Movie Review - Marvel takes over the cosmos in Guardians of the Galaxy

     We're all fans of Marvel's Cinematic Universe, the world of interconnected superhero films that culminated in the big budget ensemble movie The Avengers to end their first phase. Now fully into Phase Two, preparing to reunite Earth's Mightiest Heroes next summer, Marvel Studios took another chance and introducing a new team to their devoted fans. A team of unpredictable and unconventional individuals who are tasked to save the galaxy and try not to kill each other in the process.

    
     The film starts on Earth in 1988, where we see young Peter Quill get hoovered up into a spaceship when he was eight years old. Twenty-six years later, Quill (Chris Pratt) is a cocky earthling "Indiana Jones"-type of fortune hunter, armed with space weapons, a Walkman with classic rock, and a wandering eye for extraterrestrial babes. All in all, he represents a fun, updated version of Han Solo, played with wily mischief and charm by Chris Pratt.

     During a botched plan to sell his most recent score, he is arrested and sent to a galactic prison along with the green-skinned assassin Gamora (Zoe Saldana), the insane grumbler Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista, whose physique from years of wrestling made him physically ready for the role), the foul-mouthed and hilarious Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), and the walking tree Groot (voiced by the deep, foghorn voice of Vin Diesel, only repeating the line "I am Groot").

     I won't go too much into the plot because I feel like I wouldn't be able to do it justice. It reads the same as other action-adventure superhero films where everyone good and evil is in search of a mysterious MacGuffin - the mysterious orb that was shown during the preview that Quill was in search of that is later shown to have the power to destroy worlds. The villain Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace) is looking to obtain the orb for the destructive power it holds. It is similar to The Avengers and their fight for the Tesseract.
    
     Unlike the seriousness of previous MCU films like Thor and the 1940's retro feel of Captain America: The First Avenger, Quill and his rag-tag band of pranksters bring a blast of comic relief and hilariousness to the threat that Ronan brings to the galaxy. A lot of credit goes to Pratt due to his previous experience on TV's Parks and Recreation, where he mostly played a supportive role. This film graduates him up to the status of leading man. After watching this movie, it's been long overdue. Cooper also delivered another wise-cracking, side-splitting performance as the genetically altered raccoon. He was like a Looney Toon armed with a machine gun.

     Together, this team of exiles become unexpected heroes. I better related to Gamora's opinion of the team as "the biggest idiots of the galaxy." During the time, you wonder if they will be able to put their separate selfish desires to the side and embrace the responsibility that showed up on their doorstep. Director James Gunn did a great job with his first big budget film and Marvel shows with this movie that despite their success, they are still willing to take risks. If the universe started with this film, I don't think the MCU would be where it is now. The proper foundation of The Avengers helped this film stand on strong legs. I haven't been too mixed about the Marvel films but this is the first one that was one of the more unpredictable and exciting of the universe.

     I hope everyone goes on the journey with the Guardians and rocks along with the soundtrack that accompanies the film, flowing with the rhythm of classic rock.

     In case you were curious about the soundtrack, here is the playlist for the Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix, Vol. 1.

     1. "Hooked on a Feeling" - Blue Swede
     2. "Go All The Way" - The Raspberries
     3. "Spirit In The Sky" - Norman Greenbaum
     4. "Moonage Daydream" -David Bowie
     5. "Fooled Around And Fell In Love" - Elvin Bishop
     6. "I'm Not In Love" - 10cc
     7. "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5
     8. "Come and Get Your Love" - Redbone
     9. "Cherry Bomb" - The Runaways
    10. "Escape (The Pina Colada Song) - Rupert Holmes
    11. "O-O-H Child" - The Five Stairsteps
    12. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" - Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

Movie Preview - Movies to come from Comic-Con

     To show how big of a fan or nerd that I am, It's always been a goal and dream of mine to travel out to San Diego and attend the biggest convention is all the land...COMIC-CON!!

     Not only is it the place for fans to dress up like their favorite fictional characters, meet new friends with similar likes in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Action genres, you can also meet your favorite stars. That's right, stars from your favorite movies, TV series, and studios show up to show off never before seen footage from movies that are currently filming, are in pre-production, or that have been waiting to be announced. This all happens at Comic-Con.

