The Groot is the New Twerk (and 4 other reasons I love Guardians of the Galaxy)

I need hardly add my voice to the many others singing the praises of this weekend's surprise hit film, Guardians of the Galaxy, but it was so fun and refreshing, I can hardly help myself. Here are 5 reasons why:

1. It's funny. Really funny. I can't remember laughing that much in a movie in a while. And it's not raunchy funny, either; these laughs are fun for all ages.

2. The 70s pop music is fun, uplifting, and will make you want to dance. Even when the songs gain their humorous power from their often ironic contexts, the joy of these tunes is decidedly unironic. This movie makes it cool to groove to cheesy, synth-laden hits of the seventies in all sincerity -- quite a feat in a culture that often seems to fear sincerity.

2. Speaking of sincerity and fun dance music, The Groot is The New Twerk. Watching everything Groot did -- but especially baby Groot's smooth dance moves -- was kind of like watching a bunch of adorable cat videos: the whole audience squealed and "awwed" with affection, and I think it's safe to say that his character stole everyone's hearts. (Also, yesterday, I was grooving to the Jackson 5 and my husband told me I "do a good Groot," so I'm thinking his moves have potential as a legitimate dance craze).

But when I say "The Groot is the New Twerk" I also mean that the astounding popularity of a character like Groot is, in a way, the anti-twerk -- the ultimate revenge of the nerds in the form of pop culture domination (as Adam commented on, here), as well as the sincere, fun-loving answer to the "too-cool-for-school," blasé sexuality of the infamous Robin Thicke/Miley Cyrus VMA performance from last summer. The Groot is the New Twerk, and that's good news for pop music nerds, comic book nerds, and all people who just want to dance.

4. It was obviously written for my generation of Gen-X/Millenial cuspers. If you were born between 1975 and 1985, this movie is for you. It so bubbles over with 80s kid references, it's like a warm nostalgia bath -- a bath that will make you laugh a lot -- and make you come out smelling like movie popcorn and sticky soda. Okay, so it's not that much like a bath -- but it is a fun trip down childhood's memory lane.

5. Summers were made for films like these. This has not been a good summer for movies, and that makes me sad, because I love escaping from the Texas heat inside a nice, air-conditioned movie theatre and gulping down a half-Coke-half-cherry icee while enjoying a fun action/adventure/comedy/romance with a room full of strangers. Now, August is here, and back-to-school is just around the corner. I thought I had lost my chance for that perfect summer movie. But Guardians of the Galaxy is the perfect summer movie. It doesn't matter if you've never heard of the characters -- I went in a complete newbie to this aspect of Marvel-verse and I fell in love with all the characters and the story. Young? Old? In-between? Just go; there will be something in this movie for you. Don't like crowds? Play hooky and go in the middle of the day when no one's there. Just go. Go, and watch this perfect summer movie before summer runs out. You'll be laughing and dancing and reminiscing and unironically singing along with 70s pop hits, and you'll be so glad you did.