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Does Marvel's gamble with different vibe for Guardians of the Galaxy pay off?
Star Lord
Star-Lord/Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), from left, Groot (Voiced by Vin Diesel), Rocket Racoon (Voiced by Bradley Cooper), Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) and Gamora (Zoe Saldana) in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. - photo by Marvel
Curtis Linnell
Deseret News National
Updated: Aug 10, 2014, 5:00 PM
Published: Aug 5, 2014, 3:45 PM

In 2008 Marvel released “Iron Man” and since then, they have released many films in the Marvel universe that all seem to have the same vibe and feel to them. Who can argue, though, they have found a recipe for success and audiences love it. Then came “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

From the trailers alone, you knew “Guardians of the Galaxy” was not going to be your typical Marvel movie. I have never read the comic and did not know what to expect. A talking raccoon and a tree that walks and talks? Written and directed by James Gunn, the same guy who wrote the “Scooby-Doo” movies, it just did not seem to be a combination for a great movie. It looked like “Star Wars” meets “Fantastic Four.”

Boy, was I wrong. In what may be one of the biggest surprises of the year, “Guardians of the Galaxy” might be one of the most entertaining movies you have seen all year. It may also be the most fun you have had at a movie all summer as well. It is like the crazy person you meet at a party that is so crazy and full of life but at the same time weirdly funny that you could listen to them blab on for hours.

This was not your typical Marvel movie. It was goofy, hilarious, crazy fun and action-packed. It took a lot of risk by breaking away from the formulaic Marvel movies before it, and it was a breath of fresh air. The comedy in this film was much different than the jokes you hear in “The Avengers” or “Captain America.” It was quirky and bizarre, but that is what made it funny. Don’t worry, though, because you will still see tons of explosions and incredible action sequences. But the goofy comedy from the great characters are what drive this film.

Chris Pratt, better known as Andy Dwyer on “Parks and Recreation," plays Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord. He is fantastic in the movie and shows that he is on his way to becoming one of the biggest actors in the industry. The supporting cast is great as well. One concern for me was how would they pull off a walking and talking raccoon called Rocket. Well thanks to some awesome CGI and great voiceover work by Bradley Cooper, the filmmakers were able to nail it. The rest of the cast, including WWE wrestler Dave Bautista, nailed their parts as well.

I got to hand it to Marvel for letting James Gunn make a movie that was so different from the others. It was a gamble, and it paid off big time.

The film does have it flaws, but you are to busy having fun and laughing to notice. “Guardians of the Galaxy” is well worth the time, especially in a lackluster summer we are having. You can hear a full breakdown of the movie in this week's Flix Junkies podcast, where we all agree that the comedy and quirkiness of the characters are what make this one entertaining movie.

Curtis Linnell is a communications graduate from Brigham Young University and writes for ok.com
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.