Guardians of the Galaxy


I know last week was more of an action/adventure focus for the trailers featured, but I’m afraid that today is a little more of the same. I have so much catching up to do, and one trailer in particular was just released that I’m extremely excited about. I told myself I wouldn’t watch anything beyond the teaser trailer, but I couldn’t resist. I promise to get to some of the other genre movies, that I’ve been wanting to share, next week!

Transformers: Age of Extinction (6/27/2014):

So the Transformers franchise is following suit in breaking through the confines of a trilogy. Just as, once upon a time, Disney movies were singletons and if a movie did really well we may get one follow-up are long gone, so too are remaining within the confines of a trilogy. This trend isn’t exactly new, but it’s becoming more and more frequent. Sometimes — if not 75% of the time — for all the wrong reasons. Money.

I thought the first movie was good. I didn’t fall into the either camp, which swung to extremities of love and/or hate. It was a great popcorn movie featuring some CGI renderings of some toys I enjoyed playing with as a child. My brother, a much bigger Transformer fanatic than I, loved all three of the movies that were released.

I honestly I haven’t seen any beyond the first. Actually, I’ve seen about the first 15 minutes of the second movie. My first experience of HD and Blu-Ray combined kind of left an awkward taste in my mouth. It seemed to make the CGI look more fake, as well as some of the acting. Not sure how to explain that. Then there was the fact that I was in an interesting, if not downright scary, first-meeting encounter. That was the trumping factor, because I felt I needed to get the fuck out of Dodge, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen be damned!

Back to this new release. I’m mainly interested in seeing this due to the new cast. Mark Wahlberg and Stanley Tucci among them. I can’t say if it will be any better or worse than its predecessors, but I think it looks fairly decent. The trailer is really good and I figure if they can get those two actors on board with the fourth installment of a franchise, it can’t be that bad, right?

Now to get caught up on the previous trilogy…

Jupiter Ascending (7/18/2014):

I’m not sure what all to say about this movie. I thought the teaser was intriguing and the trailer expands a whole lot more on the premise. Not sure if this is based on a series of books or a completely original piece all on its own, but I think it looks pretty good. It may be that sci-fi element that draws me in. While I do like Tatum and Kunis, Sean Bean is the true (and likely bound to be heartbreaking) draw for me.

I’m sure with the special effects, this will be a great movie to see in 3D. And I’d imagine, being it’s the Wachowskis first foray into 3D, that they will be pulling out all the stops. I’m give or take with this movie, though. Maybe the discount viewing, because the thought of seeing it 3D does interest me.

Guardians of the Galaxy (8/1/2014):

This is the trailer I couldn’t refrain myself from watching! I feel I’ve already said my fair share during the A to Z Challenge: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, so you can reference that link for my thoughts and if wanting to check out the teaser trailer, if you haven’t done so already.

All I can really add is that I’m becoming more and more excited to see this when it hits theaters!

Lucy (8/8/2014):

So, I’m not going to lie*, I’m a fan of Scarlett Johansson, and it’s strictly on a professional level… And I’m always down, as is just about everyone else in existence, for movies featuring Morgan Freeman — he just makes any movie, good or bad, all the better. I like the subject matter, though I’m sure most of it is hypothesized and pure fabrication. It’s a topic I’ve often found myself contemplating. What if we were somehow able to access and utilize 100% of our brain? Hell 25%? 15%?!

Like in the trailer, I always thought the 10% was fact, but I just researched a little and that is claimed a myth and is highly disputed. I supposed it’s arguable like everything else, but I do feel some of the counterpoints made against it  are very logical. Talk about a buzzkill!

Either way, it’s fun to think about, and who am I kidding? I think the movie looks really good, the trailer is well done, and the topic is definitely an intriguing one!

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (8/22/2014):

It’s been almost 10 years since the first Sin City movie was released. I believe the sequel was talked about during its theater run, but it’s taken this long to come to fruition. So long, in fact, that I honestly can’t remember a whole hell of a lot from the original movie. I remember some of the actors involved — it was a star-studded cast, and this sequel definitely follows suit — and the style it was filmed in (also kept intact), but as for specific plot points? Not so much.

I’m not sure if there were some legality issues mucking up the sequel’s production, or just the necessity of fine-tuning the script to where it met it’s creators standards. It looks good, though, and I like the actors that are attached to the project. Mickey Rourke’s character is the only specific recurring role I remember off the top of my head. I’ll definitely be needing to rewatch the original before seeing this.

I think I will give this a go in the theater, but if I miss out I won’t feel too torn about it.

