Marvel at the Marvelous Marvel

I don't think I will ever forget the day that my older brother called me upstairs to his room to watch something important (He was the only one of us who had a computer and good internet). I just remember going, and then I saw this

 I think this was the first time I could say that my mind was blown by the movie universe. Don't get me wrong. I had seen Star Wars and the Godfather, and many other good films, but this was something new. Not because it was a comic book movie, but it was a Spiderman movie. Spiderman is my favorite superhero of all time. I had read the comics, I had seen a lot of the TV shows, and to see something so awesome come to the big screen and look real.
Of course... Spiderman is a very easy character to make a movie about around that time. It was a great success and this opened the door to many other films. Some good, some bad... (I'm looking at you Ang Lee)

Then, something strange happened. See, it was something that movie goers had missed for the longest time. Continuity. It is a beautiful word. It connects and creates a sense of universal belonging.
When did this word come into play?
Well, After 2003, movies would be very alone. I'm not talking about the lack of sequels... Oh No... But they would stand alone. One movie after another. And there is nothing wrong with that. People would actually enjoy it. A movie that would be bad, would just be bad and be forgotten. And the good movies would be remembered forever.
Then 2008 came along and the game changed. We had three main movies that changed the way that movies are seen.

What made these films special?
Well, the first two were connected. Not a sequel, but a universe.
When I saw these first two films, I saw a possibility of a world where my favorite characters would meet and would defeat the bad guys. It was no longer about the story of the movie, it was about the characters of the film. They could have shown Iron Man (or Robert Downey Jr.) in a tutu, dancing to ballet and the Iron Man armor next to him drinking scotch and I would have gone crazy. Why? Because the illustration of Iron Man was right in front of me. The closest thing to reality. That is what cinema is.
And so, Marvel started to make the films that a few years ago, were impossible to create.
Technology and talent met, and created awesomeness
But what about the third film? It's not Marvel. Its the opposite. No bright colors, no quick responses. In fact, it was dramatic, heavy and you felt the tension that was created.
Christopher Nolan took a different turn. A turn of reality. He showed the world where Batman COULD exist, but made it as real as possible. There was no crazy arc reactor that would blow up and kill only one man. An explosion felt heavy and you can almost sense all of the people who were suffering by it.

So, why am I bringing these up?
Because Marvel is changing it's strategy. Marvel can no longer sustain the idea of "just the character will suffice" They need a good story. They need some "drama" to happen, so that we can see that the characters are coming to a real seriousness, while still maintaing a sense of seriousness.
Enter Guardians of the Galaxy.

SPOILERS AHEAD
Why is GoG a change in the game? Because it is one of the most serious films that Marvel has ever shown. Not kidding.
The movies begins with the mother's death of the main character. That is pretty gloomy. It creates a true emotion.
Then we have the death of Groot. Who changes his language to create another emotional moment with Rocket Racoon.

Even though the film is filled with funny one liners, and awesome actions shots, there is a sense of seriousness that overshadows the entire film.
What happens? In the end, the main character has a vision of his mother, asking to take her hand (because he didn't when she was dying). That is great emotional manipulation. Make the character grow up by the death of the loved one. The same happens in Batman.


But what about Continuity???! Our word of the day?
Well, knowing that the movies will be connected, we know that both GoG and the Avengers will meet. We can only assume, that it will not just be a clashing of characters on the big screen. The audience wants more than that. They will go for serious drama and action.
Something grave and dark will happen. It will not be a victory.
That is my prediction. I may be completely wrong. (I hope I'm not) I would pay to see something gloomy and dark and serious
Why?
Well, my older brother once told me that a good movie is not judged by the emotion that one is left with at the end of it.
(I got pretty excited at the end of Ghost Rider... but the movie sucks...alot)
A good movie is judged by how much the movie actually made sense. How much the story was able to bring the audience into the story. Dark Knight made that perfectly. The avengers had several shots of the different characters coming towards the camera. Inserting us in the film. When these two main universes collide, it will bring us all together. With the idea of Continuity, it will just build up a great web that will encompass all of us.
But what do you think?
Do you think that I am wrong? Is Marvel not being smart? Or maybe through another angle?
Do you even like Marvel films?