Guardians of the Galaxy Character Posters
Author: Snugglecub
Guardians of the Galaxy Cast Images
Guardians of the Galaxy
10 – Guardians of the Galaxy
I remember when Guardians of the Galaxy first came out. Nobody except those who knew the comic books had ever really heard of the characters. I was a casual fan of the source material, and so I’d heard the names Star Lord, Drax, and Rocket Raccoon before, but I had no idea who they were or what their stories were. Marvel had to have been taking a huge risk using the characters. But at this point, Marvel was pretty well on top of their game. They seemed to have the golden touch. They pulled it off, and before you knew it, Gamora, Groot, and even smaller characters like Yondu and Nebula became just as well-known as the big three, Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor.
First, there is the phenomenal cast. The leader of the team is Peter Quill / Star Lord, played by Chris Pratt. Pratt was that pudgy guy from Parks and Rec, but he surprised everyone when he came to the screen all ripped and sexy. There was Gamora, played by Zoe Saldana, who people knew from her parts in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, and also the new Star Trek franchise. Nobody had ever really heard the name Dave Bautista before outside of professional wrestling, but he nailed the part of Drax the Destroyer. Then, finally, there was the CGI pair of fan favorites, Rocket and Groot, voiced by gigantic Hollywood superstars, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel. Throw a couple of other major actors into the mix like Glenn Close, John C. Riley, Benicio del Toro, and Michael Rooker, an you have yourself a stellar cast. Even the film’s bad guys like Ronan the Accuser, Korath, and Nebula, played by Lee Pace, Djimon Honsou, and Karen Gillan were given sufficient attention.
Next, there was the smart script. It made getting to know these unknown character a priority, but it was done smoothly, as part of the story, not as a clunky exposition dump or multiple drawn-out origin stories. It all felt very organic and natural. Guardians of the Galaxy was a good movie first, and a superhero movie second. The story was tight and cohesive, the pacing was quick but not rushed, and the aesthetic was unique. Even the film’s general color pallet was unusual with a lot of purples, pinks, and greens, and yet it totally worked.
And though this was not the first MCU film that mentioned infinity stones, this movie went a long way to describing what they were and why they were important to the MCU’s overall story arch. Even though it seemed completely detached from the rest of the MCU franchise, it was so important to the tapestry of the existing movies. There is a reason why the first three phases of the franchise are called the Infinity Saga. I mean, sure, there was the Aether from Thor: The Dark World, but that was a nebulous liquid that didn’t resemble any kind of stone. Here, we got an actual stone, and we identified what it was. This movie, as it related to the bigger story, brought things closer to the main bad guy, who only had a few minutes of screen time, Thanos, played by Josh Brolin, and his goal to collect all the infinity stones.
This movie got so many things right. It had action, it had humor, and it had adventure, not to mention a little bit of romance. It had family, it had heart, and even several deeply dramatic moments that were surprising. When the movie started, we had no idea who these characters were, and by the end, we really cared about what happened to them. And we wanted more. So hats off to Marvel for pulling a rabbit out of a hat and catching lightning in a bottle yet again.
As I’m thinking about which characters were my favorites, I’m finding it is hard to choose. They were all so unique and they all had their cool moments. Rocket and Groot were really great, but so were Gamora and Drax. But I thin, overall, I’d have to go with Star Lord. He is a cheeky rogue who learns the value of being part of a team, a leader, and a good guy. Oh yeah, I can’t forget the incredible soundtrack. So cool!!!.
Top 10 Favorite Parts
- The fight between Star Lord and Gamora where they meet Rocket and Groot
- The group’s induction into prison. Pratt looked pretty sexy without his shirt on. Just sayin’.
- Groot starting off the escape plan early, throwing everything into chaos.
- Every time Drax took something someone said too literally.
- The explanation of the infinity stones by the Collector.
- The standing up scene where the Guardians officially become a team and agree to attack Ronan to get the stone back.
