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Think you know which movies were destined to flop? Think again! Join us as we count down our picks for the films that completely shattered expectations and left audiences absolutely stunned! From indie horror shockers to superhero blockbusters that nobody saw coming, these movies proved all the doubters dead wrong. Which film surprised you the most?
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00:00Wow! You were great!
00:01I was great! Are you kidding me? You were great!
00:05Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 30 movies that were leagues better than
00:10audiences expected.
00:12Doubt! Another unmistakable sign of a...
00:19Number 30. Rocky.
00:21A struggling, unknown actor refused to sell his script unless the studio let him play the lead role.
00:26It is the ultimate meta-underdog story.
00:29Well, next to Rocky, of course.
00:31You believe that America is the land of opportunity?
00:35Yeah.
00:37Apollo Creed does.
00:39And he's gonna prove it to the whole world by giving an unknown a shot at the title.
00:44And that unknown is you.
00:47Executives aggressively fought against casting Sylvester Stallone,
00:50convinced a low-budget sports film would crash and burn without a bankable A-list star.
00:55But then the movie came out and scored a total knockout with critics and audiences.
00:59Most of which singled out Stallone.
01:03Apollo, I'm loading a lefty, really tied him up against the rope.
01:07He's coming back to the man.
01:08So long!
01:10It's incredible when you remember the behind-the-scenes pressure,
01:13and the fact that the whole thing was shot in under a month for roughly a million dollars.
01:17Hey, that's no problem.
01:18I ain't a nut.
01:19Legs are going, everything is going, no one's getting a nut.
01:22Guy comes up, offers me a fight.
01:24Big deal.
01:25Wanna fight the fight?
01:26Yeah, I'll fight the big fight.
01:28I wasn't gonna fight that big fight.
01:29I was gonna happen to me.
01:30I'm gonna get that!
01:31Number 29, Saw.
01:3318 days with two unknown filmmakers in a dilapidated bathroom doesn't exactly scream billion-dollar franchise starter.
01:40Or really something worth seeing at all.
01:42Look around, Amanda.
01:43Know that I'm not lying.
01:46You better hurry up.
01:48Live or die.
01:50Make your choice.
01:51The premise of Saw, a micro-budget horror film almost entirely taking place in one room,
01:57sounded like a student film, not a theater-worthy experience.
02:01Driven by a wildly inventive premise, terrifying moral dilemmas,
02:05and one of the most jaw-dropping twist endings in cinematic history,
02:08the grisly indie exploded at the box office.
02:11Lawrence!
02:14What are you doing?
02:19It bypassed all expectations.
02:21Reshaping the modern horror landscape for years to come.
02:24Not too bad for a movie that looked like it should have been straight to DVD.
02:32Game over!
02:34Number 28, Mean Girls.
02:36By 2004, classic teen comedies were not quite as fetch as they used to be.
02:41Gretchen, stop trying to make fetch happen.
02:44It's not going to happen.
02:45Throw in the fact that it was based on a self-help book for parents,
02:48and it's easy to see why audiences expected another brainless, cliche-filled drama.
02:52But this is Tina Fey,
02:54and she turned those well-worn tropes into a cultural phenomenon.
02:58Blending razor-sharp satirical wit with a shockingly accurate portrayal of teenage psychological warfare,
03:04Mean Girls elevated the high school genre to an art form.
03:06I wish that I could bake a cake made out of rainbows and smiles and we'd all eat it and
03:12be happy.
03:13She doesn't even go here!
03:16The incredibly quotable dialogue, combined with a star-making performance by Rachel McAdams,
03:21cemented its legacy as the seminal teen movie.
03:37Number 27, How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
03:40How do you stretch a beloved 22-minute animated TV special into a Hollywood blockbuster?
03:46Follow-up, how do you do it without completely wrecking the spirit of Dr. Seuss' story?
03:57Yeah, you can see why audiences approached this live-action retelling with some heavy trepidation.
04:01Thankfully, the answer was simple.
04:03You hand the keys to Whoville over to Jim Carrey and let him do what Jim Carrey does best.
04:08Oh, that's really mature, saying exactly what I did.
04:17I'm an idiot!
