TOP 5: Marvel Movies
MCU Only
Honorable Mentions
Avengers Endgame
Yes, this was the culmination of 22 movies and the entire infinity saga. The portals bringing all the MCU characters together was the cinematic moment of a lifetime. And of course, seeing RDJ’s poetic ending was tear-jerking and arguably the best sendoff in the history of superhero movies.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, this movie is really good, but not great. The plot itself was relatively predictable. Most assumed all the heroes were going to come back and we were going to see some of the originals Avengers die. They delivered the plot well, but there were a lot of holes. The first is Captain America traveling back in time and returning the infinity stones. Shouldn’t Cap deciding to stay behind with Peggy erase the present MCU timeline where he was a part of the Avengers? Also, Ant-Man coming out of the quantum realm because a rat happened to be there and press the button was terrible writing. Really good movie, but not great.
Iron Man
This is a great movie and was extremely difficult to leave off. This was the MCU’s first movie and is by far the best Iron Man movie. It is grounded and the story is centered on a selfish genius who begins to care for the world outside of himself — sparking the fire which would eventually lead him to sacrifice his life for the universe against Thanos. However, we also see how much of a burden Stark puts on himself, blaming himself for everything because he believes he can do the impossible. Also, the fight scene between Iron Man taking and the terrorists? C’monnnn. That was cinema. It is a great movie, but in my opinion, just not greater than these five.
5. Captain America: Winter Soldier
An absolute thriller. The introduction of Bucky Barnes and Nick Fury being the ultimate spy were the pillars of this movie. Cap’s moral compass and faith in society are tested like no other as he sees the organization he trusted be corrupted by Hydra, the very evil he sacrificed his life to destroy. On top of that, reconnecting with his best friend, who is now Hydra’s puppet, pushes Steve Rogers to the brink. The story is exciting, emotional, and keeps you on the edge of your seat with all the twists and turns. Yet, despite the twist, the movie flows well and is far from predictable. Scarlett Johansen also arguably gives her best performance as Black Widow.
4. Black Panther
Unlike any other Marvel movie, Black Panther introduced us to a whole new world when we enter Wakanda. The movie was a cultural moment and you couldn’t escape hearing “Wakanda Forever” for at least three months after the movie’s release. In terms of the story, it was realistic and thought-provoking. Killmonger’s argument, played by Michael B. Jordan, is reasonable — How can Wakanda sit idly by, with all its power and resources, while people that look like them are suffering around the world? It certainly resonates with audiences, but also with T’Challa/Black Panther, played by the late great Chadwick Boseman. He sees the sense in Killmonger’s stance, leading him to confront the traditions of his country and his ancestors’ past. Both Michael B. Jordan and Boseman deliver amazing performances. The music and score played a massive role in this movie compared to any other Marvel movie. It beautifully expressed the richness of traditional music with a blend of modernism, paralleling the technology and culture of Wakanda itself.
3. Captain America: Civil War
The heroes fighting each other. Seeing Cap and Iron Man square off felt inevitable after we saw Cap dare Tony to “put on the suit” in Avengers. Iron Man’s internal burden to be the world’s savior and the guilt he feels every time he fails pushes him to sign the Sokovia Accords, while Cap believes the heroes should retain full control of when they act, not governments. The movie’s plot is political and begs audiences to choose a side, Cap or Iron Man. Aside from that, seeing Spider-Man and Black Panther’s MCU debuts was awesome. I loved how Black Panther was not just a cameo or side character. He was an integral piece and audiences got to see his growth throughout the movie. Initially fueled by vengeance to murder his father’s killer to becoming a leader who empathizes and refuses to succumb to his darker desires. Cap and Bucky vs. Iron Man was a gut-wrenching battle. Witnessing the heroes tear each other apart was tough, yet captivating to watch.
2. Spider-Man No Way Home
I wanted to put this 1st. Spider-Man is my favorite superhero of all time and I grew up watching Tobey’s spider-man. Seeing all the villains and three spider-men together was unbelievable. Yet, that’s not what made the movie great. It was the story of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker accepting the pain and necessary sacrifices that come with being a hero. Peter losing his aunt, his girlfriend, and his best friend, and living all alone in a busted apartment epitomizes the essence of Spider-Man. He is a hero who deals with ridiculous pressure, has little to nothing, and barely can enjoy his youth, but deals with it while having a smile on his face. He understands he has a responsibility to help people, no matter the personal toll he feels. No way home represented every ounce of what it means to be Spider-Man.
1. Infinity War
This was why I couldn’t put No Way Home first. Infinity War is the best or 2nd written superhero movie ever — The Dark Knight is the best IMO. There are three active teams/plots happening simultaneously throughout the movie — 1) Iron Man w/ Doctor Strange and Spider-Man, later joined by the Guardians 2) Thor, Rocket, and Groot 3) Captain America, Hulk, Black Panther, and the rest of the Avengers. Trying to balance all three is difficult, however, it is brilliantly done because the focus of the movie is on the man the three teams are all trying to take down: Thanos. He is the protagonist of the movie and deservedly has the most screen time. Thanos has a ridiculous amount of quotables and his villainy is marked by a blend of narcissism, greed, sheer physical prowess, and misplaced genius. I can go on and on about how great this movie. Seeing an evil so powerful take out the heroes forces the audience to step back and feel as helpless as the Avengers themselves. I feel there can be a debate about this list from 2–5, but Infinity War is unquestionably the best movie in the MCU.
