50 Greatest Marvel Movie Moments

25. X-Men: Meet Wolverine

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X-Men was really the first Marvel movie to put Marvel movies on the map, and Wolverine was really the first film superhero to make superheroes cool again, and in this respect both this film and this character are responsible for the modern day superhero movie. When we first meet Wolverine he is fighting in a cage in a bar in Canada. His introduction is the essence of cool... understated, not at all flashy and very gritty. There is a reason Wolverine is many people's favorite Marvel character, and his portrayal in this film is a lot to do with that. This was also pretty much the first time many people were introduced to Hugh Jackman, and who doesn't like Hugh Jackman?

24. Spider-Man: Tram Vs Mary Jane

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One of the stand out moments in one of Marvel's stand out films comes when the Green Goblin forces Spider-Man to make a very difficult decision: Either save the woman he has been in love with since he was a child: Mary Jane, or save a tram packed full of kids. Conveniently, and probably because the film was in part aimed towards children, he manages to save both, but this scene makes you pretty tense until this point. Even though the film could have taken a darker turn, is anyone really all that upset that it didn't?

23. Spider-Man 3: The End

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Say what you like about the Spider-Man films, but one thing they knew how to do was a great ending, and Spider-Man 3's ending is arguably the best of them all. Mary Jane and Peter Parker's relationship status is left ambiguous at the end of the film as they dance with each other in the bar where Mary Jane has been forced to work. Will they get back together or won't they? Is their relationship too complicated and messed up at this point that it is beyond repair? Though Spider-Man 3 is everyone's least favorite Spider-Man film from the trilogy (The Amazing Spider-Man was worse) this shows that the series was about to take a slightly darker and more realistic tone. It really is a shame we will never see a sequel to this moment and to this film.

22. The Avengers: "He's Adopted"

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You know the scene. Thor faces off with the Avengers about his brother, torn between familial loyalty and the need to do right, and it leads to a hilarious exchange, when Bruce calls Loki crazy:
Thor: "Have a care how you speak! Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard and he is my brother!" Natasha: "He killed eighty people in two days..." Thor: "He's adopted."
This is one of many laugh out loud scenes in the film and goes to show off Chris Hemsworth impeccable comic timing. This very scene however caused quite the controversy after The Avengers was released however with the "adopted community"... though I think Loki and Thor's relationship, despite Loki's murderous ways is one of the most real, most human scenes in the entire film series and in my opinion very respectful of the "adopted community". It is also funny as hell.

21. Spider-Man 2: The Lift Scene

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuKqQ6plZ_I Without going into too much detail about the scene itself (just watch above) this particular moment perfectly gives the audience a break from the sometimes over dramatic comic book action, and takes time out to appreciate and comment on the ridiculousness that being a superhero is. This is one of the more human moments from any comic book movie I can think of and the laugh out load moment from the trilogy... the scene where emo Spider-Man dances down the side-walk in Spidey 3 doesn't count.
Contributor

I am a recent Screenwriting for Film and Television graduate from the UK. I am an unashamed geek who loves everything Marvel, and anything Joss Whedon has ever touched (except for maybe Alien Resurrection and Titan A.E). My current favorite TV shows are Breaking Bad, Family Guy, House of Cards, Game of Thrones, American Horror Story, Homeland and Glee. I look forward to debating things with all of you in the future. (As of January 2013 I have had over 1 million views since joining WhatCulture in September 2012. You can reach me at danieljamesbowen@hotmail.co.uk)