This episodic Wolverine podcast sounds neat. I love that "old" art forms (e.g., radio serials) are coming back in new forms. Also, Richard Armitage is an inspired choice for Logan.
Will Kilgrave be back in Jessica Jones' second season? The purple at the end of this trailer is sure leaning that way.
Wolverine is old
Taking care of Charles X.
They both curse a lot
In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X somewhere on the Mexican border. However, Logan's attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are upended when a young mutant arrives, pursued by dark forces.
Going into Logan, I only knew two things: The movie would be a hard one to watch—I tear up every time I see the trailer with "Hurt" played with it—and it wasn't an X-Men storyline I was familiar with. (I've never read the Old Man Logan comics, which I heard the film was loosely based on?) Still, I wanted to see it, particularly because it featured an R-rating, and I was curious to see how the Wolverine and Professor X we "know" would translate to a more adult film.
And Logan is definitely a more adult film. I'm not typically squeamish when it comes to action gore, but there were a few scenes in which Logan stabbed someone with his claws and I cringed and hid my eyes. Little Laura (newcomer Dafne Keen, who is awesome) is brutal, too. And hearing Professor X spout the F word is jarring. (Hearing Logan call someone a motherf**ker, however, is actually really fitting for his character.) All of the more adult themes fit with the movie's plot and feel, though—the film is bleak and heartbreaking, and watching someone get stabbed through the chest in a ridiculously over the top manner adds a bit of levity1 to a movie that otherwise might break you.
That's not saying it didn't break me. I cried—hard—and for way more of the film than I'd been expecting. (Yes, even with my feelings toward the "Hurt" trailer in mind.) Watching Logan and Professor X as old, broken men, rather than superheroes, did a number on my emotional state. Add to that the fact that Old Charles reminded me of my own father, and the fact that the day Patrick Stewart leaves us2 will be a day I call out of work sick because I will be that distraught, and I felt like I'd taken a beating alongside Logan. And that's not even taking into account when [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] happened. (Happy to chat about the REDACTED moments in the comments.)
All that said, I think the movie was great, and I love that although part of it was an ending, it left the door open for further adventures with Laura and the rest of project X-23.
Check it out:
1I know that's a strange word to use in this situation, but I think you know what I mean. 2Knocking on all wood that this NEVER HAPPENS.
As a huge fan of the original Mass Effect trilogy—it's the first video game series I played all the way through, and I loved it so much I immortalized it in tattoo form—I am super excited about this:
I've known for a while that this was coming, but until yesterday1 hadn't really seen what the game was going to look like. It doesn't really give much context as to what the larger story will be, of course, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to love it regardless.
Also of interest:
Older news, but: Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) will play Lara Croft in the upcoming video game adaptation.
FX has ordered a new X-Men series, Legion. The series will focus on David Haller, Professor X's son.
John Boyega has been cast as the lead—and Stacker Pentecost's (Idris Elba) son—in Pacific Rim 2.
Lots of blue mutants
The Big Bad isn't big or bad
I want Storm's mohawk
With the emergence of the world's first mutant, Apocalypse, the X-Men must unite to defeat his extinction level plan.
I've been a fan of the X-Men for a long time, since I was little and watched the cartoon as often as it was on. So I have a soft spot in my heart for these characters, albeit one that's been bruised before (*cough*worstmovieever*cough*).
The most recent movies in the franchise—First Class, Days of Future Past, even The Wolverine—have all been really great. And they've helped that bruised spot in my heart heal, thanks the timey wimey business of reboots. TL;DR: I went into this latest movie, Apocalypse, hoping it would continue the trend.
Sadly, although it didn't cause me any heartache, it also doesn't stand up to the quality of its immediate predecessors.
In an oddly prescient joke, which I assume was a dig aimed at The Last Stand, one of the characters in the movie mentions that "the third movie is always the worst."... Apocalypse is the third movie in this reboot of the franchise. After watching the film, I find it ironic that the joke also applies to the very movie in which it was said.
It's not that the movie is bad, per se. It's just a little boring? Even with all of the action and fight scenes and explosions—seriously, this movie rivals Man of Steel in unnecessary destruction of property—there's not a whole lot of plot. Apocalypse is this supremely overpowered being that is a threat to the entire world, but he's taken down in a matter of moments after spending much of the movie outfitting (literally, he makes costumes and applies tattoos) his team. Oscar Issac's talents are wholly wasted on the role.
And then there's the rest of the cast, many of whom—and I'm particularly pointing fingers at Jennifer Lawrence's Raven/Mystique—seemed to be phoning in their roles. Apocalypse is a somewhat serious movie, I get that. But couldn't they have at least a little fun with it? The exception, not unexpectedly, lies with Evan Peters' Peter/Quicksilver. I'd watch a whole movie made of his slowed down time scenes. Also, James McAvoy looks damn good in lavender.
Even the introduction of a whole slew of "new" mutants, including Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), Cyclops (Tye Sheridan), Storm (Alexandra Shipp), Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee), Angel (Ben Hardy), Psylocke (Olivia Munn) and Jubilee (Lana Condor), didn't add much to the movie. All of the roles came off as terribly young-feeling, which, of course, means there's room to grow in future movies, but didn't quite mesh well with the more familiar feel of the already established crew.
This film felt a whole lot like a transition, bridging the gap from First Class and Days of Future Past to future movies in which the young team introduced in this movie grows into their X-Men personas. Which, again, is totally OK, but just doesn't make for the most engrossing of viewing experiences.
While The Big Game promises a lot of action, sports-wise, I typically end up getting more enjoyment out of the commercials and trailers that are shown between plays. Below, you'll find a bunch of the more nerd-related trailers that aired.
Captain America: Civil War
Deadpool
X-Men: Apocalypse
Independence Day: Resurgence
Jason Bourne
10 Cloverfield Lane
The Jungle Book
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice went a different route this year with these Turkish Airline ads:
Don't have time to watch each trailer separately? Here's a supercut (of all of the comic book movies, at least):
I was all ready to go with a Funko Friday post today*, but then this happened:
I am so, so glad that this franchise got rebooted, and continues to be awesome. X-3 is one of the worst/most frustrating movies I've ever seen, and to know that it's now been completely overwritten with something awesome makes my little nerd heart gleeful beyond belief.
*You'll see it later, I'm sure.
Also of note:
This amazing mashup mixes the Captain America: Civil War trailer with Adele's "Hello." I dare you not to get (more) emotional.
A new trailer for Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice was released earlier this month. My thoughts on it pretty much boil down to " ... at least we get Wonder Woman?"
