Thread by @Christian_Humes

I’m watching all of the @Marvel movies with @ThereseTheBeast, we are going in release order over the next 8 weeks leading up to #AvengersInfinityWar

Yesterday was Iron Man, we just started The Incredible Hulk now.

Updating this thread with thoughts and lists as we go #marvel

💭 Most shocking moment so far in the @Hulk 2008 is @LivTyler dating the dad from Modern Family.

Also as much as I like Edward Norton I’m just picturing @MarkRuffalo in my head and this movie is even better.

Putting @Hulk on pause to talk Iron Man.

1. I forgot how we used to talk about Marvel movies being “grounded” or “realistic” especially when it comes to color pallete and portrayal of characters or events.

The colors in Black Panther and Thor 3 have come a long way since 2008.

2. I’m not surprised how great this movie still is. For a long time I would probably say it’s my favorite in the franchise, now I might be sure.

The story is focused and with @RobertDowneyJr you really believe Tony Stark goes through a process of profound change.

3. Failures of Dr Strange are more apparent

Tony Stark is a narcissistic jerk the first 10% of the movie, next 90% is challenged by his mistakes and pushes himself to make changes for good

Dr Strange an unrepentant jackass for the majority yet continues to succeed via privilege

3.5
Tony Stark war profiteering weapons engineer. Gets kidnapped, confronts the people and system he armed. Survived b/c Yinsen gave his life so Stark can better our future. Now he carries the weight of that life

Strange breaks his hand is given god level powers b/c hes entitled

4.

I miss dudes like Agent Coulson showing up, shame that @AgentsofSHIELD doesnt have better integration with the larger universe

After a decade of @MarvelStudios movies the suggestion of a larger universe in those scene is still really fun, especially knowing what we know now

Finished the hulk

Overall: Not terrible. Likely the weakest film in MCU

Unlike Iron Man CG does not hold up, the movie feels disjointed, and in many ways does not feel like a part of the MCU regardless of the recasting

Hulk & Banners depiction feel like a good rough draft

1. It was bold and strange to see the origin of @Hulk played out in the opening credits. I thought this was a clever idea, but later wished we had more time to see Bruce prior to his burden. To see the relationships and rift between him and General/Betty Ross develop.

2. Speaking of the Ross’s, I guess they are just alive and well. Bruce seems to have forgotten all about Betty in the MCU, but meeting Scarlett Johansson will do that

Gen. Ross still showing up randomly, and I guess he has Abomination in lockdown somewhere? Seems dangerous.

3. Bruce Banner has a real lack of development. Not wasting time with the experiments becoming Hulk cuts his arc in half. Having him start with the demon inside and not watching him confront that initial change makes Everything feels like it comes too easy

4. This also breaks the illusion of @EdwardNorton Bruce Banner and @MarkRuffalo being the same because of the way the film ends.

‘08 @Hulk ends with Bruce Banner appearing in control of The Hulk, his anger and his abilities. He accepts who he is and has come full circle.

4.5 @MarkRuffalo Hulk shows consistent internal conflict. There is a level of acceptance that carries through, but even in his current iteration Bruce Banner felt afraid of Hulk enough that he left Earth. Bruce of 2008 Hulk has too confident a smile at the end to be the same.

5. Design of Hulk has come really far. Extra few years and improved budget from ‘08 to ‘12 pulls Hulk out of the uncanny valley.

The real achievemnt of @Avengers in design came with modeling the @Hulk after @MarkRuffalo

Lack of familiarity to the actor in 2008 Hulk is striking

Finished Iron man 2 a few days ago, what a surprisingly fun movie. I remember at the time it felt very disappointing as a follow-up to Iron Man OG, but there are a lot of cool elements and most overcome a handful of strange choices. Also I had no idea Justin Theroux wrote this.

1. Justin Hammer is the heel of this film, an overcompensating wannabe. From the get-go he loses to Tony with women, money, and power. He was a weak punk that tried to undermine and outcompete Tony Stark and lost at every turn. Hammer is the loser you love to watch come in last.

2. Ivan Vanko “Whiplash” is great villain, even if the character cheesy. Seeking retribution for his dead father's stolen work made him a madman with nothing to lose. His complete abandon of self-preservation is seen in his lack of armor at the start. Dude was a scary badass.

2.5 Whiplash’s lack of armor in the Monaco scene is dumb. If you’re going to tell me all these rich people and F1 cars are riding around but there’s no armed security, gtfo here. He could have been put down by any police easy. + his huge fingers looked goofy on that keyboard.

3. Tony is back at it crushing the suit game. The blocky CG of the suitcase suit didn’t age well but the suit is so damn cool it doesn’t matter. It’s only topped by his late-game laser weapon he uses that has me scratching my head as to why he doesn’t still use that move.

4. Not everything Tony does in this movie is cool, sure he creates a new element (really??) Choosing to replace the comic's alcoholism with a fear of his own mortality and abandon of responsibility was a poor one. Never believed it and the filmed suffered for it, did not work.

5. Meeting black widow and having more scenes with Fury (RIP?) was great, but the most fun part of the whole film is his discovery during the Walt Disney portrayal of Howard Stark. I really enjoy how they designed Howard Stark to be a common thread that effects Tony for so long.

6. Honorable mention to Don Cheadle for coming in and saving this film from Terrance Howard. @DonCheadle is the man, and if anyone else had to rock a suit I’m glad it was him, please just stop making him a chump and let him do something dope in Infinity War. - Thor is up Next!

