This film was provided to me by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. All opinions expressed are 100% my own. This post contains affiliate links.
From the moment we saw the first trailer for The Space Between Us, my husband and I were very excited to see it. It looked like it would be very interesting. We love space related movies and shows – The Expanse is one of our favorite shows and this sort of reminded us of it. What seemed like a great story, a boy born on Mars whose body cannot survive the Earth’s atmosphere, was even better than both of us expected.
Because we had such high expectations of the film, we were nervous that it might fall flat for us. Spoiler alert – it didn’t. The Space Between Us comes to Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand May 16th and I highly recommend picking it up for an at-home date night. Or, if your kids are 12 or older (in my opinion), they would enjoy it too. The plot is great, and doesn’t fail. Plus, the actors are all phenomenal.
About The Space Between Us
Two worlds. One connection. Embark on an extraordinary mission through space to find love and experience our planet like never before in the romantic adventure, The Space Between Us. Starring Gary Oldman (The Dark Night Rises, Harry Potter), Asa Butterfield (Ender’s Game, Hugo), Carla Gugino (Night At The Museum, “Wayward Pines”), Britt Robertson (A Dog’s Purpose, Tomorrowland), BD Wong (Jurassic World, “Law & Order: SVU”) and Janet Montgomery (“This Is Us”, Black Swan), The Space Between Us takes viewers on an out-of-this-world journey that reveals all the incredible beauty of the Earth and proves love is a universal language.
Synopsis
Sixteen-year-old Gardner Elliot (Butterfield) is the first human born on Mars, living his whole life with a team of scientists on the red planet. He’s always longed to see Earth to find the father he’s never known and to meet a beautiful street smart girl named Tulsa (Robertson) he’s encountered friends with online. But when his chance finally comes, doctors discover his heart can’t withstand the Earth’s atmosphere. Eager to find his father, Gardner and Tulsa escape on a cross-country race against time to unravel the mysteries of how he came to be and where he belongs in the universe. See the heartfelt and inspiring romantic adventure about how far one person can go for love. Purchase The Space Between Us here.
Bonus Features
Alternate Ending
Deleted Scenes
“Love” Featurette – An inside look, with the cast and filmmakers, at the themes of the film, highlighting the one theme that connects us all – Love.
Feature Commentary with Director Peter Chelsom – Available only on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Enter to win a copy of The Space Between Us on BluRa/DVD Combo using the Gleam form below. Be sure to check out my other giveaways while you are here and GOOD LUCK!
My girls are HUGE Cars fans. We have seen the first two films more times than I can count. My whole family is really excited for Cars 3 and are counting the days until June 16th! It comes out right before my oldest daughter’s 6th birthday so we plan to take her and a couple friends to see it. We have been watching the teasers and the new trailer for it over and over and getting excited. Whenever we go to Disney World, we always have to visit Lightning McQueen and Mater! If we don’t we would never hear the end of it from the girls!
Activity Sheets
I have some really fun downloadable activity sheets for you to share with your kids! There is a maze, memory game, and a spot the difference sheet. Get your kids ready for the release of Cars 3 next month by downloading and printing them today.
Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast racers, the legendary Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) is suddenly pushed out of the sport he loves. To get back in the game, he will need the help of an eager young race technician, Cruz Ramirez (voice of Cristela Alonzo), with her own plan to win, plus inspiration from the late Fabulous Hudson Hornet and a few unexpected turns. Proving that #95 isn’t through yet will test the heart of a champion on Piston Cup Racing’s biggest stage!
One of the funniest interviews of the day was our first interview of the day – Michael Rooker (Yondu) and Sean Gunn (Kraglin) in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2. These two play a couple of Ravagers and work more closely together than you might think. They had us in stitches nearly the whole interview making it one of my favorites of the day. Apparently Michael Rooker feels the same way because he ended the interview saying some very things to us, “This is the best, this is the pinnacle of all the interviews that we have done. Oh, I could totally do this all day.“
Yondu has some pretty in depth makeup, Kraglin not so much. We asked Michael and Sean to tell us about the process of becoming Yondu and Kraglin.
“The makeup process is awesome. It took about three hours to put on four, five, or six layers of different shades of blue and gold and silver and yellow. And I’m like, what color is this? Sometimes they just flick it on with a brush. They put it on the brush and they just flick it and it’s like little spackling all over your face. Tiny little dots help to bring out the depth of the paint so it just looks like real skin and it feels like real skin.“
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
The Teeth
Both Sean and Michael have to work with fake teeth. Sean told us that he had a really hard time with the teeth.
“I tried to get the teeth made several months before we started so that I could put them in and work with the talking. I think talking through the teeth was in the first movie, it was one of the most difficult things I [have ever done].”
While I was on the set of Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, Michael actually brought his teeth out to show us all. He talked about them quite a bit in that interview, but added to it in this one.
“What it did do, was it’s very difficult for the whistle. A whistle’s all in the front right where the stupid teeth are. [I told them] we got to fix these because I got to whistle. So they did and they did pretty good. I had to relearn a little bit of where I focus the sound for the whistling.“
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
Dave Bautista’s Journey
We asked the guys who their favorite character in the film were and why. Michael let Sean know he could say Yondu, but Sean declined to that (it was really quite funny).
“I like them all in different ways.I love Drax – I love the journey that I’ve seen Dave take from his audition for the first movie through the magnificent performance he gives in this movie. If I had to choose, I’d say Dave, but I love all the characters in the movie.“
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
Sean is Rocket Raccoon on Set
Michael response had us all cracking up, “I don’t like working with real humans. Never have, so I’m going to go with Rocket and Baby Groot are my favorite. But that being said, Rocket is my friend right here (meaning Sean Gunn, as he does the vocals and stand in for Rocket on set) and we worked together day and night. He does all the vocals for Rocket [on set].“
Sean then jumped in to explain a little bit about the process of being Rocket on the set.
