23 Marvelous Movies: Prelude

Marvel is a word that, when said as a noun, means something that elicits amazement in the eyes of someone. For eleven years, to an entire world of filmgoers, a series of movies was precisely that, representing the changing tide of the whole cinematic landscape and a time when superheroes were not relegated to pulpy pages read by teens who frequented the nearest conventions. It was even the word that it went by.

In 2005, saying that a franchise could have characters interact with each other while having their own standalone film and be a lucrative series would get any producer laughed out of any board meeting in Hollywood.  But Marvel’s Kevin Feige knew that there were generations of fans clambering to see the world that Stan Lee created brought to life and, when superhero flicks were gaining more and more traction during that decade, was determined to deliver exactly that.  

It was what fans of these heroes wanted to see for decades but thought they never would. Only when Feige set out to make that dream a reality did comic-book readers finally see their favorite billionaire philanthropist in a metal suit, scientist with a power more of a curse than a blessing, Norse god of thunder with his magic hammer, symbol of a nation’s spirit and its very best people, ruthless and athletic spy with a dark past she wanted to escape from, and guy with arrows fighting the forces of evil together in one film.

 And that was only the beginning because the most offbeat crew in the entire galaxy, an everyday man who proves even becoming smaller can make a difference, a brilliant doctor with deep knowledge in the mystic arts, a young web-slinger trying to find his place in the world, the king of an entire nation, and the strongest woman in the universe joined the fray throughout the following years in their own movies. 

For eleven years, audiences worldwide experienced a world of richness and intricacy not seen before or likely ever will be seen again at the movies, and a group of characters as deep, layered, and human as the heroes that they were based on. These films also ushered in a cast of actors that became household names overnight, gave maverick directors a chance to flourish, made monumental steps forward in terms of representation in Hollywood, and took filmgoers on emotional rollercoaster rides. One film, in particular, ended on a massive gut punch that left the entire world breathless.

Even after the culmination of that entire franchise became the highest-grossing film of all-time last year, fans knew that that was the just the end of a saga, and the best was yet to come, as Marvel would be blazing even new paths and taking their characters in fresh new directions with their movies and television series.

Then, everything changed.

Now that so many people in the world are forced to stay home, they are realizing how great the moviegoing experience was and how they would love to revisit it, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is more and more becoming the symbol of when they could escape from any troubles they were having in a dark room full of strangers, where they could cheer their favorite heroes on when they were at their highest and cry with them when they were at their lowest.

That is why, for my part of Renegade Pop Culture, I think it would be appropriate that I review every single film installment in the Infinity Saga of the MCU, starting with Iron Man and Spider-Man: Far From Home. A series examining the highs and lows of a franchise that shaped the entire Hollywood industry in terms of storytelling, representation, and filmmaking would be the perfect reflection of that time when going to the cinema was a key part in the lives of people the world over.

Excelsior!

P.S. I know a lot of Marvel fans disagree with this, but I prefer to watch these films in release order. It's much less complicated and I enjoy viewing this series unfold the way that it originally did.