Guardians of the Galaxy Double Feature

I have been eagerly waiting for this double feature since I bought my ticket over a month ago (it is probably my most anticipated summer movie) and the day finally came yesterday!  I absolutely loved Guardians of the Galaxy and seeing it again on the big screen was so much fun!  I was reminded all over again why I loved it.  I really wanted Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 to be just as good and, in my opinion, it is but for different reasons.  In the first movie all of the characters are so fun and quirky but in the sequel I began to care about them.  Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), and Baby Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) are up to their usual shenanigans as they try to save the galaxy yet again but this time all of them have unresolved issues which come into play.  I really enjoyed the character development and, while there are lots of comedic moments (Baby Groot dancing to ELO's "Mr. Blue Sky" just about killed me and Drax has some hilarious lines that made the audience in my packed screening laugh and cheer out loud), this movie is much more emotional and has more depth.  In fact, I think this movie is much more character-driven than plot-driven but it works for me because, like I mentioned, I became so much more invested in the characters.  The main story involves Quill forging a relationship with the father he never knew he had (Kurt Russell) but he eventually discovers that the Guardians are his real family.  I especially enjoyed the story arc with Yondu (Michael Rooker does such a good job in this role) and there were several moments when I had tears in my eyes.  I also really liked the dynamic between Gamora and her sister Nebula (Karen Gillan).  It goes without saying that the special effects are incredible making this movie a visual spectacle that is so much fun to watch and the music is fantastic, especially "The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac and "Come A Little Bit Closer" by Jay & The Americans.  I loved this movie and I had so much fun watching it with a rowdy crowd.

Note:  There are five mid-credits scenes!  The funniest one involves Groot as a teenager.