GUARDIANS of the GALAXY - Grading & Discussion
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..And there were FOUR LIGHTS!
It was 3 lights and a couple of Lens FlaresI remember seeing five the first time I saw that episode.
I really hated GotG..
I've never seen outer-space look so ugly in a film before, with garish yellows and lots of meh..
Also: I've never seen a credible outer space adventure end with a dance-off, and then end with the hero team holding hands to wish away the threat by working together. This would be acceptable as B-level cheese but it seems the film community has risen it to A-level storytelling.
And what about the characters? I Thought the big guy's character trait (which establishes his distinctiveness for the audience in quick way) was his inability to understand metaphors and all, but later Gamora has the same problem with the stupid Footloose scene (one of the most badly acted scenes of the past decade). Not to mention that, gender aside, her and the big guy have almost the same story to their characters.
The other problem with the film was that I wasn't sure what I was sup[posed to take from it. Was the main character - who is from Earth - supposed to be the fish out of water and therefore the audience's eyes and ears into the world of the film? Well, yes and no, because he's been in that world most of his life and knows it better than the audience does? So as a result the audience is supposed to roll with the punches.. it gave the writers permission for this main character to ask questions when it's pertinent to getting exposition but when it seems cool for him to "already know" he naturally already does, because the MCU writers enjoy taking whatever narrative shortcuts they can. The purple guy might be important to the comics but he's nothing more than a Power-Rangers villain with bigger plans in both this film and The Avengers, and by that I mean that he is not a character. I wish people would realize that this isn't science fiction or even space-opera, it's pure schlock. Even when lines of eminent jeopardy are delivered it seems the actors are making a joke with how they deliver those lines.
I've never seen outer-space look so ugly in a film before, with garish yellows and lots of meh..
Also: I've never seen a credible outer space adventure end with a dance-off, and then end with the hero team holding hands to wish away the threat by working together. This would be acceptable as B-level cheese but it seems the film community has risen it to A-level storytelling.
And what about the characters? I Thought the big guy's character trait (which establishes his distinctiveness for the audience in quick way) was his inability to understand metaphors and all, but later Gamora has the same problem with the stupid Footloose scene (one of the most badly acted scenes of the past decade). Not to mention that, gender aside, her and the big guy have almost the same story to their characters.
The other problem with the film was that I wasn't sure what I was sup[posed to take from it. Was the main character - who is from Earth - supposed to be the fish out of water and therefore the audience's eyes and ears into the world of the film? Well, yes and no, because he's been in that world most of his life and knows it better than the audience does? So as a result the audience is supposed to roll with the punches.. it gave the writers permission for this main character to ask questions when it's pertinent to getting exposition but when it seems cool for him to "already know" he naturally already does, because the MCU writers enjoy taking whatever narrative shortcuts they can. The purple guy might be important to the comics but he's nothing more than a Power-Rangers villain with bigger plans in both this film and The Avengers, and by that I mean that he is not a character. I wish people would realize that this isn't science fiction or even space-opera, it's pure schlock. Even when lines of eminent jeopardy are delivered it seems the actors are making a joke with how they deliver those lines.
Hahahahahaha... good one.
(Honestly it's a comic book movie more than a space movie to me... and within those parameters, I thought the "dance-off" was pretty hilarious. As for the holding hands? Yeah. Cheese. But again, comic book movie.)
It could be funny... (the dance off).. but it wasn't ..maybe because it tried too hard.. I don't know. It's like they tried to so hard to make a film that was so very bad! I kind of admire that, but I can't.
For example, I love First Contact. Even with all the cheese and the plotholes and the Worf-enters-the-bridge music cues and the Picard is psycho stuff, I wouldn't change a thing, because at least the story resonated deeper when you get to the end.. but GoTG, was so huge and still utterly silly.. as if the audience was given $150 million worth of cotton candy and told to have a good time, because nothing actually resonated - it was spending all of it's time having too much fun.
For example, I love First Contact. Even with all the cheese and the plotholes and the Worf-enters-the-bridge music cues and the Picard is psycho stuff, I wouldn't change a thing, because at least the story resonated deeper when you get to the end.. but GoTG, was so huge and still utterly silly.. as if the audience was given $150 million worth of cotton candy and told to have a good time, because nothing actually resonated - it was spending all of it's time having too much fun.
