Tag: marvel comics
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Black Panther (2018)
Black Panther was a game changer. Sure, it’s a piece of the greater tapestry that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it barely feels like it. And that’s not a bad thing! It broke free, so to speak, from the standard hero template and became its own thing. Which, as it turns out, was widely successful as it’s the top grossing movie in the MCU that doesn’t have “Avengers” in the title (as of writing). Why was it so successful? Let’s dive in with this entry of MCU March and find out.
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Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
I’m kicking off this entry in MCU March with an addendum. In the Ant-Man post, I said that movie was my favorite of the “overtly comedic Marvel movies.” Clearly I had forgotten about Thor: Ragnarok and how great this movie is when I wrote that. I think it’s safe to say that this is my favorite Marvel Cinematic Universe film (and I double checked the list so I won’t have to make this addendum again). I guess after rewatching all these movies, I have a soft spot for the God of Thunder.
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Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Once upon a time in the far away land of 1996, Marvel Entertainment was facing bankruptcy. One step of staying afloat was selling the movie rights to their most popular characters–Sony got Spider-Man, 20th Century Fox got the X-Men, and so on. Marvel kept the rights to the B-tier team the Avengers and against all odds successfully managed them into the most successful franchise ever. Over time film rights expired and went back to Marvel, or companies were just bought out. But Sony kept making Spider-Man movies so they kept the rights. Which is to say that Spider-Man: Homecoming is…
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The Falcon and the Winter Soldier – Season 1, Episode 1
It’s the premiere of a new Disney+ Marvel show! The first in this new chapter of tie-ins to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (which I’m currently covering with MCU March, in case the daily posts somehow passed you by) was WandaVision, a quirky mystery involving magic, family, and grief. That is absolutely not what The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is about. This is an action show that could very easily become a political thriller, depending on how the episodes shape up. But enough preamble, let’s dive right in!
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
One of the problems the Marvel Cinematic Universe has is the music. Like a lot of modern blockbusters, the soundtrack is samey and easily forgettable. Sure, you could probably identify the Avengers theme, but could you identify Doctor Strange’s main theme? Did that movie actually have one? It did, and it sounds like a more action-orientated piece from a Harry Potter movie, but the point still stands. The exception to this are the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, full of recognizable songs to go with the standard background music. But I think Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ups the…
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Doctor Strange (2016)
Everything is better when you add magic. Got a medieval-ish story? Throw in some wizards and necromancers and let’s have fun. Grim and gritty urban noir setting? Add an asshole detective who can cast spells and it’s automatically a hundred times better. Have one of the most successful film franchises in history? Let’s add Doctor Strange to the mix. MUC March is continuing on, now talking about the magical side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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Captain America: Civil War (2016)
This is a movie about division. An argument springs up that splits a group in two, pitting them against each other in a fight neither side can truly win. I’m talking of course about how my husband and I absolutely disagree about who was “right” in Captain America: Civil War, and it causes a lengthy discussion every time this movie gets brought up. Welcome back to MCU March! We’re in the endgame towards Avengers: Endgame as the Marvel Cinematic Universe has officially entered Phase Three.
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Ant-Man (2015)
The Marvel Cinematic Universe really tries to cover as many genres as it can, all while still sticking with a superhero aesthetic. For example, Captain America: The First Avenger is a war drama, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a political thriller, and Guardians of the Galaxy is a space comedy. So really, it’s not that big a surprise that Ant-Man would be a heist movie. And despite some behind the scenes shakeups, this is a comedy that has that that Mr. Edgar Wright humor all over it.
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Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
MCU March is still going strong! With Avengers: Age of Ultron we’re just about at the halfway point of the franchise (thus far) and the end of Phase 2. I say “just about” because the actual mid-point (thus far) AND the actual end of Phase 2 both happen to be Ant-Man, but we’ll get to that tomorrow. Today we watch Tony Stark continue to make the worst decisions possible!
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Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
The previous film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, saw trust betrayed when it was revealed that Hydra had been a part of SHIELD all along, leading to SHIELD’s dissolution and changing the landscape for all Earth-based heroes. But enough of that serious shit, let’s have wacky space adventures! Welcome back to MCU March; let’s talk about Guardians of the Galaxy.
Chwineka Watches 