James Gunn Movies

Marvel Studios expands their cosmic presence on the big screen with this adaptation of the Guardians of the Galaxy comic series, with Zero Dark Thirty's Chris Pratt heading up a cast that includes David Bautista and Zoe Saldana. Super's James Gunn helms the big budget sci-fi team-up that makes up part of Marvel's Phase 2 lead-up to the Avengers sequel, which includes Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Iron Man 3. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

An average guy reacts to the frustration of losing his wife by adopting a crime-fighting persona known as the "Crimson Bolt," and targeting any criminal who crosses his path -- no matter how minor their infraction may be. Frank (Rainn Wilson) is husband to former alcoholic and drug addict Sarah (Liv Tyler), and he loves her with all his heart. Their wedding day was one of but two perfect moments in this Frank's life, but when Sarah runs away with charismatic drug dealer Jacques (Kevin Bacon), the loss was just too much for her mild-mannered husband to take. Subsequently transforming himself into the Crimson Bolt, Frank reasons that if he can take down Jacques along with the rest of the city's scum, his beloved wife will soon come running back. With his homemade suit and his handy pipe wrench, Frank goes to work cleaning up the streets and starts making headlines. But just as the Crimson Bolt becomes the talk of the town, sociopathic comic-store clerk Libby (Ellen Page) reinvents herself as "Boltie," and makes a play to become the controversial street hero's trusted sidekick. Perhaps by working together, the Crimson Bolt and Boltie can make an example of Jacques, and keep the streets safe for average citizens. But real life isn't like comic books, and sometimes when an average person tries to be a superhero, things can go very bad, very fast. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A wealthy couple attempts to give back to their community by handing out giant lollipops to the local homeless population in the mockumentary-style directorial debut of The Office star Jenna Fischer. On the surface, James and Jenna (real-life husband and wife team James Gunn and Jenna Fischer) couldn't be more charitable, but a closer look at their newfound philanthropy points to a more self-serving motivation. Beneath their shallow veneer, all James and Jenna care about is using their preposterous new charity to mix in with the jet set and keep themselves in the public eye. As desperate James attempts to get his mediocre art to the masses by using it to wrap the lollipops and self-absorbed Jenna tries to land the funding needed to drive her outlandish endeavor, the would-be charitable couple's inherent inability to truly connect with those who they claim to be helping grows increasingly obvious to everyone except themselves. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

America's favorite teenage canine-led crime fighters earn a second shot at the big screen in this sequel to the hit comedy Scooby-Doo. The reunited Mystery Inc. team -- Fred (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Velma (Linda Cardellini), Shaggy (Matthew Lillard), and Scooby-Doo (voice of Neil Fanning) -- return to their hometown of Coolsville as heroes when a local criminology museum offers an exhibition of the many ghostly disguises used by villains they've subdued over the years. However, their warm welcome is not long-lived; mean-spirited television reporter Heather Jasper-Howe (Alicia Silverstone) has aired a series of stories calling the team's intelligence and bravery into question, and even worse, a number of the weird creature costumes on display in the museum are coming to life and wrecking havoc on the people of Coolsville. Some of the clues seem to point to Old Man Wickles (Peter Boyle), whose attempts to pose as the Black Knight Ghost were foiled by the Mystery Machinists in the past, but is he looking for revenge or just a red herring? And what is Velma supposed to do about Patrick Wisely (Seth Green), a curator at the museum who's warm for her helmet-haired form? Scooby-Doo 2 also co-stars Tim Blake Nelson and features a cameo appearance from American Idol star Ruben Studdard. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The long-running cartoon from William Hanna and Joseph Barbera that began life in 1969 as Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? becomes this live-action, tongue-in-cheek comedy-adventure featuring a computer-generated version of the easily frightened, mush-mouthed Great Dane. Freddie Prinze Jr. stars as Fred, the blonde, confident, ascot-sporting leader of Mystery Inc., a ghost-busting service that exposes phony supernatural phenomena as the work of shysters. Working with Fred are: his rich, beautiful girlfriend, Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar), who has a bad habit of getting kidnapped by villains; Velma (Linda Cardellini), the real brains of the group who pines secretly for Fred; cowardly slacker and dog's best friend Shaggy (Matthew Lillard); and the snack-gobbling pet pooch Scooby. However, after solving its latest case involving a beleaguered toy company owner (Pamela Anderson), the group fractures over Fred's habit of grabbing credit for everyone's hard work, despite the pleas of Shaggy and Scooby. Two years later, they are reunited at Spooky Island, a theme park and teen spring break destination that owner Emile Mondavarious (Rowan Atkinson) claims is plagued with ghosts. Suspicious as usual of any claims involving the paranormal, the Mystery Inc. clan is soon probing a scheme involving ancient rites, summoned spirits, and brainwashed college students, forcing the group members to resolve their differences and uncover the truth. Directed by Chris Columbus protégé Raja Gosnell, Scooby-Doo features the voice of Scott Innes as the title character. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

A satire of comic-book superheroes in the same vein as the 1999 Mystery Men, The Specials is set in a parallel universe where gangs of superheroes regularly compete against one another for glory or, failing that, flattering action-figure likenesses. The Specials are one of these gangs, and not a very good one at that. Composed of the Weevil (Rob Lowe), the group's most popular member, Amok (Jamie Kennedy), a potty-mouthed shape-shifter, group leader Strobe (Thomas Haden Church), and the constantly growing or shrinking Minute Man (James Gunn), the Specials are more concerned with their image than in actually doing anything heroic. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi