Match Cut Directors Consensus - Sam Raimi

[StanleyK]

http://www.moviepat.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/sam_raimi.jpg

Filmography (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000600/#director)

Rules (http://www.match-cut.org/showpost.php?p=229631&postcount=1)

[B-side]

Spider-Man 3 - 6
Spider-Man 2 - 7
Spider-Man - 6

[Boner M]

The Evil Dead - 8
Crimewave - 7
Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn - 9
Army of Darkness - 5
A Simple Plan - 7
The Gift - 5.5
Spiderman - 5
Spiderman 2 - 7
Drag Me To Hell - 6.5

Remember liking Darkman back in the day, wanna see it again esp. after knowing it's one of Kitano's top ten faves of all time. Also gonna watch The Quick and the Dead this week.

[Rowland]

The Evil Dead - 9.0
Crimewave - 3.5
Evil Dead 2 - 8.0
Army of Darkness - 5.0
The Quick and the Dead - 7.5
A Simple Plan - 6.5
Spider-Man - 6.0
Spider-Man 2 - 8.5
Spider-Man 3 - 7.5
Drag Me to Hell - 6.5

Still would like to see Darkman, maybe I'll try this week.

[Ezee E]

Evil Dead - 7
Evil Dead 2 - 5
Army of Darkness - 6.5
Quick and the Dead - 8
A Simple Plan - 9
Spider-Man - 7.5
Spider-Man 2 - 8
Spider-Man 3 - 3
Drag Me To Hell - 8

[Raiders]

The Evil Dead (1981) 7.5
Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987) 7.0
Darkman (1990) 8.0
Army of Darkness (1992) 5.0
The Quick and the Dead (1995) 6.5
A Simple Plan (1998) 7.0
The Gift (2000) 4.5
Spider-Man (2002) 6.0
Spider-Man 2 (2004) 7.0
Spider-Man 3 (2007) 6.5
Drag Me to Hell (2009) 6.0

Apparently more people need to see his best film.

[Dukefrukem]

Evil Dead - 9
Evil Dead 2 - 9
Darkman - 9
Army of Darkness - 9
Quick and the Dead - 9
A Simple Plan - 9
Spider-Man - 9
Spider-Man 2 - 9
Spider-Man 3 - 9
Drag Me To Hell - 9

jk

Evil Dead - 9
Evil Dead 2 - 9.5
Darkman - 7
Army of Darkness - 9.5
Quick and the Dead - 4
A Simple Plan - 8
Spider-Man - 9
Spider-Man 2 - 9.5
Spider-Man 3 - 5.5
Drag Me To Hell - 9

[kopello]

Army of Darkness - 6.5
Spiderman - 6.5
Spiderman 2 - 8
Spiderman 3 - 3
Drag Me to Hell - 5.5

[Dead & Messed Up]

The Evil Dead - 9
Evil Dead II - 10
Darkman - 8
Army of Darkness - 8
A Simple Plan - 10
The Gift - 7
Spider-Man - 6
Spider-Man 2 - 10
Spider-Man 3 - 7
Drag Me to Hell - 8

[MacGuffin]

The Evil Dead - 5
The Evil Dead 2 - 1.5
The Gift - 3.5
Spider-Man - 4.5
Spider-Man 2 - 3
Drag Me to Hell - 3.5

[Pop Trash]

The Evil Dead -8
The Evil Dead 2 -9
Darkman -9
Army of Darkness -8
A Simple Plan -9
Spider-Man -7
Spider-Man 2 -8
Spider-Man 3 -6
Drag Me to Hell -8

I'm a fan. Especially after reading If Chins Could Kill.

[Derek]

Evil Dead 2 - 7.5
Army of Darkness - 7.0
A Simple Plan - 7.0
The Gift - 3.5
Spider-Man - 4.5
Spider-Man 2 - 4.0
Spider-Man 3 - 6.5
Drag Me To Hell - 5.5

[jenniferofthejungle]

The Evil Dead - 9
Evil Dead II - 8
Darkman - 8.5
Army of Darkness - 6
The Quick and the Dead - 5
A Simple Plan - 9
The Gift - 8
Spider-Man - 7.5
Spider-Man 2 - 8
Spider-Man 3 - 5
Drag Me to Hell - 8.5

[megladon8]

The Evil Dead - 5
The Evil Dead 2 - 1.5


Double-you.

Tee.

Eff.

[KK2.0]

Evil Dead - 8
Evil Dead 2 - 8
Darkman - 7
Army of Darkness - 7
Quick and the Dead - 6
A Simple Plan - 9
Spider-Man - 6
Spider-Man 2 - 8
Spider-Man 3 - 6

Drag Me to Hell DVD is still waiting for me at the shelf

[Bosco B Thug]

The Evil Dead - 7.5
Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn - 7
Army of Darkness - 6
Drag Me to Hell - 5

[Dukefrukem]

No Army of Darkness love here...

[Yxklyx]

The Evil Dead - 2
Darkman - 5
Spider-Man - 8
Spider-Man 2 - 8

[soitgoes...]

