TIFF 14 - Top Ten Films

Good Day Folks

This year I saw 32 films in total; 10 Public and the rest were Press & Industry screening. I've let things germinate for a week and now here are my 10 ten.


10.,  Wild Tales

9.,  Sherw's Nest

8.,  The Imitation Game

7.,  Wild

6.;  The Theory of Everything

5.,  Charlie's Country

4.,    Leviathan

3.,       In the Crosswind

2., Force Majeure

1., Mommy

A good to very good year at TIFF.  Not as many Great or once in 5 year's films.

My worst views were:

- Impunity from South Africa

- Francois Ozon's disappointing The New Girlfriend  & The Kristen Wiig vehicle Welcome to Me.

Only 51 weeks to TIFF 15!

TIFF 14 Film Review - Wild

Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) is at a breaking point at the opening of the film. She's having issues with her feet, her shoes, her pack, her surroundings and is generally not pleased that she has committed herself to a 1,100 mile walk along the Pacific Crest Trail. We soon learn thought a series of flashbacks why Cheryl is out in the wilderness. She has made some very bad choices in her personal life and recently suffered a tragedy in her immediate family that has lead her out on the road to cleanse and refresh.

Wild is Director Jean - Marc Vallee follow up to last years critical acclaimed Dallas Buyers Club. Vallee presents a unique version of the traveler alone motif. In many of these stories the main character is isolated and has very little interaction with others. Vallee film instead features many encounters with other travellers plus rich flashbacks to both the good and bad parts of Cheryl's life before she hit the trail.

 Screenwriter Nick Hornby has many natural hiking details in the story thanks to the account Cheryl Strayed's book.  A key one is the deep red bruising on Cheryl's shoulders and waist where the metal from the pack digs in to her body. It's a feature of the production that rings true and might have been missed if the source material was not authentic.

Cinematographer Yves Belanger who also worked with Valle on Dallas Buyers Club has a rich wide pallet to fill. The three month walk covers all types of weather from debilitating heat to snow in the mountains. Belanger captures several spectacular sunsets, gives the viewer a scene of the vastness of the land and really hones in on the polity experience for being along at night in such an open landscape.

One of the best continuity devices in the piece is Cheryl's notation in the trail book at the start of each section of the trail. She opens the wooden box holding the book, writes in a famous quote signed by Cheryl Strayed and the author. When she meets up with other travellers during her hike she is known for tow things. The size of her pack which fellow travellers have dubbed monster and her trail book quotes.

Reese Witherspoon is exceptional in the lead role. She embraces every aspect of the adventure. The physical nature of the hike, grittiness of going days upon end without running water. Unexpected challenges of enduring a series of cold meals due to having the wrong stove oil or arriving at the only water tank for miles in the middle of a scorching day finding it empty but being able to bounce back to clean a suspect alternate water source with the aid of a purifying kit.

Wild is a very entertaing story of a person who at a very low point in her life sets an incredible goal and sees it through. Cheryl had many reasons when she could or might have quit but she pushed on. A very important sequence occurs when she makes it to the first meeting spot. The sage veteran of the camp goes through all the items in her pack and removes what is not needed or that which she will never use. A perfect metaphor for what Cheryl needs to doe with several elements in her life.

*** 1/2  Out of 4.

Wild | Jean Marc Vallee | U.S.A. | 2014| 115 Minutes.

Tags: Pacific Crest Trail, Divorce, Infidelity, Heroin, REI Boots, Snapple, Poet Quotes.

TIFF 14 Film Review - The Theory of Everything

Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) is at Cambridge graduate school in an elite class for Cosmology. His teacher (David Thewlis) gives out a series of near insolvable problem that Hawking immediate forgets until reminded by his roommate the morning its due. Hawking rushes to class  hands his answers in on a napkin with 8 of 9 questions correct.  The Theory of Everything is at the heart a love story between Stephen and Jane Hawking (Felicity Jones). They meet at a Cambridge party, Stephen invites Jane to a ball then she pledges to stand by him after a fall leads to tests determining that he has motor neurone disease which will cause his muscles to atrophy with death predicted in the next 24 months.

Director James Marsh presents the material in an even keeled manner each party have their foibles and flaws and the production shows the opposed realities of Hawking's physical deterioration versus the expanding of his mind and theories in perfect balance. Jane a linguistics undergrad student has a good grasps of Hawking theories speaking intelligently to them with family and friends even holding her own in discussions with Hawking himself.

