“Guardians of the Galaxy” may have its connections — however slight — to the Marvel cinematic superhero universe that has been building for years, but it’s not a superhero movie at all.

It has way more in common with George Lucas’ original 1977 space opera “Star Wars.” It isn’t quite ridiculous enough to be a straight-up parody of Lucas’ film, but it’s so cheeky and self-aware that you’d be forgiven for thinking that.

Chris Pratt (from “Parks and Recreation”) plays Peter Quill, an everykid who is unexpectedly whisked away from his home planet of Earth to find himself cruising in a spaceship to faraway lands in search of meaning and the truth about his father’s identity.

But Quill (who calls himself Star Lord) is not just some ordinary Luke Skywalker clone. He’s also equal parts Han Solo — a cocksure intergalactic scavenger who squeaks out a living stealing valuable objects and selling them to the highest bidder to pay for his beloved spacecraft.

One such object he gets his hands on is an all-powerful orb that everyone else in the galaxy is apparently searching for too. The movie, co-written and directed by Troma graduate James Gunn, is so self-conscious of its familiar plot machinations that it calls out this MacGuffin with a jab from Quill, who says the orb gives off a “shiny suitcase, Ark of the Covenant, Maltese Falcon kind of vibe.”

But “Guardians of the Galaxy” isn’t just about one guy’s struggle to find his way in an uncaring universe. Along the way, he meets four other outcasts: a green-skinned orphan-turned-assassin named Gamora (Zoe Saldana); a tattooed musclehead who doesn’t understand metaphors named Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista); a kindhearted tree-person with a limited vocabulary named Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel); and Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), the genetically-altered talking raccoon with a chip on his shoulder the size of Centauri IV.

Sure, there’s a ton of expositional blather involving planets and interstellar races you’ve never heard of, and goofy quasi-generic sci-fi names like Yondu, Nebula and Ronan. But there’s also a surprising undercurrent of investment in the characters, especially considering the insane amount of creatively designed CGI alien landscapes and sets that whizz by.

Quill’s outward bravado masks an inner sensitivity and insecurity that is shared by all of the misfits. Pratt plays it perfectly, and the script gives us just enough of his backstory to keep us grounded, while dropping clues to the others’ tough lives and their shared need for redemption.

Cooper and the digital artists that created Rocket also deserve huge props for making their CGI raccoon with such verve and capacity for generating sympathy. The movie is too on-the-nose about it, but it is as much an ode to friendship as it is a rollicking action-adventure in space.

There’s planet of action, of course, but it’s the heart and humor, delivered consistently throughout “Guardians of the Galaxy,” that make this tongue-in-cheek space opera the perfect fit for the 21st century. Adults can get a kick out of how the movie tweaks the ever-so-familiar formula, while kids can marvel at the thrilling heroes’ journey and feel a little less alone in the world.

2014 US Air Guitar National Finals Preview

The most fun, ridiculous organization that ever existed is coming to Kansas City next week.
On Saturday, Aug. 9, US Air Guitar is holding its 2014 National Finals at the historic Midland Theatre. This is the 12th year USAG has crowned a US champion and sent them to Finland to represent this fine country at the Air Guitar World Championships, and it’s the first time they’ve brought their absurd party to the heartland.

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I’ve competed in and been spectator to five US Air Guitar National Finals, and I can tell you from experience that it’s an addictive amount of fun. The best air guitarists fly into town from all over the country after working on their 1-minute routines for months, eager to ignite the crowd, however hardened and suspicious they may be.

What’s so special about this silly contest is how seriously people begin to take it as it progresses, no matter how hard they resist. They pick favorites. They boo the judges. It’s thrilling when you see a move by an air guitarist that causes you to squeal in glee completely un-ironically. That’s the moment when you know you have finally given in and let the magic work.

In Washington, D.C., I was mocked by Jason Jones from “The Daily Show.” In New York City, my homemade Roman litter prop (that would have allowed me to float above the crowd standing up) got locked in a closet, never to be used.

In Chicago, I was mocked by an air-guitarist-turned-state-representative-from-Wisconsin, who was then in turn booed by the audience.

Last year in Los Angeles, Brendon Small from “Metalocalypse” played live onstage while I floundered about, trying to improv a routine to a song I’d never heard before.

Win or lose, it’s my favorite live show of the year. Nobody will ever understand what’s fun about a bunch of people jumping up and down on a stage playing air guitar until they’ve experienced it themselves. For the competitors, it’s that freeing moment when their performance transcends the imitation of guitar and become a unique art form unto itself. We air guitarists call that moment “airness.”

The competition, the comedy, the camaraderie — it’s a shared feeling. And the idea that you were there when history (however strange it is) was made. It’s been scientifically proven that playing air guitar improves creativity in musicians, so I’m done with all the haters who have no imagination and say things like, “Why don’t you just learn to play a real guitar?”

I’m a drummer. Half the air guitarists who compete are also “there” guitarists. That’s not the point. It’s about freeing yourself from the limitations of the instrument and interpreting music on another level.

We’ll crown a new US Air Guitar champion next Saturday night, and that person will travel with me to Finland to represent our country at the Air Guitar World Championships. I’ll be defending my title of 2013 Air Guitar World Champion and having the time of my life with my new friends from across the globe.

Come Saturday, however, I’ll be 30 minutes east in Kansas City for a once-in-a-lifetime event in this area. Don’t miss it because you don’t “understand” it. You’ll get it once you see it live.