Guardians of the Galaxy; Film on Friday Inaugural Post

I want to be a more regular blogger in 2015, so I think I'm going to introduce more regular weekly posts in an effort to ensure I can always put something up to share and not leave the blog to my own whimsical inspired vagaries of whether I have actually done anything or gone anywhere.
The plan is to join in with Meal Planning Monday with At Home with Mrs M as long as I remember to link my post to her page. Otherwise it's just a Meal Planning Monday by myself. By the way, Helen at I Will Bloom, Mrs M has the SAME planner I have; she's filling hers in next week and has a good review of it here.
Wednesday is Midweek and a good time for a review of what life's up to. Every Wednesday I propose to look through the week so far; what am I reading, watching, making, doing, how am I feeling and what will I be doing that weekend. It might get a bit samey, so I'll probably be changing which areas of life I look at now and again.
So Friday seemed like an appropriate day for another regular feature; I needed something fun, quick and enjoyable to write about..... but Mr AJ said that was rude, so I had to think again. (and, yes, not everybody enjoys it either)
So it occurred to me that as a family we really enjoy watching movies either at the cinema or in house and that I can usefully look at the films we like best, one a week, and lay them down for your delectation.
So the inaugural Film on Friday post is;   (trumpet fanfare.......)

Guardians of the Galaxy. This years biggest Box Office hit. I haven't met anybody who dislikes this movie, only those who thought it was just about OK. And I know LOADS who love it. I love it, so this isn't an unbiased review. If you want unbiased, well, I don't know. Everybody approaches a film with an agenda, so you might be out of luck.

Guardians is another Marvel comic strip made into a movie. It's not one of the biggies like Spiderman or X Men, not a major assembling of super characters like Avengers but it has had a lot of success, I believe because it is a good movie. Here's why;

1; We don't know the story already. OK, my geek sons did, they were crazy to meet Rocket, Groot and the others because they live online and can find out the plots, characters and details of so much stuff beforehand but for an average middle aged Mum, they weren't the first names I'd think about when talking Marvel. The plot was engaging; young boy loses mother at 9, is whisked away by scavengers who are supposed to deliver him to his Dad, but he gets away and the movie is a galactic chase with a very cute adult Peter Quill (played by Chris Pratt) and his gang of oh-my-God-I-don't-believe-they-are-getting-on-at-last-men who are battling a super galactic Baddie called Thanos. Now I'd seen Thanos at the end of another movie, so I knew he was bad.

2; The characters are fun.It's a lot like The Princess Bride but set in space; There is a poor boy made good in Starlord (Peter Quill) Who calls him Starlord? He does, of course. There is a 'Princess' in trouble called Gamora who needs to learn to lighten up and enjoy life. Granted she's green and plenty kick-ass enough not to need rescuing, but that makes her good, know what I mean? The counterparts for Fezzik and Iniego are Groot (I am Groot; that's his dialogue. I. Am. Groot. In that order. Always) and Rocket, a genetically manipulated racoon with an explosion mania and a habit of asking for weird things (I need that man's false leg. No, really, we can't escape without it) Drax is a man mountain who takes everything literally and wants to kill Gamora's boss. He is so literal that nothing goes over his head. His reflexes are too good. I could go into the baddies, but they are also cool, clever and interesting to know.



3; The soundtrack is AWESOME. Absolutely awesome. It's a mixed tape made by Peter's Mom and features classic 70's hits like 10cc's 'I'm Not In Love', 'Cherrybomb' and my personal favourite, Blue Suede's 'Hooked on a Feeling'. Takes me right back to early Ally McBeal. The music makes the film in a lot of ways, it matches the moods, feeds into the plot and gives the whole thing a funk retro vibe that sets up a dissonance with the dirty futuristic look that makes you watch. And the highlights of the movie rely on the soundtrack to add impact. I could write a whole review on which parts of music interacting with plot I like best, but that's a review for a nerdy blog I don't have yet. I'm looking forward to an Awesome Mix Vol 2 in 2017 when the next part comes out.

4; The movie has a heavy vein of comedy running right through it. Yes, it has its moments of peril and, yes, the plot has twists and turns that remind me of a drive I once did in Devon to find a small manor house (THAT was scary) but it never takes itself completely seriously. Ever. It's a different feel to, say, X Men where the peril is always deep and painful. Here, it's handled lightly and with a wink to the audience that makes us giggle even as we gasp.

5; It also has an ability to make me cry. There are enough elements of sadness to wring tears from me. I'm not telling you where, watch the movie and write to me if you can guess. My record is actual tears at 3 different points in the film. And they were genuine, not somebody standing on my foot as they passed by. The sad elements are well handled, the plot has to have them in to be as good as it is, and the children I know have never yet freaked out over them.

6; It's a Sci Fi film that even a non-sci fi lover can handle. OK, so there's a walking Tree, a talking racoon and the chief baddie looks like his mascara didn't just run it positively hurtled down his face, but there's as much Western as there is West space about this film. It's universal, and appeals to everyone (as well as travelling the universe!)



Could I recommend this film to anyone? Well, as long as you have a sense of humour or like 70's classic hits or love sci fi or think Chris Pratt is cute, then you will find something to enjoy in the movie. If you enjoy the Marvel Superhero films this one sits comfortably amongst them as one of the best. If you like (love) Princess Bride or Labyrinth then I think this film will appeal. We went twice to the cinema to see it and it was the first of our Christmas DVDs that got unwrapped and watched as a family.