Tag Archives: Guardians of the Galaxy

Mar 17 2024

Regarding MCU’s Cancelled Projects

The big news this past week regarding the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was that Disney cancelled a few MCU projects that were being prepared as a way of getting MCU and Marvel Studios back on its feet. What was noticeable about the news was that the projects included followups to Eternals, Captain Marvel and Ant-Man. There are also reports that long-announced projects like Ironheart and Armor Wars are also on the chopping block. While it is understandable why they have been cancelled, there is also some cause for concern.

The reasoning behind the cancellations was that Marvel Studios should focus on projects based on popular characters that will be guaranteed hits like Spider-Man, the Avengers and the X-Men. It makes sense but it just means that Marvel Studios will be forced to play it safe. It’s a shame because Marvel Comics has a huge plethora of intellectual property to mine from. To just go back and do films and TV shows about the same characters over and over again runs the risk of over-relying on them. Then you wind up with the situation Warner Bros. has with its DC characters where the only thing the company focuses on are numerous Batman films and related TV shows. Of course, these film studios need hits and it doesn’t hurt to rely on what works to fund future projects, but doing so risked overusing certain characters and diluting their appeal in the long run.

By playing it safe, Marvel Studios will avoid taking risks and approving projects based on lesser-known Marvel characters. This is understandable given the time and money that will be used to produce films and TV shows on characters few have heard of. But if Marvel Studios always followed this mentality we never would have gotten Guardians of the Galaxy. Back when that film was first announced, many were convinced that it would be Marvel Studios’ first flop. After all, few people heard of the characters who were outlandish. A talking raccoon? A walking tree? These doubters were sure no one would pay money to see films featuring such bizarre characters. But as we all know, the film was a huge hit and turned the Guardians of the Galaxy into beloved household characters.

Marvel Studios has tried to replicate the success of Guardians of the Galaxy with other lesser-known properties to varying results. For every Black Panther there was Eternals. While not everything Marvel Studios tried worked out, this does not mean that the film studio should avoid experimenting and trying out new characters. This will pay off for the film studio in the long run. Just look at the Scarlet Witch. When she first debuted in Avengers: Age of Ultron, she had an impact but her popularity did not truly take off until WandaVision years later. That show was so popular that it has spun off a couple of its characters into their own film and TV show, that being Photon and Agatha Harkness. Unfortunately, Photon’s film The Marvels flopped and Agatha: Whatever is the Subtitle still hasn’t streamed yet, so the jury is out on the TV show. However, the failure of The Marvels cannot be blamed on the character of Photon. The same would have to go with the other main characters in that film and going further with Nick Fury in Secret Invasion or Ant-Man in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Those projects failed but it was not because of the characters. They had their own issues and the characters were mostly well received in other appearances.

Thankfully, Marvel Studios will continue to utilize these characters in other projects. For instance, Ant-Man is supposed to appear in the next Spider-Man film and the next Avengers film. With Eternals, even though that film won’t get a proper sequel, the characters and events from the film are rumored to be incorporated into the next Avengers film. It would make sense that if the fifth Avengers film is no longer about Kang the Conqueror then it could be a cosmic-based film that features the Eternals and even the Guardians of the Galaxy in a loose adaptation of the Annihilation storyline from Marvel Comics (this was the comic book event that introduced the modern incarnation of the Guardians of the Galaxy that we think of). Some creative scripting could have the events of the cosmic plot in that Avengers film continue the Incursion/Multiverse arc and lead into Avengers: Secret Wars.

Marvel Studios should not hesitate with continuing to introduce new characters all the time in their films and TV shows. Although not all of them will take off in popularity, they should be featured to at least test the waters and see how they are received.

Maybe after a few hits under its belt, Marvel Studios will once again take creative chances with Marvel’s other characters. After all, the richness of the vast Marvel Universe deserves to be fully explored for MCU fans.

Dec 31 2023

Top Ten Films & TV Shows Of 2023

2023 boasted its fair share of exceptional genre films and TV shows. It is also noted for being the year when superhero films and TV shows started to lose steam. More on that some other time. Still, there plenty of quality fare for us fans and here are the best films and TV shows of 2023. Be sure to drop a comment with your own choices and rankings.

