Grauniads of the galaxy
I've boycotted all of Disney's output and services since the company's complicity in genocide and re-education
came to light with the release of Mulan in 2020. I thought it would be difficult, having watched most of the releases during the MCU's first three phases, culminating in Avengers: Endgame, but on the contrary, Kevin Feige and Disney Marvel Studios have made it laughably easy.
The only entries that I had been looking forward to post-Endgame were Black Widow; Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness; and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The first two ended up as lazy by-the-numbers women all-powerful
mockeries of all that had gone before, with male characters portrayed as the root of all evil; inept buffoons; or subservient to their female superiors. I wouldn't have paid to see them anyway, so no loss there.
Now the third is on the release block, and Nicholas Barber's review suggests that, although it's not mired in the identity politics that phuqued the other two like the rest of phase 4, it's hardly essential viewing itself.
I would never base my viewing plans on one critic's assessment. Yet, while I consider Vol. 1 to be the only MCU film worthy of a 10/10 rating, its sequel was a strong 8, borderline 9, and the weaknesses I saw in it are noted by Barber. So he may be onto something with his ★★★☆☆ critique of the third installment.
We'll see. Except I won't.
The Grauniad is, or at least used to be, a reference to The Guardian newspaper. Used by Private Eye to mock its frequent typographical errors.
Hmmm. It appears that in order to understand some of the changes since Vol. 2 and Endgame—Mantis and Quill are siblings, for example, there may be more—you have to have watched The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special. How typical of Disney to tie the narrative into its bargain bin streaming collection.