Thor. Wow, it’s jumped back up to the top of my list. This movie is fun, hilarious, has great sets, costumes and really nails the stranger in a strange land story. Thinking back to the time of release, who would have thought the Norse god would make such a cool superhero movie?!

1. Asgard was a rich colorful world that was a striking change of pace from the previous three films. Everything feels dipped in gold and the world feels right out of a Lord Of The Rings film. Best moment in Asgard is when Thor heads out with his guild to raid the Frost Giants.

2. Thor on Earth with his lack of reference points were hilarious. Thor slamming his coffee cup, asking the pet shop for an animal large enough to ride and misunderstanding Coulson's name were particularly funny. I’d watch an entire movie of Thor challenged by Earth concepts

3. My biggest thing with Thor so far is his arrogance at the start of this movie. It’s crazy Odin would be unaware of their attack on the Frost Giants. I think he let Thor go because he had no idea how they got into Asgard, so that’s where Thor gets his recklessness from.

4. Now for Loki. What a childish, insecure baby. He’s a great and charming villain, he’s clearly so much smarter than his brother but he is his own worst enemy. The Theon Greyjoy of this universe, he put far too much blame on others, and never deserved Thor's brotherly love.

5. The shocking thing about Loki’s plan was that he never meant to do anything particularly evil to the Asgardians (other than removing Thor). When he turns on his actual father Laufey it shows just how twisted and manipulative his plan was. All of this, just be seen a hero.

5.5. Had it worked Loki would have saved Odin from the Frost Giants and become Asgards leader receiving the love of his parent's & people. He already had all of this, but his brother's spotlight was too much for his own ego. Loki straddles pathetic and competent as an antagonist

6. Seeing @SHIELD protect Thor's hammer after the public tried to take Mjolnir was awesome. Hawkeye made his first appearance and It was really cool to watch him in action. Of course, when Coulson showed up again it had me just as excited for us to get even closer to the Avengers

7. Can we take a moment to talk about Thor's crew? He had his own fellowship, a guild if you will. I miss them. Wish they could have had a bit more screen time in Thor: Ragnarok before going down, I really enjoyed having The Warriors three (four?) around. I'd raid with them.

8. Jane Foster and Co. provided some really great moments in the movie, I just never really bought the love story. Thor can’t understand coffee, it would never work. Best part of their time together is when @OfficialKat calls his hammer "Myuh-myuh?" - Captain America up next!

Finished Captain America: The First Avenger & last movie before Avengers! I can think back to believing there was no way this super hero would be cool, but surprise, they did it again. This movie was PACKED and a great model for movies to come, lets get into it.

1. Starting with my man Elrond, dude was reading stuff that sounded elvish saying words like “Yggdrasil” from stone carvings of trees. I guess it’s good Elrond wasn’t the ring bearer, we can see how that would turn out. He's like a ripped red nazi golem.

1.5 In all seriousness though, I really like Red Skull, more than I remember. He’s a great mirror of Cap and I actually liked the makeup and fx for his dumb red face. I was surprised by how well it actually worked. Hoping he’s floating around out there just waiting to be found.

2. Red Skulls lapdog was a IRL minion, yet somehow Arnim Zola always stole the scene. A bit slow to the big picture and yet terrifying & brilliant at making weapons. This snappy bowtie wearing dude always had me laughing. As @ThereseTheBeast says “Dress for the job you want"

3. Not a lot to say about Bucky, It’s clear they had him bulk up quite a bit since CA:TFA. Nice to see him and Cap together before he gets brainwashed. Along with great cameos like Nick Fury, big moments for Howard Stark and a shot of the OG Human Torch suit at the worlds fair.

4. Peggy Carter really kills it. She’s behind so many of the good decisions made. Her instinct to trust Steve when no one else would put him in the field, and see past Howard Starks nonsense made her smarter than most everyone else. She had brains and got her hands dirty.

5. Before Steve became cap was weird. It works okay but uncanny valley is still a thing. Felt like they never chose just how small he was, his size seemed to fluctuate between shots. @theresethebeast also pointed out that "his voice still sounds too hunky" so true, so true

5.5 Scrawny Steve & Dr. Erskine are some of the better moments. Telling Erskine "I don't want to kill anyone, I don't like bullies." Later when Erskine explains why he chose him, and makes him promise to stay "a good man" really solidifies Cap. Their short time together was great

6. Turns out, Captain America is a total badass. Lots of cool jumping scenes, nazi punching, explosions, & throwing his shield. Just everything @chrisevans did was awesome. Kicking Red Skull’s butt when going up against a foe of considerable strength was really dope on screen.

7. Favorite sequence was when Cap infiltrated the final base and went ham on Hydra with his shied. Even though he got caught Cap took down so many dudes, and it took a tesseract powered small army just to neutralize him. Can’t wait to see more Cap in Avengers, which is up next!

Watched The Avengers, what a phenomenal movie! Saw it in theaters 3 times. This viewing still had that same magic, especially in the lead up to Infinity War. There’s an impossibly large list of things I could talk about, so I decided to list my favorite moment for each character

I can’t say enough how exhilarating it is, even a dozen follow up MCU films this one still stands out on top. It’s got a very heavy @Joss vibe, punchy one-liners, references, and the sharp colorful cinematography push this movie into a category of it’s own

Also, @MarkRuffalo steals the show along with @ClarkGregg. Travesty we won’t get a standalone @hulk, at least Thor Ragnarok was incredible. Missing Coulson in the MCU, hoping he comes back for A3 or A4 to see the end. Not many moments as strong as Coulson's death in the MCU.

