Released: 1978

What makes it great: Now more than 30 years old, "Superman" was the first superhero blockbuster, and still stands as one of the very best of the genre. Between Christopher Reeve's iconic dual performance, one of the best on-screen heroic origin stories and a zippy pace, "Superman" proved that popular comics could be turned into successful big movies, although it took some time for subsequent heroes to make it to the multiplex. Some of the film's effects may look a little wonky to modern audiences (although others hold up well), the film's action, comedy and pathos make it a rousing, resonant cinematic treasure that will endure. 

-Dave Lewis