Guardians of the Galaxy, on DVD/Blu-Ray December 9, 2014

[xrentonx]

This movie was totally disappointing and shite! Thanks again, Hollywood

...is what I would say if I had no taste at all. I loved it!

Favorite superhero team movie of the year (ever, actually) and up there with the Avengers and Days of Future Past. I'm gonna put it on equal footing as the Avengers as my top two. I especially loved the soundtrack! It was all old songs I'm familiar with and grew up with. My favorites were Starlord and Rocket but the rest had plenty of amazing scenes. Vin Diesel's best performance since the Iron Giant as far as I'm concerned. Zoe Saldana is so pretty it hurts. The pacing was really well done and it didn't feel like it dragged anywhere. So many feel-good scenes too! Loved it

I think I'm gonna have to spring to see it a second time in Imax 3D or something (and I don't even like 3D...that's how good it was)!

Oh, Groot!

Edited August 3, 2014 by xrentonx

[Kelsain]

That was pretty awesome.

I was a bit disappointed in the end credit stinger, though... Without spoiling, he could have looked more familiar.

[EXO]

Zoe Saldana is so pretty it hurts.

I thought her sister was hot. Even with all the blue crap on her face.

[BeyondTheGrave]

Quick thought...

Infinity Stone> The force

[areaseven]

This film gets better the second time around, especially on IMAX.

[Kelsain]

Yep. Karen Gillan is always pretty. I liked her pants, too.

[DuelGundam2099]

Just saw it an hour ago. I.... Really wanted to love this movie to the same level of the rest of the MCU sans Iron Man's trilogy (not that is was bad, just not perfect). I have some nitpicks as to why the heroes get back stories while the villains are incredibly vague (Why is Thanos considered so powerful? What is Nebula's origin? How was Ronan's family killed?). Basic bits that could have been elaborated upon, but not the big complaint. Unfortunately that goes to the pop songs. Said songs are NOT bad by any means (they are classics), the issue is that they feel so random with no tone consistency to the scenes they are in. It is a shame because I think they could have done the retro sci-fi angle, but they could have done them at more fitting scenes if that makes any sense. Why not talk about the positives? Because everything else in this movie is positive! Even that end credits scene. Even my inner nerd is not complaining about tidbits (they even displayed the home worlds of Groot and Rocket Racoon, neat!).

So yes, I enjoyed it even if I do not agree it is "as good/better than Avengers" territory.

[xrentonx]

I thought her sister was hot. Even with all the blue crap on her face.

Nebula! Yes, she was too.

^^ I dunno. I thought they "fit" just fine. They're just parts of his mix tape he got from his mom. I think you run a risk of being too literal if they fit with said scenes any closer. I liked them presented as they are...just random goofy tracks from someone he loves.

Edited August 3, 2014 by xrentonx

[Gakken85]

Enjoyable.

Damn you Hot Toys... I want a rocket now. Gotta be nice to have a 2 hour global commercial for your toys to force people to buy your crap

I thought the movie had a few weak spots.

Things I didn't like:

Ronin wasn't big enough. He seemed kind of small for a guy the size of the Hulk. Also, we didn't get to see him in nearly enough action. And while I'm on Ronan they really could have developed his fanaticism in more scenes.

They really overstressed the whole "friendship" theme to the breaking point.

The Cartoon violence and lack of blood was a little annoying at the start, but I forgot about it as things go rolling.

They also had some odd casting choices on the secondary characters that seemed odd. Like Glen Close or whatever.

Things I loved:

Rocket.

Thanos looked boss.

I didn't mind that Drax hated Ronan instead of Thanos off the bat, but they seemed to sew up nicely toward the end.

Overall... looking forward to the sequel and tie-ins with Avengers.

Gonna give the slight nod to the Avengers as a better film. Better dialogue + characters I care more about. However, GOG had some great performances and a better bad guy. (Though he didn't do jack crap).

Edited August 4, 2014 by Gakken85

[hobbes221]

Caught it today with my brothers and man was it great! I liked the fact that they didn't take half the movie filling in the back story and the flow of the whole movie was very well done. I don't know much of history of the comics and I didn't feel lost at all. And Rocket was great!

