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Greetings, movie enthusiasts and internet junkies!  I can't imagine a better blockbuster to kick off my shiny new blog than the summer smash hit Guardians of the Galaxy!  Marvel's latest installment takes everything wonderful about The Avengers and deep fries it in awesome.  Seriously, The Avengers had better watch out, because Guardians is absolutely top notch. 

A Quick Overview

Peter Quill (aka Star Lord, aka Chris Pratt, aka Andy Dwyer) is a renegade bounty hunter with his sights set on a mysterious orb that's stowed away on a ruinous planet.  His sticky fingers get him in hot water with pretty much everybody in the galaxy, including Ronan (the blue bad guy), Thanos (the big bad guy), and Yondu (the other blue bad guy).  His survival depends on a shaky alliance with a ragtag band of misfits, and soon his survival is not the only one at stake.  The power of the orb drags them across the cosmos, with villains in tow, bringing hilarity and mayhem wherever they go. 


I'm sensing a little Indiana Jones here...

10 Reasons You Need to Watch This Movie

If the red MARVEL tag isn't enough to get your butt in a theatre, here's ten other reasons you should buy tickets immediately: 

1. The Track Record  

Look at all the other superhero movies Marvel has dished out.  (Now disregard Iron Man 2 and that meh Captain America movie.)  Those are some pretty freakin' awesome flicks!  Marvel has evolved into a cinematic juggernaut.  The Winter Soldier and Iron Man 3 more than make up for their weak sauce middle siblings.  Plus, need I mention The Avengers?  That movie is a perfect blend of seamless plot, superhero action, and brisk comedy.  And in the hearts of many fans, it just doesn't hold up to this summer's galactic installment.  Let me put it this way: if any superhero movie deserves your hard-earned cash this summer, it's Guardians. 



2. Star Power 

If you doubt the severity of star power, remember that it was Robert Downey Jr. who really jumpstarted the Marvel cinematic universe back in his first Iron Man.  His irreverent humor, as well as his blend of comedy and drama, have really trickled their way down into the recent Marvel movies, especially Guardians of the Galaxy.  It's kind of a big deal. 

There are a lot of stars worth describing, but I'm only going to hit the highlights.  Reason 2 is kind of long, so I won't take it personal if you want to scroll down and check out Reason 3. 

Thanks for sticking around!

Okay, so you shrugged off Chris Pratt in Delivery Man.  Can't blame you there.  You watched in awe as his teeth were knocked out in Wanted (yeah, that was him).  And you laughed till you cried at his goofy shenanigans on Parks and Recreation.  Well, Guardians of the Galaxy is his best acting job to date.  This is his standout role, the gig that's catapulted him to stardom and made him a household Hollywood name.  Pratt's portrayal of Peter Quill is excellent.  He pegs the goofy humor, and the body language.  Plus, his introduction in the movie is fantastic.  Seriously, in his first two minutes on screen, you'll know everything you need to know about Peter Quill.  And if he's not enough to convince, check out the next name on the list. 

Zoe Saldana.  As in Uhura from Star Trek.  Bad-A Cataleya from Columbiana.  You might recognize her in blue rather than green. 



And it only took seven hours at the face painting booth.

In Guardians, she plays the lethal assassin Gamora, adopted daughter of Thanos and henchwoman to Ronin.  Saldana brings more than the femme-fatale to Peter's entourage.  She does a good job capturing Gamora's anger and mistrust, and really helps her character evolve through the course of the film.  Besides, who else could pull off those crazy ninja moves of hers?  She kicks some serious intergalactic butt! 

Plus, she looks good doing it.  In case you don't believe me: 



See?  Told ya.

 

 Next up is my personal favorite (and probably everybody's personal favorite cuz he's so friggin' awesome).  Rocket Raccoon.  This crazy critter is all over the place, hatching schemes, building moon bombs.  He's snarky.  He's irreverent.  He's funny as hell. 



Rocket and Groot getting their epic on.

