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Guardians of the Galaxy, I love you to death. You were an incredible movie filled with so much humor that my throat was sore by the end and so much heart that there were moments I had tears in my eyes. You made me fall in love with a walking tree and a talking spitfire of a raccoon. You introduced me to Dave Bautista, since I don't watch wrestling, and he did an amazing job. I haven't seen Parks and Rec in months, so you reminded me that Chris Pratt is a seriously good actor with terrific comedic delivery, and interviews reveal that he's real a sweetheart and a down to earth guy that gets excited over people loving his movie and can French braid hair. Nothing new about Zoe Saldana, though, because she was always awesome. But the shirts have to stop! I already bought the one I wanted. They just keep coming, tempting me to buy more. I can't afford all this. I'm not Gill Bates, a cousin of mine who made a fortune fish farming. I just woke up, but since I can't have these, at least not right now, I'm going to go sob myself back to sleep. No, wait, I can't do that; there's too much work to do. There's always too much work, starting with keeping a certain blog updated.

If you'd like one of these, or three of these, they are at RiptApparel today starting at $10 for t-shirts. You also have a choice between coasters, hoodies, posters, headphones, and laptop sleeves. Tomorrow there's a second chance to buy them for a while, but the price goes up to $15. After that you have to hope the artist makes it available on another site. Groot Loops by bamboota is adorable and hilarious, like like the movie itself. It's filled with Honey Bunches of A-Holes. My favorite kind. Awesome Tour Shirt by CatchABrick with Star Lord is a nice character portrait that feels lonely even though his face is hidden by his mask. That seemd just perfect, because Peter Quill has no one at the beginning. And Retro Guardians by KindaCreative works because there were a few scenes where I thought I would love to play that part in a game as Groot, with his ability to grow super fast and smash people into walls, or the angry little Rocket with a big gun.

Image belongs to Marvel

I'm hooked on a feeling that Guardians of the Galaxy was amazing and has made the Marvel Cinematic Universe weirder and more wonderful. It had great big laughs and a great big heart. I saw it on opening weekend in a jam-packed theater. Hundreds of strangers laughing their fool heads off together is always a fun experience. It was such a surprise and unpredictable, too. I had kept my expectations to a minimum, not being familiar with the material and this being an unproven franchise. But I had nothing to worry about. They hoped to get us to fall in love with multiple protagonists. They managed that with ease. It's filled with wit and wisecracks to the very end. Guardians had everything I adore in a sci-fi action hero buddy comedy. Let's start with the most important.

The emotional core of the movie was established before a word was uttered, opening in a quiet hospital hallway, where a boy sits alone at a nurse's station. He's listening to music on his favorite tape, Awesome Mix Vol. 1, not knowing what to do other than drown out the world and pretend everything is normal. His grandfather comes up to him, gently removes his headphones and tells him it's time. Together they go into the room across the hall where his mother lay dying. She wants to give him a gift and hold his hand, but he turns away, unable to muster the courage. Before he can change his mind, it is too late. Distraught, he runs out into the night, his extended family too wrapped up in their own grief to take notice. He falls to his knees on the grass, crying, and with hardly a delay is abducted by an alien ship. As swiftly as he disappears from his family's lives, only minutes after his mother, the story skips the next 26 years to get to the present. That now grown boy, Peter Quill (a perfectly cast Chris Pratt), the first Guardian we meet, is somewhere across the galaxy on an abandoned planet, salvaging ancient artifacts (the world-ending kind) and gleefully giving the boot to bad-tempered rodents, using them as microphones and dancing while listening to a handful of songs that haven't yet worn out their welcome.

When I saw that old Walkman, more than just music but a treasured connection to home and family, I was sure there would be a lot more emotion than in the average action movie or superhero adaptation of the now seemingly distant past, which I like to refer to as BNB (Before Nolan's Batman). After knowing what a comic book hero could be on the screen, there was no excuse anymore for story, dialogue, acting, and direction to not work seamlessly. When Marvel took control of their own film destiny, they seemed to ensure a future of heroes who feel like real people. Guardians proves that Marvel still is cinematic magic. They have made choices like Jon Favreau (Iron Man), Joss Whedon and Zak Penn (The Avengers), and Anthony and Joe Russo (Winter Soldier), people who understand that stories are nothing without humanity, an element often missing in tent-poles. Now James Gunn and Nicole Perlman can be added to their stable of writers and directors who add substance to style, deftly handling action, drama, and humor.

No raccoons or tree beings were harmed in the making of this movie."