Evil Dead (1981) - 6.0
Evil Dead II (1987) - 7.0
Army of Darkness (1992) - 6.5
A Simple Plan (1998) - 8.5
For the Love of the Game (1999) - 5.5
The Gift (2000) - 6.0
Spider-Man (2002) - 7.5
Spider-Man 2 (2004) - 8.0
Spider-Man 3 (2007) - 5.0
Drag Me to Hell (2009) - 5.5

[EyesWideOpen]

The Evil Dead (1981) 8
Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987) 8
Army of Darkness (1992) 7
A Simple Plan (1998) 6
The Gift (2000) 7
Spider-Man (2002) 8
Spider-Man 2 (2004) 8
Spider-Man 3 (2007) 7
Drag Me to Hell (2009) 3

[megladon8]

The Evil Dead - 10
Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn - 9
Darkman - 6.5
Army of Darkness - 6
The Gift - 6
Spider-Man - 8
Spider-Man 2 - 8
Spider-Man 3 - 4
Drag Me To Hell - 9

[MacGuffin]

Double-you.

Tee.

Eff.

You really think they would be my cup of tea? Admittedly, I see some good in The Evil Dead as a modest grindhouse spectacle. It trades plot for atmosphere and the minimal budget works to its favor, but there's really no need for a sequel. It's more of the same.

[Spinal]

The Evil Dead - 7.5
Crimewave - 4.5
Evil Dead II - 9.5
Darkman - 7.5
Army of Darkness - 8.5
The Quick and the Dead - 7
A Simple Plan - 4.5
The Gift - 6
Spider-Man - 7
Spider-Man 2 - 8
Spider-Man 3 - 5.5
Drag Me to Hell - 6

I've seen twelve Sam Raimi movies? I had no idea.

Almost makes me want to see For Love of the Game for completism sake.

[Spinal]

No Army of Darkness love here...

I love it.

[Spinal]

It's more of the same.

Actually, it's quite different. There is much more over-the-top comedy.

[Kurosawa Fan]

The Evil Dead - 7.0
Evil Dead 2 - 9.5
Army of Darkness - 8.0
A Simple Plan - 5.0
The Gift - 6.0
Spider-Man - 6.5
Spider-Man 2 - 5.0
Spider-Man 3 - 5.0
Drag Me to Hell - 8.0

[MacGuffin]

Actually, it's quite different. There is much more over-the-top comedy.

But the first one was over-the-top also. The second one is just a continuation of the first installment's style and content.

[Mysterious Dude]

Army of Darkness - 8.5
A Simple Plan - 9.5
Spider-Man - 6.5
Spider-Man 2 - 8.0

[Spinal]

But the first one was over-the-top also. The second one is just a continuation of the first installment's style and content.

It's been a while since I've seen them, but I distinctly remember the second one having more farcical elements, namely the severed hand sequences, which are flat-out hilarious. The first one is more of a grisly indie horror with quirks. The second one is more like a slapstick comedy in a horror setting.

[MacGuffin]

It's been a while since I've seen them, but I distinctly remember the second one having more farcical elements, namely the severed hand sequences, which are flat-out hilarious. The first one is more of a grisly indie horror with quirks. The second one is more like a slapstick comedy in a horror setting.

The only difference I see is that Raimi became self-aware when he made the sequel.

[megladon8]

All three Evil Dead films are vastly different from each other.

[MacGuffin]

All three Evil Dead films are vastly different from each other.

You sound so sure of yourself, but the first two really aren't all that different from each other. It's just a guy with a shotgun defending himself from the undead with gore effects. Not really worth me posting much more about them after this.

[megladon8]

You sound so sure of yourself, but the first two really aren't all that different from each other. It's just a guy with a shotgun defending himself from the undead with gore effects. Not really worth me posting much more about them after this.


I am sure of myself.

I don't know how one could watch the first two films and say that they're the same. They're not.

[MacGuffin]

I am sure of myself.

I don't know how one could watch the first two films and say that they're the same. They're not.

You could put the disc for the second movie in the box for the first and vice versa and the average person probably wouldn't notice.

[Spinal]

All three Evil Dead films are vastly different from each other.

Well, I mean Evil Dead II is more like its predecessor than it is like, say, The Joy Luck Club, but yeah, I feel like each is a distinct experience unto itself.

[megladon8]

You could put the disc for the second movie in the box for the first and vice versa and the average person probably wouldn't notice.


That's ridiculous.

[BuffaloWilder]

Who's giving all these high scores for his Spider-Man films? Stop encouraging him. Stop it!

[Ezee E]

Are you serious? Evil Dead 1 and 2 are so drastically different in approach that they are basically different genres. 1 is straight horror, whereas 2 almost seems like a spoof of the first, a reason I don't like it myself.

At least Army of Darkness changes it up.

[Winston*]

Can anyone who has seen The Gift name a single thing that happens in it, other than Katie Holmes toplessness?

[endingcredits]

Evil Dead 2 contains overt comedy, whereas Evil Dead is more of a traditional horror flick. Myself, I like 2 better.

[Rowland]

Almost makes me want to see For Love of the Game for completism sake.I'm kinda amused that no one has seen it. Nor am I surprised.