Screenplay writer Anthony McCarten deals with the physical frailties in a step by step progression, first the right hand, then the fall, followed by uneven walking, cane and wheelchair which Hawking declares is only temporary when he first transfers into it from a chair. But as his body declines his intellect soars. He has talks before rooms full of academics, writes best sellers and invitations flow in to speak all over Europe and eventually in the United States. Meanwhile on the home front he has a growing family with Jane coping well with his condition until one particular ability fails.

Eddie Redmayne is brilliant as Hawking. His physical transformation on screen from a tall thin cheerful post grad student to a withered person trapped in an unresponsive body is stunning. Redmayne makes the action on screen very believable as he struggles with the basic of tasks at the dinner table or to even swallow a bit of water. Felicity Jones is on par with her performance as Jane Hawking. She is strong for her husband and family, fiercely loyal and brings him through every step of his deterioration save for one.



Hawking's teachings are portrayed in a straightforward way. The basics are provided allowing the viewer to grasp that at first to obtain his Doctorate he thinks one way then his later works completely opposes his earlier ideas.  There is also an intriguing background story and light debate between religion and science with Jane and Stephen spouting the virtues of opposite camps throughout the piece.

The Theory of Everything is a well rounded presentation of the relationship between two people with  superior intellect and even stronger wills. They take an initial two year diagnosis and build it into a full lifetime of family and memories. Director James Marsh steady hand presents all of the key points in their relationship along juxtaposed to Hawking's physical decline and academic success. It is a film that I can definitely recommend.

*** 1/2 Out of 4.

The Theory of Everything | James Marsh | U.K. | 2014 |123 Minutes.

Tags; Biopic, Motor Neurone Disease, Cambridge University, Cosmology, Physicist, Science.

TIFF 14 Film Review - The Imitation Game

We first meet Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) sitting in a police station being interviewed after a break in to his Manchester home in 1951. The investigating officer knows that there is more to his story that he is letting on but can't quite place the details.  Next we jump back to Bletchley Park in 1939 for Turing's interview with Admiralty director Commander Denniston (Charles Dance) where he basically explains that they need him more than he needs them. He is arrogant and insulting but says the magic word Enigma and is in as a code breaker.

THE IMITATION GAME is a fast paced tale of a literal daily race against the clock to break an unbreakable code to help the Allies win the war against the Axis powers. The dilemma,Enigma had millions of Mathematical variations that the German were sure could not be broken by the human mind.  They were correct and Turing knew it as well realizing that it would take a machine to defeat another machine.

Screenplay writer Graham Moore crafts a story based on Andrew Hodges book featuring twists and turns that ratchet up the action. The story flashes back and flips forward between world war two, the early fifties and Turing's time in boarding school in the late 20's where he meets his first and only friend Christopher who introduces him to code-breaking.  The most interesting character in the piece is Stewart Mendzies (Mark Strong) of the newly formed MI-6 who thrills at keeping secrets, plotting misdirection and using alternate channels to get information out that in his eyes benefits the War effort and the Nation.

Director Morten Tyldum does a superior job in focusing on the relationship amongst the code breaking group especially the rivalry between Turing and lead expert Hugh Alexander (Matthew Goode) also putting emphasis on turnings thoughts that were well ahead of their time. Recruiting using a puzzle in a daily newspaper, having a woman Joan Clarke (Keira Knightly) as part of the team working side by side with men which was unheard of at the time and above all building Christopher the basis for Turing machines that were later know as computers.

The films does not stray away from the dark side of the story. Turing's detainment, questioning and conviction for homosexual plus forced hormone therapy are documented in the film.

However, the main question that the story raises is the huge responsibility of determining when the information gained from breaking the codes can be used. If too may attacks are averted The Germans will know something has changed and rework their coding system. But to keep the Germans off balance the group knows that they will lead a number of troops to their deaths.

Benedict Cumberbatch is memorable in the role of Alan Turing. He hypes up Turing's social awkwardness, lack of nuance and intellectual arrogance at every opportunity. Keira Knightly is very storm as Joan Clarke an equal member of the team she helps Turing to smooth out some of his rough edges to get the rest of the teaming willing to work with him as opposed to want to quit because of him. Matthew Goode, Mark Strong and Charles Dance are all notable in supporting roles.

