Marvel Studios: The First Ten Years (All 20 Films Ranked)

After ten years and twenty films, I figured now would be a great time to re-evaluate my ranking of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Just keep in mind that this list is totally subjective and you're liable to disagree with a vast majority of it. In fact, I would be surprised to learn that anyone out there has this exact list because every Marvel movie registers differently with all of us. Anyways, I marathoned all the films back in April to prepare for Infinity War, so this is a fairly accurate ranking as to how I feel at this point in time. Of course, everything's subject to change over time though.

Marvel Studios: The First Ten Years (All 20 Films Ranked)

20. The Incredible Hulk

If I'm being honest, I legitimately hate almost everything about this movie. Excluding a few action sequences, it's a total snooze-fest devoid of personality that even Marvel Studios has tried to put it behind them. 

19. Thor

Thor is a perfectly fine film, but it's at the bottom of this list because I find it woefully generic compared to everything else Marvel's made. Asgard looks cool, it has some instances of exciting action, and Hemsworth and Hiddleston are incredibly well-cast, but the scenes in New Mexico aren't nearly as charming as the filmmakers thought they were.

18. Thor: The Dark World

Thor: The Dark World is probably one of the most forgettable entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, the second act does enough to redeem the rest of it in my eyes. Frigga's funeral scene is simply astounding and there's an excellent rapport between Thor and Loki. To me, that alone makes it better than most give it credit for. 

17. Iron Man 2

Iron Man 2 is an interesting entry to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. On one hand, I rewatched it to discover some surprisingly clever dialogue and plenty of thrilling action sequences. Downey's great in the role of Tony Stark as always, Don Cheadle's an improvement over Terrence Howard, and it includes an awesome introduction to the characters of Black Widow. Also, Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer is amazing. On the other hand, it became so concerned with setting up Marvel's future that the story quirky loses focus and spirals out of control. 

16. Avengers: Age of Ultron

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. There was a time when Avengers: Age of Ultron was my favorite Marvel movie. It's remarkable how a few rewatches can completely change one's perspective though... While the spectacle is quite something, Age of Ultron fell prey to the dreaded sequelitis and is ultimately overstuffed. There's plenty to admire and appreciate in it, but there's just way too much going on for any of it to come across as meaningful...

15. Thor: Ragnarok

I've warmed up to Thor: Ragnarok significantly since first seeing it last November. It's certainly enjoyable, but Taika Waititi's approach often enabled humor to compromise the severity of Thor's situation and the tonal shifts can be quite jarring as a result. I probably would like Ragnarok a little more if it hadn't turned everything into a joke. 

14. Iron Man

Iron Man was the one that started it all. While that's certainly commendable, I think the film gets a lot of credit solely on behalf of launching the Marvel Cinematic Universe as opposed to being judged of its own merits. At its core, it tells Tony Stark's origin story and it tells that origin really well. I still quite enjoy the sequences of him constructing the suit and then the sequence depicted above is the epitome of awesome. Robert Downey Jr. is perfectly cast and exudes Stark's persona from the second he comes onscreen. However, the third act is fairly weak in comparison to the rest of the film and it's the Marvel movie that started the onslaught of disposable antagonists.

13. Iron Man 3

Iron Man 3 is a Marvel film that I feel is often overlooked. I love the energy that Shane Black brought to the franchise and personally consider it the best of the Iron Man trilogy based on how it tests the character of Tony Stark. I especially like how it dared to depict a Marvel character with anxiety and PTSD after the events of The Avengers.

12. Guardians of the Galaxy

I've never quite liked Guardians of the Galaxy as much as everyone else. That's not to say I dislike it, but it's never really been my favorite Marvel film so to speak. It sure is a blast, but I think some of its attributes are admittedly flawed. Namely, Ronan the Accuser is a one-note villain and some characters are under-written.

11. Ant-Man

Ant-Man is still one of Marvel's funniest films in my eyes. The scale, stakes, and scope of the story are all appropriately small, but Ant-Man doesn't ever let that get in the way of its big heart!

