Adam's Blog

There has been no other franchise that has made as big of an impact on the film industry as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. You can debate whether or not it has impacted the industry for the better or for the worse but no doubt it has made an impact. With Spider-Man: Brand New Day now out in theaters, I want to take the time to share my rankings of all 38 (!) films to be released in the Marvel Cinematic Universe thus far.

First off, a few disclaimers. I am ONLY counting the movies that were released to be a part of this cinematic universe and nothing else. Which is why you won’t see the Venom movies, Morbius, or any of the Spider-Man movies except for the ones with Tom Holland on this list. I’m also NOT including any of the Netflix or Disney Plus series as that would make the rankings on this list even more complicated than it already is. Lastly, this is all MY opinion. Considering there’s now 36 movies in this universe, there’s a good chance my rankings won’t match yours.

When doing this list, I mostly tried to find a good mix between the ones I find to be the best in terms of objective quality, the ones that I enjoy watching the most, and the ones that I believe serves a big purpose to not just the cinematic universe itself but also the superhero subgenre in general.

Anyways, here I go with the biggest ranking I’ve made on this site so far. Let’s rank the Marvel Cinematic Universe films!

38.) Thor: Love and Thunder

On paper, Love & Thunder should be the best Thor movie ever made. By incorporating major comic elements such as Jane Foster as Mighty Thor and have the GOAT Christian Bale playing Gorr the God Butcher, this should have been a slam dunk. Too bad, it doesn’t come anywhere close to living up to it’s potential, with Takia Whatti not being able to get out of it’s own damn way, making a film that feels like a parody of an MCU movie than an actual MCU movie. Nearly every single joke falls flat on it’s face, the tone is inconsistent as hell, the story of Jane dying of cancer could not have been handle in a more disrespectful way, and while Christian Bale tries his heart out as Gorr, he is giving jacks**it to work with, playing a god killer who does very little god killing. Whatever magic trick that Whatti was able to pull in balanced the comedic and dramatic elements of Thor: Ragnarok does NOT pull off here! Love & Thunder is exactly the kind of movie that gives the MCU haters plenty of ammo to support their arguments of Marvel ruining Hollywood!

37.) Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania isn’t quite the worst movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe but it’s certainly knocking at that door. Despite the movie’s overall goal is to give everyone a clear direction as to where this next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is going, it still has that feeling of inconsequentiality because of how little that will likely matter in the long run and how it barely progresses the characters and their stories here. It still hits the same beats you would expect from a Marvel movie but whether or not that will be enough to save the picture is entirely up to you. And if the box office results and fan/critical reception is anything to go by, it’s clearly not for most people. Jonathan Majors as Kang stands out well here (at least until Majors had to be an idiot and derail his own career and the MCU along with it) but very little else does, especially the mind numbing CGI. At least this is when Marvel knew something was wrong and had to make changes for the future!

36.) Captain America: Brave New World

If there is one MCU film that is the textbook definition of a nothing burger, look no further than Captain America: Brave New World. Anthony Mackie’s first ever film outing as the man in the stars and stripes could not have been more underwhelming if it tried. Instead of centering around an earnest adventure of Sam Wilson learning to step into the shoes as Captain America, Brave New World instead uses it’s plot for the sake of connecting tissues to prior (not so beloved) MCU installments such as The Incredible Hulk and Eternals. While it’s cool to see the MCU finally reference The Incredible Hulk as a legit thing and remember about the god from Eternals laying down in the ocean, I came to see a Captain America movie and….it doesn’t really deliver that here. Red Hulk is barely in it, the plot itself feels like a mismatch of the better parts of Winter Soldier and Civil War, it aims to be a political thriller without having ANYTHING to say politically that makes sense in the context of the MCU, and the reshoots could not have been more painfully obvious if it tries. When looking at it as a deposable action flick with espionage elements added to it, there’s nothing much here. When looking at through the current lenses of the MCU, there’s nothing much here. Even when talking about the post credits scene, there’s nothing much here! Brave New World is a film you can easily skip in your MCU marathon and you will miss NOTHING!

