18. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
The Guardians of the Galaxy may be the MCU’s most reliable source of comic relief, but the third installment in the trilogy brought audiences to tears. Undoubtedly one of the most emotional movies in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, the film’s purpose is to take its titular line-up of superheroes on one more adventure through the galaxy before sending them off into the sunset.
James Gunn promised a rollercoaster of emotions with this one and it delivered on all fronts. A thrill-ride that doesn’t waste anytime getting started, it introduces us to the entity responsible for experimenting on Rocket Raccoon, the High Evolutionary, with Chukwudi Iwuji gifting us with an incredible performance as the villain.
As all of this is going down, the post-Endgame version of Gamora struggles to settle in with the “family” she hadn’t met in her own timeline yet, meaning that she had to fall for Star-Lord all over again. And to say that this storyline wields some powerful moments would be an understatement.
Guardians 3 is a huge improvement over its predecessor and a welcome return to form for the MCU. It’s also a fitting farewell to James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy.
17. Iron Man 3 (2013)
Iron Man 3 is a film that really doesn’t get the appreciation it deserves. Sure, it may not have broken ground like the first film in the franchise or felt as redundant as the lackluster second offering, but that doesn’t mean it deserves to languish in the mediocre territory that some often place it in, because in all honesty, it’s the best Iron Man film of them all.
Set in the aftermath of the larger-than-life The Avengers, Iron Man 3 had a task similar to that of the 2008 film in that it had to kick-start its own respective era. And it did so incredibly well, letting viewers know that, just because The Avengers was in the rear-view mirror, the MCU wasn’t automatically going back to filler films. No, this was an example of how the past can still influence the future.
That benefited the story really well, as Tony found himself struggling with post-traumatic stress following his near-death experience in Manhattan and, as a result, he struggled to move on with his life. However, thanks to the heartwarming bond he had with new friend, Harley Keener (Ty Simpkins), he discovered that there was life – in both him and the MCU – after The Avengers.
Iron Man certainly deserves appreciation for how it paved the way for the MCU but the fact of the matter is that Tony’s story here is even stronger, highlighting what a nuanced and emotionally deep character he still is after his primary development had taken place and, whether you liked the infamous twist or not, that simply made it an equally (if not more) interesting film.