Here's the thing about Once Upon a Time: it started SO strong with such a cool concept from the creators of Lost. To that end, the format of each episode has similar constructions with a core character focus, frequent flashbacks to their fairytale pasts and how they connect to their present, as well as some really cool twists and ongoing mysteries (there's also a TON of Lost Easter eggs and references, and even actors who starred in both series). As a lover of Lost, this was initially a great replacement show, though it eventually fell apart with each new season. The problem was that my character investment got so deep that I had to keep watching even as the show gradually devolved.

Easily one of the best X-Men movies. The opportunity to see both the original cast and younger casts of X-Men in the same movie is exceptional. While of course DOFP has its plot holes and continuity errors Fox's X-Men universe is infamously known for, it's still a pretty creative and in-universe way to reboot the X-Men franchise with a new generation of actors by using one of the most beloved X-Men stories from the original comics.

The Wolverine has some of the coolest moments for Hugh Jackman's Logan. Primarily taking place in Japan, Wolverine's battle with the Yakuza on top of a bullet train is still one of my favorite superhero fight sequences of all time. While James Mangold rightfully gets a lot more credit for the masterpiece that was Logan, there's a lot to love from his first Wolverine movie as well, including Logan's struggle to let go of Jean Grey's death from The Last Stand.

One of my all-time favorite MCU movies. Winter Soldier takes great advantage of Steve Rogers' recent time displacement by having him operate in the modern world post-Avengers where the concepts of right and wrong have become far more ambiguous and compromised. This results in some incredible dynamics, especially following the movie's big reveal about SHIELD and Hydra. Winter Soldier definitely proved to Marvel Studios that playing with other genres (like a political/espionage thriller) can absolutely work in the MCU.

I truly believe Logan is one of the best comic book movies of all time. It doesn't rely on Easter eggs, major cameos, or a greater universe beyond its own existence. While all those have their place and can be exciting, it was truly refreshing and equally heartbreaking to simply see a beloved character in Hugh Jackman's Wolverine getting a final and deeply personal adventure after a long life of pain, rage, loss, and ultimately love at the very end of his story. (At the same time, was very happy with how Logan was integrated into DP&W as well).

Dial of Destiny is a prime example of "good but not great". Indy 5 does what it set out to do: to give Harrison Ford's Dr. Jones a nice ending that's fulfilling and happy. There are some dynamic action sequences, including the WWII flashback which opens the movie, though the villain could have been much better as well as the overall plot could have been a little more nuanced and dimensional. That said, Indy 5 is much better than Crystal Skull, which feels like a win in and of itself.

I've never understood why Age of Ultron gets such a bad rap. It's criminally underrated considering James Spader was the voice of Ultron, the Avengers were united and in their prime, amazing new heroes were introduced with Wanda, Pietro, and Vision, and there was even time for a Hulkbuster battle! The movie has some epic twists, and also serves as a key building block for the Infinity Saga's future. The only real problem was Ultron's apparent demise at the end, which felt like a massive waste of his potential.

I've still got a lot of love for The Force Awakens, even if it has somewhat been diminished in the light of the full sequel trilogy. Back in 2015, Force Awakens was full of exciting promise, and the movie itself is visually spectacular, particularly with the return of the Millennium Falcon which hadn't been seen on-screen in over 30 years. Harrison Ford's return and interactions with the new cast were perfect, as were the performances from Ridley, Boyega, and Isaac. It's just a shame that the sequels as a whole were executed so poorly, especially when The Force Awakens provided such a strong foundation.