 

More importantly, he's voiced by Bradley Cooper.  The same Bradley Cooper in The Hangover trilogy and American Hustle.  The guy's resume writes itself.  Anyways, his voice acting for Rocket Raccoon is phenomenal.  Rocket arrives a little ways into the movie, but his affinity for big guns and bigger shenanigans makes him a highly magnetic character.  Cooper's voicing never misses a beat.  What's really impressive is that Cooper's voice is barely recognizable.  He really gets into the character.  Whether Rocket's sobbing at a bar or making vocabulistics with his friend/crony Groot, Cooper never falters in his high-octane performance. 

Speaking of Groot, the loveable tree brute is voiced by none other than Vin Diesel.  Didn't like him in Riddick?  Irrelevant.  Wasn't impressed with the Fast franchise?  Doesn't matter.  Unaware that he voiced the Iron Giant?  Perfectly normal.  Little of Vin Diesel's previous work is really comparable here.  Diesel has one predominant line this whole movie.  One.  Line.  But that line, "I am Groot," is presented countless times in countless ways, and each time Diesel nails the figurative emotion to the literal tree.  Plus, those hyper-expressive facial features give you poignant glances into Groot's gentle soul.  Be warned!  Groot is a total scene stealer.  He will make you laugh.  He will make you cry.  And you will love him for it. 



Groot's got all kinds of tricks up his sleeve.

I can go on and on about the other talents in this movie.  Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer (not his acting debut, by the way).  Michael Rooker as the whistling gambit Yondu.  Karen Gillan as Nebula, Gamora's jealous not-really-sister.  The list goes on and on.  Benecio del Toro.  John C. Reilly.  Josh Brolin. 

But Reason 2 has gone on long enough.  The last star power I'd like to point out is Lee Pace, as Ronan the Accuser.  He's the bad guy, the one looking to destroy planets and such.  Kind of an angry dude.  Looks like this: 



Do I have something on my face?

Underneath all that makeup is Lee Pace, who really takes it full tilt as Ronan.  If you thought he tore it up as Thranduil (in The Hobbit), wait until you see him go full psycho.  Complete with war paint and a brutal war hammer, Pace really ups the stakes in Guardians.  I had to keep reminding myself, "That's the guy from Pushing Daisies."   The dude's barely recognizable in his Kree armor. 


And boy, does his acting make a huge difference.  One of the few flaws in Guardians of the Galaxy is that the villains don't really have any vicious scenes early on to demonstrate their...well, villainy.  It's left up to reputation and word of mouth to explain how bad the bad guys really are.  Their motives are kinda flat, and they're not really fleshed out a whole lot. 

I find your lack of faith disturbing.

So when Pace cranks up Ronan's crazy, it really lends itself to the movie and helps you feel like there really is something at stake here.  His performance is what makes Ronan feel dangerous. 


3. The Music

My gosh. That soundtrack, that sugary sweet soundtrack. It really is the heart and soul of the movie. Right there, front and center, director James Gunn introduces "Awesome Mix Vol. 1," a cassette tape that Peter's cancer-ridden mother has made for her darling son. This tape features all of her favorite hits, golden treasures from the seventies, including "Cherry Bomb" by The Runaways, "Come and Get Your Love" by Redbone, and almost a dozen other songs that perfectly play into the style and plot of the movie.

 

This groovy cassette is Peter's last tie to his mother, his home world, and his past. It serves as the lifeblood of the movie, providing humor in many places (Gunn, you sly devil, interplaying the Piña Colada song during the jailbreak scene!) and giving depth to others. I can't remember a movie where the soundtrack was so integral to the plot. You'll be delighted over and over as another perfect song will appear, followed by another, and another. Seriously, the soundtrack's awesome, you can buy it from a million different websites. Also, no, cassettes are not hip and happenin' again. Seventies music, yes. Cassette tapes, no.


Even Stonewall Jackson here digs the music. 

As profound as the music is to the film, it would be sinful of me not to bring up the importance of...

4. The Colors

Now I know what you're thinking.  Colors?  What's so special about the colors?  Well, lemme tell ya. 

Comic books (Marvel's original product of choice as well as the source material for all their wonderful movies) are colorful.  Not just colorful.  They're vibrant.  Look at Superman, in bright red and blue, or the X-men in their very yellow...whatever those are.  Over the past several years, Hollywood has seeped a lot of the color out of superhero films in an attempt to make them grittier and more realistic. 



See what I mean?


