5. Men In Black (1997)
Columbia PicturesAlthough the publication rights are now owned by Marvel, Lowell Cunningham's three-issue series was originally released by Aircel Comics with the second series via Malibu Comics. The feature-length adaptation borrowed very little from the source material outside of the central premise, but in the hands of director Barry Sonnenfeld Men in Black became a smart, funny and action-packed sci-fi blockbuster. Any buddy movie lives and dies by its central pairing, and the mismatched duo of Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith became one of the greatest pairings the genre had ever seen; the two generate a sparkling chemistry and the interplay between the deadpan veteran and the charismatic rookie provide many of the movie's best moments. The plot is a little thin and ultimately rather perfunctory but the imaginative set pieces, a game supporting cast, witty script and Rick Baker's Academy Award-winning practical effects overcome these minor problems to deliver big-budget entertainment in its most purely enjoyable form. Not to mention the infuriatingly catchy theme song...