Interstellar (11/7/2014):

Another movie I’ve been waiting for. Christopher Nolan has been one of my favorite writer/directors since Memento, a movie where one Guy Pearce (an actor I enjoy and is in a trailer I have lined up for next week!) plays an individual afflicted with short-term memory loss. It’s a great movie and if you haven’t seen it yet I highly recommend it! Since then, I have been Following… most of his career in the movie business.

He recently just wrapped up the latest Batman franchise, with a little Inception thrown in between, and I believe this his first film [directing] since. I would probably watch any movie he wrote and/or directed, regardless of it’s content. As usual, though, the trailer for Interstellar has sealed my fate and although this trailer is listed as another teaser, it offers a lot more information on what the storyline entails. Saving Humankind, of course!

If you have seen Nolan’s movies, you will find he is apt to use the same stars in many of them. I believe Michael Caine appears in the most. I may be wrong, however. I’m actually excited to see Matthew McConaughey in the lead role. He has been on an incredible upstroke lately — even winning an Oscar (Best-Actor) for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club — and I’m glad to see he has broken free (for the time being…) from being typecast as a heartthrob in romantic comedies.

There is no doubt whether or not I’ll be seeing this in the theaters (though, uncertain about 3D).

Sold!

*No pinky swears…

Did any of the highlighted trailers interest you? Are you a fan of the Transformers franchise? Do you have a favorite Transformer? What are your thoughts about the claim that, at most, we only use 10% of our brain? Fact or myth? Are you a Christopher Nolan Fan? If so, what are your thoughts about the latest trailer for his upcoming film?
(An A to Z 2014 Challenge Entry)


So there they are. The Guardians of the Galaxy. Wait… who? Is that a fucken raccoon?!

“What a bunch of A-holes” is right! Who the hell are these guys?
These are some of the questions I was asking myself soon after looking into Marvel’s fantastical cinema project dubbed Phase Two. Phase One consisted of most of the newer Marvel franchises these past few years (Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Avengers). Unfortunately, Spider-Man, X-Men and Fantastic Four are in the hands of different production companies/studios.

Anyhow, this project (I’ve come to find is referred to as the Marvel Cinematic Universe) is to maintain a continuum, a shared timeline, between specific licensed franchises that they own. It seems this includes televisions series like Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (yet to delve into this one… seems a crime being who is behind it).


After the success of most of these movies, especially The Avengers, this highly ambitious project has been set into high gear. Phase Two already began with the most recent sequels of Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America. It’s been such a successful endeavor for Marvel that even DC Comics is attempting to mimic this process. It shall be interesting to see if they have similar results or fail miserably.

When learning of all of this, I became extremely excited. I loved the very concept and it is much like the comic books. I thought I would see what else was in store. Obviously a sequel to The Avengers!

And there they were… The Guardians of the Galaxy.


I was completely in the dark about this group of intergalactic superheroes, which is seemingly comprised of a wide variety of humanoid (and plantoid) entities, making for one jumbled mess of outcasts. It seems they were first assembled in comics during the late 60’s. They had a handful of appearances and even a series over the next few decades. Then there was a newer, more modern group, which is what this movie is based off of.


At the beginning, I was incredibly standoffish about this movie. I came to learn that they are pivotal for the coming sequels, especially in part due to the special ending credits scene in The Avengers. No worries, I won’t spoil it if you’ve yet to see it. But pivotal? Why the hell hadn’t I heard of them then? It made no sense. I decided I may have to actually sit this one out.

Then I saw that teaser trailer, and I was sold. It looks freaking amazing! I know close to nothing about these characters, I stopped myself from researching too much, mostly because I originally just didn’t give a damn. Now I intentionally avoid learning too much so that I can be engrossed and allow this film to tell me who they are. To allow the film to be my first true experience. Maybe even in 3D!

Maybe the teaser trailer is just so well done that I’m being fooled, but shame on them then, not me. Like I said, I’m sold. Whether I end up loving it, or utterly despising it (I do allow middle ground as well), I am going to see this in the theaters. Part of me even wants to avoid any other trailers released before hand.


If you are a fan of the comics, I’m hoping the movie looks like it will live up to your expectations. If you are a sci-fi and/or a superhero movie fan, you may just want to give Guardians of the Galaxy a shot. I know I will be! Go ahead and watch the teaser trailer again.

I won’t judge.

Are you a fan of superhero movies? If so, which are your favorites? What are your thoughts about the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Are you excited for Guardians of the Galaxy? Do you think DC Comics will be as successful in their attempts of creating their own shared cinematic universe?