X-Men: Days of Future Past Review

Synopsis
In the future, mutant-hunting Sentinels have either hunted or captured every mutant on Earth, along with the humans who try to help them. To try to prevent this bleak future, Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellen) use Kitty Pryde’s (Ellen Page) powers to send Wolverine’s (Hugh Jackman) conscience fifty years into the past. Once there, Wolverine must convince the younger Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender) to work together to stop the Sentinels from being produced by Dr. Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage).

Review
I went into X-Men: Days of Future Past with high hopes. Bryan Singer returned to the director’s chair for the first time since the amazing X2: X-Men United and one of the most beloved X-Men stories was finally getting adapted onto the silver screen. Without a doubt, Days of Future Past delivered everything that I expected and more.

First off, X-Men: Days of Future Past starts off with an explosive action scene. Many of the fan-favorite X-Men from the trilogy show up here, along with new mutants Bishop, Blink, Warpath and Sunspot. It does great to showcase how terrible things have become for the mutants and the rest of the world, as well as to display Kitty Pryde’s powers that will eventually be used to send Wolverine back to the 1970s. It’s an exhilarating opening that really got me excited for the rest of the film.

I will admit that I was a little skeptical about Peter Dinklage as Bolivar Trask, mainly because I haven’t seen him very much. But I was pleasantly surprised how well he did with the part. Dinklage pulls off the savvy business man, and the angry, mutant-hating doctor, and the crazy scientist with ease. The only thing I felt his performance needed was more screen time. It would have been great to see more of such a great performance.

Even though several new mutant characters were introduced, they aren’t seen very much. All the characters from the future don’t get fleshed out at all, mainly because a majority of the film’s focus is spent in the past. Quicksilver is the only new mutant introduced in the past who gets a decent amount of screen time and Evan Peters is fantastic as the character. In what is my favorite scene from the film shows Peters running around to knock out several security guards who pinned him and a few other characters in a small room. He shows off the character’s personality without him saying a word. I was hoping he would be a bigger part of the movie than he was. Peters’ performance stole the show and is probably the most underutilized of all the cast.

Time travel can be a particularly tricky plot device, especially when showing parallel events in the past and future like this movie. There comes a moment when you’re like, “Well if they went to the past and changed events, wouldn’t the future see those changes immediately?” This movie gives a somewhat decent explanation as to why the past and future events are able to happen concurrently. It’s a small point, but it kept me from becoming too hung up on the time travel element like I have with similar stories before.

One of my favorite aspects of X-Men: First Class was the character relationships, particularly between Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr. Unfortunately, I don’t think Days of Future Past pulled it off quite as successfully. There was a great moment between Charles and Erik during a plane flight, but other than that and maybe the final big action scene, they don’t have as many intimate moments together.

Bryan Singer returns to the X-Men universe with X-Men: Days of Future Past and does not disappoint. An exciting opening sets the stage on what to expect for the action in the rest of the film. Peter Dinklage as Bolivar Trask and Evan Peters as Quicksilver are two great additions to the cast but are underutilized, particularly Peters. Many of the other supporting characters didn’t have much screen time either, instead focusing on Charles Xavier, Erik Lehnsherr and Wolverine. Days of Future Past is the most action packed X-Men movie yet, firing on all cylinders from start to finish.

Rating
4/5

Also check out my reviews for X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Apocalypse.

Trailer

Cast & Crew
Bryan Singer – Director
Simon Kinberg – Screenplay / Story
Jane Goldman – Story
Mathew Vaughn – Story
John Ottman – Composer