10. Ant-Man and the Wasp

Ant-Man and the Wasp is probably the closest we'll ever get to watching a live-action Saturday morning cartoon, and the hilarious ANT-ics never let up so it's fun from start-to-finish. It's probably the most light-hearted entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but that doesn't ever get in the way of telling a story with emotional weight as well. 

9. Doctor Strange

The visuals and action in Doctor Strange are absolutely out-of-this world, but the origin story at its center remained remarkably grounded even as it brought magic into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

 

8. Captain America: The First Avenger

Captain America: The First Avenger is downright charming. As a period piece, it lent so much surprising humanity and depth to the character of Steve Rogers that he became my favorite Marvel character as a result. I also appreciate how it's a throwback to the '40s WW2 era and that it has one of the very best onscreen relationships in the Marvel Cinematic Universe between Steve and Peggy Carter. Just as Captain America socked Adolf on the jaw in this film, The First Avenger packs a punch as one of Marvel's most thrilling and emotional works to date.

 

7. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

I'm not sure whether this is controversial or not, but I vastly prefer Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 over the original. It's a Marvel entry that expands on its characters in fresh, unique ways while providing plenty of fun action, humor, and heart that audiences have come to love. It also has some of the hardest-hitting emotional beats in the Marvel filmography, as I can hardly watch the end without welling up... Bravo James Gunn. Bravo, indeed.

 

6. Spider-Man: Homecoming

Spider-Man: Homecoming is the first Spider-Man film that captured the essence of the friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man. He's just a guy trying to do right by his community, and I think Homecoming portrays that perfectly. It's not overly-ambitious in regards to its action or storytelling, and I love how it furthers Peter Parker as a character.

 

5. Black Panther

Black Panther is a comic-book movie that managed to transcend the genre and be more than just another comic-book movie. Beyond its cultural significance, it managed to have a meaningful political message against isolationism and in favor of helping those you're able to if you have the means and resources to do so. It's also one of the franchise's most visually-striking films with an exceptional original score, and its ensemble of characters are among Marvel's very best. 

 

4. The Avengers

I'd daresay The Avengers is irrefutably a defining blockbuster for my generation. It exploded onto the pop-culture scene because it's epic, action-packed, and full of humor and heart. It's been six years, and I still get giddy staring at the above iconic group shot. Few frames have that effect on an individual. Much less the whole globe. 

 

3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

The Russo Bros can really do no wrong considering my top three Marvel films are all directed by them. Captain America: The Winter Soldier succeeds as a sequel in ways most franchises dream of. It's tense, action-packed, and even emotionally-charged while furthering the character's journey in a unique, interesting way. 

 

2. Captain America: Civil War

Captain America: Civil War has so much going for it in my book. It contains some of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's greatest action sequences, naturally introduced the characters of Spider-Man and Black Panther, and topped it all off with a dynamite finale. Then, the lasting stakes and consequences of this conflict only make it stronger in my eyes. 

 

1. Avengers: Infinity War

Avengers: Infinity War is my favorite Marvel movie, no question about it. It was the cinematic culmination of ten years of storytelling and I felt it paid off in every way imaginable. I've seen it five times now and I always find something new to appreciate with each and every viewing. To put it simply, it's epic in every sense of the word.

Recollection Reflection Review: 'Ant-Man'

In lieu of Ant-Man and the Wasp releasing this weekend, I felt now was the opportune time to size up the original. If you're unfamiliar to this format of review, I call it a Recollection Reflection Review (or Triple-R Review for short) and it essentially enables me to re-review a film. The idea behind it is that it's a unique format to demonstrates how I've grown as a writer and reviewer in the time since the original review. I begin with the "Recollection" which is just a link to my older review, then do a "Reflection" where I briefly talk about the circumstances surrounding my original opinion and whether that's changed or not, and top it off with an updated "Review."

