Guardians of the Galaxy - "What a bunch of A-holes"!



Love the line-up...especially how Rocket Raccoon ends up front and center!

 
Ok, I have been burned by so many previews in my lifetime I can't even begin to list them.  Three that stick out immediately are Robocop 2, Superman Returns, and Star Wars: Attack of the Clones.  These were the kinds of previews that held so much promise, looked exciting, and delivered exactly what I wanted in a 2-minute reel.  Unfortunately then the movies came out and not only did I hate them all, but as I sat in a dark theatre I found my brain thinking, "How did that great preview turn into this horrible movie?"  Robocop 2...bad story, bad acting, and not faithful to the characters of the original.  But man was that a great preview.  Superman Returns...BORING!  The most boring superhero movie ever...the only good scene was the plane rescue - AND THAT'S WHAT THE PREVIEW SHOWED!  Star Wars: Attack of the Clones...worst love story and acting ever!  Parts of that movie felt like they were written by a child's view of what romance was.  I have read better fan fiction...of course none of those moments were included in the movie's preview (a wise decision).


Marvel's GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY!

So here we are.  Guardians of the Galaxy.  This is going to be the make-or-break movie for Marvel.  If this thing takes off at the box office then no characters are off limits for the big screen.  I'll be expecting my Moon Knight big screen movie shortly.  However, if Guardians tanks...then Moon Knight may end up on Netflix as a series or (shudder) as a guest star on the horrible Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. TV show (which I pray nightly will be cancelled).


People in America that don't read comics have no clue who the Guardians of the Galaxy are.  Trust me, nobody who isn't a comic book fan can name any of them.  So the first preview is a real introduction on many levels and wisely that is exactly how the studio treats it - as an introduction.  In two minutes we see all the members of the Guardians, get a brief bio of each member with their rap sheet, and then have a fast montage of each character doing some action stuff.  The preview is zippy, it works, and the inclusion of the Blue Suede Hooked on a Feeling classic was a perfect decision.



Great image from the teaser poster!

I am not a huge Guardians of the Galaxy fan.  I have read all of their incarnations in comics and have never really felt compelled to stay with them.  There's nothing bad about them, but I can't muster an affinity towards them as I do to other superhero characters.  That said, this preview clicked with me on many levels...and had me returning for repeat viewings.  I love Chris Pratt's work on Parks and Recreation and I can immediately see that he is going to be funny and comfortable leading a big screen effort.  John C. Reilly as a member of the Nova Corps...come on, what's not to love!  There is a nice tongue-in-cheek feeling of FUN that maybe the Marvel movies need.  The little ode to Raiders of the Lost Ark in the opening seconds of the preview is all you need to see grasp the vibe of this movie.

If you have not seen the preview check it out immediately...or wait to see it on the big screen on 4/4/14 with Captain America: The Winter Soldier.  The early signs for both movies are so impressive that it takes me back to 1990 all over again...umm...oh yeah that was the year of Robocop 2.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTZ2Tp9yXyM 

 

 

And I'm sure some of you are humming that great cover of BJ Thomas' Hooked on a Feeling from 1970's group Blue Swede, so here's the whole version...get your Ooga Chaka on!

 



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo-qweh7nbQ