04:18You're an idiot!
04:22By expanding the lore, adding some adult-friendly humor, and covering it all with just enough
04:27twinkling lights, this holiday gamble was the opposite of Coal Under the Tree.
04:32So he brought back the toys and the food for the feast, and he, he himself, the Grinch,
04:39Carl the Roast Beast.
04:41Yeah!
04:42Number 26, Blockers.
04:44If you told us a raunchy teen comedy in 2018 would end up as something of a feminist triumph,
04:50we probably would have laughed.
04:52After all, the concept of Blockers is definitely sketchy.
04:55I know your daughter's in this stupid sex pack, too.
04:57Yeah, and she's not gonna do anything about it, okay?
04:59Oh, like you would know what your daughter's gonna do.
05:02Okay, first of all, ouch!
05:04Parents trying to stop their kids from bumping uglies on prom night?
05:07We all expected a parade of outdated, misogynistic, gross-out gags.
05:11What a relief to be completely wrong.
05:14Where are my chuggers at?
05:15You ready?
05:16Uh, right here, let's go.
05:18Alright.
05:19Director Kay Cannon crafted an emotionally grounded, side-splittingly funny exploration
05:23of female adolescence and parental anxiety.
05:26Blockers subverted every tired genre trope, delivering a surprisingly progressive and
05:31relentlessly hilarious high school classic.
05:33But absolutely perfect.
05:35Aww!
05:37Guys, so much, so much went down tonight.
05:41Number 25.
05:42Paranormal Activity
05:43The legacy of this legendary found footage movie can be summed up in three little words.
05:48Return on investment.
05:50A bulky camcorder and $15,000 should in no way have led to a genre-making smash hit.
05:55Dealing with demons is not my area.
05:58I'm very uncomfortable with it.
06:00And I'll tell you quite frankly, I sense that there's something going on in this house.
06:03You cannot run from this.
06:05It will follow you.
06:06Paranormal Activity truly had everything going against it.
06:09It lacked A-list stars, a proper crew, or even a real script.
06:13But, by relying on the authenticity of showing real people with a camera,
06:18this little indie turned found footage into the next big thing.
06:21So, what did you remember from this?
06:23I don't remember anything.
06:25I remember standing in the doorway and you pointing a camera at me.
06:28The homemade quality that originally turned audiences away
06:31ended up being Paranormal Activity's franchise-spawning calling card.
06:46James Cameron is a madman.
06:48A brilliant madman, but still.
06:50The director took the terrifying, relentless villain of his best work
06:54and turned him into an unlikely father figure.
06:56Come with me if you want to live.
06:58On paper, it sounded like a complete betrayal of the original film.
07:02Instead, Judgment Day ended up one of the greatest sequels in cinematic history.
07:06Scratch that.
07:07One of the greatest films, period.
07:17With cutting-edge special effects and a surprisingly powerful emotional through-line,
07:21T2 eclipsed every hesitancy and expectation thrown its way.
07:25Combined with box office success and four Oscars,
07:28we'd say Cameron's gamble paid off.
07:38For decades, Hollywood just couldn't figure out how to successfully adapt beloved video games.
07:43And they definitely tried.
07:45A lot.
07:46With very meager results.
07:48Don't listen to them.
07:49The world laughed at Da Vinci, too.
07:52I'm not sure they did, Ma.
07:53Dad, what did you think?
07:55I think you're nuts.
07:57So when a new animated Mario film was announced, fans were incredibly cautious.
08:03The A-list voice cast did little to assuage audience fears,
08:06especially when critic reviews ended up less than stellar.
08:09But against all odds, the people who did go out to see the Super Mario Bros. movie
08:13were quick to sing its praises.
08:23Filled to the brim with bright colors, whimsical characters,
08:26and more easter eggs than diehard gamers could ever want,
08:29this movie ended up being exactly what fans were looking for.
08:32Not bad, mustache.
08:34Number 22.
08:35Warm Bodies
08:36Vampires
08:37Witches
08:38Werewolves
08:39Take your pick.
08:40In the early 2010s, Hollywood was pumping supernatural romances for all of them,
08:45hoping to capitalize on the insane YA craze.
