#bad enough we had to lose White but Milano as well | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

elisaphoenix13 · 5 years

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Trigger The Light (Ch.4)

The small quantum tunnel that Scott had wouldn't be enough, so Tony started building a larger one with Scott's help as they waited for the rest of the team to arrive. Quill helped as well, but he just did the heavy lifting while Tony and Scott handled the engineering. Not that he had much choice. The moment Tony announced they were going to build a bigger tunnel, he looked at Quill and told him he was helping because he was 'freakishly strong' for a powerless god hybrid.

Quill was pretty sure there was an insult in there somewhere.

"Flash Gordon, come lift this will you?" Tony calls from the skeletal structure of the tunnel.

Quill sighs. "Sure why not."

He walks over and helps lift a panel for the billionaire to weld and distracts himself by looking around the large room. It was pretty empty since most of the others were out gathering the rest of their team members from all corners of the world, but Steve and Scott were still there. The captain was busy getting lunch together for everyone's imminent arrival, and Scott was sitting on a table fiddling with a circuit board in his lap. Quill quickly discovered that the younger thief had a tendency to puff out his cheeks when he got frustrated or annoyed with something he was working on, and he thought it was adorable. The pout that followed was just icing on the cake. Quill never thought he would look at another man and think any little things he did would be adorable. Sure, he's appreciated a man here and there, but Scott was a whole new ballgame...he had this unexplainable urge to protect him.

He can protect himself, Quill firmly reminds himself. He knew that, yet, a part of him refused to accept that. Was it maybe because Scott was Cassie's father? He was protective of her so maybe it was rolling over to Scott...but that wouldn't make sense because he was protective of Diana as well and he didn't have the urge to protect Tony. In fact. His mind was pretty content to leave the billionaire to his own devices.

For the most part.

He didn't want Diana to lose her dad too.

"Alright. You can let go now." Tony interrupts Quill's thoughts and they both move away from the panel. "Hey Stuart Little! How's that board coming?"

"Just a second!" Scott shouts. After a little more fiddling, he lifts the circuit board from his lap, hops off the table, and walks over to them. "I had to rewire some things but it's good to go now."

"Good. I'll get this wired in with the rest." Tony climbs back through the skeletal structure as Steve walks into the room with a single white bag and holds it up.

"Soup's on!"

Quill snorts. "That's not going to feed all of us."

"Of course not. The rest is in the kitchen." Steve throws the bag at Quill and the pirate barely manages to hold it to his chest. Scott grabs the bag from him and looks through it with a growing smile. "You got tacos!"

Quill snatches the bag from him and holds it up out of the younger's reach. "Those are all mine."

"Do not test me when it comes to tacos Spaceman!"

"Or what?" Quill taunts.

Something he instantly regretted because Scott proceeded to punch him in the ribs. Quill groans and hunches over to clutch at complaining muscles and the thief grabs the now lowered bag. He grabs a couple of tacos before handing the bag back to Quill and smirks at the older man before striding away with his food. The punch didn't hurt that bad, but it would definitely make Quill think twice in the future. Hopefully there would be a future whether or not Scott remained just a friend.

"He did warn you." Tony points out. "Leave a couple of those on the table for me will you? Go eat with your boyfriend."

Quill turns and glares at the engineer. "He's not-I'm going to throw them at you and you can eat them off the floor asshole!"

"Chill Porcupine. Not everyone knows about your little crush on him."

Quill sighs heavily and pulls a couple of tacos out of the bag and sets them on the table per Tony's request before walking away.

"Yet."

The pirate ignores Tony as he hears the unmistakable sounds of his ship, walks out to the back, and watches with sympathy when Rhodey lands in front of Scott and scares the man of his lunch. Just from where Scott was sitting, Quill was sure part of the tacos were blown away by the ship as it landed. To think the younger went to such lengths to get his food and then have them blown away.

He pulls another two out of the bag he's holding and hands them to Scott, and just when he sits down and pulls out the three leftover, he freezes. There were two ships sitting on the field, and one of them he was sure had been abandoned on a planet years ago. Half of it had been missing then, but now it was sitting thirty yards away, and in one piece.

"No way." Quill gasps out and Scott gives him a look from beside him.

Rocket steps onto the grass and looks between Quill and the second, smaller ship. "You're just now seeing that? It's been here for the past year."

The pirate abandons his tacos on the bench next to Scott and jogs over to The Milano with a look of awe as he looks it over. Quill honestly thought he would never see it again. When it had been abandoned, he considered it gone because there was no doubt some junkers would come across it and strip it of anything valuable, but it was there. When he went inside, he found that almost everything was still there.

"You're welcome Starmunch!" Rocket calls from outside the ship.

Quill would thank him later, even if he did call him Starmunch. He'd call him a trash panda and call it even anyway. He was too busy getting himself reacquainted with his ship right now.

"I was nice enough not to eat these perfectly good tacos you left behind. Monster." Scott says from the mouth of the ship before stepping in further and handing the food over to Quill.

"Right. Food. Thanks." Quill replies absently as he sits at the table.

Scott stands nearby as Quill sits back in his chair and throws his feet up onto the table, and he unwraps his taco to take a bite. It was polished off in the span of a minute and Quill only slowed down halfway through his second before looking up at Scott. He wipes his lower lip free of sauce with his thumb and sucks it off as the younger looks around and then raises an eyebrow in question when the thief looks down at him.

"So...what's so special about this ship?" He asks. "Isn't the other one yours?"

"Yeah, but everyone uses that one. This is mine. It always has been from the beginning. Memories...you know?" Scott nods and Quill finishes his second taco before continuing. "We had to abandon it on a planet after we crashed."

"It couldn't be fixed?"

Quill pauses his unwrapping of his third taco, and shrugs before resuming and taking a bite. It was then he told the story of his heritage. How he found his father, what said father planned to do, and how they had to kill Ego to keep him from taking over the universe. Scott sat in the chair next to him as Quill rambled, and remained quiet throughout the whole story. In the back of his mind, Quill wondered if Scott actually cared or if he was just being considerate and letting the powerless celestial air out his laundry. The second thought had Quill's heart clenching.

But Scott surprised him.

"You're sure you don't have those powers anymore?" He asks and Quill nods.

"Yeah. I watched the light in my hands disappear. And yes, I've tried just to make sure." He says when Scott opens his mouth. "Nothing. Except maybe the strength and possible longevity." Quill finally finishes his lunch and looks up at the roof of his ship.

"Do you miss space?" The man beside him asks quietly.

"Not like I thought I would." Quill admits. "My father figure died because of Ego, and Thanos was kind of the last straw for me. Drax, Mantis, Groot...they're gone because of these damn stones...and he killed Gamora for one of them. She was my best friend...and I thought I loved her, but…" He trails off and Scott tilts his head curiously.

"But what?"

"Well, looking back after recent events, I realized it wasn't romantic love. She was just a good friend." Quill huffs in amusement. "It's probably a good thing. She yelled at me a lot so that wouldn't have been a healthy relationship. She deserved better than me."

"You shouldn't sell yourself short. Anyone would be lucky to have you." Scott reassures him and Quill stretches as he drops his feet to the floor with a thunk.

"Yeah, well, if you know anyone, be sure to send them my way." The pirate says with a chuckle as he stands. "Want a tour?"