As for upcoming content, I'll be sharing my updated ranking of the Marvel films once I've seen Ant-Man and the Wasp and will be recapping my favorite and least favorite films of the year so far in a separate post since we recently passed the midway point of 2018. However, there are still a few films I missed out on that I'd like to see before sharing that list. In regards to July reviews, look forward to Throwback Thursday Reviews of Mission: Impossible III, The Equalizer, and Mamma Mia!, Triple-R Reviews for Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, and Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, and reviews of new releases Ant-Man and the Wasp, Skyscraper, The Equalizer 2, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, and Teen Titans Go! To The Movies.

'Ant-Man' Review

Recollection- Ant-Man Review

Reflection- As is the case with nearly every Marvel movie these days, I can recall being quite excited to see Ant-Man when it was being released. My step-sister was working in a cinema at the time (something I wound up doing later on), so I got to watch the film one night earlier than the Thursday night premiere. I hadn't really attended many advance screenings at the time, so that was a really neat experience for me and I was appreciative of the opportunity. Anyways, I thoroughly enjoyed the film then and still do to they very day. It was a refreshing change of pace after another end-of-the-world scenario in Avengers: Age of Ultron and remains to be one of my favorite Marvel origin films.

Review- Ant-Man shrinks down alongside master cat burglar Scott Lang as he's released from prison. Down on his luck and hopeful to see his daughter again, Lang is recruited by Dr. Hank Pym and offered a chance at redemption. Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor plan and pull off a heist that will save the world. 

Ant-Man was infamously one of Marvel's most troubled productions behind the scenes. Visionary director Edgar Wright had put in years of work intricately planning things out in the pre-production phase before suddenly departing on the basis of creative differences with the studio in early 2014. While Wright's influence over the size-changing superhero can certainly be felt in the visual language of the action sequences and barebone plot structure, it ultimately all wound up under Peyton Reed's jurisdiction. Reed stepped in to steer the ship as an experienced comedy director while star Paul Rudd and comedy writer Adam McKay were enlisted to do some rewrites on the version of the script written by Wright and Joe Cornish. In the end, all four writers wound up being credited in varying capacities. 

Though it's a shame we'll never know what Wright's version of the film truly would have been, I'm glad it paved the way for Wright to make Baby Driver a few years later and am more than satisfied with this take on the tiny hero. Reed's sensibilities as a comedic director serve him well here, even if the film's not quite as stylized as it could be. Ultimately, it's difficult to fault Reed for that though as he was recruited very late in the game and had to shoot mere months later. 

In spite of a drab aesthetic, Ant-Man remains a fun, pulpy adventure thanks to its inventive action sequences which take full advantage of the shrinking gimmick. Reed really makes the most of the concept and wields it well as both a comedic device and a means to up the intensity of some largely low-stakes fights. The visual effects and miniatures used are actually quite extraordinary in regards to providing a believable sense of scale amidst all the action, as I wasn't ever taken out of the experience by any effects which traversed the uncanny valley. This was especially important for the film's use of computer generated de-aging that's shown up in many Marvel films since 2015. 

Speaking of the grander Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ant-Man effectively clings on by incorporating the trademark references and cameos viewers have come to expect. In particular, I quite enjoy the fight against Falcon and how that bridges the gap for Ant-Man to later appear in Captain America: Civil War. However, Ant-Man is also able to effectively carve out its own self-contained corner of the MCU. That plays into Ant-Man's favor though, because as the MCU grew, so did the stakes of each subsequent film. Therefore, it was remarkably refreshing for Ant-Man to scale things down again so the audience could see a superhero story where the fate of the world wasn't at stake.

Ant-Man is also unique in championing the heist genre as a sub-genre like many other Marvel franchises have done (ie. Captain America: The Winter Soldier = political thriller, Guardians of the Galaxy = space opera, etc). It's a tactic that Marvel's cleverly employed over the course of ten years so their varying franchises can each flourish in a marketplace that's becoming increasingly more crowded by other comic-book movie franchises. Christophe Beck implements that line of thinking into his score to create a theme that's pulpy and well-suited for any heist situation. While the score overall is kind-of uninspired in the sense that it mostly reiterates that same theme with generic music filling the gaps, I do really like the sound he discovered for the main Ant-Man theme itself. 

