Animated Spider-Man Ranked from Worst to Best

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If you’re like me, you saw the second trailer to “Captain America: Civil War” and you were very shocked and incredibly excited to see Spider-Man appear before the clashing of titans to give us a trademark quip before stealing Captain America’s shield. It’s only a three second clip, but it says a lot about what Marvel is planning to do with the character, and how it promises to be every way superior to Sony’s previous cinematic efforts. The Marvel Cinematic Universe almost feels complete. Now if someone can twist the arm of FOX with “Fantastic Four”… I digress. In either case, the welcome presence of Spidey had me thinking about his animated presence on television and how some studios have gotten him all wrong, while others have gotten him just right. Here are the animated versions of Spider-Man ranked from the absolute worst to the absolute best.

What is your ranking for your Friendly Neighborhood Wallcrawler?

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Lego Star Wars: Droid Tales (DVD)

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Ever since Disney bought “Star Wars,” the company has been working over time to put back the credibility in the series. Lego always has a knack for delivering some of the wittiest and most entertaining animated series, but they have a great time with “Star Wars.” Not only do they pinpoint the inherent wackiness of the universe, but they have a ball taking the piss out of the awful prequels. Set immediately after the climax of “Return of the Jedi,” C3P0 and R2 are asked by their friends to regale them with tales of the clone wars and fall of the Jedi. With C3P0’s memory conveniently in hand thanks to R2, they begin telling them the oh so inconsistent tales of how Anakin descended in to the dark side. Hilarity ensues.

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The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar (DVD)

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If you’re like me, you’re a hardcore fan of “The Lion King” and didn’t mind extensions of the mythology. Sadly the follow ups were all sub-par, and “The Lion Guard” muddies up the mythos even further. Granted, “The Lion Guard” is a perfectly fine animated movie, and you’ll likely say “Felix, this series isn’t meant for you,” but even kids will have a difficult time figuring out the time line if they decide to do the math. “The Lion Guard” is set immediately after part one and before part two. So that means everything after “The Lion Guard” doesn’t matter, and the central focus of the series is back on a young lion cub rather than the lioness Kiara, originally Simba’s spunky daughter. “The Lion Guard” works on actively erasing the latter story line by reworking the entirety of future story lines, which include Skar’s children, his wife, and the lack of a mention of the plot elements in the sequels.

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Now That You’ve Seen “Deadpool” Watch these Five Great Action Films

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In 2016, after diminishing returns on their “X-Men” movies and failing to adapt “Fantastic Four” three times, FOX Studios did something new. They adapted a hit comic book loyal to its source material. What a concept! Shocking enough, you went to see it, making it one of the highest grossing R rated movies of all time, one of the highest grossing R Rated comic book movies of all time, and probably the only time the X-Men were entertaining in a live action movie.

Now that you’ve seen “Deadpool” and made it a rousing success, here are five other great action films for folks that appreciate the kind of humor and wonky action the Tim Miller film practiced. Did we miss any hidden action gems you might recommend? Let us know.

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Welcome Back, Frank: A Second Look at “The Punisher” Cinematic Trilogy

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After decades of trying to redo his image and pretending he didn’t exist, Marvel, under the help of Disney, is finally embracing the Punisher and drawing the line with him as an adult character. Now that the mainstream has accepted that being a comic book character doesn’t mean you’re a child mascot, “The Punisher” is back at Marvel Entertainment and being given the adult treatment he deserved for such a long time. With popular character actor Jon Bernthal now taking on the mantle of Frank Castle for the acclaimed Netflix series “Daredevil” on season two.

Eventually being handed his own series, fans are hoping this is a new era for the Punisher, allowing him his own universe, his own mission, and a new iteration that will do justice to the resourceful Punisher of vigilantes and criminals. I’m excited to see what Jon Bernthal is going to do with the character come March 18th, so in celebration of the upcoming season of “Daredevil”, I’m going over the three past cinematic interpretations of Frank Castle and his moniker of “The Punisher” and see how they stack up. And if they stack up.

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Five Reasons Why “The Warriors” is the Best Gang Picture Of All Time

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PLAYING AT THE YONKERS ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE SUNDAY, MARCH 20TH; MORE INFORMATION HERE

I was introduced to Walter Hill’s “The Warriors” thanks to my dad who rented the film on VHS back in the early nineties. For him it was a long time favorite, and our entrance in to the gangster action picture gave us a look in to a surefire classic that has gone unparalleled since its release in 1979. Hill adapted the movie from the original novel, which itself was taken from a period tale by author Sol Yurick, and took us in to a world steeped in crime and violence where an inconspicuous group from Coney Island has to prove themselves and survive long enough to make it back to their home turf.

With admittedly exaggerated depictions of gang war fare, along with a slick depiction of action and combat, it’s hard to believe “The Warriors” garnered such controversy during its time. Hill’s film live on an as iconic action survival picture set in the urban jungle where a big for peace, inspires all out war thanks to a psychopath and a revolver. With one gun shot, The Warriors are marked and targeted by every gang in New York, forcing them to rely on their wits and each other to get home by dawn and re-unite with their legion of members. With “The Warriors” playing at the Alamo is Yonkers; I thought I’d list five reasons why Walter Hill’s film is still the best Gang Picture of all time.

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Deadpool (2016)

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Superhero movie fatigue, my balls.

“Deadpool” is proof positive that the comic book movie is alive and well and prone to various iterations of the comic book movie mold beyond capes, tights, and bat ears. “Deadpool” is one of the most anti of anti-heroes ever conceived. He’s a man who works for any side that’s appealing to him, and you can never quite pin down whether he should be a friend or foe. Wilson like Marvel comrades The Punisher and Iron Man are never villainous, but also not the clean cut superheroes we’d expect. In the end, Wilson is about self gratification, even though he tells himself that his intentions are pure. He’s a man who loves being vile and obnoxious. Even Wade Wilson during the opening of “Deadpool” explicitly states that he is by no means a hero, and we’re given extensive insight in to how he lived his life before he became the “merc with the mouth.”

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