Back in 2012, the “Avengers” saga kicked off with the first team up movie, which just so happened to coincide with the end of my academic career.
The way this movie tied into my life at the time was quite noticeable. The Marvel Cinematic Universe started toward the end of my first year of college with “Iron Man” in 2008, and its culmination up to that point just so happened to release a few weeks before my graduation.
The Marvel films had reached a conclusion to one phase, and were moving to something big and better. When “The Avengers” came out and turned out to be so damn good, it resulted in having a lot of hope in what the future holds.
Aliens and more powerful beings the heroes would have to fight and endure. That was the case for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. It wouldn’t be easy, but there was a lot of adventure on the road ahead.
There was a similar feeling with the approach I had to graduation. The nice thing about J-School is, despite being tough work for the semester, it’s a very hands-on educational experience. More or less your professor is your editor and you’re a de facto reporter. As a result, there isn’t as much when it comes to finals.
Basically around the time the spring semester was winding down, I was in the clear, with graduation around the corner. It was a time of jubilation and celebration. It was also a time of great hope for what will happen in the future.
“The Avengers” release crossing paths with where I was at in life was a perfect storm. Watching the film at the opening midnight screening seemed like such a great highlight. Seeing a fantastic blockbuster and enjoying my time at the theater, a place I love being, knowing where I was at and where I was going.
It also just so happened to be my birthday, too. As someone with a birthday on May 3, there’s usually the perk of the first major summer blockbuster coming out around the same time. Technically, “Avengers” released on May 4, but the lead up to the midnight screening was May 3.
Sure, its’ only a movie and there are more important things. But the art of film, even portrayed in the form of summer blockbusters, can provide some meaning, especially when it coincides with what’s happening in a person’s life.
Matthew Liedke on Film 