1. Starting with Hawkeye, he's not the most exciting Avenger, but having just a regular dude with the rest of the team lets all the superheroes feel more special. Props for almost single handily taking down the Helicarrier, but can someone explain how he never runs out of arrows?

2. Nick Fury has had a few cool cameos, but this movie really gave him the chance to shine. His ingenious emotional manipulation through Coulson’s Cpt. America trading cards, and his conversation with the imprisoned Loki are both dope scenes.

3. Black Widow has a strong intro and kicks some ass in NYC, but the real winner was her time with @hulk. Watching Black Widow be chased down by The Hulk was terrifying, it was a brilliant way to use her vulnerability as a non-powered avenger. It’s wild she never got a movie.

4. Coulson has got to be my favorite, so much so this rewatch convinced me to start @AgentsofSHIELD (Spoiler: it’s pretty darn good). Can’t say enough how I miss @clarkgregg, that guy is awesome. His death is the most poignant moment in the MCU next to “I am Iron Man”.

5. Loki absolutely crushes it. He’s powerful and chaotic, bouncing from clever and calm to emotional and out of control. This unpredictability makes him a great villain. Intro with SHIELD was menacing and destructive, his slick and showy nature made for a great spectacle.

5.5 The more theatrical moments of the film can be problematic, specifically the scenes in space. Intro with the Chitauri where they stood before Thanos felt out of place and cheesy. Though some of the theatrics were executed perfectly, like his incredible scene at the museum.

6. Thor is cool wrecking Chitauri with lightning, but let’s give it up to one of the best fight scenes which was him fighting Iron Man and Cap. A short but great battle that showed off all the powers, plus when he came down on Caps shield with Mjolnir it was really really cool

7. Loved Cap in the museum attack. Right before Loki blasted the old man for standing up to him, Captain America jumps in and saves the day. Perfect representation of the metaphorical shield Cap is for the goodness in humanity. @ChrisEvans does such a wonderful job.

Bruce Banner getting tricked by the cute child in his intro, and his banter with Tony on the Helicarrier was fantastic. @Hulk slamming Loki is still the funniest moment in the movie “Puny God” still had me even after 6 years and a dozen movies. @MarkRuffalo is really the best.

Tony Stark having his suit removed while walking down his apartment entrance was so sick, same with the mid-air assembly. Though nothing tops Iron Man sacrificing himself to save the Earth from an alien threat, and NYC/The Avengers from a nuclear weapon. Thanks Iron Man.

The Avengers was and still is amazing. Ready to continue this journey to #infinityWar & Thanos but first, rankings.

Current Ranking:
The Avengers
Iron Man
Thor
Captain America: The First Avenger
Iron Man 2
Hulk

Will Update the list after the Avengers: AU, but first Iron Man 3!

Iron Man 3 starts Phase 2, the awkward teen years of the MCU. Shame we only got 3 Iron Man movies, I would have loved one more entry. Movie was fun, but it’s my least favorite of the three, partly because of the over the top villain, and the Iron Man suits became so expendable.

Killian has some good classic villain elements An outcast slighted by society and a hero of his origin. He plays a confident genius who thinks he’s smoother than he is, and he’s still pretty creepy. He breathes fire out of his mouth. He has an overly complex plan.

What I don’t like? He’s whiney, makes too much of a show for himself. Went after Stark for no real benefit of his own. His goons hurt Happy. His teeth. He made pepper into a superhero. He’s creepy. His goons felt like video game enemies at best.

Ben Kingsley as The Mandarin was great. So confused the first time I saw this but a good twist. Only real downside was that The Mandarin was actually kind of menacing and Killian was a creep. Mandarin reveal was hilarious @benkingsly killed it.

The Kid is one of my biggest complaints. Something that never works for me when children talk and act like adults. Kid was too mature, calm, collected & smart. Where was his mom? Why did he have a newspaper when went to the garage? Some cute parts but mostly did not work.

Happy was a highlight of the movie, shame his time was cut short by an explosion. Jon Favreau was delightful, & brought levity to a slow start. Similar to Coulson’s death in Avengers seeing Happy get hurt was a great motivator. Very glad Happy lived to be in future movies.

Where’s Cap? Where is SHIELD? We’re talking about problems like Extremis & The Mandarin. How come @AgentsofSHIELD isn’t involved? There’s a terrorist attacking the US, yet Cap? I get not every movie can have team ups but this plot feels strange to see Iron Man fly solo.

Pepper Potts was great up until she got powers. The best things about characters like Pepper is that they are special without having abilities or gadgets. Luckily it was only temporary and was fitting that she saved Tony. She’s still too good for Tony and Extremis.

had some dope moments. Sucks that the military was outsmarted by Mandarin and got IP caught, but it was awesome to see Rhode’s kick butt out of the suit. Even without his armor Rhode’s manages to defeat multiple Extremis soldiers and save the president. Bas ass.

Tony had it rough. PTSD concept was good, execution felt off at times. Fortunately the use of this anxiety in him makes good storytelling. Not only does he now amass an army of suits because he needs to make things to occupy his brain, but the biggest impact is his drone suit.