Scott gave him an unreadable look for a few moments before it morphs into a smile and he stands up as well. Quill shows him around both the Milano as well as the larger ship, and he slips into the captain's quarters to grab a few things before Rocket took the ship out again. Specifically the first mixtape his mother had given him. Unfortunately, Ego had destroyed the second one along with his walkman, but he missed listening to the first one. Now that he had the Milano back, he could listen to it again. He didn't have much faith that Tony had something sitting around that would play the tape because the man was too advanced.

"You really were out of touch if that's what you've been listening to for thirty years." Scott comments from the doorway.

"It's literally the last thing I have left from my mother. I had no way of listening to it until now."

Quill passes by Scott and motions for the other man to follow him as he walks back to the Milano, and then walks straight for the cassette player built into the ship. He pops the tape in and presses play, and quickly loses himself in the familiar music when it starts up. Even after thirty years of endlessly listening to the same songs over and over again, he never got sick of it. It was nice to have a few happy memories returned to him.

When a slower song comes on, Quill turns to Scott and smirks. "Dance with me."

Scott scrunches his nose. "It's a slow song."

"And?" Quill grabs Scott's hand and pulls him closer. "I'll even lead."

"I'm capable of leading-"

"Nope. Too bad. I'm taller and older." The pirate quips and grins when Scott scowls up at him.

"Be careful Spaceman. People will start to think you're flirting with me."

Quill's heart jumps up into his throat but he swallows it down when Scott allows the older man to lead them. It surprisingly didn't take very long for the pair to fall into an easy rhythm, and Quill barely noticed how easily they moved around the open area of the ship they were dancing in. He noticed just enough to remember what his mother told him as a child.

Dancing is an exercise of trust. The easier you move, the more your partner trusts you.

He had no idea if it was true, but he still liked the idea that Scott trusted him. That they flowed around so smoothly because the younger thief trusted that Quill wouldn't let go or knock him into anything. Maybe it was the music, the heat building up between their almost touching bodies, or even the damn near golden eyes he finally got to see when Scott made eye contact...Quill didn't know. But something gave him the courage to open his mouth and whisper three words that had those golden eyes widening.

"Maybe I am."

He tilts his head down in what seemed like slow motion and he hears the moment Scott sucks in a breath. He wasn't pulling away or pushing Quill away so he took that as permission to proceed. When Quill was a hair's breadth away from kissing Scott, a shout had them jumping away from each other as Rhodey walks into view.

"Did you guys hear me? Tones says lunch break is over. Time to get back to work on the tunnel."

Quill rubs the back of his neck. "Sorry. Music was going and we were talking and touring the ship."

It wasn't a lie and the colonel seemed to accept it and walks away with a final warning to get back inside, and Quill looks over at Scott. Except the man was already halfway down the ramp, covering his mouth with his hand, and sporting a bright red blush that reached his ears. As soon as both Rhodey and Scott are out of sight, Quill groans and drops into the nearest chair and leans forward to bury his face in his hands. He had no idea what was going to happen now. His feelings were out in the open for Scott, and while He didn't run as Quill was making his move, he fled after the interruption. Was Scott glad nothing happened? Or was he maybe disappointed? Quill was disappointed, that was for sure.

He was so damn close.

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trashpandaorigins · 7 years

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Gideon’s Bible Track Eleven The Things We Forget

As a fanfic writer I cannot express how much comments mean to me! These fics do take an exorbitant amount of time to write with flash fics taking me anywhere from an hour to two hours and longer fics taking three hours to five or six. I write for free and all I ask is comments/feedback in return when you like and or reblog!

—-----

“You ain’t coming and that’s final!”

“I AM GROOT!” The tiny tree screamed, his vines curling in frustration. Rocket would have picked anytime, any place, to have an argument with Groot, anytime, any place besides right here. Right as he was about to disembark the Milano, right here as everyone was gathered around him, their pointed gazes causing his already frayed nerves to split.

“Because it ain’t safe!”

“I am Groot!” Those large brown eyes burrowed into Rocket’s anger.

“Well that’s why I’m packing extra!” He roared, gesturing all around him to the various guns, ammunition cases, bombs and three grenades he had strapped to himself.

“I am Groot! I am Groot! I am Grooot!” Baby Groot’s voice reached a nearly deafening crescendo before it cracked and tiny tears of sap formed from the corner of his eyes.

“Because I can’t lose you again!!” The shaking truth was out of Rocket’s mouth before he could stop it.

“Aww.” Peter cooed.

“Shut up!” Rocket snapped, brining his attention back to Baby Groot. He settled himself on his knees and put a hand on the small flora colossus.

“I have to do this buddy,” he said as gently as he could. “For both of us. Stay here and I’ll be back.” He picked up Baby Groot, his heart nearly cracking as his best friend turned child gripped his fur tightly, burying his face in Rocket’s shoulder. He glared at the rest of them and their sentimental silence. Mantis stepped forward, reaching out, Rocket swiftly put Baby Groot in her arms and…

You are scared…Mantis’s voice spoke to him in some strange manner. Was it in his head? He didn’t know. You are scared that you have come all this way and that you will not find it. It makes you want to weep, the possibility that there is no reason. The raccoon like creature went stiff, that there was no reason for your pain. No greater plan, no motive besides boredom. You are afraid that all your suffering was for nothing. But that is nothing compared to the fear that they may trap you again…that…with a few choice curses he wrenched himself away, growling so that he could not hear Baby Groot’s tiny whines.

“Last call flarknuts,” he said over his shoulder as the ramp was let down. “I told yah I don’t need you to come.”

“We’re coming with you Rocket.” Peter said, strapping his gun to his hip. Rocket rolled his eyes, took a deep breath and almost recoiled as the dry clumpy yellow soil of Halfworld hit his foot.

Abandoned. Or so it seemed. Rocket held his gun at the ready, taking his eyes away from the specs only to glance around between the encroaching vegetation. Decrepit buildings stood in the distance and while he could see nor hear any inhabitance, the stench of blood, feces, urine and chemicals still hung in the air.

“Wow Rocket,” Peter said all too lightly. Your homeworld isn’t that bad!”

“It’s not my home!” Rocket snarled, pushing back all the memories. Some of which he had entirely forgotten. He’d forgotten that Halfworld had anything outside the laboratories and the cells for the patients. He was rarely allowed outside. He had forgotten that anything could exist here besides pain and shadows. Every building they entered was the same. Broken equipment, stains on the walls, roofs falling in, vines and flowers struggling to grow between the concreate. Groot would appreciate that.

“I know this smell,” Drax whispered as they turned down another dark hallway. Rocket scanned the area with his latest vision goggles. No trace of thermos-radiation at all. “It is the smell of dead bodies. Angry creature, did you kill all of these people?”

“Wish I had,” Rocket managed through his fear. But no, most of the guards and scientists had actually been killed by mental patients or the subjects after he had flipped the switch and freed them.

“Do you have any idea where it may be?” Gamora asked several hours later. They had gone around perimeter three times already and inside every stinking, dark building. Almost every builing. But they were now in Building #73H9. The building that sent torrents of memories of agony back into his heart. It was where he was…manufactured.

I know you play like you’re the meanest, Yondu’s voice echoed in his ears as they crossed the threshold into the wide-open lobby area now dark with broken windows. No longer the white sanitary impersonal place it once had been.

