Review: X-MEN: Days of Future Past

by. Joe Moss
★★★

There has been a lot of hype, Easter eggs hidden in other Marvel films, movie-teaser trailers...otherwise a TON of money poured into this summer's installment of the widely successful X-Man series. I can tell you this much...Bryan Singer and company do NOT disappoint. "X-Men: Days of Future Past" is over the top, introduces a few newer characters, and even allows for the return of fan favorites long gone. In short...IT IS AMAZING!!

Much as the trailers show, the movie begins 50 years into the future, with mutants being hunted to extinction by Trask Industries Sentinel destroyers. They are able to hone in on mutant blood (and track mutant sympathizers) to capture and destroy. It is a grizzly sequence of film right at the start and paints the future bleak for mutant and human alike. No part of the globe is unscathed by the rampant disregard for life that these AI creatures possess.

In a catch-22 moment within this beginning series of the film, Wolverine volunteers to do the impossible and is transported back through time to juxtapose with his former "1973 self' to stop a crucial event in the early inception of the Trask Industries military Sentinel contract. He must bring together Magneto and Professor X, as well as Raven/Mystique, Beast (Nicholass Hoult), and Quicksilver (Peter Evans) for this plan to have a chance. AND it must be accomplished in 5 days time. Will this crazy plot even work? Seemingly impossible, right...you will just have to wait and see how the movie ends.

Simon Kinberg (X2 and X-Men Last Stand) was brought back to finalize the screenplay (in a story collaboration with Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn who worked on X-Men: First Class). This writing team allowed the past decade of X-men films to have some crucial continuity and attempted to fix errors from the past. The story affords the next film (X-Men Apocalypse) to utilize whichever mutants it so desires to fight (you'll have to wait for the Easter Egg at the end of the credits to see the next villain).

While we have all come to expect Hugh Jackman to embody Wolverine 100%, I feel that he gets better with every film as he comes to understand the character--be Wolverine, not just look like Wolverine. Nevertheless, as great has Hugh is, Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique) steals the movie with every scene. Her ability to make the entire audience empathize with the twisted past of Mystique is truly amazing. She is confusing, passionate and lovely all at the same time. I hope that she is around for many films to come..albeit both of their required paychecks may stretch the budget in the future.

While I am a fan of the X-Men. and a fan of a few of the comic series, I cannot say that I have been 100% happy with all of the liberties taken in the films to date. I do feel that this film has attempted to rectify many problems of the original 3 (as well as the horrible Wolverine: Origins), by allowing for a complete reboot of the story-line by the end of the credits. Therein lies the best part of the movie--the final sequence allows for hope for the future of the X-Men franchise. It is a MUST see for this summer!! Go and enjoy with the entire family!

Review: The Wolverine

by. Joe Moss
★★★

The latest installment of the Marvel Comic Universe, The Wolverine, comes out as strongly as Iron Man 3 earlier this year--rocking, socking, and kicking ass.

Hugh Jackman delivers a far superior performance in this movie than in any of the years past--more proof that he is ever-evolving as an actor (and that he might have FINALLY embraced that he is the physical embodiment of the fans' expectations of Wolverine).

Logan (Hugh Jackman) has isolated himself into the northern Canadian wilderness residing among grizzlies...and trees...and grizzlies. He is still having the reoccurring nightmares about killing Jean Grey (Famke Janssen); however, this interplay shows that Logan does have access to his feelings and is actually still 'human' below the hard facade he tries to show the world.  He is not as carefree as he would like everyone to believe. In the midst of his self-pity in the wilderness (literal and mental), he is thrust back into present day activities when a young Japanese woman, Yukio (Rila Fukushima), requests his presence in Japan for her dying boss, Yashida (Hal Yamanouchi), who was saved by Logan during the bombing of Nagasaki in WWII.

Yashida hugely benefitted from his spared-life by rebuilding much of Japan in the wake of the WWII disaster and wants to properly thank Logan for saving him--and give him the present owed to him from that fateful day. As Logan is brought into the home of Yashida, he quickly realizes that there is more going on than a simple thank you and is immediately trust into a secretive and conspiring world of the extremely rich; the politically motivated; the Yakuza; and the bio-medically conniving. All of this revolving around who will inherit the company once Yashida dies--his son, Harada (Will Yun Lee) who strongly desires it, or his granddaughter, Mariko (Tao Okamoto), who wants nothing from it. In the maelstrom, is the sinister but beautiful Doctor (Svetlana Khodchenkova) later identified as Viper (mutant assassin biochemist).

Not to give to much away, but in the course of the script, Logan finally realizes what it feels like to be human--oh yes; and he finally realizes that there is more to live for than old memories of battles and love past. The screenplay, as written by Mark Bomback (Total Recall (2012), Live Free or Die Hard) and Scott Frank (Minority Report, Marley and Me) is beautifully written to show all aspects of the characters in the film. Their flaws, their strengths, and their personal fortitude are intricately woven through the action sequences. Character personification glorified. [The only acting I would like to single out (in a BAD way) is that of Svetlana Khodchenkova (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy). While everyone else rose to the occasion, her acting seemed diffident and contrived. Maybe she was told to emulate a cold snake--but it translated to cold, dead snake.]

Some credit must be given to the talent behind the camera was well. Directed by, James Mangold (Walk the Line; Girl, Interrupted), this movie is more focused--actually telling a complete story from start to finish ratehr than focusing on action sequences to fill the void of plot. Sure, there are a few flashback sequences, but the editing by Micheal McCusker (3:10 to Yuma, Walk the Line) was flawless. I could watch this movie again and again just for the joy of the bloody action.

GO!!  See The Wolverine...but stay through the credits for one of the best Easter Eggs of the 2013 summer movie season.