08:48Are there others like you?
08:53I mean, I've never, ever heard a corpse talk before.
08:57However, it had the opposite effect.
08:59And when Warm Bodies pitched itself as a love story between a human and a zombie,
09:03the world gave a collective eye roll.
09:05And yet, this undead rom-com injected surprisingly fresh blood into the decaying genre.
09:11Oh my god.
09:13Is that him?
09:15Yeah.
09:21So, told from the witty perspective of the zombified R,
09:24the movie masterfully balanced genuine thrills with a surprisingly heartfelt love story.
09:29Even though many felt the young adult genre was long gone,
09:32Warm Bodies single-handedly proved that young love never dies.
09:45Number 21.
09:47Magic Mike
09:47Let's be honest here.
09:49Most people who bought a ticket to Magic Mike expected two hours of plotless,
09:53oiled-up beefcake on the big screen.
09:54But while it certainly delivered more than its fair share of shirtless men,
09:58there was a surprising amount of depth behind the Tearaway Pants.
10:01I got a couple of loopholes I got to get through with the real estate attorneys down there.
10:05But after that, it's gonna be all green lights, brother.
10:07Loosely based on star Channing Tatum's own past,
10:10the glitzy dance numbers underscored a genuinely compelling character study
10:14about the harsh realities of life on the stage.
10:22People came expecting empty calories and eye candy
10:24and walked away with one of the year's best dramas.
10:27Forgive the pun, but it was magic.
10:30Oh, you don't want to know what I have to do for 20s.
10:32You know what, I don't.
10:33You know what, let's drink these and I'll show you what I do for 20s.
10:35No, that's, that's okay.
10:36Number 20.
10:37Game Night
10:37Any plans for this evening?
10:39Nope.
10:41Perhaps a game night?
10:43You're just gonna stay in, just the two of us.
10:45Mm-hmm.
10:45Boring.
10:46Mm.
10:47I see.
10:49Don't let the name fool you because this movie is not all fun and games.
10:53Sure, it starts out as a simple night of playing games between friends,
10:56but it soon ends up as a race against the clock to defeat some criminals and stop a kidnapping.
11:01Game Night has twists and turns, and it never lets up on the action or the laughs.
11:05No, I'm telling you, this is all real.
11:08The shitty actors are real?
11:09Come on.
11:09How about that ridiculous fight?
11:11Was that real?
11:11Is this gun real?
11:13Oh, oh, no, Annie.
11:14Oh, no, oh, no.
11:15Oh, no, no, no.
11:15Oh, no, no, no.
11:16Oh, no, no, no.
11:23It has problems with feeling generic and also flopping at the box office.
11:26Game Night, however, did not have any of those problems.
11:29It performed well at the box office and was a critical success, too.
11:33The film has an entertaining plot, impressive cast, and all-around fun vibes,
11:37which makes it a solid watch.
11:41Shit!
11:44Yes!
11:47Oh, no, he died!
11:48Number 19.
11:49The Other Guys.
11:50When the same old boring, muscle-headed action stars just aren't cutting it,
11:54you need the other guys.
11:55That's your big case?
11:57Scaffolding permits?
11:58Yeah.
12:00Guess what?
12:01You're coming with me.
12:03That's a wooden gun.
12:05Oh!
12:07That hurts, man!
12:09It's all about proving people wrong.
12:11In fact, the whole movie is just subverting expectations.
12:15It follows two desk jockeys who end up having to prove their mettle in a high-stakes investigation.
12:19The Other Guys challenges the conventional action-hero buddy-cop tropes
12:23and makes you laugh out loud while doing so.
12:26First off, I missed you.
12:29What's going on?
12:30Did you hear what I said?
12:32Fine.
12:32I kind of missed you, too.
12:35Mark Wahlberg's character is in trouble for shooting Derek Jeter.
12:39Will Ferrell's character is a neglectful husband to Ava Mendez.
12:43And Michael Keaton's character is just trying to provide for his bisexual son to become a DJ.
12:47There are so many entertaining bits that the moral of this story is don't count these guys out.
13:00Number 18.
13:02Aquaman.
13:03What do you want?