Films

10. 65

Adam Driver starred as a pilot of a crashed starship who struggled to survive in a hellish prehistoric landscape that turned out to be Earth 65 million years ago. This absorbing survival tale had intense moments and great dinosaur scenes.

9. The Creator

Garth Edwards’ film about a soldier protecting a young A.I.girl while pursued by hostile forces was derivative in terms of its plot. But its jaw-dropping visuals of a future Asian society where man and A.I. live harmoniously, action scenes and performances more than made up for its flaws.

8. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

The third Ant-Man film was unfairly put down by many who missed the usual capers of the previous Ant-Man films. Instead this film went in a different and wilder sci-fi direction as our heroes explored bizarre landscapes and confronted the next big bad in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Kang the Conqueror.

7. Leave the World Behind

This apocalyptic psychological thriller was both disturbing and intriguing as we see how the world begins to crumble from the viewpoint of vacationers. We were also swept up in their horrified plight as they struggled to understand their new situation and survive in a dangerous new normal with their limited skills and experience.

6. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

This fun-filled fantasy romp based on the classic board game turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The film boasted spirited performances starting with Chris Pine as a lovable rogue and an imaginative script and direction that always kept the pace moving throughout the film.

5. Blue Beetle

It’s a shame that one of the last DC Extended Universe (DCEU) films did not perform better in theaters since it was of the best DCEU films. While the film followed the typical superhero origin formula, its strong performances, direction, and humorous family interactions elevated the film with its back-to-basics approach with superhero films.

4. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

The last hurrah for our favorite swashbuckling archeologist hit many emotional notes in its depiction of Indiana Jones in his twilight years. Yes, Steven Spielberg’s masterful direction was sorely missed in the final Indiana Jones film, but its solid direction, thrilling action and Harrison Ford’s solid performance as the title hero made this a memorable finale to the fantasy adventure franchise.

3. Godzilla Minus Zero

The latest Godzilla film proved that the decades-old franchise could still deliver captivating and exciting kaiju films. It stood above other Godzilla films thanks to its grounded approach, emphasis on relatable characters and a directorial decision to make the title creature a terrifying force of nature. It’s easy to see why this is one of the best Godzilla films.

2. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

There were other notable animated films this year like Elemental or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem that rivaled Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse with distinctive animation and scripts. However, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse stood out from the pack with stunning and unparalleled animation that was simply stunning.

More importantly, what made the film such a success was its engaging storyline of a relatable Miles Morales involved in a head-spinning story, which involved other universes and characters. Cannot wait for the conclusion to the storyline!

1. Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 3

James Gunn’s final MCU film was one of the best in the Marvel film franchise. It perfectly closed the chapter of these lovable galactic misfits/heroes while exploring their emotional connections and giving us glimpses of how the team would continue without the OG heroes.

This film proved that the MCU could still deliver quality films that are widely acclaimed and perform well. What made audiences engage with Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 3 was its emotional core as we witnessed the tragic backstory of Rocket Raccoon, the fragile nature of the other guardians, and one of the most evil MCU villains ever shown.

Noteworthy Mentions:

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Elemental, Evil Dead Rise, The Flash, Knock at the Cabin, M3GAN, The Marvels, Rebel Moon, Part One: A Child of Fire, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

TV Shows

10. Superman & Lois

The third season of the final Arrowverse TV show continued demonstrating that it is one of the best Arrowverse TV shows as Superman/Clark Kent continued balancing life as a superhero and a husband and father to his family in Smallville.

9. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

This TV show did so much to flesh out and expand the world of the Monsterverse by featuring interesting characters and fascinating plots involving time jumps and conspiracies. The result was a fascinating look at the impact that giant kaijus would have in the world.

8. For All Mankind

Ronald D. Moore’s alternate reality TV series where the Soviets landed on the moon first, relished in how that reality has begun to wildly diverge from ours as it featured life on a thriving Martian colony circa 2003, along with the intriguing geopolitics and personal drama that often intertwined.

7. What If…?

The second season of this animated MCU TV show featured more diverse variant MCU characters and situations. Unlike the live-action MCU, What If…? really let its imagination run wild with the concept of the Multiverse thanks to its inventive tales of alternate MCU realities.

6. Sweet Tooth

The second season of this live-action adaptation of the Vertigo comic book by Jeff Lemire was just as enjoyable as the first thanks to winning characters like young Gus and other animal/children hybrids and humans trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a plague and warlords.