“Rocket,” Gamora’s voice jolted him and he rounded on them, gun aimed. “Hey! Ranger Rick calm down!” Peter said, arms flying up defensively.

“You should not be so loud. Your loud voices are scaring him.” Drax said matter-of-factly. It continued to stun Rocket that out of all of them, the least socially inclined, socially awkward brute possessed the most emotional intelligence of all of them. Besides Mantis perhaps.

“I apologize, it was just that…” Gamora cut her words and stared straight ahead. Rocket didn’t have the courage to come up with some snarky reply. Instead he turned, gun still aimed and…

A small dark brown, white and black creature stood before them, it’s large eyes expectant.

Hope. Hope alit in Rocket’s chest, something he had forgotten. Was it possible? No. It couldn’t be. An audible gasp came from Rocket as the creature spoke.

“Who are you?” the hope stirred within him.

You push away anyone who’s willing to put up with you because just a little bit of love reminds of how big and empty that hole inside you actually is. That hole that Rocket had filled with hate, alcohol, explosives and defensiveness. Never to be filled, until now…?

“I’m….” Rocket faltered, his gun dropping. “I’m Rocket…” The creatures nodded.

“I heard rumors about you,” it said. “I had hoped you would come. I thought I was all alone in the universe.”

“….me too.” Rocket whispered.

“Rocket,” Peter said hesitantly, “Rocket I don’t think that’s….”

“Shut up!”

“If you come with me, I know what you’re looking for!” The other strange creature said happily. “Gideon’s Bible! It’s here! I’ve read it, come I’ll show you!” Without hesitation Rocket darted after the creature, down the shadowy halls but now his mind was not filled with terror, now there was hope. There was someone else like him in the world after all. He wasn’t alone. That was why he ignored Star-Dork, Gamora and Drax who ran after him, shouting at hime to stop.

Rocket stopped as he entered the last room at the end of the all. Rubble and broken equipment lay scattered. An over turned medical table and vials of liquid spilled out on the floor.

“Rocket! Listen to me!” Peter begged, “I know this isn’t what you want to hear but I don’t think that’s a…”

“Subject 89P13,” Rocket’s ears flicked backward as he looked around for the creature who had ran ahead of him. At the sound of that name…no…term, he stared straight ahead.

The creature that resembled him smiled, a cruel and twisted smile that made Rocket’s hackles rise.

“Subject 89P13,” it repeated. The creature, the one creature who was like him in the entire galaxy laughed. “I’m sorry, it’s just…it’s too funny that look on your face.” No one moved. Rocket’s hyperactive mind whirles between confusion, fear and hope. “It’s just very cliché isn’t it rat? A tortured soul, trying to do the right thing.” The creature shook it’s head. “You really thought you, a test subject could be anything more than that? Your screams were always amusing to me but this,” he gestured to where Gamora, Drax and Peter stood behind Rocket. “This is truly something else.”

“I…I don’t understand,” Rocket whispered.

“You will soon enough,” the animal reached behind itself, drawing forth an unassuming book. Jacketed in silver faded metal, nearly as thick and three bricks. An alien language read across the top but Rocket didn’t need to read it to know what it was. Oddly enough the giddy sensation of anticipation he was expecting never came. Instead Rocket felt bile quiver in his stomach. “I’ve already read it. It’s quite entertaining. It contains all sorts of information about this place.” Rocket only stared as the fellow lab animal hoisted the book on its hip and walked closer. “You thought you could have a family. You thought you could forget all this? I know you try to forget.”

I know them scientists what made you didn’t care a rats ass about you.. Yondu’s words echoed in Rocket’s mind. The creature was inches from him now but Rocket couldn’t bare to follow its gaze at it circled him. “Do you want to know the answer to your question? The one question that haunts your every step?”

“Rocket…” Peter’s whisper of conscern was a ghost to him as the raccoon like creature felt the emptiness inside him swell up, threatening to break him. He was frozen. Guns, grenades all around him, the rest of the guardians crew behind him and he could do nothing but stand in empty dread. “I know the answer to that awful question: am I all alone?” Rocket didn’t even flinch as the creature picked up his ear and whispered with a tongue of oil:

“Oh yes, you are very much alone.”

“Wh…what?” Rocket turned as it stepped away pressing something on its back and watched in anguished fear as the fur, ears, tale and red-brown eyes melted away. Beneath it was a creature very unlike himself.

Blackjack O’Hare, it barely registered in his befuddled mind. He felt himself tremble.

“Flarkface!” Peter’s voice shouted somewhere far away. Mumbles. Sounds, smells, blood, viscera, chemicals, emptiness. Nothing like him except him. Nothing at all. Whatever small shrouded heart Rocket had, it cracked.

“Don’t worry you can still have your book,” Blackjack thrust it at Rocket who took it without repute. “I have all I want. That is what you deserve for what you did to me. You’re no better than them Subject 89P13. You let them torture me. You are just as bad as them.” The anthropomorphic rabbit pointed two long fingers at his empty eye sockets. “You did this to me, you and them.” Run. Rocket’s mind was beyond logic. Anything to get away. He had been on this damn planet far too long and now all of it was swirling around him like a cyclone of all the things he had kept repressed. Gamora had a hand on his shoulder and he turned his back to the rabbit, eyes searching for an exit. His finger curling around the book. Some small part of his mind that remained in-tact whispered that he’ go after Blackjack, first thing. After he read Gideon’s Bible.

“Subject 89P13, I want you to know one last thing.” Rocket stopped in the door way, turning his head over his shoulder. Blackjack smiled, “no matter what happens…no matter what words of comfort they pretend to give you. You will die alone…or not die. Death is for living things. But you were made, manufactured. You will expire alone and terrified the same way you have functioned.” Death is for living things. But you were…manufactured….the thought pierced him with truth, a truth he had always known but had chosen to try to forget. Before he could turn or reach for his own gun, something loud sounded off and an excruciating jolt burst forth. He took an involuntary breath in and his eyes blinked rapidly.

“ROCKET!” Voices. Electricity. His arm jerked painfully and he watched as dark blood came through his armor. His cybernetics…the panel on his back, it sparked. Rocket stumbled forward, but fell backward, clutching the book to his chest. He coughed, and fell forward into someone’s arms. The last thing he saw was the ceiling of the long hallway. He was going back. He could see them, those masked faces with their strange gloves. He was being taken apart and something in the depths of his chaotic mind had a feeling he would never be put back together.

#gideonsbible #my writing

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ravager-life-for-me · 7 years

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Summary:

The Guardians need a vacation. They're tense. They're distant. One of them set themselves on fire. It's time.

Chapter 1: Fool Around

If you point that at my face one more time, rodent, I will—”

“I wasn’t pointin’ it at your face! I was pointin’ it at the bad guys and your head just happened to be in the way!”

“Guys!” Peter zipped into the melee, skidding on the rocky terrain as his rocket boots sputtered off. “Can we please just go, like, ten seconds without you two—”

“She started it!” Rocket rolled out of the way as the ground behind him exploded in a bubbly mountain from a plasma blast. He was on his feet in a flash, firing over the range. Something up on the mountain top exploded, rippling greasy black smoke up into the clouds above. “I’m doin’ my job. We’re all just doin’ our job. Just makin’ them units and killin’ all these bad guys.”

