Ranking The DCEU Movies, Redux

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Having just watched The Flash a few days ago, I am now looking at ranking the DCEU movies in order of awesomeness. However I do have to say that at this point in time I haven’t yet watched a couple of them – Birds of Prey (2020 film) and the sequel to Aquaman and Blue Beetle is not yet out. Having said that, this is how I would rank them.

  1. Wonder Woman 1984
  2. Shazam!
  3. Justice League / Zack Snyder’s Justice League
  4. Aquaman
  5. The Flash
  6. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
  7. Man of Steel
  8. Wonder Woman 1984
  9. The Suicide Squad
  10. Shazam! Fury of the Gods
  11. Black Adam
  12. Suicide Squad

Who Did The Best Portrayal as Clark Kent/Superman?

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Superman is one of the handful of DC characters who have been reimagined time and time again for live-action. Whether it is on the big screen or in the world of television, there have been multiple powerful portrayals of the last son of Krypton for decades. But who is the best? Who is my favourite? This is an easy one to pick – Christopher Reeves for me was and will always be Superman. I’m gonna say this – I have never seen the late George Reeves or a single episode of the 1950s series The Adventures of Superman or the movie. I have not watched a single episode of television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman starring Dean Cain as Supe.

I have watched seasons 1 & 2 of Smallville before losing interest and I don’t think I can ever get myself excited to watch all 10 seasons of that show.  But I have watched all four of Christopher Reeve’s movies as the caped hero and yes I have watched Brandon Routh in Superman Returns, as well as Man Of Steel, Batman vs Superman & Justice League with Henry Cavill as the Krytonian. And the latest is Tyler Hoechlin who is currently on as Clark Kent/Superman in Superman & Louis. Oh and Routh also portrayed a different Earth version of Superman in “Crisis on Infinite Earths” on a couple of episodes of the Arrowverse.

Now from all of these I do like Cavill’s portrayal of Superman, though it took me a while to get to like him as he looks a bit too muscular. Hoechlin is a good shoutout for his role as Superman/Clark as a father to twin boys in their teens and a husband to Lois. He does amazing work. I didn’t like the movie Superman Returns much and hence Routh’s role is easy for me to dismiss – however, he was much better in Crisis and I think he gives off the best look that seems suited for the role of an older Superman. I am not a fan of Tom Welling’s portray of Clark that much either. So I guess after Reeve, I think I like Cavill, Hoechlin, Routh & Welling in that order and since I can’t add Cain or Reeves in the mix. But shout out to Routh’s later portrayal as well.

My Favourite Movies That Were Set On Mars

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“The Martian” (2015)

Matt Damon shows once again why he’s one of the top actors in the solar system as he plays astronaut Mark Watney, who is stranded alone on Mars after the rest of his team is forced to flee the planet due to a massive dust storm. The film is directed by Ridley Scott (“Alien”), who certainly knows a thing or two about making great space films, and features an all-star cast that includes Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels and Kristen Wiig. It’s based on the novel of the same name by Bay Area native Andy Weir.

“Mission to Mars” (2000)

Sure, it might only be the 173rd best film based on a Disney attraction, yet we’ll watch anything directed by horror master Brian De Palma (“Carrie,” “Scarface”) and this tale of a Mars mission gone wrong is pretty intriguing. It also features a star-studded cast that includes Gary Sinise, Tim Robbins, Don Cheadle, Connie Nielsen, Jerry O’Connell and Kim Delaney. (Available on several platforms.)

“Ghosts of Mars” (2001)

Remember what we said about De Palma? It goes double for John Carpenter, even when the legendary “Halloween” director delivers such an uneven oddity as this box office bomb starring Natasha Henstridge, Ice Cube, Jason Statham and Pam Grier. Yet, we’re charmed by the film’s campiness, which may or may not have been intentional. (Available on several platforms.)

