Aaron Pinero

April 4, 2021

Favorite blockbuster movies

One of my favorite podcasts, The Big Picture, recently did a show where the hosts and guest Shea Serrano ranked their top 5 blockbuster movies. I really love these sorts of episodes because it gets me thinking about what I would pick for my favorites. The blockbuster category is interesting because these movies are meant to create a specific kind of moviegoing experience. They have a lot of hype, a lot of expectation, and the best of these sorts of movies at least leave a lasting impression. At best, they exceed their own hype to become truly memorable, landmarks that you associate with a particular part of your life.

With that in mind, and with thanks to Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins, here are my top five blockbuster movies.

#5: Fast 5

A list of the best blockbuster movies cannot be complete without one representative from the Fast franchise. On "The Big Picture", Fast 5 and Furious 7 were both mentioned. Despite the fact that Furious 7 gave us both the cars-dropped-from-a-plane scene and the emotional farewell to Paul Walker, I have to pick Fast 5 for two reasons: the introduction of The Rock as a recurring character Agent Hobbs ("get your funderwear on"); and the epic heist scene where Torreto and O'Connor drag a huge safe through the streets of Rio. That may be one of the best car chase sequences I've ever seen. It might not ever be topped.

#4: The Matrix

I still remember the Superbowl ad for this movie. I remember where I was when I saw the trailer. That's what kind of impact this movie has. I was at a friend's house – a rundown abode in Carrboro, NC. This ad blew our minds. I'd never seen anything like it. We were all certain this was a movie we had to see.

The Matrix is also one of the few movies I saw in the theater more than once. To say that The Matrix had an impact on movies and culture is the easiest understatement. It changed action movies. It changed the trajectory of Keanu's career. I'll never forget having my brain melt. It was one of the first times in my life when a movie triggered real conversation afterwards. It also kicked off several years of the best movie experiences of my life (basically 1999 to 2002). I was 23 years old and just realizing the power of cinema as an adult. What a start.

#3: Independence Day

Amanda Dobbins included ID:4 in her list, and I totally agree. Any movie that has it's own abbreviation (ID:4) is definitely blockbuster material. This movie. for me, fits in with the collection of disaster movies that came out in the 90's – Volcano, Godzilla, Deep Impact, Armageddon – and I love me a disaster movie. This one rises above the others on the fine performances – particularly Jeff Goldblum, Randy Quaid, Robert Loggia, and Judd Hirsch. It is also one of my very favorite Will Smith performances. If Bill Simmons asked me who won this movie, the answer – without hesitation – is Mr. Smith. "Welcome to Earth" indeed.

#2: Terminator 2: Judgement Day

Sean Fennessey had T2 (another movies with it's own abbreviation) on his list, and rightfully so. This is one of those movies that exceeded its hype to become not just one of the best blockbusters, but best movies ever. It gave us some of the great memorable scenes – the haunting nuclear blast dream sequence; the biker bar fight; the motorcycle/truck chase; the Terminator taking out an army of cops with a minigun. And, the cherry on the top, the T1000's liquid metal special effects.

#1: Batman (1989)

I am not a Tim Burton fan, but his Batman is still one of my favorite, rewatchable movies. It is also one of the earliest moviegoing experiences I can remember. I hadn't been living in California for that long when the movie came out. It was the first time I had ever been to one of those huge movie complexes (the Cineplex Odeon). We went in a big group of extended family members. And when the opening credits music, still my favorite Danny Elfman score, crescendoes as we see the title "Batman", the volume in the theater was so high as to be painful and terrifying.

While the movie has all of the common Tim Burton traits, he was somewhat restrained by the material. The result is the perfect balance of action and camp, and the two stars (Nicholson and Keaton) do really well acting in that space. Nicholson is perfect in this movie. Absolutely perfect. He deserved top billing. And this movie deserves top billing in my own blockbuster rankings.

When I was older and our family finally got a VCR we started with about 5 movies. One of them was Batman.