004: The Marvel Concession Stand: a Review of Marvel in 2 Phases

Marvel has become one of the most important production houses in all of Hollywood. They release one or two blockbusters a year that theaters have come to count on for box office.  They have a trademark style, trademark stars playing their characters and trademark flourishes like the after credits teases that set them apart from any films being made today. This week marks the official launch of PHASE 3 with CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR. Here we go over what makes them special, what PHASE 1 and 2 were all about and where we are headed with PHASE 3.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe, starting its third phase, spans 13 movies and counting. Phase 3 plans on being one of the most ambitious in terms of storytelling and in testing the possibility of a saturated market.  The Superhero Genre has dominated cinemas since 2008 when Robert Downey Jr. donned the Iron Man armor and Warner Brothers has just recently started a DC Cinematic Universe to mediocre effect with BATMAN VS. SUPERMAN. Have audiences tired of capes, costumes and villains. Marvel transcends because of their unique abilities with storytelling.

The most interesting aspect to Marvel's success is that the movies often transcend genre. Marvel has done a great job of establishing heroes and using them in not only traditional Superhero stories but also genre movies that happen to have a superhero in them. CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER not only provides an origin for our beloved hero but plays as a great World War II adventure movie in the mold of THE DIRTY DOZEN. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY is not only an introduction to obscure Marvel Heroes but a rousing space action adventure akin to STAR WARS. Its most recent film ANT MAN also used a lesser hero and made his origin story into a rousing action/comedy heist film.