5. Gen V

This spinoff of The Boys was much more than a satirical take on the X-Men or the New Mutants. It further fleshed out the world of The Boys and underlined the dark side of supeheroics with relatable characters who suffered with the burden of having super powers and their lives as angst-ridden teenagers.

4. The Last of Us

This was a faithful and tense adaptation of the classic video game about a ruthless man protecting a young girl in a world devastated by a plague that turned most of humanity into mindless monsters. The performances were simply brilliant and the scripts truly touched viewers during its explorations of the characters and their relationships in a savage world.

3. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

The second season continued the episodic back-to-basics approach to Star Trek with excellent one-off episodes. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was buoyed by solid scripts and spot-on acting, which made it one of the franchise’s best entries. Even though some of the episodes may have been too bizarre like the musical episode or the one that featured characters from the animated Star Trek: Lower Decks, the season overall was a genuine success.

2. Loki

From the first frenetic moments of its premiere episode to the majestic triumph of its last scenes in the season finale, Loki singlehandedly demonstrated that there was still creative life in the MCU, which struggled in 2023.

Highlighted by brain-twisting time travel conundrums and a topnotch cast, the second season of Loki was arguably better than the first as we saw the title character complete his emotional transformation from a petty foe into a mature god burdened with maintaining all of time and reality.

1. Star Trek: Picard

Yes, the third and final season of Star Trek: Picard reveled in memberberries, call backs, Easter eggs and references. But it was much more than that, it was a genuine love letter and tribute to the Star Trek franchise, circa 1990s.

Star Trek: Picard had an engaging and exciting storyline with many twists and turns as it reunited the cast from Star Trek: The Next Generation for one last hurrah to save the United Federation of Planets from an old foe. At the same time, the TV show introduced intriguing new characters that tantalized viewers with potential future adventures. Come on, give us a Star Trek: Legacy show already!

Noteworthy Mentions:

Ahsoka, Black Mirror, the Doctor Who specials, Doom Patrol, Foundation, Harley Quinn, Invincible, La Brea, The Mandalorian, One Piece, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Primal, Scavengers Reign, Scott PIlgrim Takes Off, Silo, Upload

 

Nov 27 2023

The MCU Woes, Part II: How To Correct Itself

The latest online trend has been to bash Marvel Studios and its Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Toxic trolls have been pouring out with uncontrolled glee proclaiming Marvel Studios is too woke and deserves to fail. They point to the disappointing reception for many of the MCU’s latest offerings as proof that the brand is dead. Further adding fuel to the fire, Marvel Studios has delayed many of its productions to improve them.

It is undeniable that the MCU brand has taken some hits and is not regarded as highly as it was during its heyday, to call the brand dead or beyond repair is a gross exaggeration.

Thankfully, Marvel Studios and its parent company Disney have recognized the situation and are taking concrete steps to course correct and ensure the MCU regain its reputation for quality superhero films and TV shows. Sure, the MCU has taken its lumps, but what brand is not immune to this? Many times it is good to take a tumble, this gives one the chance to learn from mistakes and improve. This is what is going on with the MCU.

First of all, Marvel Studios has shown the willingness to scrap what they have worked on and start over. One example is the Daredevil: Born Again TV show which has been scrapped and been redone. Another example is that Captain America: Brave New World has been delayed in order to rework it due to a poor test screening. Then there are the rumors that Kang will be written out of the future films and TV shows in favor of Doctor Doom. This would take care of the situation with Jonathan Majors facing trial for domestic abuse, especially if he is found guilty. These examples demonstrate that Marvel Studios is willing to take the necessary steps to take the time to produce the best projects possible.

Better Scripts Needed

However, the first and most important step that needs to be taken is to devote more time to the scripts. Allow the writers to tell proper stories and DO NOT GO INTO PRODUCTION UNLESS THE SCRIPTS ARE COMPLETED TO EVERYONE’S SATISFACTION. This would largely take care of the problem of realizing a film is not working and having to do major retooling with it in post-production. This is why recent projects like Secret Invasion fared so poorly. It’s been reported that Secret Invasion had major overhauls and rewrites in the middle of its production, which is why the end product seemed so underdeveloped and rushed. On the other hand, look at two recent MCU successes: Loki Season 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 3. Both productions had well-crafted scripts that were full of heart and flowed well. More importantly the stories logically reached their conclusions while servicing the characters. This is a major reason why both projects received so much acclaim and performed well.