35.) Black Widow

The original female Avenger FINALLY got her own movie to shine…….about six years too late! When looking at it like that and the timing of it’s release, Black Widow could not have came out at the worst possible place at the worst possible time. Even when looking at the movie as it’s own thing, there’s not much that stands out here aside from some decent family drama and the introduction of the impossible-not-to-adore Florence Pugh of Natasha’s highly energetic sister Yelena. And don’t get me started on what’s done with Taskmaster, the less than stellar CGI in the third act that everyone and their mother has made fun of, and the fact they waited until AFTER Natasha was killed off to give her her own movie. If we have gotten this film much sooner, this could’ve stood out among the MCU’s greatest heroes. But by 2021, that ship had already sailed! Thanks a lot, Ike!

34.) Thor: The Dark World

The entry in this franchise that has aged the worst, especially in the wake of Thor: Ragnarok, remains among the weakest MCU installments to date. It still has it’s moments such as the powerful funeral scene and the moment where Thor and the main villain fights through the portals. However, it can never shake the feeling that it only exist just so Thor has a movie in Phase 2. The main problem is that it feels too inconsequential, complacent, and moves at such a fast clip that it’s hard to get invested into anything happen, even after characters supposedly “die”. The reshoots the movie have are quite obvious as it feels like a mix of multiple visions that never come together as a cohesive whole. Not to mention, the villain flat out sucks here (You can’t even remember his name, can you?)! On the bright, this did get a redemption arc later on down the road in Avengers: Endgame. It’s certainly a movie you can watch and get some entertainment out of, but this is certainly one movie which you can always skip when doing your MCU marathon re-watches.

33.) Iron Man 2

There are plenty of folks that claimed that Marvel Studios couldn’t miss in the Infinity Saga. Those people clearly didn’t watch Iron Man 2 (or Thor: The Dark World). Nearly everything that worked well in the original Iron Man just falls flat here. The cast is still great and the effects are top-notch but the script lets it down with too much Marvel easter eggs, little to no character progression, and action scenes that are over before they even began. You could tell Marvel was still getting their footing in how to make these movies as this feels like it only exist to buy time for the other movies in Phase One. On the bright side, just like with The Dark World, it did at least get a bit of a redemption arc later on down the road, with Captain America: The Winter Soldier being able to paint a much better picture on this ill-fated sequel. I guess that’s something.

32.) Captain Marvel

Marvel finally got around to making a female led superhero movie in 2019 with Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel. If you are able to separate the bizarre controversy that was attached to this film pre-release, it’s just…..painfully mid. The first act is all over the place and some retcons to the universe are plain dumb (Fury losing an eye to a cat!) but it is passable as a buddy cop flick/origin story on the most powerful superhero in the MCU. Brie Larson fits the roll very well and has great chemistry with the rest of the cast, the 90s setting is fun, Samuel Jackson and his CGI is perfection, and seeing Captain Marvel flying through and destroying ships in her super form is quite satisfying. If only this character was introduced a bit sooner and not just before Endgame that I think it would have been easier for others to accept Carol with the other Marvel heroes.

31.) Eternals

If you were to ask me which MCU movie would have worked better as it’s own Disney Plus series than as it’s own individual film, my first answer will always go to Eternals. Despite having a lot of ambition and interesting ideas, this never quite works the way it desperately wants too. There’s just too much characters to focus on with so little time given to develop any one of them to make you care about them. Not to mention, it has themes that (while well intended) end up practically contradicting itself by the end of it. Chloe Zhao does what she can in given the film it’s own unique directing style that distances itself from the rest of the MCU but it’s still too much of an unengaging slog to give it a pass. Eternals may not work but I do hope the negative reception this movie has gotten doesn’t prevent Marvel Studios from trying films like this in the near future.

30.) Doctor Strange

This introduces some of the most interesting ideas and concepts that the Marvel movies have tried out thus far but it’s just a shame not all of it is able to be executed to it’s fullest potential until the near tail end of the picture. Doctor Strange is the one MCU installment where you can really feel the Marvel formula that this franchise has grown accustom too with the way it hits every single origin story beat in the book. Also, the sideling of Mads Mikkelsen and Rachel McAdams doesn’t help here. The third act is still an absolute banger, Benedict Cumberbatch was born to play Stephen Strange, and it does at least give a clear view into the direction that future Marvel movies are going with how much weirder and “out there” it will dare to go with it’s set pieces and visuals. It’s still functional, but it feels like Doctor Strange is at his best when he’s paired up with other characters in this universe.

