As summer comes to a close, swimsuits are stowed away and backpacks are filled for the early rise that tomorrow will bring, we take a look at some of the most iconic pop culture that has trended within two weeks time.

Guardians of the Galaxy, an oddball Marvel addition, is a visual pleasure paired with a retro ‘70s-‘80s soundtrack. This film focuses on humor, which is worlds away from the present time Marvel comic book adaptations that hold a more grim, action tone. The flick received a rating of 8.7/10 on IMDb and 92 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, among the highest appraisal of the summer. Peter Quill, aka “Star Lord”, played as Chris Pratt, is a scavenging pirate from Earth who finds himself the target of a powerful villain, Ronan, after abducting an enigmatic orb. If Ronan obtains the orb, he then intends to menace the fate of the entire cosmos, so in the interest of that Quill truces with his ragtag rivals. The misfits include Rocket, a raccoon, Groot, a tree-like personal, Gamora, an intergalactic green killer and the revengeful Drax the Destroyer. Under this alliance they call themselves the Guardians of the Galaxy and are the classic stereotypical miscellaneous team who, regardless, will make for one priceless, good-natured movie.

On Aug. 10, Miley Cyrus finally brought her “Bangerz” tour to Scottrade Center, after being rescheduled from a previous date in April, being that she was sick. It took her a while to get here, but the twerking icon put on quite the show for her 10,500 fans. As an introduction, Cyrus launched down a tongue prop to greet fans, singing the opening song and later riding a hot dog above the crowd. For a superstar who is known for her tendencies of sticking her tongue out on stage and in pictures, it was only as fitting that she perform such a goofy, eccentric show.

Many Kirkwood kids attended the OneRepublic “Native” Summer Tour at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on Aug. 2. Although the experience was slightly less bizarre than that of the “Bangerz” tour, the concert was still a night of phenomenal music. The band doesn’t overwhelm the audience with gimmicks and special effects, but provides an intimate stage that is used as a platform for true music to be delivered.

“Soaking” the nation is the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge videos that have surrounded social media in the course of the past two weeks.The challenge is as follows pour a bucket of ice water over one’s head and donate $10 or don’t participate and instead give $100 or more within twenty-four hours, then challenge friends to do the same. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a gradual neurodegenerative condition that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, ultimately causing the ability to trigger and conduct muscle movement in the brain to deteriorate. In the later stages of the disease can even paralyze a patient. The idea of this challenge is to raise awareness for ALS as well as raise money for research to find a better cure and people fighting the disease. As of today, there is only one approved drug approved to treat ALS which within limits prolongs survival by two to three months.  On Aug. 16, the ALS Association announced it had collectively raised $10 million in “Ice Bucket” donations. Celebrities such as Jimmy Fallon, Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake took on the chilling dare for the cause.