13:05I'll tell you what I want.
13:16For an embarrassingly long time, Aquaman was the butt of jokes.
13:21He was the king of the seas, but people only knew him as the guy who talked to fish.
13:32Even when we got glimpses of Jason Momoa as a badass Aquaman,
13:36fans still had reservations about if a solo movie could work.
13:39Thankfully, it did.
13:40I don't suppose you want to talk about this, do you?
13:47Neither do I.
13:48Actually, that's an understatement.
13:50James Wan's film made a huge splash, earning over a billion dollars at the box office.
13:55The movie pulled elements from the Peter, David, and Jeff Johns comics.
13:59And Wan's horror film background also translated well to the superhero.
14:02If you seek my power, you must prove your worth.
14:08Journey beyond the edge of the world to the hidden sea.
14:11Look inside the bottle for the charted path.
14:14Only in the hands of the true king.
14:17The director gave us amazing visuals and breathtaking action sequences.
14:21Who could have predicted that DC's highest grossing movie ever would be Aquaman?
14:25He's not a joke anymore.
14:28Do the gods make them their will?
14:45This movie's entire existence was an uphill battle.
14:48Due to poor marketing, most people assumed this was just a generic kids movie.
14:53But it's actually anything but.
14:54The animated film explores the origins of Optimus Prime and Megatron,
14:58and how they became the robots we know today.
15:06It's arguably one of the greatest Transformers movies out there.
15:10It doesn't pull its punches, dives into some very complex ideas,
15:14and shows us how Cybertron desperately needed to change.
15:17It also masterfully portrays the relationship between Optimus and Megatron,
15:21and how it fell apart.
15:23Besides Bumblebee, another hidden Transformers gem,
15:26nothing from this IP has come close to the critical acclaim that Transformers 1 received.
15:30There was definitely more than meets the eye with this movie.
15:34No! Go! Leave me!
15:35No! We do this together.
15:38One minor is now carrying the other!
15:40Number 16. 21 Jump Street.
15:43They put this on the internet for everybody to see.
15:45They're teenagers, man.
15:46They're really stupid.
15:47So you should blend right in.
15:49Once a serious drama on television,
15:52this franchise was rebooted and brought to the big screen for several movies.
15:55Except when the 21 Jump Street film made waves,
15:58it switched everything up and became a comedy.
16:01You look really old.
16:02Were you held back or something?
16:04No.
16:04You look super young.
16:06Were you held forward?
16:07It revolved around Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum,
16:10who play two rookie cops who go undercover as high schoolers.
16:13The laugh-out-loud action comedy lovingly poked fun
16:16at the inherently crazy premise of the original show.
16:19The dynamic directing duo of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
16:22delivered an insanely funny story that reinvigorated the entire IP.
16:41Rebooting old properties is difficult enough,
16:44so successfully swapping genres 2
16:46means that Lord and Miller deserve a ton of cred.
16:50Going back to school has never looked this hilarious.
16:53You either find the supplier,
16:54or I'ma jump your asses off Jump Street.
16:57I totally understand where you're coming from, sir,
16:59but look, I heard Eric talking on the phone yesterday
17:01with somebody that sounded very suspect
17:04about meeting up with a stuffed pinata.
17:07Is that a call for sex?
17:10No. 15, District 9.
17:13Lessing, how's it going, man?
17:15There's a shake.
17:15B-9 for you.
17:17I'm not saying what he did was right,
17:18but he took the choices that were given to him.
17:22This is Trent, from this way.
17:24Trent, Trent, from this way.
17:25This Academy Award-nominated movie
17:28revolves around aliens taking refuge on Earth
17:30and deals with the cultural and political fallout
17:33to come from it.
17:33It explores how humanity treats those different to them
17:36and uses the aliens to portray issues like discrimination.
17:40We're from MNU.
17:41We require your scroll on this eviction notification.
17:47What makes it so visually interesting, too,
17:50is the documentary style in which it was shot.
17:52Everything has a grimy look to it,
17:54which helps blur the lines.
17:56You also can't ignore the interesting behind-the-scenes details.
17:59District 9 was actually born from the ashes
18:01of a failed Halo movie that director Neil Blomkamp
18:04was originally going to do.
