2022, James Gunn -- Disney
James Gunn seems to have a carte blanche to do as he wishes these days. After being cancelled, and the returned to Marvel. After doing the best DC Universe movie. After getting very successful and VERY well done TV show from said best DC Universe movie. Yeah, he's doing well from the bank point of view, and fan reaction.
So, I fully admit I was expecting this to be his take on the Star Wars Christmas Special. And in some ways, we did get that. But in more ways, its just a feel good, traditional Xmas season Christmas special like so many TV shows had in the 80s. It even starts with a rotoscoped animation, of Peter Quill having his Xmas ruined by Yondu, like those nostalgic Christian Christmas shorts that always played around the season -- I don't remember much about them but that the animation was crude and .... they were based on Christmas carols?
Anywayz, its a psyche(!) as we cut out to the gang, now living on Nowhere (apparently they bought the wreckage from The Collector) with a bunch of other aliens, and Peter is feeling blue for Xmas. More likely he is still in mourning, but Mantis decides she has to do something for Peter, so he can have a proper Christmas. That thought is interrupted by the musical number, for all Christmas Specials have to have a musical number. This one done by a trio of aliens who play their Earth instruments rather well, but all the things about Santa pretty screwed up. On purpose, I think. Just fuckin' with ya Peter.
Anywayz, back to Mantis's plan - she and Drax will go to Earth and bring back the Greatest Hero Earth Has -- Kevin Bacon. TBH, he never stood out for me as Peter's hero, more just a character he uses in one of his own tales of childhood memories. I would have gone with David Hassellhoff, but either way, off the pair goes (in the new ship Bowie) to Earth, to Hollywood, where they have no idea how to find Kevin Bacon. One drunken escapade later (montage of them making money having selfies shot with them) and ... well, they don't have tons of money (spent that on booze in the gay bar), but they coerce a "map to the homes of the stars" seller into telling them where Kevin Bacon, Greatest Hero Earth Has, lives.
Kevin Bacon is not impressed. So they break in, but not before becoming enamoured with some of his lawn decorations. On the trip back, with a kidnapped Kevin Bacon, Greatest Hero Earth Has, they determine is just an actor and... they hate actors? But that's alright, Mantis will whammy him into playing a proper hero. But of course, once he's presented to Peter, we know just exactly how he will act. Kind of weird having Starlord play the straight man to all the lunatic antics of Mantis, Drax, Young Adult Groot and the others.
Anywayz, even after un-whammying Kevin Bacon, he understands what Peter is going through and reminds us that he had a short career as a rockstar. And his song is more than a half-decent Xmas ditty. Show ends with all the Xmas Feels, lights everywhere, presents exchanged -- Cosmo the talking Cosmonaut dog even gives Groot a dead ratthing -- and we are now hyped up for the trailer for the Guardians of the Galaxy vol3.
Yeah, I enjoyed it. Everyone seemed really invested even for just a one-off Xmas Special, and Mantis was having more than the requisite amount of fun, while also uncharacteristically getting the spotlight.
Thoughts.
Where did they get Bucky's arm?!?!
Why was Cosmo the dog voiced as a young woman? I would have assumed him to sound like an old, season Russian cosmonaut.
Is Earth now going to be on the lookout for the dastardly, violent Guardians of the Galaxy?
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