Guardians of the Galaxy refuses to conform to such ideas.  Color packs a huge wallop in this movie.  Instead of brooding, gloomy shades dominating the big screen, there are starscapes swirling with fuchsias and violets!  There are vibrant worlds, and colorful uniforms, and a friggin' green assassin right there in the thick of it.  Half the bad guys are blue, for goodness sake! 



Thank you, James Gunn, for not making Gamora this sickly grey color.

James Gunn has a solid grip on the film's identity, and the color palette is a very conscious decision.  These bright colors really help with the weightless comedy, as well as fun daring tone of Guardians of the Galaxy.  Practically every scene is eye candy, and you'll be noticing tiny details you missed as you watch the movie a second (or third) time.  Definitely a great choice. 

5. The Tie-Ins

The year was 2008.  Enter Iron Man, the stand-alone movie that would breathe life into Marvel Studios.  This is also the year when Marvel's first post-credits scene made its appearance, where Nick Fury confirms the Avengers Initiative (and by induction, the whole Marvel universe).  Since then, Marvel has packed their movies with hidden treasures and teasers, sneaky cameos and name drops, all of which create a sense of inter-connectedness in their movies. 

Guardians of the Galaxy brings a ton of these Marvel universe teasers to a head, and fleshes them out into cinema gold.  I'd just like to bring up a few of the really big ones...

Only slightly more comfortable than the Iron Throne.

Like Thanos.  Thanos is pretty much the godfather of Marvel intergalactic evildom.  He's the one who lent Loki the Chitauri army in The Avengers, and the guy who sent Ronan to kill Drax's family. 

In Guardians of the Galaxy, he's again in league with Ronan, lending the Kree warrior two of his favorite "daughters" Gamora and Nebula.  While his appearance is brief, it is very much appreciated.  It really helps flesh Thanos out as a character (though a vast, overarching character that won't really be fully utilized for a few years).  His role isn't terribly active, but the tie-ins with The Avengers post-scene and future Marvel blockbusters are nice. 

Also, he's voiced by Josh Brolin.  So there's that. 

Another ginormous tie-in is the Collector.  And no, the Collector is not a spoiler since he appears in the movie trailers.  Like Thanos, he too seeks to gather together the Infinity Stones, though it's unclear whether he requires them for some nefarious scheme or if he's simply doing what he does.  Collecting things.  Either way, he reminds me a lot of Gary Oldman's Zorg in The Fifth Element.



"I want those stones!"

The Collector first makes his appearance in the Marvel cinematic universe in the post-credits scene of Thor 2, when (spoiler) Thor's battle buddies drop off the Aether at his mausoleum of creepy critters.  Like Thanos, the Collector feels like a huge character, one whose presence is tremendous in the Marvel universe.  They've both already transcended two different Marvel movies at this point.  Unlike Thanos, however, the Collector plays a pivotal role in Guardians of the Galaxy.  


Yes.  The Collector is as odd as he looks.  And that's awesome.

He furthers the plot, answers crucial questions (that both the Guardians and the audience share), and sets up some sweet Rocket wisecracks.  There's no doubt in my mind that we'll definitely be seeing more of Benecio del Toro in future films.  (His performance, by the way, is fantastic, really channeled that weird alien vibe.)  


Speaking of the Collector, that ties into the next reason you should go see Guardians of the Galaxy...

6. The Easter Eggs

Guardians, like all Marvel movies, is littered with Easter eggs, little trinkets for diligent fans to find.  Many of these are on display, right there in the middle of Knowhere, in the Collector's museum.  I myself spotted a Dark Elf and a Chitauri, and I'm sure there are several more that whisked over my head. 



Recurring cocoon thing?  Check.  Obligatory tentacle creature?  Check.   

But there's tons of them throughout the whole movie!  There are several cameo appearances (not counting Stan Lee), deceitfully insignificant characters, and a lot of tie-ins to various comic book origins. 

I'll be honest, nerdy as I am, I am in no way a comic book buff.  There are tons of Easter eggs and tie-ins that I've missed (and a few I've left unmentioned so as not to spoil anything).  If you've seen the movie and feel like sharing, throw out a spoiler warning and smack them in the comments.  Happy hunting!

