The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)
November 25, 2022 10:39 AM - Subscribe
The Guardians, who are on a mission to make Christmas unforgettable for Quill, head to Earth in search of the perfect present. On Disney Plus.
Thank god someone posted this because I need to SQUEE.
posted by The otter lady at 10:53 AM on November 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by The otter lady at 10:53 AM on November 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
I needed to squee and post this so bad I posted it around 20 minutes into watching, I'm still not done watching or writing it up, and others are posting too! (And I'm amazed I found it to post without having to message a mod--wasn't sure WHAT it'd be under or if it was an option.)
Positive reviews at The Hollywood Reporter.
The song is...interesting...Santa is a master burglar and he shoots missiles at your toes.
The plot: Yondu scarred Peter for life by shitting on him about Christmas, and now Mantis wants to give him the gift of bacon....Kevin Bacon, that is. OMG, Mantis being feisty and yelling at Drax is the best.
Drax throwing Mantis over the gate with no thought or preparation.
Mantis: Do you want to give Peter a good Christmas or have your little funny man? Drax (thinks loooooong time) "I want my little funny man." Mantis: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Also, does that look like a little funny man to you? "No." "My friend is an IDIOT."
Best use of "I Want An Alien For Christmas" during the chase scene!
"This isn't a Christmas gift, IT'S HUMAN TRAFFICKING!!!!"
Kevin Bacon's dancing being inspiration for saving the universe...awwww!
Drax and Mantis in sweaters and Groot with a reindeer headband!
It's been long enough since the last movie that I don't remember the origins of that dog or if it was said that Mantis was Ego's kid, but her reveal to Peter, and the reveal that Yondu wasn't a total dick, was great.
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:03 AM on November 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
Positive reviews at The Hollywood Reporter.
The song is...interesting...Santa is a master burglar and he shoots missiles at your toes.
The plot: Yondu scarred Peter for life by shitting on him about Christmas, and now Mantis wants to give him the gift of bacon....Kevin Bacon, that is. OMG, Mantis being feisty and yelling at Drax is the best.
Drax throwing Mantis over the gate with no thought or preparation.
Mantis: Do you want to give Peter a good Christmas or have your little funny man? Drax (thinks loooooong time) "I want my little funny man." Mantis: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Also, does that look like a little funny man to you? "No." "My friend is an IDIOT."
Best use of "I Want An Alien For Christmas" during the chase scene!
"This isn't a Christmas gift, IT'S HUMAN TRAFFICKING!!!!"
Kevin Bacon's dancing being inspiration for saving the universe...awwww!
Drax and Mantis in sweaters and Groot with a reindeer headband!
It's been long enough since the last movie that I don't remember the origins of that dog or if it was said that Mantis was Ego's kid, but her reveal to Peter, and the reveal that Yondu wasn't a total dick, was great.
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:03 AM on November 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
I would die for Cosmo.
Drax's sweater!!
Also Drax and the GoBot.
Gamora's gift to Rocket!
It was silly and sweet and I laughed aloud and teared up a little. Perfect Christmas special.
posted by The otter lady at 11:11 AM on November 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Drax's sweater!!
Also Drax and the GoBot.
Gamora's gift to Rocket!
It was silly and sweet and I laughed aloud and teared up a little. Perfect Christmas special.
posted by The otter lady at 11:11 AM on November 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
There was just so much JOY in this movie. Unironic, over-the-top joy, from Mantis and Drax's adventures on Earth, to Peter's face, to-- it was just a silly happy show that didn't try to make much sense or be edgy or anything. Marvel fanbois will probably hate it, but after a rough week, this was exactly what I needed.
posted by The otter lady at 11:19 AM on November 25, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by The otter lady at 11:19 AM on November 25, 2022 [6 favorites]
In it for the Old 97's!
posted by OHenryPacey at 1:40 PM on November 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by OHenryPacey at 1:40 PM on November 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
6 degrees of Kevin Bacon just got a lot easier.
posted by forbiddencabinet at 3:34 PM on November 25, 2022 [15 favorites]
posted by forbiddencabinet at 3:34 PM on November 25, 2022 [15 favorites]
Rocket’s absolute joy at his gift made me feel emotions. Human emotions!
posted by Mr. Excellent at 3:41 PM on November 25, 2022
posted by Mr. Excellent at 3:41 PM on November 25, 2022
Short, sweet, and classic James Gunn in all the best ways! Bring on another special!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:45 PM on November 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:45 PM on November 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
The song I Don't Know What Christmas Is (But Christmastime Is Here) is a straight-up banger. I added it to my Spotify Christmas playlist while it was still playing on tv. I liked Quill's little running commentary throughout the song but the actual single doesn't have any of that (which is fine).
