Check Out the Latest

Knives Out - Review: A Modern Take on a Classic Genre

Sunday, October 14, 2018

MCU Ranked (Pre-Doctor Strange) (Reposted)


NOTE: This is a review drafted on 9/19/2016 on a different blog that is no longer in use. I decided to transfer content from that website to this to maintain consistency. 

Marvel Cinematic Movies Ranked

Introduction

With Marvel's Doctor Strange hitting theaters soon, I thought it was about time to release my list of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies ranked! Keep in mind that this list is completely subjective and completely my own. Enjoy!




1. Captain America: Civil War (2016): The first movie in the franchise to have. a plot that pits hero against hero, this movie kicked off Marvel's Phase 3. The actions scenes directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, and the cast delivered on every single scene. And the inclusion of Spider-man elevated the movie to a truly amazing superhero movie. 9.7/10




2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014): Before Captain America: Civil War, we had the visceral action that nobody saw coming. The directors, Joe and Anthony Russo, who had directed TV shows (Community) did not raise Marvel's fans hopes in terms of lifting the decent first movie. And then they delivered, not only with the action, but also with the acting, the heart, and the soul. Who knew that two movies about a buff guy wearing an American flag would be two of the best superhero movies ever. 9.6/10




3. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014): This was the biggest surprise ever. This movie was supposed to die in production and limp into theaters, becoming the worst Marvel movie ever created. And then, during San Diego CC, the trailer was shown after two weeks of filming. TWO WEEKS. And it suddenly spiked the excitement level for the movie, and by the time the first trailer made the rounds, everyone was on board for this movie. And this movie was the exact breath of fresh air that everyone had hoped for after the amount of superhero movies that had been coming out and had been announced. This band of misfits have planted themselves in pop culture, and have warranted its sequel. 9.4/10




4. Iron Man (2008): The first movie in the Marvel Cinematic universe, this was before anyone knew how big Kevin Feige's plans were. Nobody had any idea, and after the credits appeared, everyone just sat in the theater realizing they just loved a movie about a C-list Comic Book character. And then Nick Fury, played to perfection by Samuel L. Jackson appeared and everyone instantly realized what was going on. This movie revolutionized special and visual effects, mixing it with practical effects. Robert Downey, Jr planted himself into the role, and has since become the flagship for the rest of the Marvel Universe. 9.2/10




5. The Avengers (2012): There is going to be no replication of the level of awe and wonder when the Avengers formed their circle shot. The realization that so many of the best, but underrated until that point superheroes were sharing the screen, and fighting like a team. Although there were some inherent flaws in Loki's schemes, no one can deny the charisma oozing off of Tom Hiddleston as he played the God of Mischief. This was the culmination of everything that had come before it, and it had done it to near perfection. 9.1/10




6. Ant-Man (2015): Paul Rudd made the perfect ex-con, Scott Lang, as he charms his way through this enjoyable movie. The laughs are there, and it's enough to make you ignore the fact that this is a movie about a superhero based off of an insect. Michael Douglas plays the perfect Hank Pym, and Evangeline Lily was good in what turned out to be a serviceable love interest for Scott. Considering the backstory behind the production of this movie, it was a true masterpiece, and the visual effects when Ant-Man shrunk was truly amazing. 8.8/10




7. Iron Man 3 (2013): What has turned out to be a very divisive movie, and this being my complete subjective list of movies that I like and I find enjoyable, I was on the side of liking this movie more than everyone else did. Did it have flaws? Absolutely, and they were glaring. Regarding the Mandarin twist, I do wish we had gotten the Mandarin from the trailers that was promised to us, but based on what we did get, I did find it funny. Ben Kingsley doesn't get enough credit for what he did in that role, for transforming so quickly from a menacing force to be reckoned with to a bumbling actor. This movie is also funny, and it doesn't get enough credit for being funny. The humor that Robert Downey, Jr and the rest of the casts, as written and directed by Shane Black, is very pertinent. Overall, a serviceable movie. 8.4/10




8. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011): This is another movie that I am on the other side of the coin. Even though it's number 8 on this list, it is not a testament to how poor this movie is, but rather a testament to how good the preceding movies are. And I enjoyed this movie. Did it become cheesy and predictable and bloated in certain places? It absolutely did. But it provided the origin of Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes fighting against a very well cast Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) and the beginnings of one of the best superheroes to date. Again, it is not my favorite incarnation of Captain America (in fact, my least favorite next to the Avengers and Age of Ultron incarnations) but I did enjoy the film. 8.1/10

9. Thor: The Dark World (2013): As I am writing this, I now realize how much I am in unpopular opinion. I like this movie more than people do. People call this one of the worst superhero movies ever made. I would humbly disagree. The flaws in this movie are so visible. And I think the problem with this movie is that it takes itself too seriously. The only thing that saves this movie from being an utterly terrible movie is Loki. The scenes with Chris Hemsworth and Miss-I-Hate-Marvel Natalie Portman were so awful. But when Loki appears, and he is in it for a decent part of the movie, the chemistry between him and Chris Hemsworth's Thor is very enjoyable to watch. Again, the ending battle, the forgettable villain, a boring Thor, an annoying Kat Dennings, and miserable Natalie Portman drop this movie very much, but overall, it is not as terrible as it seems people make it out to be. 7.5/10

10. The Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015): This is an interesting movie. The first time I watched it, I thought I enjoyed it a lot. Then I watched it again, and again I thought that it was an enjoyable movie. Then, my brother would watch it once every two weeks, and I stopped to watch it every once in awhile while I was stopping by the living room. And every single time I viewed part of the movie, I liked it less and less, and began to cringe at Ultron's dialogue, and his ridiculous plan. The new characters are serviceable, the action scenes are bloated, save for the Hulk versus Hulkbuster fight, and the quips just got out of hand. This is the perfect example of a movie that the director did not intend to make, which is not Joss Whedon's fault. I am positive that he had a vision (no pun intended) when beginning pre-production, and when he watched the movie that the rest of the world would watch, I am positive that he was not happy with the final product. No, this movie will not hold up. 7.1/10

11. The Incredible Hulk (2008): This movie is not bad, and honestly, every single one of these movies is not bad, per se. No, this movie is just bland. Very bland. Edward Norton can hold up his own movie, but the truth of the matter is, when you have a character who, quote Mark Ruffalo, "...doesn't want to do the exact thing everyone wants him to," (referencing turning into the Hulk) there really isn't nothing that anyone can do to right that ship. Liv Tyler is the most cliche love twist, and General Ross, who luckily got his second chance in Civil War, is just a military leader who likes to antagonize people. Overall, like I said, this movie is just boring. 6.8/10




12. Iron Man 2 (2010): People may say that this movie is the worst of the bunch, and that's fine, that's your opinion, but I would like to humbly disagree. I believe that this movie is funny, in the wrong ways, but more than just being bad, it's bloated. And the tone is wildly inconsistent. Sam Rockwell's Justin Hammer talking about birds with Mickey Rourke's Whiplash, War Machine fighting a drunk Tony Stark who just had an accident in his pants (suit?), Pepper Potts becoming the new CEO of Stark Industries, the introduction of the Black Widow, and you have yourself a highly bloated, and somewhat enjoyable, forgettable superhero movie, which was vastly disappointing, as this was the sequel to the vastly superior movie, Iron Man. 6.5/10.

13. Thor (2011): Again, going against popular opinion, who thought that this movie was a revelation to this movie industry, I believe this to be the worst Marvel movie thus far. Why? It's annoying, boring, and bland. The plot is the classic fish-out-of-water plot that has been tried and true. Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman are the most boring couple next to the laughably bad Hayden Christiansen and Natalie...oh hmm, maybe there is a correlation. At any rate, their chemistry is forced, and Loki is not allowed to unleash his full potential and is relegated to the whiny younger brother who wants attention from his father. This movie is nowhere near the quality of the other Marvel movies, and I hope that this is the worst that the future Marvel movies become. 5.9/10

No comments:

Post a Comment