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First Viewing Plot: Upon hearing that the magic of Christmas was ruined for Peter as a young boy, Drax and Mantis head to Earth to find him the perfect Christmas present: Kevin Bacon.

Over five-and-a-half years have elapsed since we last saw a Guardians of the Galaxy movie written and directed by James Gunn, and it has been one hell of a wait. The Guardians have appeared in other Marvel movies, some better than others, but having them back as the central focus of a production is as comforting as a warm Christmas hug. Especially given that the forthcoming Vol. 3 will be the last ride for many of the Guardians, and for James Gunn, I'm so glad that we got this bonus 40-minute Holiday Special. It's frequently funny, it's got a lot of heart, we get another selection of great songs (including original songs) that will be added to my Guardians playlist, and it's a genius move to bring Kevin Bacon into the MCU playing himself. Another bonus is getting a bit more of Michael Rooker as Yondu in animated segments. It's cheesy at times, sometimes shamelessly so, but the special still holds together really, really well, and includes a new reveal which makes this an important part of the Guardians film series. Plus, happily, the production values are top-notch; the special looks wholly cinematic, and not like a TV movie. This one will likely become part of my annual line-up.