 What's up, A-Holes? Guardians of the Galaxy hit theaters in 2014 and surprised a lot of people with just how damn good it was. Volume 2 carries on from the first in an even more crazy and silly way, for better and worse. We'll talk about both today here on Movie Feuds. What a sorry pair this crew is, in the best way possible. Chris Pratt had no problem It seemed jumping into a lead role on the big screen as Star-Lord, the Earthboy who is taken as a child and raised by space pirates. He's a smart-mouth, reckless, charmer at times with great taste in music thanks to his mother. Eventually, he reluctantly teamed up with a garbage panda, a walking tree that can only say a single statement, a beautiful but deadly daughter of Thanos, and a man who takes everything far too literally. And this crew manages to form a bond a hell of a lot faster than the Avengers team did and I found myself caring for them even more. It helps that our great characters are surrounded by some wonderful supporting cast like John C. Reilly who unfortunately doesn't make it into the sequel. Karen Gillen as Nebula and our director's younger brother Sean Gunn who is also a fan favorite of mine on Gilmore Girls. Yes, I celebrate the entire catalog. And because I'm so sarcastic on this show, you have no idea if I'm being sincere or not, but I legitimately liked the Gilmore Girls when it was on, still do. Michael Rooker as Yandu really shines and it was nice to see a more expanded role in the sequel. What's more impressive to me is just how well Guardians juggles all these story lines. This is me juggling. The villains are not my favorite in the MCU, but Guardians 2 gives us a couple and the stories perfectly weave together. Volume 1 gives us a pretty generic baddie named Ronan and a cameo by Thanos that wasn't handled in the most thrilling of ways. Especially when this dude's supposed to put a lot of hurt down the road on many of the Marvel characters. It's just sitting in a chair kind of lounging around. I expected kind of a close-up of the big foot hitting the ground, camera pans up to this god-like creature, man, whatever he is. But no, he's just in a lazy boy chilling out. Guardians 2 doubles down on the actors, which is wise, as the smaller moments tend to be my favorites in these films. Drax insulting Mantis, baby Groot being terrible at following directions, and a little salmon Diane unspoken thing between Peter and Gamora make for some very entertaining watching. As a big fan of sci-fi and a bigger fan of people shooting things with very large weapons, these check all the boxes for me. I get this Incredibles in space vibe from it. A broken set of individuals becoming better people as they form a team and eventually a family. The first film focuses on the group dynamic and their reluctance to trust each other. We get little crumbs of info, nuggets of insight into each of these characters as the movie unwinds, and I can understand why they're a little bit more standoffish at first, not really ready to make new friends. Especially when one of them was forced into combat on a daily basis with her sister, bloodsports type of shit. And if she lost, well, she's modified. Facial reconstruction, get a robotic arm here or there, maybe a jet-powered leg, rocket pack, some sort of thing. I'm rambling, you get what I'm saying. Or you could be a raccoon who was constantly experimented on until becoming a feral killing machine. The fact that director James Gunn could make me give a shit about a talking tree and a triangle-shaped fox is a testament to good writing and directing. I mean, and also any film that ends with a dance-off? Yeah, you got my ticket. Where the first movie gets things on track, the sequel has more opportunity to explore the nitty-gritty. Rocket Raccoon turns people away every chance he gets. The Daughters of Thanos getting more sisterly bonding time. Then we have the main story of Quinn finding his real father, only to realize later that his family has been by his side since he met them in the first film. And as a bonus, we of course have Baby Groot interacting as a member of the cast in a fun way. Tonally, both movies are an impressive amalgamation of action, sadness, comedy, and perfect chemistry. And since the first did so well, it looks like our director got free reign on the sequel to really put his vision on the big screen. It gets pretty crazy. It gets pretty wild at times. Kind of like my Tuesday night book club. Free to join if you want. This week, we're gonna be talking about Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. When the unconventional Guardians of the Galaxy trailer hit, I knew I was in for something special. 1974 is hooked on a feeling playing over a sci-fi themed flick was a far cry from the usual Marvel shtick. And then things went from better to bestest when I saw the movie and realized that that trailer song was just the tip of the dick. Spirit in the Sky, I want you back. Come and get your love and escape. A.K.A. Pina Colada, A.K.A. a masterpiece, are just a taste of some of the many amazing songs accompanying our heroes on their journey. Visually speaking, things look pretty great, featuring a character of every color of the rainbow. The sequel had a lot to live up to, and I think it succeeded. The music may not be as fun, although a little Fleetwood Mac goes a long way. It serves the story. Ilo is also my jam, so hearing Mr. Blue Sky, yeah, I'm in. I'm all in. From a cinematography standpoint, the sequel is far nicer on the eyes. There's some really beautiful wide shots. The CG is mostly seamless. Then there's the de-aged Kurt Russell, who is done with 90% practical makeup. I mean, seeing him again in his prime with his beautiful locks blowing in the breeze, his beautifully chiseled jawline. That was enough to get me in the theater. It's enough to get me to come back for a second helping to catch my drift. Honestly, no idea where this is headed. Big William 2 is about as perfect as a sequel can get. The first was and is a joy to watch, but the second just ratchets everything up. As a huge fan of some of the older parody films, like the Naked Gun and Airplane, it's really nice to see movies step out of their comfort zone and give audiences something they don't expect. I like things going a little crazy, a little nuts, little bonkers at that time, much like my book club on Tuesday nights. Next week, we're going to be doing the catcher and the rye. I can see if the second outing was a bit too out there for some and would love to hear your thoughts. Comment below, vote for your winner, and remember, I'm Mary Poppins, y'all, and this is more than just reviews, this is Movie Feuds. And as far as the book club goes, I think a lot of people will be very interested. Next month is going to be off the chain. I'm talking great expectations. I'm talking to kill a mockingbird. Yes, please. It's going to be a lot of fun. I mean, I'm the only one in the club right now, but I enjoy it. Have fun with it. It's pretty cool.