Even though it is important to follow a certain narrative as dictated by the higher ups and to meet deadlines, the screenwriters should be given more autonomy with their scripts. It is also important at this point with the MCU to hire great writers who have a record of turning in terrific and solid screenplays.

The same should go with directors. This is a difficult task given that Marvel Studios is more hands on with their productions than normal. Still, the past has shown us that great directors like James Gunn and Ryan Coogler, and the Russo Brothers can work within the confines of an MCU production and deliver great films. Oftentimes, Marvel Studios hires relatively unknown directors who wilt under the pressure and demands of the studio and turn in mediocre films or TV shows. Marvel Studios has to make sure that the best possible directors are hired for their projects. If they want to go with lesser known (and cheaper) directors, have them feel their oats with some of the TV shows. Michael Giacchino is a prime example of this. Known only for his film scores, Giacchino blew everyone away with his directing duties in Werewolf By Night.

Continue reading →
May 13 2023

After We Say Goodbye To The Guardians Of The Galaxy

    Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 3 has proven to be a fitting and emotionally satisfying conclusion to one of the best trilogies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Still, while the film does conclude many character arcs it surprisingly presented us with new directions for these characters and the larger MCU that are worth speculating about. WARNING: Spoilers will follow about the film.

    The Legendary Star-Lord

    One of the biggest surprises from Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 3 was the final post-credits scene. After a rather mundane scene with Peter Quill aka Star-Lord settling down to life on Earth with his grandfather, a title card pops up announcing that “The Legendary Star-Lord will return”. This was rather stunning. Throughout the film, there was a sense that Quill was approaching an emotional end to his time as the space-faring Star-Lord. He was first seen moping and drinking over the loss of his lover, Gamora (who was killed during Avengers: Infinity War), and his fellow Guardians pointed out that he still had family on Earth. During the film, he tries to rekindle his romance with an alternate version of Gamora (displaced from another timeline into the “regular” timeline), but she did not reciprocate the love because in her timeline she never knew him.

    Throughout the film, Peter had to come to terms that his Gamora was gone and that it was pointless to continue his wooing her doppelganger. Frankly, it was refreshing that writer and director James Gunn did not try to put them back together since that development would have felt empty. Doing so also would have robbed the emotional impact of the original Gamora’s death. Peter’s acceptance that the current Gamora was not his lover reborn showed a level of growth and maturity for him. This was welcomed by fans because there have been complaints that while he is a goofy and endearing superhero, he came off as immature in some of his appearances. In reality, in this film he demonstrated that he was very crafty and mature during unexpected moments, such as when he and the team infiltrated that weird organic medical facility in space.

    After nearly dying during the film’s final act, Peter decides to essentially retire as Star-Lord. He appoints Rocket Raccoon as leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and returns to Earth. But the implication that Star-Lord will return opens up lots of speculation about how this will come about. Chris Pratt, who plays Peter Quill, has stated he is willing to reprise the role at some point in the future. Most likely he will turn up in the upcoming Avengers films or he could wind up starring in a TV show or special that would be about his adventures on Earth. After all, the legendary Star-Lord cannot just spend the rest of his life eating cereal with his grandfather in Missouri. Maybe he will find a new love. Perhaps this person could be Kitty Pride, who was involved with him in the comic books—this could also be a way to bring in more mutants into the MCU. Or he could wind up being some kind of advisor or mercenary for the Earth-based forces that protect Earth from aliens. Or he could finally find a way to reunite with his Gamora in Soulworld, a realm where her spirit exists in, which was seen in Avengers: Infinity War. This would echo a development in the Marvel comics where at one point a deceased Gamora resided in this realm.

    Continue reading →
    May 5 2023

    Guardians Of The Galaxy, Vol. 3 Perfectly Concludes A Classic Trilogy

    Filmmaker James Gunn finishes his tenure at Marvel Studios and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3, the finale of his classic trilogy about misfit cosmic heroes.

    Gunn has been able to maintain the same level of heart, humor and action throughout all three Guardians of the Galaxy film with the third film, and in some ways he elevated it with his MCU swan song.