As for the Evil Dead debate, I discovered Raimi through Dead By Dawn back in those halcyon days when my friends and I would rent obscure horror movies on VHS for kicks, and it blew us all away. But upon seeking out the rest of the series, I immediately became a proponent of the original, which I've always thought has some of the most grimy textures, audacious directorial verve, deviant perversity, and balls-out potency of any horror movie ever made, let alone a no-budget debut. And unlike most, I don't feel it's just a straight, humorless horror movie, as it's far too mischievous and fun for that. The sequel only cranks the playful side up to 11. Army of Darkness feels simultaneously compromised and as though it's trying too hard, enough so that I've never taken to it. It's kinda dorky, to be honest.

[Stay Puft]

The Evil Dead - 5
Evil Dead II - 7
Army of Darkness - 7
Spider-Man - 2
Spider-Man 2 - 2
Spider-Man 3 - 3

I guess? I haven't seen the Evil Dead films in something like a decade, so whatever. I've seen the Spider-Man films recently enough to know that I absolutely hate them, though (I didn't so much upon release, but yeah, hate them now).

[MadMan]

Evil Dead(1981)-9.0
Evil Dead II: Dead By Dawn(1987)-9.5
Army of Darkness(1992)-9.0
The Quick and the Dead(1995)-5.5
Spiderman(2002)-4.5
Spiderman 2(2004)-9.0
Spiderman 3(2007)-7.0. Originally I went with an 8, but I realized that was too high, and I enjoyed it despite it being a mess so a 6 was too low. A 7's just right.

I like Kevin Costner, but For the Love of the Game sounds rather lame. A Simple Plan, Darkman, and Drag Me To Hell are ones I will watch eventually, though.

[soitgoes...]

I'm kinda amused that no one has seen it. Nor am I surprised.Aw, you have me blocked.

[Dukefrukem]

You sound so sure of yourself, but the first two really aren't all that different from each other. It's just a guy with a shotgun defending himself from the undead with gore effects. Not really worth me posting much more about them after this.

The second two are the most similar.

[Boner M]

You could put the disc for the second movie in the box for the first and vice versa and the average person probably wouldn't notice.
Last time I checked, the average person was not comatose.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Can anyone who has seen The Gift name a single thing that happens in it, other than Katie Holmes toplessness?

Keanu Reeves is white trash?

[Kurosawa Fan]

You sound so sure of yourself, but the first two really aren't all that different from each other. It's just a guy with a shotgun defending himself from the undead with gore effects. Not really worth me posting much more about them after this.

I'm not sure this could be more wrong.

[Dukefrukem]

Katie Holmes is topless in that movie? This I gotta see.

And yes, MacGuffin is very wrong in this thread.

[Adam]

Evil Dead 2 7
Darkman 4.5
Army of Darkness 6.5
Spider-Man 8
Spider-Man 2 7
Spider-Man 3 2
Drag Me to Hell 3.5

[D_Davis]

The Evil Dead - 8
Crimewave - 1
Evil Dead 2 - 10
Darkman - 6
Army of Darkness - 5
The Quick and the Dead - 7
A Simple Plan - 6
Spider-Man - 6
Spider-Man 2 - 8
Drag Me to Hell - 1

[D_Davis]

You really think they would be my cup of tea? Admittedly, I see some good in The Evil Dead as a modest grindhouse spectacle. It trades plot for atmosphere and the minimal budget works to its favor, but there's really no need for a sequel. It's more of the same.

EDII is mean to be, by Raimi's own admission, more of a remake of the 1st film rather than a sequel. Think of it as an alternate-universe version of the same story, where the first was the horror version, and the second is the comedy version - like what if the Three Stooges had remade ED1?

[Dead & Messed Up]

Can anyone who has seen The Gift name a single thing that happens in it, other than Katie Holmes toplessness?

I remember that Blanchett used zener cards instead of tarot cards, Michael Jeter played a fun southern-fried-lawyer, Keanu did a great job playing a scruffy loser, Giovanni Ribisi grated, and...

it was Greg Kinnear all along.

Mostly, I remember the sepia-tinged southern Gothic look. Eerie look to the picture.

[dreamdead]

Evil Dead - 7
Evil Dead 2 - 7.5
Army of Darkness - 4.5
A Simple Plan - 7
The Gift - 5
Spider-Man - 5.5
Spider-Man 2 - 7
Spider-Man 3 - 4

[Grouchy]

Crimewave - 7
The Evil Dead - 8
Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn - 9
Darkman - 8
Army of Darkness - 7
Spiderman - 6
Spiderman 2 - 9
Spiderman 3 - 4
Drag Me to Hell - 8

[Rowland]

Aw, you have me blocked.I searched the page for "For Love of the Game", not "For the Love of the Game." Not my fault you spelled it wrong, foo. :)

[soitgoes...]

I searched the page for "For Love of the Game", not "For the Love of the Game." Not my fault you spelled it wrong, foo. :)I suck. :cry:

[Spinal]

Still, that's surprising that there's a mainstream film by an otherwise popular (at Match Cut) director that only one of us has seen.

[Watashi]

A Simple Plan - 7
Spiderman - 4
Spiderman 2 - 9
Spiderman 3 - 4

[Watashi]

These Spidermans scores are all over the place. I mean, a two for the Spiderman 2, Puft? What the hell?

[Ezee E]

These Spidermans scores are all over the place. I mean, a two for the Spiderman 2, Puft? What the hell?
Hek, these Raimi scores are all over the place. When was the last time that happened?

