Everblight posted:

There's a DBOX theater about an hour from me; can any DBOX viewers confirm it's as good as other DBOX shows? (last thing I saw in DBOX was Iron Man 3, and it was legit)

BravestOfTheLamps posted:

There was something else I wanted to address - in addition to embodying the Other, I think Ronan is clearly a thanatic figure. On his vessel, Ronan is an underworld judge, holding a hammer in a dark cave, commands demonic (relatively speaking, of course) soldiers and "necrocrafts", and works for someone called Thanos. This ties into another theme of the movie, life and death, which I do want to talk about sometime when I have time for an effort post.

e: I don't think Xandar is as corrupt as it immediately seems. It just a quibble, but when the Quill and company were being sent to prison, I didn't assume it was without a trial - they have previous criminal records, so its likely that they had been judged in absentia (which might be reasonable in a space-faring society where being present for a trial could be a luxury). Although that's arguing on a subnarrative level than a symbolical/metaphorical one.

Lets! Get! Weird! posted:

I guess I should take the opinion of someone who thought Man of Steel was a good movie to heart in relation to Ghostbusters being a better film than Fifth Element.

quote:

I'm honestly curious since mostly been poo poo in theatres I've barely gone. I don't think I even saw another sci-fi movie this year.

Black Bones posted:

Xandar is obviously a democratic, multi-cultural and relatively prosperous place, and thus is very much worth saving. Ronan is evil, but his harsh judgement on them is not completely unjust - he is a direct product of their war with the Kree; like bin Laden, one of their chickens coming home to roost. The Kiln and Knowhere also hint at what Xandar's prosperity is built on.

Red Bones posted:

Saw this yesterday, loved it. I'm trying to remember who Ronan actually was though, and why he had an army of grey zombie-looking fellas. Is he a nutty Kree monarch or pope or someone like that, that they've ostracised for being a complete nutjob? Mad religious man still bearing grudges from a recent war is definitely a much more solid backstory for a villain than, say, the space elves in Thor 2.

Red Bones posted:

Thanks for the info.

I feel like the grey mooks should have just been more Kree wearing armour. It's a bit of a nitpicky point to make, and I'm cool with the film not feeling the need to explain every single detail about its setting, but making a vaguely important plot point like "where did the main villain get all these soldiers" be kind of unclear feels like a misstep to me when there's such a convenient solution that requires no more effort and would flesh Ronan out a little more (he's an important cultural/religious/political figure, there's probably other Kree also upset about the peace treaty, ergo some of these bitter/fanatical Kree soldiers would follow him).

I looked up Sakaarans and they seem to have a mindless loyal drones + queen setup, which is probably why they were okay with pulling that Kamikaze poo poo at the end of the film. Seems like something important enough to get a one-line explaination in the film, but they feel like something that got added into the script later when Marvel got uncomfortable with the heroes killing tons of faceless Kree mooks when there are sympathetic Kree in the film, so

Red Bones posted:

I looked up Sakaarans and they seem to have a mindless loyal drones + queen setup, which is probably why they were okay with pulling that Kamikaze poo poo at the end of the film. Seems like something important enough to get a one-line explaination in the film, but they feel like something that got added into the script later when Marvel got uncomfortable with the heroes killing tons of faceless Kree mooks when there are sympathetic Kree in the film, so

Gyges posted:

It's just Planet Hulk getting built up like Thanos in the background of other movies.

e X posted:

It isn't.

JohnSherman posted:

Wrestling is fake hth.

e X posted:

It isn't.

Red posted:

You did a good thing posting this. It's a wonderful contribution to the discussion.


That's an interesting response from Feige. You could edit the script to have more Banner if you really need it.

Maybe it's more that:

- Planet Hulk would just be really expensive?
- You can't do it without making World War Hulk.
- Hulk would have to be a little "smarter" to make both of those films.

Red posted:

You did a good thing posting this. It's a wonderful contribution to the discussion.


That's an interesting response from Feige. You could edit the script to have more Banner if you really need it.

Maybe it's more that:

- Planet Hulk would just be really expensive?
- You can't do it without making World War Hulk.

e X posted:

It isn't.

