tragic death close to the film's launch tainted the already dark film with an even darker notoriety. But his performance is perfect, earning him a posthumous Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and setting the bar intergalactically high for all Jokers to follow.
1 Avengers: Endgame
Here it is. The biggest film not just of the century, but all time. And when we say big, we don't just mean box office (though it's got the world record on that front). Endgame is a monumental achievement – the culmination of more than 20 movies, woven together to build towards a battle for the entire universe. With its predecessor Infinity War having set the pieces in place – our heroes at their lowest point, everything lost – Endgame put the bruised and broken Avengers back in play, fulfilling the promise of Doctor Strange's one-in-14-million prediction.
Combining the mechanics of a heist movie with time-travel, superpowers and aliens into an emotionally pleasing, coherent story is amazing just by itself, but doing it so smoothly and so spectacularly boggles the logistical mind.
When the galaxy's finest – Wakandans, Guardians, Asgardians, Mystics, Ravagers, Ant-, Spider-, Iron Man and more – storm the final field of battle, it's a moment that genuinely qualifies for the term 'epic'. Kids say loads of things are epic – new trainers are epic, smelly pencils are epic, Fortnite is epic. But Endgame really is epic. It's epic. EPIC!
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