“We have to do several takes for anything that Rocket is a part of. We do a reference take. We’re in there and we make sure we get one or two good ones of those and then we have to do one with a light, where I’m doing the lines from just behind the camera. Got to do one that’s totally empty. So it’s a whole process.“
Michael Rooker had one more thing to say about the process of films like this – and a message for anyone who might want to hire him to do another in the future.
“The process for doing this kind of movie with such heavy CGI and characters that don’t truly exist, is like doing five movies, for God’s sake. I will forever get a whole hell of a lot more money if I ever have to do this again. Producers out there, you better know you better come with your best offer because I know how this shit works now.“
As you probably know, Sean Gunn is the Director James Gunn‘s brother. We wanted to know a little bit about the dynamic on set and if it was difficult for them to work together.
“We’ve been working together in various capacities since we were little, so I have an easier time working with him than just about anybody. We have such a shorthand for communicating with one another and I know for the most part, what he’s looking for. When I read scenes, I have a pretty good feel for what he’s going for. I think that we work together really, really well. I’m certainly grateful that he gave me such a nice role in this film. I really am happy to be part of it – I know that’s kind of what I’m supposed to say, but it’s true. It’s a great franchise and the movies are made with a lot of love and a lot of heart and I’m very happy to be part of that.”
“These guys, what they go through with makeup and stuff is amazing. You hear Rooker talk about having hours worth of makeup and it’s really impressive. He never complains. It’s also being ready to go and ready to perform and focus and so what he and Dave and Karen and Zoe and Sully go through every day is just so intense. So I was very glad that he let me play a humanoid character in this movie.“
If you have seen the movie, you know that during the first end credit scene we see Kraglin practicing using the fin. It was hilarious, poor Drax. But we asked Sean if that was a possible hint at anything we might see in the future. Unfortunately, he didn’t know much about any future storyline (or didn’t tell us if he did).
“I don’t know anything other than where I’m supposed to stand and what I’m supposed to say. Honestly, I’d like to think there’s more in store for that character, but I don’t know anything.“
I would love to see Kraglin in Volume 3 – and with the fin, that would be epic.
I am still heartbroken over Yondu’s death. I miss him terribly and I hope we see him again in the future, some how. Marvel brings people back so…maybe? We asked Micheal how he felt when he first got to the part in the script where Yondu dies. He didn’t seem to be as upset as we were.
“You know what? I’m used to dying. I’ve died several times. Many times in different movies and different TV shows and it doesn’t hurt at all. It’s okay, I’ll be back – somewhere.“
Could that mean he will potentially be back in another Guardians film? Who knows. He passed it off as meaning other movies, but I’ll go ahead and keep my fingers crossed. He did say that he would love to be a part of any extension of Yondu – potentially even a back story.
“I’m used to the makeup. I’m used to the character. I already know it. I will get paid more.“
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
The Death Scene
When Yondu died, it broke my heart. I was full on sobbing in the theater – both times I saw it. We asked Michael what it was like to film that scene – and he let us in on a hilarious thing that happened.
“You know, it was emotional. Very, very emotional for everyone but me. Mostly I was sleeping. It’s true. Swear to God.“
Sean confirmed this, “When we were doing the funeral scene at the end and Chris has his big speech. We’re all super sad and all of the sudden you hear [snoring]. Rooker was out. I won’t forget that. So funny.“
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 is in Theaters Now!
Thank you Scholastic for sending me a copy and providing the prize pack!
My girls and I love reading. We sit together every night and they each pick a couple of books to read. One book that seems to always be chosen lately is Happy Dreamer. I am totally OK with reading this over and over because it really teaches kids a great lesson – that you can be whatever you want to be! This is a must have book for any family with young kids.
About Happy Dreamer
In the same spirit as OH, ALL THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!, the beloved, worldwide bestselling creator of The Dot and Ish inspires readers of every age to find their own unique path to happy, and to always follow their dreams with HAPPY DREAMER.
Picture book and creativity guru Peter H. Reynolds brings us a universally poignant celebration of the colorful spectrum of what it means to dream and the many ways to find happy!
While the world tells us to sit still, to follow the rules, and to color inside the lines, Happy Dreamer celebrates all those moments in between when the mind and spirit soar and we are free to become our own true dreamer maximus! In Peter’s signature voice and style, this empowering picture book reminds children of how much their dreams matter, and while life will have ups and downs, he enlists readers to stay true to who they are, to tap into their most creative inner selves, and to never ever forget to dream big!
Peter H. Reynolds’ latest inspirational book is a perfect gift for graduations, new babies, milestone moments, and any happy occasion throughout the year for any age!
About The Author – Peter H. Reynolds
Peter is a New York Times bestselling children’s book author and illustrator of many books for children, including the Judy Moody series, written by Meghan McDonald; The Dot; Ish; Sky Color; and Allison McGhee’s Someday, selling more than two million books in over 25 languages around the globe. In 1996, he founded FableVision with his brother Paul as a social change agency to help move the world to a better place by creating “stories that matter, stories that move.” He lives in Dedham, Massachusetts, with his family.
Enter to win a Happy Dream Prize Pack using the Gleam form below! This prize pack includes: 1 Copy of Happy Dreamer, Life-sized coloring map, & scented crayons to share with your young dreamer! Be sure to check out my other giveaways while you are here and GOOD LUCK!
