The Inevitable Re-Ranking of MCU Films

Doug: Now that the dust has settled from the release of Captain America: Civil War, the next conversation that - to be honest, probably happened immediately - is "Where does this film lay in your ranking of MCU films?" I know that I've mulled it over with my sons, and you've probably had the conversation, too.

Karen: It is a constant topic with my husband and I. And it gets harder with each new film, since I have pretty much liked them all, except Iron Man 3.

For those with faulty memories (raises hand), here are the 13 films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that have been released to date, chronologically listed:

1. Iron Man
2. The Incredible Hulk
3. Iron Man 2
4. Thor
5. Captain America: The First Avenger
6. Marvel's The Avengers
7. Iron Man 3
8. Thor: The Dark World
9. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
10. Guardians of the Galaxy
11. Avengers: Age of Ultron
12. Ant-Man
13. Captain America: Civil War

Doug: Let's hear your rankings. I imagine that for many of us our top 5 will be pretty similar, although I'm sure there will be some surprises (heresies, even) along the way.

Doug: For me - and this could change tomorrow - I would rank the films as such:

1. Marvel's The Avengers
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
3. Iron Man
4. Avengers: Age of Ultron
5. Captain America: Civil War
6. Guardians of the Galaxy
7. Captain America: The First Avenger
8. Ant-Man
9. Thor
10. Iron Man 2
11. Thor: The Dark World
12. Iron Man 3
13. The Incredible Hulk (I've not ever seen this film all the way through, so maybe "N/A" is best)

Karen: I mentioned to Doug offline that my husband and I had made our own lists of the (then 12) films at Christmas and compared them, but since then I had tossed out that list. My first two answers haven't changed, and neither have my final three. But I think the middle has moved around a lot. The thing is, with the exception of Iron Man 3, I actually like all the films! So deciding where to put them is really difficult, as in many cases, it's a matter of perhaps characters winning out more than quality -that's why Thor ranks higher for me than Ant-Man.

1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
2. Marvel's The Avengers
3. Avengers: Age of Ultron
4. Captain America: Civil War
5. Iron Man
6. Iron Man 2
7. Thor
8. Captain America: The First Avenger
9. Guardians of the Galaxy
10. Ant-Man
11. Thor: The Dark World
12. The Incredible Hulk
13. Iron Man 3

Doug: For further consideration, and after you've done your MCU rankings, think about non-MCU comic book flicks and where you'd slide those in. With that in mind, here's a revised Top 10 for me (again, this changes with the wind and I hope I'm not forgetting anything):

1. Marvel's The Avengers
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
3. Spider-Man 2
4. Superman 2
5. Iron Man
6. Avengers: Age of Ultron
7. Batman (1966)
8. Captain America: Civil War
9. Batman (1989)
10. X-Men: First Class

Karen: I've had some time to think about this, and I'm not sure anything else breaks into that Marvel top ten. I have a sentimental love of Superman and Superman 2 but I'm not sure they slip past Ant-Man or Guardians. Maybe. The X-Men films, particularly X2 and First Class, are strong contenders. Spider-Man 2 is another solid one. But I can't honestly say any of them beat this current crop of Marvel films for me. Part of it may be, they are all so much part of a piece. Sure, stylistically they are all the same -but that is part of the appeal, at least to me. So no second list for me -I'll stand pat on this one.

Ranking the Marvel Movies

Doug: In our discussion of the Ant-Man film a few days ago, the conversation turned to our rankings of the films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This weekend, let's go ahead and do that as a formal activity. Feel free to rank your favorites across the MCU, and tell us some favorite scenes or lines from those movies. And, if you're so inclined, why not repeat the drill but while adding in the non-MCU flicks such as the Spider-Man and X-Men films. Should be fun to see everyone's perceptions!