“Total Recall” (1990)

Arnold Schwarzenegger was at the peak of his career in the early 90s and was one of the era’s most sought-out action heroes. Having starred in a sci-fi blockbuster, Terminator, in 1984, destiny called him again to star in yet another sci-fi classic, Total Recall. Based on the novelette We Can Remember It for You Wholesale by Philip K. Dick, the film follows Douglas Quid, who is troubled by visions of himself on Mars. Taking up a memory implant, things change drastically, and so does the very existence of his previous life. Apart from being the classic sci-fi 90s movie with a few sprinkles of explicit content, the film dives deeper into many philosophical and political layers that make one question the very essence of humankind.

John Carter (2012)

Living in 1868, Confederate soldier John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) discovers a medallion after a run-in with an extra-terrestrial and uses it to travel to Mars. Carter’s unique physiology gifts him supernatural abilities while on the planet, and he uses them to fight bad guys and rescue the princess. While John Carter was a box office bomb, it is far from a bad movie. It is a visual treat as Carter escapades around the dusty planet and a good adaptation of the Barsoom novels it is based on. Disney hoped the movie would lead to its next big franchise, but its box office failure quickly killed those plans.

“Red Planet” (2000)

Coming out the same year as Mission to Mars and with a similar premise, Val Kilmer stars with a robot Cujo in another movie about an expedition to the red planet and the discovery of life there. Due to  an ecological crisis on Earth. As part of the first stage of terraforming, automated interplanetary missions seeded Mars with atmosphere-producing algae. The crew of Mars-1 is dispatched to investigate when the oxygen produced by the algae mysteriously decreases. The movie, which also stars Carrie-Ann Moss, Benjamin Bratt & Simon Baker,  was a critical and commercial failure and is Hoffman’s only feature film to date.

My Happy Place That I Created Up In My Mind

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Close you eyes and imagine feeling warm and cozy. Now write about it: where are you? What is around you? What do you have with you? Who is with you or are you alone?

Since I dream of this expansive futuristic & heavily advanced science fiction world and life, mine is gonna be like that. Picture this : snow capped mountains and a valley with snow but the air is crisp, clean and exhilarating. Its in the evening and the moons – yes this is an alien planet – are out in full force, giving us tons of light. I’m in a spaceship, the size of a large, large mansion having just landed there. Outside it does look like a spaceship but the inside is what looks like a very luxurious but cozy and inviting home.

I want the luxurious & futuristic amenities inside the ship -large bedrooms with king sized beds and attached bathrooms, food & drink dispensers, separate clothing replicators. Proper kitchen, for when we want to try some cooking, a nice living room with big sofas, lush carpet and yes that big ole fireplace (without the need for actual wood, it’s more of an electronic fire that synthesizes the warmth of fire. Some entertainment stuff like a pool table, darts and a big game room etc.

Within the confines of the spaceship/home’s forcefield, we can enjoy the view of the mountains and the night sky. There are trees nearby and some alien birds and animals making the noises of the children of the night. None are scary or threatening in any way. It is now evening time and time to set the table for dinner and then it’s family time in the living room, burning logs on the fake fire place keeping the rooms cozy and warm. My wife is rounding up our 2 daughters and 1 son to go and wash up for dinner as the kids were playing games in one of the game rooms. I’m walking to the dinning area with Shawny my Golden retriever, right next to me.

My 2 cats – Chocolate & Lollipop are fast asleep on large cushions on one of the sofas and Junior my black lab/Dalmatian female dog is half asleep but being petted by my son and loving it. Despite the wind and cold breeze outside we are all feeling warm and safe inside. While I sets up two glass of wine for me and the wife, she gets the plates ready with food for the kids – meat and grilled veggies. I then get my oldest child to replicate some gourmet cat food in two large bowls for the cats. My younger daughter and son replicate two large bowls of dog chow for Shawny and Junior and they place all 4 bowls on the area set for the pets, who then come to enjoy their grub.

I have some big old pork chops with grilled veggies for me and my wife while we sip our wine and the family settles down for a nice meal and conversation. Dinner all done, the pets with their bellies full are back on the beds next to the fireplace while my wife and I cuddle on the couch. The kids arrive with some popcorn and cozy under blanket on the large sofa before we pick a movie to watch. This is heaven!

Prompt from DAILY JOURNALING PROMPTS – FEBRUARY 2022 at Krafty Planner