1. Avenger’s (Avengers Assemble) (2012) – by Annie Honeyball
The Avengers is the sixth installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and is arguably – or perhaps now, definitively – the best film that Marvel Studios has produced so far. The popularity of the film, written and directed by Buffy/Firefly creator Joss Whedon, is unparalleled in it’s status as the third highest grossing film of all time, ever. So, why does everyone love it so much?
Well, for a start, this is the Goliath of Marvel’s infamous first ‘phase’. This is the film where the plots and characters from all the previous movies come together to form one of the most renowned superhero-teams in comic book history. To call it exciting is an understatement – this was the film Marvel had risked it all for. And boy, did it pay off.
It’s success is in part, due to the masterful puppetry that Whedon implemented in bringing these characters together. After all, the onscreen culmination of a hundred-year old super-soldier, a self confessed “genius-billionaire-playboy-philantropist”, “an enormous green rage-monster”, two assassins and a demi-god from a whole other world isn’t the easiest trick to pull off. But, miraculously, through his imaginative use of humour, action, and emotional depth, Whedon managed to create a blockbuster that had it all – and then some.
And if that wasn’t enough, the cast was also on fire. At the helm: Robert Downey Jr – an actor so in tune with the cool charisma of his character, that he practically is Iron Man. Meanwhile, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner and Scarlett Johansson all returned to their roles with vigour. But the most surprising star-turn of the film was in Mark Ruffalo’s performance as Bruce Banner. Eric Bana and Edward Norton have previously tried their hand at the character, but neither has created quite as favourable an impact as Ruffalo; His gentile, quiet demeanour as Banner, mixed with the frustrated, and sometimes comical rage of the Hulk cooked up a storm with both audiences and critics alike. The film’s cunning villain, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) also proved to be a more than worthy adversary, becoming a fan-favourite in his own right, ever since.
Amusing, action-packed and genuinely fun, The Avengers is your number one MCU film, and if you don’t think that with Age of Ultron they can beat it, then you can be damn sure they’ll avenge it.