SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN

THE DESIGN SCHOOL

FOUNDATION IN NATURAL BUILD ENVIRONMENT

NAME: Goh Jia Jun

STUDENT ID NO: 0323302

FILMS SELECTED: Pixels and Guardians of the Galaxy

WORD COUNT: 944 words

ENGLISH 2 (ELG 30605)

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 1: COMPARE – CONTRAST ESSAY

LECTURER: GOPIGHANTAN MYLVAGANAM

SUBMISSION DATE: DECEMBER 4TH 2015

Compare or Contrast Essay Between Two Science Fiction Movies

The meaning of the genre is the category of aesthetic work. The type of films

genre can included horror films, action films and also science fiction films. As we all

know, science fiction can be described as scientific and imaginative with high-ranking

technology, imaginative plots, amazing and unexpected settings. Science fiction

usually involved a a hero, formidable villain, advanced gadgets, and faraway planets.

Science fiction first appeared in the late 19th century. There were a lot of science

fiction films then progressing and evolving and they shared some similarities and

analogy. The two science fiction films that I would like to compare are Pixels(2015)

and The Guardians of Galaxy(2014). The movie Pixels is about a classic arcade game

competition was held in 1982 and the video with the game scenes was then sent to

space. Alien had received these videos and misinterpret as a declaration of war and

planning attack Earth. Will Cooper recruited his comrades Sam Brenner, Ludlow

Lamonsoff and Eddie Plant to defend the Earth. The movie Guardians of the Galaxy

is about Peter Quill tried to steal an orb with an incredible power. The villain, Ronan

attempted to steal back the orb in order to become the most formidable villain in the

galaxy. Peter Quill formed a group of guardian Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Gamora and

Drax the Destroyer to defend Ronan. There are a few similarities are found in these

two movies which are the movie background, the characters and the ending of the

movies.

The movie backgrounds of the two movies are involved in a battle between

aliens. In Pixels, the alien had received the video with the game scenes and

misinterpret as a declaration of war and planning attack Earth. The main character

Sam Brenner and his friend Ludlow Lamonsoff trained the soldiers to defend the alien

with the game Centipede. In Guardians of Galaxy, Peter Quill and his comrades

fought against a judicial officer of the alien race, Ronan and also his Sakaaran army in

order to protect the planet Xander. The both main character came from ordinary

human families. In Pixels, Sam Brenner was a professional arcade-game player when

he was young. He was home-theater systems installer in the present. In Guardian of

the Galaxy, Peter Quill was kidnap by a group of alien thieves when he was young in

front of the hospital. Besides that, both movies happened in the 21st century. Sam

Brenner was 13 years old in 1982 and Peter Quill was kidnaped when he was 6 in

1988. In present, Sam Brenner was 46 years old and Peter Quill was probably 32

years old.( Clark,2013)

Secondly, one of the similarities of the main character in both movie was a

rascal at the beginning of the movie. In Pixel, Sam Brenner was ordered to install the

home-theater system in Violet Van Patten’s house. He was trying to comfort her who

was so distressed because she had just received the divorce letter from her husband.

He was then attempted to kiss her who just met the first time, but he was rejected and

discriminated by her. In Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter Quill liked to molest girls

especially female alien. Apart from that, both main characters were betrayed by his

comrade. Eddie plant, comrade of Sam Brenner was cheat during the battle between

alien which result in invading of alien. One of Peter Quill’s comrade, Drax informed

Ronan the location of the orb which result the orb was stolen from Peter Quill.

However, the most obvious similarity of both movie was Peter Quill and Sam Brenner

willing to sacrifice themselves in order to save others.

Thirdly, the similarity of the villains in both movies are they were aliens. In

Pixels, the alien was misunderstanding of the video send from the Earth and they used

the same characters in the game to attack the Earth. Galaga, Arkanoid, Centipede,

Pac-man and Donkey Kong were the games sent to challenge the human. Ronan was

born on the planet Hala and he was a member of Kree race and also a member of

Accuser Corps. The similarity of a characteristic of the villains of the both movies

also includes both villains wanted to rule the world. Aliens in Pixels wanted to attack

and occupy the Earth. They sent lot of pixel army when Sam Brenner and comrades

lost the challenge of Pac-man because Eddie Plant was cheating. The pixel army was

attacking the city and killed people to occupy the Earth. Ronan had stolen and

recovered the stone which made him become an unbeatable force. Ronan wanted to

reach the Xandar’s surface to destroy it completely. Not only that, the similarity also

can be seen in both movie is both alien was formidable but was defeated at the end by

a group of heroes.

Lastly, one of the similarities of the both movie is the ending of the movie.

Both main character with their comrades completely defeat the invasion from alien.

Alien in Pixels was returned to its planet while Ronan was killed by the guardians.

Besides that, both main characters won their lovers hearts. Sam Brenner was stayed

together with Violet van Patten who hated him at the beginning, while Peter Quill and

Gamora became lover at the end of the movie.

Conclusion, these two movies shares similarities not only in the movie

background, also the character either the main character or the villain and the ending

of the movie. These movies seem quite familiar as they categorized as science fiction

genre. From this essay, I had learnt how to write a compare and contrast essay and

know the format of this essay which is very useful in my future.

Reference:

Clark, N. July 20, 2013, Comic-Con: Marvel’s ‘Age of Ultron,’ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ more. Retrieved December 4, 2015, from http://herocomplex.latimes.com/movies/comic-con-marvels-age-of-ultron-guardians-of-the-galaxy-more/#/0

Pixels. (n.d.). Retrieved December 4, 2015, from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2120120/

Guardians of the Galaxy. (n.d.). Retrieved December 4, 2015, from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2015381/