Wednesday, August 6, 2014

F This Movie! - Guardians of the Galaxy

Patrick and Erich are a bunch of a-holes.



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Also discussed this episode: I Declare War (2013), Big (1988), The Avengers (2012), Revenge of the Nerds (1984), Liberal Arts (2013), A Fish Called Wanda (1988), The Philadelphia Story (1940)

22 comments:

  1. You touch on Enemy early on and i have been waiting for some dicussions of that movie. Found the movie really interesting but am confused as to why they didn´t go with the original ending in the book, or would that have been to close to Donnie Darko..

    Anyway, loved Guardians. Might be the must fun comic book movie Ive seen in some time. After seeing it twice and rewatching the cap 2 movie aswell for measure I´ll put those to at the top of Marvel movies with Guardians barely edging because its just soo much fun even though cap is probably a little bit better movie.

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  2. First of all, Delaware shout out! We don’t have much going for us other than DuPont and that kid from Save the Last Dance, so we take our shout outs where we can get them. Now, it’s quite possible that there is more than one Zoltar machine out there, but I’m hoping you’re referring to the one on the Rehoboth boardwalk.

    I saw Big when I was very young and loved it. Watching it from an adult’s perspective is…different. Wasn’t that movie (rated PG) aimed at kids? Because the Elizabeth Perkins sex scene was hella creepy. Revenge of the Nerds is a movie I saw when I was way too young and have no memory of except for the scene where one of the nerds, disguised as Darth Vadar, has sex with a cheerleader. Even as a kid that scene made me suuuper uncomfortable. The ‘80s were all, “Consent, what?”

    I saw Guardians at 6 o’clock on a Friday and couldn’t believe how many little kids were there. Guardians seems to have too high a body count to be a kid movie, but what do I know?

    Too bad you guys couldn’t talk more about Chris Pratt. I used to watch him on Everwood (Treat Williams FTW) and figured he was just another douchebro. But he was great in this movie. Like you guys said, there were no bad performances. I am getting a little tired of the ‘good looking white man with his band of merry misfits’ formula that essentially every movie has used since the history of forever, but that’s also a function of comic book movies being based on source material typically written by white guys. I wish Gamora had more to do other than being the emotionless assassin - that seems to be Hollywood’s new female stereotype. In response to decades of damsels in distress, now we get the Action Girl. Typically a sidekick, typically in need of at least one rescue, her primary existence seems to be so the higher-ups can pat themselves on the back for their progressive portrayal of a “strong woman.” Who is of course stronger and smarter than the male lead, except for when she isn’t, and seems to have no typically feminine qualities. Because “feminine” and “weak” must be synonymous. But that’s not a gripe of Guardians in the Galaxy, a movie I greatly enjoyed, as much as it is a gripe of…the world, maybe?

    Sure the villain’s motivations were weak (big guy wants to possess magical thing that will destroy the world) but this movie had a sense of fun and self-awareness that more than made up for it’s very typical comic book-y plot.

    Pretty much everyone in my theatre hung around for the stinger; now it’s just accepted that there will be a little teaser scene at the end of every movie. I thought of you, Patrick, while watching it, because of your anti-stinger rant (maybe rant is a strong word?) from the Captain America podcast. Glad you liked this one better. I was pretty indifferent to it.

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    1. It WAS Rehobeth Beach! Took the Jolley Trolley from our rented condo in Dewey Beach to the boardwalk, where my daughter bought some overpriced trinkets and I missed my chance to be 20 years older than I am now. That might not sound great, but I would have been 8 years away from retirement. Oh, well.

      I was disturbed by the number of young kids the first showing, but I've since lightened up. It's not necessarily "appropriate" for kids, but neither were a lot of the movies I watched when I was a kid. Language and body count aside, it's exactly the kind of movie that appeals to the under-ten set.

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  3. I'm severely disappointed in Patrick and Erich for not talking about Dave Bautista’s performance as Drax. Seriously, there was so much good stuff going on in Guardians that it could be overlooked. I would have to disagree with Chest about it being better than Winter Soldier. There’s no big argument since both movies are top-notch. I’m just more of an action movie fan than a sci-fi one.

