Iron Man
The Incredible Hulk
Alright, I gotta be honest here, I didn't own The Incredible Hulk until I purchased it for this movie marathon. It's... fine. Not really one I have much desire to come back to again and again. I hadn't actually seen this one all the way through until a few years ago. Edward Norton give a solid performance as Bruce Banner, but I definitely like Mark Ruffalo's take on the character better.
Iron Man 2
This one always seems to get a bad rap but I think it's better than most give it credit for. Sure the S.H.I.E.L.D. stuff is kind of slapped in there and this is probably Black Widow's worst showing, but there's still plenty of fun to be had in here. The suitcase Iron Man suit has always been one of my favorite versions of the armor. Also I love how the Stark Expo channels the 1964 World's Fair. (They even got Disney Legend Richard Sherman who wrote music for the fair to do music for this movie!)
Thor
Chris Hemsworth's eyebrows have seen better days. It's funny to go back and watch this one afterwards to see how Thor's look has evolved. The wig and bleached eyebrows were thankfully removed from future appearances. I do have to say that I love the dynamic between Thor and Lady Sif and the Warriors Three here. They had such a fun friendship in this film that you don't really see as much in the other Thor films.
Captain America: The First Avenger
This was the first MCU film I ever saw so it will always be very special to me. I think that this is one the MCU's most underrated gems. People always label this as the worst of the Cap trilogy (and to be fair, the other films are spectacular) but I think it deserves more love. The World War II atmosphere is really fun and different for the MCU and little Cap's special effects are really well done. This film also has a great supporting cast as well, with Hayley Atwell's Peggy Carter being a major standout. (The Agent Cater TV series was fantastic and deserves more seasons!) Alan Silvestri's score for this film is also one of my favorites in the MCU. (Plus, another Disney Legend, Alan Menken, wrote a song for this film!)
The Avengers
A landmark film for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and probably movies as a whole as well. This one was my favorite of the bunch for a long time. The thing that this movie does so well is the interactions. Seeing how the different Avengers talk to each other, argue, and work together is what makes this movie for me. Not to mention Tom Hiddleston's Loki in one of his best MCU appearances and the tease of Thanos as well! Additionally this film has one of the best scores from a Marvel Studios film and the main theme is always gets me hyped up. This film is an absolute treat from start to finish. Anyone want some shawarma?
Iron Man 3
Another one that I think deserves more love than it gets. A nice ending to the Iron Man trilogy and a film that really sees Tony grow as a person. Also I know there's some controversy about the Mandarin twist at the end, but it never really bothered me and Ben Kingsley is great in the role. I also love all the different suits of armor at the end. A good time for sure.
Thor: The Dark World
Well, Thor: The Dark World certainly did happen. It's fine but if there ever was a paint by numbers Marvel film this is it. Avengers reference? Check. Villain who we'll never see again? Check. Infinity Stone? Check. That being said, there's still some fun stuff in here like Loki as Captain America. This is also the first movie where they stopped using a wig for Thor and switched to hair extensions and it's a big improvement.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
This is a popular pick among many for favorite MCU movie and it's easy to see why. This film feels very different from its predecessor but it really works. It's fast paced and exiting. Having Nick Fury and Black Window in this film was such a great film. Not to mention the best twist in the MCU. There was a very strong "you gotta see it" feeling around this one and with very good reason. A real game charger for the MCU and one of its best.
Guardians of the Galaxy
It says a lot about the folks at Marvel Studios that they could take such bizarre source material and make it into a massive success. This could so easily have been a train wreck but they pulled it off so well. Also a fun hometown connection with this one as director James Gunn is not only from St. Louis but also went to St. Louis University High School like me. (So did his brother Sean who also went to DePaul University like me as well!) What else can you say except: I am Groot!
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Avengers: Age of Ultron is a fine film but I always feel like it just a stepping stone to something bigger. At this point, it was very clear that Thanos was on the horizon and this film very much felt like it was just laying the foundation for what's to come. Not to say that it doesn't have its moments. The scene of everyone trying to lift Thor's hammer is wonderful and as far as killer robots go, Ultron's pretty fun as well. Additionally, Hulkbuster scene is excellent. Also nice to learn more about Hawkeye. It's the weakest Avengers film but that doesn't mean it's bad.
Ant-Man
I think Ant-Man is one of the MCU's more underrated heroes. Paul Rudd is always a treat to watch in the role. This is another film with a great supporting cast of characters who are often just as fun to spend time with as the main character. The scenes where Scott is just trying to be a good dad are really sweet. Also one of the best finales in the MCU with the tiny battle.
Captain America: Civil War
One of the MCU's best. After having spent years with these characters, it's exciting to see them duke it out against one another. The battle here is both physical and ideological as Steve and Tony quarrel over accountability and regulation. I really like that the problems that the heroes face here feel very real and you can understand why each character believes what they do and see their side of things. Not to mention the new characters introduced here. Black Panther jumps onto the scene here an instantly sets himself up as someone exciting. But the real story here is Spider-Man. The fact that Marvel Studios and rival Sony Pictures were able to cut a deal that makes for better movies all around is huge and benefits us as an audience more than anyone. I'll talk about it more in my Spider-Man: Homecoming review, but I love Tom Holland's Peter Parker. Such a great film.