Humor and tenderness really go hand-in-hand and Guardians gave equal time to both. I wasn't expecting nearly so much of either. I hoped there would be a few big laughs to break tension or punctuate moments. (Hulk punching Thor out of the shot in The Avengerscomes to mind.) I wasn't expecting such a riot, like when the walking tree listens to only the last step of an escape plan and innocently takes it upon himself to help out before anyone is ready and forcing some improvisation. Just a few humorous moments like that can lift spirits and make characters more relatable, but this group of "losers" had me howling with laughter. That's an important element. I feel more, and far more quickly, for people who make me laugh, who cover their insecurities, their fear, or their pain with a sense of humor or who are inadvertently funny. I get attached and let my guard down. Then when poignant backstory is told or something tragic happens, it cuts deeper (think Phil Coulson). Comedy makes me vulnerable to the unexpectedly serious moments without feeling emotionally manipulated, where three simple words, "We are Groot," bring tears to my eyes. It makes it that much better, because actually caring about what happens is the reason for a movie to become one of my favorites. And I sure did care about these characters who had a great deal of personality.

As my brother mentioned, Guardians seemed a bit fast in the beginning for those that aren't familiar with the comic, throwing a whole new set of characters (Quill, Rocket, Groot, Gamora, and Drax) and places at us one after another, sometimes all at once, rather than easing us in. But as he also mentioned, that left more time to get to know the characters, and boy did we ever. This seems to be an area where Marvel doesn't know how to fail. I guess that's why they're still around after decades. The movie never felt overstuffed because of the facility of storytelling and character development, each member with a distinct personality, story, and reason for being who they were, and they compelemented each other so well. They felt like real, emotionally damaged people. I relate more to those flawed but essentially good people rather than the unerringly altruistic and humble hero. The jerk who becomes a hero out of necessity, not because that's their life goal, who remembers who they used to be or finds out what they can be is usually more interesting. This is an origin story about "a thief, two thugs, an assassin, and a maniac," so there are lot of flaws. The following could be considered slight spoilers, but most of it is backstory and set up. And you already know that these five are the Guardians just by watching the trailer, so it's really no surprise that they become friends, is it?

"I am Groot."

That's really all this ambulatory plant says, the only one who understands Groot (Vin Diesel) being Rocket, so I didn't have a lot of choice in quotes. I apparently have a fondness for the strong, silent type. I found myself attached to the "personal houseplant slash muscle" immediately. He conveyed so much with gestures and facial expressions: sneaking sips from a water fountain when Rocket told him to stop, being sad about losing his arms to Gamora after their first encounter, though he knew they would soon grow back. Groot is loyal and caring. He was concerned for Drax when he didn't deserve it, when they were all nothing but strangers to each other. He's so sweet and innocent, a gentle giant...except to those to attack his friends; then he can get scary, yet also be hilarious and cute at the same time. I've never seen that before. The animators made the most adorable tree being. Not only that, they had a big job making Groot's best friend a believable anthropomorphic raccoon.

I didn't ask to be torn apart and put back together over and over and turned into some little monster.

There were plenty of other quotes, but this is the one that got to me. Rocket (Bradley Cooper) was as beautiful a character as Groot. He was so sarcastic and hot-tempered. He remind me of me. And don't call him names unless you want him to unload his problems and his weapon on you. I just wanted to give him a big hug after I heard his story. It's not just a strange alternate reality where animals walk upright and swear like sailors; Rocket was experimented on and, thanks to Cooper's performance, he made the tears well up in my eyes. All he knows is pain, always the object of ridicule, and the only thing he had in the world was Groot. He's an angry little guy with every reason to be, and he has the scars to prove it. Peter had a sympathetic look on his face when he saw them, reminding me of the sweet boy who cried over a frog.

I found something inside of myself, something incredibly heroic.  I don’t mean to brag.

Peter certainly did find himself being heroic, but not at all humble about it, which was quite funny. He grew up in the company of rough-and-tumble outlaws who call themselves Ravagers and adapted well to the life he was forced into, but it's obvious that he's not really one of them. He's a joker who goes with the flow and loves life, not one that you imagine itching to take it from anyone. He held onto his past and a part of himself after all those years. He still cares about people, though Ravager leader Yondu (the always welcome Michael Rooker) probably did his best to break him of that. Yondu tries to make a point that Peter has a weakness "in here" while pounding on his chest. But Peter is tougher than any of them, because his sentimental heart is what gives him strength to do what's right.

I have lived most of my life surrounded by my enemies. I will be grateful to die among by my friends.