[BuffaloWilder]

Well, none of his Spider-Man films are all that good, really. I imagine they were well-recieved at the time because - well, there weren't many other out-and-out superhero films at the time and it's Spider-Man. Like I said in another thread, I think the third is easily the best of the lot, because it has those few moments of real purity that the other two are missing - the birth of Sandman being the best example.

Spider-Man - 4
Spider-Man 2 - 4.5
Spider-Man 3 - 6.5

[MacGuffin]

Hek, these Raimi scores are all over the place. When was the last time that happened?

It's more interesting this way.

[Dukefrukem]

Well, none of his Spider-Man films are all that good, really. I imagine they were well-recieved at the time because - well, there weren't many other out-and-out superhero films at the time and it's Spider-Man. Like I said in another thread, I think the third is easily the best of the lot, because it has those few moments of real purity that the other two are missing - the birth of Sandman being the best example.

Spider-Man - 4
Spider-Man 2 - 4.5
Spider-Man 3 - 6.5

I think the first two Spider-man movies are fantastic. When I finish my top 50 comic book movies list I'll explain why.

The third is awful because the studios interfered too much, I don't blame Raimi. He did what he could with what he had.

edit: and it boggles my mind how you could rate the third the highest ...

[Ezee E]

It's more interesting this way.
I agree. In general, I prefer multiple pages on directors instead of only 6-10 scores that are relatively the same, with little to no discussion. Unfortunately, we've done those directors already, and discussed them enough to where we have to move on. John Waters wil be a good director to do I think.

[baby doll]

Evil Dead 2 (1987) [6]
A Simple Plan (1998) [6]
The Gift (2000) [5]
Spider-Man (2002) [4]
Spider-Man 2 (2004) [6, but that's mainly for the Jewish neighbor]

Man this guy's mediocre.

[MacGuffin]

Spider-Man 2 (2004) [6, but that's mainly for the Jewish neighbor]


You and that damn neighbor character, I swear!

[baby doll]

You and that damn neighbor character, I swear!I would love it if a geeky girl offered me chocolate cake and milk. That's my fantasy.

[Ezee E]

You and that damn neighbor character, I swear!
Right??

[Dukefrukem]

Man this guy's mediocre.

I'd so neg rep you for that comment. ;)

[baby doll]

I'd so neg rep you for that comment. ;)Well, let's face it, he's not exactly Stanley Kubrick. His films don't attempt to scale any great heights. He's just out to make serviceable genre fare.

[BuffaloWilder]

I think the first two Spider-man movies are fantastic. When I finish my top 50 comic book movies list I'll explain why.

The third is awful because the studios interfered too much, I don't blame Raimi. He did what he could with what he had.

edit: and it boggles my mind how you could rate the third the highest ...

Because, every scene or moment that people seem to mention when they talk about "just why Spider-Man 3 was such a travesty" has its equal several times over in those first two films, and it even seemed to tone down on some of the good-jesus-dial-it-back-for-just-a-minute self-referential Saturday Morning cartoon campiness that just suffocates those first two movies.

I mean, I can dig that kind of thing as much as the next guy, but good lord.

[baby doll]

Right??Speaking of geeky blonde chicks, what's with the low rating for Greenberg?

[BuffaloWilder]

Well, let's face it, he's not exactly Stanley Kubrick. His films don't attempt to scale any great heights. He's just out to make serviceable genre fare.

This is true. And, I think that's really what kind of defines his Spider-Man films for me - they're just kind-of serviceable. I mean, what else can you really say about them?

[Dukefrukem]

Well, let's face it, he's not exactly Stanley Kubrick. His films don't attempt to scale any great heights. He's just out to make serviceable genre fare.

And no one is claiming him to be. But he deserves credit for the slapstick humor he brings to several of his films, his touch of disgusting gore in others and an eye for well polished action. I think he's proved himself in horror, action and comedy, which is something not many directors can brag about.

[Russ]

The Evil Dead - 7.5
Crimewave - 6.5
Evil Dead 2 - 7.0
Darkman - 5.5
Army of Darkness - 3.0
A Simple Plan - 7.5
The Gift - 5.0
Spider-Man - 7.0
Spider-Man 2 - 7.5
Spider-Man 3 - 4.5
Drag Me to Hell - 5.5

[Dukefrukem]

Because, every scene or moment that people seem to mention when they talk about "just why Spider-Man 3 was such a travesty" has its equal several times over in those first two films, and it even seemed to tone down on some of the good-jesus-dial-it-back-for-just-a-minute self-referential Saturday Morning cartoon campiness that just suffocates those first two movies.

I mean, I can dig that kind of thing as much as the next guy, but good lord.

Was that one sentence? I don't agree with this at all. The third film is chalk full ridiculous camp, but what scenes are you referring to in the first two? The first one is fairly straight forward, and the second does have some down time when Spidey loses his powers but I don't think it's exaggerated to the emo-Parker-level at all.

[baby doll]

And no one is claiming him to be. But he deserves credit for the slapstick humor he brings to several of his films, his touch of disgusting gore in others and an eye for well polished action. I think he's proved himself in horror, action and comedy, which is something not many directors can brag about.Like I said, he's a serviceable genre filmmaker. And within the confines of a horror-comedy-slapstick-gorefest, Evil Dead 2 is terrifically entertaining, just as within those same confines, Bruce Campell is an adequate actor.