18:05So just to be clear,
18:06this is going to go back...
18:10This is going to...
18:11This is going to go back to a human like this.
18:14I can go home,
18:15and then you can go home.
18:17You can take your boy,
18:19you can take all the prawns,
18:20if I could get you that fluid, right?
18:23As a result,
18:24many of the old props and materials
18:26were essentially repurposed for this.
18:28District 9 set out to prove itself,
18:30and it absolutely achieved that.
18:32You can make it.
18:33I'm going to just...
18:34hold him off here,
18:36and I'll join you soon.
18:38Thank you, boy.
18:43And go home.
18:44You have to make it.
18:45Don't let me go through all of this and not make it.
18:47Number 14.
18:48Puss in Boots The Last Wish
18:50Okay, just get in and get out.
18:52Easy, busy.
18:53Very squeezy.
18:56The swashbuckling cat from the Shrek movies
18:58was entertaining,
18:59but did anybody really think
19:00Puss would get his own spin-off?
19:02And did anybody think his spin-off
19:03would get a sequel?
19:04Nevertheless,
19:05when Puss in Boots The Last Wish released,
19:07it took fans by storm.
19:10Run, Puss in Boots!
19:11Magnet!
19:13Go ahead.
19:14Run!
19:15Farring makes it more fun for me.
19:18It's about our favorite feline
19:20extending his lives
19:21while running from the literal embodiment of death.
19:23We see Puss in all sorts of epic action,
19:26but we also peel back the curtain
19:27and see a more vulnerable side.
19:29Last Wish gained praise
19:30for its depictions of anxiety,
19:32which not only made Puss more sympathetic,
19:34but also more relatable.
19:36You know,
19:37I've only ever had one life,
19:39but sharing it with you and Kitty
19:41has made it pretty special.
19:44Maybe
19:44one life
19:45is enough.
19:51This movie would have had fans regardless,
19:53but the way it dives into some pretty complex issues
19:56makes it another level of enjoyable.
19:58I know I can never defeat you, Lobo,
20:00but I will never stop fighting for this life.
20:06Number 13
20:07Pirates of the Caribbean
20:08The Curse of the Black Pearl
20:10What's your purpose in Port Royal,
20:13Mr. Smith?
20:14Yeah, and no lies.
20:15All right then.
20:16I confess.
20:18It is my intention to commandeer one of these ships,
20:20pick up a crew in Tortuga,
20:22raid, pillage, plunder,
20:23and otherwise pilfer my Weasley Black guts out.
20:25I said no lies!
20:27Speaking of swashbucklers,
20:29the very first Pirates of the Caribbean movie
20:31brought pirate mania everywhere in 2003.
20:34In Curse of the Black Pearl,
20:35we're introduced to the iconic Jack Sparrow,
20:37who embarks on a massive adventure
20:39and even battles the undead in the process.
20:42I hardly believe in ghost stories anymore, Captain Barbossa.
20:46I...
20:47That's exactly what I thought
20:49when we were first told the tale.
20:51Buried on an island of the dead,
20:53what cannot be found,
20:54except for those who know where it is.
20:56Though this franchise has experienced some turbulent waters,
21:00the first installment holds up pretty well.
21:02It delivers on some incredible thrills
21:04while still adhering to a PG-13 rating.
21:07This did not just bolster the popularity of Pirates, either.
21:10It also gave Johnny Depp his first-ever Academy Award nomination.
21:15They done what's right by them.
21:17Can't expect more than that.
21:20Regardless of how you feel about Depp,
21:22you cannot deny that this movie
21:23helped his career soar to new heights.
21:25This pirate movie ultimately found a treasure trove of success.
21:46Number 12. Tropic Thunder
21:57There's high-intensity war dramas,
21:59and then there's whatever the heck this is.
22:01When some actors who are filming a war movie
22:03accidentally trek into real danger,
22:05they get a taste of reality.
22:07Tropic Thunder has a pretty wild amount of talented stars
22:10who are crazily committed to the bit.
22:12Believe me, gentlemen, it will be glorious.
22:15If it looks real, chances are it probably is.