Hugh Jackman – Logan / Wolverine
James McAvoy – Charles Xavier (Past)
Michael Fassbender – Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto (Past)
Patrick Stewart – Charles Xavier (Future)
Ian McKellen – Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto (Future)
Jennifer Lawrence – Raven / Mystique
Nicholas Hoult – Hank / Beast
Peter Dinklage – Dr. Bolivar Trask
Josh Helman – Major Bill Stryker
Halle Berry – Storm
Ellen Page – Kitty Pryde
Shawn Ashmore – Bobby / Iceman
Omar Sy – Bishop
Daniel Cudmore – Colossus
Bingbing Fan – Blink
Adan Canto – Sunspot
Booboo Stewart – Warpath
Evan Peters – Peter / Quicksilver
Lucas Till – Havok
Evan Jonigkeit – Toad
Mark Camacho – President Nixon

X-Men: First Class Review

Synopsis
In the midst of the Cold War, Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) is trying to incite World War III. The CIA recruits Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lensherr (Michael Fassbender) to stop Shaw. Xavier and Lensherr put together a team of fellow mutants consisting of Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Angel (Zoe Kravitz), Banshee (Caleb Landry Jones), Darwin (Edi Gathegi), and Havok (Lucas Till). Together they must learn to control their mutant powers to defeat Shaw.

Review
After X2: X-Men United, the X-Men franchise didn’t quite hit the same quality with X3: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. They lacked a good story and heart. X-Men: First Class finally breaks the downward trend and present a story that not only has a lot of heart, but has a great cast and is a lot of fun.

First Class starts off with the same scene as X-Men with a young Erik in the German concentration camp being separated from his parents and bending the metal gates. It was smart to start the same way so it’s obvious this story exists in the same universe as the X-Men trilogy. Some of the events that happen throughout the movie make it seem like it is a reboot but by sharing a scene with the original movies it says ‘Nope, same place, new story.’

I thought this movie was awesome as a period piece. The fact that the story wove around actual events (the Cuban Missile Crisis) was pretty cool. Some movies try a similar approach of using historical events as their backdrop but aren’t always as successful as First Class. The setting was also used to show off Shaw’s character. By manipulating both sides he was able to display how smart and strategic he can be. I felt this was an great representation of his character.

The cast of First Class is amazing. Kevin Bacon is always enjoyable to watch on screen, but he is especially fun here as the villainous Sebastian Shaw. He’s very suave and laid back, but when he gets serious, watch out. James McAvoy as Charles Xavier and Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique do well, too, but I would have to say my favorite performance would have to be Michael Fassbender as Magneto. Fassbender brings a charisma to the role that portrays the confidence, but at the same time the vulnerability, of the character. The students of Charles and Erik are fun to watch, too, especially when they are showing off their powers. And there is a great Wolverine cameo.

Despite being an ensemble movie, the plot never gets too convoluted. In the beginning, Shaw is set up as the big baddie and the rest of the movie is either him and his team of mutants trying to start manipulate the US and Russian governments or Charles and Erik and their team of mutants getting ready to stop Shaw. Other than a few of the supporting bad mutants, most of the characters get their fair share of screen time and character development, leading to a fun little training montage. Most of the time is spent focused on Charles’ and Erik’s relationship, but this is to be expected since their bond is such an integral part of the X-Men’s history. Even though you know how their friendship plays out, seeing how it begins makes the breakup even more painful.

After the disappointments that were X3: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, X-Men: First Class sets the X-Men franchise back on course. The casting was perfect, particularly the core cast of Kevin Bacon, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Jennifer Lawrence. The chemistry between McAvoy and Fassbender really made the relationship between Charles Xavier and Magneto come alive. Even though the cast was fairly sizable, every character received their time in the spotlight. First Class has set up the franchise’s future and I can’t wait to see how Fox builds off the events of this film.

