15 years – that’s how long the MCU has been in existence. It was Kevin Feige’s vision to create a cinematic universe that could parallel that of the different worlds found in comic books. And in that process, the MCU has churned out a total of 32 movies to date with The Marvels being the 33rd slated to release in November of this year.
That’s a lot of movies. Admittedly, some weren’t received well by audiences and critics alike. But we can’t deny that the MCU has given us a boatload of bangers as well. And with that, I will be counting down my top 9 favorite MCU movies of all time. SPOILER ALERT.
9. Captain America: Civil War
Despite being dubbed by many as Avengers 2.5, Captain America: Civil War was still a very Cap-centric movie in spite of the number of superheroes that made an appearance. Cap and Tony’s opposing views and ideologies served as the foundation for the entire film. And just as the two were mending their differences, Zemo reveals that Bucky (The Winter Soldier) was the one who murdered Tony’s parents. And from then on, all Tony saw was red – Cap vs. Tony to the death (almost).
This film also provided us with our first glimpses of Black Panther and Spider-Man. Both had a ton of memorable scenes that only got us more hyped to see catch their first solo outings in the MCU. Overall, the film did a superb job with fan service while telling a deep and intense Captain America story.
8. Spider-Man: No Way Home
Three generations of Spider-Men in one film – yes please! While the first two films were good, this one gets the nod for me. Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina and Jamie Foxx – every single one reprising their roles as former Spider-Men and their respective villains. And it was so much fun seeing the interactions between the three Spideys.
By the end of the film, I reached the conclusion that in many ways, this film was the MCU’s version of Spidey’s origin story. This is where Peter truly learned that with great power comes great responsibility.
7. Thor: Ragnarok
Thank goodness for Thor: Ragnarok! The first two Thor movies were quite subpar in my opinion, but Taika Waititi gave the superhero the movie he deserved. The movie had a bit of a lighter feel compared to the first two, which for me is what ultimately contributed to the movie’s success.
We also saw Thor and Loki on the same side for the first time in a long while. Tessa Thompson and Cate Blanchett also gave great performances as Valkyrie and Hela respectively, adding more girl power to the MCU.
6. Guardians of the Galaxy
This film was a risk. Not many people really knew who the Guardians of the Galaxy were. Safe to say that the risk paid off, and the Guardians are now a household name.
They took us to a part of the MCU that we hadn’t seen until then. The film did an excellent job in terms of world-building, thus paving the way for Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige to explore these far-reaching parts of the universe.
5. Avengers Infinity War & Endgame
Okay, I know I cheated a bit on this one, but it was a two-part finale to the Infinity Saga. And man, what a finale it was. The first part saw the audience’s jaws drop collectively as Thanos succeeded in wiping out half the universe. And Endgame provided us with an epic ending wherein every MCU hero made a cameo in order to defeat Thanos and his army. Tears were shed in the end though as Iron Man sacrificed himself to save the universe. He really is him.
4. Black Panther
Chadwick Boseman delivered a powerful performance as T’Challa – one that we will never forget. Michael B. Jordan also gave a great account of himself as Erik Killmogner. It’s a shame that Chadwick only really got to do one solo film for Black Panther. But he will be remembered as an icon – rest in power, king.
3. The Avengers
The Avengers assembling for the very first time on the big screen with the iconic theme music – a truly iconic moment in cinema. It’s hard to believe that the film came out 11 years ago, but I’m sure it will remain a favorite amongst MCU fans for times to come, and I’m sure the OG Avengers will always have a special place in our hearts.
2. Iron Man
Do I really need to say anything else? Robert Downey Jr. is the godfather of the MCU. He started it all with the first Iron Man movie and has appeared numerous times in various films. Needless to say, this man is a legend for bringing Iron Man to life and kick starting this unforgettable journey.
I’m sure most, if not all of us will miss him. But what a way to go out. He started it all the same way he finished – uttering those unforgettable and legendary words “I am Iron Man.”
1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
I’m pretty sure a lot of you will disagree. But remember, this is MY top 9 MCU movies of all time. So please don’t hate. I’m sure we can all agree however, that this was an incredible film.
Personally, in terms of movie genres, I am drawn towards the whole espionage genre of films. And this superhero was just that – a well-made spy thriller that got me clenching my fists the entire time. Cap met his match in his best friend, Bucky Barnes, and the two went toe-to-toe for a majority of the film.
The action was great, and I loved the whole trust-nobody vibes the film gave off. This was also the first time we met Sam Wilson as the Falcon. But he’s the Falcon no more as currently in the MCU, Sam Wilson is the new Captain America. Hopefully his future films will be just as good, if not better, than Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