Having Tony make a suit he can pilot without being inside speaks volumes about his fears and apprehension. Unmanned suit means he can avoid another near-death experience like in Avengers. Tony wants to fight but is battling his own mortality which the suits represent.

Best moment in the movie was the Air Force One sequence. Evil Iron Patriot taking down the plane, and Iron Man catching a dozen people as they plummet to the ground was captivating. I held my breath he whole scene, as he barrel of monkey chained the people together and saved them

IM3 was fun & feels very different the first two. The first film post-Avengers, and with real super-powers. Both conflict with IM’s more previously grounded themes. These plus change in director are why IM3 is such a change. Wish I still had one more IM left though. Thor 2 next!

Thor 2 continues to prove how important a good villain is. The biggest problem with the movie is the bad guy and Thor 2 is probably the weakest Marvel movie, but it does have some moments.

1. There’s three main things they got wrong with Malekith and the Dark Elves. The cheesy language. The design of the Dark Elves. The wooden theatrics of their portrayal. They aimed for LOTR and produced The Hobbit.

1a. High fantasy speech needs the right tone. Marking the Dark Elves speak a language we can’t understand to go along with this corny dialog was a bad idea. It works in LOTR because it’s not cut between Natalie Portman and friends goofing around in London. It does not work here.

1b. The Dark Elves shouldn’t look like LOTR elves in eyes wide shut masks and funeral attire. They should look grungy, and more orc like, they were too clean and too formal. They got it right when Malekith made a beast out of one, it was more Uruk-hai and less Potty Patroller.

These dudes have been sitting around for eons just waiting but look the same as they did before. More visual desperation would have been smart, especially before Malekith powers up. Theres no way I was supposed to believe these guys were a threat, Thor should have bodied them.

I enjoyed a bit more time with Jane Foster and Co. experimenting with effects of the Aether and aligning worlds. There was always something nice about having these regular people ground the stories of Thor, but I am glad Thor 3 dropped the Earth story and it's restrictions.

Quick nitpick, the kids drop a bottle through the reality distortion where Jane find the Aether. These portal mechanics are not at all consistent nor are they accurate. I’ve played Portal, and that bottle those kids dropped would have picked up some seriously dangerous momentum.

Loki is arguably the best antagonist in all of the MCU, which is why he’s in so many. Thor 2 grew his character by showing him vulnerable, showed his compassion and continued to show his disregard for boundaries. Seeing a mournful and regretful Loki was one of the best parts.

Thor has his moments, he crafts a plan clever enough to impress his brother, yet continues to ram his thick skull through life. His inability to understand the sacrifice Odin prepared his people to make shows he’s not ready to take up the mantle, something even Thor acknowledges.

Best moment is not the Loki death fake-out or end credits, it’s Loki and Thor escaping Asgard. Specifically Loki taunting Thor and the cameo appearance of Captain America. This fun brotherly love was a glimpse of the team-up that we all always want but never really get.

Thor 2: The Dark World is possibly my least favorite so far, it’s tied with Hulk in any case. It’s not anywhere as bad as people claim, and it is the perfect example of what not to do with villains. Luckily Marvel Has come a long way since then. Cap 2: Winter Soldier up next!

Captain America: Winter Soldier was so dope. Everything Cap does is cool and @ChrisEvans makes it all look effortless. The villains were clever but if felt most of the time like Cap had to hold back because of who he was fighting, making it much harder for himself.

There are 3 layers of villains, Arnim Zola, our bow-tied boy has finally gotten the top spot. Sure now he’s a disembodied digital version of himself, but he rebuilt HYDRA, overthrew SHIELD and almost killed Cap and Black Widow. That is pretty impressive for a nerdy little rat.

HYDRA being integrated into SHEILD was a great twist. Makes Cap question who his orders come from and even throws Nick Fury for a loop, helps set up A:AU. Watching the events unfold in this movie after binging all of @AgentsofSHIELD (which I just finished) was kind of awesome.

Bucky Barnes Winter Soldier was awesome. I thought the eye makeup and theatrics of him were a bit much @ThereseTheBeast was quick point out his feathered hair. Regardless of the look, everyone remembers when he put a beat down on Cap, and no one forgets when he caught his shield.

Nick Fury was great to see again. His chase sequence in the car was incredible, and the second best scene in the movie, I thought there was no way he was making it out alive even though I had seen it before. Nick fury kicked ass and I can not wait to see him again in Cap Marvel.

Black Widow was at her best in this, we got to see her spy chops and her combat skills. She saved the data Fury handed to Cap, and she sacrificed her own anonymity to take down HYDRA while also putting her life on the line the whole time. Her undercover sequence was also great

Falcon was really quick to get his own superhero name, which is cool because he deserved it. They introduced him in the best way possible at the start of the movie, and he stepped up and offered to put himself in harms way when duty called. The man really earned those wings.

Cap is lawful good, he's the boy scout with superpowers. Which is why for so many reasons this character shouldn’t be interesting. Yet they managed to take all of his moral clarity and forced him to clash with the ambiguity of our world. This decision made for great tension.

Best moment had to be the elevator sequence. Cap takes down a dozen goons after a tense buildup as each floor more baddies are added to the small space. Then after the cleans the place out he cuts the elevator cable and jumps out of the window to smash land on his shield. So cool

Captain America Winter Soldier was a great movie, a spy thriller with fantastic elements and real stakes. Lots of friendly faces and a new complicated antagonist for the MCU. A great sequel and the perfect set up for Avengers: AU & Civil War. Guardians of the Galaxy next though!

