And all this for a superhero team that not many people know, and the first Marvel film not to feature one of the Silver Age group of characters created by Stan Lee.

The Guardians are a bunch of undesirables who find themselves fighting together to prevent one of the Infinity Stones from reaching Thanos. If that all sounds a little crazy, then welcome to the Marvel Universe (not just Earth, or Asgard, or wherever it is that Agent Coulson buys his suits) where universe destroying gems and intergalactic, death obsessed super villains are the norm. The preposterous synopsis hides an entertaining film.

The Guardians are in the vein of Blake’s 7 or, for the people born after the 70’s boom of more realist and thoroughly depressing science fiction or even the crew of Serenity, except they are substantially less human. Chris Pratt is Star-Lord (possibly human, maybe more), Zoe Saldana is the green Gamora (known in the comics as ‘the deadliest woman in the whole galaxy’), professional wrestler Dave Bautista is Drax the Destroyer (more than just muscle), Bradley Cooper lends his voice to Rocket (a gun toting raccoon), and the wooden acting of Vin Diesel is put to good use as he voices an anthropomorphic tree called Groot (Vin’s never been better). The big bad, Thanos (Josh Brolin moving from DC to Marvel), is seen little, leaving his minions Lee Pace (as Ronan, the least interesting aspect of the film) and Karen Gillan (as the slightly more interesting Nebula) to do the dirty work. Better villainy comes from Michael Rooker (doing what he does best as Yondu Udonta).

Director and co-writer James Gunn has a history in irreverent comedy. His early work includes Tromeo and Juliet (for the legendary Troma Entertainment) and The Specials (who as a team of less than exemplary superheroes, not the band, may have been something of a dry-run for this film). He also wrote the Scooby Doo movies, but don’t hold that against him, and that experience has helped him create a PG film from a comic that is generally anything but.

The questions I have already seen on social media include “Is it better than Star Wars” and “Is it better than The Avengers”. The answer, quite obviously, rather depends how much you like those films. Like the two films in question, Guardians has brilliant dialogue and interplay between characters hesitantly working together, coupled with enough action scenes to satisfy the teenage boy in all of us. See the film for yourself and decide which is better. I am certainly looking forward to seeing Guardians again, at my earliest convenience, and that is the best recommendation I can give it.

Fabulous Sebastian
www.facebook.com/DisneyAUNZ

There was a time the deception was with purpose, to overcome the conditions and gender bias of the times. Then through time the lie became one person’s reality and the other’s trap. This is a story with bold overtones and one that requires the right touch to tell.

Director Björn Runge (Daybreak & Mouth to Mouth) combines a great cast and fine screenplay by Jane Anderson (based on a novel by Meg Wolitzer) to produce a gripping work. It is a timely exposé on some of the sacrifices that women have had to make to fit into male dominated segments of society.

The performances by Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce as the two leads are outstanding. His character is full of hubris and self importance, hers is a slow burn of resentment and regret. Together they power the film to an eventful climax. This is a film to see for the acting as well as the message.

Rob Hudson
www.iconmovies.com.au

When they discover this to be a lie, they set out together to find their real father, and end up learning more about their mother than they probably ever wanted to know.

FATHER FIGURES is directed by Lawrence Sher and stars Owen Wilson, Ed Helms, J.K Simmons, Bill Irwin, Katt Williams, Terry Bradshow, Ving Rhames, Harry Shearer, June Squibb, Christopher Walken and Glenn Close.

FATHER FIGURES releases in Australian cinemas on February 8, 2018
www.facebook.com/FatherFiguresWB

In a dystopian near future, humanity has been ravaged by a mysterious fungal disease. The afflicted are robbed of all free will and turned into flesh-eating ‘hungries’. Humankind’s only hope is a small group of hybrid children who crave human flesh but retain the ability to think and feel.

The children go to school at an army base in rural Britain, where they’re subjected to cruel experiments by Dr. Caroline Caldwell (Glenn Close). School teacher Helen Justineau (Gemma Arterton) grows particularly close to an exceptional girl named Melanie (Sennia Nanua), thus forming a special bond.

But when the base is invaded, the trio escape with the assistance of Sgt. Eddie Parks (Paddy Considine) and embark on a perilous journey of survival, during which Melanie must come to terms with who she is.

“The best zombie-ish apocalypse in years . . . [it will] will haunt you.” – Helen O’Hara, Empire.

“Wicked, gory and even occasionally funny” – Barry Hertz, Globe and Mail.

“[Reminds] us why zombies are so scary and so interesting.” – A. O. Scott, New York Times.

The Girl with all the Gifts – Exclusive to Dendy!
Screening at Dendy Portside 5-11 October 2017
Also showing at Canberra, Newtown
Available on Dendy Premium On Demand from October 11 – November 21 2017
www.dendy.com.au