Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

I re-watched this last week but forgot to post it.  I've been watching some Netflix shows (Jessica Jones) and the first ten episodes of Naruto on my server so I haven't gotten in the requisite number of movies this week.  So you're getting a repeat.  I'm sorry.  I'll do better next week.  Originally published 8/14/2014  Another solid hit for Marvel.  Bravo, guys.

After being abducted from Earth in 1988, Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, (Chris Pratt) joins a group of thieves for hire called the Ravagers.  He is commissioned to retrieve a strange orb from an otherwise abandoned planet, narrowly escaping capture by Korath the Seeker (Djimon Hounsou).  Korath is in the employ of Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace), who has promised the orb to Thanos (Josh Brolin) in return for Thanos' destruction of the planet of Nova.  Ronan sends Gamora (Zoe Saldana) after Quill. Meanwhile, the leader of the Ravagers, Yondu (Michael Rooker), discovers that Quill intended to cut his crew out of the deal on the orb and puts a bounty on his head.  Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Groot (Vin Diesel) are out to collect, which results in all four miscreants ending up in jail, where they meet Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista).  Drax wants Ronan dead for killing his family, Gamora was in the middle of betraying him for the orb, and the other three are just in it for the cash.  Somehow, these five disparate reprobates must band together long enough to defeat Ronan, avoid his assassin Nebula (Karen Gillan), and prevent Thanos from getting the orb.

I don't know if there are enough words to say how good this movie is.  It's hilariously funny, succinctly sets up all five characters without bogging down in backstory, has a ton of action, and furthers the overall Avengers 2 storyline while being completely functional as a standalone film.  I don't know that you could ask for anything more.

Oh, and it has a kickass soundtrack.

The after-credits sequence doesn't have any hints for Age of Ultron but it features a very special cameo for children of the 80's, so be sure to stick around.