I didn't remember anything about Mantis or what she could do but it was an eyeroll moment when 2 minutes after asking Drax to throw her over the fence, you see her repeatedly jumping 20 feet into the air to chase Kevin Bacon. Other than that, no complaints. Super fun and cute. I will watch this every Christmas.
Also I loved Kevin Bacon's tacky Christmas decorations, and there were sooooo many of them!
posted by the webmistress at 8:05 PM on November 25, 2022
I didn't remember anything about Mantis or what she could do but it was an eyeroll moment when 2 minutes after asking Drax to throw her over the fence, you see her repeatedly jumping 20 feet into the air to chase Kevin Bacon. Other than that, no complaints. Super fun and cute. I will watch this every Christmas.
Also I loved Kevin Bacon's tacky Christmas decorations, and there were sooooo many of them!
posted by the webmistress at 8:05 PM on November 25, 2022
I don't think that there's an MCU origin for Cosmo yet (and IIRC just one brief appearance in the first GotG movie), but the basic idea is that Cosmo was "what if someone saved Laika rather than just letting her die in space."
Pretty cool all around, including the revelation of Mantis' secret, which seems like a bit of a retcon but one that makes perfect sense. (Also left me wondering if Mantis has any special powers because of it.)
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:28 PM on November 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Pretty cool all around, including the revelation of Mantis' secret, which seems like a bit of a retcon but one that makes perfect sense. (Also left me wondering if Mantis has any special powers because of it.)
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:28 PM on November 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Mantis' secret made a lot of senseto me, because I always wondered why she was hanging around Ego otherwise.
posted by The otter lady at 11:12 PM on November 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by The otter lady at 11:12 PM on November 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
> In it for the Old 97's!
Same. This is literally how I heard about this.
posted by gingerbeer at 11:40 PM on November 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Same. This is literally how I heard about this.
posted by gingerbeer at 11:40 PM on November 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
I think I assumed she was a kid of his in movie 2? Like duh, why else would she be there?
posted by jenfullmoon at 12:10 AM on November 26, 2022
posted by jenfullmoon at 12:10 AM on November 26, 2022
so much fun
but that Groot costume... wha?
posted by kokaku at 5:36 AM on November 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
but that Groot costume... wha?
posted by kokaku at 5:36 AM on November 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
Teenage-Groot has been hitting the gym....
posted by Pendragon at 8:26 AM on November 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Pendragon at 8:26 AM on November 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
We're nearly ready to pay for a Disney subscription — for Andor, Mandalorian and this. Maybe we'll buy it for a month in the dark, cold, upcoming January or February.
posted by SoberHighland at 10:10 AM on November 26, 2022
posted by SoberHighland at 10:10 AM on November 26, 2022
I CAN'T BELIEVE ROCKET GOT THE ARM
posted by praemunire at 7:53 PM on November 26, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by praemunire at 7:53 PM on November 26, 2022 [6 favorites]
James Gunn Explains How "Swoll Groot" Came to Life in the 'Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special'
posted by praemunire at 10:11 PM on November 26, 2022
posted by praemunire at 10:11 PM on November 26, 2022
This is clever, cute, and sweet.
posted by porpoise at 10:28 PM on November 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by porpoise at 10:28 PM on November 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
GoBots in the MCU is the Christmas gift I didn't know I wanted.
posted by Gary at 12:18 AM on November 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Gary at 12:18 AM on November 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
I CAN'T BELIEVE ROCKET GOT THE ARM
AFAIK, Bucky is next going to be in the Thunderbolts movie, and I would die if there was a reference to this in it.