The Imitiation Game is a historically significant piece of work by a group that did not set foot on the battlefield but greatly helped to win the war. Their silent contribution to the war effort saved 10's of millions of lives and arguable reduced the length of the war by two years. The difficult choices by the team kept the German's unaware but the unfortunate end for Turing is regrettable. This is a film that I can definitely recommend.

*** 1/2  Out of 4.

The Imitation Game | Morten Tyldum | U.K / U.S.A | 2014 | 113 Minutes.

Tags: Enigma, Word War Two, Ciphers, Bletchley Park, MI6, Royal Navy, Homosexuality Laws, WREN.

TIFF 14 Film Review - The Face of An Angel

Inspired by Barbie Latza Nadeau 2010 book Angel Face; THE FACE OF AN ANGEL loosely recounts the events surrounding the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher, and the subsequent international print and T.V frenzy surrounding the trial of Amanda Knox and her Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito. The case took on monstrous proportions as the press horde from three nations descended on Perugia, Italy to cover the trial, appeal and reinstatements.

Director Michael Winterbottom changes the names and locations to make a fictional work with emphasis on the foreign media correspondents covering the case plus, the local region itself with Siena standing in for Perugia.

Daniel Bruhl plays Thomas a director gathering information to make a film about the case. His representation and studio are looking for a story centred on the two foreign student girls and their Italian boyfriends, which is not the story that Thomas wants to tell. His main contact is American Journalist Simone Ford (Kate Beckinsale) who has worked for different organizations in Italy over the last 14 years.

The main subject of the film is not to find who is guilty of the crime but more to focus on the media. Their pack mentality and the influence their tendency to lean toward sensationalization has on the public. The film features several shots of the hoard rushing into the courthouse for key verdicts, talk of paying family members for exclusive rights to documents, interviews and bragging amongst the corps about scoops and being first to know about a report on pivotal information.

Winterbottom also spends some time on how the international correspondent life affects the journalist. Many of the pool are separated or divorced. Since they are constantly on the move they tend to have joint or no custody of their children and engage in partner swapping amongst the group almost to a first year University level.

A couple of story lines in the piece do not work with the overall theme.  An over developed tangent with Thomas and student/bartender Melanie (Carla Delevigne) is too prominent in the production. Another is the appearance of a professor/landlord Eduardo who pops in and out of the shadows, authors a blog with unique information about the case and may or may not be a suspect.

Daniel Bruhl is steady as the main character Thomas. It's through his character that the narrative  questions the role of journalist in proceedings. Kate Beckinsale has little impact as Simone Ford drifting in and out of the film almost as often as she heads back and forth to Rome when it's her weekend with the kids.

Amongst the characters and details of the case featured in The FACE OF AN ANGEL there is definitely a story to tell. Michael Winterbottom approached the subject from an atypical direction but he does not get near the root of the matter. It may take more time and proper perspective or at least until the final legal wrangling are complete before the complete story can be told.

** 1/2 Out of 4.

THE FACE OF AN ANGEL | Michael Winterbottom | U.K/ Italy/Spain | 2014| 100 Minutes.

Tags: Foreign Correspondents, Meredith Kercher, Amanda Knox, Italy, Britain, United States, Perugia, Siena Foreign Exchange Students, Murder Case, Conviction, Acquittal, Barbie Latza Nadeau, Angel Face.

TIFF 2014 Film Review - St. Vincent

We first meet Vincent (Bill Murray) in bed with a pregnant prostitute Daka (Naomi Watts) mostly clothed smoking a cigarette and short of cash to pay Daka for her services.  Murray drives her to work at the local strip club; heads to his favourite bar gets blasted then cut off at the bar. Next he  heads home, backs over his fence and ends up spending the night face down on his kitchen floor.

The next morning his new neighbour Maggie (Melissa McCarthy) moves in but her movers take out a limb on Vincent's tree that falls on his 80's convertible LeBaron bringing Vincent to his porch.  He seizes the opportunity to blame his new neighbour for the damage to his vehicle, tree and adds in the fence for good measure insulting everyone in site.

Soon after Maggie is stranded at work leading her son Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher) to Vincent home They bond over his Persian cat Felix and a shared love of Abbot and Costello starting an after school babysitting arrangement for a fierce negotiated sum with contingencies for overtime hours. The pair spend each day together going where Vincent likes to and along the way Oliver manages to get his homework done and learns to defend himself gaining confidence and earning the respect of his classmates.

