GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

Marvel Studios

Rated PG-13

Running Time: 121 Minutes

Click below to watch a movie trailer of Guardians of the Galaxy.
 

In Marvel Studios Guardians of the Galaxy, kidnapped Earth man Peter Quill/Star Lord/Chris Pratt, winds up in an uneasy partnership with a group of extraterrestrial misfits Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, and Rocket/Bradley Cooper who are on the run through space from Lee Pace, Djimon Hounsou and Karen Gillan after scavenging a mysterious orb for a buyer.

Based on the 2008 version of the 45 year old comic book series Guardians of the Galaxy, this is the first non-Avengers Marvel property developed by Walt Disney Pictures as well as being a Marvel Phase 2 movie. Guardians of the Galaxy is more of a bad-assed action film than a comedy that the movie trailers had made the movie appear to be, with the opening scenes before the credits of the movie being a tearjerker. Despite being an ensemble piece, Quill/Star Lord/Pratt is the leader of these criminals, who pulls these losers into a group in order to do something good to save the galaxy. Tree creature Diesel puts a lot of emotion into his one line of dialog that he repeats throughout the movie. Diesel also recorded all the languages of his line for the international releases of the movie. Racoon Rocket/Cooper and tree person Groot/Diesel will be the toys for this movie.

For Executive Producer Stan Lee fans, his cameo appears relatively early in the movie and the audience reacted positively to his appearance.

Being the first movie of the Marvel Cinematic Universe set in space, a lot of the cosmic space elements from the Marvel comics universe are mentioned in the movie - with cameos of major comic characters, including Benicio Del Toro and an uncredited Josh Brolin. The movie also includes an Infinity Stone appearing in the movie. The cameos and the Infinity Stone hint at future movie roles in the Marvel Cosmic Universe.

While part of the promotional marketing of the movie has Glenn Close in the trailers - she has basically a walk-on part with hardly any lines, despite the nature of her character. I loved the mixed cassette music of 70's and 80's songs that was put together for Quinn's/Pratt's Walkman. I would not be surprised if the soundtrack for this movie becomes a hit. Of course what is funny is that Quinn's/Pratt's Walkman and cassette tape has lasted for over 20 years.

I saw the movie in 3D. While the 3D seemed good in the beginning - after awhile I stopped noticing it except for certain action scenes and one awe scene, some of which the action scenes made me blink.

While there might be a couple of points where scenes would seem scientifically inaccurate - given what was established, I could accept those scenes. The end of the movie was also a bit deus ex machina to me, but the end of the movie also might be acceptable given to what was established.

After the end credit music, the very last end credit scene of the movie might be controversial with the fanboys, so I would not be surprised if nothing ever became of it and just appeared in the movie as just a last joke. But then again, the fanboys would go nuts if this was real and Marvel did it right. I believe it was for legal reasons with Marvel that the creator's names that were involved with this scene had appeared after the end of this scene. If Marvel actually does make a movie and puts this on the production schedule in a slot that has not been confirmed yet, I hope that they make that movie as originally intended by the creators as a satirical existential experience, instead of just something from space.

The very last visual on the screen is that GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY WILL RETURN.

As of 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy broke the record for an August debut.

Rated PG-13 for violence, obscenity. Running time: 121 minutes.  

Click below to watch another movie trailer of Guardians of the Galaxy.



Click below to watch a final movie trailer of Guardians of the Galaxy.



Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

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STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS

Paramount

Rated PG-13

Running time: 132 Minutes



Click below to watch the Star Trek Into Darkness movie trailer.



In Paramount Pictures Star Trek Into Darkness, a terrorist has attacked facilities at Starfleet and Captain Kirk, Chris Pine, is determined to go after him.

Directed by J.J. Abrams, this Star Trek sequel has a rule-breaking Kirk/Pine - brought home to Earth for his transgressions - going after a revenge bearing Starfleet agent Benedict Cumberbatch, famous for his role in the TV series Sherlock, who is targeting Starfleet. Despite the fact that Admiral Chris Pike, Bruce Greenwood, admonishes Kirk for his recklessness - Pike/Greenwood continues to take Kirk/Pine under his wing.