    As someone who followed most of Batista’s (that’s how the WWE spelled his wrestling name without the “u”) WWE career, I was very surprised at how he just nailed this role. In the WWE, he was always portrayed as a no-nonsense ass-kicker or as a charismatic, obnoxious full of himself Kanye West type heel. He never showed any of the comic timing or any emotional weakness like he did in GOTG. He got some big laughs & even had a believable tender moment at the end with Rocket. I think it’s safe to say Batista in GOTG ranks right up there in the top five pro wrestler movie performances: Hulk Hogan in Rocky III, Da Rock in The Rundown & Fast Five, & Rowdy Roddy Piper in They Live.

    I’m also hoping Guardians can crush TMNT this weekend. At least Into The Storm has Richard Armitage & it’s directed by Steven Quale (Final Destination 5) so maybe we get some good destruction & kills. TMNT has Megan Fox & Jonathan “Battle L.A.” Liebesman so there’s nothing to inspire any hope there.

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    1. I'm disappointed in myself, too. I'm not sure how we talked for as long as we did and missed so much. I thought of a good half dozen things after the fact that I meant to bring up on the show. Like Dave Bautista's performance. He's so great as Drax—like Spock if he was on steroids and his logic was replaced with bloodlust and taking things literally. His laugh during the assault on the Dark Aster made me laugh as hard as Groot's post-homicidal grin, and him petting Rocket to comfort him was the perfect mix of sympathy and condescension.

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  4. You know, your mention of the Fish Called Wanda music makes me think of something; what other movies would you replace the music on, since you think it's misguided and/or just doesn't fit? For me, it's always been the Ladyhawke score from Alan parsons, which is this weird synthesizer work that really doesn't fit the medieval feel of the movie, even if it does have a bit of an irreverent side.

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  5. Haven't listened to they podcast yet, but saw the movie. I like comic book movies, but I am not a comic book guy. I am sure I will learn a lot listening, but with all the hype, I was not blown out of the water. It was "fine". I didn't know the characters, so didn't have that going in. I thought it was fun, but to be honest, couldn't stop thinking of the Lego Movie every time he talked.

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  6. I thought the movie was okay. Slither is probably my favorite horror movie of the 00s because I loved the B movie, 80s vibe, snarky A-hole humor of it. I just couldn't get into GOTG. I know it's a popcorn summer fun movie but I wished it went more dark. I wish I cared what the villain's motivate was, heck I wish I knew what his motivate was. Groot & Rocket were Han Solo & Chewy which I loved, even if I've seen it before. Liked how Rocket understood everything Groot said was a nice Star Wars touch. Star-lord was Han Solo as well, mixed with Indy at the opening. So Star-lord is a selfish jerk, a d-bag, who jack sparrow's all the women he meets but is willing to die for one he's know for a couple days. I didn't buy it. I hated, I mean hated what he did to stop Ronan from destroying the planet. Again the movie was fine but every new Marvel movie that comes out is always the "best". IMO Iron Man is still the best & Dawn of the planet of the apes is easily the best movie this summer but what the heck do I know.

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  7. I liked that the movie rides the line between edgy and upbeat. I'd rather have a bright, uncynical movie with some jokes for adults than a dark movie with niche appeal. In this case, anyway. I loved Super and that movie is definitely not for everyone.

    Near the end of the Super commentary, Gunn says: "So many movies in Hollywood today, they try to…please everybody…they want to do what they call 'four-quadrant' films that appeal to young people, and old people, and men and women, and everyone. This movie is not a movie that was made for everyone…it's an 'eighth of a quadrant' movie, but that eighth of a quadrant loves it. That's who this movie is for…We made this movie for you. We didn't make it for everyone."

    Guardians wasn't made for everyone in the sense that it's not watered-down and second guessed by focus groups and cowardly execs. It has a strong directorial voice and a subversive B-movie vibe that sets it apart from most blockbusters. And yet, somehow, it has become a movie for way more people than anyone could have predicted. Audiences are responding to a movie that doesn't talk down to viewers, has fresh ideas, weird characters, and embraces a whole lot of goofy names, aliens, and deep cut Marvel mythology. I'm sure a bunch of future comic book movies will learn the wrong lessons from Guardians but I'm willing to risk that if it means James Gunn gets to make more movies about these characters.