Director Theodore Melfi first feature is full of rich material. He also serves as writer producing crisp, sharp and witty dialogue between the characters. The part of Oliver is especially well written. The tendency may be to write a smallish grade schooler as sickly sweet instead Oliver is a matter of fact fully aware of the pending divorce between his parents and the vices of his new found friend. One would also expect with Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy in above the tile roles that the project would bend towards comedy. Instead the dramatic passages outnumber the funny ones with Naomi Watts' Daka leading the comic elements of the film closely followed by Chris O'Dowd who is superb in the role of Oliver Catholic School teach Brother Geraghty.

A recurring theme throughout the production is Murray's constant need for money and his bad choices in his attempts to acquire it. Most of these bad choices start and end at Belmont Park leading to gambling debts owed to track bookmaker Zuco (Terrance Howard).  He is mainly in need of funds to pay for the residence and treatment of his wife Sandy who he visits, dressed up as a doctor as due to Alzheimer's she no longer remembers him. Vincent never fails to take taking home her weekly laundry when he leaves.

The role of Vincent is perfect for Murray. If you could jump back in time circa Stripes and Ghostbusters and envision a role for an aged Murray to play is would be the one. The supporting cast that has been highlighted thought this review all hit the mark with their roles.

St. Vincent is a warm uplifting film that turns 180% from it's opening sequences. It has more than expected highly charged dramatic moments and during the films cinematic climatic there is a very good chance your eyes may water ever so slightly.  It is a film that I can highly recommend.

*** Out of 4.

St. Vincent | Theodore Melfi | U.S.A. | 2014 |103 minutes.

Tags: Drama, Comedy, New York, Brooklyn, Belmont Park, Alzheimer's, Catholic School, Vietnam Vet, Mentor.

TIFF 14 Film Review - The Riot Club

Beyond the 1% is the top peerage class; among those are the expected future "Empire" leaders that attend schools such as Westminster and Eden many of whom go on to Oxford University from which 10 students each year make up The Riot Club. A spot where wealth and blood relations meet to produce those that will lead and influence the world in the next generation. But for know as Director Lone Scherfig points out in the film they are more conceded with consuming too much alcohol, behaving like petulant children bend on smashing everything in site and looking down on everyone they see as not in their class.

Screenwriter Laura Wade adapted the material from her play Posh loosely based on the Bullingdon Club at Oxford especially the 1987 version that included current British Prime Minister David Cameron and London Mayor and 2012 summer Olympic host Boris Johnston. Chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne was in the 1992 version of the group.

Two freshmen students are the centre of the production. Alistair Ryle (Sam Claflin) the younger brother of a past legendary Riot Club president and Miles Richards (Max Irons) who is more easygoing and carefree are invited to join the circle. Miles has taken up with Lauren (Holliday Grainger) who is State school educated and falls in to the "Girls for now" category as opposed to "Girls for later" vintage in the eyes of the group.

The key event after the obligatory kidnap and hazing of the two new recruits is the first main dinner of the year. A no wholes barred event where the troop aim to outdo the versions of the club that came before them ending with a legendary story to tell and the majority of Wade's stage play. The 10 are suited up in tuxes and tails then head out far away from London as they are apparently banned from holding the dinner anywhere closer.  The centrepiece of the dinner being a 10 -bird roast or 9 birds within the outer one signifying each member.  The fictionalized inspiration for the group is a Lord Ryot a leading scholar at Oxford who indulged in women and drink to excess coming to his end at the hand of a betrayed teacher. The first dinner was held in his honour beginning a tradition at the school leading to this group. The picture of the original dinner holds a prominent place amongst current and former members.  Tom Hollander drops in as Jeremy Alistair's Uncle high up in British Politics to play closer for his nephew's recruitment spinning a yarn from his day at the recruitment dinner that ended with the group waking up on a train to Vienna.

Scherfig keeps the action moving thought the pace presenting the group as they are neither glamorizing nor outwardly judging their behaviour.  She handles the source material from Laura Wade's play with aplomb balancing modern day morality with the expectation of the groups birthright that has obviously tough them that they will never be told know or not get what they want. The story is sprinkled with instances that that does not occur.