- The Nova Corps forming the giant net to prevent Ronan’s ship from landing on Xandar.
- The scene where Groot saves everyone by creating a protective cocoon with his branches. “We are Groot.”
- Star Lord distracts Ronan with a dance-off, and the climax where the Guardians come together to hold an infinity stone.
- The aftermath where their criminal records are expunged. “I have a family. They’re alive because of you.”
1940 – Raymond Massey
1940 – Raymond Massey
Abe Lincoln in Illinois
I’m very sorry to say, I didn’t like Raymond Massey performance in this movie and I have several very specific reasons why. Obviously it is a story about the life of Abraham Lincoln before he was elected President of the United States. It covered his humble beginnings, his reluctant sojourns into politics, and the questionable relationship and marriage to Mary Todd. The film got a few of the facts right, but they got Lincoln’s actually motivations quite wrong, something I felt through Massey’s performance. I know I’m being picky. He actually had a fair amount of ambition to be a politician. And he actually had a nice relationship with his wife.
But what I didn’t like about Massey’s performance was that he portrayed the historical figure as a rather likeable man at the beginning, and pretty much the opposite in his later years. And I can’t imagine that he would have been as popular or charismatic if he was actually like the character Massey played. To start with, yes, he bore a fair resemblance to Lincoln, but the first time we see him on the screen, he shares it with his parents. The only method filmmakers had of de-aging actors was through makeup and lighting. But Massey honestly looked older than the actors playing his parents. I didn’t buy for one moment that he was younger than them. That took me out of the story right from the very beginning.
And maybe it was the writing, but Massey played Lincoln as a simpleton, a stone’s throw away from an idiot. Then, as he became educated, his honesty was such a rare thing that everyone instantly liked him. The pressed him into political service, even though he was very vocal about his desire to not be a politician. But he did whatever his friend told him to do, only because he was too nice to say no…?
And then as his political stature grew, the more sullen and depressing he became. His marriage to a woman he didn’t love made him more sour, and Massey seemed to suck the energy out of every scene. He seemed to make the movie lifeless and dull, and I don’t think it was intentional. I mean, even when he was giving a rousing political speech, he created an air of depression, not patriotism. Was that the real Abraham Lincoln? I doubt it was, but maybe I’m wrong.
1940 – James Stewart (WINNER)
1940 – James Stewart
The Philadelphia Story
This was clearly a very popular movie when it came out in 1940. It was nominated for six Oscars, and took home two. This was one of them. Stewart took home the prize for Best Actor, and I am not sure if I would have voted for him. It isn’t that he did a bad job. Quite the contrary, he did a good job. But I just finished watching The Great Dictator with Charlie Chaplin, and I would probably have gone in that direction. But that’s just me.
I find it significant to note that of the four main members of the cast, Cary Grant was the only one who was not nominated for an acting award. But I almost understand that. Grant was playing himself, as he did in many of his films. Mind you, Stewart did, too, but maybe a little less so here. He played the part of Macaulay Connor, a writer who could be great, if he wasn’t forced to write for Spy Magazine, a cheap rag that is on the lookout for the next big story.
The character was pretty much the same one as we’ve seen Stewart play in other movies. He could almost have been transplanted from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington or You Can’t Take It With You, and he would have been just fine. The only difference would have been a slightly move cynical attitude born of time and experience, but that’s about it. He still had the same moralistic, gentlemanly, boy-next-door personality that seemed to come from the actor, and not just from the characters he typically played on the screen.
In the second act of the movie, he had to play drunk, which isn’t always easy. He wasn’t a sloppy drunk, but was more silly, neatly aligning with the rom-com, screwball comedy genre that dominates the film. Personally, I think I might have appreciated a little more of an over-the-top performance in these scenes, but again, that’s just me. He wasn’t drunk enough. A few slurred words and more stumbling would have been more effective than the little hiccups and silly dialogue that we got. The rest of the time, it was just a typical James Stewart performance. I know he was Hollywood’s golden child at the time, but I wanted more. Nominated? Maybe. A winner? I’m not so sure.