29.) Ant-Man and the Wasp

Coming straight off of the high heels of the maximum culmination blockbuster of Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp made for the right, breezy palate cleanser when it came out in 2018. Looking at it’s own, however, it doesn’t really offer more than the bare minimum of what most were expecting an Ant-Man sequel to consist off. Paul Rudd is still as charming as ever as Scott Lang/Ant-Man, Evangeline Lilly steals the show and kicks major ass as Wasp, and the set pieces are quite fun. Even so, it still can’t help but feel too much like a placeholder film and a real expensive explanation as to what Scott did after Civil War and why he wasn’t in Infinity War. Not to mention, wasting Michelle Pfeiffer like that is a big no-no. It’s harmless fun but not all that memorable.

28.) The Marvels

Talk about a movie that came out at the worst possible time imaginable. Releasing during multiple strikes, franchise/superhero fatigue, and internet trolls being louder than ever, The Marvels is basically the one MCU movie that no one gave a chance to, not even Disney and Marvel themselves. Which sucks because when actually looking the movie on it’s own, it’s actually quite fun with some damn good action sequences, neat looking visuals, and three enjoyable female leads. Iman Vellani is precious as hell as Kamala Khan, Teyonah Parris is cool as Monica, and Brie Larson is able to shine much better her than any other films she’s been in as Captain Marvel, almost as if this is the character that Brie has been wanting to play since signing up for the role. It could have used a stronger villain in Dar-Benn, with more flesh out dynamics between her and the Marvels themselves and it’s certainly a film you can nitpick to death if you want to get technical about it but judging it as a straight up action movie, it’s entertaining with solid chemistry between the three leads. If you skipped this movie in theaters, I’d say give this a chance once it comes out on Disney Plus and you might be surprised with it.

27.) Spider-Man: Far From Home

On one hand, this sequel does have more focus on Peter Parker and his personal relationships and dilemmas than Homecoming along with some incredibly inventive action sequences (That Mysterio illusion scene is masterfully done!). On the other hand, there is still way too much Iron Man tech here (Especially with his literal killer glasses) and it’s ridiculous how we have ANOTHER Spider-Man villain that’s trying to get revenge on Tony Stark (despite the fact he’s actually dead now) instead of Spider-Man himself. Also, having a Spider-Man movie that takes place 95% outside of NYC or the multiverse just doesn’t gel well with the other. It doesn’t come close to being the very best of Spider-Man’s adventures, especially at the time with Into the Spider-Verse and Marvel’s Spider-Man, or top-tier MCU as a whole but acting as a plate cleanser for Avengers: Endgame and an epilogue for the Infinity Saga, Far From Home is passable but the best still have yet to come for the MCU version of Spider-Man.

26.) Avengers: Age of Ultron

In hindsight, this movie has gotten better with aged thanks to the films that came afterwards that were able to justify it’s existence. That being said, I still can’t help but feel there was still some major missed opportunities with Avengers: Age of Ultron (especially with Ultron himself). Too much of the picture feels like a placeholder for future movies instead of the main course, which is not something you should want out of an Avengers movie. Instead of feeling like a proper payoff to the other movies of the current phase like the original Avengers, this just feels like more build up for the likes of Civil War and Infinity War. And don’t get me started on that Hulk and Black Widow romance! Still, there are still plenty of solid character moments and action throughout (everything with Hawkeye is exceptional) and did introduce Scarlet Witch, who would later become one of the best, most developed and multilayered characters in the entire franchise! It’s a glorious imperfect mess but in a way, that’s part of it’s charms and I don’t think the other big MCU movies after this would have worked as well as it did without Age of Ultron.

25.) Thor

There are two main elements that holds the original Thor strongly together, the castings of Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki. The first third and last third of the film are legit great, starting and ending Thor’s coming-to-age arc strongly, but the rest of the movie is a bit of a mixed bag. The scenes on Earth are just no where near as interesting as the ones on Asgard, the special effects look straight out of a cheaply budgeted CW show, and it’s hard to understand why Thor and Jane are that into each other, aside from the fact that both characters are played by two EXTERMELY attractive people. Also, some of the setup with S.H.I.E.L.D. feel like they are only here so audience don’t get confused by their presence in The Avengers. Still, the brilliant casting of Chris Heinsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki work wonders and Thor’s redemption arc works quite well, even if the journey along the way can be quite iffy.

24.) Ant-Man

While it still remain a shame we’ll never to get see Edgar Wright make his own Marvel movie, this still deliver as a perfectly enjoyable heist flick. Paul Feig and Michael Douglas were perfectly casted in their roles as Scott Lang and Hank Pym respectively and that third act remains one the more fun and creative third acts in the whole MCU. It also helps that it softened the landing after Age of Ultron was a mild disappointment being more refreshingly smaller scaled compare to other entries. It still does fall victim to many of the usual MCU tropes, especially with the charismatic but underused turn by Corey Stoll’s Darren Cross, but it’s breezy and entertaining enough that it doesn’t bring it down. Also, that cameo fight with you-know-who was cool too.

23.) Spider-Man: Homecoming

As it’s own movie, Spider-Man: Homecoming is fine and certainly enjoyable. As a Spider-Man movie however, it’s quite underwhelming. Tom Holland is great casting as both Peter Parker and Spider-Man, Michael Keaton’s Vulture is one of the very best baddies in the MCU, and the high school elements were somewhat relatable. However, too much of the movie feels restrained, like the filmmakers were too afraid of this movie being compared to the other Spider-Man movies that they desired to play it as safe as possible. There are changes that feel unnecessary (Why does Betty Brant feel like Gwen Stacy?), things that are removed (Uncle Ben’s importance), and things that are added (Spider-Man being Iron Man Jr.) which prevents Homecoming from being a top-tier Spider-Man experience. However after No Way Home and Brand New Day, this certainly has grown on me overtime and now feels like a film that has earned it’s place within the MCU. I like it but don’t love it!

22.) Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Arguably the most divisive MCU installment since Iron Man 3, Multiverse of Madness is a film that uses it’s set pieces and effective imagery to flirt with and mock the kind of fandom that care more about filmmakers making their bizarre fan theories coming true instead of making a genuine work of art. It doesn’t quite reach it’s ambitions with quite a bit of characterization being paper thin and not taking as much advantage of the actual multiverse as much as it should (or at least even a quarter of how it was done in Everything Everywhere All At Once) but Sam Raimi’s unique style is on full display here, the set pieces that work here are some of the best in the entire MCU, and Elizabeth Olsen is an absolute force to be reckoned with as the Scarlet Witch. It’s just a shame that Marvel felt the need to apologize for this film and basically make an anti-equivalent of Multiverse of Madness with #21 and (probably) with Avengers: Doomsday!

21.) Deadpool & Wolverine

The third Deadpool film finally introduces the long-awaited arrival of Ryan Reynolds’s Deadpool and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For the longtime fans, there’s a lot of fun and enjoyment to be found here with the insane amount of cameos, action beats, full 4th wall breaking humor, and just seeing Hugh Jackman in that classic yellow X-Men suit for the first time ever. As immensely enjoyable as Deadpool and Wolverine is, I did find myself missing the supporting cast that helped carry the first two films and is quite hostile in being a sequel to Deadpool 2. Also, I really hope Marvel doesn’t take the wrong lesson from this movie’s inevitable box office success and start making every movie going for just “MCU Reddit Fan Theories The Movie”. That will get old and fate very, VERY quickly!

20.) The Incredible Hulk

This is perhaps the most underappreciated film in the MCU, especially since this is the kind of movie that critics of this franchise tend to ask for. A movie that is mature, self-contained, and has it’s own arc for it’s main character that you don’t need to see any other movie to fully understand. Not to mention, the clever opening credits that is able to perfectly showcase Bruce’s origin into become the Hulk in a span of just three minutes along with the final fight between Hulk and Abomination is some of he most stand-out scenes in the MCU. However, Edward Norton doesn’t quite capture the character of Bruce Banner in the same way that Mark Ruffalo does and it’s overall distinct tone makes it feel quite jarring to fit in with the rest of the MCU. It’s nice to know though that The Incredible Hulk is getting recognize more from the universe with returning characters showing up in more MCU projects. Far from the best of the MCU but still pretty damn good in it’s own right and deserves recognition.

