Transforming power of music
James Croot
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (M, 137 mins) Directed by James Gunn
What’s the one bad thing about making a box office smash that blew everyone away?
Trying to come up with a sequel that will live up to some incredibly high expectations.
Clearly, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 could never match the magic of the original 2014 Marvel film. That one had the element of surprise, with writerdirector James Gunn providing a fresh and fabulous take on superhero films that tended to take themselves a bit too seriously.
This time around, we all know what to expect, which is both a good thing and a bad thing. The impact isn’t quite the same, yet it’s still a hell of a lot of fun to hang out with this merry bunch of misfits. You want more witty one-liners, kick-ass 70s tunes and crazy space shenanigans? You got it – and then some.
The gang’s all here again – well, more or less, depending on how you view the unbearably cute Baby Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) – and not much has changed. Smart-mouthed hero Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), still has daddy issues and the hots for green assassin Gamora (Zoe Saldana), who definitely hasn’t healed the rift with bionic sister Nebula (Karen Gillan).
Rocket, the wise-ass raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), is still a trigger-happy jerk, while Drax, the tactless muscle man (Dave Bautista), gets all the best lines – and an amusing new buddy named Mantis (Pom Klementieff).
The Guardians get in trouble after Rocket steals some fancy batteries they’re meant to be guarding on a planet ruled by a golden queen (Elizabeth Debicki). The angry golden gang comes after the Guardians, a mighty battle ensues, and lo and behold, Peter bumps into his long-lost daddy Ego (Kurt Russell).
The reunion doesn’t quite go as planned, but with family being a clear theme of Vol. 2, there are plenty of touching moments thrown in among all the action and wisecracks.
There’s also a whole other storyline involving the Ravagers and Peter’s pseudo-dad Yondu (Michael Rooker) – complete with a Sylvester Stallone cameo.
At times, there’s a bit too much going on, and it starts to feel like maybe we’re just being set up for Vol. 3.
But so what if we are? Fun is the name of the game here, and Vol. 2 has it in spades. So just sit back, relax and enjoy this space ride for what it is – and don’t forget to stay for the credits. – Christina Kuntz
Plenty of drama in store
As the fourth and final season of the popular United Kingdom series Mr Selfridge begins, it’s London, 1928, and Harry Selfridge (Jeremy Piven) is at the pinnacle of his wealth and celebrity. But in this buzzing, fast-evolving world, Harry is splashing his cash in an unprecedented, dangerous way. As he parties and gambles with stage stars, the Dolly Sisters, and pursues risky new business ventures, the trials and tribulations of our other much loved characters, and a handful of newcomers, also unfold.
Friday, 7.30pm, Vibe
Brothers butt heads
Rams offers yet another surprise 2016 package from Iceland, the Nordic land that former English footballer Gary Lineker described as having ‘‘more volcanoes than professional footballers’’ (after they defeated his home nation at Euro 2016). Writer-director Grimur Hakonarson ( A Pure Heart, Summerland), skilfully manages a number of tonal transitions, keeping his focus on the changing relationship between two estranged farming brothers, as they firstly seem set to escalate to open warfare, before realising they may have to work together for a common goal.
Monday, 8.30pm, Rialto
Songs of protest
Soundtrack for a Revolution is a 2009 documentary which tells the story of the American civil rights movement through its powerful music – the freedom songs protesters sang on picket lines, in mass meetings, and in jail cells as they fought for justice and equality. ‘‘Through vivid archival material and voice-overs, the filmmakers create moving vignettes that, taken together, form a fascinating primer on nonviolence as a political force and discipline,’’ wrote The Washington Post’s Ann Hornaday.
Tuesday, 8.30pm, Maori TV
Soul-filled sounds
Respected by her peers and revered internationally by those in the know – Donna Dean is perhaps our most famous singersongwriter you’ve never heard of. That’s something fellow Kiwi musician Bill Morris aims to put right with his 2016 documentary The Sound of Her Guitar. What started as an attempt to capture the two-time New Zealand Country Music Album of the Year winner in her element as she brought her music to the home of ‘‘country’’ – middle-America – soon became an intimate portrait of a woman who overcame a troubled background and poured her pain into her heart-rending songs.
Thursday, 8.30pm, Rialto