Gamora (Zoe Saldana) felt that strength when Peter did the selfless thing or she wouldn't have stayed with them. Her family met their fate at the hands of Thanos. The orphan was then taken and raised by him to be an assassin, though, unlike her "sister" Nebula (Karen Gillan), another child orphaned by Thanos, she never fully succumbed to whatever brainwashing she may have been subjected to. She cannot stand by while billions of lives are at stake and she rebels, planning on getting the artifact herself and selling it to The Collector. Things didn't go well and she allies herself with this ragtag group, finding value in her first true family since childhood.

Nothing goes over my head. My reflexes are too fast. I would catch it.

That little gem was spoken by Drax (Dave Bautista), who was quite the literal-minded treat. But in between warnings to never call him a thesaurus and other misunderstandings that would have made me spit out my drink if I'd had one, he was a dangerous man wrapped up in his own sorrow and thirst for revenge, his family having suffered a similar fate to Gamora's. They were killed by Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace), a Kree working on the promise that he would have free reign to destroy Xandar if he delivered the artifact to Thanos. He is unburdened by conscience, murdering so many without discretion that he doesn't remember their faces. Drax follows Quill to get to Ronan, and finds something new to live for.

There are also two secondary characters I got attached to, Yondu, whom I've already mentioned, and Corpsman Dey. Yondu is almost like the sixth member of the team, though he would be far harder to domesticate than Drax. He's been looking out for himself for decades, believing that feelings aren't worth the trouble. But that soft spot he saw in Peter is also one he has for Peter and would never admit. I hope that gets further explored in the sequel. He's also quite a badass with his whistle-controlled arrow and idiosyncratically has an unexplained menagerie of small toys. (I want to know who he misses.) And though his character was kind of despicable, he played an important role...on the promise of a big pay day. Baby steps.

Corpsman Dey (John C. Reilly) didn't have a huge part, but he was very likeable. I hope he makes subsequent appearances. He kind of fills the Phil Coulson role as an officer of Nova, the S.H.I.E.L.D. of the galaxy it seems. I don't know if he can kick ass, but he's definitely funny the way he reacts to situations, like when he's stunned that he has to tell Drax that murder is illegal.

All these distinct personalities add to the fun. By the time the credits rolled, I was exhausted with all of the belly laughs, and I wanted to go right back and see it again. There were more memorable and quotable moments than I know what to do with, hilarious squabbling between friends and enemies, big explosions, a chase sequence, and formidable enemies. There was a creative sequence involving a ship slipping inside another ship and taking the controls. Just one of the hundred comical things. And you can't have have a comic book movie without an epic battle: Ronan's juggernaut, the Dark Aster, going against hundreds if not thousands of tiny single-seat fighters and their brave pilots. Also, unintentionally entertaining were the kids in the theater who gasped and giggled when they heard swears. I really love when a superhero movie has cursing, because even when they're PG-13 I always assume they are sanitized for children. People swear in serious situations, they swear when they're not, so it's more realistic and adds to the humor. 

Guardians of the Galaxy was far better than I hoped for and whoever cast Chris Pratt was a genius. He first caught my eye long ago as Bright on the lovely family drama Everwood. He's adorable in Parks and Recreation as not so bright, scene stealing goofball Andy. He gives his heart generously to his work, so it's fitting that now he one of the stars of an incredibly loveable, lovely, and lively showcase of storytelling and imagination that also happens to be a blockbuster. This is one of those movies that I don't want to end, but my words must. I leave you now with today's perfectly-timed shirts. They're just as nice as the last batch I wrote about, which I still can't find for sale anywhere else. Hopefully the artists will make them available on other sites after today. But for now you can get Groovin' Through the Galaxy and The Great Root Galaxy at TeeFury starting at just $11 each. Awwww, yeeeeah.

It's a bunch of Firefly goodness today. Never seen it? Wonder what all the fuss is about? These shirts come around nearly as often as those for Doctor Who, another incredible series. That should tell you something about the quality of the show, its ideas, and the unwillingness of its fans to let go, for good reason. It lasted only 11 episodes (out of 14) on Fox, which hardly ever gives anything a second chance after the network actively screws their first chance completely. Yet it spawned a movie, Serenity, to wrap up a storyline with themes such as found family, freedom, and the consequences of government secrecy and control. That it takes place in the future aboard a rundown spaceship, hopping between worlds in a future frontier that looks a lot like the Wild West is just a glorious sci-fi tinted bonus.

Smuggler Rum, The Mighty Jayne, and 8-Bit Leaf on the Wind are available today for $10 each. Get them before they're gone. The fourth, another Leaf on the Wind, I have posted before, but it's worth noting that it's still available. By the way, the phrase "leaf on the wind" always makes me sad. Fans know why. And I think it's time for another rewatch. I wasted so much of my summer not doing that.