19.) Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is about as good and thematically rich of a sequel as it could have been given the circumstances surrounding it. Despite losing a main key piece and a few too many subplots that feel like they’re only here to tease future movie and shows, it is still able to follow the remaining characters and themes from the first one in a way that feels organic and right. It’s beautifully acted and made, the handling of Chadwick Boseman’s death is done to near perfection, and is certainly a film you will want to bring tissues too. If only the runtime had been trimmed down and there wasn’t subplots that put more focus on setting up future Disney Plus shows. As divisive as Phase 4 as a whole as been, I don’t think it could have ended on a more emotional note than Wakanda Forever. Hopefully can bring the majority of fans and moviegoers together and realized what amazing things they had in the past while hoping for amazing things in the future.

18.) Thunderbolts*

Thunderbolts* pits the most unlikely scrappy anti-heroes of Marvel together, in a tale about the power of friendship and the dealings of mental health and depression. It’s easy to mistake this film as being a meta commentary of itself, where it’s about a team of unlikely super folks coming together in a time where superheroes have become a thing of the past and the world has moved on from them. However, what makes this stand out as well as it has is the chemistry and the development of the main cast that is front and center. Florence Pugh’s Yelena remains one of the most engaging leads of post-Endgame, Wyatt Russell still has the charm and charisma as dollar store Captain America, it’s always a treat to see Sebastian Stan as Bucky, and Lewis Pullman as Bob has one of the most compelling arcs in recent MCU history. It’s not quite an instant classic with the narrative being too disjointed at points and some characters giving rather harsh treatment (Don’t expect much from Ghost!), but Thunderbolts* is a solid reminder as to what made the MCU work in the first place, putting the characters first and story, lore, and world building second. It’s also refreshing how for the first time in a long time, it actually seems like the MCU has a proper direction and feels like it’s building towards something exciting.

17.) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is the one MCU installment that I’ve come close to loving completely but a few elements keep me back to doing so. James Gunn is able to capture that same charm and heart as the first one along with continuing the themes of family and friendship that the first one introduced as well as expand more on the side characters such as Nebula and Yondu. (Not to mention, Baby Groot is the cutest thing ever!) If only the second act didn’t drag as much and the Guardians had the same spark away from one another as they do when they are together, then this could have been just as good as the first one. Thankfully, Vol. 2 ends on an incredibly emotional high with one of the most fun post credit sequences ever in the MCU and Kurt Russell’s Ego is one of the better MCU villains throughout it’s history. Similar to Age of Ultron, it may have not moved the needle when it came out but as the MCU continues to expand, time has been very kind to this one!

16.) The Fantastic Four: First Steps

It may have taken literally four times but Marvel Studios was FINALLY able to get their first family right on the big screen with their MCU debut in First Steps. What makes this film so unique is how it’s able to exist in it’s own little bubble outside of the main MCU, allowing for a visual style, cosmic-like feel, worldbuilding, and a refreshing sense of optimism we have had yet to see in the rest of this cinematic universe. All four members of the team get their own moments to shine (Even if I would’ve liked a bit more of The Thing) and even the humor gets toned down this time around, allowing for more dramatic and emotional beats to play out better than most recent MCU movies. It does feel a bit too fast paced at times, given the indication that an extra 10-15 minutes might’ve been trimmed down due to possible concerning test screenings, and there are certain characters I would’ve liked to see get more screen time but if your biggest complaint with a movie is that you want more, then that MUST mean it’s a good thing. Overall, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is quite simply (I promise no pun intended!) FANTASTIC and a promising new reset to a possible bright future for Marvel!

