Ranking has become a fun, new tradition I do with all the other fellow geeks whenever a new movie from a series is released. While Kevin Feige of Marvel Studios has declared the upcoming “Spider-Man: Far from Home” to be the official end of Marvel Phase 4, it’s safe to say that I can list this ranking (inspired by “Birth.Movies.Death”) without altering much once the film is released in theaters. I think “Far from Home” will be great, but my top five MCU movies still remain basically the same, even after “Endgame.”
What is your ranking?
22. The Incredible Hulk
21. Thor: The Dark World
20. Iron Man 2
19. Ant-Man and the Wasp
18. Thor
17. Iron Man 3
16. Thor: Ragnarok
15. Avengers: Age of Ultron
14. Ant-Man
13. Avengers: Infinity War
12. Spider-Man: Homecoming
11. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
10. Guardians of the Galaxy
9. Captain Marvel
8. Doctor Strange
7. Captain America: The First Avenger
6. Black Panther
5. Avengers: Endgame
Emotional, action packed, and resolves almost every question we had for “Infinity War” and previous MCU films like “Winter Soldier” and “Thor: Dark World.”
4. Iron Man
Today’s kids don’t know that back in the nineties, Iron Man was kind of a third tier boring superhero, but in 2008 he became the slick, amazing, twenty first century superhero we didn’t know we needed.
3. The Avengers
If you’ve have told me twenty five years ago we’d finally be getting a big screen adaptation of “The Avengers” and that it would be a smashing success, I’d have been wildly skeptical. Lo and behold years later, I find myself watching this movie over and over and never getting bored.
2. Captain America: Civil War
With all due respect to Red Skull, Baron Zemo has always been my favorite of Captain America’s villains, and he’s put to good use here as a master mind who manages to turn everyone against each other and disband the Avengers. This is something not even Loki could do. There’s the first appearance of Giant Man, the introduction of MCU Spider-Man, and the wonderful airport battle I never tire of. I Love it.
1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
“Winter Soldier” has a ton of relevance even today, exploring the idea of a country and government willing to submit their freedoms in exchange for the illusion of security under a totalitarian form of evil. Meanwhile in order to re-claim power, Hydra tears down Captain America, who goes from American icon to America’s Most Wanted, and remains a pariah until “Infinity War.” It’s a fun, action packed, and brilliant sequel with a strong message.