The acting is serviceable but not remarkable.  The pub owner makes a key comment as he admits that he cannot tell one from the other. They are a mixture of sharp clothes, better sunglasses, easy smiles and bow ties from which none of the main players really stand out.

The Riot club is an entertaining romp that is basically boys being boys to the 10th power. It will hold the audiences interest Scherfig handles that material well but in the end its no more than a bunch of tantruming pre-schoolers smashing their toys in an attempt to shout look at me.


*** Out of 4.

The Riot Club | Lone Scherfig | U.K. | 2014 | 107 Minutes.

Tags: Secret Societies, Oxford university Clubs,  Oxford University, boarding schools, Eaton, Westminster,

TIFF 14 Film Review - Mommy

Diana "Die" Despres (Anne Dorval) drives along a city street. Suddenly her vehicle is broadsided at an interaction.  She exits the vehicle, temple bloodied to check the damage and argue with the other driver.  Next she appears at a school to pick up her son Steve (Antoine Olivier Pilon) who is in trouble at school apparently starting a fire that severely injured another student. Steve is kicked out of school and Die has to take him home to be his primary caregiver and teacher.

Quebec Director Xavier Dolan returns with another feature centred on a volatile single mother son relationship. The film is also fitted with his signature 1:1 aspect ratio. The film tackles the issue of ADHD and the struggle to deal with a sexually aggressive, violent child with a hair trigger temper at home or commit him into the system.

The third side to the film acting triangle Kyla (Dolan veteran Suzanne Clement) a withdrawn high school teacher with a speaking problem who witnesses the interaction between the two from across the street and volunteers to home school Steve.

Dolan 1:1 ratio is a bit uncomfortable to watch at first, as the viewer has to be aware of the extreme vertical in using this aspect ratio. But the use of this ratio allows for two incredible moments where Steve is spot on and in the flow.  The first a long board sequence down the middle of neighbourhood streets with Die and Kyla riding bicycles behind him to the side. Steve puts his hands out front together palms opposed and separates expanding the screen to full for the sequence.  The other a glimpse into a potential future for Steve with his teenage turbulence in the past.

Anne Dorval gives a wonderful performance in the lead role of Die as she once again is the mother figure in a Dolan film.  Quick witted, tough, chain smoking, clothes too loud and too tight she blasts out at doubters and detractors in her thick Quebecois accent.

Pilon is super as Steve angelic as a choirboy in one instant then violent, intimidating and clearly capable of inflicting severe damage the next. He is in constant motion barreling forward to the next activity that has a good chance of overwhelming him envying an outburst.

Suzanne Clements quiet Kyla holds her own with the fireball Despres duo. She quickly meets Steve's intensity in their first alone encounter to get him in line. She is a taskmaster with his studies and becomes tight friend quickly with Die.

Dolan has once again crafted an outstanding piece with a subject matter he knows well. The relation ship between the Despres pair is multifaceted. Dolan also has a point to press on the rules of the province and a parent's power to direct a child into the system and perhaps sending them down a path where they will be lost forever.

**** Out of 4.


Mommy | Xavier Dolan | Canada | 2014 | 139 Minutes.

Tags: Boarding School, Instutilization, Long board, 1:1 Aspect Ratio, Quebec, Mother Son, Home Schooling.

TIFF 14 Film Review- Charlie's Country

Modern day Aboriginal Life is the central topic of Rolf de Heer's film Charlie's Country.  The film looks at life in Aboriginal communities that are not run by the indigenous peoples, life in the cities and prospects in the land outside of the government run Aboriginal communities.

The film centres on Charlie played by the masterful David Gulpilil beginning out in a three side metal home that the government believes is suitable housing making his way through the day. He obtains his government allowance, gives some to the more needy, stops by the community supermarket that is short on just about everything and engages in friendly banter with the locally posted police officers.

de Heer presents a tale co written by Gulpilil that highlights the encroaching State laws on even the most northern Aboriginal communities. Once excellent sequence is a successful hunting trip for Charlie and fellow old-timer master tracker Black Pete (Peter Djigirr) who co- produced the production.  On their return to town they are stopped by the game warden that begins to question them about licenses and permits. The last straw for Charlie is the confiscation of a hand crafted hunting spear by local police office Luke (Luke Ford) who calls it a weapon.  Charlie very perplexed as he often helps the police to track criminals into the bush without compensation.  The spear episode leads Charlie out deeper into the bush in an attempt to live in the traditional ways.