[Atharun]

Twig/Baby Groot was awesome

[F-ZeroOne]

Er, I just want to point out...

There was blood, its just that it was yellow.

[Kelsain]

A few more thoughts:

I thought Ronan was a passable villain. I'll agree that he could have used a little more set up: all we got were his "I'm the bad guy!!1!" speech at the beginning and a few arguments with Thanos. But he did his job.

Does anybody know what's up with his "Necro" stormtroopers? Are they undead? Is there a reason their tech looked all rusty & old? Or are they just generic hellish cannon fodder for the film world?

Loved Groot & Rocket. Would love to see Rocket & Iron Man working together, trading barbs while improvising machinery.

And spoilery:

Gotta wonder who the dad is. I've read it wasn't really a big deal in the comics, but you know it's gonna be a big deal in the movies.

Also, Howard the Duck. That was weird. I didn't even recognize him until they popped up the credit. I had no idea he was a Marvel character from the 70's! I really hope they don't make a solo vehicle for him. That's A LOT of baggage to overcome. He'd be a fun side character in GOTG2 though.

This has whet my appetite to see some of the other phase2 movies.

Edited August 4, 2014 by Kelsain

[Hoptimus]

I loved it. Lots of fun.

[Freiflug88]

DuelGundam2099, on 03 Aug 2014 - 19:04, said:I have some nitpicks as to why the heroes get back stories while the villains are incredibly vague (Why is Thanos considered so powerful? What is Nebula's origin? How was Ronan's family killed?).

I disagree I saw plenty of backstory and explanation for the villains.

I remember at-least 3 separate times in the movie where Gamaora, Nebula, and the Nova Corps Officer explain that Thanos has ravaged many worlds and/or murdered countless families. That tells viewers right there he is not just some local space thug like Ronan, but an emperor in scale. Then to top it off Thanos just looks intimating as a purple alpha male gorilla in space.

Nebula origin story is identical to Gamora, except with more cyborg surgery punishment at the hands of Thanos.

In Ronan's first appearance he explains in monologue that he will never forgive the fact that his great great great grandfather or something was killed in a war a thousand years ago. So its not important how Ronan's distant family member(s) were killed at all. What is important is that Ronan is explained as a “crazy nut” that has not moved on from ancient history.

Edited August 4, 2014 by Freiflug88

[Freiflug88]

My personal thoughts on the "Necro" stormtroopers

1. I think they are really undead in the sense that they can no longer seem to live as fully organic beings because of cybernetic brain implants that enslave them to there master(s). Notice how the “Necro Commander” goes brain dead when Drax busted the implant off the side of his head just as the entire Chitari slave army went brain dead “Phantom Menace style” in Avengers.

2. They are rusty and old because they have been used up as expendable pawns until they break down or die in there eternal service to there slave master Ronan.

3. I think there is most definitely a hellish trope angle and its only fitting that Ronan The Accuser, a “Satan; the Accuser” archetype of darkness, has a dark army of the undead to oppose Starlord and his "forces of light".

I also personally hope they never reveal the father. To do so would IMHO ruin a lot of the magic and mystery of having Star-Lord being a modern allegory to the "Son of the sun god" mystery story that has has been passed down since the "dawn" of civilization.

Edited August 4, 2014 by Freiflug88

[DuelGundam2099]

I don't think Marvel can.

Peter's father is a Spartoi, a species that is related to the Shi'ar and as long as Fox has the X-Men rights, well, you get the idea.

[anime52k8]

I don't think Marvel can.

Peter's father is a Spartoi, a species that is related to the Shi'ar and as long as Fox has the X-Men rights, well, you get the idea.

just because they feature in x-men doesn't automatically mean fox has exclusive rights to them. as long as no X-men connection is brought up while they're on screen, Marvel will be fine.

[areaseven]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSo-YPaz2Dw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E53q7YOjqlo

Edited August 5, 2014 by areaseven

[danth]

I thought her sister was hot. Even with all the blue crap on her face.