1940 – Charlie Chaplin
1940 – Charlie Chaplin
The Great Dictator
The Hollywood icon, Charlie Chaplin was mostly known for his work in silent films. But here, he had something to say. So he said it, which is more significant than you might think. Chaplin continued to make silent films, even in the sound era, and this was his first real sound film, and he really did a great job. He was incredible! Yes, a lot of it was silly comedy, but he clearly knew what he was doing.
So the movie, which was not only acted by Chaplin, but also written, directed, produced, and scored by the man, was an anti-war movie. WWII was really starting to pick up, and Chaplin obviously had very strong feelings about what was happening in the world. But he was also a comedian, so a lot of the kind of comedy that he employed in his earlier films, also made their way into this one. But as it was a sound film, he got to show just how talented an actor he actually was.
I cite three things in the film that totally impressed me. First, his parody of Adolph Hitler, called here, Adenoid Hynkel, was hilarious and technically difficult. The silly dialogue in his public speech was made up of nonsense German phraseology and ethnic chatter. And he rattled it all off without ever breaking character, fumbling his words, or even pausing to collect his thoughts. It was both funny and amazing. He had to have spent an unbelievable number of hours rehearsing that monologue. Second was the scene where he danced with a balloon that was a globe of the world. It was incredibly comical, and surprisingly poignant, portraying Hitler as a man who saw the world as his own personal toy, a play thing with which to amuse himself. Through Chaplin’s dance, he commented on the real dictator’s megalomania and his careless attitude toward the people living on the planet.
But I believe it was his final speech that earned him his Oscar nomination. At the film’s climax, Chaplin abandons everything to speak directly to the movie-going audiences. He leaves behind the movie’s narrative, its comedy, and its characters, and gives an amazing three-and-a-half minute impassioned speech, condemning hate and pleading with people all over the world to embrace love and brotherhood. It was an intense moment that is just as relevant today as it was in 1940.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
09 – Captain America: The Winter Soldier
So here we are, coming off of one of the least popular MCU movies, and going into one of the most popular. This film introduces an awesome villain, who isn’t really a villain at all – The Winter Soldier. Sebastian Stan is so cool, and pretty good looking, too! The character of a brainwashed Bucky Barns is great because of his history as a good guy, the closest friend of Steve Rogers, Captain America. Because let’s not forget, this is a Captain America movie. Multiple heroes join the cast like Black Widow, Falcon, Nick Fury, and Maria Hill, along with a few other bad guys like Brock Rumlow, and Robert Redford playing Alexander Pierce.
So, being a Cap story, the main baddies are all members of Hydra, an organization that seems to be the opposite side of the SHIELD coin. I really liked how, as it is revealed whenever anyone says “Hail Hydra,” that several minor characters who we’ve seen in previous MCU movies, were actually evil agents masquerading as good guys, like Maximiliano Hernandez, playing Jasper Sitwell, Gary Shandling, playing Senator Stern, and even Toby Jones got to reprise his role as Arnim Zola. Hydra is insidious because it makes you question where everyone’s loyalties lie. Well… except for Captain America, of course. He’s always a hero.
This movie got so many things right. It is really science fiction and fantasy rolled into one. Clearly, they have incredible technologies that dwarf what we currently have in the real world today. But it’s ok. We can buy into it because such things were established in the previous Captain America movie, which took place in the 1940s. After all, what is a superhero movie without a little suspension of disbelief, right?
So Nick Fury got to prove just how much of a bad-ass he is, there was emotional drama between Captain America and the Winter Soldier, as old friends who have now become complete enemies, fight each other. There is some really great character development as we get to know Natasha Romanoff a little better. And there is plenty of action and fight sequences. The film’s climactic battle shows Cap and Falcon trying to take control of heavily armed helicarriers that have been programmed to murder several million innocent people all over the globe. And the story was literally incredibly down to earth, and realistic, within the context of the world of super-powered heroes, something people really like about the very first MCU movie, Iron Man. It really had a lot of great things going for it. No, there were no gods with magic hammers, no giant green destruction monsters, and no geniuses with near magic suits of armor. There were just guys with guns, really cool technology, and one guy with a vibranium shield. And it was frickin’ awesome!
