Best of the Decade, No. 19


Over the next 25 weeks I'll be rolling out my favorite films of the last decade. This is, as all lists of this kind, personal selections. Agree, disagree, make a comment and share your thoughts!

No. 19 The Avengers (2012)
Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, Clark Gregg, and Tom Hiddleston
Director: Joss Whedon
Academy Award Nominations: 1
Academy Award Wins: 0
About: The Marvel Cinematic Universe took off and dominated the last decade. The biggest films of the year with fans and at the Box Office were part of this novel cinematic creation. I love a lot of those films, and there are some that are probably more personal favorites. But when thinking about this list, and choosing one that symbolized what it meant to the decade, the original "Avengers" film was an easy call. At the time, it was unlike anything we'd ever seen. The first gamble of the MCU was launching the world with "Iron Man," where Downey, Jr., became the face of the superhero empire. Four years later, with five films under their belt, it came time to assemble the team. Whedon proved the right man to get it off the ground, and this film worked better than I even imagined. It was fun, moving, and action-packed. And it's only gotten bigger from here. "The Avengers" remains a Top 5 MCU film for me, and because of what it represents it is easily one of the most important films of the last decade.
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, and a mild drug reference.

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