Guardians of the Galaxy (****1/2)

Guardians of the Galaxy is an absurd premise mixed with a strong sense of nostalgia. The film is a Frankenstein-mix of the likes of Star Wars, Star Trek, and The Avengers. What was originally seen as a gamble for film producers has become one of the 'superhero' genres better films, and it is surely one of the more memorable films of the year.

I am not the biggest fan of the Marvel movies. At this point, they seem to be fueled only on box office draws, and since each movie makes more than the last, the need for the next great action flick is always looming. While the Avengers became one of the highest grossing movies of all time, I had troubles keeping track of characters or who's who. It was a lot of pretty scenery with a fairly standard superhero story. Big whoop.

What is so great about a film like Guardians of the Galaxy, then, is that it takes similar ideas and characters but makes them its own. We have Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) who is abducted by aliens in the late 80's, moments after watching his mom die. All he has on him at the time is a tape player with a mix of his mother's favorite songs, a medley of the Jackson 5 and the like. Can you guess what type of soundtrack this film is going to have?

Raised as an outlaw, Quill becomes a very skilled and dangerous 'treasure hunter' in a way. One such item he finds turns out to be perhaps the very key to the galaxy's undoing. Hopefully it doesn't fall into the wrong hands... But you can imagine it does.

No, I haven't read the comics for this story, as I'm sure many of you have, but what followed next was a series of events that were perhaps predictable and at the same time fun to watch. We see how these 'guardians' are assembled in prison, all due to the fact that each seeks to capture Quill for various reasons (including a bounty collector - you remember him as the raccoon). Compared to many of the Marvel films, there is a heavier dose of humor, which works so well with such an absurd story.

The success of this movie is surely in its casting and direction, and we know a sequel will undoubtedly be in the near future. Chris Pratt plays an everyman with traces of Han Solo; a womanizer with a bit of his usual Parks and Recreation dorkiness. As he faces with the main villain in the film and the world is about to be destroyed, Quill begins dancing. The villain is frozen. "What are you doing?" He asks. "Dance off," replies Quill. Guardians of the Galaxy is a movie response of the times you ask "well what if this were to happen?" in movies. It's absurd, crass, and a lot of fun.

(Awards potential: Best Cinematography, Costume Design, Best Makeup, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing)