My Week at the Movies

August is a big month for geeks this year. It started out with Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel Studios latest run of tracks carrying their money-train down the line, and it's going to finish with the 30^th Anniversary theatrical re-release of Ghostbusters (an event I'm particularly excited about). We're also seeing the first in-theater trailers for Christopher Nolan's new joint and the last Hunger Games movie, Doctor Who returning to BBC America, and Michael Bay's take on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Let's talk about two of these films that I've seen in the last week.

 
Thanos Rising
Overall Rating: A+
Well, Marvel Studios has done it again. Seriously, with two specific exceptions (which alone weren't bad flicks) it seems as though every MCU movie is better than the last, and Guardians was no exception. It centers around a truly D-List Marvel super-group that's never gotten anything like the exposure of the X-Men or the Avengers, and that ultimately worked to its advantage. Average movie-goers went into the theater without any deeply ingrained picture of who the Guardians were. For myself, I thought referring to the main character Peter Quill (played awesomely by Parks and Recreation's Chris Pratt) as Star Lord was just a running joke. Come to find out, that is the character's name in the books. Even beyond that, some of the characters and the origins found in the comics carry Marvel's over-the-top cosmic nature, which can be a little overwhelming for the more casual comic fan like myself. The film brings these elements more down to earth (so to speak) without diluting the interest and style.

The movie opens on a seriously heart-wrenching note which had me misting up sitting in the theater. Before we could get too down too low, however, we're treated to a credit sequence featuring Pratt dancing to "Come and Get Your Love" by Redbone. This sets us up for a soundtrack of seventies and eighties pop hits offered to the fans as "Awesome Mix Vol 1". Using this type of music as a film soundtrack is not a new formula. In fact, it's one that's starting to seem a little tired. But somehow stacking it against the cosmic backdrop of this movie felt fresh, fun, and well-played. Not to mention that the reason these songs are featured is a heart-string tugger as well and blends directly into the storytelling.

The casting is amazing, if a little heavy-handed. Most of the cast come off as character actors. Pratt's Star Lord is similar in temperament to his character in Parks and Rec. Zoe Saldana plays yet another sexy badass outsider. Michael Rooker feels like he's reprising his role as Merle Dixon (down to his emotionally abusive mentor relationship with Quill), only blue. Bradley Cooper voices the amoral hotshot Rocket, proving his awesomeness is not reliant on his pretty face. And they asked Vin Diesel to give us a wide range of motion without over-taxing his accent. The real break-out role was Drax the Destroyer play by David Bautista of WWE fame. His character absolutely stole every scene he was in, even the ones featuring anthropomorphic raccoons and trees.
The biggest surprise for me was how far this movie went in advancing the greater portrait that Marvel is painting. I was expecting a tenuous connection with the Avengers-verse, but was treated instead to the exposition that is ultimately tying all the movies together. Without dragging out too much detail, our maguffins now have a name and we know who is trying to collect them.

Family Considerations Pretty dense with sci-fi/fantasy/superhero violence. Surprisingly little sexuality barring the occasional wink at the camera and the running gag that Star Lord is a Star Slut. Of course, the big takeaway message from the film is that's it's perfectly okay to be a violent amoral criminal as long as you save the universe if the opportunity presents itself.

Should I buy the ticket? Let me know when you're going, I could watch it again.

 

Mutant Turtle Ninja Teenagers?

Overall Rating: C+
If it seemed like I was gushing about Guardians, that's because I was. (seriously, go see it now) I don't have quite as much to say about Michael Bay's take on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I will say it isn't nearly the steaming pile of crap a lot of us were expecting. It's definitely a Bay movie, existing in a universe where people's conversation is routine, uninteresting, and frequently punctuated by buildings falling over and unconscious (but still breathing) bodies defying the laws of gravity. However, the dialogue wasn't unbearable and the effects are only getting better – the CG turtle's facial acting far outstripped their human counterparts. The humor is cringe-worthy, but not enough to drive one out of the theater. Our biggest collective fear would be that the movie would tromp all over our childhood memories (leaving aside how ridiculous the idea that new art is at all capable of invalidating old art, but that's a different conversation), but there was enough homage and nostalgia in this version to keep me watching closely to catch the next gag. They even managed to bring Cowabunga back without a drop of irony.

The plot is thin, but fairly free of holes. The origin story is completely revamped from the classic one, but adds enough emotional meat to the film that I'll forgive the heavy-handedness. My biggest problem is that The Shredder is a transformer. If they'd given him some screen time in his classic armor, it would have been forgivable, but we only ever see him in his new hi-tech power suit. It's distracting and takes away from what would otherwise be pretty awesome CG martial arts. The film also suffers from a similar character problem to one Transformers suffered from: The puppets weren't characters. Where the old Turtles had expressionless rubber suits, the well rendered CG monsters somehow didn't feel like the stars, or even real characters at all. Even Rocket Raccoon had more…realness…to him. I just couldn't care about the Turtles. So, all in all, not the horror we were expecting, but it's no Transformers 1. My ten-year-old self loved it.

Family Consideration Well, 'ninja' is in the title, and the film does not disappoint. Fantasy martial arts and lots and lots of guns. No sex, one cleavage shot, and a glorification of vigilantism. And for a younger child, some of the characters would be complete nightmare fuel (even the good guys).

Should I buy the ticket? This is a pretty movie, and very special-effects heavy. That alone bumps it up from a Redboxer. However, I'd definitely make it a matinee. And if you've got nine- to twelve-year-olds, they'll love it.