15.) Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Here is proof that Marvel still knows how to take the familiar origin beats that they’ve become accustom to but still deliver something innovative and entertaining in the process! Taking a stamp from traditional martial art movies, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings delivers some of the best and most creative action sequences in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe to date! Simi Lulu as Shang-Chi is one of the coolest heroes the MCU has ever introduced, Tony Leung Chiu-wai as The Mandarian is one of the most engaging villains the MCU has ever had, Ben Kingsley is still an absolute riot as Trevor Slattery, and all of the female characters introduced such as Awkwafina’s Katy, Fala Chan’s Ying Li, Michelle Yeoh’s Jiang Nan, and especially Meng’er Zhang’s Xialing all stand out in their own unique and sometimes badass way. Sure, the third act is quite iffy and the resolution is shakey at best that doesn’t derail Shang-Chi from being one of the finest, fresh, and most pure fun installments in the post-Endgame MCU.

14.) Thor: Ragnarok

Thor: Ragnarök still remains the best Thor movie to this very day! Waititi is able to offer Thor’s most funniest, interesting, and tragic adventure yet, offering the change of pace, style, and tone that the Thor franchise desperately needed to after the underwhelming The Dark World to stand out with the rest of the MCU. Thrown in a great supporting cast with Tessa Thompson, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, and even Taika Waititi himself with the return of Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk and you got a complete package here. At times, it can get bogged down by having to carry too much baggage from the first two Thor movies without much proper payoff (I sure hope you weren’t big fans of Thor’s buddies from the first two movies) and it is perhaps “too funny” for some, but if it wasn’t for the success of this movie, there’s a good chance Marvel would have been as good as done with Thor by now.

13.) Iron Man

The Marvel Cinematic Universe started off with an absolute winner with Jon Favreau, Iron Man delivers an incredibly strong origin story of of Tony Stark, who would end up become the face of this franchise for 11+ years! Robert Downey Jr. is hands down the best casting choice in Marvel history as Iron Man and there is not a single scene in his Iron Man armor that he does not look like a badass. If it wasn’t for the tacked-on climax and an incredibly rushed villain arc in Iron Monger, this might just be one of the best superhero movies of all time. For what it’s worth though, we would not have the Marvel Cinematic Universe in any way, shape, or form if it wasn’t for the success of this movie, so this movie deserves all the credit and respect in the world for what it help start. And who could ever forget that bombshell of a post credit scene with Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury coming out and mention the Avengers?!

12.) Captain America: The First Avenger

Might be a hot take but Captain America: The First Avenger was my personal favorite of the build-up movies leading up to The Avengers. It had such a warm and nostalgic feel to it that I can’t help but be in the mood to watch it whenever it’s on TV. Even before it became cool to like Captain America, this made me respect and admire the character of Steve Rogers in ways I never imagined. He’s a good guy just trying to do good things and do what he believes it’s right for himself and others. Chris Evans is terrific as Steve Rogers along with co-stars Sebastian Stan, Hugo Weaving, and the absolutely beautiful Hayley Atwell. Even the montage scene that is everyone’s biggest complaint didn’t bother me, even if I wouldn’t have mind an extra 15 to 20 minutes. With it’s warm tone and sense of wonder and optimism threw out, this is one of my personal favorites. Also, you are a robot if you don’t tear up at or near the end.

11.) Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Brand New Day is the first MCU Spider-Man film that is unafraid in giving us the Spider-Man doing his friendly neighborhood duty of protecting the city he’s sworn to protect and doing what’s best for those that he loves. Yes, we get to see Spider-Man at his absolute HIGH points as being the answer to The Big Apple. Yes, we get to see Spider-Man interacting with plenty of faces old and new in this cinematic universe in ways that feel organic, natural, and welcoming every time they are screen. Yes, the action scenes and web swinging sequences are cranked up to 11 in ways that hasn’t been done before in live-action, including a very impressive comic run-like scroll in the film’s opening 20 minutes. But what makes Brand New Day stand out as well as it does is the overall arc that Peter Parker goes through, with the themes of loneliness, isolation, and the need for reconnecting with others blended together beautifully. There are characters that I would’ve like to have seen more of and there’s one resolution towards the end that does feel like a complete copout but any potential narrative shortcoming here is completely washed away with the film’s overall sense of wonder and awareness. It might’ve taken a film of Tom Holland being sad and lonely to give this genre the potential two billion dollar booster shot it needed but hey, there’s no superhero that does it quite like Spider-Man.