Kicking it into overdrive, watched Guardians of The Galaxy last night. First time in years and it held up really well. I forgot how much Thanos was in this movie, and actually, the A:IW design is an improvement over the GotG Thanos even if he still doesn’t look intimidating.

Huge cast so I’m just hitting each big one. First, is there a reason Benicio Del Toro always plays weird characters like The Collector or DJ in TLJ? Nebula’s deformed body after getting wrecked was nasty and dope. Shout out to Nova Corps, will miss you after Thanos comes

The space theatrics were still cheesy, scene with Thanos, Ronin & Nebula felt a stage play. Most of Ronin is a little over the top, he's a badass Kree yet sometimes felt like he was a whiny kid. I never believed his motivation other than he's just 100% a dick

Guardians were amazing. Loved Drax's introduction. They nailed his comedy in this movie, and the sequence with him and Peter when we are introduced to his literal brand of speech was hilarious. If only he didn’t do something so stupid as calling Ronin he would have been perfect

Its nice to see the CG on Rocket hold up so well, the close-up shots in particular had a lot more detail on them. @theresethebeast had to point out that Bradley Cooper voices him, you'd never know. It’s really amazing VA that brings him to life. I want to see Rocket & Shuri hang

Groot, however, was strange to see. The older Groot in this movie really does feel like a different character than baby Groot (since he is his child) Most of the visuals were great and watching Groot just tear into people was a shockingly violent treat. Excited for teen Groot

does a killer job as Gamora. She brought a lot of life to a character that should could've been single-minded like Ronin or Nebula. She was nuanced and badass. Amazing how great all the makeup looks. I can’t wait to see Gamora take on Thanos in Infinity war.

Peter Quill has a lot going on. Intro with his mother's death and hints to his father feel very different after Guardians 2. Saved the universe in a dance off, how can you not love him? It's fun to see how they bring out his goodness and turn him into the Han Solo of the MCU.

Favorite moment was the prison break. Watching the soon to be heroes all find a way to work together while Rocket has Peter stealing another mans leg just for laughs was endlessly entertaining. It had the perfect balance of action and comedy to sell everyone on this team.

I loved GotG, it might be the MCU best surprise. It gives me confidence that they can turn just about any unknown property into a winner if they treat them in their own unique way. The color, the action and the music push this movie into one of the best. Avengers: AU next!

I wasn't super excited about Age of Ultron, but I enjoyed that movie so much more than I anticipated. Deserves more love, I really liked it! So many great sequences and fun moments, what a great followup to the universe they have built, could use more War Machine though.

These movies are getting so packed that I’m just going to stick to the moments that stuck out now, there are way too many characters to touch on them all. Otherwise, I’m gonna be tweeting all night long.

How about that opening? It had everything I wanted. All of the Avengers in top form, kicking butt together. No build up, just right into the action. Seeing them all working and fighting as a team here was awesome. Hulk is still my favorite but has Cap been climbing that list.

The really fast intro for Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch was great, I’m glad they didn’t waste a ton of time on that. Also thank goodness Strucker was eliminated right at the start, Hydra is a great villain for Cap & SHIELD but not the Avengers.

It needs to be said how great @MarkRuffalo is, I love seeing him and Tony together. The creation of Ultron was really clever. @theresethebeast pointed out how smart it was to show the visual versions of Ultron as he corrupted and broke Jarvis. I totally agree.

The only thing I didn’t know I wanted more than to see the Avengers fighting side by side, was to see them kicking it at Tony's dope crib in Stark Tower. Like how freakin cool? It felt like the Justice Friends show come to life. Also please please let Cap hold the hammer.

Ultron attacking the group was crazy, just when everyone was relaxed having a great time he had to come in and ruin it. I would have been happy with another hour of The Avengers goofing around. Luckily Ultron is a convincing and scary enemy so I don't mind too much.

Let's give it up to @andyserkis , his short but brilliant performance as Klaw added the perfect spice to the movie. The sequence with his introduction and the threat of Vibranium really puts the dangers of Ultron in context. Not to mention laying the seeds for Black Panther.

Best moment in the movie for me was HulkBuster Iron man vs Hulk. That fight was brutal. The city was battered, and Hulk was a frightening monster. It's not a surprise the Avengers were on the outs. Even if it was dope as hell when Iron Man smashed Hulk through a building.

The lead up to the creation of Vision was awesome. The chase sequence was pretty ridiculous but it had some really crazy choreography. The bike scene with Black Widow was one of her better moments. Even though she gets left behind she does save the day.

How cool is it that Ultron has a secret lair? Like an old-school cheesy straight out of the comics evil villain hideaway. It’s awesome. That plus the great voice acting by James Spader gave him so much character I think he deserves more credit in the MCU villain pantheon.

Vision is so great. His speech about being on the side of life while being questioned by The Avengers was great. Then when he hands Thor Mjolnir I was in as much awe as everyone else in that room. Also, who doesn't love JARVIS? So having him as an actual hero is even better!

It’s shocking how much more interesting and useful they made Hawkeye in this movie. They even gave him loved ones to lose and to make sure he came home to. Something most Avengers don’t have to worry about, they really made great use of his character for once.

The massive group fight in the church was one of the coolest things we will ever get in the MCU. It topped the opening intro to see them working in tandem, Vision was an absolute beast, and when he used Thor's hammer it was so damn cool. Peak Avengers fight scenes thus far.

