Writer/director James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy is indeed a stunning film. It is full of brilliant creative energy and spirit, but there is one specific reason it continues to stand out in audiences' minds and continues to be my favorite of the marvel universe films after three years… the characters. More than just falling in love with the Guardians of the Galaxy blockbuster, moviegoers and myself fell in love with the Guardians of the Galaxy team -- connecting with this group of loveable ridiculous misfits who manage to find each other and become a dysfunctional family. It's Gunn's perfect understanding of this that clearly helped mold Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which smartly scales down plot in favor of personality -- and while the sequel doesn't pack the full punch of the original, it's a wonderful, beautiful follow-up that is richly dense in detail and features a parade of thrilling and fun surprises...