10.) Avengers: Infinity War

The culmination of the past 10+ years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was an event of a lifetime and Avengers: Infinity War was able to deliver on that hype every step of the way! Seeing every possible Marvel superhero coming together to take on the greatest Marvel villain in Thanos felt like a dream come true for not just comic book fans but movie lovers in general. Not to mention, that ending which traumatize and entire generation of children, giving them the “You gotta be effing s*itting me!” feeling that Gen X got with Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in 1980. However, certain elements such as the scattered shot first half and an ending that (while shocking) was clearly not gonna last holds it back for being higher on this list. Still, Infinity War is certainly one of the most exhilarating theater experiences I have ever had and it will always hold a special place in my heart because of that.

9.) Spider-Man: No Way Home

Now, that’s more like it! No Way Home was basically the Spider-Man movie that I have been waiting for from the MCU! It offers Tom Holland as his absolute best as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, giving the character more depth and intrigue than he did in his previous two solo movies, finally utilizing the potential of this version of Spider-Man that had previously shown glimpses of it in his extended cameo in Captain America: Civil War and his side roles in the last two Avengers movies. Unlike the previous two MCU Spidey films before it, No Way Home finally gave you an indication as to what this Spider-Man actually IS rather than what he is NOT! Of course, bring back in Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield along with their gallery of baddies and this is about as good of a Spidey adventure as it gets.

8.) Iron Man 3

That’s right! Iron Man 3 is my personal favorite Iron Man movie to date! Having the amount of action, humor, twists, turns, and social/political commentary, this is everything I could have ever want in an Iron Man movie. We see Tony Stark going back to basics here as he discovers that he can in fact be the hero that is Iron Man without even putting on the suit. Robert Downey Jr. is at his absolute best here in his solo movies, seeing Tony outside of his comfort zone is fun, and the action is about a exciting and thrilling as it could get with these movies. Hell, I even love that Mandarin Twist that everyone else and their mothers hate, sue me! It’s a shame that Rebecca Hall is sidelined here though and Bill Maher was given any screen time as well. Other than that, Iron Man 3 is the best Iron Man to date and one MCU experience that gets better and better for me each time I watch it.

7.) Captain America: Civil War

Arguably a better Avengers movie than Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War feels more like the darker, mature follow-up that we were hoping for than the installment we got in 2015. This is the one that tore the Avengers apart physiologically, where it took several years later to the team to even be whole again. The action sequences are phenomenal, it does a great job at being the right follow-up to both Winter Soldier and Age of Ultron, both sides of the conflict have clear and understandable motives that don’t just bluntly make them right and/or wrong, and every character, regardless of how important they are to the plot or not, get their own arc or at least moment to themselves. Aside from Zemo’s overall actions to his master plan is too far stretched and definitely requires some suspension of disbelief, Civil War remains a top-tier Marvel experience and makes for one of the most rewatchable installments in the MCU.

6.) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is able to successfully hit all the beats it needs to give fans and audiences a very satisfying ending to it’s trilogy of what is perhaps the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most surprising and consistently great franchise, along with showing how Marvel can still find ways to deliver quality entertainment, even when it might seem like they’ve reached their limits. It’s able to be funny, dark, sad, engaging, and deliver the highest and most personal stakes of all the three Guardians films that helps make it stand out as possibly the very best in trilogy. This also has some of the very best performances and emotional beats in anything Marvel related! All Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 needed to do was deliver a conclusion that felt definite, right and satisfying all the same. And on those terms, it was no doubt able to deliver a famously huge third (Pun entirely intended!) I’m glad James Gunn was able to end his run with Marvel on a high note and leave me awaiting his future with DC. A fitting farewell to these lovable galactic a-holes!