Doctor Strange
Another solid origin story. Benedict Cumberbatch is a great pick for the title role. I really appreciate how well he plays all the different aspects of Strange, from his arrogance as a doctor, to a desperate man after the accident, to a budding sorcerer. This film also deserves mention for introducing the current Marvel Studios logo. It's a nice evolution from the previous logo and always gets me hyped up for the film to follow.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
I'll never forget the little burst of excitement I felt when the word "Missouri" appears on screen at the beginning of this film. I guess if you're from New York or California this sort of thing is pretty common place, but those of us here in Missouri don't usually get to see films with scenes set in our own state, much less big blockbuster films. And even though director James Gunn had confirmed that Peter Quill hailed from St. Charles, MO before this film came out, it was still great to see it on screen. Beyond that, Vol. 2 is a great film. Everything is done so well here. Kurt Russell is especially fun as Ego and Yondu's story is really touching. I think most people like Vol 1. better than this one, but I think Vol. 2 is my favorite of the pair. Really looking forward to seeing what James Gunn does with Vol. 3.
Spider-Man: Homecoming
This is easily my favorite Spider-Man film. A lot of that has to do with the fact that this film has my favorite Spider-Man. Tom Holland perfectly nails every aspect of Spider-Man. He nails both the neediness of Peter Parker and the fun quippy hero of Spider-Man. Also, he's actually a teenager! Ignoring the fact that the pervious Spider-Men didn't really look like teens, their high schools never felt real and they never really acted like teenagers much. The high school in this film feels real. From the school TV to the way that the kids act, it feels authentic. Even beyond all this, the film manages to take a goofy villain like the Vulture and turn him into a real scary character. The twist that they throw in for him is brilliant as well. It makes me so happy that they got this character so right on the massive stage that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Thor Ragnarok
Ragnarok completely reinvents what a Thor film is and in doing so becomes the best one. Hiring Taika Watiti and turning this film into a full on comedy was a brilliant move on Marvel Studios's part. This is another film with an excellent supporting cast. Hulk, Valkyrie, Korg, Miek, Grandmaster, Dr. Strange, and Loki are all so much fun. Every scene is a treat. Even with all the comedy, the film manages to throw in some serious stuff as well and does so really well. When this film was announced I was not super excited for it and now it's one of my favorites in the MCU. I only hope Taika Watiti returns to a directors chair in the MCU soon.
Black Panther
You can't talk about Black Panther without talking about what a cultural icon it became. This film really connected with audiences in a big way. It also became the first MCU film to win an Oscar and be nominated for Best Picture. And yeah, it's great. Wakanda is such an exciting, wondrous place and learning more about it as the film goes on is a lot of fun. Additionally, this is yet another film with a great supporting cast who are just as great to watch as T'Challa himself. The soundtrack here is also excellent (It did win an Oscar after all.) and I love all the drums used here. It always reminds me of Adventureland in the Disney Parks. This one is going to be talked about for years to come.
Avengers: Infinity War
With how long Infinity War has been hyped up, you'd have to wonder if it would be able to live up to the lofty expectations that had been set. And yet Avengers: Infinity War delivers 100%. Thanos arrives and is a gargantuan threat. Everyone is there. The stakes have never been higher. One of my favorite things about The Avengers is seeing all the characters interact and meet each other and this film delivers on that as well. The team ups here are perfect and no one feels misplaced. Also, one of the best scores in the MCU that really brings the drama, emotion, and thrill. And that ending... I was never completely sure if Marvel Studios would have the guts to pull it off, but they did. The atmosphere in the final scenes is so perfect and so haunting. I think that this and Endgame are jointly tied for my #1 Marvel film.
Ant-Man and the Wasp
This is another film that I think I might like more than the original. It takes the premise and goes further with it. Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly are great together and bring a lot of fun to the movie. The car chase sequence is a real blast and makes such great use of the shrining mechanic. This was a nice palette cleanser after Infinity War and does a nice job of tying into that film at the end as well as preparing for the next one.
Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel is a fun throwback to the early days of the MCU and a reminder of just how far we've come with Avengers: Endgame on the horizon. Brie Larson is great as Carol Danvers is a lot of fun to watch. The de-aging work done on Samual L. Jackson is incredible, in both quality and duration. It's also great to see Agent Coulson back on the big screen after so many years. Including the Skrulls was also really fun and I hope we see more of them in the MCU's future. And of course, Goose is a lot of fun as well. The 90s atmosphere and jokes are really well done and give this film a unique feel. I'm looking forward to seeing where Captain Marvel goes next.
Avengers: Endgame
It's hard to think of a better way to conclude this chapter of the MCU than Avengers: Endgame. It places all our heroes in their toughest challenge yet and delivers on providing an all encompassing finale. Something that really surprised me was how different this film was willing to go. Things are really shaken up and this film continuously did thinks I wasn't expecting. I won't dare spoil it here, but this film's finale is the MCU's best, delivering an epic and perfectly handled conclusion. Watching this for the first time, I flailed about in excitement at each big scene, cameo, and reveal. As mentioned earlier, this one's tied for my #1 spot. See it on the biggest screen you can.
And that's all of them! The MCU's been one crazy ride and as we stand on the verge of a largely unknown future, I can't help but wonder what things will be like when the next chapter wraps up. If it's anything like we've seen so far, it should be one entertaining ride.