[Dukefrukem]

Like I said, he's a serviceable genre filmmaker. Within the confines of a horror-comedy-slapstick-gorefest, Evil Dead 2 is terrifically entertaining, but it's not something that I'd want to watch a second time.

I'm curious, how can a movie be "terrifically entertaining" but not something you'd want to watch twice? Any movie I don't want to watch twice I wouldn't call entertaining.

[transmogrifier]

The Evil Dead - 5
Crimewave - 1.0
Evil Dead 2 - 5.5
Army of Darkness - 5.0
The Quick and the Dead - 6.0
A Simple Plan - 6.5
The Gift - 5.0
Spider-Man - 4.0
Spider-Man 2 - 5.0
Spider-Man 3 - 3.5
Drag Me to Hell - 6.0

Not a good director at all.

[baby doll]

I'm curious, how can a movie be "terrifically entertaining" but not something you'd want to watch twice? Any movie I don't want to watch twice I wouldn't call entertaining.I don't want to see Inception twice, but it was entertaining while I was watching it. Same thing with Evil Dead 2. It's as simple as that. More fundamentally, I might add that neither film is really of the sort that I'm drawn to very strongly. I'm drawn more towards films which attempt represent the world we world we live in, and less so to those which have nothing to do with it--hence, I'm much more interested in geeky eastern European girls than superheroes in tights.

[BuffaloWilder]

Was that one sentence? I don't agree with this at all. The third film is chalk full ridiculous camp, but what scenes are you referring to in the first two? The first one is fairly straight forward, and the second does have some down time when Spidey loses his powers but I don't think it's exaggerated to the emo-Parker-level at all.

Well, in the first film, there's every single scene between Spidey and Green Goblin, or just the Goblin in general, with that ridiculous looking Power Ranger Suit and his canny "acting through a rubber suit" machinations and outright mustache-twirling mode of villainy. The same is true of the second film, but if anything it's worse - you've got Doctor Octopus hurling big burlap money-bags at police with giant dollar signs on them, and saying things like "oh, my precious Tridium," and "You've stuck your webs in my business for the last time," and laughing like a mad scientist, and on and on and on. Really, the villains in these movies almost feel like cheats - because, they're not really fleshed out or possessed of any dimensions behind a cackling comic-booky kind of villainy up until almost the very end, when Raimi tries to insert some sudden kind of humanity into them. In the second film, this is accomplished by a remarkably lazy narrative device, the inhibitor chip - in the first, you had the whole convenient schizophrenia thing going on with DaFoe's character, and even then that came out to a "ha ha, fooled you!" conclusion.

I mean, that kind of overly caricatured attitude is everywhere in these movies, with the antagonists being probably the clearest examples. They all have what is basically the consistency of a Saturday Morning cartoon from the late eighties or early nineties - and, when they do seem to find a way out of this occasionally, they're fun enough and an alright diversion, but yeah. It just comes right back to that word baby doll used - they're really just kind of serviceable, which is the best one word description I can think of for all three of them.

His other films are much stronger, however.

[Ezee E]

Speaking of geeky blonde chicks, what's with the low rating for Greenberg?
Outside of the good party scene, everything was just sour to me. Moping here, moping there. Typical indie jokes in which people think they are better then others. Blah.

[soitgoes...]

Spider-Man 2 (2004) [6, but that's mainly for the Jewish neighbor]



I would love it if a geeky girl offered me chocolate cake and milk. That's my fantasy.
You gave me shit for a page and half of the Hitchcock thread forever ago for thinking Grace Kelly raises To Catch a Thief's level of entertainment, and then you come in here with this. Bah I say! Bah!

[baby doll]

You gave me shit for a page and half of the Hitchcock thread forever ago for thinking Grace Kelly raises To Catch a Thief's level of entertainment, and then you come in here with this. Bah I say! Bah!Hitchcock's a much greater filmmaker than Raimi, so I expect more from him.

[baby doll]

Outside of the good party scene, everything was just sour to me. Moping here, moping there. Typical indie jokes in which people think they are better then others. Blah.Interesting. Wrong, but interesting. Interesting that people who don't like the movie seem to gravitate towards the party scene--probably the most overtly comic sequence in the film (at least until Rhys Ifans turns up at the end)--as the film's one redeeming facet, whereas my favorite stuff tended to be Ben Stiller yelling at the pretty girl.

[soitgoes...]

Hitchcock's a much greater filmmaker than Raimi, so I expect more from him.
Bah!

[Rowland]

my favorite stuff tended to be Ben Stiller yelling at the pretty girl.Interesting. Wrong, but interesting.

I found myself identifying with Greenberg (the character) more than I'd comfortably like to. Doesn't make the movie particularly good, but it's interesting how Baumbach manages to sketch his hatefully alienating character to a realistic, albeit shrewdly heightened, degree.

And speaking of the pretty girl, did anyone else think Gergwig overplayed her character's social awkwardness? I suppose that's the only coherent excuse for her character falling for Greenberg, but lord, she seems borderline-mentally-challenged in half her scenes.

[Sxottlan]

Evil Dead 2: 7
Army of Darkness: 9.5
Darkman: 6.5
A Simple Plan: 10
The Gift: 6
Spiderman: 7
Spiderman 2: 8.5
Spiderman 3: 4.5
Drag Me to Hell: 8

I've loved what I've seen of The Quick and the Dead, but it's only ever been the edited version on television. Some day I really need to see the whole thing.