I don't object to GOTG trying to have fun, it's one of the best things a movie can do, especially when it pulls it off. Your mileage varies on that, obviously, but for me I thought when the movie was doing character work (Rocket getting hammed and flipping out over a stray comment about "vermin" -- completely relatable to anyone who's ever had to shrug off passing slurs as if they meant nothing, but they always do -- Drax's chronic inability to interact with people, Groot's earnest goofiness, Star Lord's endearingly dickish improvised approach to life, Gamora's generally being unimpressed with everyone), it hit the sweet spot, particularly because of witty dialogue and solid performances.
The only thing that really fell flat for me was a lot of the action... because the strength and weakness of comic book movies and settings is that they basically abide by the same Rules of Cool that you'd use as a kid on the playground playing Cowboys and Indians (or Avengers vs. aliens or whatever), which has a nostalgic pull but always eventually comes to feel like a cheat in which nothing really means anything*. That's been my major reservation about the MCU movies generally, though they're usually excellent enough on every other front to still stay on the non-suck side of sucking, sometimes substantially so. (The Avengers, for example, is a story with little in the way of real tension or meaningful action; what sells it is that the character work is consistently witty and hilarious from everyone except poor Hawkeye.) In a lot of GOTG I found myself waiting through the action sequences for the good stuff to start.
[* Which of course is why people tend to move beyond playground games in life and seek out games with rules and parameters. That's the big limitation of comic book movies, is that they dare not evolve to that point.]
The only thing that really fell flat for me was a lot of the action... because the strength and weakness of comic book movies and settings is that they basically abide by the same Rules of Cool that you'd use as a kid on the playground playing Cowboys and Indians (or Avengers vs. aliens or whatever), which has a nostalgic pull but always eventually comes to feel like a cheat in which nothing really means anything*. That's been my major reservation about the MCU movies generally, though they're usually excellent enough on every other front to still stay on the non-suck side of sucking, sometimes substantially so. (The Avengers, for example, is a story with little in the way of real tension or meaningful action; what sells it is that the character work is consistently witty and hilarious from everyone except poor Hawkeye.) In a lot of GOTG I found myself waiting through the action sequences for the good stuff to start.
[* Which of course is why people tend to move beyond playground games in life and seek out games with rules and parameters. That's the big limitation of comic book movies, is that they dare not evolve to that point.]
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Flying Spaghetti Monster said:
For whatever it's worth, the holding hands thing was set up earlier in the film, at the Collector's place. It's not about wishing, it's about containing the energy amongst multiple individuals.
Flying Spaghetti Monster said:
Not seeing that, but you're entitled to your opinion.
I, for one, am shocked.
I don't remember the specifics, but I do remember that the McGuffin would work if the villain (a really unmemorable villain) could touch said McGuffin onto the surface of said planet he wants to obliterate (or whatever), so instead of coming there with a biggest ship and draw the attention of everyone, why not take an innocent escape pod or something? I mean, all he has to do is... land on the planet unnoticed
What? Flying Spaghetti Monster didn't like a Marvel movie? It must be a day that ends with "y".I, for one, am shocked.
I actually remembered it that way also and was surprised it was only once on the Blu-ray. Weird how so many of us can misremember the same thing. Must be some grand conspiracy by the shadow government..........
I like how this is supposed to be a bad thing.
Not that strange. It's the kind of thing remembered by most who saw it in vague terms. With uncertainty about it, simply reading that someone remembers it a particular way is enough to nudge a vague impression in a given direction.
I remembered seeing Drax look over at dancing Groot during the end credits but before this thread, it would have been pure guesswork for me to say he did so once or twice. In the absence of conflicting recollections or a re-watch, I'd have likely agreed with either option if suggested with conviction. However, given the available evidence and the complete lack of motive for the end credits to have been changed, I'll go with once.
Movies are serious business. No room for having fun in serious business. Obviously.
I like to have fun watching a film, but it's obvious that you are missing my point. Watching a fun film and watching a substantial film - these ideas don't have to be mutually exclusive.
I'll try to use an example.
T2 is one of the hallmark films of science fiction action genre of the modern era. No dispute.