UPDATE
Smuggler Run is now available at TeeKetch's Red Bubble store for $26.91.
8-Bit Leaf on the Wind is at KindaCreative's Red Bubble store for $25.52 and TeePublic for $14.

I have never known a movie I fell for at the start, then was gutted by, then was indifferent to, then had great fun with and eventually liked again, so I thought it was worth noting that Godzilla had this affect on me. But it took a long time to find the right words. After my plans to see it kept getting pushed back, six weeks in total, it took another three to write about. Life finds a way...to always be in my way. Every time I tried finishing this, minutes later I would be interrupted, and I was starting a new second job that I had to fit around my old one. I kept getting sidetracked, as I do nearly every time I think I have some free time to write (sorry Winter Soldier, you wonderfully epic thing), I wasn't sure how much I wanted to reveal, and often I changed whole paragraphs that I thought I was done editing. I found it very hard to commit. Praising a certain actor came easily, yet I had a bone to pick with a major plot point that had a negative effect I had to address. No matter how I tried I couldn't talk about anything that stemmed from that moment without spoiling it, and I couldn't talk about the movie without mentioning that moment, which caused it to stumble.

But with sparks of brilliance provided by the national treasure that is Bryan Cranston, I have a more complicated relationship with Godzilla than the average movie. There was disappointment when it couldn't live up to its early promise and it still managed to make me love it; not through and through, but from time to time. I had no idea it would be like this, because I tend to read reviews only to make up my mind or if a movie has been getting humorously bad ratings. I'd rather not see hints to turning points or the fate of someone I'll end up caring for the most. If I find out about something that fundamentally changes the way I'll see a movie before I even buy my ticket, then I'm less enthusiastic. Rather than enjoying it, I'll spend the whole time waiting for one scene. I was excited to see Godzilla, so all I wanted to know was if audiences were generally positive. They were, and almost half a billion dollars in theater receipts can attest to that.

Now, I assume you're reading this because you've seen Godzilla by now, since in about every case it should be out of theaters, and you just want to see what others thought of it. But if you're waiting for it to release on Blu-ray or hit iTunes then stop, unless you like spoilers. If you're close to a second-run theater that happens to be showing it, I highly recommend it for Bryan Cranston alone. My grandmother would always take us kids to one of those theaters. It was a single-screen so the selection was small, but they showed all the big movies we missed. Tickets were cheap and even the snacks were affordable. Best of all, as any movie outing still is, it was a great time spent with family. I wish I had the stubs from there.

Okay, that's enough rambling preamble, right? Let's get to it. All those who haven't seen this movie, please read something else for now. I have plenty of links at the top of the page that may keep you interested.

Why can't you let her rest?
Because I sent her down there.

Joe, obsessed for 15 years with discovering the reason for his wife Sandra's (Juliette Binoche) death, having helplessly watched her last moments at the nuclear plant where they both worked, through a radiation-shielded door that he kept open as long as he could, was infinitely more interesting than anyone else. Cranston has amazing range and depth, draws you into his mindset, and makes you believe what he's going through. Even the quietest scene is imbued with a sadness that practically leaps off the screen: Joe in his old home in the quarantine zone gently holding the only picture of Sandra to his chest, looking for the first time at the 'Happy Birthday' sign his now grown and resentful son made for him the morning of the disaster. These are the remains of a life changed forever in a day.

Maybe you can understand my frustration that a fantastic character with a brilliant actor playing him didn't get more screen time. Cranston is flawless in giving life to a collection of words. The anger and the tremble in his voice while pleading for answers is so true it's like watching pure heartache. Doubtless what he extends to us is drawn from a real place. That's why he needed to be there longer, putting a face, a voice, a soul to the human toll. An opportunity was missed to have father and son work together and share the hero spotlight, to grow closer and connect with each other and the audience. An opportunity was missed to turn a good movie into a great one. Godzilla was obviously intended to have a very human center, so I wish the writers (Max Borenstein and Dave Callaham) had recognized that Joe was the true center and deserved more.

At least he deserved a decent ending. I'm not sure Joe was even mentioned again after the matter of fact condolences. I was sad for the loss because it meant I was no longer able to watch one of our current greatest actors, who never gives less than he's capable of and dives into a role completely. Yet Joe's death wasn't as wrenching as it would have been if he had come to the same fate nearer the end after having started to repair his relationship with his son Ford (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), having had more time to be with each other, strengthening Ford's character with some much needed insight. Had he been given a proper goodbye, it would have been appropriately devastating, but it barely seemed to register with Ford that he had just lost his father. His younger self (CJ Adams) showed more emotion simply looking out his school window at the cooling towers collapsing with his parents underneath. As an adult, he was underdeveloped. He had a lot to do but not much to say.