Doug: So in the post last Thursday, I commented as such --

My ranking of MCU films would be similar to William's, although I'm not certain but that I would have Winter Soldier at the top or at least tied with the first Avengers film. So, for controversy's sake:

1. Avengers
2. Winter Soldier
3. Iron Man
4. Avengers: Age of Ultron
5. Captain America
6. Ant-Man (?)

And then darned if Martinex1 didn't remind me of the Guardians of the Galaxy! Duh to me... So, in the spirit of commenting revisionism, here's how I'd probably revise my list (but ask me again in two hours and you might get something different) --

1. Avengers
2. Captain America: Winter Soldier
3. Iron Man
4. Avengers: Age of Ultron
5. Captain America: The First Avenger

6. Guardians of the Galaxy
7. Ant-Man
8. Iron Man 2
9. Thor
10. Thor: The Dark World

Now, if I wrap in my thoughts on the non-MCU films, the two Thor movies are going to get the heave ho. Here's how I'd see it now (again, could turn in a minute):

1. Avengers
2. Captain America: Winter Soldier
3. Iron Man
4. Avengers: Age of Ultron
5. Captain America: The First Avenger

6. Spider-Man 2
7. Guardians of the Galaxy
8. Ant-Man
9. X2: X-Men United
10. Iron Man 2

So where do you stand. Right now, that is...

The Golden Age of Marvel Media

Karen: I've been credited with calling our current times "the Golden Age of Reprints," although I have to admit I don't recall saying that. But I don't remember a lot of things, and enough of you seem certain I said it, that I'll go ahead and accept it.

Karen: I have come to believe that we are living during the "Golden Age of Marvel Media," which was in evidence again this last week, as the Guardians of the Galaxy film dominated the box office, hauling in over $100 million domestically and $200 million worldwide. I have to admit, when this film was originally announced, I was concerned it would be Marvel Studio's first true flop. But instead, the public has embraced it -and how.Who would have thought a film with some of the most obscure Marvel characters, including a walking tree-man and a talking raccoon, would turn out to be so well-received? At this point, I think Marvel could make a film about a jar of peanut butter and people would go see it, based solely on the studio's track record.

Karen: This week DC announced that they would be rescheduling the release date of their Superman/Batman film, which was originally going to premiere on May 6, 2016, the same day as the third Captain America film. Now their film will come out earlier, on March 25th of that year. Many people are saying that in this stare down, DC blinked first. Think about that. They moved a film that had their top two characters. That's how powerful the Marvel engine is right now. 

Karen: So this "Golden Age of Marvel Media" is truly wonderful for long time fans like us, because we are getting to see things we could only dream of for many, many years. Yes, there were the TV adaptations of Spider-Man, the Hulk, Captain America, and Dr. Strange in the 70s. They were, well, not very good. As David B. might say, "they were all we had." These Marvel Studio films have been a quantum leap in quality, giving us not only amazing effects but characters who are recognizable as their comic book counterparts. It's a huge pleasure just to see them brought to life.  But every Marvel film has brought things to the screen that have truly surprised and  thrilled me. In the first Iron Man, I got an enormous kick out of seeing the makeshift grey armor rumbling around. The depiction of Asgard in Thor was absolutely perfect, right down to the appearance of Odin's ravens. How about seeing the dormant Human Torch in Captain America? And I just about jumped out of my seat while watching this Guardians film when -SPOILER ALERT!!!! - we saw the Celestials during the Collector's explanation of the infinity gems. 

Karen: It seems like everyone loves Marvel these days. It wasn't always that way -I can remember the sting of insults over my Marvel stickers on my lunchbox, or my Marvel t-shirts. But it just took forty years for everyone else to catch up to me, and us. When I wear a Marvel t-shirt out now, I inevitably get compliments on it. My, how things have changed!

Who's the Best...Non-Original Soundtrack?

Karen: There was some discussion on the Guardians of the Galaxy movie post about that film's soundtrack, filled with catchy 70s tunes. What's your vote for best soundtrack, composed not of original music  but using existing songs? Guardians is pretty darn good. Some that I would throw out there:

Pulp Fiction

Pump Up the Volume

Dazed and Confused

Discuss: Guardians of the Galaxy movie

Karen: The latest Marvel film is getting rave reviews -I even read praise for it from the likes of Jim Starlin and Steve Englehart! So you know the drill -feel free to share your thoughts BUT PLEASE - NO SPOILERS for the first few days that the film is out! I can say I am diggin' the soundtrack already...

Alex Ross Does More Marvel 75th - Guardians of the Galaxy and Spider-Man

Doug: From Marvel's latest solicitations, online yesterday. Click on the images for a larger view.