Leon Trotsky 2012 posted:

I think he kinda says it in the interview. They want a Ruffalo-led solo Hulk movie and making Planet Hulk now would mean that the first solo Hulk movie with Ruffalo in it would feature a very small amount of Ruffalo unless they do a lot of rewrites. He says he's open to Planet Hulk, but seems like he has decided to 100% rule out making Planet Hulk the first Ruffalo solo film.

Baron Bifford posted:

All the aliens were just humans with bodypaint and maybe a few bumps. Kinda like Star Trek.

Slugworth posted:

Yeah, is there an explanation for that in-universe?

Cheston posted:

I want to see it again just for that moment. It's also when I realized how good the 3D was going to be.

Is this poster for sale anywhere? I want one.

IronicDongz posted:

also-
-I have no idea but here's a large digital version.

Hieronymous Alloy posted:

Chris Pratt manages to expand the border of what "action blockbuster hero" can be, in a new direction.

Crappy Jack posted:

God made them that way.

Doctor Butts posted:

He may be sillier, but that doesn't expand the border of anything at all. There have been heroes who crack jokes, are silly, don't take themselves too seriously. Misplaced bravado on the heroes part has been played for comedy before.

I really don't understand all of this love for Pratt's acting as Starlord. You're all praising this childish part of a hero, or that he's trying to be cool, so it comes across as funny. You could replace the actor with Kevin James and you'd get the exact same poo poo except for the believability that he could be found attractive.

BravestOfTheLamps posted:

Not God.

Space Gods.

BravestOfTheLamps posted:

mr. mephistopheles posted:

Putting Kevin James on the same level as Chris Pratt as far as charm and comedic ability is loving fighting words, sir.

Black Bones posted:

And I think my favourite thing about it (beyond the love of pop music defeating evil!) was how it treated the obsession with canon-continuity: it's antagonist straight-up dismisses the Marvel Avenger tie-in as the weak-rear end bullshit that it is! I fist pumped every time Ronan disrespected Thanos.

I was cringing going in, since I expected a lot more of that stuff. Honestly, the build-up of Thanos as a threat just does not work in these movies. It was his threats that were empty, not Ronans.

I thought Gamora was great – she's basically the most well-meaning character in the movie; the Guardians coming together is because her noble quest rubs off on and inspires Starlord and the others. She's basically a green Leia Skywalker!

LOVE that episode. The references and inspirations this film draws from really made it fun to watch.

That's the thing, Ronan is clearly his superior in every way. Thanos knows this, which is why he flees from the Kree. I don't see it as a problem though, cuz Ronan is awesome and Thanos looks lame and is clearly a coward who hires out his killings and enjoys little to no loyalty from his subjects. He just plain sucks, the movies are making this very clear.

Even before that Ronan could have taken him. The Accuser was certainly not impressed by that “i'll get out of my chair and stomp you” threat. He has the measure of this mad titan, which is why he treats the ugly doofus with such disdain and slight regard.

Oh I hope so! If/when Thanos gets ahold of the gauntlet, I want the Accuser to wraith out and wreak the his poo poo! That would actually make thematic sense. “You desire to be a god? Well gods can still be judged motherfuckerrrr” - something along those lines. Of course I doubt any one at Marvel studios has the wit to see it or the balls to do it, but I can dream on.

Yes, absolutely! The whole “ancient alien dna” the Novas claim is false, it's just they have no other explanation, cuz like the Jedi they're too dumb to understand the power of love.

And this explains why Ronan could grab the orb bare-handed and alone, to Thanos' horror (cuz he can't cuz he's a bitch who needs gloves) – unlike the love of the guardians, his will is strong through his hatred.

Anyways, Guardians is about Gamora redeeming the rest of the crew. By the time the film begins, she's clearly already had her own redemption moment. Starlord was always a good person, but hides his trauma behind space-pirate roguishness: she's the catalyst he needs to move beyond that! And she needs him too, as he is the first person to ever believe/trust/actually like her. I was really disappointed they didn't kiss.

The Thanos scenes were great, but I think I liked them for different reasons than most. Ronan never cowers, he judges, and when he tells the titan he's coming for him, it's not a hollow threat. Thanos knows it too, that's why he looks like bile has just shot up into his throat, and why he hangs up his video-phone: so the audience cannot witness him running away on his chubby toddler legs!