Taylor-Johnson had to carry so much largely alone, a big task for an actor without the dialogue to hold it all up in the shadow of one that had started the movie off with such depth. Fortunately, Cranston's part was so densely packed and emotionally charged that it resonated through. ATJ (it's just easier to say) did a good enough job with what he was given, but there should have been more for him. Ford was separated from his family and volunteered for a dangerous mission that required his explosives expertise and would bring him closer to home. Conversations with strangers were kept to a minimum. Ford's wife Elle (Elizabeth Olsen) I almost believed, but usually it seemed that she wasn't scared enough. Her best moment was when she put her son Sam (Carson Bolde) on a school bus headed out of the city, a decision that almost cost his life. Her nervous smile and sad eyes belied her reassurances that everything would be okay. That's how it would be; she hopes he'll be safe, but she can't be there to protect him. Other than that, Olsen didn't have the material. (Hopefully, she and Taylor-Johnson will have that in Avengers: Age of Ultron.) And after the bridge, I don't recall Sam being anything other than an idea that Ford was trying to get home to. We're supposed to care about Joe's son, grandson, and daughter-in-law, so some more meat on the bones of those roles would have made all the difference.

The icing on the cake would have been to do the same with the secondaries and extras to make them feel real, so that the audience has some sort of reaction when they're stomped on or buried under rubble. The lives Ford floated through were basically fodder that I felt nothing for. The only exceptions were an adorable kid named Akio (Jake Cunanan), who was really a means to show us Ford's paternal instincts absent his family, and scientist Vivienne Graham (Sally Hawkins), who was intelligent, very likeable, and contributed to the story. Hawkins did wonderfully in taking her part as seriously as Cranston and didn't just phone it in. She didn't have a fleshed out background, but she had personality and determination. Her counterpart, Dr. Ishiro Serizawa (Ken Watanabe), was not as impressive. Normally Watanabe is reliable, but sometimes a part isn't written as well as it should be. Serizawa sagely filled the audience in on what he believed to be the kaiju's place and pointed out man's hubris in trying to control nature. But in the absence of dialogue, both he and Ford had a tendency to stare wide-eyed and dumbstruck into some middle distance. It was an expected reaction to the situation not pulled off naturally by either actor and an unintentionally humorous parallel that had me analyzing the scenes rather than being absorbed by them. Last, and least, Admiral Stenz (David Strathairn) and Captain Hampton (Richard T. Jones) were both played by experienced, well-liked actors, but didn't have much to do at all besides give orders. I've known other sci-fi and disaster movies, such as Jurassic Park and Twister, that managed to give humanity to their humans. I still get emotional when Alan and Ellie look in awe upon their first dinosaur or sad when Aunt Meg gets trapped under her house. I cared about them. I would have loved to care about everyone here.

You may be wondering right about now if I'm ever going to get to the main attraction or if I loved anything besides Bryan Cranston. To that I say I'm sorry that I think performance should interest you just as much as a lizard with gigantism that we've all seen before, and I'm really writing this for me because my brain won't leave me alone until I finish this...but yes! Prehistoric super predators seeking out and chasing each other across ocean and earth was pretty spectacular. The sounds of the Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms brought me right into those moments, mesmerized by the rumble and click in their throats and a ramping up of radiation pulsing through their stealthy bodies. They were lifelike in their behavior, helping tremendously with the suspension of disbelief at their size, and had more personality than most of the people. I actually felt sorry for the MUTOs at one point, though they were incredibly destructive, because they were just animals who knew nothing of the tiny beings that were trying to hurt them.

As for the big guy, he arrived fashionably late and hell broke loose all over again. One of Godzilla's coolest, eeriest moments had an ominous silence as a group of HALO jumpers descending close by jagged, house-sized dorsal plates glimpsed through the smoke and dust of collapsed buildings, the setting sun obscured, the light through the ash looking like hellfire. Godzilla sounded as appropriately dangerous and enormous as he looked, and his tussle with the MUTOs was the end of the world under the footfalls of gods. Yet there was a delicate touch from the leviathan's entrance - ignoring the carriers and destroyers, diving under them, rising in front of the Golden Gate, seemingly trying to not destroy every last thing - in stark contrast to his previous enraged rampage of an outing. The blue-breath behemoth (Have I used up all the words meaning large yet?) was much more interesting than almost anyone on the bridge, except for the bus with little Sam on it. That was one of very few times I was concerned for someone. If they could kill off Ford's father so easily, why not his son? But as in most movies that put action above interaction, I didn't have much fear for those shooting at the skyscraper-sized lizard with the equivalent of spit balls and sparklers.