Each giveaway has a value of a minimum of $15, however some are worth much more. Be sure to enter to win all of them because there is no limit to how many you can win. GOOD LUCK!
As I am sure you all know by now, I am a total Marvel Fan Girl. I have been reading the comics since I was a little girl so when the MCU started, I was more than excited. My favorite characters were coming to life, and boy did Marvel Studios know how to do it right. So when I got the interview list for the Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 event and saw not only the Director, James Gunn on it, but Marvel Studios President, Kevin Feige too, my heart almost exploded. I wasn’t sure I would be able to get words to come out of my mouth being in the same room as these two geniuses. And what happened after the interview was one of the best moments of my life – more on that later.
James Gunn walked in and immediately said that his “favorite part of making the Guardians is movie is meeting with the Mommy Bloggers.” and then added “That’s not a joke. That’s a hundred percent true.” This set the tone for a fantastic interview. Now, I previously met James on the set of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2, and so I knew we were all in for a treat.
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
Finding the Right Music
If you know anything about the Guardians movies, you know that music plays a big role. In fact, the music has been referred to as a character of its own on several occasions. We asked James to tell us about the process of choosing the music.
“I have a list of about 500 songs which I think of as Guardians-type songs that Meredith Quill might really love. When I’m writing the script, I put the songs into the script where they seem to fit. Sometimes I don’t have a song that seems right on that list, so I have to go out and search, and listen to a bunch of stuff, and see what I like. It’s all basically baked into the organic story of what’s happening in the movie in the same way you put sugar in a cake. “
James then let us know that one song was found from a Twitter follower of his. Kevin Feige hadn’t even heard the story yet.
“There’s nothing I get more tweets about than ‘you [should] put this song in Guardians of the Galaxy.’ They’re always songs that I know really well, because I’ve studied my Seventies music – especially since starting on this series. Somebody sent this song by this band called Silver, called “Wham Bam.” And I’m like, I’ve never [heard this song before]. I went and I played it, and I’m like, ‘This is a really cool, like, total Seventies pop song that is so different.’ I thought it was a modern band with a retro vibe. I had to go and do some research on it, and found out that it really existed, and then I put it in the movie. So, I wish I knew who that Twitter person was.“
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
Disneyland’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout Ride
Kevin added to this conversation by letting us know about the outline of the Guardians movies that James submitted. He also went on to talk about the new Guardians ride at Disneyland.
“A lot of screenwriters put song suggestions into their scripts, and almost none of those songs end up in the actual movie. When James did that on an outline in the first movie it was like, “Oh, that’s cute. He thinks these songs are gonna be in the movie.” Every single song [made it in]. [They were] perfect for the movie. And then on part two, I knew better. So, I would listen to the song as I’m reading the outline, and then later the script. And that pool of songs that he has comes in handy. There’s a Guardians of the Galaxy theme park ride that is opening soon at California Adventure that features songs that James suggested as well, and a few other places coming up in the future. “
At this point we all know the Guardians are going to be in Infinity War. We know they are going to come across the Avengers – and I know I for one cannot wait to see how it all plays out. We asked Kevin how this was all coming together.
“As with all of the connectivity between our characters on various films, you have to be careful about it. We never want it to just seem like characters are popping their heads out of windows and saying “Hello” and then going back in. Believe me, it’d be easier to do it that way, but it wouldn’t be as satisfying. So a big role, a small role, regardless of the actual screen time that any single character has – and I think you’ve seen this in the Avengers films, and in Civil War last year – it’ll be very meaningful and very important to the story that we’re telling. That film is shooting right now and we’ve already shot a lot of those interactions, and it’s very exciting.“
HOLLYWOOD, CA – April 19th, 2017 (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
It’s All About Family
James Gunn’s family makes a cameo in this film. His parents, his brother, his brother’s wife – even his nephews and his niece. At the premiere he dedicated the movie to his parents and it was very touching. When we brought that up to him, he told us how he felt about the Guardians movies truly being about family.
“I think the first movie really is about a relationship from a mother to her son, and the second movie is about a relationship from a father to a son. My parents would be the first to admit it was not the easiest upbringing, but they loved me. I think at the end of the day, that’s what’s most important, and I think that’s the point of the movie. I think these characters love each other, and as hard as it is for them to express it to each other, and even more so with a character like Rocket, who has almost an impossible time taking it in at all – that’s what the movie is about.“
Director James Gunn working with Taserface (Chris Sullivan)
Pairing the Right Directors with Films
Obviously (no pun intended), James Gunn was the perfect choice as Director for Guardians of the Galaxy. I simply cannot imagine these movies any other way. We asked Kevin about the process for choosing the right directors, because with the MCU, every movie has been matched perfectly with it’s Director.
“It’s a leap of faith to some regard. And a lot of it is, ‘is the vibe there, and do we want to spend, in a worst-case scenario, three years together, and in a best-case scenario, ten years together? 12?’ We have a great team at Marvel Studios, and in the case of Guardians it was executive producer Jeremy Latcham and now executive producer Jonathan Schwartz who did the first round of meetings. They were the first people James met with [and they] pitched the notion of this weird space movie with raccoons and trees.“
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
James Gunn built on what Kevin had to say by letting us know that he wasn’t sure he was going to take the job at first.
“When I said goodbye to them I thought they were making a huge mistake. I [was thinking] ‘You guys have done a great job so far as Marvel, but, you know this is Bugs Bunny in the middle of the Avengers, and you’re gonna look like idiots.’ I kind of smiled and shook their hands, I went home, and I didn’t think I was going to pursue it in any way. Then on the way home, it hit me. I was seeing the first poster in my head on the way home, and I realized what this movie could be, and how it could bring color and heart into a big, franchise film, and create the kind of space opera that I’ve wanted to do my entire life. I think that I’m lucky and that I’m good at casting. I’m able to see something in these actors that maybe somebody else doesn’t see. But in the same way, I think Kevin cast me. Kevin gave me an opportunity. They saw something in this eclectic stuff that I was doing that could be applied to a mainstream film.”
