2. The Rocketeer (1991)
The Rocketeer is really the best they come in this retro-superhero sub-genre. Everything about it works, and it's a shame that it's a largely forgotten film. And remember what I said about Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow being one of the few films to got the template of the 1930's movie serials correct? The Rocketeer surpasses that in so many ways. For starters, the film knows exactly what it wants to be and it achieves it. And on top of that, it never loses its sense of fun. It maintains a perfect balance with its story, and is never too corny or too serious for it's own good. Part of why it works so well is that it actually uses its time period to its advantage. Sure, the idea of a guy strapping a rocket-pack to his back is a bit far-fetched and anachronistic, especially for 1938. But the fact that the rocket was invented by Howard Hughes actually make sense and somewhat grounds it in reality. Also, the main villain plot involving the Nazis and their plans to use the rocket to take over the world is totally something that isn't that far-fetched (they are Nazis, of course). The cast is great all around, especially Bill Campbell as Cliff Secord/The Rocketeer. Shame he never really became a Hollywood leading man after this movie. Alan Arkin is fun as Cliff's mentor Peavey, and it's nice to see Jennifer Connelly in one of her first roles as Cliff's girlfriend Jenny. The best by far though is Timothy Dalton as an Eroll Flynn type actor who ends up being the movie's villain. There's not much else I can say about The Rocketeer, except that it's pure fun from beginning to end. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. If you have and maybe it's been a while, pick up a copy and re-experience it.