[Dukefrukem]

Well, in the first film, there's every single scene between Spidey and Green Goblin, or just the Goblin in general, with that ridiculous looking Power Ranger Suit and his canny "acting through a rubber suit" machinations and outright mustache-twirling mode of villainy. The same is true of the second film, but if anything it's worse - you've got Doctor Octopus hurling big burlap money-bags at police with giant dollar signs on them, and saying things like "oh, my precious Tridium," and "You've stuck your webs in my business for the last time," and laughing like a mad scientist, and on and on and on. Really, the villains in these movies almost feel like cheats - because, they're not really fleshed out or possessed of any dimensions behind a cackling comic-booky kind of villainy up until almost the very end, when Raimi tries to insert some sudden kind of humanity into them. In the second film, this is accomplished by a remarkably lazy narrative device, the inhibitor chip - in the first, you had the whole convenient schizophrenia thing going on with DaFoe's character, and even then that came out to a "ha ha, fooled you!" conclusion.

I mean, that kind of overly caricatured attitude is everywhere in these movies, with the antagonists being probably the clearest examples. They all have what is basically the consistency of a Saturday Morning cartoon from the late eighties or early nineties - and, when they do seem to find a way out of this occasionally, they're fun enough and an alright diversion, but yeah. It just comes right back to that word baby doll used - they're really just kind of serviceable, which is the best one word description I can think of for all three of them.

His other films are much stronger, however.

When you single them out like that, yeh it sounds pretty campy, but I really thought those scenes worked. Every single one of them. For some reason, and I can't pinpoint it right now (probably because I have only seen the 3rd film twice) it's much more noticeable in the 3rd film. Maybe because the main villain wasn't really a threat to Spider-man to begin with, maybe because there was too much subplot going on or maybe because the synopsis was poorly thought out.... but the first two spidey movies flowed very well, like they were taken right off the pages of the comic.

[Dukefrukem]

I might add that neither film is really of the sort that I'm drawn to very strongly.

That's probably it. Understood. I suppose I could say the same thing about a movie like; The Wrestler.

[Ezee E]

Interesting. Wrong, but interesting.

I found myself identifying with Greenberg (the character) more than I'd comfortably like to. Doesn't make the movie particularly good, but it's interesting how Baumbach manages to sketch his hatefully alienating character to a realistic, albeit shrewdly heightened, degree.

And speaking of the pretty girl, did anyone else think Gergwig overplayed her character's social awkwardness? I suppose that's the only coherent excuse for her character falling for Greenberg, but lord, she seems borderline-mentally-challenged in half her scenes.
I never even saw why she was interested in him to begin with, much less a reason for her to keep going back to him except that the script found it necessary.

[Rowland]

I never even saw why she was interested in him to begin with, much less a reason for her to keep going back to him except that the script found it necessary.Yeah, the sick dog was a convenient excuse for that. For a person to continually return to someone like Greenberg, who never really exudes any positive qualities, she has to have some serious self-esteem issues, which the film never bothers to explore.

[endingcredits]

The Evil Dead - 6
Evil Dead 2 - 7
Army of Darkness - 5
The Quick and The Dead - 3
Spiderman - 5
Spiderman 2 - 7
Spiderman 3 - 4
Drag Me to Hell - 2

[Llopin]

The Evil Dead - 8
Evil Dead II - 9
Darkman - 7.5
Army of Darkness - 7
A Simple Plan - 6.5
Spider-Man - 5
Drag Me to Hell - 5

I was very bored throughout those last two.

[Mysterious Dude]

I'm amazed that so many people didn't have a great time watching Army of Darkness.

"Gimme some sugar, baby."

[Dukefrukem]

Hail to the king baby.

[RoadtoPerdition]

The Evil Dead (1981) - 7.0
Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn (1987) - 8.5
Army of Darkness (1993) - 8.5
The Quick and the Dead (1995) - 8.5
Spider-Man (2002) - 8.0
Spider-Man 2 (2004) - 8.5
Spider-Man 3 (2007) - 9.0
Drag Me to Hell (2009) - 8.0

[Sycophant]

IMDb says this guy has 23 in-development credits. Wacky! (Obv, not all as director, but still!)

I thought I'd seen more from him. I haven't!

Army of Darkness - 8.5
Spider-Man - 6.0
Spider-Man 2 - 5.5
Spider-Man 3 - 7.5
Drag Me to Hell - 6.5

(My Spider-Man scores may need revisiting to solidify, but I'll go with them for now.)

[Dukefrukem]

I didn't realize he produced Armored. Did anyone see that?

[MacGuffin]

I didn't realize he produced Armored. Did anyone see that?

Did you see the preview? You'd have to pay me. And even then it would need to be a fair sum. Honestly, man...

[Morris Schæffer]

The Evil Dead (1981) 5.5
Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987) 6.0
Darkman (1990) 7.5
Army of Darkness (1992) 4.5
The Quick and the Dead (1995) 6.0
A Simple Plan (1998) 8.0
The Gift (2000) 3.5
Spider-Man (2002) 7.0
Spider-Man 2 (2004) 8.0
Spider-Man 3 (2007) 5.0
Drag Me to Hell (2009) 5.5

[Spinal]

I'm surprised at the number of people who feel that the third Spider-Man movie is the best one.

