By: Dan I. Cook

In case you haven’t noticed from my other reviews, I’m not a professional writer. That’s never stopped me from sharing what I believe will benefit others whether it’s a restaurant, movie, gadget, or whatever is floating in my big head. I asked my editor Sharon, to start this section, so other writers and myself can share their views on other topics besides just food.

So, here is my first installment.

My first movie review is ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’ After seeing this flick twice, I felt compelled to write a review about it. This was the first movie that my whole family wasn’t forced to see together, like me when I had to watch Les Misérables on Christmas Day as a gift to my wife. Talk about a cry fest, it ruined my whole Christmas, but that’s another story.

Rocket Raccoon

So we go to see this movie because I’m a fan of Marvel and used to get comics delivered to my apartment when I was single and successful. I never got into the Guardians of the Galaxy because of the Raccoon character, Rocket. Unbeknownst to me this character was named after the Beatles song, Rocky Raccoon. He is described as a Raccoon that possesses the normal attributes of an Earth raccoon, including speed (which has been additionally amplified by his training), an acute sense of smell, sight, hearing and touch. He is an accomplished starship pilot, an expert marksman with the two laser pistols he carries as well as having an affinity for heavy weapons. He is also a master military tactician and leader.

I’m not buying into no raccoon Rambo. So I never read the comics that dealt with him. Bad mistake on my part. This raccoon ends up being one of the best characters of the movie.

Now here is where my movie reviews are going to differ from the rest of the cookie-cutter crap out there. I’m not going to get into the finer points of acting, cinematography, wardrobe etc. because I’m not here to give out Academy Awards.

The Story

What I love the most about this movie is the fact that you can relate to all the Guardians of the Galaxy played by Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Vin Diesel as Groot, and Bradley Cooper as Rocket. With the exception of the character Peter Quill, everyone else is some sort of freak or alien or both. Doesn’t matter what they look like, each one of them had some sort of loss of death in their family.

A major hook for me was in the very first scenes when Peter Quill was just a boy and his mom was in the hospital dying of what I assumed to be cancer. Having watched my mom die right in front of me due to cancer, this hit me smack in the middle of my damn heart. From that point, I was transported into the movie. Great movies do that – provide an escape from reality. This one accomplishes that from start to finish and you can’t help but root for all of these characters. That’s what makes this movie special and believable.

When the movie ended, I was surprised to hear my wife say that she loved it. She doesn’t like Marvel Movies, but she loved this one. I loved it so much that I saw it twice, and I haven’t done that since Braveheart came out years ago. Big fan of that movie.

The Soundtrack

The day I’m writing this review, it’s number one on the Billboard Charts. This soundtrack is fantastic. Many of the songs I haven’t heard in years. Each song complements certain scenes in the movie, and the combination makes watching the movie even better. Before I tell you what the songs are, the director of the movie says that they can be considered spoilers for the film, so read them at your risk…

1. Blue Swede – Hooked on a Feeling
2. Raspberries – Go All the Way
3. Norman Greenbaum – Spirit in the Sky
4. David Bowie – Moonage Daydream
5. Elvin Bishop – Fooled Around and Fell in Love
6. 10cc – I’m Not in Love
7. Jackson 5 – I Want You Back
8. Redbone – Come and Get Your Love
9. The Runaways – Cherry Bomb
10. Rupert Holmes – Escape (The Pina Colada Song)
11. The Five Stairsteps – O-O-H Child
12. Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell – Ain’t No Mountain High Enough

My favorites are Moonage Daydream, Hooked on a Feeling, Come and Get Your Love, The Piña Colada Song and O-O-H Child.

Great movie to see on the big screen. It’s rated PG-13 and there is violence, so I’m not sure if I would take small kids, but that’s up to you. As the summer ends, take the time to see this movie and you will thank me. Just remember to have an open mind about talking trees and homicidal raccoons.

Four bags of Popcorn for this flick!