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08 August 2014 @ 01:04 pm
ATTF: Guardians of the Galaxy!  
Hello, best bar in the world!

We're going to take things easy today and go a liiiiiittle bit off topic. That's right, it's time for... (drumroll please)...

attf

ALL THE THINGS FRIDAY: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

This movie came out in US theaters last weekend, but I realize not everybody has had a chance to see it yet. For those of you who have, what are you thoughts? Loved it? Hated it? Wondered why the raccoon talked like a 1940s gangster?
Was Baby Dancing Groot not the greatest thing ever?
So come one, come all, come flail!

Please note that on this post all spoilers are fair game, so read the comments at your own risk! Also, if you haven't gotten your prompts in for the Promptathon, you might want to mosey over and do that, as we're shutting that post down very soon.

Things to remember:
1) Always label NSFW (Not Safe For Work) stuff in the title and post under a cut.
2) Fic and artwork needs to have a rating and warnings (or you can say that you’ve chosen not to use warnings).
3) For people with annoying internet connections, say in the title if a comment is graphic/images/gif-heavy and post picspams under a cut.
4) Have a damn good time! (Because if that’s not happening then this post has clearly failed.)
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franztastisch: family[personal profile] franztastisch on August 8th, 2014 06:15 pm (UTC)
Dumb as shit. Loved every minute. Baby Groot is a thing I need in my life. :D

More seriously, some people I talked to had it as their fvourite Marvel film which, fine, if that's your thing. For me, there wasn't the emotional depth for me to call it a favourite. It was a 14yo boy film, and there ain't nothing wrong with that, but there was no Steve/Peggy moment like in Cap 2, or "We are not soldiers" from Avengers. It hit nearly all my highs, but not that one.

HOWEVER: reasons I love Marvel films over DC: "Evacuate the city, the protection of our people is our priority." THANK YOU *glares angrily at Man of Steel*

(There will come a day when I'm not pissed at Man of Steel. But it is not this day.)
[identity profile] i-llbedammned.livejournal.com on August 8th, 2014 06:24 pm (UTC)
I am so glad I wasn't the only one that was glad to see them care about their civilians. It makes the whole world feel a lot more real when they are concerned about casualties.
franztastisch: family[personal profile] franztastisch on August 8th, 2014 06:30 pm (UTC)
This is one of the reasons I love the MCU so much, because they remember that the heroes aren't the only ones affected.
[identity profile] alphaflyer.livejournal.com on August 8th, 2014 06:30 pm (UTC)
All of this. It was loud, funny, colourful, busy, explosion-y, full of tropes ... classic movie for a Friday night or after someone at work pissed you off, and bring the pop corn.

But it was not deep. And as for the characters Respective Tragic Backstories, they were like a tick box in an Olympics interview ("and what personal adversity did YOU overcome to win your silver medal, Miss ...?"). So, as a result, I'm not invested in any of the characters -- certainly not to the point where I'd write stories for/about them.

And YES to the protection of civilians thing -- I leaned over to Kidlet and whispered in her ear (she hates when people talk in movies) that This is the kind of nod to reality that's the reason I like Marvel. (Avengers had me at "Every living soul not working rescue ...")

But Dancing Baby Groot? Merchandising genius. Especially if it comes with an Awesome Tape, or at the very least, Marvin Gaye.

franztastisch: felt like a kiss[personal profile] franztastisch on August 8th, 2014 07:12 pm (UTC)
I think it worked because it's self aware. It's a dumb concept but it knows it is and therefore it's OK. It's basically the best kind of 14yo boy film, because of that.
[identity profile] alphaflyer.livejournal.com on August 8th, 2014 07:17 pm (UTC)
Precisely! And all the more fun for that.

I even willingly sat through the 10 minutes of names and events being thrown at me (who knows squat about the History of the Galaxy), figuring it would all eventually make sense/work out.

And it did.
[identity profile] philstar22.livejournal.com on August 9th, 2014 02:49 am (UTC)
For me, the emotional impact was in the little things. These five people who had lost so much coming together to do the right thing. The little hints at their backgrounds, and in particular Drax's and Rocket's. Groot's sacrifice. The shot of the Xandarian guy with his family at the end. It was subtle, but it was there for me. The movie for me was about losing your family and making your own.