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  8. Ive decided im going to stop thinking about this movie. I really enjoyed my time while watching it, but its starting to fall about under the pressure of scrutiny. I preferred it when i just enjoyed it. im going back there.

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  9. I really really loved this movie. The more I think about the movie, the more I appreciate it.

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  10. Excellent podcast as usual.

    Cheers

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  11. You guys articulate your thoughts of a movie, good or bad, brilliantly. Whether the co-host is Erich, JB, Doug or anyone else even, you guys make me want to revisit both the good movies and the shit you guys discuss just so I can re-experience it with your articulation in mind. So often it hits the nail on the head.

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  12. "Enough about old movies," is a term that should not make many more appearances on the podcast. Great show Patrick and Erich! Guardians was very fun in that old school Star Wars sort of way, and nitpicks are all I have against it.

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    1. The only thing in the movie I actively dislike is Starlord using the word "bitch."

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  13. I've worked out why I don't care about the weak development on the villain in this movie.

    The main characters are developed to the point that a raccoon is cradling a stick and sobbing, and my reaction is to sit there and go "Yeah *sniff* you let it out Rocket, *sob* you cry if you gotta *weeps* it's okay." and I wouldn't trade that moment for much of anything. I feel like had there been better development on Ronan, there would have been less development on Rocket and Groot. Without the extra development time, that moment is absurd, with the extra development time I'm right there with him.

    In terms of my personal enjoyment, the whole "raccoon with a machine gun" pales in comparison to "raccoon cradles a stick" thing.

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    1. I agree. I have no problem with a single-minded-killing-machine villain. (#ScaryMovieMonth!)

      I wish they had done more with Nebula, but Ronan works as-is.

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  14. I loved this movie and great podcast. It is a 12a here and my sister is 11 (you can go if you're under 12 if you're with an adult) and she had the best time. As soon it finished she looked at me with this massive grin and said she wanted to see it again. I felt exactly the same way! Oo you guys know Look Around You? Yay! I love that. Hurrah to British TV Comedy. I hope more and more gets to the States :)

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  15. Got around to seeing GOTG. Just like an episode of a good TV series, I'm momentarily satisfied.... then thinking "okay, what's next?". (At this point, I've kind of already forgotten about Cap 2). Maybe I need to take a break from these movies.

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  16. Great podcast guys. I watched this the other night - I liked it a lot, though it sounds like I'm where Erich was after his first viewing so I really think I'm going to benefit from watching it again (I'm finding that to be more and more the case in general for some reason - most recently with Snowpiercer). My biggest problem - and it goes beyond nitpick - was I wasn't loving a lot of the jokes. Two things may have contributed to this: (1) I watched it about an hour after finding out about Robin Williams and (2) a family of fucking retards was sitting beyond me loudly repeating whatever the laugh line was and laughing like maniacs at EVERYTHING (and guessing out loud when "I am Groot" might be coming, frequently getting it wrong). I may have started not laughing out of spite. Though I think my biggest laugh, that NO ONE else laughed at, was during the escape when they were collecting their belongings and Rocket grumbled about how the prison had just balled up his pants and folded everyone else's - I'm laughing just typing it.

    The more I listened to the podcast the more I retroactively liked it - I think this will be a rare movie that I see twice in the theatre.

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    1. I definitely recommend a second viewing, hopefully in better company (those people were definitely NOT Groot). There are a lot of great lines that are funny without being "gags." Love the pants line.

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  17. I found GotG to be a well-made, entertaining blockbuster. Will probably try to catch it again when it hits the discount theater, but it's not my favorite movie of the year.

    Regarding the timelessness of Stewart and Grant, I agree with Erich's comment that the two typically give very natural, relatable, often endearing performances. There isn't much of the rapid-fire delivery or overly-dramatic style typical of older movies.

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