4. Iron Man

Release Date: May 2, 2008

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwenyth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard.

Director: Jon Favreau (Made, Cowboys & Aliens)

First Time I Saw It: The first of many times that I saw Iron Man was in theaters on opening night. It was in a terrible movie theater in my hometown that I ended up seeing a majority of the movies that have shaped my life. I don’t even live there anymore and yet I still find myself going there in those uncomfortable seats to see movies with my friends.

Importance in the Marvel Universe: Exactly seven years ago Marvel took a C-List comic book character and not only birthed a successful franchise, but also the start of an entire cinematic universe. By revealing Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson) at the end credits of Iron Man, Marvel paved the way to introduce more heroes like Captain America and Thor, which in turn would lead to The Avengers. The global phenomenon that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe would not exist if it weren’t for Kevin Feige’s trust in director Jon Favreau and his ace in the hole, Robert Downey Jr. who is the living embodiment of Tony Stark. Without the perfection that is Iron Man there wouldn’t be an Avengers: Age of Ultron, much less a Marvel Universe.

Why I Love It: Three years before Iron Man, Batman Begins proved that it was possible to make a compelling superhero film that could be taken seriously. It was a gritty and realistic interpretation of the Dark Knight that had never been done before on film. There had been other Marvel properties that had great success in the box office like X-Men and Spider-Man, but the studios responsible for those films cared more about making more films then adapting the medium to it’s fullest potential. It wasn’t until Marvel decided to create the films in house that they finally were able to create the most faithful comic book adaptation possible. Not by following a specific storyline, but by capturing the fun and excitement of a comic and using current world issues and themes. I love Iron Man not because of Robert Downey Jr.’s stellar performance or Jon Favreau’s amazing directing. I love this film because it successfully adapted the comic book medium and brought it to life on screen.

Best Moment: Iron Man is filled with crowd-pleasing moments, but the best one comes at the end of the film. Before Nick Fury shows up and lets the world know about The Avengers Initiative, Tony Stark addresses a gathering of press about the battle that took place at Stark Industries. When asked about what happened Tony begins to lie, but being the cocky person that he is, Tony stops looks right into the character and says, “The truth is, I am Iron Man.” Not only did Marvel change the game by creating a lighthearted superhero film that wasn’t campy, they also threw out one of the oldest unwritten rules of superheroes. Tony Stark didn’t need to have a secret identity and that just made us love him more. –Al Mannarino

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