But note: The film was lots of fun.
There is a scene early in the film where the Terminator walks out of a hick bar wearing black leather and he takes a man's wheels and another man's sunglasses. During this scene "Bad to the Bone" is playing.
See, even before this film came out, The Terminator was kind of established. The first film might have been a sleeper hit, but Arnold as the Terminator had already woven it's way through pop culture. Cameron stepped outside the film during the "Bad to the Bone" scene to kind of celebrate Arnold as this iconic character; he did it at his own peril, nearly breaking the fourth wall to give us a moment where we can sit back and revel at the return of the what is Arnold's most quintessential role. The song choice and tone of the scene reflected that. If you listen to the commentary for the scene, Cameron was nervous about doing this, but it was also the only - and best - time he had to have a scene wherein it's only purpose was to do this, and, thus, he allowed himself to do it. Yeah it was admittedly self-indulgent, but Cameron earned it. When the scene was over, the audience is smiling but Cameron was busy; he had to essentially return to the film he was making. He had to return to actually telling a story that mattered. There were other moments ("I need a vacation") where he pushed this stepping-outside-the film element a bit, but he did it pumping the brakes of restraint the entire time.
So, let's recap: T-2 was a fun film. It was fun seeing Arnold "learn." It was fun seeing Sarah react to him. It was fun seeing what a new Terminator model could do. But the film also resonated. Maybe it was more fun seeing these bits because we cared more about these characters. The film itself had a deeper human story that resonated. It said a lot about human nature, about how important empathy is. It was memorable. Even today it is highly regarded.
Guardians of the Galaxy was Marvels "Bad to the Bone" scene, a scene which lasted the entire length of the film. The entire movie' was predicated on Marvel's sense of self-indulgence, and when you burn away all the other aspects, this self-indulgence is all that's left. It was Marvel stepping outside itself to tell the audience how cool, and how fun it can be. How ridiculous it can be. How it doesn't matter about plot, story characters or any of that crap because the whole fucking movie is telling us (with a bloated budget and bloated ego) how much fucking fun it can be. They might as well have just bought each audience member $150 million worth of cotton candy, and let them go to town. Who the fuck cares if there's anything substantial at all by the time we get to the end.. because we're going to make the audience laugh at a stupid dance off!
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Just repeat to yourself, "It's just a show and I really should just relax."
Have fun, and enjoy the ride. It's a comic book movie set in space so, yeah, you're going to have shallow villains, humor and odd characters. This wasn't supposed to be 2001: The Marvel Odyssey. It was supposed to be a fun, light-hearted, space-adventure with quirky characters. The movie has a bipedal, intelligent raccoon and a walking, talking, tree, for crying out-loud, what did you go into this movie expecting?!
Have fun, and enjoy the ride. It's a comic book movie set in space so, yeah, you're going to have shallow villains, humor and odd characters. This wasn't supposed to be 2001: The Marvel Odyssey. It was supposed to be a fun, light-hearted, space-adventure with quirky characters. The movie has a bipedal, intelligent raccoon and a walking, talking, tree, for crying out-loud, what did you go into this movie expecting?!
Hey' I'd be all for that. But there are people campaigning for this to be nominated for best picture.
Four moths ago, this video aired.. a letter from a fan boy about it's Oscar chances. Listen to how asinine the question is here.. whoever wrote really needs to see more films
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS7NEaxhOOA[/yt]
The question came up again this past week (I'll look for the video).
I'd be down with a fun film with a talking raccoon (he was actual the character that had the most depth and was the most fun) but this film is just so damn pleased with itself..
Wow, get over it pal. You seem to be taking the existence of this film personally.
There was plenty of substance. Decent character development, great humour, links to the wider Marvel Universe... and most importantly, people walked out of the cinema with a smile on their face, because they'd been entertained and had a great time watching a film.
Well, people other than you, clearly.
Count me as one of the people who are glad your opinion of this film is a minority one. I'm sure you'll take that as some kind of validation of your "superior" taste in films, and denounce me as someone who only likes bright colours and 'splosions, but I'm just happy that the film did well enough to not only warrant a sequel of its own, but also be tied in with other MCU films down the line.
BECAUSE IT WAS FUN!!!