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
Time to Give a Shit About Something
James concluded the interview with something I found very poetic. I apologize for the language, but I had to leave his quotes as is for this.
“In the first Guardians movie, the Guardians say, ‘Maybe it’s time to actually give a shit about something.’ I had a lot of success doing things in Hollywood, and I always considered that my strength was that I didn’t really give a shit. I would go in and I would pitch something, and I’m like, ‘Well, if I get the job, then I’m gonna get money. But if I don’t get the job, then I don’t have to work for a little while.’ I’m very lazy. This fact, that I didn’t care, I always thought it was my strength. And for the first time in my life, I really, really wanted the Guardians of the Galaxy gig. That honestly had never happened to me before. I had never done it. And so it was a new experience for me in caring, and it’s so funny because that’s exactly what the Guardians are about.“
Making this Marvel Fan Girl’s Day
The Guardians of the Galaxy comic books have been my favorites – always. When I have to cut down titles (I used to get nearly 50 a month, guys), GotG was never one to go. As long as Marvel was publishing them, I was buying them. James Gunn brought these characters to life and so when I was deciding on how to go about my Guardians sleeve tattoo, it wasn’t even a question as to which versions I was using – it was the MCU versions. Plus, how could I not have Baby Groot? He wasn’t in the comics until right now (and I love him). My tattoo is still in progress, but I was super excited to be able to rock it on the red carpet.
— Tessa Smith – Mama's Geeky (@MamasGeeky) April 14, 2016
At one point during the interview I noticed Kevin kind of catch my eye and I knew he had noticed it. When the interview ended, he asked to see my arm – and what happened next was one of the best moments of my life. Kevin and James told me how cool it was and then James asked me if he could take a picture with it. I mean, just a year ago I spotted Kevin Feige on the Captain America: Civil War red carpet and was freaking out inside (see the tweet above). Now he was in awe of my arm and James Gunn was asking me to take a photo with them!?! I would be lying if I didn’t admit it was all a bit of a blur but I am pretty sure I didn’t stop smiling for a week.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTNQIsejh-n/
You would think it couldn’t get any better than that, but then it did. James posted the picture on his Instagram. Life made, guys. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 is in theaters now and is a MUST SEE. I have seen it twice and it only gets better, I promise you. James Gunn is a genius. You won’t be disappointed.
Potential Spoilers Beyond This Point!
Below are some potential spoilers from our interview. If you have seen the movie already, read on, because there is some great information. If you haven’t (why haven’t you seen it yet?!), then bookmark this page and come back to finish it later.
Gamora and Star-Lord
Many fans are eagerly awaiting for Gamora and Peter to finally kiss, others, maybe not as much. It is definitely something that has to be done very well to be satisfying for all parties involved. We asked James why we hadn’t seen that yet in Guardians, and his response was everything I could have hoped for.
“At the end of the movie we have a moment between the two of them where something is acknowledged. Zoe and I actually talked about this for a long time – about having a kiss in the movie. We tried to treat these characters with such respect and such love. Gamora is a character who would not be swept up in the moment by passion, and if she was, I think she would have to deal with the ramifications of that. I don’t think she would be easy on herself about it. I think at the end, what we see between the two of them is a truer love story. Where she loves him, and he loves her – and she acknowledges that at the end of the movie – but that’s a love that’s based not only on attraction but on a really deep friendship that the two of them have.”
“At the beginning of the movie, they’re great friends – she’s a great support to him when he’s making this decision, and he respects and loves her. So I think seeing that emotional part of their relationship is a culmination of what their relationship is in the movie. It is more powerful than seeing a kiss that is romantic and would make us feel happy and feel good, but wouldn’t be as true.“
Kevin’s response was perfect, “It’s the difference between a truthful, emotional moment, and a Hollywood moment, and that was very savvy of James to navigate that.”
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
Ravager Captains
I know that y’all noticed Stakar and the other Ravager captains joining forces at the end. It was a nice nod to the comics and how amazing would it be if we got a stand alone film out of it? I mean, a girl can dream right? We asked James if there was a potential storyline there and he had a lot to say about it.
“Absolutely, I’m excited about those guys. I love those guys. They’re based on the original Guardians in the comic books, as Yondu is. That is something that we shot in post because I woke up one morning, and I was like, ‘Oh my God. This could be so fun. What if we made an even weirder, more screwy, more dysfunctional Guardians?’ I went to Kevin, and I’m like, ‘Can we please do this? Kevin was like, ‘I love it! It’s my favorite thing ever.’ So we went out and we shot it with Sly (Stakar) and the gang. And Michelle Yeoh (Aleta Ogord), who I’m a big fan of, because I’m a big fan of Nineties Hong Kong movies. And Ving Rhames (Charlie-27), who I knew from the Dawn of the Dead movie I did a long time ago. It is something I’m excited to possibly pursue. Whether or not that’s something that’s small roles, or we see them pop up in the way we see Howard the Duck pop up.“
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
Miley Cyrus as Mainframe
As you may have heard by now, Miley Cyrus voices Mainframe, who is an artificial intelligence that evolved from the operational system of Vision. That news actually broke in this interview room! James let us in on the “hot scoop” and told us how it came about.