While I had enjoyed this film as an action film with Star Trek elements, I would have preferred a more original story for a Star Trek reboot - even though I liked this story better than the first Star Trek film, possible because the writers studied science fiction novels written by Arthur C. Clarke and Larry Niven. I know a lot of Trekkers are not happy with J.J. Abrams treatment of the series, and I will admit that there were scenes where I was groaning "don't do that." Either way, Cumberbatch was very good in his role. One of the early plot points foreshadowed what would happen in the rest of the movie. It is curious that one of the themes of this movie is about family, which plays as a motivator around most of the characters.

After the Boston Marathon bombing, the terrorist attacks in the movie had more immediacy to me than what would be in a normal movie. Stills of the terrorist attacks being used in the movie reminded me very much of the news media videos of the Boston Marathon and foreshadowed what was to come.

It is curious that Starfleet has always had a schizophrenic identity - both scientific and military. Even Chief Engineer Scotty/Simon Pegg was wondering about that. After the terrorist attacks, Admiral Peter Weller - who represents the military aspects of Starfleet - naturally wants to get Cumberbatch and sends Kirk/Pine on a manhunt after Cumberbatch.

There is a controversial exploitative bikini scene of Dr. Carol Marcus, Alice Eve, in the movie which made no sense - aside from being exploitative - as the scene was badly written. The scene would have been more acceptable if it were written better. As it is, there is a certain relationship developing between Marcus/Eve and Kirk/Pine that could be developed in the next Star Trek movie as per Star Trek lore. Sulu's, John Cho's, characterization also could be further developed in the next Star Trek movie as per Star Trek lore. The relationship between Spock/Zachary Quinto and Uhura/Zoe Saldana has also gotten deeper and more complicated in this movie.

While there was a credit for George Kirk/Chris Hemsworth at the end of the movie, I do not recall seeing him in the movie. The principal characters however did reprise their roles from the previous film.

This is the first time that a movie was filmed in IMAX format, then converted to 3D in post production.

At the end of the film is a dedication to post 9/11 veterans. It is cool that four veterans from the organization The Mission Continues are folding the United Federation of Planets Flag during the Memorial ceremony. It seems appropriate that I saw this movie during Memorial Day weekend.

Rated PG-13 for violence and sexual situations. Running time: 132 Minutes.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

Pancho's Movie Reviews

Avatar

20th Century-Fox Film Corporation

Rated PG-13

Running time: 162 minutes


















Click below to watch the Avatar trailer.



James Cameron's Avatar, by 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation, is about Marine paraplegic Sam Worthington going to the planet Pandora to join the Avatar program - a program in which he inhabits a native giant body avatar. The humans on the planet are mining a rare mineral and the Marines provide security for them. Worthington is assigned to make contact with the natives and as he learns and interacts with the natives - Worthington realizes he is on the wrong side.

This is basically the story of the Vietnam war, or of any superior culture overwhelming a primitive society. It was much more interesting watching the scientists and Worthington learning about the natives and the planet, than it was in dealing with the Marines who were hardly shown during the first half of the film. The only Marines you really get to know are Worthington's friends, including the woman Marine pilot Michelle Rodriguez. You also get to know the Marine Colonel in charge Stephen Lang. Worthington in the beginning was not believable as a veteran Marine with extensive experience. This was especially in contrast with the trailer of The National Guard that was being shown at my screening just before the movie started, and of how professional the Guard are. As the alien Zoe Saldana told the inexperienced Worthington, "You are a baby!" While not being in the military, I have a feeling that the depiction of the Marines used in the movie is not entirely accurate. But after a rigorous training by Saldana to make Worthington become one of her people, Worthington becomes the resourceful hero Worthington is destined to be.

On a technical level, I saw this movie in 3-D. It is rare that I watch a 3-D movie, it all depends on what movie is available at the time I am able to go to the movies. The real D 3D glasses that I was given were able to fit over my glasses, but did not fit properly and I had to hold the glasses in place for me to watch the movie comfortably. As a movie-goer, holding the glasses is rather tiresome and most of the time I just let go of the glasses and not watch the top of the screen. Traditional 2 dimensional film making does not always work for a 3-D movie, but for the most part the movie was enjoyable in 3-D.

Rated PG-13 for violence. Running time: 162 minutes


Pancho
All people smile in the same language.