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From unexpected cameos to clever callbacks to the Hulk’s giant (we assume) manhood, Thor: Ragnarok has taken something we didn’t really want – a third Thor movie – and turned it into something we didn’t know we needed.
In theatres now, Thor: Ragnarok is one of the best-reviewed Marvel movies to date, and it’s easy to see why: it’s bright and colourful, it’s got great action and memorable characters and – most importantly – it’s really funny. Ragnarok isn’t a superhero movie with comedic elements so much as it’s a comedy about superheroes.
Under the guidance of New Zealand director Taika Waititi (What We Do in the Shadows, Eagle vs Shark), Thor: Ragnarok could be an important movie for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s one of the first Marvel movies that really seems to have its director’s voice (literally – Waititi plays the rock-skinned character Korg, an immediate fan favourite) rather than cleaving too closely to the formula. And while it references events from previous movies, continues the story from Avengers: Age of Ultron and sets in motion the events for Avengers: Infinity War, all of these things feel like an organic part of the story rather than boxes that need to be checked off.
That’s not to say we want every Marvel movie from now on to be a laugh riot – the next two films in the continuum, February’s Black Panther and May’s Avengers: Infinity War – will have plenty of high-stakes drama. But Thor: Ragnarok has really whetted our appetites for films that combine superheroic deeds with clever comedy. Until we go see it again, here are some of the funniest superhero flicks available for streaming or downloading right now.
Deadpool (2016)
Ryan Reynolds’ pet project might have sold Hollywood on R-rated superhero movies, but sprinkled among the brutal violence are tons of laugh-out-loud moments, as we’d expect from the Merc with the Mouth. It’ll be interesting to see if Reynolds and company can recapture this lightning in a bottle with the sequel, due in theatres in June.
Find it on: Netflix, iTunes, PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Marvel took a huge risk by bringing this not-exactly-mainstream group of oddball heroes to the big screen in a funny sci-fi adventure that had little to do with the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole. But wow, it really works. This year’s sequel wasn’t quite as satisfying, but it still had plenty of yuks.
Find it on: Netflix, iTunes, Google Play, PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Cineplex Store
The Incredibles (2004)
As we wait… and wait… and waaaaaait for the June release of The Incredibles 2, now is as good a time as any to revisit the original adventures of the Parr family. As with so many Pixar movies, The Incredibles has a lot of laughter, but also a lot of genuine heart.
Find it on: iTunes, PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Cineplex Store
The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
Maybe it’s because Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice was a bit of a muddled mess, but this Lego riff on Batman feels more like an authentic movie about the Caped Crusader than its most recent live-action counterpart. It’s frequently hilarious but also surprisingly faithful to the Batman mythos, with tons of villain and hero cameos.
Find it on: Microsoft Store, Cineplex Store
Super (2011)
As much as we liked Kick-Ass a year earlier, the best movie about a guy who decides to become a homegrown superhero (and ends up fighting alongside a foul-mouthed, homicidal female hero) is Super, directed by Guardians of the Galaxy’s James Gunn. Starring Rainn Wilson and Ellen Page, it’s a more subversively dark movie that Kick-Ass, but also a lot funnier.
Find it on: iTunes
Thor: Ragnarok 4D (2017)
We’ve never been quite so envious of a film audience as we are of the unsuspecting folks who turned up for an advance screening of Thor: Ragnarok and got treated to a taste of THE FUTURE OF CINEMA, as conceived by The Late Late Show with James Corden. But hey, at least we can watch it on YouTube, right?
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