Nerd in the 'Noke

Kong: Skull Island (2017), PG-13, 120 minutes - I actually saw this film a few weeks ago when it was first released, but due to a number of life situations, haven't had the chance to get my review together. Admittedly, I had been a little leery when Kong: Skull Island was first announced.  I knew that it was completely independent of the last big screen outing for everyone's favorite giant ape (2005's King Kong), but I was very underwhelmed by that film so I suppose my thoughts on a franchise reboot of sorts were negatively skewed.  I came around a bit after learning who was involved in the project: Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, and John C. Reilly.  All of whose work I generally tend to enjoy.  Trailers and images began to be released and it became more and more obvious that this wasn't going to be a rehash of the King Kong films of yesteryear. Kong: Skull Island is an origin story of sorts for the giant ape.  In the wake o...

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), PG-13, 121 minutes - After being fairly successful at avoiding spoilers on the internet (or from others who beat me to seeing it), I was able to check out Guardians of the Galaxy yesterday afternoon.  Most people are probably wondering 'who the hell are they?' or 'what on Earth is going on with a talking raccoon and tree?'.  To be honest, my previous exposure to these characters is lower than normal when it comes to the Marvel films.  What I do know is that what little I've read was well written and very entertaining.  From the time Marvel announced that Guardians of the Galaxy would be joining their Cinematic Universe (MCU), I've been very excited (it landed on my Most Anticipated Films of 2014 list ).  Since the Guardians have never been even remotely mainstream (until the last year or so), a theatrical adaptation of their adventures posed the biggest question mark of any Marvel project to date and rightfully so.  B...

Um, can you say 'AWESOME!'?  Because that's what the first trailer for this summer's Guardians of the Galaxy looks like.  Guardians appears to basically be Marvel's attempt at a true sci-fi/space opera (a la Star Wars) within their cinematic universe.  Based on the group of the same name from their comics, Marvel has positioned this rag-tag group of characters to be a comedic and entertaining expansion beyond the nine realms already seen and mentioned in Marvel's films (including Earth of course). A co-worker asked me who the Guardians of the Galaxy were the other day, and the simplest answer I could give was that they are the Island of Misfit Toys equivalent of space-based comic book characters.  You have Star Lord (Peter Quill, an human/alien hybrid), Gamora (daughter of Thanos - yes, that Thanos), Drax the Destroyer (originally human, his spirit now inhabits a more powerful alien body), Rocket Raccoon (a bipedal raccoon-looking alien who isn't actual...