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X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
Move over DC and Marvel, it's X-Men time!
After yawning my way through Batman vs Superman (even though I'm a huge Batman fan) and really not caring much for Civil War, I finally got the chance to see the new X-Men effort.
Now, I'm as disappointed as anyone that the X-Men are no longer a part of the Marvel universe. But that doesn't mean FOX doesn't know what they're doing. This movie shows that they do, actually, have a clue.
They're getting new actors on board, preparing the universe for the future through the plot and making sure X-Men is going to stay a unique brand in the superhero line-up.
Oh, and it's an enjoyable movie, too.
Comparing Apocalypse to the above mentioned BvS and Civil War, Apocalypse was the first movie that felt like it had normal pacing (I nearly fell asleep during BvS and Civil War was also very boring at times), a good plot (both BvS and Civil War used the same mechanism in their plots and you see it coming from miles away) and actors that seemed invested in their roles.
Concerning the actors, don't get me wrong: I loved Ben Affleck as Bats, but I didn't like what they did with the character. Same goes for Supes. As for Marvel, ever since Avengers 1 they seem at a loss what to do with multiple characters in a movie.
Not so for X-Men, because I felt it handled the larger cast pretty well. A couple of roles absolutely do not get as much screen time, but for the most part I felt everyone played their part.
What I liked best about it was that the movie wasn't afraid to actually use their powers, as "imbalanced" as they may seem at times (but they're not and each power displayed runs into checks and balances, that was well done).
Nightcrawler is teleporting people all the time, Quicksilver goes bullet-time at times when it's actually useful... sometimes superhero movies make you feel like: "Why didn't they just...?" but not this one.
I mentioned actors invested in their roles. Here's what I like about Apocalypse in that regard: FOX is like a football team realizing their players are getting older and that they need to start looking at the future.
It's not just age, either. It's the eagerness with which actors get involved and, not to forget, our willingness to see them in certain roles. I don't know about you, but a new Thor and a new Captain America are two changes in the Marvel lineup I'm looking forward to.
Heck, my favorite two things about Civil War were Spidey and Black Panther, a refreshing new set of heroes and actors!
Where Days of Future Past introduced new actors, Apocalypse continues this trend and I feel like they "bought" the right players. Up-and-coming actors that nevertheless have enough star power to last through the next set of movies.
I enjoyed Nightcrawler, Jean and Scott very much. Storm and Psylocke did't get enough screen time for me to make a judgment.
And of course there's still James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender acting the sh*t out of their parts. Compare these performances to Downey Jr and Evans in Civil War (I would those performances "tired") and you'll see what I mean.
Coming in to land, it's not Apocalypse had the most original plot or was full of things you hadn't seem before. But it was executed well and I actually cared about the characters: that's a feeling I find myself increasingly lacking with modern movies.
All in all, if you haven't seen it because of the bad reviews: go ahead and invest those 2+ hours, they're well spent.
Gotham (2014)
A different take on the Batman universe - but a very good one
As a pretty engaged Batman fan (I read the comics, played the heck out of the Arkham games, saw all the movies, the first Animated Series and I even play the tabletop miniature game) I was apprehensive about this show.
After all, what could be good about a Batman show without Batman? Not to mention the fact that all the rumors mentioned different takes on characters, etc?
I tried it anyway... and I'm glad I did!
There is an awful lot to like here. First of all, the characters are interesting: interesting enough to make you forget all about Batman! You root for Gordon, you're annoyed at Bullock, Fish gives you the creeps and Penguin... let's just say he's moved up in my favorite villains list (and he was near the bottom, let me tell you!).
The acting is great (again I must mention Penguin) and while some have said it's over the top... maybe it is, but it's never distracting and fits within the universe that we're presented with.
As I mentioned above, the series has its own take on the universe - you'll soon recognize certain characters, even though they're introduced in ways that are different than what you knew from the comics - and yet, even as a seasoned Batman fan, I was never bothered by the differences and enjoyed the fresh perspectives on familiar characters.
Also, don't worry about the writers shoe-horning in characters, just to get them on screen. Every character I've seen makes sense within the series.
The first season (which I'm basing this review on) has overarching plot lines, but occasionally has "freak of the week" episodes. I was never bored, though (as I regularly was when watching Flash or Arrow) and it's obvious the writing went towards longer plots when it was clear the show was doing well. It never steeps to "cop show" levels, which is an achievement.
Finally, I must commend the "atmosphere" of the series. It all feels very "Gotham", including the shots of the city skyline, the sets, the extras... it all comes together feeling very Batman, without actually having Batman in the mix...
Do I have any criticism? Not really, no. I would love it if they do a Batman series to tie into this one... there's so much they could work with.
Go see it and enjoy it!
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
Puts Star Wars back in its proper place
As a huge Star Wars fan from a young age, writing an objective review of this movie is almost impossible. It's evident from the reviews here on IMDb that people are either adoring this movie, or they're vastly disappointed by it.
Like most other fans, I was thrilled to hear this movie announced and even more thrilled that George Lucas would no longer be involved. I do not appreciate the prequel movies and had high hopes for this movie, considering the new team behind it.
Considering the disappointed responses from some fans, I believe I fall in the category of people that can really appreciate this movie for what it is, which is a good old fashioned Star Wars movie. It's got some flaws, but, in my opinion, there is far more to love than there is to hate.
You've got to commend JJ Abrams and his team for the work they've put in. It's almost like they were consciously trying to mend some of the "hurt" the prequels caused in this aspect: the sets, the puppets, the effects are all overwhelmingly present, in a good way. That hated plastic, artificial feel from the prequels is gone.
The fun doesn't stop there.
The actors did a solid job, too. Whether it's the newcomers (whom you fear might not be up to the task) or the oldies (whom you fear might just be doing it for the heck of it) I wasn't once distracted by their acting, which means they're doing a fine job of it.
I enjoyed the new characters and I feel the existing characters were done justice by their parts.
Without revealing anything about the plot, suffice to say it's not the most original of plots. That being said, there is still enough to leave you wondering and a couple of surprises in there. In short, I don't really get the hate, even if the overall plot is probably the movie's weakest point.
All in all, I feel this movie has redeemed Star Wars and put it back in its proper place. I will absolutely be seeing it again once it's been released on BluRay and I can't wait to show it to my kids in a few years.
Go see it, I'm pretty sure you'll love it!