“I was watching the voice, and I’m like, ‘She’s so likeable. And her voice is awesome. She’s got the best voice.’ Then I wrote this [scene] and I went in and I said, ‘Kevin, what do you think about casting Miley Cyrus as the voice of Mainframe?’ And he was like, ‘Well, see if we can get her.’ And then I got her to do it.“
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
Adam Warlock
We tried guys – we REALLY tried to get more details on Adam Warlock in the MCU. But alas, all we got from both Kevin and James was that we will see him in the future sometime. I cannot wait for that moment! In fact, I think I am going to save a little bit of room in my tattoo to add in Adam. Of course, I have to wait to see his movie version – so James, if you are reading this, if you can email that to me so I don’t have to wait that would be great. I promise I won’t share it.
See Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 in Theaters Now!
When I first interviewed Kurt Russell on the set of Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, I couldn’t believe I was talking with a movie legend. Because that is what he is, a legend. Then when I discovered I would have the chance to do it again, I was blown away. Let me start off by telling you what a gentleman he is. The interview was set up with a table in the front and 5 rows of 5 chairs. Kurt insisted on standing instead of sitting so that he could see all of us while we talked. I mean, who does that? What a great guy.
I explained how Kurt got his role as Ego in my previous interview article, but since we touched on it again in this second interview, I will give you the short version. When he was doing press for The Hateful Eight (side note: Great film! See it if you haven’t), his phone started going crazy with calls and messages. They were all asking him if he planned to play Peter Quill’s father. Turns out, he had no idea who that was or what Guardians of the Galaxy was.
“I literally had no idea what they were talking about because I hadn’t seen the movie. [So] I just said, no. It was like, wow, whatever this is they’re excited about it. The next day I got the official word and I said well guys, I need to read it and I need to see the movie. When I saw the movie, right away I fell in love with it – and it just got better and better. But more than anything else, I was watching Chris and saying, yeah, I get that energy. I get that style.“
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
Not Being Pigeonholed
Kurt has certainly done his fair share of movies and has his fair share of fans. We asked him what it felt like to join the MCU and he let us know that he always is up for doing something new.
“I’ve never done a Marvel movie. I’ve done lots of Disney movies. The fact that they came together, I think kinda says they understand each other. What I’ve tried to do all my life is, [be] an actor who didn’t wanna do the same thing. For some reason, that just repulsed me. It made me not wanna do it. In Hollywood, if you have something that’s successful, the next thirty scripts you read are gonna be in that zone. So I disappointed a lot of people by saying, I get it. I get why you want me to do it. But, if you’ll notice, I just did that. I don’t wanna do that now. I passed that math test, I want to go on to this English test now. In doing that you create a confusion, and a whiplash sort of career where they can’t pigeonhole you – but they’re not necessarily happy about that. Even critics and reviewers are not necessarily happy about that. We have a tendency, human beings, to if you see something and like it, then you want to see more of it. So my job was to skip around genres. Skip around characters.“
It’s All In The Name
We asked Kurt how much he was like his character, Ego the Living Planet. His initial response was “I got a healthy ego.“, which made us all chuckle.
“I love the names of characters. You can go back through my litany of characters and you’re gonna find at least twelve great names. I think that’s important. If they don’t have a great name, I give ‘em a great name. I was very disappointed with when I read the [Ego]’s name was J’son. That’s a weak-ass name. And then later, I find out that actually his name is Ego the Living Planet. And I went that’s more like it.”
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
Making Kurt Younger
At some point in the movie, we see Kurt looking really young. We asked how much CGI was done for that and Kurt gave huge props to his makeup guy Dennis Liddiard.
“He’s been my makeup man for twenty-eight years. We’ve done a lot of movies together where our goal was to, without the audience knowing it, help me arrive at what I need to do to set the tone for the character, the look for the character, the feel for the character. We’ve achieved it many times, very subtly. On this one, I’m really proud to point him out, because we assumed, all of us, that for that we were just gonna do heavy CGI special effects like they normally do. And Dennis said to James Gunn and the cinematographer, I know his face really, really well. I can really do a lot here to bring him down. If I de-age him some, does that help you? And they said as much as you can help. Yes.”
“When he was done, and when I got the right hair going, and when he got the wardrobe going, and then the actor has the opportunity to see that, and begin to feel that, in the case of yourself, say yeah that’s a younger me. It’s time for me to go to work and slip into all of that and take advantage of all of that, and go be younger. You lighten your voice, you move a little quicker, you go to work with that. Everybody has said, this is amazing, this really looks real. It’s because there’s not much CGI here.“
OK guys, up until this point I kept the interview spoiler free. The thing is we discussed some awesome “spoilery” things with Kurt and I have to share them. So if you have not seen the movie yet, close the browser now and come back when you have.
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
Playing Ego
“Because I was gonna do the movie, I was concerned that the audience would go in thinking ‘We’re so happy that he’s gonna have adventures with his dad, and it’s Kurt Russell and he’s working…and I hate this movie.’ And Kurt Russell’s responsible for killing this for me. And I said, I just wanna make sure we hit the right notes here, James [Gunn]. I said, it has to have the right amount of comedy. We started talking about it and I felt very comfortable with James. I thought his hand was really solidly on it. He really knew what he was doing.”
“So how much of myself is there? I don’t know. Listen, if you’re gonna play God let’s go big. I think this movie has a lot to say about that. Literally, when you first meet him, the first thing out of his mouth is, my name is Ego. He’s very proud of that and you gotta understand that he’s made everything in his life. And so he’s chosen to be that. He chose to come to earth and look like Kurt Russell. That’s a choice. And the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree. If he doesn’t know who his father is he’s gonna create this guy who’s like David Hasselhoff.“
We knew from talking with Chris that he was thrilled to be working with Kurt Russell (and possibly even had a hand in him being cast). We wanted to know how Kurt felt about working with Chris.