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:12 AM on November 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
AFAIK, Bucky is next going to be in the Thunderbolts movie, and I would die if there was a reference to this in it.
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:12 AM on November 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
The entire soundtrack playlist is up on Spotify and is absolutely rocking.
posted by tdismukes at 8:15 AM on November 27, 2022
posted by tdismukes at 8:15 AM on November 27, 2022
Was that actually Keven Bacon singing on "Here It Is Christmas Time"? It sounded a lot like Rhett Miller, so I assumed Bacon was lip syncing, but the soundtrack has Bacon listed as one of the artists.
posted by willnot at 8:56 AM on November 27, 2022
posted by willnot at 8:56 AM on November 27, 2022
Even in the first Guardians of the Galaxy film we saw that Gunn's humor focuses more on one-liners than on deriving humor from consistent characterization (e.g. when Quill says they have the chance to show they give a shit, Drax--who supposedly takes everything literally--did not misunderstand this figure of speech. Which is fine; that would have been way too gross for most people, but Gunn could have just avoided that particular phrasing--except he didn't, indicating that Drax's taking everything literally was mostly just a joke that Gunn tossed off and considered to have served its purpose).
Anyway, on this one, I kind of wish Gunn had explored a bit more in re: humor derived from character, because the script was ripe for scenes of Drax failing to understand acting. It could have been a recurring joke, but I'm not sure if Gunn even thought of it.
Anyway, it wasn't bad, and the songs were nice.
posted by johnofjack at 9:15 AM on November 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Anyway, on this one, I kind of wish Gunn had explored a bit more in re: humor derived from character, because the script was ripe for scenes of Drax failing to understand acting. It could have been a recurring joke, but I'm not sure if Gunn even thought of it.
Anyway, it wasn't bad, and the songs were nice.
posted by johnofjack at 9:15 AM on November 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Kevin Bacon and his brother have been in a band, called The Bacon Brothers for some reason, since forever.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 9:16 AM on November 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by 1970s Antihero at 9:16 AM on November 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
Nebula roaring "YOU CAN'T RUN FROM ME, BACON!" made me rofl.
posted by The otter lady at 10:05 AM on November 27, 2022 [9 favorites]
posted by The otter lady at 10:05 AM on November 27, 2022 [9 favorites]
No notes, that was something I didn't even know I needed.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 6:25 PM on November 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by kittens for breakfast at 6:25 PM on November 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Huh, if I hadn't seen that Swole Groot article, I would've assumed it was Rubber Suit Groot and not CGI. I mean, it would make sense as a little bit of cost cutting, maybe?
posted by Kyol at 5:27 AM on November 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Kyol at 5:27 AM on November 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
Also, no shit, I had to go lookup what happened to Gamora. I, uh. I blame the GotG video game? On the other hand, the game introduced me to other people that are expected in phase 4, so I guess it's a wash?
posted by Kyol at 5:51 AM on November 28, 2022
posted by Kyol at 5:51 AM on November 28, 2022
So Star Lord has had ships named the Benetar and the Bowie... If there's not a movie with "We gotta get back to the Bacon before it blows!" I just.
posted by The otter lady at 9:24 PM on November 28, 2022
posted by The otter lady at 9:24 PM on November 28, 2022
We held off watching this until Christmas day and it was the gift I needed. Mantis and Drax are a team made in heaven, and Kevin Bacon was an absolute joy. And I cried when Peter hugged his sister, Mantis.
Also, I never heard of Old 97's before and they were fantastic.
posted by ceejaytee at 4:54 AM on December 27, 2022
Also, I never heard of Old 97's before and they were fantastic.
posted by ceejaytee at 4:54 AM on December 27, 2022
THE OLD 97'S WERE IN THIS AND Y'ALL DIDN'T TELL ME?????
To be fair, if you're gonna have a band in a Marvel holiday special, it literally doesn't get more wholesome than the Old 97's.
posted by Kitteh at 4:55 PM on December 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
To be fair, if you're gonna have a band in a Marvel holiday special, it literally doesn't get more wholesome than the Old 97's.
posted by Kitteh at 4:55 PM on December 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by Lokheed at 10:42 AM on November 25, 2022