I mentioned Godzilla's late entrance because I have to address it. I saw someone complain that he didn't show up in his own movie until halfway through. I didn't realize it took that long, because for a while I was wrapped up in the drama and the superb performance of the person I've gushed over already. That's really how it should be if I'm going to truly love a movie. Without an investment in the people then what happens to them doesn't matter and it's all just hollow noise. I wasn't there to count the minutes of screen time the title monster got. Just because he's the star doesn't mean he has to steal every scene. And the MUTOs were enough of a handful, the set pieces and action top notch. Another commenter ignored the decades of history and decided they were so big they would be crushed under their own weight. Yes. And? I thought people went to movies like this to see something impossible, terrifying, and just plain awesome. There doesn't need to be plausibility to have a great story. If that was a requirement then a lot of sci-fi and all fantasy would be out, making for a sparse Imagination Land.

Having said all that, I really did love Godzilla. It may not be at the top of my list, but I wouldn't be writing about it all if I didn't care. Bryan Cranston was so superb for the short time he appeared. It was a misstep to lose him. It was surprising and refreshing, though, that the commercials just gave away glimpses. I only caught a commercial where Joe said, "They evacuated us so quickly..." The end of that sentence I never heard was, "I don't even have a picture of her." Joe seemed distressed, but I didn't know he lost someone so dear and would have to live with the guilt for so long. I didn't guess that Ford would be the sole focus of most of the movie. I didn't know about the MUTOs even though I saw that insectile leg come down. Remembering the Rexzilla from '98, I assumed they changed him again and gave him some Clover-like appendages. I hadn't searched for news or interviews. I didn't even seek out the trailer. I knew nothing about the movie other than the one man I wanted to see it for. It was refreshing to be in the dark. These days I usually know too much before going in.

Speaking of Cloverfield, that movie was more effective in getting right down and dirty there with people who were more convincingly terrified than anyone not named Joe in Godzilla. Being pursued by fast, flesh ripping parasites that fell off of the beast and constantly on the move, I was increasingly nervous for a situation was increasingly intense. But the main creature was indestructible, which was hard to swallow, and the fate of everyone was depressing. A perfect Godzilla movie would have had the tension of Cloverfield and had Bryan Cranston most or all of the way through, depressing ending for him or not.

Now I'm in love with this giant of cinema the way I never was before. While not perfect, Bryan Cranston and his ancient co-stars assured it was worth nearly every moment. If you didn't know him before Godzilla, pick up Breaking Bad and Malcolm in the Middle. You get two extremes and he's spectacular at both. When he was cast in a dark drama about desperation and the corruption of power so soon after a rousingly funny dysfunctional family comedy, I was surprised but had no doubts that he would kill it. Some of the funniest people have the deepest understanding. He's unafraid to be blisteringly raw, and he was no different here. From now on, anytime I see anything that remotely reminds me of this movie, I will think first of the bruised heart he brought to the story. I'm still thinking about it weeks later, which means that it affected me in the best way. Godzilla was a great attempt to give substance to a genre with hardly any. It's a bit sad to think what it could have been, but I'm thankful for what I got.

Aside #1: I find it odd that in the same summer there were two blue-glowing, "fire" breathing lizards at the movies. I still have to finish my thoughts on How to Train Your Dragon 2.

Aside #2: Since this site is dedicated to TV (and movies) and t-shirts, here are some more of my favorites. All shirts are from RedBubble. Atomic Destruction and San Francisco are also available at TeePublic for $14 each.

The Wolverine is one such movie, and it won't leave me alone until I say something. Let me start with my personal revelation that Hugh Jackman is a wonderful actor, and I apologize to his fans (of which I am now one) for not realizing sooner. I always liked him, but I was never *in* like with him. Hugh was (is) gorgeous, but that doesn't automatically mean soulful and talented. Though he's been in the public eye for more than a decade now, I have not seen much of him. To keep the family peace on movie days, a side-splitting comedy, or just about anything, will almost always win over a critics' darling drama. We tend to want family time to be fun not depressing, so we try to avoid the weep fests as much as possible. Unfortunately, this means that performances showcasing amazing actors may pass me by for many years. If I'm lucky then the people I have overlooked will be in unforgettable blockbusters that show me what I was missing, like Robert Downey, Jr. with Iron Man. Because of Jackman's performance here, I have another actor for my as yet unfinished Wall of Favorites. He delivers the rare performance that makes a superhero believable rather than laughable.