7. Money Don't Lie

 So, yeah, Guardians has already made $274,610,000 since it hit theaters.  First of the month.  274 MILLION dollars.  And that's just here in America.  That's a lotta cheeseburgers, people, and a lotta reasons to go see this movie. 

I myself have already gone and seen it twice.  Which may not sound like much, but believe me, for a broke college kid living off granola, twice is a lot. 

8. RDJ Approved

Did I mention that Tony Stark *cough cough* Robert Downey Jr. declared Guardians of the Galaxy his favorite Marvel movie to date?  While promoting his new movie The Judge, he was questioned about the movie by folks from the Toronto Sun, to which he replied:

"Galaxy in some ways is the best Marvel movie ever.  And it's odd for someone with -on occasion- an ego the size of mine to actually say that!" 

Well, that's it.  If it's good enough for Tony, it's good enough for me!   He also happens to be right, by the way.  Guardians is Marvel's masterpiece in a lot of ways (as we've already discussed), but one of my favorite things about it is...

9. The Best Stan Lee Cameo to Date

Or, if not the best, at least my personal favorite.  Second only to his memorable work as the school librarian in The Amazing Spiderman.  



He's just havin' a dandy old time. 

One of the coolest things about the Marvel cinematic universe is that Stan Lee is welcome to be a part of it.  Literally.  His cameo appearances in Marvel's films are one of the best things about the movies.  I'll sit in the theatre and wait for that glorious moment when the mastermind behind Marvel gets his two seconds of film glory.  And I won't spoil anything about his expectedly brief yet comical appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy.  Let me just say, it was hilarious, made so by Rocket's quippy commentary.  Classic Stan Lee.  Keep your eyes peeled. 

And that brings me to the last reason you should see Guardians of the Galaxy...

10. Because Sam Said So

Several words come to mind when I think about my Guardians of the Galaxy experience.  Fantastic.  Hilarious.  Must see it again.  This is a movie I could watch again and again and again. 

When I walked out of the movie theatre, I felt as though I'd just had another Avengers experience.  The movie was hilarious, even more so than its predecessor, and I was grinning like a loon through the whole movie. 



Okay, maybe not that much like a loon.

One of the most refreshing things about Guardians is that it doesn't take itself too seriously.  Yes, this is a well-executed movie, but it juggles humor and drama like a pro.  The style is very different, and James Gunn really sticks the landing between playful and mature.  Comedy gets thrown around the whole movie, and the episodic plot actually helps the movie feel like a comic book come to life. 


Uncle Yondu wants you! to go see his movie.

To summarize, this movie is darn near perfect.  I wish we could've seen more backstories, especially between Gamora and Nebula.  And I wouldn't have minded a scene or two of gritty battle, maybe Ronan destroying some of those Xandar outposts.  Something to set up how really violent and dangerous he is.  But on the whole, darn near perfect.  Oh, and a little bit more on the romance bit.  That would've been nice. 

James Gunn gets inspiration from all the right sources.  What starts off feeling like a galactic Indiana Jones riff evolves into a space western, with a steampunk vibe and a legit (slightly predictable but no less enjoyable) final confrontation reminiscent of the rebooted Star Trek franchise.  It's certainly one-of-a-kind. 

All in all, it's awesome, and I have every intention of snagging this movie on Blu-ray.  I officially declare this movie FREAKING AWESOME! and give it 9.6 out of 10.  Check it out in theatres tomorrow, it's Labor Day, hope you have the day off.  Ciao! 

Sam
 

P.S. Here's a trailer in case you somehow haven't seen one yet. 

What did you think of Guardians of the Galaxy?  Post your thoughts in the comments below! 

Did you like my review?  Say so below! 

Disagree with me?  Say so below! 

Any movie you want me to review?  Say so below! 

Have a burning need to correct me on the minutia of comic book trivia?  Click off! 



All images belong to their respected owners.  Commercial can be found on Marvel Entertainment's YouTube channel.  GIFs courtesy of giphy.com.  Robert Downey Junior's praise for the movie can be found on variety.com.  Thanks to boxofficemojo.com for keeping me  updated on cinema gross.  Also very special thanks to Jake and Jessie, my best friends, without whom this blog wouldn't be possible.  I mean every word when I say that "We are Groot."