Anther way Ant-Man differentiates it from the other superhero-fare is by focusing on the father-daughter relationships between Scott and Cassie Lang and subsequently Hank Pym and Hope van Dyne. That focus on family is wildly different from anything else Marvel's made because hardly any other superheroes in their arsenal are also parents. Hawkeye's probably the only other example that comes to mind, but that was never a defining trait of who he was as a character in the way it's imperative to Lang's identity. The conflict of Scott grappling with doing what's best for his daughter and avoiding a life of crime is a compelling one, and it works because of the relationship between those characters. Then, conversely, Hank is doing what he can to protect Hope which only acts to push her away from him. 

The key component to all I just mentioned is undoubtedly the performances. Paul Rudd was well-cast as Lang because he's the first Marvel superhero who's an everyman, and Rudd encapsulates that perfectly. When you look at Rudd, superhero probably wouldn't be the first thing to come to mind and I feel like that's exactly the kind of quality you'd want to see in an Ant-Man. It also helps that Rudd's a funny guy with great comedic timing for all the Marvel quips he's expected to deliver. Rudd even brings an extra layer of humanity to the character in his connection with Cassie. Rudd and Abby Ryder Forston have a sweet rapport which in-turn makes for a convincing parent-child relationship.

Meanwhile, Hank and Hope have a cold, antagonistic relationship that mellows out over the course of the film as the characters come to terms with their situation. Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lily play that to a tee, so you're able to buy into both sides of their dynamic along the way. Additionally, Douglas plays mentor to Rudd while Lily's a love interest of sorts. Both actors handle those accompanying personality traits quite well and the film benefits as a result.

If there's one stand-out from the first Ant-Man though, it's undoubtedly Michael Peña as Luis. Peña has perfect comedic timing and listening to Luis recap events is an absolute delight that I hope to see carried over to the sequel. Filling out the remainder of the supporting cast, T.I., David Dastmalchian, Bobby Cannavale, and Judy Greer each serve their purpose and get a chance to flex their comedic side a bit even if they're are ultimately background players.

Last up, Corey Stoll as Darren Cross is the common corporate baddie we've come to expect. While Yellow Jacket occasionally can be framed as quite intimidating, the character himself is severely lacking. Stoll plays the part well, but is ultimately underserved by the script and falls to the wayside as another disposable antagonist from Marvel.

To size things up, three years have passed and Ant-Man remains one of Marvel's most under-appreciated efforts. The scale, stakes, and scope are all appropriately small, but Ant-Man doesn't let that get in the way of its big heart!

Film Assessment: B+

'Avengers: Infinity War' Official Trailer Analysis

Well, well, well... We finally have that long awaited Avengers: Infinity War trailer, so I figured it might be fun to do a breakdown of the trailer with my own thoughts as to what's going down. I'm currently home sick with Strep Throat after taking my final exam of the semester earlier today, so I figured I may as well take a crack at it. I currently haven't decided if I'm going to make this a regular thing on my blog or simply reserve it for bigger blockbusters yet, but the latter is most likely. Anyways, this will be very similar to my 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' Trailer Analysis where I will go through the trailer frame by frame, detailing my commentary along the way.  

**Keep in mind that these are just my theories and interpretation of the scenery. I could be way off mark in regards to speculation, but provided I'm correct, potential spoilers lie ahead.**

'Avengers: Infinity War' Official Trailer Analysis

The trailer opens with a shot of a planet... Now, before I go any further, I want to take a stab at guessing what the planet may be. I'm presuming it's not Earth based on the orange hue, but the state of Earth's appearance is completely in the air after Thanos and his armies have come through...

What I believe to be the more probable outcome is that it's Xandar, the capital of the Nova Empire and the location of the Nova Core's Headquarters. Xandar is the planet seen in the first Guardians of the Galaxy, and as you can see above, the light reflects off Xandar with a brighter, orangish hue similar to the mysterious planet. Another reason that I believe the planet is Xandar is because it makes a lot of sense that Thanos would be headed to Xandar to retrieve the Power Stone that was left under the protection of the Nova Core at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy, and we know he gets his hands on that stone based on later evidence. 