A mostly-on-fire Drax ran by, waving his arms over his head not to put out the flames—as one might expect—but to brandish the red hot blades he had gripped in his fists. Peter would have expected screaming from any other sane individual but, true to Drax fashion, he was clearly shouting a battle cry. A red light grazed his shoulder. Someone had their sights on the literal beacon and got off a few rounds. Didn’t even slow him down.

“Can someone put him out before he actually hurts himself?” asked Quill.

Gamora gave him an eye. She was always giving him an eye. It was this cold look, pointed, unblinking. She was mad. Sure. So was Rocket. So was….

“I am Groot!”

“That’s a terrible idea,” said Rocket as he scooped the small Flora Colossus off the ground to perch there on his shoulder.

“I am Groot?”

“Because you’re made of wood.”

“I am Groot.”

“Because wood burns, Groot. Come on.”

“I am Groot!”

“No you’re not. Quill’s gonna anyways cause he’s a big ol’ fire fighter, aren’t ya, Quill?”

Quill sighed, shoulders slumped as he spun and shot down the raider who leapt out into the clearing, jaws snapping. Peter didn’t kill him with the same zest as Drax or the intense precision as Gamora. He barely looked at the man when he fired, just pumped three blasts into his chest cavity and stomped his rocket boot back on.

“We’re gettin’ a vacation after this is done,” said Quill, already hovering a little off the ground.

“You swear this time, Terra-Boy, because last time we tried to do the whole family vacation thing, I almost got poached by those daft idiots on Sattor.”

“Yeah, well.” Quill shrugged again as he rocketed off to collect anything from the Milano that might help him put Drax out.

“I am Groot?”

“Nah,” said Rocket, pivoting back a little as the blaster in his hands extended, revealing four barrels and a hazy green sight screen. “He’s only pissed cause ‘Daddy’ didn’t come to play.”

“I am Groot?”

“I know! Humies gotta be so temperamental. Not us, huh, Groot?” Rocket widened his stance, ears flattening as he watched the little heat signatures flare up on his sight screen. “We got our heads on straight, don’t we?”

“I am Groot.”

“It is not lopsided. It looks fine, Groot.”

“I am Groot.”

“No, my head looks fine too,” said Rocket, his muzzle crinkling at the edges, flashing all his pointy little teeth. “We all look fine. Everybody looks fine. You gotta work on yer head issues, y’know? Some people like hats.”

“I am Groot?”

“No, of course I don’t.”

“I am Groot!”

“Sure.” By the heat signatures, it looked like they were surrounded. Drax was throwing off a little interference as he cut a long white-hot path in front of them, but Rocket wasn��t stupid enough to ignore the calculations to compensate. And, anyways, Quill was already flying back with what looked like a canister and long hose. Rocket put his finger on the trigger, mouth twitching again in a smile. “But first? I'mma kill these guys.”

“I don’t even know what that is.” Quill poked the gelatinous blob, rosy-colored tendrils gently undulating around the base. “So you eat it?”

“If you did,” said Gamora as she lowered the glass shield over the blob, “it would be the last meal you would enjoy.”

“But I would enjoy it, right?” asked Quill, lifting an eyebrow. He still knelt down in front of the box and watched the tiny yellow spores bubble up near the tulip-shaped head.

“They say that it is one of the most rare delicacies, yes,” said Gamora. She straightened the bracers on her arm and dusted off pants. “So delicious it would drive a simple man insane and anything he ate afterwards would taste like dirt.”

“Oh. I don’t wanna eat dirt the rest of my life.” Peter flicked the glass with his finger. The tendrils raised a little, slightly agitated before they settled again. “Guess that’s why the Favorite Prince of Znai is paying so much to get one then, huh? He’s already had a sample?”

“I do not know,” Gamora answered without looking at him. “One would assume.”

“Yep. One has. Assumed, I mean.”

Now she wasn’t even giving him an eye and it was really annoying. Quill almost reached out to grab her arm but she had pulled out one of her blades to clean and he learned pretty quick it wasn’t the best idea to try and touch Gamora when she had a blade out you could see. Or not see, even. Sometimes she was scary when she was sleeping too. God, he loved that about her, honestly. It was weird, but it made him feel safe. And he kinda hoped that just having him there made her feel safe too.

“Hey,” he said and stood to his full height, stretching on the doorframe from the cargo hold to the small galley/main sleeping quarter/weapons locker/Rocket’s workbench—the Milano wasn’t the Quadrant or nothing and they had to be up for multi-purpose rooms for these longer hauls. “Uh, I was talking to Rocket back there. On, well, on the mission and everything. And, uh, I was thinking.”

“A rare hobby,” said Gamora, pushing out her lips with the tip of her tongue. She didn’t smile, not exactly, but she was teasing him and that was a step in the right direction.

“Sure,” said Quill and laughed in good humor. “But, well, I was hoping, you know, after we deliver this to Znai that, well, maybe we can all go on a vacation.”

“A vacation,” she echoed back. She slid the length of her blade down the whet stone. “Last time, Rocket was almost—”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Perhaps it would serve well if he were collected and taken in as a pet.”

“You don’t mean that,” said Peter, straightening again.

He saw Gamora’s shoulders bend just a little. She so rarely relaxed. Thanos had really drilled it into her, that soldier’s stance. Peter couldn’t even imagine what he’d be like if Yondu or the Ravagers had been like that when he was growing up. What kinda nut job would he be if he was like the Nova Corps or something? Not that the Ravagers didn’t leave a few hard lessons of their own.

“No,” she conceded at last. “I do not mean that.”

“Yeah. Yeah, we could all use a vacation, huh?”

There was only the sound of the blade scraping across the stone; clean, clear, perfect. Peter wanted to come up behind her and wrap his arms around her, sway a little to one of the songs coming through the Milano’s speakers and kiss the top of her head. She’d been a little distant after Nebula left. Things weren’t all rainbows and sunshine between the two, but it was clear that some of the bridge had been patched and now that the crazy scary villain-turned-not-so-villain was gone, Gamora felt a little…colder. Sadder? Angrier? Something. She felt something and she wasn’t even saying what that something was. Not exactly the easiest to read.

Peter wanted to talk to somebody about it, but who? Drax? And have him laugh in his face? Or, what, Mantis? She’d probably touch his hand or something and pull another dumb deep dark secret out and he just didn’t need that. Like, Mantis was cool. He felt somewhat responsible for her safety and well-being, enough that he had her stay back on the Milano while they went hunting for the plant/creature/thing for the Favorite Prince. She even helped him get the extinguisher that had put out the flames Drax had doused himself in. Which, get this, was on purpose. Oh my god, they were all losing it, they seriously needed that vacation, there was no question. Yondu got a freakin’ vacation, didn’t he? Okay, but, yeah. He deserved it. Nearly dying in the freezing void meant he could go away for as long as he needed. Kraglin was there to take care of him too, so, that was…. Whatever. He didn’t miss them. They were allowed to go on a vacation. They could go do…whatever!

Plus, and this was just Quill putting Quill into the mix, as he often did, there was the Unspoken Thing dangling between him and Gamora. He could let it go, he could, but she had said things and he had said things and his core thrummed with a nervous energy. Dancing helped. It always helped. But Gamora, even though she had moves when she wanted to, wasn’t up for dancing then. He could tell. So, Peter sighed, wiped his hands down the front of his shirt and put on a smile as he went up to the cabin to sit with the others and ask where they might want to go after they finished the delivery.

“How’s our course lookin’?” asked Quill as he climbed up into the cabin.

