Welcome to The Daily Cup a movie blog/writing project by Kyle B. Dekker, presented by Hot Chocolate Media. You can read series concept here. The basic rules, Kyle must watch 365 movies in 2018 and write about all of them. 292 of them have to be movies he's never seen before. Thanks for reading.
These days you’d have to be a cave dwelling hermit to miss out on the existence of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Seventeen films already released with three more scheduled for 2018 make sit one of the largest and longest running film franchises ever. People debate and rank lists of their favorite all the time, and no two lists are the same. 10 years ago the whole adventure started with Jon Favreau’s Iron Man (2008).
It’s fascinating to go back and watch Iron Man a decade later and see how much the MCU has evolved, but also see the seeds planted by Favreau and Kevin Feige. You can make an argument that this is the best origin story movie for a superhero ever made, and that the story of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) dominates the MCU (you can decide if that is good or bad).
My theory that Stark's story dominates the MCU, is his mission and mantra guides the course of the grand story. When Tony builds the Mark I armor and escapes the cave with the help of Yinsen (Shaun Taub) the following exchange sets the tone for the MCU:
Yinsen: My family is dead, Stark...and I’m going to see them no. It’s okay, I want this….I want this.
Tony: Thank you for saving me.
Yinsen: Don’t waste it...don’t waste your life, Stark.
Everything Tony does after this is completely driven by this mantra. Disbanding Stark Industries Weapons production, redirecting the missile in the battle of New York, blowing up his extra suits, signing the Sokovia Accords, helping Peter Parker, are all made in his effort to earn his life given to him by Yinsen. All of Tony’s guilt for his warmonger past weighs on him, he hides it under bravado, and narcissism, but it’s all there. This soul and driving force it what makes the whole MCU work, and why we are invented in it.
After watching Iron Man again it is no surprise to me that the MCU has taken off and created the golden age of superhero movies. Take a hungry director with a couple of successful features under their belt, nail the casting, spend big on special effects, add humor, excitement, and human touch and viola. People like fun movies with characters we care about, it’s not magic, it’s just quality storytelling.
Tally
Movies new to me watched: 16/292
Other movies: 3/73
Total movies watched: 19/365
Have your own thoughts or opinions on this movie? Comment below or contact Kyle at kyle@hotchocolatemedia.net or on Twitter at @kbdekker.