Every once in a while something that you are looking forward to not only lives up to anticipation, but smashes the hell out of it. I had high hopes for Guardians of the Galaxy movie, but also was a little weary that it might not come together. I love Batman, but I haven't really been all that fond of the last five Bat-movies. The Guardians of the Galaxy comics are some of my favourite books and characters in recent years. Rocket Raccoon is one of my favourite characters of all time, and one of my earliest love of comic books memories. So, even though I've been really impressed with Marvel's track record so far, this movie is the one that they could have rally let me down with if things went horribly wrong...or even if it ended up just an ok movie.

From Star Lord's musical themed introduction, to the moment I heard Rocket's voice,through every argument and fight scene and laugh out loud joke, I just completely fell in love with this movie. This movie filled with obscure to the mainstream Marvel misfits gets everything right that so much of Hollywood gets wrong. Unlike the fumbling of Superman that Warner Bros has pulled off, a movie that takes a beloved character and makes the mythology depressing and cold and brutally violent.

If I had had a camera on my face throughout this movie I would have looked like a madman. I'm sure that I had a look of joy and wonder on my face throughout, mixed in with being choked up at the actions of our roguish hero or the interaction of a Raccoon and his best friend tree monster. A 10 year old kid will leave Guardians of the Galaxy and want to buy the action figure, a lunchbox, watch a cartoon with these characters in it, read the comic, and then come back and see the movie again. I want to do all of those things too.