Agreed the blue chick was hot. I looked up the actress and I like her even better with the weird makeup.

[technoblue]

^^Karen Gillan stole the heart of many a Whovian, and I enjoyed her performance in GOG as Nebula.

The movie was incredible. It easily ranks as my favorite Marvel film tied nose to nose with the Avengers. The music, the easter eggs, the story... I went in knowing nothing about these characters and left loving all of them.

[Mommar]

^^Karen Gillan stole the heart of many a Whovian, and I enjoyed her performance in GOG as Nebula.

The movie was incredible. It easily ranks as my favorite Marvel film tied nose to nose with the Avengers. The music, the easter eggs, the story... I went in knowing nothing about these characters and left loving all of them.

That seems to be an argument for GoG being better than the Avengers. Everybody knew who everybody was going into it. All it had to do was be entertaining. It says something that five characters you knew nothing about have become favorites AND the movie was entertaining too.

[anime52k8]

I liked it more than Avengers, but maybe not as much as the most recent Captain America.

[Kanedas Bike]

Saw it in IMAX 3D earlier today, loved it. Not sure where it ranks in terms of Marvel and/or other comic book movies but surely in the top 3 or 5.

My only Guardians of the Galaxy specific gripe was the very final post credit scene, the mid-credit scene was so much better and really pretty epic in and of itself. The other gripe goes across other Marvel films and has to do with why the hell no one is paying attention to the (6) you-know-what stones as a whole vs. just dealing with them singularly or as needed.

And yeah, the soundtrack was awesome.

And, and, there were a few attractive women sprinkled throughout the movie. Bonus points for that Mr. Gunn.

-b.

[technoblue]

That seems to be an argument for GoG being better than the Avengers. Everybody knew who everybody was going into it. All it had to do was be entertaining. It says something that five characters you knew nothing about have become favorites AND the movie was entertaining too.

If the Hulk/Banner had been lacking in the Avengers, then GotG would have been my favorite Marvel film. But I can't knock off those points because Mark Ruffalo did a great job becoming the character. I had my doubts when Ed Norton wasn't able to return to the role, but I was happy to be so pleasantly surprised.

On a slightly different note, GotG is easily the best action sci-fi film I've seen so far this year.

Edited August 5, 2014 by technoblue

[Kelsain]

Honestly, I got bored in the middle of the avengers. Never happened once in this film.

Both had great rapport between their characters.

I am getting really tired of the "invincible armies that have off switches" trope, though. It wasn't too bad in this one, but it's all over the place.

[Freiflug88]

I don't think Marvel can.

Peter's father is a Spartoi, a species that is related to the Shi'ar and as long as Fox has the X-Men rights, well, you get the idea.

If Marvel and Disney wanted to stick with the comics and have Peter's father as a human-like alien be it Spartoi or any other humanoid species they never would have gone to the trouble of making a CGI hologram of Peter's nervous system showing an abundance of nerves forming a "sun" in his chest to accompany Nova's explanation that Peter is a hybrid between human and an unknown cosmic entity .

Apparently Marvel's writers looked back at the 1977s comics where Peter's ship is essentially a conscious star turned Tardis and saw an opportunity to rewrite this idea into making Starlord a literal "prince of a star being".

For all we know though Peter's father could turn out to be the Beyonder who fits the bill as a cosmic being and bit of an a$$hole when he tries to mingle with mortals.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Freiflug88

[Gakken85]

I still think the Avengers was better, as I mentioned above.

GOG didn't have a "I'm always angry" moment where an iconic character was perfectly synched up with an awesome cinematic moment.

GOG are mostly reworkings and deconstructions of old characters and were mostly on the periphery when I was a kid. I had the original GOG comic in the 90's and I couldn't believe that guy with the kine blade was Yondu with the bow and arrow! haha.

Point being that the interplay between Tony Stark and Bruce Banner. The fight between Thor/Iron Man/The Hulk. You can't top that. Unchanging Icons that have endured for decades finally given a proper representation on screen. It just doesn't compare.

I have no idea how anybody could be bored during the avengers unless you're just addicted to constant action. That was some of the best dialogue in a hero film ever written.

