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    Movie review

    Rocket-centric Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 flies high with action and emotion

    Alex Bentley
    May 4, 2023 | 12:00 pm

    In a lot of ways, the Guardians of the Galaxy movies have always felt different from the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That’s not just because they take place mostly in space and feature innumerable strange creatures and aliens. As written and directed by James Gunn, the films have had the ability to combine laugh-out-loud insanity with grounded, heartfelt moments, something made more difficult due to the lack of human characters.

    Amazingly, Gunn has made perhaps his best film yet, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3, his last one for the MCU before leaving to take over the DC Extended Universe. And he does so by presenting a story with low stakes for the galaxy but high personal stakes for the Guardians: Trying to save the life of Rocket (Bradley Cooper), who gets gravely injured in a fight early in the film at their home of Knowhere.

    To do so, Peter (Chris Pratt), Drax (Dave Bautista), Groot (Vin Diesel), Nebula (Karen Gillan), and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) – and, eventually, Gamora (Zoe Saldaña) – must track down a piece of code that will fix the mechanically-altered raccoon. Their quest leads them to a world called Counter-Earth, where a villain named the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji) is trying to create a utopia with other modified creatures.

    As a whole, the film is the long-awaited – by both the rest of the Guardians and fans – origin story of Rocket, with Gunn interspersing flashbacks to Rocket’s early days as one of the High Evolutionary’s experiments with various animals. To say that the story is tragic, both for Rocket and the other animals around him, is an understatement, as they are subjected to grotesque body alterations that seem to serve no purpose other than pleasing the sadistic nature of the High Evolutionary.

    What the audience is witnessing is objectively weird and off-putting stuff, yet Gunn is able to present everything in such a way that the strangeness melts away, leaving just the emotion of the situations. Rocket’s bond with his fellow mutated animals quickly becomes the heart of the film, with their scenes together never failing to be touching even in lighter moments.

    However, as with the previous two Guardians films, hilarity abounds throughout, with the Guardians constantly making fun of each other and getting into funny interactions at every stop they make. The character archetypes – Peter being the wise-ass, Drax being the dumb guy, Groot … well, he is Groot – are so well-established by this point that all they have to do is hint at their eccentricities and laughs will result.

    Even more impressive is the effectiveness of the various action scenes, due to the lack of good CGI in recent MCU films. Given the setting and the various monsters and creatures in play, the film is as CGI-heavy as any Marvel film, but the fights have a visceral nature to them that never becomes boring. A bravura sequence in the final act taking place in a cramped hallway shows off Gunn’s skills and may secure an Oscar nomination for the visual effects department.

    Each of the actors playing the Guardians is as good as ever, as they know exactly how to play off each other for maximum entertainment value. It’s been a long wait for the payoff of Adam Warlock, who was teased at the end of Vol. 2 in 2017, and Will Poulter does a fantastic job in the role. Iwuji makes for a great villain, consistently going over-the-top in a way that makes him scary instead of ridiculous.

    It’s highly unlikely there will be a fourth Guardians of the Galaxy movie, and even if there is, the defection of Gunn means it likely won’t live up to the types of films he’s been able to create. Vol. 3 is right up there among the best MCU films, with a blend of comedy and drama that can only exist in its galaxy.

    ---

    Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 opens in theaters on May 5.

    Miriam Shor, Chukwudi Iwuji, and Nico Santos in Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3
      

    Photo by Jessica Miglio

    Miriam Shor, Chukwudi Iwuji, and Nico Santos in Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3

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    Catch a Wave

    Best Dallas waterparks to keep you cool during summer 2025

    Alex Bentley
    May 23, 2025 | 3:59 pm
    Fireside Surf
    Fireside Surf
    Fireside Surf

    If anything is guaranteed in Dallas, it's that summer will be hot. Maybe that's why waterparks and other splashy entertainment venues are so massively popular here. Just say the word water, and step aside for the throngs.

    Fortunately, Dallas has it all: from glitzy indoor waterparks to wave machines to municipal parks adding slides and other amenities to get in on the fun, there are plenty of options for those looking to splash around — some of which are opening for the season this Memorial Day weekend.

    Here's out list of the great waterpark options available in Dallas during the summer of 2025.

    Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark
    Not only does Epic Waters in Grand Prairie offer some of the best waterpark options in the area, it's also one of the few indoor venues, allowing visitors to stay out of the sun while having fun. It boasts a bunch of slides that offer a range of thrills, a large lazy river, a FlowRider surf machine, an outdoor wave pool, and more. And unlike outdoor waterparks, it is open year-round, letting visitors splash around whenever they want. Open daily at 10 am; closing time varies by day. Tickets range from $34-$54; annual passes available for $199.

    Get Your Surf On
    While Epic Waters offers a version of surfing, two other venues offer the opportunity to get on an actual surfboard and tackle waves as high as six feet: Both Goodsurf Beach Club in Deep Ellum and Fireside Surf in The Colony have a Citywave surf machine that allows visitors to show off their surfing skills on a never-ending wave. Both offer surfing lessons for the inexperienced. If you'd rather watch, both have cabanas, bars, and restaurants to sit back and watch others either hang ten or wipe out. Goodsurf Beach Club is open 10 am-10 pm on Sunday and Tuesday-Thursday, 8 am-midnight on Friday and Saturday. Surfing starts at $45 per person. Fireside Surf opens for the season on June 1. It will be open 11 am-7 pm daily. Prices TBD.

    Six Flags Hurricane Harbor
    The biggest waterpark in Dallas-Fort Worth, located in Arlington, features 12 thrill rides, most notably Der Stuka, a free fall slide that's not for the faint of heart. New for the 2025 season is Splash Island, a multi-level interactive play structure with a 1,000-gallon tipping bucket, colorful water slides, cabanas, and more for families to enjoy. With a lazy river, Surf Lagoon, multiple other slides for less adventurous people, and more, there are plenty of options to keep visitors busy all day long. Opens for the season on May 24; season runs through September 1. Open daily at 11 am; closing time varies by day. $20 and up for daily passes when purchased online; season passes start at $65.

    WorldSprings
    Not a waterpark in the regular definition, WorldSprings at Grandscape in The Colony features more than 40 mineral hot springs with temperatures ranging from the mid 80s to the low 100s, as well as cold plunges at 55 degrees. One is called Dead Sea, a hypersaline pool that allows guests to float effortlessly. Visitors can also enjoy saunas, fire pits, a cafe and bar, and poolside drink service. Most of the areas are for adults only, but those under 18 are welcome at the Globe Pool in the South Pacific Region. Open 10 am-9 pm Sunday-Thursday, 9 am-10 pm Friday and Saturday. $49-$85 for adults, $24-$29 for kids under 18.

    Hawaiian Waters
    While not as big as Hurricane Harbor, the two Hawaiian Waters locations in Garland and The Colony offer plenty of amenities that make them great waterparks. They each feature thrill rides like Waikiki Wipeout & The Flyin' Hawaiian, the Oahu Bay wave pool, the family-friendly Keiki Kove, the Kona Kooler lazy river, and more. Open daily from May 24-August 9, Saturday and Sunday only August 16-September 27 (September 20 in Garland). Opens 10:30 am most days; closing time varies by day. $24.99 and up for daily pass; $39.99 for season pass.

    Great Wolf Lodge Water Park
    More indoor waterpark fun can be found in Grapevine at Great Wolf Lodge. And their version tries to offer a little bit of everything, with options including thrill rides like Coyote Cannon and Howlin' Tornado, family-friendly areas like Fort Mackenzie and the Crooked Creek lazy river, an outdoor lagoon, and two hot springs - one for adults and one for families. Open 10 am-8 pm Monday-Friday, 9 am-8 pm Saturday and Sunday. $35 and up for day pass; $29.75 and up for half-day pass.

    The Cove at the Lakefront
    What, yet another inside waterpark? Little Elm gets in on the action with The Cove at The Lakefront. Though not as big as the other versions on this list, it still features the Tower Slides that take visitors on a twisty ride in and out of the facility, another slide above the lazy river, a FlowRider, The Dock play pool and Spray Ground for the younger set, and even rock climbing. Open 4-8 pm on Monday, Thursday, and Friday; 10 am-6 pm on Saturday; and 12-6 pm on Sunday. $11-$18 for day passes.

    City waterparks
    In addition to the standard swimming pools at city recreation centers, many cities in area have smaller waterpark options that include slides, lazy rivers, splash areas, and more. Among the options are Bahama Beach in Dallas, Jack Carter Pool in Plano, Frisco Water Park, West Irving Aquatic Center, and Rowlett Wet Zone.

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