Next, we have a very distraught-looking Tony Stark as there's voice-over from Nick Fury reciting the beginning of his Avengers Initiative speech from The Avengers, saying "There was an idea..." before a slow piano rendition of Alan Silvestri's Avengers Theme creeps in. On that note, I LOVED the use of Silvestri's theme in this trailer because it gave my chills due to its combination of eeriness and epicness. Tony seems to be holding onto someone's hand, so presumably he's very torn up over someone's death or severe injury. My best guess would be that that's Spider-Man in his new Iron Spider suit due to the glove. Another possibility is that he's simply overwhelmed by the fact his premonitions are becoming a reality, as we've seen his PTSD in Iron Man 3 and Avengers: Age Of Ultron.

The speech is then carried on by different members of the team quoting lines from the speech. Stark chips in first, saying "to bring together a group of remarkable people" as an un-Hulked Bruce Banner lies in what appears to be the ruins of the Sanctum Sanctorum while Doctor Strange and Wong gaze upon him. 

One interesting thing to note is how this called to mind a similar moment from The Avengers where Bruce was chatting with a security guard played by Harry Dean Stanton after falling from a Helicarrier. 

The moment also appears to be homaging a story-beat from the Infinity Gauntlet comic where Silver Surfer falls into the Sanctum to warn Strange about Thanos and his intentions to assemble the Infinity Gauntlet. I suspect Banner will be serving a similar purpose considering we last saw him onboard a ship with Asgardians at the end of Thor: Ragnarok as Thanos' ship loomed overhead in one of the post credit scenes.

The baton is then passed to Vision, who says "to see if we could become something more..." as we see him and Wanda in some room together. The most interesting thing to take away from this, aside from seeing a progression of their burgeoning romance, is that Vision appears very humanlike. My best guess is that he is projecting this appearance to go incognito or perhaps to appeal to Wanda (Scarlet Witch) or she is using her powers to project the appearance. Another possibility is that this is what happens to him once the Mind Gem is removed from his forehead (as the trailer later prominently displays) because there's a glow coming from that spot on his head.

Then we see Thor, who recites a portion of the next phrase "so when they needed us, we could fight the battles..." He's clearly inside some spaceship, and my best guess is that it's the Guardians of the Galaxy's Milano based on the trailers conclusion. It's also possible that this is that ship that all the Asgardians escaped on, but I find that far less likely, because I presume we're going to see that one blown to smithereens in the opening.

Natasha (Black Widow) then concludes the statement with "that they never could" as we see what I'm presuming is her and Banner's first reunion since Age of Ultron. Banner curiously seems to be toying with the arm of the Hulkbuster suit, and we get a glimpse of the updated armor later on. Oh, and Natasha has blonde hair now. I'm guessing this is because she went incognito along with all of Team Cap at the end of Captain America: Civil War, but there seems to be this odd occurrence with her hair changing between like every Marvel movie she appears in.

**The Silvestri score booms as we're treated to the more recent Marvel Studios opening logo**

The trailer transitions to an establishing shot of New York, followed by a shot inside the Sanctum Santorum. Wong and Strange appear to have phoned over Stark to come dress and pick up his science bro before they gaze up at something occurring in the New York skyline. Most curiously, you can see something glowing in Tony's hand... and it ain't an arc reactor.

Fans may remember that at the end of Captain America: Civil War, Tony Stark received a package from none other than Steve Rogers containing a flip-phone along with a message that ended by saying "If you need me, I'll be there," so I suspect Steve's gonna be getting a call very soon... We're also treated to a voice-over from the Mad Titan saying this, "In time, you will know what it's like to lose..."

We are then introduced to an exciting titillation for Spider-Man's skillset as we see the hairs on his arms prick up, confirming that this iteration of Peter Parker has definitely got Spidey-sense. Peter then looks out of the school bus to see a giant craft flying overhead that presumably belongs to Thanos. Thanks' voice-over continues with the following, "To feel so desperately that you're right, yet to fail all the same."