     This year, many movies scheduled to be released later this year premiered their first trailers to legions of their fans that packed the auditorium halls. Now that the craziness of Comic-Con has faded until next year's festivities, I'm here to show you all the first trailers that premiered at the convention.

     First: Mad Max: Fury Road. In this reboot, Tom Hardy takes on the role of Max, a man traveling the desert wasteland of the world where he meets Furiosa (Charlize Theron), a woman who wished to cross the desert to reach her childhood home, unaware of the dangers that lay hidden in the wasteland. Mad Max: Fury Road rages into theaters May 15, 2015

     Next: Interstellar. Christopher Nolan already has people and fans of his previous work excited for this original Science Fiction film about a group of explorers that make use of a wormhole to expand space exploration and possibly save the Earth. This film stars Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, and Jessica Chastain. Interstellar voyages into theaters on November 7.

   
     Coming Soon: Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. Nine years after the first movie, Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller bring their neo-noir world back to the silver screen as the town's most hard-boiled citizens go up against its more powerful and reviled inhabitants.

     Next: The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies. The final chapter of The Middle-Earth Saga is ready to be written. Picking up where The Desolation of Smaug left off, the company of Thorin Oakenshield reached The Lonely Mountain and confronted the dragon, Smaug but have set him free from Erebor. Now, all of Middle-Earth prepares to go to war to fight the dark forces that goes beyond the dragon. The epic finale to The Hobbit trilogy arrives December 17.

     Finally: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part I. After being rescued from the Quarter Quell, Katness Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is taken to the hidden District 13 and reluctantly becomes the symbol of a mass rebellion against President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and The Capitol. The penultimate chapter of The Hunger Games Saga charges into theaters on November 21.

    
     I hope you all enjoy these previews and they get you more prepared for these films as their release dates get closer! One day, I hope to report or update you all when I go to Comic-Con for the first time ever!

Movie Review - Dwayne Johnson proves to be "Rock"-solid in Hercules

     I'm back with another movie review from the slate of summer flicks that have had control over this Summer movie season. While this summer has not been kind to Hollywood, money-wise, while audiences are awaiting the movies that have been announced for next Summer (Avengers: Age of Ultron, anyone?!), this season hasn't necessarily been terrible.

     A Hercules film already came out this year with The Legend of Hercules, starring Kellan Lutz. Trust me, this one is certainly better and brings a more realistic spin to the legendary warrior. In this version, Hercules (Dwayne Johnson) is said to be the demigod son of Zeus, going through the Twelve Labors, and a hero. When he finally appears on-screen, he is not alone. Hercules is leading a team of mercenaries that help support his legend as it spreads across the land, offering their services to the highest bidders.

     The King of Thrace, Lord Cotys (John Hurt) summons Hercules and his band to his city to help train his armies to defend the kingdom against the warlord, Rheseus (Tobias Santelmann). During this training, we uncover more about what led Hercules onto his current path and his earlier success that cost him his family, weighing him down with guilt and looking for redemption. When Hercules uncovers that all is not as it seems in Thrace and the good king, he has to break the chains that hold him back and accept his destiny.

     Johnson played this role with such ferocity and energy that he looked like he has born to pay this role. I followed the Rock through his Facebook page and Instagram as he prepared physically to portray the mythical Greek hero. Dwayne's intensity and energy helped drive this movie along with its action packed story.  Ever since his kick-ass role as DSS Agent Hobbs in Fast Five, the wrestler formally known as "The Rock" has been Hollywood's go-to actor to give action films a well-needed shot of adrenaline and bringing a degree of freshness to an established franchise such as G.I. Joe and The Fast and The Furious. Dwayne Johnson seems to have found his niche in action films but is also known to be talented and able to play in different roles.

     Hercules isn't a spectacular movie but worth it seeing if you have some extra time to spare this weekend after seeing Guardians of the Galaxy.

     Have a good weekend and enjoy the movies!