That being said, I can see why others wouldn't see it that way.
[identity profile] frea-o.livejournal.com on August 9th, 2014 04:32 am (UTC)
Seconded to everrrrrrything you said here. I'm not a fan of Drax (sorry, you lose all respect by referring to women as whores, especially when you're the literal one on the team), but the rest of them? I walked away loving it. I put it as #3 in my Marvel movies. But then I've always adored rambunctious space romps and found families.

And Gamora. I AM HERE FOR ALL OF THE GAMORA.
[identity profile] philstar22.livejournal.com on August 9th, 2014 04:37 am (UTC)
The whore line was stupid. But it was so out of character for someone who is always literal that I chalked it up to bad writing. It made no sense because it isn't like Drax thinks she is actually a prostitute. As someone somewhere else said, it would have made much more sense for him to call her murderer because he thinks she actually is one, and her reaction would then be to that label when she is trying to distance herself from her past.

Gamora is awesome. I want to see her and Natasha in the same movie so I can watch them being awesome together.
[identity profile] happilydancing.livejournal.com on August 9th, 2014 05:35 pm (UTC)
I didn't like how many times "whore" and "bitch" were thrown around in the movie. Like I know he was calling Ronan a "bitch" but I kinda felt like it was insulting to women.
franztastisch[personal profile] franztastisch on August 9th, 2014 10:32 am (UTC)
Yeah there were the little things, and that was fine, but it still didn't hit the emotional level of any of the other Marvel films. I'm not saying there was nothing there, because clearly there was, but for me it didn't have the same impact.
[identity profile] alphaflyer.livejournal.com on August 10th, 2014 04:33 pm (UTC)
Agreed. The emotional stuff was pretty much limited to phone-in-your-tragic-backstory tropes, but that was outweighed for me by the space-operatic fun. It reminded me so much of some of the Keith Laumer/Eric Frank Russell/Fritz Leiber sci fi I grew up with (with elements of the first Star Wars trilogy, or am I the only one who thinks that?) -- how could I do anything but love it?
[identity profile] i-llbedammned.livejournal.com on August 8th, 2014 06:23 pm (UTC)
It was exactly what I was looking for in a movie.

Baby Groot dancing made me day, especially after the sad scene where he died.


I want to see Gamora and Natasha have a team-up one day.
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[identity profile] happilydancing.livejournal.com on August 8th, 2014 07:04 pm (UTC)
I...didn't really like it? I feel like maybe I missed something. Will have to watch again. It wasn't terrible but my friend, who watched it yesterday texted me and I think she said it didn't tug her heart like Iron Man or Captain America did..."not as smart, too much like Buzzfeed does a movie." I have to agree with that.

It had components that were good, but it didn't blend into one cohesive whole for me. I thought the raccoon wasn't funny or likeable in any way. I did like the other characters though.

I think its the worst of the Marvel movies. Which is still better than a lot of other movies. I def. want to watch it again and see if it is better on a second viewing. It irks me to no end that this movie was made and we don't have a Hawkeye or Black Widow movie. But it makes sense since they are doing the infinity gems thing.
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[identity profile] happilydancing.livejournal.com on August 8th, 2014 07:40 pm (UTC)
Another issue I had was I felt like I had watched certain scenes before. Groot flipping people back and forth? Reminded me of Hulk flopping Loki. Drax stating he will be with his his wife and daughter again when they died reminded me of...ugh, forgot his name. But the guy from the first Iron Man.

What I DID really like was Gamora and Nebula and the promise of seeing more of them, I thought Gamora and Peter had chemistry, loved the scene where the all held hands, and of course baby Groot. I also thought Ronan was hot lol.
[identity profile] alphaflyer.livejournal.com on August 8th, 2014 07:48 pm (UTC)
Yinsen! And yes, you're right. It was check-a-trope day at Marvel, but I actually thought that was part of the plan (okay, maybe 12 percent of the plan ...) ;-)

(The arrow that never misses was cool, too...)
[identity profile] happilydancing.livejournal.com on August 8th, 2014 08:04 pm (UTC)
Yinsen! Thanks! I feel bad for not remembering...I'm always like "that awesome, helpful, tragic guy from Iron Man".