22:18Tom Cruise, Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey,
22:20and Robert Downey Jr. are just some of the big names here
22:23who play seriously larger-than-life characters.
22:26The movie is a belly-aching good time with plenty of action,
22:29while also poking fun at big-budget filmmaking.
22:31Recently, Speedman opened up to Tyra.
22:35You have no real family.
22:37You're on the wrong side of 40.
22:39You're childless and alone.
22:41Somebody close to you said,
22:43one more flop and it's over.
22:47These guys make being stuck in a war zone look like a fun time.
22:51Obviously it's not, but you get what we mean.
22:53Tropic Thunder is a must-watch comedy.
22:55You tell the world what happened here.
22:58What happened here?
23:00I don't know.
23:01You need to tell them.
23:04I got this.
23:06Talk!
23:08You take care of the boys.
23:10I'll deal with these guys.
23:13Number 11, Godzilla Minus One.
23:38Godzilla has always been a monumental figure, literally.
23:42But the cinematic titan had a new wave of popularity when Minus One came out.
23:46It turned the kaiju bad and told a deeply compelling tale about the human condition.
23:50As a result, it far exceeded all expectations.
24:19The limited theatrical release it had in the U.S. was extended numerous times.
24:23Plus, critics and fans could not praise the movie enough.
24:27The film also caught attention across the awards circuit.
24:30In fact, it broke barriers and won the Oscar for Best VFX.
24:34Did anybody expect that Minus One would turn the character into an Academy Award-winning IP?
25:02Probably not.
25:03So, the fact that it achieved what it has is a true testament to the quality of this movie.
25:17Number 10, Galaxy Quest.
25:19If you've ever wanted to see Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver in comedic roles, Galaxy Quest is the perfect pick.
25:25The film follows a whimsical premise where the actors of the fictional titular sci-fi show get zapped into the
25:31Galaxy Quest universe and must play their roles for real.
25:33Kill it.
25:34Kill it?
25:35So I'm open to any suggestions.
25:38Don't put the eyes like in episode 22!
25:40Before it hit theaters, Galaxy Quest might have had skeptics thinking it'd be a lazy sci-fi spoof destined for
25:46B-movie obscurity.
25:47Instead, the satirical comedy turned out to be a clever, heartwarming letter to Star Trek and sci-fi fandom in
25:53general.
25:53All right, time to see if you can't lose him in that minefield.
25:56In minefield?
25:57Pedal to metal, right and down.
25:58It balanced sharp humor with thrilling space action, making science fiction fans and casual viewers alike cheer.
26:04While it didn't break any box office records, it did become a cult favorite.
26:09You shall be avenged.
26:13Number 9, American Psycho.
26:15Before Mary Herron's satirical horror became a cult classic, often commended for its storytelling and thought-provoking themes, many didn't
26:22think it would work.
26:23Did you know I'm utterly insane?
26:24Uh, uh, great tan, Marcus. I mean, really impressive.
26:30This mostly stemmed from the fact that critics believed its source material was unfilmable.
26:34Even Brett Easton Ellis felt his controversial novel didn't need to be adapted to the big screen.
26:39I think if you stay, something bad will happen.
26:43However, Herron delivered a stylish, biting critique of the 1980s consumer culture that silenced the doubters.
26:49Her film ended up striking just the right balance between horror and satire.
26:53And Christian Bale?
26:54He didn't just play Patrick Bateman.
26:56He became him with that career-defining performance.
26:59And though I can hide my cold gaze, and you can shake my hand and feel flesh gripping yours,
27:04and maybe you can even sense our lifestyles are probably comparable.
27:09Some would even say he and the film deserved award recognition.
27:12Number 8.
27:13The Lego Movie
27:14This animated adventure had plenty of doubting Thomases before its release.
27:18Some fans expected an unoriginal, forgettable cash grab based on yet another franchise of toys.
27:23Back from the dead, Brikowski?
27:25After all, how could a movie about plastic blocks work?
27:28Well, turns out they were way off.
27:30The Lego Movie shocked many by being an imaginative and heartfelt motion picture.
27:34You don't have to be the bad guy.