In his best portrayal of Wolverine, Hugh shows a man with fierce heart and humanity, traits which seem to apply to the actor himself (see Children's hospital donation, Laughing Man, Live Below the Line). Logan is hiding from the world, emotionally raw, nursing old wounds that he can never escape. He's haunted by dreams of lost love, Jean, and memories of his past as a POW in Nagasaki, where he selflessly saved an officer named Yashida from the atomic bomb. Logan could have let his captor die to spare himself the agony of the flames attempting to finish what time had failed to do, but then he wouldn't be much of a hero...and there would be no movie, so it's kind of important. That moment of sacrifice is the impetus for this adventure. After a run in with a group of merciless hunters that reminds us of the menace in his eyes and the fire in his chest, Logan is dragged to Japan by striking (in more ways than one) clairvoyant Yukio to pay respects to his old friend, a frail husk of what he was all those decades ago. Once there, he meets Yashida's troubled granddaughter, Mariko, her stern father, Shingen, and her one-time boyfriend and bodyguard, Harada. Of course there has to be more to it than a simple goodbye. Logan is unexpectedly offered a way to be free of his burden, and he begins a journey that will reveal whether he has true resolve to end his life or if there is a reason to fight for it. 

An insightful story, swift and brutal fights contrasted with the beauty of Japan, a well-paced script, characters with murky allegiances and motives, an exciting and amusing aerial bullet train sequence, a lot of emotion, and a well executed misdirection that fooled me into thinking I was wrong about a key moment all add up to a wonderful time that is now one of my treasured few. I also admired the decision to utilize subtitles instead of having everyone conveniently speak English even when the Japanese characters are talking amongst themselves. Insanely pumped abs and arms didn't hurt either. Jackman was seriously built in this movie. He had a routine that included lifting hundreds of pounds of weights and taking in 6,000 calories a day. That's dedication. Though the results are amazing, I wish he didn't feel he had to literally give his heart to his work. I'd much rather he be happy, not concerned about how his work was harming his health. I hope he starts avoiding roles that require such extremes.

Yet Hugh just did it all again for X-Men: Days of Future Past. I can't imagine. I hope there's a lot of Logan for all he put into it and that I can be legitimately excited for a multi-mutant spectacular again. The Wolverine made me realize what they were missing and why I haven't gone back to this series in so long: character depth, focus, facility with a scene, honest performances, and the joy of creation. Hopefully, Future Past will continue the trend of the last eight years; it would be silly to go back to the typical corny style of pre-Batman Begins, which went far in making up for the wrongs inflicted upon the world by those Movies Who Will Not Be Named. The Dark Knight and Iron Man then proved that it was no fluke, that great superhero movies were something that could be achieved regularly. They were beautifully-made, camp-free examples of how to translate from page to screen, filled with personality and realism, and these same qualities pump through The Wolverine's massive veins. As with The Avengers, I went in without reading reviews, having no expectations whatsoever, and was completely surprised that this entry felt so grounded. I need more of that.

The Wolverine may take a dark tone, as some have complained, but that's not to its detriment. Though I usually prefer my superhero movies riddled with the number of jokes rivaling the punches and pathos, I also like when the darkness is pretty much all a character can see at the start, only gradually letting the light seep in. For me it depends on the character, their personal demons, and the story being told. I want my Wolverine brooding, a lost soul in search of meaning, at least for a little while. Not being versed in the comics (some day), I now know at least his film version far better. I very much appreciated another solo chapter with my favorite mutant, without the over-the-top powers of others fighting alongside him. The lone hero Marvel-produced movies have been great, particularly the hilarious, fun, and affecting Iron Man and Iron Man 3. Teaming them up in The Avengers was incredibly entertaining, the heroes bickering like a dysfunctional family.

Sadly, the opposite is true for Fox-controlled X-Men, at least for me. The original was very well done and, from what I remember, had a more urgent, gritty feel (read: not rewritten into stark oblivion) than the sequels. It captured my imagination better than the cartoon that aired in my early teens, where I learned of the dangerous hero with the adamantium claws, my first "iron" man and the most interesting of the X-Men. X2 was good, but I didn't care for it like the first and so have hardly thought of it in years. By the time The Last Stand came around, I had fallen out of love with the series. Reviews dissolved my enthusiasm and I skipped it, seeing it in pieces over the years. Except for the jaw-dropping powers Jean had as Phoenix and the wrenching moment Logan fights through disintegration to reach her, it was largely forgettable. X-Men Origins: Wolverine gave me a taste of what I really wanted: a smaller, more personal story. To be fair, I've heard Fassbender and McAvoy were superb in First Class, and it's been on my wish list for a while, but none of the previous entries impressed me the way The Wolverine just did.