For some reason I feel like even though I didn't really like this one (again, not that it was bad...just feel like it could have been better), I think I will like the second one more. B/c now the characters are established, I think they can get into more sophisticated story-telling...well you know. To a degree. ;)



[identity profile] spyforaday.livejournal.com on August 8th, 2014 10:13 pm (UTC)
I loved everything about this movie, especially the clever 70s and 80s references (let's be heroes like Kevin Bacon) and music (the soundtrack has been playing in our house for a week and nobody's tired of it).

I mean how fun was it to see our pop culture (in my case, that's all the same stuff I grew up with) used as frames of reference and methods of manipulation for Peter? The child-like mentality kinda saving the day... Ok, maybe that's a stretch, but it was one of the things I enjoyed. I thought the movie had heart and was the perfect addition to the MCU.
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inkvoices: avengers:insanity[personal profile] inkvoices on August 8th, 2014 10:23 pm (UTC)
This is a not a film that gave me thinky thoughts and I have problems with it. BUT. I laughed all the way through, enjoyed the hell out of it, and am still sining the soundtrack, because awesome mix is awesome *grins*. My life is better for having dancing Groot in it

I bring you fun things:

DANCING GROOT

textsfromsuperheroes: If we can’t guard the galaxy you can be damn sure we’ll troll it.

someone making a Groot cosplay

Guardians of the Firefly

Also, off-off topic, kind, Jeremy Renner is now on twitter. @Renner4Real Just saying ;)
[identity profile] happilydancing.livejournal.com on August 8th, 2014 10:28 pm (UTC)
I am still shocked by that. I never thought i'd see the day. He seems so private. But I'm excited too. Bring on all the muscle and butt pics!
[identity profile] spyforaday.livejournal.com on August 8th, 2014 10:47 pm (UTC)
Those ARE fun things! Thanks for sharing. There can never be enough dancing baby Groot...
[identity profile] alphaflyer.livejournal.com on August 9th, 2014 12:57 am (UTC)
Having spent 6 years of my life in literary criticism (this is before I became a lawyer -- and yes, I am overeducated) I can attest to the fact that there is a huge difference between books/stories/movies/works of art that make you THINK, and those that make you LOVE them. GotG is not a THINKy sort of thing (unless you're into meta stuff, and why audiences respond to what, and how things become cliche, and where do we stick in the Saint Crispin's Day reference). But ... there's so much to LOVE. Yes!!!

Also, I also feel UTTERLY VINDICATED for every Jackson Pollock joke I've ever made (including in "Safe House ...").

And yes, I followed JR on twitter. Ahem. (When I did, he had only 200 or so followers ... *clears throat again*.) Problem is, it's my work twitter... Oh well.



inkvoices: avengers:clint comic miscalculation[personal profile] inkvoices on August 10th, 2014 04:05 pm (UTC)
One of the friends I watched Gaurdians with demanded that I write a CSI style fic around the Pollock comment. I turned about and enabled her into wanting to write a Nova Corps CSI style fic around the Pollock comment *evil grin*.

You used your work twitter. I AM SO VERY AMUSED BY THIS.
[identity profile] alphaflyer.livejournal.com on August 10th, 2014 04:34 pm (UTC)
Using my work twitter ... call it a teeny, petty little act of revenge. It is in my own name, after all! :-)
[identity profile] hufflepuffsneak.livejournal.com on August 8th, 2014 11:12 pm (UTC)
My reactions coming out of the theatre, in order:

1) Baby Groot is the best thing ever!
2) Woah there, male gaze. (Not surprised James Gunn, not surprised at all)
3) I want to know more about Nebula and Gamora!
4) The soundtrack was EPIC.
5) They did the thing! Again! Where female characters die and stay dead and a male character "dies."

I agree with what a lot of people are saying- fun, but without a lot of emotional depth. I think I would have enjoyed it more if my expectations weren't so high after the hugely positive response from audiences and critics (I honestly think it got a bit of a pass from critics, being a risky Marvel film). So I'm glad I watched it, but I have no desire to see it again.

