Lindsay Ellis (aka Nostalgia Chick) gives thoughtful take on GotG Vol. 2

By Damion Damaske

Posted 9 years ago

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

I remember in high school being really into That Guy With the Glasses, a series of critical video essays headed by Doug Walker. He eventually got his own website and channel (before moving to YouTube), and brought on a bunch of other critics into the fold, like The Cinema Snob and Obscurus Lupa. However, one of my favorite critics was The Nostalgia Chick (real name Lindsay Ellis), as she was much more analytical, acerbic, and all around funny than most of the other critics on that channel.

And it's fortunate she's still making video essays all these years later, as she hasn't lost her edge, humor, and knack for thoughtful and detailed critical analysis. And the video above is no exception. Ellis (no longer donning The Nostalgia Critic monicker) analyzes GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 and goes deep into the different themes of the story, and how they connect to the characters, as well as what facilitates its ultimate emotional catharsis. Moreover, she taps into something I profoundly agree with, which is the idea that one's personal experiences affect the critical evaluation of a work of art, no matter its other flaws or technical merits. It's also just a great way to better understand the storytelling mechanisms at play throughout the film.

About the Author

Damion Damaske

2,757 Articles Published

Favorite Movies: Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, Dogma, Mulholland Drive, Donnie Darko, read more Network, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Pulp Fiction, Mean Girls, Can't Hardly Wait, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, Cabin in the Woods, The Lives of Others, Beetlejuice, Watchmen, Fight Club, Cloud Atlas, Mortal Kombat, Sky High, Seven Samurai, Cinema Paradiso, Oldboy, In the Mood for Love, Breathless, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Battle Royale, 400 Blows, The Royal Tenenbaums, Clergyman and the Seashell, The Kid, Safety Last!, Unforgiven, Little Sister, It Follows, Evil Dead 2, Man of Steel, The Dark Knight, Spider-Man 2, Coherence, Primer, Birdemic: Shock and Terror, The Room, Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie

Likes: Writing, directing, editing, doing stand-up, watching movies/TV shows, reading books/comics, listening read more to death metal, playing Dungeons and Dragons, thinking of the best way to finally put an end to my meaningless and pitiful existence, Batman

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