“Got thirty jumps to Znai,” Rocket answered from his copilot seat, two tiny paws wrapped around the joy sticks.

Peter went over to take his usual spot but noticed Groot strapped in, munching on his skittles—no, they weren’t actually skittles, but they were colorful candy and the best assimilation Peter had to what he could remember Terran skittles actually being like. They were called grttzrs, but that was literally ridiculous and Peter liked skittles way better.

“Don’t eat all those,” said Peter, eyeing the little twig-terror, “or you’ll get a stomach ache.”

“I am Groot.”

“Dude, I’ve cleaned up your vomit.”

Groot took another handful and shoved the candies into his mouth, munching obnoxiously as he glared up at Quill.

“Okay, but when you throw up, don’t expect—”

“It would be best to clean up when it is fresh, rather than when it has time to sit.”

Peter spun and saw the lumpy gray mass stretched out on the floor with Mantis working a salve onto patches of bright shiny skin. Drax sounded drunk. His face was smashed into the grated floor, but he didn’t seem to mind. Whatever was in the salve must have been nice, even if it did smell about as bad as a burning skunk. Mantis smiled and applied the salve gently, but her little bug antennae were lit up and she flashed a quick worried look at Peter before she returned to her ministrations.

“How you doin’ there, Human Torch?”

“I am not a torch,” said Drax and Mantis at the same time. Mantis looked annoyed, but then concentrated again and pushed Drax to calm down.

“He’ll be okay,” said Rocket from the copilot chair. He didn’t turn to look. Barely said it loud enough over his shoulder. But Peter heard, all the same.

“Well.” Peter put his hands on his hips. He wasn’t gonna grimace or nothing. Had to give Mantis the impression that she was doing good. Hell, she was doing good. “You look rough.”

“He’s been through worse,” said Rocket. “Haven’t ya, ya big idiot?”

“Oh yes,” Drax answered and laughed. Mantis giggled a little too, but then something flashed on her face and she grimaced, pulling her hand away to sever the connection. Drax, sprawled on the floor, continued laughing despite himself. “Much worse!”

Peter’s mouth twisted in a lopsided scowl before he knelt by Mantis and took the little tub of cream from her.

“Are you certain? I could make him sleep, if that would be easier,” she said, blinking those big black eyes. “He has told me he does not want to sleep, but he is very tired.”

“Nah, that’s okay,” said Peter. “Hey, buddy, you know you got a bunch of, like, blisters and shit all over?”

“Yes,” Drax answered and laughed, picking his head up as he did. “Did you witness their destruction? It was glorious.”

“Burned those bastards up right quick.”

“Those villainous thieves didn’t see it coming,” Drax answered, and struggled to bring his hand up to wipe his eyes, which were a little glassy.

“Maybe not the best strategy, though, huh?”

“No. Not the best.” Drax leaned on his elbow and surveyed himself, poking some of the red scars across his pecs. It looked like they were mostly unscathed and only the greenish-gray skin on his back had been harmed. Drax tapped a particularly gnarly looking red patch near his shoulder with what looked like a toothy beast reaching for his neck. “It was nothing like defeating the loathsome beast of the Last Cliffs.”

“Yeah?” Peter sat cross-legged and told Drax to lay down while he finished tending to the burns. “Tell me about it.”

Mantis took a seat across from them, drawing her knees up close to her chest as she watched, unblinking but with a small, careful smile on her face. Peter winked as Drax droned on and on about a hunt from his childhood with his father and the other boys of his village.

“I…uh. Wow.” Peter unholstered his blaster, checked the cartridges out of habit, and then reholstered it. “Wow,” he said again. “I did not expect the Favorite Prince of Znai to, uh, look? Like that?”

“Oh, yeah, cause we all gotta have the two legs and two arms and the one head, just like all you humies.”

“No,” said Peter down at Rocket, who was picking some of the confetti off his fur. “I didn’t say that. I just meant I hadn’t ever seen anything so…?”

“Grow up, Quill.”

“I’m just saying.”

“Rocket’s right,” said Gamora, striding to Peter’s side. She had been the one to present the glass case with the Favorite Prince’s meal, much the delight and celebration to everyone there. There had been an Znai band playing fanfare music and everything. The confetti had rained down and Groot got off Rocket’s shoulder, chasing some of the glittering pieces. Gamora had stood stone still through it, holding out the case. She was also the one to collect their units and confirmed the transfer on her data pad. “You should grow up, Peter.”

“Oh come on. Is nobody gonna say it? Honestly?” Peter looked back at the castle behind them with its aquamarine spires and huge vaulted entryways carved with dizzying diamond patterns. “That was clearly…it was clearly…well, you know.”

Gamora rolled her eyes. She walked ahead, leading the way back to the launch site where they had parked the Milano. A pinkish sea stretched out around them as far as the horizon, its waves sparkling with the twilight of the two small suns crossing above.

“That man had a striking resemblance to a vagina,” said Drax, coming up from the rear.

“Dude!” Rocket glared up at the hulking destroyer even as Mantis giggled childishly behind her hands. “You don’t gotta just say it like that.”

“Oh my god, thank you,” said Peter, arms wide in a half-bow towards Drax. “I wasn’t crazy!”

“It was obvious, was it not? That is a common configuration of the—”

“Yeah! We all know what it looks like,” said Rocket as he flailed his arms above his head.

“Do we?” asked Peter skeptically, looking around the ragtag group.

“We do!”

“But do we?” Peter pressed.

“I dunno, Quill, maybe some of us aren’t lucky enough to have gotten up close and personal.”

“Okay.” Drax burst into laughter, pointing even, eyes wide in glee. Mantis bumped into him and quickly joined in. The pointing is what sucked. “Okay, guys. Okay. Come on.”

“If you’re all ready?” Gamora asked by the Milano, the hatch open and a ramp already lined up. “We might get off Znai before the full solstice?” She waved the Guardians up onto the ship, touching Peter briefly on the arm and giving him a pitying smile. “It has been a long time then, hasn’t it?”

“What?” asked Peter, pausing as everyone walked by.

“If you have forgotten simple anatomy, then—”

“Whoa, hey,” said Peter and scoffed. He shrugged out of Gamora’s reach. “I know what it looks like, jeeze.” Then he skidded a little and turned back. “Why? You offering me a lesson?”

“In your dreams, Star Lord,” she answered and sauntered onto the ship.

He watched her go, admiring her in, alright, yes, an absolutely sleazy fashion, but also just for her. All of her. Her languid movements, her perfect control, her everything. He smiled. Of course he smiled. And as he clapped the ramp to retract and closed the hatch, he nodded to nothing in particular and said, “Those dreams, though. You wouldn’t even believe.”

“Now about that vacation that Quill promised,” said Rocket from the ladder up to the cabin.

“Oo, I’ve never had a vacation before,” said Mantis, clasping her hands together in front of her chest.

Nobody decided to comment on that. Groot managed to get out something, but they all ignored it. He was just being mouthy, anyways.

“Alright, jerk wads. Where’re we goin’ anyhow?”

“Take us somewhere special,” Rocket yelled back.

Peter almost answered, but he stopped in the cargo hold, looking over at the case of space suits and the “For Emergency Use Only” printed neatly on the display with “(or fun)” scribbled haphazardly beneath hit. He remembered the cold cloying feeling blanket his body as he screamed, literally screamed, feeling himself drain of the flickering energy from that bastard Ego. And the icy hands just barely touch his cheek as Yondu began to freeze solid in front of him. Blood vessels bursting. Eyes frosting over.