“Working with Chris, primarily, that was just right. As soon as Chris and I saw each other, we just kinda smiled, gave each other a hug and said this is clearly right.“
We asked if the film turned out how he wanted it to, and he said it did, except for one thing, he wanted about 15 more minutes of Peter and Ego playing catch. We all let out a collective “awwwwww” and then he smiled and added,
“However, your reaction is proof that you shouldn’t do that. Because if you go too far with that relationship, there’s gonna be something very wrong with this. It is a son, killing his father. So you gotta be very careful with that. When you watch the movie that doesn’t look like a problem. It’s perfect.“
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
Parenting Peter Quill
To say that Ego and Peter’s relationship is strained toward the end is an understatement. Ego wants Peter to give up everything else and help him take over the universe. Kurt let us know the mindset he got in to get to that place.
“You have to go all the way from being kinda cool and loving and fun to just, you know, who fuck do you think you are? I think we’ve all said that to our kids. Who the hell do you think you are? I could hear myself. I was literally [thinking] you go to your room!It was all in that zone and it kinda had to have some of that tone to it. So you could sort of enjoy as a parent – some of that reprimand. You tell somebody live a thousand years as a battery, he means it, you know.“
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 is in theaters now!
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the DVD I reviewed in this Blog Post. The opinions I share are my own. This post contains affiliate links.
We are big comic book fans in our house. I have been reading comics since I was a little girl and so I have started my daughters already a little bit. But more than read the comics, we watch a lot of DC Comics shows like Teen Titans and DC Super Hero Girls. DC Super Hero Girls has quickly become a favorite in our house – I personally love it because of the lessons it teaches my girls. They have learned to be themselves and care about others a lot through this show.
Naturally, we were thrilled to receive an advance copy of the new DC Super Hero Girls movie, Intergalactic Games. We watched it the night it showed up and fell in love with it. I think we watched it 4 or 5 times that week. Everyone in the family enjoyed it (yup, even my husband). It was entertaining, fun, and the special features are great too! I recommend this for any DC Comics fan!
About DC Super Hero Girls: Intergalactic Games
Class is back in session at Super Hero High as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and DC Entertainment bring you DC Super Hero Girls: Intergalactic Games, the second feature in the new, groundbreaking universe celebrating young girls! The Intergalactic Games are here and Super Hero High is facing off against Korugar Academy, with a little help from the most prominent DC Super Heroes and Super-Villains in the galaxy.
Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batgirl, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Bumblebee and Katana square off against Korugar Academy in the Intergalactic Games, but trouble is in the air as Lena Luthor takes advantage of the gathering of the Supers to enact her villainous plan. It’s up to the DC Super Hero Girls to fight the forces of evil and protect their school. With Wonder Woman’s strength, Supergirl’s speed, Batgirl’s strategic knowledge, Poison Ivy’s ability to make things grow, Harley Quinn’s energy, Bumblebee’s ability to shrink, and Katana’s fearless personality… anything is possible.
From Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC Entertainment, the DC Super Hero Girls universe encourages young girls, ages 6-12, to explore their own powers and strengths through original content, including all-new films, webisodes and TV specials. The franchise offers young fans inspiration and encourages teamwork, friendship and empowerment.
Intergalactic Games will be available on Digital HD May 9, 2017
and on DVD on May 23, 2017.
Special Features
“That’s My Girl” by Fifth Harmony Music Video (DVD only)
After seeing Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 at the World Premiere I knew I needed to write through my feelings. I laughed, I cried, and then I cried some more. I wrote a spoiler free review first but now that the film is out, I need to get some things off my chest. If you have not seen the movie yet, STOP READING! I do not want to ruin the movie for anyone as I think you need to see it without knowing the following information.
Yondu is gone. He is dead. And I just can’t right now. We find out just how much he loves Peter, and then he dies. James Gunn what are you doing to me! I was always going to be adding Yondu to my sleeve tattoo. But now I feel like it is a memorial to him and I have to make it perfect. PERFECT. I was bawling my eyes out in the theater when he died. He finally made a connection with someone and expressed who he is and then he dies.
Poor Star-Lord had to watch his mom die, kill his own father (more on that in a minute), and then watch his “daddy” (in the words of Yondu) die. If that doesn’t mess someone up, I don’t know what will. I have a feeling that we will see Peter struggling in the future. I chatted with James Gunn about Yondu’s death after my interview with him and he told me the hardest part about making volume 3 will be not working with Micheal Rooker anymore (I know, I was choking back tears!).
OK, let’s talk about Ego and what a slutty bastard he is! Going around and making babies all over the galaxy, and then killing them! And giving Meredith cancer! Wow, Kurt Russell plays a good villain, doesn’t he? I have definitely decided to love to hate him. My interview with him is coming up this week and will include some spoilers. Like how he felt to be playing such a horrible person/planet. Let’s just say he admitted it had to be written very carefully so us Marvel fans didn’t want to kill him.
I do love how Peter snapped out of his spell the second he found out that Ego put cancer in his mother. Talk about a strong connection and love he must still feel towards her. I felt just as betrayed as Star-Lord did watching this scene. Once Ego started that speech, I had a feeling I knew where he was going, but when he said it – I wanted to punch him in the face myself.
Adam…WARLOCK!
So that end scene – with Adam Warlock!! WHAT! I literally gasped and jumped out of my chair in the theater. My friend sitting next to me had to pull me down so I didn’t bother those behind me. I couldn’t form sentences for about 15 minutes after it. I was in total shock. I have been reading the Guardians comics for years and years and have really wanted to see Adam/Magus make his way over to the MCU.