We see the four out on the street gazing at the craft above as Thanos says "Dread it..."

Which is followed by "Run from it..."Destiny still arrives." as we see someone walking over what appears to be a group of dead bodies and Loki offering the Tesseract to Thanos. I think a lot can be extrapolated from these frames as I'd guess those are the Asgardians and Loki is offering the Tesseract in exchange for his life. This confirms that he did indeed snatch the cube up at the end of Thor: Ragnarok before the destruction of Asgard as many Marvel fans suspected. You've also got to remember that he was originally tasked with retrieving the object for Thanos in The Avengers, so I'm certain Thanos isn't too pleased with the God of Mischief for his failure.

Thanos enters, and boy does he look tough walking through that portal. He probably conjured the gateway now that he securely has the Space Stone in his possession. 

We see Spidey flipping about in that sweet looking Iron Spider suit from the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming.

We then can hear T'Challa ordering Wakandans to "evacuate the city" while we watch Thor struggle.

Next we see Proxima Midnight, one of Thanos' Black Order (I'll touch on them in a moment), hurling a spear at a silhouetted man. All the while, we hear more of T'Challa's ordering Wakandans to "engage all defenses..."

So The Black Order are Thanos' children who are warriors that serve as his generals. I'm sure they will be instrumental in collecting the Infinity Stones for Thanos. They're made up of Corvus Glave, Proxima Midnight, Ebony Maw, and Black Dwarf (left-to-right on either side of Thanos).

Then came one of my favorite moments in the trailer when T'Challa says "And get this man a shield..."

Steve Rogers steps out of the shadows! AHHHH!!! Meanwhile, Wanda looks very uneasy about something, probably related to what's about to happen to Vision.

We see the upgraded Hulkbuster entering the Battle for Wakanda, which looks AMAZING!!

Natasha stabbing out at one of the Black Order... Doctor Strange with some enchantments at the ready... some crazy things falling from the sky... and then we have Steve and T'Challa putting the hurt on Thanos' minions.

Spidey gets slammed by Thanos and Tony longingly looks at something... Thanos speaks, saying "Fun isn't something one considers when balancing the universe..."

And Vision writhes on the ground in pain as his Mind Gem is pried out of his forehead.

Thanos adds the Space Stone to his Gauntlet... 

He flexes his fist w/ a partially assembled gauntlet before punching the living daylight out of Iron Man with his bare fist. He completes his monologue with "But this, *laughs* does put a smile on my face."

We see Bucky prepping his machine gun alongside Wakandan warriors.

 Black Panther stands at the helm of his army with Cap and Bucky behind them.

 THEY CHARGE FOR A FULL OUT BATTLE!!!

ANNNNDDDD WE GET THIS THING OF UTTER BEAUTY!!! Interesting things to note are that Bucky has an arm again... I'm guessing this one might be made from Vibranium considering he's been in Wakanda. Cap has these gauntlet things that I think could have a holographic shield of some sort like he has wielded in the comics or it's simply gauntlets to protect his forearms.

Pure unadulterated epicness as the title card forms.

Oh... and Thor, meet the Guardians. Guardians, meet Thor. Thor wakes up and asks "Who the hell are you guys?"

Final Thoughts:

-I suspect the film will open with Thor and the Asgardian's ship being attacked by Thanos. 

-Thor & Hulk are both ejected into space. The Guardians come across Thor and Hulk reverts back to Banner before winding up in the Sanctum Sanctorum. 

-I think the heroes will operate in different teams before finally uniting in the end.

-I think Wakanda is housing the Soul Stone, the last Infinity Stone the we've yet to see in the films. I think there's plenty of reasons for this, but the most poignant being that Thanos is attacking Wakanda. Why else would he waste his time, if not to finish assembling the gauntlet?

In summary, I LOVED this trailer. It was an OUTSTANDING start to my day, and I can't wait till May 4, 2018.