Superman (1978)

Richard Donner’s 1978 Superman is not only the first modern-day superhero blockbuster; it’s one of the few enduringly great superhero movies, and that’s due in large part to its ebullience. It’s just a fun, joyful movie, radiating classic comic-book enthusiasm and energy from start to finish. And Gene Hackman’s portrayal of Superman’s archnemesis Lex Luthor is an essential part of that. Here’s the key to Hackman’s version of Luthor: he really seems to be enjoying himself. He’s constantly delighted by his own evil ingenuity, explaining his nefarious schemes to Superman with obvious glee while Christopher Reeve, as the Man of Steel, looks on disapprovingly with that wholesome, Boy Scout stare of his. If anything, Hackman’s Luthor is only more fascinating today than ever, as so many of us feel the ways in which we’re at the mercy of oligarchs who view the world as their own personal plaything, something to be manipulated and destroyed for their gain, no matter the cost to millions of others. — Carolyn Petit

Where to stream it: Max