27:41Packed with humor, goofy characters, and a subtly deep message about creativity and conformity,
27:47it captivated audiences of all ages.
27:49The stunning animation, intelligent storytelling, and even the catchy Everything is Awesome theme tune
27:54won the hearts of both critics and audiences.
27:57Oh my gosh, I love this song!
27:58Everything is awesome!
28:01Everything is cool and we're part of the team!
28:04Honestly, it's a fantastic movie that proves that even a film about toys can be truly special.
28:09Number 7.
28:10Ant-Man
28:10Following a down-on-his-luck thief who steals a suit that shrinks him down to the size of the
28:15titular insect,
28:16this Marvel superhero movie panned out way better than expected.
28:19The world sure seems different from down here, doesn't it, Scott?
28:23Compared to the MCU's earlier hits like Iron Man and Thor,
28:26this narrative about a hero who can talk to ants and hold his own in a fight might have seemed
28:30downright ridiculous.
28:31Like that perhaps Marvel was scraping the bottom of the barrel.
28:34You can do it, Scott. Come on.
28:40They're not listening to me.
28:41But against all odds, they pulled off a hit.
28:44Paul Rudd's charming performance, the clever humor and creative action sequences,
28:48like epic battles fought in toy train sets, won over many.
28:52Now where'd you go, little guy?
28:59There you are!
29:02Meanwhile, the film's delightful heist vibe gave it a fresh edge within the MCU,
29:06soon becoming a quirky fan favorite that spawned successful sequels.
29:10Number 6.
29:11Edge of Tomorrow
29:12The trailers of this sci-fi spectacle may have had many believing it was yet another bleak alien invasion flick.
29:18How many times have we been here?
29:26How many times?
29:27With Tom Cruise starring as a soldier battling extraterrestrial forces,
29:31some probably even assumed it would be a generic war narrative drenched in CGI chaos.
29:36But Edge of Tomorrow defied expectations.
29:39It emerged as this thrilling action flick with unanticipated moments of humor and a clever time loop concept,
29:44elevated by stellar performances.
29:46What are you doing?
29:48Find me when you wake up.
29:50Who could forget Emily Blunt as the ultimate full metal bee,
29:53or Cruise in a totally unexpected role as a cowardly public affairs guy?
29:57I'm sorry, the first wave at the beach, you mean the front?
30:01It was indeed a refreshing sight.
30:03Today, Edge of Tomorrow stands tall as one of the most inventive sci-fi films of its decade.
30:08Number 5.
30:09Deadpool
30:09Tim Miller's 2016 superhero film isn't like the others,
30:13and that's exactly why it stands out.
30:15It may not be the pinnacle of all comic book movies,
30:19but it certainly gave the fans and Ryan Reynolds what they wanted.
30:21Fourth wall break inside a fourth wall break.
30:24That's like 16 walls.
30:27After the Deadpool character was, should we say, ruined in X-Men Origins Wolverine,
30:32not too many people had high hopes for his own solo film.
30:34Yet diehard fans stayed loyal, and it paid off big time.
30:38Deadpool proved to be a witty, violent, and entertaining flick
30:41that gave the superhero genre a clever spin.
30:43Oh, hello. I know, right?
30:46Whose b****s did I have to fondle to get my very own movie?
30:50I can't tell you, but it does rhyme with Wolverine.
30:54Ryan Reynolds embodied the character as if he were born for the role.
30:58No wonder Deadpool ended up becoming a massive success,
31:00ranking as the ninth highest grossing film of the year.
31:03Deadpool.
31:09Captain Deadpool.
31:12No, just Deadpool, yeah.
31:15Number 4. John Wick.
31:17Chad Stahelski's action flick is a simple revenge story
31:20about an unstoppable hitman played by Keanu Reeves.
31:22At just 1 hour and 41 minutes, it's all thrills, no filler.
31:27Would you kill John Wick for $2 million?
31:29But before its release, some dismissed it as another rehash of tired action movie tropes,
31:35and Reeves' fame at the time was nowhere near where it had been in the 90s.
31:39The film's premise of a retired assassin avenging his dog sounded almost laughable.
31:43Turns out, though, that those non-believers couldn't have been more mistaken.