Avengers had flaws. Weak villains that were faceless was my main complaint.

GOG needed to prove more to me, and it did it. But as I mentioned, some of the themes were overstressed and it felt like they were trying too hard for laughs. I wasn't crazy about Drax either. He struck me more as a quiet, yet intelligent tough guy in the new books. In the film it seemed like they made him a walking joke to fit Batista's limited acting ability. As I think back on it the film as a little sappy... haha.

And going back to Ronan... He had that one speech but it didn't really explain why he was a fanatic, or build on his fanaticism. He was just going from point A to point B.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Gakken85

[TangledThorns]

I saw an early show and thought it was a good movie it was just that, good and nothing more. And that's my problem with Disney's Marvel films, they always play it safe which doesn't give me any desire to see the film again. The only Disney Marvel film that I found that didn't play it safe and thought outside the box is Captain America 2, which is still my favorite Marvel film so far.

Edited August 5, 2014 by TangledThorns

[Gakken85]

I agree. It's just ta snitch too sanitized. At least they used the word ass.

[Kelsain]

GOG didn't have a "I'm always angry" moment where an iconic character was perfectly synched up with an awesome cinematic moment.

Yeah, that was epic.

GOG are mostly reworkings and deconstructions of old characters and were mostly on the periphery when I was a kid... Unchanging Icons that have endured for decades finally given a proper representation on screen. It just doesn't compare.

Growing up, I was never really a marvel kid. I had a few token Spider-Man books, and a few issues of Rom, but that's all. While I was aware of the prexisting characters, I literally had as much attachment to the Guardians as I did the Avengers going into the Phase 1. I thought they were introduced and handled equally well.

I have no idea how anybody could be bored during the avengers unless you're just addicted to constant action. That was some of the best dialogue in a hero film ever written.

I totally agree on the dialog. It was actually the nigh constant action that i got bored from. Thinking about it now, the carrier battle and end battle seemed to plod on after a while. Maybe I was just tired at the time... Damn kids.

They're little, so they take up all my time. It actually took 2-3 nights to get through Avengers. For the same reason, I wanted to support & follow AoS & Phase2, I just couldn't keep up.

Avengers had flaws. Weak villains that were faceless was my main complaint.

...

I wasn't crazy about Drax either. He struck me more as a quiet, yet intelligent tough guy in the new books. In the film it seemed like they made him a walking joke to fit Batista's limited acting ability. As I think back on it the film as a little sappy... haha.

And going back to Ronan... He had that one speech but it didn't really explain why he was a fanatic, or build on his fanaticism. He was just going from point A to point B.

Yep, I concur with all this too. The Nova Corps seemed pretty flashy but useless, too.

I dunno, maybe I'm just getting old. I get tired of long action set pieces before they're done, even at the end of GOTG. I used to live for that stuff.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Kelsain

[Gakken85]

Yeah all good points.

I went back and read an article about the original GOG from the 1990s by the guy who did nighthawk. I remember reading it all vaguely. With the Stark and all that.

It's a good read:

http://www.newsarama.com/19894-revisiting-jim-valentinos-original-guardians-of-the-galaxy.html

I need to dig out all those back issues and sell them as a run haha

[Kanedas Bike]

Yeah, that was epic.

*snip*

and a few issues of Rom

*snip*

Sorry to edit out 99.9% of your post, but I just had to shout out Rom: Space Knight! One of the first comics I ever read as a very young kid. Now and Easter Egg with Rom and/or the Dire Waiths would have been truly an epic moment.

I wonder if the good folks over at Marvel have even thought about a Rom movie or cameo...

Hopefully I get a chance to see GotG in theaters again, it really is worth a 2nd viewing.

-b.

[Gakken85]

As long as they keep making money, who knows what projects they will dig out.

If Ant-man can get a movie...

I'm just wondering when the super hero golden age will end. When will people get tired of mcguffin devices, origin stories, and crappy reboots

[close313]

Im already tired of origin stories. That's why i love this so much.

....although this one is too, i guess. But it's something different.

Edited August 5, 2014 by close313