5.) Avengers: Endgame

Despite some time travel inconsistencies and one or two misused characters (*cough* Hulk), Avengers: Endgame still makes for a thrilling and satisfying end to the Infinity Saga. It ends the first few waves of Marvel movies on a high note, it’s well-structured and paced despite it being three hours long, it delivers some of the most unexpected but well earned payoffs in the entire franchise, and that final battle, which the whole series was building too, could not have deliver any better than it did. (FYI, the girl power scene is AWESOME! Don’t @ me!) Even if, like INFINITY WAR, it does feels more like an event than a movie, Endgame still makes for one amazing event nonetheless. I will definitely never forget seeing the entire theater’s reaction to Captain America wielding the Mjolnir, showing that he is in fact worthy, or hearing folks cry when Tony Stark died. Even if the Marvel Cinematic Universe ended here, Endgame would have been more than a fine note to go out on and still remain one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of blockbuster cinema.

4.) Black Panther

Yes the CGI isn’t that great. Yes, it does move a bit slow in the first act and quite fast in the third act. And yes, more time with the bad guys would have helped. Nevertheless, when it come to quality, filmmaking, and it’s overall impact on pop culture, I don’t think there’s been an MCU installment that hits quite as hard as Black Panther. The characters are all iconic, especially with Kilmonger being arguably the bet MCU villain to date, everything that takes place in Wakanda is wonderful, the action is well done, especially that car chase, the aesthetic (minus the CGI) is a treat for the eyes, the music absolutely slaps, and the impactful themes are ones that still resonate with me to this very day. When looking back on it, you can tell the impact that Black Panther had with Marvel Studios and director Ryan Coogler and how it would be quite hard to replicated something with that one center piece now gone. Nevertheless, they can at least look back and witness the amazing achievement they were able to accomplish with the absolutely MARVELOUS (no pun intended) gem that is Black Panther. RIP Chadwick Boseman!

3.) The Avengers

The one crossover flick for the ages! The one that change all superhero and blockbusters in general for better and for worse (mostly worse). With all the comic book flicks that have come out after this, it’s easy to forget how much of a miracle it is that The Avengers worked out as well as it did in the first place. Yes, the plotting and themes are simple and can be read like a book but that’s a necessary evil giving it does everything else incredibly well. Just about all the Avengers get their time to shine, the entire cast has perfect chemistry, it has the perfect blend of action, comedy, and drama, and the final battle is an absolute banger, which helps tie everything together and basically as a firework display with Marvel basically celebrating their own tremendous accomplishment. Who knows where Marvel and Cinema would be today if this movie didn’t work out? That in of itself makes The Avengers an all-time classic and one that I will always revisit whenever I’m in the mood. Joss Whedon can suck it though!

2.) Captain America: The Winter Soldier

If Captain America: The First Avenger was a perfect period piece flick, then Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a perfect Captain America flick for the modern times. Not only a very well done espionage thriller with plenty of thrilling action, character development, and important subject matter, but it managed to make certain characters more interesting and badass than ever before. Captain America became cool to like in this one, Black Widow was more interesting and developed this time around (along with having the best hairstyle here), Nick Fury actually gets to do something here than just try to motivate the Avengers through pep talk, and man does Winter Soldier make for an intense and threatening presence whenever he is one screen. This was the Russo Brothers first film in the MCU and they could not have left a better first impression than they did here. Winter Soldier was the one that change the MCU for the greater good and proved they can in fact work as their own things instead of being sneak previews for the main big events. One of the greatest superhero movies ever made and that is NOT an exaggeration!

1.) Guardians of the Galaxy

While this may not be technically the best directed, acted, or written MCU movie, I don’t think there’s any other MCU movie I would rather rewatch than the original Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s incredible how a movie with this different of concept and characters and play barley over two hours yet it feels like the complete package. Every member of the Guardians of the Galaxy is instantly iconic and lovable, with the big standouts being Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon, and Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, the story is familiar but also refreshing, the action scenes are well-crafted, it’s funny as hell, the score is kick-ass, and there’s some hard hitting emotions that feel just right. The best part about it is that you can easily watch this movie without having seen any other Marvel movie and you’d be able to follow it just fine. Even the one-note villain of Ronan the Accuser, is actually quite functional in his own way as being the space equivalent of Hitler. There are definitely Marvel movies that are better made and might be better objectively but you’d be hard pressed to find one that’s as fresh, surprising, and flat-out more entertaining than Guardians of the Galaxy!