Peter didn’t realize he had been holding his breath and he gasped, fist to his chest as he came back to himself. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like, if he lost…. No. No. Peter flicked a hand across the space suit display, pocketing one of the pods out of habit and replacing an old one from his ravager jacket so it could recharge. He usually kept two on his person, sitting next to each other, just in case.

“Quill?” Gamora called from the ladder. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” he answered, forcing himself to breathe normally. He tapped the display again, for good luck, and stomped off towards the cabin. “Yeah, you guys wanna go somewhere special? I got a couple ideas.”

#gotg fanfic #post gotg vol 2 #peter quill #gamora #drax the destroyer #rocket racoon #mantis #groot #jerk wads

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popculturedwithmoviemike · 8 years

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My Favorite Films From My Childhood (1980-1992)

There’s no doubt in my mind that the 80’s and 90’s were some of the best years in film history. There are so many memorable films that it’s easy to see why kids of my generation were so heavily influenced by them.

I hope some of these films will bring back a few memories of long forgotten films, as well as bringing a few other films to your attention that you may have missed.

1 - Back to the Future - 1985 It’s the perfect film. It has everything you could possibly want in a movie - action, romance, comedy. You name it, Back to the Future has it. It’s also perfectly 80’s. I could probably talk about Back to the Future all day. It’s one of those films that I can watch at any time from start to finish. Back to the Future also set the rules of time travel for every film that has come after it. Just a fantastic adventure.

2 - Back to the Future Part II - 1989 I know a lot of people don’t like Back to the Future Part II, but I’ve always loved it. Honestly, growing up the two films were always played back-to-back on TV, so I kind of look at them as one film. I love how the film goes from the past, to the distant future of 2015. It’s kind of crazy to think that the future we saw in 1989 is here. It’s one of the many aspects of Part II that makes it so endearing.

3 - The Goonies - 1985 The Goonies is my childhood. When I think back to when I was a kid, I can’t help but think of this film. It’s unfortunate that Hollywood doesn’t make movies like this for kids anymore. Most films aimed at children are animated, but The Goonies was an adventure film featuring kids made for kids. The great thing about the 80’s is that there were quite a few films where kids or teens went on some sort of adventure, many of which you will see on this list.

4 - Rambo: First Blood Part II - 1985 I’ve told this story a million times, but Rambo: First Blood Part II is one of my earliest movie memories. I remember watching the film on a big screen TV in the video store my parents owned. Sylvester Stallone was just this larger-than-life character and I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. That’s another thing the 80’s had in spades, larger-than-life action stars. First Blood Part II started my love affair with action movies that continues to this day. I couldn’t get enough of it back then and I still can’t. Unfortunately, those larger-than-life action stars are now extinct.

5 - Commando - 1985 I will never forget the opening scene in Commando for as long as I live. In case you haven’t seen it, Arnold is walking through the woods with the biggest chainsaw on the planet in one hand and perched on his other shoulder is a tree. You read that right. The man is carrying a freakin tree on his shoulder. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more badass introduction to a character. Commando also starred Alyssa Milano, who became my first crush after watching Commando. The 80’s and 90’s featured tons of one-man-army films and nobody is more of a one-man-army than Arnie in Commando. That includes Rambo. Here’s a link to that opening in case you think I’m exaggerating: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGrSEDPn0-g

6 - Ferris Bueller’s Day Off - 1986 Ferris Bueller is the coolest movie character of all-time. What kid or teen didn’t want to be Ferris Bueller in the 80’s? The girls loved him, guys wanted to be him and the teachers envied him. Any kid that has ever tried to stay home from school has Ferris to thank. I’m not quite sure what this new generation identifies with (if anything), but I find it hard to believe that Ferris Bueller’s Day Off wouldn’t be just as enjoyable to young people today.

7 - Red Dawn - 1984 As you read this list, you will notice a few trends. One is the fact that there are quite a few films where teens fight against some sort of evil power. It seemed like a popular film to make in the 80’s and 90’s, I’m not quite sure why, but boy I’m glad it was. For a tween boy, it couldn’t have been cooler to see characters not much older than me fighting terrorists and all sorts of other bad guys. As for Red Dawn, it’s one of those movies I watched when I was so young that I had images in my head from certain scenes that I had no idea they were from Red Dawn until I saw the film years later. Also, make sure you skip the remake. It tries to ruin my childhood.

8 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - 1984 I know it’s hated. I’m fully aware of this, but if you were a kid in the 80’s, you loved Temple of Doom. I love all the Indiana Jones films, and although Raiders of the Lost Ark came out first, I’m pretty sure I saw Temple of Doom before it. I must have watched Temple of Doom two dozen times as a kid. It seems like my friend and I, Tom Laffin, would watch it every Friday night. For me, it still holds up all these years later. I don’t care what the haters say.

9 - Die Hard - 1988 Die Hard is the greatest action film of all-time. I remember watching this film as a kid and just being blown away. I’ve seen the film countless times since I was a kid, but even as a young film watcher, there’s so much that stuck with me into my adulthood. It’s just the perfect action film. Maybe my favorite part of Die Hard is that John McClane is just a regular guy. He has a receding hairline, he doesn’t quite have the chiseled physique of a Stallone or an Arnie and he takes a beating. If you were to go back in time and take a look at 10-year-old Mike, you’d probably see me running around in a white t-shirt, barefoot with a duffel bag full of toy guns and fake detonators slung across my back.

10 - The Rescue - 1988 For years, I couldn’t remember the name of The Rescue. I only had a few vague scenes in my head and a brief plot synopsis. Thankfully, with the power of Google, I was able to track the film down. Much to my dismay, the film has never been released on DVD. However, I was lucky enough to find the VHS tape at a Goodwill. I look forward to watching the film again because it’s been probably almost 30 years since I’ve seen it. The fact that the story and a few scenes stuck with me for all those years proves how much it impacted my childhood. The story is very similar to Iron Eagle in the sense that a bunch of kids have to rescue their Navy S.E.A.L parents who have been captured by some made up foreign country that evokes a striking resemblance to every Middle Eastern country.

11 - Big - 1988 Big is the rare film where your perspective will change depending on when you watch it. For me, I was able to watch the film at two different times in my life and get a unique experience both times. When Big was released, I just so happened to be around the same age as the young boy in the film. It’s great to see the film through the eyes of a kid. Then, years later, I watched the film again in my 30’s, which is the age Tom Hanks transforms into. As an adult, I was able to see the film from a whole different perspective. I’m not sure I can think of another film that offers such a unique experience.

12 - Home Alone - 1990 I was the same age as Kevin McCallister was in the film and I remember thinking how cool it was to see a kid protect his home from two thieves. To this day, Home Alone is a must watch every Christmas for me. It brings me right back to being a kid again. I’m pretty sure I can recite the entire film.

13 - Toy Soldiers - 1991 I just love Toy Soldiers. I thought it was so cool that the film took place at an all-boys boarding school. Watching these teens come together to fight terrorists was just awesome. Years later, the movie would mean even more to me after I attended an all-boys high school. Unfortunately, I never had to fight terrorists with my friends. I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t plan out what I would have done if it did happen though.

