With the release of Infinity War finally upon us, I take a look at my favorite movies of the vast Marvel Cinematic Universe. What are your all time favorite movies in the MCU?
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
In 2016 we witnessed the pinnacle of superhero mashups (until Infinity War) as Captain America: Civil saw the Avengers fighting amongst themselves in a story that rattled the foundations of the MCU from that point on. Pitting Captain America against Iron Man in a moral battle that split the avengers into two different teams, Civil War was as much a personal story as it was an action spectacle.
On top of the great story, the movie gives us the most insane action sequence we’ve seen yet with the famed airport scene between the Avengers. We also get the MCU introductions of legendary Marvel characters Black Panther and Spider-Man in the film, setting the stage for the future of Marvel franchise as a whole post-Infinity War.
Marvel’s The Avengers (2012)
The first team up of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brought together the characters we followed through out Phase One: Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye. Together, they stopped charismatic villain Loki as he led a Chitauri invasion on New York in search of the Tesseract (A.K.A. the space stone).
The film was a massive milestone for not only Marvel but the world of superhero movies in general. Director Joss Whedon excelled tremendously in blending these massive stars into one while still giving each character their rightful time in the spotlight. Don’t forget that it was also our first introduction to the Mad Titan…Thanos!
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
The sequel to Captain America: First Avenger, and also his first solo movie post-Avengers, Captain America’s story was a fast change from his first movie. No longer in the 1940’s, the character was now in modern times working for S.H.I.E.L.D. and dealing with his presumed dead friend Bucky Barnes, who has been transformed into a brainwashed assassin called The Winter Solder.
The story surrounding the friendship of Captain American and Bucky packs a heavy emotional punch to it that stands at the top of most Marvel movies. Anthony Mackie’s Falcon and Robert Redford’s Alexander Pierce are also welcome additions to the MCU lore. Last but not least the movie also provided a nice amount of time in the spotlight for Black Widow, who many were hoping for her own solo film after her performance in this film.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Taika Waititi gave the Thor solo franchise a much needed upgrade in style with the wildly stylish and hilarious Thor: Ragnarok. Taking aspects of what made Guardians of the Galaxy successful, the movie provided us with a colorful space adventure film that doubled as a buddy comedy between Thor and Hulk. Taking on the Goddess of Death and his sister, Hela, Thor assembles a team consisting of himself, Hulk, Loki, and show-stealing debut of Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie.
Thor: Ragnarok also did an amazing job using the Led Zeppelin classic “Immigrant Song” in two awesome action sequences. Jeff Goldblum brought the laughs as the Grandmaster, but it was Taika Waitit’s Korg who stole the hearts of fans as a giant rock being with a friendly New Zealand accent. These aspects combined for one of the MCU’s greatest adventures to date.
Black Panther (2018)
Earlier this year, Black Panther became a worldwide box office phenomenon when it drew over $1.3 billion, making it one of the top ten highest drawing movies of all time. Director Ryan Coogler was able to bring a cultural representation never seen in the MCU and rarely seen in film in general.
The film followed Prince T’Challa as he transitioned to the role of King of Wakanda after his father’s death in Captain America: Civil War. Challenged by his long lost cousin for the throne, T’Challa faced the demons of his family’s past while also fighting to secure the future of his family and his people. The film was carried by it’s emphasis on African culture and the incredible performances of Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan as T’Challa and Erik Killmonger respectively.
The following MCU movies are ranked as followed:
Guardians of the Galaxy
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Doctor Strange
Iron Man
Captain America: The First Avenger
Ant-Man
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Thor
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Iron Man 3
Thor: The Dark World
Incredible Hulk
Iron Man 2