But all that simply adds to the real reason this was such a good movie. It just had a really cool story. You can have the greatest cast in the world, the best visual effects, incredible costume and set designs, but none of it means anything without a good story at its core. There is intrigue, deception, betrayal, espionage, great acts of sacrifice, and amazing heroism. This movie had it all. And the thrilling action certainly didn’t hurt. And even more than all that, it had an ending that left room for the story to be continued. The characters all had new agendas set up that would lead them into future movies. I love how Bucky leaves in the end, to find out who he is.
How many home runs can Marvel hit? Well, as any fan of the franchise can tell you, it just keeps getting better and better. And just as a side note, a lot of Marvel fans are really disappointed with the newer Phase Four movies, but I love them all. These movies are so entertaining. They just continue to feed into my love for epic stories. It is a grand tapestry that just keeps expanding, revealing amazing new characters and incredible new stories. This movie was such a fantastic addition to that larger picture.
Top 10 Favorite Parts
- Captain America rescues the hostages. Fun banter with Black Widow.
- The first attempt to assassinate Fury
- The Winter Soldier catches Cap’s shield with his metal hand.
- The fight in the elevator. “Do any of you want to get out before we get started?”
- Cap teams up with Agent Romanoff and the visit the Apple Store.
- Cap and Black Widow interrogate Jasper Sitwell.
- Cap discovers the hidden identity of the Winter Soldier.
- Falcon’s battle around the helicarriers.
- Jenny Agutter, playing World Security Council member, Hawley, kicking Pierce’s butt before revealing that she is actually Black Widow in disguise.
- The destructions of the three helicarriers, and how one of them crashed into a building, forcing Falcon, without his wings, to leap into a flying helicopter. So cool!!
Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Character Posters
Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Cast Photos
1939 – Maria Ouspenskaya
1939 – Maria Ouspenskaya
Love Affair
I want to start off by saying that even though she only had a few minutes of screen time, Ouspenskaya really deserved her Oscar nomination. She was so good, and she added so much to the movie. True, she was typecast into the role of an old, but loveable foreign grandmother, but she was so perfect. She stood out, even against her incredibly famous co-stars. Seriously, she only shared the screen with Charles Boyer and Irene Dunne, but it’s her that I really remember in that scene.
It is significant to note that this was not Maria’s first Best Supporting Actress nomination. She was also nominated in 1936 for her performance in Dodsworth. But unlike her part in that film, here, she just had such a warm and inviting presence. She is the kindly grandmother we all want to have. Part of me wants to say that it was all in her eyes, but that wouldn’t be true. It was her whole presence. She had an incredibly expressive smile. Her posture displayed nobility and strength of character, if not strength of body. She moved slowly, as an elderly woman might, but not so slow that she was a caricature. She was frail, but not ridiculous. She was just lovely on so many levels.
She played the character of Grandmother Janou. She is Michel’s dear grandmother who lives in a darling chateau in Madeira. Her love for her grandson is clearly evident in their interactions, and she forms a quick bond with his love interest, Terry. And when it is time for the lovers to return to the boat, the tears that roll down her cheeks were real and very touching. She played her part to perfection.
Something else wonderful about her performance was that at one point, she had to play the piano. I can usually tell if a person in a film is actually playing their instrument, or if they are being dubbed. I think Ouspenskaya was actually playing the piano, or if not, she was faking it incredibly well. Her fingers actually appeared to be playing the correct notes, and I call that impressive. As a matter of fact, it was a very sweet moment in the film. When Terry begins to sing along with Grandmother Janou, it made Michel really fall in love with Terry. It was such a beautiful scene, and Ouspenskaya really did a fantastic job in her brief role.