Rating
4.5/5

Also check out my reviews for X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men: Apocalypse

Trailer

Cast & Crew
Mathew Vaughn – Director/Screenplay
Bryan Singer – Story
Sheldon Turner – Story
Ashley Miller – Screenplay
Zach Stentz – Screenplay
Jane Goldman – Screenplay
Henry Jackman – Composer

James McAvoy – Charles Xavier
Michael Fassbender – Erik Lensherr
Kevin Bacon – Sebastian Shaw
Rose Byrne – Moira MacTaggert
Jennifer Lawrence – Raven / Mystique
Zoe Kravitz – Angel Salvadore
Nicholas Hoult – Hank / Beast
Caleb Landry Jones – Cassidy / Banshee
Edi Gathegi – Armando Munoz / Darwin
Lucas Till – Alex Summer / Havok
Oliver Platt – Man in Black Suit
January Jones – Emma Frost
Alex Gonzalez – Janos Quested / Riptide
Jason Flemyng – Azazel
Glen Morshower – Colonel Hendry
Matt Craven – CIA Director McCone

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Review

Synopsis
After their victory in the 74^th Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen (Jenifer Lawrence) and Peetah Mellark (Josh Hutherson) learned rebellions have begun across the twelve districts, inspired by their actions during the Games. In order to eliminate all victors as a threat, President Coriolanus Snow (Donald Sutherland) announces a special ruling for the 75^th Hunger Games: All tributes will be selected from the existing pool of victors.

Review
The Hunger Games was good, but I felt the franchise had room to improve. Thankfully, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire did just what I was hoping. It successfully improved on its predecessor, further building the world of Panem, as well as digging deeper into the characters.

One of the aspects of the first Hunger Games that didn’t sit well with me was Peeta. However, this time he is much better, and his character has developed, too. He still has a little bit of the love-sick teen vibe to him, but it doesn’t come across as strong, or as sad, this time. Peeta can actually fight, unlike much of the previous movie, where he spent most of the time playing follow the leader or was injured. It was nice to see what he was actually capable of.

I thoroughly enjoyed the supporting cast. Woody Harrelson and Elizabeth banks return with some sleight changes. Harrelson as Haymitch is more lighthearted than he was previously and Banks, as Effie, had some humor worked into her character, though neither got as much screen time as before. Gale, played by Liam Hemsworth, on the other hand, had much more screen time and Hemsworth really did fantastic. Some of the new blood that added a lot to the story was Jena Malone as Johanna Mason, a victor from District 7, Jeffrey Wright as Beetee, Amanda Plummer as Wiress, victors from District 3, and Sam Claflin as Finnick Odair, a victor from District 4. Each did a great job with their parts and added some interesting dynamics to the story.

Going behind the scenes of the games and watching the Game Maker control what happens in the arena was fun in The Hunger Games. This time, not much was seen from that point of view, which enabled the story to keep a focus on Katniss and the group of characters with her. We saw a lot of it already, so it wasn’t necessary to see it again. Also, had they kept cutting to the control room, the discovery Katniss made about the arena layout would have been given away.

The format of Catching Fire is very similar to its predecessor: start in District 12, go to the Capitol, try to get sponsors, then to fight in the games. And since the format is almost identical as before, it is plagued by some of the pacing issues that bothered me. So that hasn’t changed.  However, it looks like the next installment should veer away from this format.

I feel every movie should be self-contained, regardless if it is part of a series or not. So when a movie ends in a cliffhanger, I get irritated. I’m sure the books ends the same way, and I know that it will lead directly into Mockingjay, but it’s still irksome that it leaves me hanging.

The Hunger Games: Catthing Fire is everything you want out of a sequel. Peeta is developed much more, and the supporting cast is more enjoyable and interesting than the previous film. Despite some pacing issues that still bog down the story, and a cliff hanger ending, Catching Fire is a great sequel and bodes well for what’s to come in The Hunger Games franchise.

Rating
4/5

For the rest of The Hunger Games series, check out my review for The Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games Review

Synopsis
74 years after a failed rebellion, Panem’s twelve districts must send one boy and one girl to the Capitol for the annual Hunger Games. In the Hunger Games, the “tributes” must fight to the death until only one remains standing. When Primrose Everdeen (Willow Shields) get selected, her sister, Katniss (Jenifer Lawrence), volunteers to take her place. Along with Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), Katniss travels to the Capitol to prepare to fight for her life.