14 - Iron Eagle - 1986 Yes, Louis Gossett Jr. is in Toy Soldiers and Iron Eagle. What can I say, the guy likes helping teens fight bad guys. Anyway, Top Gun is the more popular 80’s fighter jet movie, but it’s Iron Eagle that was my favorite growing up. Again, I just think I identified with the main character more because of my age. Only in the 80’s can you have a movie where a teen learns how to fly an F-16 in order to save his father. It was the 80’s and it just worked. The film spawned 3 not so great sequels.

15 - A Few Good Men - 1992 There’s a lot of great films on my list, but most of them are action films, comedies and films aimed at a younger audience. A Few Good Men is probably the only adult drama on my list and it’s no coincidence. I was 12 when A Few Good Men came out and it marked a new chapter as a moviegoer. Sure, I still watched tons of comedies and action films, but I started watching more and more dramas and films geared towards a more adult audience. My sister and I can still quote whole scenes from A Few Good Men. It’s one of the greatest films of all-time and I’m not sure why it doesn’t get more attention for being just that.

16 - What About Bob? - 1991 Every film has its fair share of people that just don’t care for it. However, I’ve yet to run into a single person in my 37 years on the planet that doesn’t like What About Bob? Bill Murray was never better as the annoying, yet lovable Bob. The film features so many hilarious scenes and I love watching Richard Dreyfuss slowly lose his mind. A pure classic.

17 - Clue: The Movie - 1985 Tim Curry, the multiple endings, Madeline Kahn (“flames, on the side of my face”), that maid’s cleavage, Mr. Green slapping Mrs. Peacock (“I had to stop her screaming”). There’s so much I love about Clue. Like many of the movies on this list, I can watch Clue everytime it’s on TV. It must have been cool watching the film in theaters because different parts of the country got different endings. It wasn’t until the VHS was released that we got the multiple endings together.

18 - G.I. Joe: The Movie - 1987 When I think of my childhood, I think of my G.I. Joe action figures. I had over 100 of them. In fact, I still have them. As you would expect, I also loved the cartoon. I remember when the film was released, I thought it was the coolest thing. It introduced a whole bunch of new Joes, as well as new bad guys. All these years later, the film has aged fairly well.

19 - Spaceballs - 1987 I happen to be the rare 80’s kid that didn’t grow up with Star Wars, but that didn’t stop me from watching Spaceballs a ridiculous amount of times. The fact that I really had no idea what they were spoofing and was still able to enjoy the film, proves how great of a film it is. Spaceballs was my first introduction to Mel Brooks and he remains one of my favorite filmmakers of all-time. In the years that followed, my dad showed me all of his classics, but Spaceballs still remains my favorite for the simple fact that I loved it as a kid.

20 - The Princess Bride - 1987 If you need more evidence how different twins can be, ask my sister about The Princess Bride. She hates it. I think it has a lot to do with the Rodents of Unusually Large Size. Personally, I find the thought that somebody couldn’t love The Princess Bride INCONCEIVABLE!

21 - Ghostbusters - 1984 If you grew up in the 80’s and you didn’t love Ghostbusters, you were probably a pretty lonely kid. Ghostbusters is easily one of the most iconic films of the 80’s. I just watched it with my 9-year-old cousin last summer and it’s amazing how many parts of the film really isn’t for kids. No big deal for 80’s kids, but now it would be a different story. Like with most of his films, Bill Murray steals every scene.

22 - Airplane! - 1980 I remember watching Airplane! with my dad when I was a kid. As I got older, I slowly started to understand more and more of the jokes. No other film helped mold my sense of humor more than Airplane. The film is just as funny to me as an adult as it was when I was kid, maybe even moreso.

23 - WarGames - 1983 Another movie revolving around teens. There were so many films in the 80’s that revolved around teens and kids. I’m not sure when that all stopped, but they’re pretty rare now. WarGames is actually ahead of its time. A kid almost starts WW3 by playing a video game online. Pretty advanced stuff for 1983.

24 - Gremlins - 1984 I hear there are people who don’t like Gremlins, but I choose not to associate with them. Gremlins is a very unique film in many ways. It’s the rare horror/comedy, but it’s also a great Christmas movie. I’m not sure why, but every Christmas Gremlins gets forgotten when the networks usher out their usual lineup (A Christmas Story, Elf, Home Alone, Christmas Vacation). Also, I dare you not to fall in love with Gizmo. He’s easily one of the most adorable film characters of all-time. Sorry, E.T.

25 - The Karate Kid - 1984 Another 80’s teen movie. Gotta’ love it. Every kid in the 80’s was karate chopping his sister (or anything that moved) after watching The Karate Kid. I’m not sure there’s a more 80’s feeling film on this list. In fact, The Karate Kid might have started the movie cliché of the group of villainous jerks that every similar film since The Karate Kid has implemented.

26 - Planes, Trains and Automobiles - 1987 The good die young. John Candy is easily one of the greatest comedic actors in film history. He’s fantastic here as Del, a lovable loser that unintentionally terrorizes Steve Martin while trying to get back to their families for the holidays. The chemistry between Martin and Candy is just amazing. The film ends up being really sweet too. If you don’t want to give Del a big old hung by the end of the film, you’re not human.

27 - Navy Seals - 1990 If you can’t tell by now (assuming you’re actually still reading) I was kind of obsessed with all things military when I was a kid. Navy Seals is pure 90’s cheese (see beach volleyball scene), but it’s just a pretty awesome war movie. What I’ve always remembered about Navy Seals is one of the Seals was nicknamed God. He had a sniper rifle with a thermal scope and he was able to shoot people through walls. As a kid, it doesn’t get much cooler than that.

28 - Adventures in Babysitting - 1987 More teens on an adventure! A lot of people have forgotten about Adventures in Babysitting, but it’s such a fun movie. I remember me and my sister watching this one all the time in the summer. Also, Elisabeth Shue was one of my first crushes.

29 - Uncle Buck - 1989 John Candy again, as well as a pre-Home Alone Macaulay Culkin. Every kid wanted an uncle like Uncle Buck. He just seemed so cool and laid back. Plus, did you see that freakin’ pancake?!

30 - Field of Dreams - 1989 I love baseball, but in all honesty, football has gained a lot of ground in recent years. That said, I was all about baseball in the 80’s. To me, Field of Dreams is the greatest baseball movie of all-time. Nothing gets me more in the mood for baseball season than listening to James Earl Jones’s monologue. Also, the film really nails the bond between father and son and how that bond is often fostered through baseball. Something I can totally understand.

31 - White Men Can’t Jump - 1992 I watch White Men Can’t Jump once a year around the spring. No other film gets me in the mood to play basketball more than White Men Can’t Jump. I love the chemistry between Snipes and Harrelson. The other great part of the film is that both actors are legit athletes. There’s one thing you can’t fake in film and that’s sports. Any sports fan can spot a fraud from a mile away. These two guys can ball.

32 - Stand by Me - 1986 Before I became the huge Stephen King fan that I am today, I remember watching Stand by Me, which is of course based on the Stephen King short story The Body. I’m not sure another film got 4 better performances out of child actors. The real standout was River Phoenix, which makes his young death all the more tragic.

33 - National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation - 1989 Watching Christmas Vacation is as much a part of Christmas as putting up the Christmas tree. It just captures what’s so great about the holiday season, and what’s not so great. Of all the Vacation films, Christmas Vacation is my favorite. I love watching Chevy Chase slowly unravel.