I read some complaints (and always wonder why I do), as there always are, about the movie not matching the original comics to the letter, but I just don't care. I am not that into comics as a result of a childhood devoid of money and comic book stores. Even if I had been, I know I'd have little to worry about. My measure of a fantastic movie is the huge smile I leave the theater with, the desire to see it again immediately, and a magnification of that aching wish I've always had to want to be in the business, putting imagination out there to entertain the world. Movies should be respectful of their origins but not shackled to them, stifling creativity. To expect unwavering adherence to the comic ideal is less realistic than a world full of telepaths or pyrokinetics. Go ahead and change the history. Go ahead and add events that were never written about. As long as the adaptation captures the spirit and voice of its source material, holds onto the heart of the character, and turns out well then it doesn't need to be exactly the same. And by chance that I have read every book, poured over every wiki, I appreciate not knowing what's coming next. I appreciate getting to know another side or a reinvention that may be better. I love the familiar, but I also like to try something new.

Not eveything is praise, though. I adored the movie, but it wasn't technically perfect. The final confrontation seemed a bit of a let down after all the action previously. I'm not exactly sure what it was. Maybe because the waves of enemies throughout posed more of a threat when Logan was not quite up to the task. Don't get me wrong here. The revelation worked really well, but the action wasn't up to the standard that had already been set. The glaring flaw, though, was Viper, one of numerous baddies. While she was threatening and creepy, her acting kept distracting me. The best villains have to be somewhat likeable even in their madness, with a glimmer of lost humanity or a reason for being, but Viper was just a standard one-dimensional sociopath. She could have been interesting. Instead she was just another obstacle without a back story.

Still, those two details were not enough to be disappointing, and I love this movie completely. I will definitely be buying it and would highly recommend seeing it in the theater. I would love to go again before it tips into The Void - the excruciating wait between a movie's exit from theaters and release to the public in stores - but I know I won't have time. I missed so many movies this summer. Everyone's always too busy now, and when we're not busy we're exhausted. No Monsters University, no Despicable Me 2, no Pacific Rim, no This is the End. I think I'm also probably going to miss Elysium, from the director of the bleak and powerful District 9. At least I went to Iron Man 3, Star Trek Into Darkness, and The Wolverine. And The World's End will cap the summer. Wild zombies or killer cults or blue-blooded robots will not keep me away.

If you are now thinking about giving The Wolverine a shot, check Fandango or MovieTickets.com to see if a theater near you is still playing it. Sorry I didn't finish this post earlier. I kept getting sidetracked and editing is the Bane of my existence.

Alright, now I should get back to drawing knives. Maybe inspiration will come from Wolvie's claws.

If you didn't see the Wolverine/X-Men Comic-Con panel, here is a little video treat. "From this man's head, heart, and hand came my career."

Iron Man is one of my favorite movies, Tony Stark one of my favorite characters, and it's all because Robert Downey, Jr. is one of my favorite actors. It's the kind of movie that is particularly memorable, combining fun and humor with depth and explodey bits. So, shame on me for forgetting to watch this new trailer. What have I been doing? I guess it was work. And then I was busy cleaning and hurting myself on the weekend. Then I took this week off to relax and played games. So, now I'm the last person on Earth to see this. But if you're reading this then maybe you're the last. ;)

Also take a look at EW's trailer deep dive. It reminded me of PopCultureNexus' hilarious (and heartfelt) Fringe recaps.

Joel Wyman is working on an android-human buddy cop show for J.J. Abrams, but everyone should know that by now. There's been no word for the last month, so I assume he's quite busy. And something that just came up this week is the incomparable John Noble in a short film called Friend. I'd heard about it a while ago and had no idea what it would be. I'm happy to finally see at least a bit of it. Ari Margolis, the wonderful editor of many, many Fringe videos, cut the teaser, which shows that, though he isn't playing Walter Bishop anymore, Noble hasn't lost any of his magic. This looks quite good.

"I've just decided to switch our Friday schedule to Monday, which means that the test we take each Friday on what we learned during the week will now take place on Monday before we've learned it. But since today is Tuesday, it doesn't matter in the slightest." (Mr. Turkentine, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory)

DVD, $9.99

Blu-ray Collector's Edition, $59.99

DVD, $5.49

Blu-ray, $17.99