Review
Apparently 2012 was the year of the archer. It produced The Avengers, Brave, and The Hunger Games. I’m not complaining, they were all really good, and two of which gave us great female characters in Katniss and Merida. But Katniss is definitely my favorite out of the two (and I would be lying if I said Jenifer Lawrence wasn’t a part of it). The Hunger Games delivers a great first entry in a franchise that could potentially be the next successful franchise in the same vein as the Harry Potter series.

The casting was spot on. Lawrence is the perfect fit for Katniss. She is able to balance being a strong woman, doing whatever it takes to survive, with a softer, more delicate and caring side. Woody Harrelson’s grizzle fits perfectly with Heymitch’s rough attitude. Despite not having much screen time, my favorite performance was Stanley Tucci as the charismatic TV personality Caeser Flickerman. It feels like it may have been overacted, but I think that is what made it so entertaining.

The Hunger Games introduces a love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale. It’s obvious in the beginning that Katniss and Gale were together, then Katniss and Peeta shared a few moments (and a kiss) during the games that were broadcast to the twelve districts. The fallout was not seen in this movie, but rather delegated to the sequel. I’m happy that wasn’t dealt with here because I felt the relationship between Katniss and Peeta was one of the movie’s weakest elements.

The pacing varied throughout the film and it took a while for the movie to build up. The first half was Katniss and Peeta getting ready for the games. It was focused on building the characters and explaining about the games. But for the most part, nothing interesting happened. Once the Games actually started is when it really drew me in, especially once Katniss displayed her skills as both an archer and a survivalist.

By the end of the film, I didn’t particularly care for the character of Peeta. Hutcherson did well in the role, bringing Peeta’s charisma on screen, but the character wasn’t appealing to me. He started out alright, but he turned into this love-struck teenager that made him seem weaker than I’m sure he is. I’m hoping that as the franchise grows, so will his character.

During the scenes in the forest during the Games, the camera is a shaky cam, similar to a documentary. This both helped and hurt the movie. It helped because it felt like an episode of Man vs. Wild with the cameras following the characters, like your actually watching the Games on your TV. But at the same time, it got really close, limiting the view on screen. And when the action did rev up, it was hard to focus on what was happening.

The Hunger Games aims to be the next successful book franchise to transition onto the big screen, and it’s off to a good start. Casting was perfect, and the characters, and the world in general, have the potential to become well rounded over the course of the franchise. Other than some off pacing, and an unsteady camera, The Hunger Games kick off the franchise well, but still has room to improve.

Rating
3.5/5

For the rest of The Hunger Games series, check out my review for Catching Fire.

X-Men: Days of Future Past Trailer

Synopsis: The X-Men must travel back in time to change a major historical event that could globally impact on man and mutant kind alike.

So if the mid-credits scene in The Wolverine didn’t get you excited for the next X-Men movie, then hopefully this trailer does the trick.  We get a solid look at most of the cast, including new mutants Bishop, Sunspot, Warpath, and Blink, as well as Bolivar Trask, the antagonist and creator of the mutant-hunting Sentinels.  The future mutants have much darker costumes than in the trilogy, cementing the bleakness they are trying to prevent.  Not much is shown from the First Class cast outside of young Professor X, young Magneto, Mystique, and Beast.  Maybe they are trying to save the reveal for the final trailer, but there wasn’t anything of Evan Peters as Quicksilver, who was probably the character I was most interested to see.

Needless to say, the cast is huge.  Returning from the X-Men Trilogy is Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Anna Paquin, Shawn Ashmore, Ellen Page, and Daniel Cudmore. Most of the core cast from X-Men: First Class is returning, including James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, and Lucas Till.  New to the series is Peter Dinklage as Bolivar Trask, Booboo Stewart as Warpath, Omar Sy as Bishop, Bingbing Fan as Blink, Adan Canto as Sunspot, and Josh Melman as a young(er) William Stryker.  X-Men: Days of Future Past is directed by Bryan Singer (who also directed X-Men and X2) and hits theaters May 23, 2014.