I can’t believe I forgot Fury was in this movie, It was great when he showed up earlier with Hill, but the HeliCarrier is always so dope. I recently binged all of @AgentsofSHIELD I wish we could have had @clarkgregg show up. I love all the SHIELD stuff.

Such a great movie, it’s crazy now knowing where Hulk and Thor each end up. I liked it so much more than I ever remembered. I’ll update my list at the end of Phase 2 but somehow that actually coincides with Ant-Man, which will be soon! Doubling up so we can finish in time!

Ant-Man is the only movie I didn’t see in theaters, I regret this because I ended up loving it. The movie was a little slower than I remember, but in many ways, it works. It’s a film about family more than anything, and it’s the most light-hearted and endearing in the MCU.

I really loved Hank Pym as OG Ant-Man. Makes Lang just a normal guy and that the OG superheroes hold all the cards. His keychain tank and endless amounts of secrets were great because they already existed, we didn’t need an origin to explain it, it’s already all there.

They nailed the chemistry between Hank and Hope Pym. There was a lot of unaired tension that created a decent air of mystery. When Hank finally revealed to Hope for her mother it was a touching moment in a movie that has a lot more love in it than other MCU films.

I do want to say how much I love Corey Stoll. His performance as The Yellow Jacket was menacing. His entitlement and rage made for a great bad guy. You really believed that he was somehow smart enough to make Yellow Jacket but naive enough to be clueless about Pym’s plans.

When Darren Cross sets up Pym and Ant-Man it all comes together. His reveal of outsmarting Hank/Hope & Ant-Man all made sense. It’s not often these fake-outs or bait and switch reveals feel natural. Fortunately, the range of his character and the acting really sold it.

Scott Lang won me over. He saves his family, the world, the Pym family, and forges a new one with a handful of skilled but misguided crooks. Paul Rudd really surprised me with this role. I was skeptical I could see him as a superhero but he really delivered.

Scott’s and his daughter were some of the best moments of the movie. Her constant snarky attitude towards her mom's boyfriend were great. It was also so lovely to see her always cheering her father on. When it felt like he was up against the odds she was always in his corner

I worry about Hope/Scott, she has a lot more going on. Hope is a brilliant and accomplished woman, incredibly skilled as a fighter, and trained her whole life to use the suit. She deserved the title, but at least we're getting The Wasp. Then again everyone loves a happy ending.

Scott’s crew was awesome. Luis was clearly the real star of that show, one of the funnier characters in the whole MCU. Kurt and Dave are no slouches and get the job done. Luis added a new layer of storytelling unique in MCU. Marvel missed out not recapping all of MCU with Luis.

Best moment is the final fight on the play-set. One second they’re fighting on tracks with a huge train barreling down, the next the toy just topples over insignificantly. These moments only increase in hilarity when Thomas the Tank Engine and the Ant are made mega-sized.

Ant-Man isn’t the greatest MCU movie, but it offers a lot more for the family than most. Sure there are some violent scenes, but the movie is primarily about finding a family, and learning how to sacrifice for those you love. Ant-Man is a great movie and I can’t wait for The Wasp

Phase 2 is over, list time! Here is my current ranking for the MCU.

Avengers
Iron Man
Guardians of The Galaxy
Cap 2
Avengers 2
Thor
Cap 1
Ant-Man
Iron Man 2
Iron Man 3
Thor 2
Hulk

x2 for the rest of the week until #AvengersInfinityWar

Pumped for Civil War next!

Captain America: Civil War is an impressive work that straddles an Avengers film and character-centric story. This is still a Steve Rodgers journey but the ensemble cast is given a lot of weight. This movie really shows why the Russo’s were picked for Infinity War.

Opening fight sequence was spectacular in concept and direction. I never lost track of what was happening even during claustrophobic environments like the market chase. Having not watch Civil War so close to WS before I never recognized Rumlow from the previous film until now.

It’s hard to argue that the world doesn't have a point when it comes to oversight. Also if anyone should be reading the accords should it not be Vision? Dude has the mind stone. Cap is being unreasonable, it's strange he wouldn't at least enter more discussion.

Zemo is one of the best villains. The whole Manchurian candidate device was interesting, along with his collection of the info. He never felt too clever thanks to the piecemeal delivery of his complex plan. Showing the clockwork of his machinations helps ground and sell his story

Black Panther went from an unknown to one if not my favorite Avenger in this movie. He showed a level of restraint at the end which set him apart. I like his powerless suit in Civil War better, made him rely more on his physical strength and his movements felt tougher.

Hunting down winter soldier is the best chase scene in the MCU. WS, BP, CA all running after one another alongside cars was sick. The back and forth between them really showcased BP abilities and CA fall from grace. His arc from following orders to breaking was completed.

The second chase during WS escape is another highlight. Awesome how none of the Avengers were suited up, everyone was much more vulnerable, it made WS a lot more formidable against the lot of them and made their battle have higher stakes. Also Cap holds down a helicopter.

The intro for Spiderman was so well done. We get to skip the origin and have Peter already web-slinging and ready to go. Tony and Peter have the best chemistry together and it was a great light-hearted and funny moment in a more serious film. Plus hot Aunt May was great.

When Scarlet Witch buried Vision it was hard to get behind that. I mean I get it, but the whole reason she was staying behind was because of the damage she did. Then she suddenly changes her mind and goes totally overboard? Shes gotta reign that ish in. A little over the top.