31:46It's okay.
31:49Let's go home.
31:58While it did take time before people realized it,
32:01John Wick was actually a sleek, heart-pounding action thriller
32:04with meticulously choreographed fight sequences.
32:06Reeves' commitment to the role and the intense stunt work made it unforgettable.
32:10It didn't even need a complex story to succeed.
32:13You, uh, working again?
32:14No, I'm just sorting some stuff out.
32:16What many may have initially written off eventually became a sleeper hit.
32:20It also went on to reignite Keanu's popularity
32:23and spawned several sequels and spinoffs.
32:26Number 3. Mad Max Fury Road
32:28George Miller conceived the idea for a fourth Mad Max film back in 1987,
32:32but it took almost three decades for it to get on cinema screens.
32:35Despite a series of issues delaying its arrival,
32:38when it finally came, the dystopian tale carved its name in history
32:41as one of the most electrifying action films ever made.
32:45So, um, where is this, this green place?
32:53It's a long night's run, heading east.
32:55With Tom Hardy as Max and Charlize Theron as Furiosa,
32:59Miller managed to bring back what made people love the original.
33:01Meanwhile, its acting, solid narrative with emotional moments,
33:05and refreshing twist on the action genre made the post-apocalyptic sequel unforgettable.
33:08Three times the gates were opened to me.
33:11What gates?
33:13I was awaited in Valhalla.
33:15They were calling my name.
33:16It's total chaos.
33:18Beautifully shot with awe-inspiring practical effects,
33:21it went on to become the highest-grossing Mad Max movie
33:23and won six Academy Awards, among other accolades.
33:27You know hope is a mistake.
33:36If you can't fix what's broken, you'll, um...
33:41you'll go insane.
33:42Number 2. Top Gun Maverick
33:44Greenlighting a sequel to an older classic is a tough call to make.
33:48There are always gonna be naysayers who think nothing can top the magic of the original.
33:52Yet Top Gun Maverick proved to be an exception.
33:54Thank you for saving my life.
33:57That's what my dad would've done.
33:59Right from its opening moments,
34:01it commands your attention and keeps you glued to your seat.
34:04Aside from the adrenaline-pumping action,
34:06the story has plenty of heart and nostalgic callbacks to the original.
34:09Must admit I wasn't expecting an invitation back.
34:12They're called orders, Maverick.
34:13Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, and Jennifer Connelly all brought their A-game,
34:17taking the movie to new heights.
34:19And let's not forget the dogfights.
34:20It's so real, they make you feel like you were in the cockpit yourself.
34:24You see me now?
34:26Come on, let's get it over with.
34:28Fight's on!
34:29Though some would even say Top Gun Maverick tops its predecessor,
34:33we're more keen to say that it certainly is worthy of it.
34:45Before we continue, check out this single from Sound Mojo's album current,
34:49EDM Transformed.
34:51Check out the full track and album below.
35:07Number 1, Iron Man
35:09Before Steve Rogers became Captain America,
35:12before Thor fought monsters on our screens,
35:14there was this genius billionaire playboy philanthropist in the high-tech suit.
35:17Is it better to be feared or respected?
35:20And I say,
35:22is it too much to ask for both?
35:23Yes, indeed, it was Iron Man that kick-started the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe,
35:28setting the stage for other legendary sagas of heroism,
35:31such as the surprisingly awesome Guardians of the Galaxy.
35:34Ah, yeah, Groove!
35:392008 was a different time,
35:41and banking on this superhero film to be a box office hit was a gamble.
35:44The MCU wasn't the powerhouse it is today,
35:47and Iron Man wasn't yet a household name,
35:49like Spider-Man or the X-Men.
35:51On top of that,
35:52Robert Downey Jr.'s casting was controversial due to his past troubles,
35:55and Jon Favreau wasn't known for directing blockbuster action flicks.
35:59Despite all that,
36:00Iron Man defied all expectations
36:02and launched the MCU into the cinematic phenomenon we know today.
36:06Truth is...
36:13I am Iron Man.
36:15Are there any surprisingly awesome movies we missed?
36:18Share your recommendations in the comments.
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