Superman is perhaps the modern superhero film to measure all other future superhero films and starring the quintessential comic book superhero of all time. With a great cast, story, cinematography, and score, the film runs the full gamut of action, adventure, drama, romance, and just enough comedic relief. When Superman was released, no one had ever seen a movie like it and the special FX still hold up in today's CGI crazed Hollywood. The movie truly made good on its poster's promise, "You'll Believe A Man Can Fly".

Captain America. Iron Man. Thor.
The Hulk. Hawkeye. Black Widow. Nick Fury.
"Avengers Assemble!"

Joss Whedon basically did the impossible with this film, juggling all of the characters and their backtstories, yet giving them all their own time to shine while also weaving them all into the larger story arc of this movie and all Marvel superhero movies to come. The Avengers is one of the most enjoyable, exciting and re-watchable superhero movies ever. Excelsior!

The Dark Knight is Christopher Nolan's crowning achievement in the Batman cinematic universe. It transcends superhero movies by taking these fictional comic book characters and putting them in a world where everything is based in reality, science, and physics. At its simplest it's an epic crime drama and at its most ambitious it's a political commentary on our post-9/11 world. Heath Ledger's Joker is truly and frighteningly unhinged, even more so due to the tragic death of the actor shortly after filming was finished (Ledger was posthumously awarded Best Supporting Actor).

The super powered family that fights maniacal-super-villains-set-on-taking-over-the-world together, stays together. Director Brad Bird's homage to 60's spy films and the Silver Age of comic books is the perfect marriage of style and story, with hearty doses of humor and love thrown into the mix as well. Pixar does it again with The Incredibles, making a movie that is fun for kids and at the same time doesn't dumb it down for the grownups.

A creature from hell ("Hellboy", 'natch!) brought through a mysterious portal during World War II who helps fight supernatural evil throughout the world, aided by The B.P.R.D. (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense) which comprises a pyrokinetic (Liz Sherman), an aquatic telepathic scientist (Abe Sapien), and more firepower, cool gadgets, and monsters seen on screen since Star Wars. Based on the acclaimed comic book series by Mike Mignola and directed by genre guru Guillermo del Toro.