[Dukefrukem]

I'm surprised at the number of people who feel that the third Spider-Man movie is the best one.

Yeh me too. RoadtoPerdition gave it a 9? Really?

[Dukefrukem]

BTW Spinal, not sure if you noticed by I stole your sig formatting.

[Sycophant]

I think SM3's highs outweigh the highs of any others in the series, even though it has some pretty low lows, too.

[Qrazy]

I'm surprised at the number of people who feel that the third Spider-Man movie is the best one.

I'm not surprised... but not because it's the best... but because this is Match-cut.

[RoadtoPerdition]

Yeh me too. RoadtoPerdition gave it a 9? Really?

:shrug: It's the one I liked the best. I'm always surprised how much people like the other ones, which are good, but not that impressive to me.

[BuffaloWilder]

Also, I must note that dancing emo Parker is the funniest anything of anything, ever.

[Spinal]

Also, I must note that dancing emo Parker is the funniest anything of anything, ever.

That is a great scene, I will give you that.

[Dukefrukem]

Also, I must note that dancing emo Parker is the funniest anything of anything, ever.

As funny as it is OUT OF CONTEXT, the scene does a great job in portraying how vastly different Parker is after the symbiote takes control of him; it also makes you feel bad for Mary Jane. I just wish Parker didn't realize what he was doing immediately after that scene.

[thefourthwall]

Evil Dead II - 7
Darkman - 7
Spider-Man - 7.5
Spider-Man 2 - 8
Drag Me to Hell - 5

[StanleyK]

Results:

Evil Dead II - 7.672 (32)
A Simple Plan - 7.479 (24)
The Evil Dead - 7.268 (28)
Spider-Man 2 - 7.257 (37)
Darkman - 7.000 (17)
Army of Darkness - 6.688 (32)
The Quick and the Dead - 6.154 (13)
Spider-Man - 6.145 (38)
Drag Me to Hell - 6.052 (29)
The Gift - 5.441 (17)
Spider-Man 3 - 5.233 (30)
Crimewave - 4.500 (7)

Average: 6.407

Didn't make it:

For Love of the Game - 5.500 (1)

Most seen: Spinal

[Spinal]

Most seen: Spinal

All right! Been a while since I nabbed one of these.

[Peng]

The Evil Dead - 8
Evil Dead 2 - 7.5
Darkman - 7.5
Army of Darkness - 7
Spider-Man - 7.5
Spider-Man 2 - 8
Spider-Man 3 - 6
Drag Me to Hell - 7.5
Oz: The Great and Powerful - 6.5

I have rarely been angry at a film but I was at Spider-Man 3 after I left theater. Since then Marc Webb's two films have me realized I was too hard on it. But it was still the film that has me starting to check out more general (without spoilers) word-of-mouth and some scores before seeing a film though.

[Dukefrukem]

I have rarely been angry at a film but I was at Spider-Man 3 after I left theater. Since then Marc Webb's two films have me realized I was too hard on it. But it was still the film that has me starting to check out more general (without spoilers) word-of-mouth and some scores before seeing a film though.

Rightfully so. It's the perfect example of studio interference. Sony would still have creative control over Spider-man if they just let him take the franchise in the direction he wanted.

[TGM]

Love Spider-Man 3.

[Skitch]

Love Spider-Man 3.

I'd go something like:

Spider-Man - 8
Spider-Man 2 - 8.5
Spider-Man 3 - 8

I still don't get the hate. I think people are overlooking of the flaws of the first two because we were so devoid of really good comic book films, by the time they get to three, everyones like yeah fuck off. They did way too much on again/off again with MJ and Peter throughout the trilogy. I still think ASM is the best Spider-Man flick so far, too bad ASM2 was easily the worst of them all.

[TGM]

Ranking the Spidey flicks:

Spider-Man 3
The Amazing Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man 2
The Amazing Spider-Man 2

[Stay Puft]

These Spidermans scores are all over the place. I mean, a two for the Spiderman 2, Puft? What the hell?

I stand by that.

[Grouchy]

Spiderman 2 is, hands down, the best superhero film ever made. That's why Spiderman 3 stands out so poorly. It's not a terrible film, but it has a lot to live up to.

And also, it has a very flawed script with too many villains to care for.

[Dukefrukem]

Spiderman 2 is, hands down, the best superhero film ever made. That's why Spiderman 3 stands out so poorly. It's not a terrible film, but it has a lot to live up to.

And also, it has a very flawed script with too many villains to care for.

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!

https://letterboxd.com/dukefrukem/list/the-top-comic-book-movies/

[Grouchy]

I don't know why I did this and I'll never do something like it again, but here are all superhero movies I've ever seen, ranked.