    Taking place years after the first two films and the events of the last Avengers films, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 brings back all the loony and loveable heroes. Now the owners of Knowhere, a cosmic mining station made up of a dead Celestial’s skull, the Guardians are more administrators than intergalactic heroes. The film begins with a flashback origin of Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), a cybernetically and genetically enhanced raccoon with genius-level intellect. This tragic origin story peppers the film throughout and underscores the emotional and physical pain that Rocket endures in his life. The origin features some of the most gut-wrenching moments in the film and elevates Rocket into a true hero.

    After the flashback we are taken to Knowhere where we meet again the other Guardians. Their leader Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) has become a drunk because he is unable to get over the loss of his girlfriend Gamora (Zoë Saldaña), who was killed during Avengers: Infinity War. Adding to his misery is that another version of Gamora from an alternate timeline exists, but she does not have any feelings for him. As his fellow Guardians try to console him, they are attacked by Adam Warlock (Will Poulter), a golden, artificially created super-powered person. Though he is defeated by the Guardians, he gravely injures Rocket before he leaves them. The rest of the film focuses on the efforts of Quill and the other Guardians to find a way to save their friend. The other Guardians include the powerful but dim-witted Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket’s BFF, the tree-like Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), the empath Mantis (Pom Klementieff), and the cyborg Nebula (Karen Gillan). During their intergalactic journey, they soon cross paths with the insane geneticist and Rocket’s creator, the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji), who has been hunting Rocket for his own diabolical purposes.

    While the film continues the same irreverent tone as the previous entries in the trilogy, it does stand on its own due to its more mature atmosphere. The characters have grown since we first saw them in 2014 and are looking for something more with their lives. This was a rather unexpected and logical thing to do with the characters, because while they have become a family unit, they have to evolve and continue in their own journeys. The core characters, especially Rocket and Peter Quill, each have their own unique arcs and level of development, whether they have to deal with their painful pasts or prove they are much more than what others think of them. Rocket and Quill’s arcs have powerful and engaging arcs that form the heart and soul of the film and elevate it above standard superhero films. These character moments were richly satisfying and came to appropriate conclusions.

    Unlike the other films, there is an intense feeling of dread and melancholy that pervades the film as the Guardians face their potential doom at every corner. Without giving anything away, there were many moments where I thought that was it for certain characters. This shows how intensely we’ve become attached to these plucky and quirky heroes. James Gunn skillfully exploits our feelings with each peril he throws at them.  What helps underscore this mood is that Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 is not as goofy as the other films, although it has its fair share of laugh-out scenes. That is alright. This film avoided the missteps of Thor: Love and Thunder where that film got lost in its over-indulgence of silly humor to the detriment of some of its subject matter. Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 succeeded where the last Thor film did not in that it treated much of its subject matter seriously and avoided inappropriate silliness.

    While the High Evolutionary is the best villain the Guardians have faced in their films, he could have used more nuance, although Iwuji does a fantastic job in his performance as a callous and dismissive scientist with a twisted heart. His cruel actions towards his test subjects, including Rocket during the flashbacks, are a vivid and emotional presentation of one of the film’s themes about animal cruelty and the morality of using animals for scientific research. What the High Evolutionary does to Rocket and others makes us openly hate him. To be honest some of the scenes featuring the High Evolutionary’s test subjects may be too intense for some viewers. So be warned.

    The other actors in Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 put in some of their best performances. You could tell they are very invested in their characters and knowing this film will be their final time playing the characters, they elevate their craft beautifully. What helps, of course, is that unlike many sequels, the characters are allowed to grow and evolve. Thanks to their performances and how the characters were written, by the time the film comes to its end many viewers will be openly crying, while the rest will pretend they have something in their eyes.

    There are a few minor nitpicks with the film that are not really worth mentioning. Maybe Adam Warlock could have used more screentime, but so could have other characters like Kraglin (Sean Gunn), but they do get their moments to contribute and shine, and even give a hint of what is to come.

    How does Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 compare to the others in the trilogy? Well, it is much better than the second film and is about on level with the first one, though they are both distinctly different from one another. Given its level of greatness, it is easily one of the finest MCU films, and the best one in recent years, aside from Spider-Man: No Way Home and Avengers: Endgame.  Given the recent missteps in the MCU, it is a joyful relief that the cinematic universe can still deliver a film that emotionally involves us.  

    José Soto