The airport fight sequence is the best part of the movie. Avengers fighting one another is always so awesome. It would have been nice if they found a way to work things out, it’s hard to pinpoint who you should root for when both teams are right in their own way.

I really liked how they used each persons ability against one another. Every Avenger has their own style and movement, the pairings for fights were very smart as well. It felt like Vision and Scarlet Witch spent most of their time on the side, probably because they were too OP.

Vision accidentally taking down War Machine sucked to see. Not only did Falcon somehow evade vision, but the whole thing seemed out of control. IM & WM should never have chased down that plane but I blame Falcon. Hoping @doncheadle gets his chance to shine in @Avengers IW

Reveal of Winter Soldier being the murderer of Starks parents was shocking. Lots of clues leading up to it, even then, watching their deaths was a moment that stuck with me. It solidified Zemo as a brilliant enemy and broke the Avengers. It’s rare to ever see a villain win.

The final fight was utterly ruthless. You want Bucky and Cap to escape but also for Tony to take down Winter Soldier. Each hit filled me with conflict. The final moments of the fight it felt like any one of the could have died. Possibly the best fight in all of the MCU.

Best moment of the movie was when Ant-Man became giant. All of the Spiderman/Ant-man sequences were great during the airport fight, but this was the perfect culmination of these two new and special heroes. Having Spiderman take down Ant-Man like an AT-AT was peak comic book fun.

When I finally do my new rankings after IW at the end of this week It’s going to be hard. Civil War may be my favorite movie even without Thor & Hulk. The next movie is Doctor Strange which is possibly my least favorite. Time for some MCU whiplash. Road to #AvengerInfinityWar

Doctor Strange is my least favorite MCU movie. There are a number of major failings with the story and Doctor Strange as a character. If you enjoy this movie then that’s great, everyone likes what they like, and that’s okay. Here we go 😅

The opening is overwhelming. They take no time to introduce the magic or make it special. There’s just a lot of it at once. This theme continued throughout the film. They just ramp up more building/space folding, color & lights. It’s never given space or time to breathe.

You can’t really follow the action, which takes away any real tension, you feel like you’re watching something unfold and never let in to be a part of it. Doctor Strange is a huge part of this problem because he learns so fast and so easily we are left behind to just watch.

Doctor Strange is the worst offender in this film. He’s completely unlikeable. A narcissist without any charm, he’s entitled and goes through little struggle. Everything comes easy, and other than one moment at the end Doctor Strange never once earns his abilities or his title.

Often compared to Tony Stark but this could not be farther from the truth. Tony was a bad dude, he was an egomaniac and he still thinks very highly of himself. Tony is sarcastic and loves to be a smartass. Doctor Strange fits those bills, but he can’t cash the checks.

Tony Stark was that man, but after the first 15 minutes of Iron Man 2008 he has since spent a decade undoing everything he ever was. He understood what it meant to sacrifice. Tony has willingly put his life on the line time and time again for the greater good.

Tony Stark continues to build machines, power sources and AI constructs to do one thing, serve humanity. He funds research, listens to the little guy, and he wants to help everyone. Does he do this with a smart ass swagger? Sure, but his intentions are pure and kind.

Doctor Strange, on the other hand, is not funny. He’s not charming. He emotionally abuses those in his life who were close to him and treats everyone inferiorly. Doctor Strange suffers damage due to his own negligence and pushes everyone away who attempts to help him.

Doctor Strange demands help from people who have no connection to him. He uses peoples kindness to advance his own agendas. When he’s first let into the temple a place he begged to be heard from he talks down to the Sorcerer Supreme. He's that arrogant.

Doctor Strange never earned anything. He is given the lamest excuse for his ability an eidetic memory, and he barely struggles with learning these powers. He leaned on those around him to push him forward in his progress when he hits any walls. He takes but never gives.

Doctor Strange finally starts to approach his potential and is met with challenges greater than his own needs. He turns away from them, he refuses the call to action and only helps in the fight when his own life was on the line. He did not rise to the needs of others.

Then when he sees his former girlfriend again he uses her for medical services. He comes to her for aid, which she gives him because she is a good person, but it continues to show how all of his interactions are entirely self-serving. He is the greediest “hero” ever on screen.

When being told that his future has greatness and uncertainty he is offered a choice. He can use his abilities to save his hands and return to his luxurious life or he can use his new abilities to help others. Finally at the very end of the movie he makes a selfless act.

This choice though was forced upon him, he did not come to this road on his own. He was chosen for this path and if his own mortality was not in question due to the threat of Dormammu there is no reason to believe he would have ever done anything but repairing his hands.

Doctor Strange never learned the right lessons, he never cared for others. He barely faltered or stumbled on his journey to extraordinary power which he was imbued with, and through it all never showed great remorse or sorrow for his actions and outlook on life.

For all of these reasons, the comparison of Tony Stark = Doctor Strange falls flat. Yes on the surface they are powered, entitled narcissists. One of them has made mistakes, learned from them and dedicated his life to helping others. The other never had the kindness to compare.

All of that being said, the cape is super dope. Reminds me of the carpet in Aladdin it's one of the best characters. Wong is hilarious and has some of the better moments. I hope the sequel can fix the errors in this movie because they set up a great villain for the next one.

Bet scene is the end with Strange and Dormammu. Strange finally acts heroic, sacrifices himself countless times to beat the enemy without killing. I loved the creativity behind his solution, it felt like something Doctor Who would do. I wish they did more of this.

Doctor Strange could be great in other films, they need to dial everything about him back at least 25% They need to find ways to make his magic feel special and give it meaning. Luckily I get to watch SpiderMan next which is my favorite iteration of that character!

Finished Guardians of The Galaxy 2, Thor: Ragnarok & Black Panther. So I’m going to do my top 5 moments of each because I had to double up on Wednesday and Thursday to finish before #AvengersInfinityWar and I had no time to write these tweets out. So here we go!

I liked this viewing of Guardians 2 better than the first time around. The expectations were too high the first time I saw this in theaters, but it’s actually another great movie that advances on the structure built in the first film. It’s funnier, more colorful and action packed

The intro fight scene in Guardians perfected the nuances of each character. Baby Groot was grooving while Gamora was getting work done. Watching each person pull their weight or go in head first was a great energetic opener. The GC on that monster was epic, it looked so tactile.

Rocket taking on the Ravengers was bad ass. I loved seeing his skills while he worked solo, it really showed off his ingenuity and ferocity. He took on a massive team single-handedly. He only lost because of a magic whistle weapon which is cool but OP as hell.

Nebula and Gamora fight was an important moment. A great reminder of how strong Gamora is in particular. I forgot how tough she was until she helps the ships canon in her hands and started blasting her sister. It was also a good character moment for Nebula and sets up AvengersIW

Rocket & Yondu escaping the Ravengers ship was perfection. Some of the funniest scenes in the movie, especially with baby Groot. It also added a layer of kindness to Rocket and Yondu that was really needed. It was nice to finally have Yondu be the good guy he always was.

The final fight was, of course, the best scene. “I’m Mary Poppins Yall” The Pac-Man, watching everyone hold their own against a freakin Eternal while defending against the Sovereign onslaught. It was a rollercoaster ride of color and a Spectacle worthy of an Avengers film.

Thor 3 solidified Thor and Hulk as my two favorite Avengers. I love every single thing about this movie. The stellar cast, the bright colors, the music, the story, the action. Everything is turned up to it’s highest level. This re-invention of Thor blew me away.

Opening the movie with Surtur was great because what felt at first like a throwaway bad guy was actually projecting the end of the movie to the audience. Seeing it the second time around their conversation has so much more meaning, and I liked this scene a lot more.

Hela's introduction was perfect. Her design being like Loki’s ties them together and represents Odin’s dark side. The death of Odin was touching, seeing Mjolnir crumble was shocking. Hela revealing of the origins of Asgard’s kingdom placed her into the universe in a smart way.

Thor's arrival and battle with Hulk on Sakaar was epic. The music on the planet matched with the high saturated colors and depraved society was a welcome tonal shift. When Thor took on Hulk and used his lightning without Mjolnir it was a great foreshadowing of the final fight.

Thor and Hulk hanging out in the champions quarters was great, only topped by the reintroduction of a very confused Bruce Banner. Their escape of the planet along with the short-lived help of Loki and new Valkyrie companion was dope. I also loved how much humor there was.

Best moment was fight on the rainbow bridge. Thor creates a gigantic lightning bolt making everyone fall silent. His power is unlocked and it’s only enough to stall her. Having everyone come together and fight Hela was awesome even if we didn’t get to see Hulk take on Surtur.

Black Panther is my favorite new superhero. First shown in Civil War he became the star of that movie, his suit is so damn cool and he doesn't always punch first and ask questions later. This movie had me holding my breath, and more than any other, it’s tense and thrilling.

Kill Mongers museum scene was remarkable. He’s in total control of the situation. Settings the tone for his perspective and also shows how merciless he can be. The best thing about it was how damn stylish and cool they made him look while doing what are pretty despicable things.

T’Challa first fights for the Throne when against M’Baku was one of the best hand to hand fights ever. Every hit felt real, every kick, every punch. I didn’t even want to watch but I couldn’t look away. I was terrified every moment that T’Challa could somehow possibly lose.

Kill Monger shocks everyone by murdering Klaw, then he rolls into the throne room to challenge Black Panther. When he is being removed from the throne room and is asked what his name is everything turned up to 11. The music kicks on and he shouted out his name. I was shook.

Best moment was the jaw clenching, retainer braking fight between T’Challa and Killmonger. I really believed T’Challa was going to die. There’s never been a more intimidating villain in MCU. The whole theater held their collective breath deservingly. @michaelb4jordan is awesome.

This was such a fun experience to relive all these moments with @theresethebeast. Looks like we are at the end of the road to #avengersinfinitywar Thanks for coming along. Final post later when I had a chance for thoughts on @Avengers & a final new ranking. Thanks @MarvelStudios

Final ranking

Avengers: Infinity War
The Avengers
CA: Civil War
Iron Man
Thor Ragnorok
Black Panther
Spider-Man
Guardians of The Galaxy
Avengers 2: AoU
CA: Winter Soldier
Guardians of the Galaxy 2
Captain America
Thor
Ant-Man
Iron Man 2
Iron Man 3
Thor 2: TDW
Hulk
Doctor Strange

We did it! Avengers Infinity War was phenomenal. Everyone needs to see this movie! 19 movies and close to 200 tweets later our journey has ended. The rewatch made the experience even better. I can’t wait for the next movie! Thanks @ThereseTheBeast and thanks @MarvelStudios