I just got back from seeing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2! My overall thoughts/mini review: It's a more than worthy follow up to the first film that offers even more character development and oftens explores the most emotional internal conflicts of this loveable group of characters. Rather than just simply go "bigger is better", the sequel takes it time at some points to slow down and allow us to truly understand these characters and what makes them who they are. Of course, the action is spectacular. In terms of the action, this film is even more zanier and wild than the first film. Especially, the third act. I'm also surprised to say that this is by far the best looking film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yes, it tops Doctor Strange in terms of the visuals and the overall astethics. Trust me, this film is full of style, but it never downplays the substance as well. As for the soundtrack, once again we get another pretty cool set of old-school songs that are catchy in their own right and worth a listen to, even in comparison to the first film's soundtrack. Look, not every sequel is going to be The Empire Strikes Back or Aliens or Terminator 2, but Vol. 2 didn't need to be better than the first film. It offered another well-rounded trip with these insanely memorable characters that never failed to entertain. Sure, it may lack the surprise factor or the freshness of the original in some ways, but on its own this is a pretty damn great time at the movies and easily the perfect way to start off the summer movie season. As of right now, I'll say the first film is still my favorite MCU film, but this one is certainly a close second. Go see it! It's definitely worth your time and money. I can't wait to see what James Gunn has in store for Vol. 3. ! Also, I can confirm this film has the largest amount of post credit scenes in the MCU: 5. Better get comfy.

My Final Grade: A