MCU Fan-xiety

How do you deal with stress?

Well, I retreat into fantasy.  In my free time, I mean.



(Photo: Facebook/Avengers)

So, whilst recovering from my op, and in-between sorting Dad out at the hospital, I decided to throw myself into the escapism of MCU i.e. the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Avengers: Age of Ultron was released while I was still an inpatient, but being one of those blockbusters that don't die at the cinema for at least a couple of months, I knew I had time to catch up on the stuff I'd missed.

Simple, right? Well, no actually.

I start by thinking I'll watch the films in release order!(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Marvel_Cinematic_Universe_films)

 

Sorted.

 

Oh wait, but there's also the TV series & one-shots, aren't there? I should include those. (http://nerdist.com/binge-your-life-away-with-the-marvel-cinematic-universe-chronology/)

 

Damn, there're also the tie-in comics. Okay, find a list of comics(http://marvelcinematicuniverse.wikia.com/wiki/Comics).

Oh, but they're not in release order - luckily discerning fans have put up the release order (http://www.comicvine.com/profile/timelordenthusiast/lists/marvel-cinematic-universe-release-order/45706/), although others don't necessarily agree that's the best reading order (http://cartoonmoney.eu/mcu.php).

But wait, not all the comics and one-shots are hard canon - some are soft canon, spin-offs, 'inspired-bys' - do I include all of those?
Crap. Oh apparently there's a special logo that let's you know what's 'proper' canon
(http://www.comicbookmovie.com/comics/marvel_comics/news/?a=97874). That's helpful.

But apparently, there's not only release order, there's the chronological order, i.e. the physical timeline of the universe...

Okay.

Oh, sweet! Cnet have done a lovely infographic (http://www.cnet.com/uk/how-to/marvel-cinematic-universe-timeline-avengers/) - well, I can definitely follow that:

... although the one-shots aren't included.

Okay - THIS includes the one-shots (http://www.comicvine.com/profile/kondorr/lists/marvels-cinematic-universe-watching-order/51150/),
although a CBM user has gone into even more detail with the official MCU timeline (http://www.comicbookmovie.com/avengers/avengers_age_of_ultron/news/?a=120086) which in itself has a scene by scene breakdown.

Oh, you can also split the chronology split up into the Marvel phases (http://shieldtv.net/marvel-cinematic-timeline-viewing-guide), and on top of all that some dudes have done megalithic edits of all the visual MCU media together, amounting to over 18 hours of film where all scenes, flashbacks and prologues are put in their correct chronological canon (http://thecelebritycafe.com/feature/2014/12/marvel-fan-explains-how-make-phase-1-supercut-watch-films-chronological-order-video; http://tdmedina21.wix.com/mcu-movie).


Good, so I've replaced most of my free time with anxiety over how to actually spend my free time.


Eventually, I might even watch a film...

Film Scrapbook: Gone Baby Gone (2007)

I try not to watch depressing films - my life is hard enough, I don't need external input. But my brother insisted it was worth it

"Gone baby gone poster" by Impawards. Licensed under Fair use of copyrighted material in the context of Gone Baby Gone via Wikipedia.

It IS worth it, but it is a haunting film, that stays with you, raising questions about identity and right and wrong. Great actors, unflashy directing, but particularly a great performance from Amy Ryan, as the incapable mother whose child's disappearance is at centre of the film (pleasingly Oscar nominated).

If there's one particular scene that stands out it must be when our detectives confront the drug dealer whom they initially suspect of kidnapping the child. The power keeps shifting between the two sides, mesmerising and tense. Its timing is perfect too - until now the film has gently rumbled on, quietly collecting exposition and characterisation, but here the time suddenly seems to slow and stretch. Tension escalates, before time snaps back, the plot twisting into new directions and the film's unapologetically conflicted finale.

 

"I don't know about nobody getting killed. But if somebody rob me and end up dead... well, you know, life... is a mo'erfucker."