The Excellent

1. Spiderman 2
2. The Incredibles
3. Unbreakable
4. Robocop
5. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

The Very Good

6. Batman Returns
7. Matrix
8. The Avengers
9. Hellboy II: The Golden Army
10. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
11. Batman Begins
12. Blade II
13. Superman II
14. Batman (1966)
15. Guardians of the Galaxy
16. X-Men 2
17. Spiderman
18. Captain America

The Good

19. Captain America: Civil War
20. Superman
21. The Mask
22. The Lone Ranger (2013)
23. The Powerpuff Girls: The Movie
24. Iron Man
25. Hellboy
26. Darkman
27. Deadpool
28. Animatrix
29. Doctor Strange
30. The Dark Knight
31. Zebraman
32. Batman (1989)
33. The Avengers: Age of Ultron
34. Watchmen
35. Constantine
36. Hulk
37. Big Hero 6
38. The Punisher (2004)
39. The Toxic Avenger
40. Robocop 2
41. Kick-Ass
42. Blade
43. The Rocketeer
44. The Crow
45. X-Men: First Class
46. The Mask of Zorro

The All Right

47. X-Men
48. Iron Man 3
49. X-Men: Days of Future Past
50. The Wolverine
51. The Matrix Reloaded
52. Swamp Thing
53. The Shadow
54. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
55. V for Vendetta
56. Punisher War Zone
57. Thor
58. Howard the Duck
59. Ant-Man
60. The Phantom (1996)

The Bad

61. Spiderman 3
62. The Incredible Hulk
63. The Matrix Revolutions
64. The Toxic Avenger Part II
65. Hancock
66. Batman: The Killing Joke
67. Daredevil
68. Superman Returns
69. The Dark Knight Rises
70. The Amazing Spiderman
71. Thor: The Dark World

The Awful

72. Iron Man 2
73. Fantastic Four (2005)
74. Man of Steel
75. The Fantastic Four (1994)
76. The Toxic Avenger Part III
77. Elektra
78. Blade: Trinity
79. Wanted
80. Green Lantern
81. Ghost Rider

The Terrible

82. The Green Hornet (2011)
83. Batman Forever
84. X-Men: The Final Stand
85. The Amazing Spiderman 2

Apokolips

86. Batman v Superman
87. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)
88. Jonah Hex
89. Batman & Robin
90. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
91. Fantastic Four (2015)
92. The Spirit
93. Suicide Squad

I'm sure that's not all of it and I deliberately left out animated films without a theatrical release since there are so many of them.

[Dukefrukem]

I want to dive into that list so much.

1. I hadn't considered the Matrix trilogy to be a superhero film before- if I do, I'd rank Revolutions higher than all of the Superman films.
2. Suicide Squad worse than Green Lantern, Green Hornet, Iron Man 2, Daredevil, Hancock, Watnted, and Elektra?....
3. The Dark Knight under Powerpuff Girls and the Mask?

[transmogrifier]

Logan is the best superhero film I have seen at 73/100. Not my favorite genre.

[Grouchy]

2. Suicide Squad worse than Green Lantern, Green Hornet, Iron Man 2, Daredevil, Hancock, Watnted, and Elektra?....
Well, it is a fucking terrible movie.


3. The Dark Knight under Powerpuff Girls and the Mask?
Every time I watch The Dark Knight I like it less and less. The action scenes are all a mess. Heath Ledger still makes it a worthy watch, though.

[Ivan Drago]

3. The Dark Knight under Powerpuff Girls and the Mask?

Quiet, you. The Mask is awesome.

[transmogrifier]

The Dark Knight is a bit of a bore, and the third act is a total mess.

[Dukefrukem]

The Dark Knight is a bit of a bore, and the third act is a total mess.

Correction: The finale is a bit of a mess but most of the third act is fine.

[Skitch]

Rewatching the great Darkman for the first time in many years, so decided to dig up this thread...good read!

[StuSmallz]

Rewatching the great Darkman for the first time in many years, so decided to dig up this thread...good read!Darkman fan, eh? In that case, you didn't ever happen to read this (https://www.avclub.com/long-before-spider-man-sam-raimi-cast-liam-neeson-as-a-1823013169), did you?

[Skitch]

Darkman fan, eh? In that case, you didn't ever happen to read this (https://www.avclub.com/long-before-spider-man-sam-raimi-cast-liam-neeson-as-a-1823013169), did you?

The way you stated this I read the entire article waiting for the "BUT...." :)

Its pretty spot on. Although I will add to its bit about the action scenes being "general 90s action", I think it's a step above because of Raimis inventiveness with his cartoony nature. Weird blue screens, crash zooms, flailing actors, huge fire balls...its a damn fun movie.

[StanleyK]

The Evil Dead - 5.5
Crimewave - 4
Evil Dead II - 4
Darkman - 8.5
Army of Darkness - 5.5
The Quick and the Dead - 7
A Simple Plan - 5.5
For Love of the Game - 5.5
The Gift - 5.5
Spider-Man - 7
Spider-Man 2 - 7
Spider-Man 2 - 4
Drag Me to Hell - 5.5
Oz the Great and Powerful - 4



Not a big fan of the Evil Dead movies or A Simple Plan, but Darkman is fucking great.

[DFA1979]

The Evil Dead-9.0
Crimewave-8.5
Evil Dead II-9.5
Darkman-9.0
Army of Darkness-9.0
The Quick and the Dead-7.5
Spider-Man-4.0
Spider-Man 2-9.0
Spider-Man 3-4.0
Oz the Great and Powerful-7.5
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness-7.0

Does The Evil Dead show count? I'd give that 9.5 easily. I like Raimi but sometimes he doesn't quite put a movie together like he should and I think he should have made more horror movies.