When the first Guardians movie was announced, my husband and I discussed if he would be part of it. We both think he is a big part of the Guardians and should be included, so to see it happening – talk about excitement. I was legit shaking. Adam is so powerful and so crazy and I cannot wait to see what is in store for him! If you need a little background on him and the Guardians, I suggest this Guardians of the Galaxy graphic novel.
Thank you Disney Consumer Products for providing me with a few of these amazing products! Now, I just need to collect them ALL! This post contains affiliate links.
The day is finally here! Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 is in US Theaters – and you NEED to go see it! As a self-proclaimed comic book geek, I am a huge fan. Obviously. I was lucky enough to attend the World Premiere in LA last month and while there, I also got to check out the GotG Vol 2 merchandise. I am a collector of many nerdy things, tattoos included, and so I was thrilled to see it all up close and personal. Everything is amazing. I am not exaggerating when I say that I need it all. If you are a Marvel Comics fan, Guardians of the Galaxy fan, or just know one, here is an easy to shop from list of all the incredible things that you can get.
Star-Lord Mask
Imagine gearing up like Star-Lord with this out-of-this-world Star-Lord mask! Kids can pull on the mask and imagine blasting into intergalactic battles with a rag-tag teams of guardians that might be more than the galaxy can handle. Mask fits most heads. Superpowers not included. Purchase here.
Star-Lord Elemental Blaster
Gear up like Star-Lord with the Star-Lord Elemental blaster! The Star-Lord Elemental Blaster boasts 3 unique blasting settings with different lights and sound effects that just might pack enough galaxy-saving dominance to shut down the bad guys. Rotate the blaster to access new elemental modes, including Water, Fire, and Electricity. Purchase here.
6-inch Legends Series Figures
Assemble a rag-tag team of misfits from Guardians of Galaxy with the Marvel Legends Series! With the Marvel 6-inch Legends Series, both kid and adult Marvel fans can start a legendary collection of comic- and movie-based Marvel characters. This 6-inch Star-Lord figure is highly articulated and features a movie-inspired design, making it an epic addition to any Marvel collection. Also available: Yondu, Drax, Nebula, & Gamora. Purchase here.
Awesome Mix Volume 2
Awesome Mix Volume 2 is filled with the songs that bring the movie to life. James Gunn has stated how the music itself is like it’s own character. There are many awesome songs in this and it is a must get! Purchase here.
Groot Journal
Let your imagination do the talking and jot down your brilliant ideas in this notebook inspired by Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. It comes with a galaxy of pages and a handy little bookmark so you never lose your place! Purchase here.
Sound Machine
You’ll be in tune with Star-Lord and the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy with this cool Sound Machine. Inspired by the “Awesome Mix” cassette tape in the original, this features cool sound effects and music at the touch of a button. Purchase here.
Water Bottle
The local landfill will be thankful when you upgrade from disposable bottles – this one holds 25-ounce, and is made of durable, shatterproof Tritan(T) for long-lasting utility. It fits in most car cup holders and has a built-in carrying loop in the lid, so it’s easy to take anywhere you go. The bottle has a wide mouth that fits ice cubes for cooling down on hot summer days. With an extremely clear surface that won’t craze over time, it’s effortless to see the beverage inside. The lid is made of high-impact ABS plastic, with silicone inserts over the spout and vent to make it watertight and leak-proof. The cap flips open easily and locks in place, so it won’t swing around while you’re drinking. This bottle is entirely BPA free and top rack dishwasher safe. Do not microwave. Recommended for children ages 12+. Purchase here.
Kid’s Rocket Raccoon Hoodie
Rocket’s costume jacket comes loaded with a warm, padded knit body highlighted by furry hood, sleeves, and removable tail, plus faux leather appliqué trims, as seen in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Purchase here.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Playset
Let the Guardians of the Galaxy crew hang tough in your collection of figurines. The ensemble of heroes is perfectly posed in action-packed stature, ready to take on the next adventure. Set includes: Star-Lord, Drax, Yondu, Gamora, Nebula, & Rocket Raccoon with Baby Groot. Purchase here.
“Night Night, Groot” book
A 32-page bedtime picture book told through the eyes of Marvel’s lovable characters Rocket and Groot. It’s been a long day for baby Groot and he’s ready to be tucked in for bed. Just as his eyes start to close, Rocket Raccoon bursts onto the scene! Groot can’t go to sleep yet, there’s a whole galaxy that needs to be defended and they must work together to save the day! Then maybe, just maybe, Groot will finally get the rest he deserves! Purchase here.
Rock N’ Roll Groot
Groot dances to music from Guardians of the galaxy Vol. 2! 2 modes: free dance lets you control Groot, and Groove mode Let’s him do his own moves to any song. Groot can even get back upright after dancing on his side! “Shout out” button triggers 4 different “I AM Groot” phrases. Purchase here.
Reusable Tote Bag
With help from the Guardians of the Galaxy, shopping has never been better. Grab all of your essentials and toss them into this recycled tote bag designed to make your next retail excursion easy-peasy. Purchase here.
Funko POP Collection
I love Funko POPs! I have a huge collection. They are lots of fun to play with and also to look at. I love collecting a whole series from my favorite shows, movies, and more. All of the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 1 set sits on my desk – now it is time to collect all of Volume 2!
There are so many other great merchandise items to pick up for Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2. From a Plush Baby Groot, to clothing for kids and adults, to a Baby Groot mug (that I am slightly obsessed with). What item is your favorite?!