34 - Home Alone 2: Lost In New York - 1992 Yes, it’s pretty much a carbon copy of the first film, but I remember being really entertained while watching this in the theater. Lost In New York gets a boost by Tim Curry and how can we forget the HUGE performance from the President of the United States, Donald Trump.

35 - Rocky IV - 1985 I know what you’re thinking, “Where is Rocky 1? Hell, where’s 2 and 3 for that matter?” Well, I remember watching Rocky 4 way more than those films. I know a lot of people hate it, and it is indeed super cheesy, but how can you not love those montages? Also, Rocky ends the Cold War by himself. Give the man credit where credit is due.

36 - The Monster Squad - 1987 You haven’t heard of The Monster Squad, have you? For some, they might vaguely remember the film. That’s a shame because it’s a lot of fun. It’s kind of like if the Goonies fought monsters. Come to think of it, the Netflix show Stranger Things shares a ton of DNA with The Monster Squad. Do yourself a favor and track down a copy and watch it on Halloween.

37 - Honey, I Shrunk the Kids - 1989 There’s something so cool about watching miniature people interact with the world. The film just featured so many unique perspectives and ideas. Also, the scene where the ant sacrifices himself still gets me today. You know what, I can’t. What’s next?

38 - Silverado - 1985 I grew up watching tons of Westerns with my dad. Most of them were black and white and starred John Wayne. Then Silverado comes along and is in color and features a wiseass character like Kevin Costner and I was hooked. Silverado doesn’t get enough love when discussing great Westerns.

39 - My Cousin Vinny - 1992 Joe Pesci is known for his roles in gangster films like Goodfellas and Casino, but his performance in My Cousin Vinny is easily my favorite. The film never gets old and 25 years later, my family and I are still quoting lines from this film. “I shot the clerk? I shot the clerk!?” “Two yutes.” If you, for some insane reason, haven’t seen My Cousin Vinny, maybe you were in a coma or possibly you just returned to Earth from being in a cryogenic state aboard a spaceship, then you need to see this film.

40 - A Christmas Story - 1983 When I was a kid, I thought A Christmas Story was an old movie. Meaning, I thought it was made in the 50’s or something. That’s how well they nailed that time period. Like many people, I tune into the marathon on Christmas Eve, but it’s been decades since I actually sat down and watched the film from start to finish.

41 - Radio Flyer - 1992 I haven’t run into a lot of people who have even heard of Radio Flyer, let alone seen it. It stars a young Elijah Wood and Joseph Mazzello, who was one of the hardest working child actors in the 90’s (Jurassic Park). The film deals with the heavy subject matter of child abuse. Not to give too much away for those interested in seeing it, but the boys are building their own plane so they can escape their ruthless step-father. The amazing thing is that as I got older, I heard of a pretty disturbing theory about the ending. Watching the film as a child and as an adult really hammers home the childlike innocence that we all possessed at some point. Fun fact, Tom Hanks narrates the film.

42 - The Delta Force - 1986 I’ve always loved films that take place on airplanes and it doesn’t get much better than Chuck Norris in The Delta Force. It’s about time for me to rewatch this one. It’s been years since I’ve seen it. That said, the one scene that stands out in my mind all these years later is Chuck Norris blowing stuff up by shooting missiles from his motorcycle.

43 - Romancing the Stone - 1984 Romancing the Stone was the answer to the Indiana Jones films. While not quite as memorable as Indiana Jones, it’s a lot of fun. The chemistry between Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner is great and Danny DeVito is an awesome villain. Romancing the Stone is kind of an underrated Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future) film. Like most films of the 80’s, there was a sequel called The Jewel of the Nile that is decent too.

44 - Raising Arizona - 1987 Raising Arizona is one of those films that I must have seen when I was really young and an image stuck in my mind, but I had no idea what it was from until I saw the film again years later. The image was the crazy biker guy riding around on his motorcycle with a baby in a baby seat strapped to the front of it. Crazy stuff in an already pretty insane film. Who knew I was into the Coen Brothers at such a young age?

45 - Three Amigos - 1986 Three Amigos features 3 of the greatest comedic actors of all-time: Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Chevy Chase. It really doesn’t get much better than that. There’s probably no Tropic Thunder if it wasn’t for Three Amigos. I just love the premise. Seeing these pampered actors thrown into a crazy situation is just fantastic. It also features one of the funniest scenes in film history. The Three Amigos are on their horses. The camera starts on Steve Martin, he uncaps his canteen and begins to take a drink but it’s empty. The camera pans to Chevy Chase, whose canteen is also empty. Finally, the camera settles on Steve Martin, who proceeds to essentially take a bath in the contents of his canteen. I mean, he’s gargling it, spitting it out. It’s comedic gold.

46 - Lethal Weapon 2 - 1989 I don’t remember seeing Lethal Weapon until I was older, but I remember watching the second film and thinking Mel Gibson as Riggs was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. He wasn’t your normal cop. He really didn’t give a crap about rules or what anybody thought. He was just plain insane. That’s just perfect for my younger self who was used to seeing people play by the book. Riggs was having none of that. Of the 4 Lethal Weapon films, 2 is my favorite.

47 - The Last Boy Scout - 1991 I’ve always had a thing for buddy action comedies and The Last Boy Scout is a really underrated one. Bruce Willis was about as bankable as it got when it came to action films in the 80’s and 90’s (except for Hudson Hawk of course). I’m not sure why Damon Wayans didn’t have a better movie career. I’ve always found him really likable and talented.

48 - Tremors - 1990 Tremors is a B-Horror/Monster movie. It’s completely cheesy, but when you’re a kid, it couldn’t be more entertaining. If it’s on, I always watch it. The original spawned a slew of sequels (and a TV series), but I’ve actually only seen the original film.

49 - Weekend at Bernie’s - 1989 Weekend at Bernie’s should suck. It really should, but it doesn’t. The entire film is just plain bizarre, but it works. It’s one of those films that continues to get referenced years later. Many people have probably referenced Weekend at Bernie’s unknowingly without ever seeing the film.

50 - Project X - 1987 Here’s one that I’m willing to bet you’ve completely forgotten about. Project X stars Matthew Broderick and a young Helen Hunt trying to rescue chimps who are being used for experiments. It’s probably been 30 years since I’ve seen this one, but what really sticks with me are the cute little chimps. I remember being really worried that something was going to happen to them. It’s a pretty heart-warming film.

51 - Three Fugitives - 1989 Three Fugitives is one of those films that had been completely wiped from my mind until I was looking up Nick Nolte’s filmography and saw it on there. I immediately remembered how much I loved this film as a kid. I don’t remember much from it, but I remember Martin Short really getting on Nolte’s nerves and how funny they were together.

52 - Kindergarten Cop - 1990 Honestly, Kindergarten Cop is the kind of film that could only exist in the 80’s and 90’s. After becoming an action icon, Arnold Schwarzenegger wanted to branch out a little bit. Kindergarten Cop was the first of a string of Schwarzenegger films that were on the lighter side (Junior, Jingle All the Way and Twins). Say what you want about Arnold, but he’s great in Kindergarten Cop. He has great comedic timing and seeing this massive human inhabit the same space as these little kids is just hilarious. Don’t forget, “It’s NOT a tooma!”

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