In a nutshell, Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” starts out with our hero, a brash adventurer named Peter Quill (aka Star-Lord) who finds himself in the middle of an unrelenting bounty hunt after he stole a mysterious orb that the evil villain, Ronan, so desperately wants as he has ambitions that threaten the well being of the entire universe. Peter ends up in a unusual group of misfits that he has to learn to trust if they want to help save the universe. Joining him is Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like figure with a very limited vocabulary, the very deadly Gamora, and Drax the Destroyer who is out for revenge.  When the power of the orb is revealed to them, they must do their best to rally together with the galaxy’s fate in their hands.

Highlights to like about the film:

1) The Cast

With an all-star cast that is extremely likable and funny, what is there not to like about this film? Chris Pratt as Peter Quill is an amazing fit, as Chris makes for one really fun, comedic and engaging character as Peter.  Zoe Saldana as Gamora makes for one beautiful and powerful villain fighting machine. Dave Batista as Drax who may be a large and scary looking being, but he sure had the comic timing down to a T. Vin Diesel as Groot, a large lifelike tree figure doesn’t say much, but his lines are timed perfectly at just the right moments. Then you have Bradley Cooper as Rocket the Racoon who also fits into the storyline perfectly with his bad self and sarcastic and witty remarks. You will find yourself laughing throughout the film at this dream team.

2) The Soundtrack

Throughout the film you will hear some uplifting and familiar tunes. Director James Gunn created a spectacular and stimulating atmosphere by playing the film’s score while filming. Tyler Bates composed  some of the tracks early on and playing them added to the magical atmosphere on set and set the tone for the scenes.  Gunn also had the 70s tunes jamming that Peter Quill plays on his old cassette player. Finding the perfect cassette player to use in the film was no easy task. After searching the internet for four months, the team was able to find only 16 cassette players in various states of repair that were suitable to use in the film. Take a look at the list of tunes you will hear in this ‘Awesome Mix Vol. 1.’ You are sure to be leaving the theater with at least one of these stuck in your head for days to come.

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

3) The Sets, Props and Special Effects

Many of the scenes from Guardians of the Galaxy are just out of this world, literally! It’s amazing what technology can do these days. The design of the Milano, Peter Quill’s spaceship, was inspired by the Bell Aircraft X-1 rocket plane piloted by Chuck Yeager. Constructed as a double-level composite set, with an upper flight deck and lower living quarters, it was a 14- week build involving several trades. The production design team also crafted the Dark Aster, the villain Ronan’s spaceship. Representative of a flying mausoleum, the design is minimal and brutal. This colorless and stark world, devoid of any set dressing whatsoever relies on its heavy concrete-like architecture to set its tone and function.

Then you have the special make-up effects department who had done approximately 1,250 prosthetic make-up applications. There were 50 makeup artists in all, working in teams on each character. David White, special effects makeup designer, made 3D life- sized versions of Rocket and a bust of Groot, which were used on set to see how the characters could actually function. Zoe spent about 4-5 hours or so each day to get her make-up just right as the very green Gamora!