Marvel planning Guardians of the Galaxy movie!
- Thread starter Temis the Vorta
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Mister Fandango
Fleet Captain
I'm sold.
I do like Star-Lord's crime of "Illegal manipulation of Gramosian duchess"
That looks cool.
My first impression: I liked it. It's kind of good that they are not taking something this asinine too seriously. The argument: with a tree and a raccoon, you really can't.
That said, it might as well just be cartoon. What I'm gonna say is hard to articulate, but here it is. Even if the material can't be taken seriously because of what it is, a serious film can still be made from it. I was hoping that they would go that way, and have it be a serious movie or at least a film that takes itself seriously on its own terms but you know when you step back that it's not serious; in other words a serious film with funny parts and a sensibility that is pretty twisted.
What we seem to have, however, is just a comedy that has a super-huge budget.
There is a difference.
I was thinking of the Deep Space Nine episode the Nagus. We can't really take it seriously, because it's about a huge crowd of ridiculous looking Ferengi squabbling about who their leader is, but the characters are riding the line between seriousness and comedy a little tighter, and the director of the episode was aware of that. Case in point, when a deep-voiced Ferengi accuses Zek's son of living in his father's shadow, the son's response "He has a very long shadow, be careful you don't disappear in it." is very funny, but what makes the scene even funnier is that it's lit very darkly and dramatically, a counterpoint to how silly it is and how dramatic the scene is for the characters.
But the really reason I was hoping for something more twisted and less jokey was that MCU is already a very shallow place to be. And all the talk I hear about the next Avenger's movie is "oh who is the bad guy?" or "who is going to die" but there has been almost no dramatic "bottom" to this story at all, no threads that give the entire MCU any real weight or heft. We needed something to make this multi-million dollar universe actually mean something.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that this would have been funnier if they had made the tone somehow more serious. I know that sounds strange, but it would work for the same reason that Eddi Valiant is such a straight man in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, that he is not laughing in the film, nor is he all that amazed by what he sees. He lives in a world that has toon in it, and he's used to it.
It's almost like the film shouldn't be trying to hard for a laugh when the laughs are already there in the premise.
That said, it might as well just be cartoon. What I'm gonna say is hard to articulate, but here it is. Even if the material can't be taken seriously because of what it is, a serious film can still be made from it. I was hoping that they would go that way, and have it be a serious movie or at least a film that takes itself seriously on its own terms but you know when you step back that it's not serious; in other words a serious film with funny parts and a sensibility that is pretty twisted.
What we seem to have, however, is just a comedy that has a super-huge budget.
There is a difference.
I was thinking of the Deep Space Nine episode the Nagus. We can't really take it seriously, because it's about a huge crowd of ridiculous looking Ferengi squabbling about who their leader is, but the characters are riding the line between seriousness and comedy a little tighter, and the director of the episode was aware of that. Case in point, when a deep-voiced Ferengi accuses Zek's son of living in his father's shadow, the son's response "He has a very long shadow, be careful you don't disappear in it." is very funny, but what makes the scene even funnier is that it's lit very darkly and dramatically, a counterpoint to how silly it is and how dramatic the scene is for the characters.
But the really reason I was hoping for something more twisted and less jokey was that MCU is already a very shallow place to be. And all the talk I hear about the next Avenger's movie is "oh who is the bad guy?" or "who is going to die" but there has been almost no dramatic "bottom" to this story at all, no threads that give the entire MCU any real weight or heft. We needed something to make this multi-million dollar universe actually mean something.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that this would have been funnier if they had made the tone somehow more serious. I know that sounds strange, but it would work for the same reason that Eddi Valiant is such a straight man in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, that he is not laughing in the film, nor is he all that amazed by what he sees. He lives in a world that has toon in it, and he's used to it.
It's almost like the film shouldn't be trying to hard for a laugh when the laughs are already there in the premise.
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I have a feeling this initial trailer was designed in such a way to introduce people who aren't familiar with the characters. We need to get people used to the idea of a super raccoon and a talking tree before we start trying to convince them that there's also a serious plot to consider.
All this trailer did was focus on one scene. Even the most serious movies have comedic parts to them. I think we'll be surprised.
its all about suspension of disbelief. i don't understand why a talking raccoon and/or tree is such a big deal. especially Groot, seeing as audiences are familiar with Treebeard.
i just don't get how people rationalize things. talking robots, totally ok. people with funny foreheads as aliens, no problem. but a talking raccoon? get outta here!
also, your avatar features a CGI dragon that talks. your argument is invalid.
Thanks! 
Actually, Dragonheart is a story that is about honor. Right from the opening scenes it sends a clear signal that the film will have a strong message. I don't mind the CGI characters in Guardians of the Galaxy. I also don't mind that Marvel, after a series of hits, now feels that they have an opportunity to take a relative risk here.
I just think the tone is tricky. It might have been funny if everything in the movie looks exactly as it does, yet scenes themselves don't have to try so hard for yuck-yuck laughs.
Actually, Dragonheart is a story that is about honor. Right from the opening scenes it sends a clear signal that the film will have a strong message. I don't mind the CGI characters in Guardians of the Galaxy. I also don't mind that Marvel, after a series of hits, now feels that they have an opportunity to take a relative risk here.
I just think the tone is tricky. It might have been funny if everything in the movie looks exactly as it does, yet scenes themselves don't have to try so hard for yuck-yuck laughs.
also, your avatar features a CGI dragon that talks. your argument is invalid.
For the win.
OT: Dammit! I hate name changes. Now I have to remember that "Saga"="Praetor Shinzon".
On the other hand, the old handle was a bit dated, wasn't it?
Thanks!
Actually, Dragonheart is a story that is about honor. Right from the opening scenes it sends a clear signal that the film will have a strong message. I don't mind the CGI characters in Guardians of the Galaxy. I also don't mind that Marvel, after a series of hits, now feels that they have an opportunity to take a relative risk here.
I just think the tone is tricky. It might have been funny if everything in the movie looks exactly as it does, yet scenes themselves don't have to try so hard for yuck-yuck laughs.
humor was a big part of the 2008 series, which is where this film gets the majority of it inspiration from. some may see it as being too goofy. i think, based on this trailer, they have captured the feel of those comics.
heh. when i first joined i wanted a Trek related name. a friend suggested Shinzon. his reasoning was that no one else would be dumb enough to use it.also, your avatar features a CGI dragon that talks. your argument is invalid.
For the win.
OT: Dammit! I hate name changes. Now I have to remember that "Saga"="Praetor Shinzon".
On the other hand, the old handle was a bit dated, wasn't it?
When I first joined, my name was "Q420". The name had nothing whatsoever to do with marijuana.
No.
Wait.
Yes, it did.
(What? I live in a post-502 Washington!)
No.
Wait.
Yes, it did.
(What? I live in a post-502 Washington!)
I know what you mean, but for me the Marvel movies have actually been taking themselves a little too seriously all this time. I get that they needed to establish some fairly tricky characters, but I still feel that they need to lighten up a bit more (beyond a few wisecracks from Tony or clever jokes inserted by Joss Whedon).
It'll be nice if this movie can cut loose from the overly-programmed feel of the other movies and just tell a fun, goofball adventure story. And from the trailer it definitely looks like it could.
James Gunn gives an interesting breakdown of the trailer: http://www.totalfilm.com/features/guardians-of-the-galaxy-james-gunn-s-trailer-breakdown/
Looks like it's going to be fun!
That looked pretty sad to me, for pretty much the reasons that FSM delineates. 
Yeah, get the superhero movie box-office poison to play in a Marvel movie?!
Looks.... Interesting, I guess? Not sold yet.