One thing that I really love about Guardians of the Galaxy is the presence of strong female characters. While in LA for the World Premiere I was lucky enough to chat with a lot of the cast. One of my favorite interviews was with three of the women who star in this film – Karen Gillan, who plays Nebula, Pom Klementieff, who plays Mantis, and Elizabeth Debicki, who plays Ayesha.
Make-up Process
All three of these characters have very different looks. The first thing we asked them was what the make-up and costume process was for the three of them.
“For me it’s much easier because it’s my skin tones, so it’s like a beauty makeup in a way. I need two hours to get completely ready: hair, makeup, and clothes. Basically I wear a prosthetic on my forehead [that is] just the beginning of the antennas, and then with the CGI they make it much bigger. The makeup artists are so talented. I wear contact lenses in my eyes – really big ones that cover my whole eye. There’s no white in my eye almost. And so I feel kind of claustrophobic. I have tunnel vision, so it makes me feel like [I’m] in my own world, which is good for the character too.“
“I think I’ve got it the easiest because I just sort of sit there and someone paints me. It’s kind of sticky and cold, but I love it. The first day I thought it was a bit overwhelming – the whole paint situation. Then I came to set and I said hi to Zoe [Saldana], and I said what time did you come to work and she said three AM. I had a very civil call of six AM. Then I thought I am never ever complaining about makeup again. I also asked her for some tips. She said you just have to be very Zen, just be very patient. Actually for me the most time consuming and hectic part of Ayesha is the costume – that gold dress is almost entirely metal and it weighs so much. We used to call it the Ayesha Taco because the whole bottom of the dress is a great big circular metal thing and they would fold it up like a taco and then I would walk up the stairs. Wherever I get placed, that’s where I am for the day.“
“Well mine takes about four hours in the morning. Essentially I have the character’s skin glued to my face, which is really as close as I could possibly get to her which is pretty cool. It’s kind of intense and slightly claustrophobic. It’s definitely become part of my ritual, in terms of getting into character. One time I did a rehearsal without the makeup and I did not feel like her at all, so it’s sort of become like a vital part of the process for me which is kind of cool.“
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
Marvel Fandom
Pom and Elizabeth are both joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, and they both blew me away with their performances. Karen reprises her role as Nebula and brings so much more depth to the character in this film. Karen is used to a big following because of her work in Dr. Who as well, so we asked her what it was like to be a part of Marvel, who has a very strong fan base.
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
Joining the Marvel Family
We asked Pom and Elizabeth what it was like to join the MCU family. Elizabeth answered first, “It’s actually a huge privilege as an actor to be a part of something that people really want to see and that they care so deeply about. The first interaction I had with it was at Comic-Con last year and it was on my birthday. When we went, there’s so many people there and it’s sort of like pure joy that just shoots out and it’s incredible. I found it very overwhelming and I kept getting very emotional in interviews because it’s rare in life to be a part of something that people love so much and they care so much about. Strangely enough I wasn’t nervous about watching the film or being there last night, usually I get very nervous. I’d seen it already and I think it’s wonderful. I just knew that it was going to be accepted with such love. And I had hoped that we would be too because we’re new to it.”
Don’t worry, no spoilers here guys. It is known that we see more of the history between Nebula and Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, and we asked Karen how important to her it was for that to happen.
“In the first movie we saw her and she was this evil super villain watching from the sidelines, but in this movie we really understand why. It’s my job as an actor to be her lawyer and explain to everyone why she is justified in doing these things and I think we achieve that in the movie. It was so important to me to give her those layers because it’s not really interesting to just have a bad guy for no reason.”
Again, no spoilers here so don’t worry, but Nebula does have some fight scenes in this film. “That was amazing fun actually. I’m not the best fighter in the world, I kind of looked like spaghetti. Zoe was amazing and so she was giving me all these pointers. She was like if you turn your head like this and strangle like this, then you’re going to look really cool. It was great, I really enjoyed it. I did a version of all the stunts and then an amazing stunt double came in and made me look cooler.”
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
Lessons for the Kids
As I said before, these women all play very strong female characters in the movie. A lot of us mommy bloggers have young daughters, and so we asked the ladies what they would want kids to take away from the film. Pom said something beautiful: “That it’s okay to be imperfect and to not be like any everyone else – to be weird sometimes. That’s what makes you interesting.”
Elizabeth then get in to depth with us on her character:“Don’t be like Ayesha. Someone said on the carpet – ‘what similarities are between you and Ayesha’ – I’m like ‘none, I really hope none.’ The thing about Ayesha is she is very justified in what she’s doing. I mean [Rocket Raccoon] steals from her and she’s going to get what she wants back. She’s very strong. I suppose her moral compass is slightly askew and she’s slightly merciless. Maybe her strength and also that I suppose what I like about her is that she isn’t perfect, she’s actually quite fallible. The irony is they’re genetically modified to be perfect and she’s extremely imperfect.”
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com
Becoming Mantis
Mantis is an amazing addition to the MCU. I must admit, I am not a huge fan of her in the comic books, but I loved Pom’s portrayal of her – to the point where I plan to add her to my tattoo now. We asked Pom how she was able to stay in character on the set.
“It’s just about listening and being in the moment and just have fun. We talked with James [Gunn] about the character. I brought my touch, and what I lived in my past, and some weirdness, and I had fun with it. It’s not like it’s a biopic, it’s a character [who is] an alien who’s bug-like and it’s a crazy world around her. I just wanted her to be like an insect. She’s kind of nervous so she cleans her hands like a preying mantis and like Mr. Burns in The Simpsons. At the beginning when you see her in the movie, you’re like is she good, is she bad, what’s happening. She has these really black eyes so you can’t really go through her soul. Sometimes I’d be tilting my head like a dog when they’re asking a question.”
Watch these ladies in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 May 5th!
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