I AM hoping that they make Gamora the main character of GOTG 2, because they did waaaay too much telling and not enough showing of her backstory, and who she was.
franztastisch: family[personal profile] franztastisch on August 9th, 2014 10:35 am (UTC)
I know this is unlikely to happen in any way, but I want Gamora and Nebula to become the new Thor and Loki, cos I for one can see the parallels.
[identity profile] hufflepuffsneak.livejournal.com on August 9th, 2014 10:43 am (UTC)
Like Thor and Loki, but better, you mean? I think it's even more interesting, because their adoptive "father" was abusive to both of them, and how does Nebula deal with not having a mission/ someone giving her orders??

And I wanted to see more of their personality and relationship in the fight scenes, darnit!!
franztastisch[personal profile] franztastisch on August 9th, 2014 10:57 am (UTC)
Well, I love Thor to pieces but yeah, better I guess. Cos Gamora reaches out to Nebula even at the end, and Nebula survives. So she'd be an interesting Loki-type character, if given room to grow. And yeah, how she deals with the fallout of Thanos and Ronan and all that could make her a very interesting ongoing antagonist. Also because they're both women and therefore the woobiefying of Nebula will be minimal, both in the MCU and any fic.

I was slightly disappointed in Nebula actually, just cos I felt Karen Gillen was slightly overacting. But also because the scriptwriters don't have those things that I think are Joss Whedon's main selling points; the ability to hint at complex backstory with minimal airtime, and balance large casts sucessfully. I mean, Clint Barton got 15 mins in Avengers and I still feel we got told more about him as a person in that film than we do of any characters in GotG apart from Peter Quill, and maybe Rocket. It's the showing not telling thing again.
[identity profile] hufflepuffsneak.livejournal.com on August 9th, 2014 11:01 am (UTC)
Yes! I'm glad someone agrees with me for the showing/ telling thing.

In a lot of the ways the characters were stereotypes, and Gunn didn't take the opportunities he could have for characterization. I mean look at what the fight scenes in Cap 2 told us about each other characters, and compare that to the fight scenes in GotG.

And I think Karen Gillan was slightly overacting, but as an actor you're led by the director. She has so much range as an actor, looking at her past work, that she could have delivered the right note of performance had she been told what that was.
franztastisch: she's in fashion[personal profile] franztastisch on August 9th, 2014 12:00 pm (UTC)
The thing is, given the type of film this was, the characters being stereotypes doesn't acutally bother me as much as it otherwise would. Like I said above somewhere, it's pretty self aware for a film. It knows it's dumb and works with it. It wouldn't work otherwise. But yes, the fight scene comparison is a good one, because everything about the fights in Cap2 told you more about the characters.

I think also, the voice modulation thing that they used for her didn't help.

That being said, these are all minor quibbles for me, because the purpose of this film wasn't to be as character driven or emotionally hard hitting as the other films. Over all I thoroughly enjoyed it for the ridiculous and hilarious spectical it was.
[identity profile] alphaflyer.livejournal.com on August 10th, 2014 04:39 pm (UTC)
I think the problem is James Gunn, who -- unlike Joss Whedon-- generally doesn't know what to do with women other than have them look attractive to fanboys good.

*ducks and waits for the backlash*
[identity profile] frea-o.livejournal.com on August 9th, 2014 06:18 pm (UTC)
Yeah, I thought she'd put most of her energy into the accent and didn't have much left over for the character. I think they should've just let her be Scottish.

...but I'm biased because her voice is amazing.
[identity profile] hufflepuffsneak.livejournal.com on August 9th, 2014 11:26 pm (UTC)
Her voice is amazing! I don't see why space can't have multiple accents (grabs Farscape and hugs it to chest)
[identity profile] happilydancing.livejournal.com on August 9th, 2014 05:37 pm (UTC)
Agreed about the character development. Would have liked to seen more depth. Still hoping for it in Guardians 2.
[identity profile] philstar22.livejournal.com on August 9th, 2014 02:46 am (UTC)
Loved it. My second favorite Marvel movie after Cap 2. And also, Gamora is now my third favorite MCU character. She was my favorite in the movie. I love me some badass women.
[identity profile] alphaflyer.livejournal.com on August 10th, 2014 04:42 pm (UTC)
Not sure why anyone would want to know this, but my faves are, in order, Avengers, Cap2 and Ironman. (I have a soft spot for that last one because it opened in Afghanistan, and it was the first Marvel I ever saw.)