I mostly agree with you on this issue, although I don't think full-on flashback scenes would be necessary for Drax and Gamora, just proper imagery (like the lighting or colours or something) for when they speak about themselves. Rocket's drunken breakdown was a little redundant, cuz we see his scarred back in prison. I think the motivations for the heroes and villains are fairly clear, but some of them are definitely presented awkwardly.

The characters who really could have benefited with a little more time are Groot and Korath the Hunter, I feel they both get short-changed in spite of being really interesting conception/aesthetic-wise.

The Accuser and his army are wonderful in their visual/thematic cues: first obviously the Frost Giants and other Marvel bad guys, but also the villains from Chronicles of Riddick and Immortals. Ronan himself is like a Zod/Dredd who emerges from beyond the black rainbow!

And his relationship with Drax reminds of Batman and Bane. Drax, despite his nickname and early blustering, is not willing to totally abandon his humanity to achieve his vengeance, Ronan is. That is eventually revealed as a strength in the hand-holding showdown, of course. Ronan has essentially the same motivations as Drax, but because he has stripped himself of love, he can only succeeds in creating more versions of himself. Luckily Drax (and Gamora, who has a similar story) reject this hatred.

Ronan really is the best villain I've seen yet in these Marvel films. If Marvel Studios were smart (interested in telling a good story as opposed to stretching one out into mediocrity) he would be the Big Bad. Or Thanos really should have been modeled on him; y'know a villain whose interesting and scary?? One who actually does stuff as opposed to sitting on his fat-rear end going "just as planned" ad nauseam.

He raised him, he is Starlord's father in a much more real way than some jackass. They should make Adam Warlock his father, I never read any of his comics but he sounds crazy weird, which this boring universe needs more of!

Yeah he was a great diss on nerd-culture and its compulsive consumption and terrible treatment of women.

Captain Mog posted:

Holy poo poo. This is possibly one of my new favorite movies. I'm not even kidding you. Everything was fabulous. I would even go as far as to call it our generation's Star Wars.

Doctor Butts posted:

You could replace the actor with Kevin James and you'd get the exact same poo poo except for the believability that he could be found attractive.

Doctor Butts posted:

He may be sillier, but that doesn't expand the border of anything at all. There have been heroes who crack jokes, are silly, don't take themselves too seriously. Misplaced bravado on the heroes part has been played for comedy before.

I really don't understand all of this love for Pratt's acting as Starlord. You're all praising this childish part of a hero, or that he's trying to be cool, so it comes across as funny. You could replace the actor with Kevin James and you'd get the exact same poo poo except for the believability that he could be found attractive.

Doctor Butts posted:

He may be sillier, but that doesn't expand the border of anything at all. There have been heroes who crack jokes, are silly, don't take themselves too seriously. Misplaced bravado on the heroes part has been played for comedy before.

I really don't understand all of this love for Pratt's acting as Starlord. You're all praising this childish part of a hero, or that he's trying to be cool, so it comes across as funny. You could replace the actor with Kevin James and you'd get the exact same poo poo except for the believability that he could be found attractive.

Harime Nui posted:

I don't really keep track of comedians much but I've always thought that, in interviews and stuff, Pratt always comes off the most charming and off the cuff funny out of the whole Parks & Recreation cast (although it is kind of weird how they stay semi in-character when doing interviews... is that a normal sitcom thing?)

Harime Nui posted:

In the comics Ronan is more like a mix of Judge Dredd and some kind of uber general for the Kree. In the movie he appears to be acting without the auspices of the Kree's government (sadly they apparently chose to have a bland emperor rather than a giant face called THE SUPREME INTELLIGENCE).

DFu4ever posted:

Did they say he was the Emperor? I just figured it was a random, high up diplomat.

Harime Nui posted:

Point of order, James Gunn was so sold on Chris Pratt in the role he said he would have cast him even if he hadn't gotten into Movie Muscleman mode. Of course I'm guessing Pratt didn't want to be known as the fat Marvel hero so he did the training anyway.

PostNouveau posted:

Pratt was most of the way to mad ripped anyway because of his role in Zero Dark Thirty.