The situation in the cities is even worse. Government funds appear to go strait for alcohol. Aboriginals have to show I.D to purchase as many are banned from doing so. There are also strict rules in place for purchasing alcohol and giving it to a banned person. Darwin is the city featured in the film as Charlie falls in with the cities homeless following a brief stay at Royal Darwin Hospital Darwin is the place where the locals from the Northern Territory go for treatment and eventually end up when an illness is to severe to treat locally.  The trip to Darwin is often feared as the last plane ride out of the community never to return.

Charlie does have an extremely happy memory in is life. It came as a boy when he went all the way to Sydney to dance for the Queen at the opening of the opera house. He speaks of that event with great pride and the community leaders led by Old Lulu (Peter Minygululu) often try to entice Charlie to speak to the current youth and teach them to dance as he did.

Charlie's Country is an insightful look into the minefield of politics and reality of Aboriginal / Australian State Relations. As Charlie states to locally posted State official. I want a house as the government gave you a house on my land. Charlie's Country is definitely a film I can recommend.

*** 1/2  Out of 4.

Charlie's Country | Rolf de Heer | Australia | 2013 | 108 Minutes.

Tags: Aboriginal Community, State Laws, Banned Peoples, Darwin, Outback, Tracking.

Fim Review- The Guardians of the Galaxy

The story opens in 1988 with a young boy sitting in a hospital listening to a cassette with orange headphones entitled Awesome Mix Volume 1. Soon after he is whisked into space and the story picks up 26 years later in the 31st Century.  Our part time hero Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) working for Yondu (Michael Rooker) and his band known at the Ravagers who abducted him from Earth is still listing to the same tape approaches an accent looking structure inside he sees his target a floating orb. Using his gadgets he retrieves the orb in a scene very reminiscent to the opening one in Raiders of the Lost Arc.

Director James Gunn shows a strong hand with the material. He gives each of his main characters several moments to shine as they all blur the lines between good and evil. His task is greatly helped by the script penned by Gunn and Nicole Perlman that fleshes out each of the prime players on multiple levels. The writing also feature many send-ups to other action films including Star Wars, the previously mentioned Raiders of the Lost Arc and the underrated Joss Wheldon project Serenity.

The real star of the piece is the film's soundtrack billed as Awesome Mix Volume 1 a tribute to 70's FM radio long format music.  The songs and cassette player itself is key to the plot.  Redbone's Come and Get Your Love is first up during the afore mentioned floating orb retrieval sequence. Next is Hooked on a Feeling the song that backed the films marketing campaign and the complement to the forming of the group after their exploits battling for the orb and each other in the capital planet Xandar lands them all in the Kyln super prison the spot where they join forces. The third up is Elvin Bishop's Fooled Around and Fell in Love filling the theatre as Peter Quill gets closer to Gamora (Zoe Saldana) letting her listen over his orange headphones to the song.

The film explores the Guardians comic book world spending time at several planets with very different characteristics. From the regal capital planet of Xandar to an off the books local apply named Knowhere where they meet the collector.

Chris Pratt is very effective as the modern day super hero Star lord. He is not perfect but highly flawed as a leader of a dodgy group that the viewer maybe concerned with their motives should be.

Zoe Saldany continues her great fun with science fiction fare as Gamora daughter of Thanos (who will battle the Avengers in their sophomore outing) a top notch assassin first appearing as a supporter of State enemy Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace) and aligned with her half sister Nebula( Karen Gillian), then as solo artist before joining the Guardians group.

The other three members of the group are also strong in their roles. Wrestler tuned Actor Dave Bautista blunt and straightforward Drax bent on revenge on Ronan for butchering his family. Bradley Cooper's voice over for the resourceful lab engineered Rocket Raccoon with his bounty hunting partner tree mutant Groot voiced by Vin Diesel.

Guardians of the Galaxy is a wonderful ride with a twisting and turning storyline that leaves the viewer wanting more knowing that the sequel all be backed by a new soundtrack entitled Awesome Mix Volume II.

*** 1/2 Out of 4.

Guardians of the Galaxy | James Gunn | U.S.A. | 2014| 121 Minutes.

Tags: Sci-Fi, Space Adventure, 70's Music, Mixed tape, Marvel Comics,