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Shaddim · 02:26 AM

We went to an early screening of this tonight and all I can say is, when this comes out this weekend, don't walk, run to the theater (preferably IMAX, because it looked incredible in that format). It can easily be argued that this is the best comic book movie ever released, and possibly the best Sci-Fi in 4-5 years. An Oscar nominated comic blockbuster? I wouldn't be surprised. Could it be a vehicle to propel Dinklage to numerous critical awards? Count on it.

3.5/4 stars

mattyb · May 23, 2014, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by Shaddim

It can easily be argued that this is the best comic book movie ever released, and possibly the best Sci-Fi in 4-5 years. An Oscar nominated comic blockbuster? I wouldn't be surprised. Could it be a vehicle to propel Dinklage to numerous critical awards? Count on it.

That good huh? I may try and see it tonight.

Wasn't too long? Setup for another installment?

ShortcutToMoncton · May 24, 2014, 06:47 AM

Saw it last night in nice 3D. It was entertaining but I was not as impressed as Shaddim. Dinklage is always good but he's been so much better in GoT lately that this isn't a surprise. Most of the characters are given little to do. Some of the important scenes are overly heavy-handed IMO. And unfortunately there's little fear of drama because the opening scene establishes

that there's no actual threat to the characters dying. This film never makes you believe that the Sentinel threat is anything more than fight scenes, because it's clear that Wolverine is going to change history somehow - the question is what it looks like. The end result of soft dreamlike focus and Jean and happy happy everywhere was very vanilla.

I had very high hopes but it was just a solid movie IMO, not a great one.

Stogieman · May 26, 2014, 02:16 PM

I agree with everything Shortcut said. A solid movie but certainly not the "best comic book movie ever released."

Originally Posted by mattyb

Wasn't too long?

The pace and length of the movie was fine.

Originally Posted by mattyb

Setup for another installment?

Yes, make sure to stay for the after credits scene.

Shaddim · May 26, 2014, 02:29 PM

Well, I said "argued", because I don't believe there is a best overall movie, some are better in certain aspects than others. I still believe Avengers ticks the box as the better action flick, but DoFP does a much better job of paying tribute to the source material. So far, it's the closest to being a real, live-action comic book. Many people don't "get it", because the original comics weren't a part of their childhood, but that's okay. It stands well on its own.

ShortcutToMoncton · May 27, 2014, 08:31 AM

Well IMO the closet movie thus far to being a live-action comic book was Ang Lee's Hulk. Unfortunately the animation was not good and the movie no better than "Okay", but from a visual standpoint I think Lee still did the most of any director in trying to meld the two mediums - some scenes could literally be frozen and put to print and not look out of place. (And given how widely panned it was, I'm not sure we'll see studios going back to that particular well any time soon...though in my humble opinion it remains a surprisingly decent film; I feel like I'm standing up for the token downtrodden movie around here lately.)

I'm just not really that impressed with DoFP as a stand-alone movie (other than yes, it was one of the better comic book movies...most of which I consider not that good).

Dinklage's character was utterly two-dimensional, even though as a token Bad Scientist for Good Reasons there could have been some easy backstory to flesh out; the movie created zero interest either way on his part as to whether he lived or died, other than the future interests of the X-Men. (Oh, he experimented on mutants...? But we don't see those mutants or gain any connection to them...it's a staged attempt to build animosity that does not work.) A much better plot would have created some tension in that regard. As such, the ending with Mystique had little emotional impact - no one was holding their breath because she might or might not pull the trigger; no one really gave a shit if he died.

andi*pandi · May 28, 2014, 12:30 PM

Those of you who have seen it: Do you need to have seen the other xmen movies, or read the comic books to make sense of it?

Thinking of taking the kid, as we seem to have missed out on Winter Soldier. :/ He's not seen all the other xmen stuff.

ShortcutToMoncton · May 28, 2014, 01:36 PM

Not essential, but would help to start to X-1/X-2.....they establish the characters.

Shaddim · May 28, 2014, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by andi*pandi

Those of you who have seen it: Do you need to have seen the other xmen movies, or read the comic books to make sense of it?

Thinking of taking the kid, as we seem to have missed out on Winter Soldier. :/ He's not seen all the other xmen stuff.

Mostly just watch X-Men: First Class, and maybe the very first one.

ShortcutToMoncton · May 29, 2014, 10:24 AM

Yeah Shaddim is right, those are the best two to watch.

The Final Dakar · May 29, 2014, 01:27 PM

Finally saw this last night. Better than I expected, and I was expecting something good. Somewhat hilarious the lack of dialogue for most of the mutants in the future. Bishop was completely worthless to the storyline. Way too pumped about the Kelsey Grammer cameo in the future. Glad superdouche Cyclops is back, his vague fate in X3 was terrible.

Salty · May 29, 2014, 03:32 PM

Saw it yesterday. Friends wanted to see Spiderman 2 but they've already taken it out as anything but 3D which is super dumb. We saw Future Past and it was good, though I don't like the guy who was playing past Prof X.

It was good for linking the two movies together with the previous movies.

The future scenes felt weird, but at the same time I cared about those characters more. I'm super confused to how they brought in stuff from X3 but somehow professor X is still in the same body. That threw me. Overall good movie, though not as good as people are making it out to be. I'd say Winter Soldier was better, probably on the same level as Thor 2. I wish Fox would just sell the rights to Xmen back to Marvel so they could be included in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Oh also Quick Silver was written really great and acted great, but the guy's hair was terrible!

andi*pandi · Jun 3, 2014, 08:03 PM

Had an X-Men weekend. Friday, X1. Forgot how good a movie that was, it just flowed really well, intro the characters, a nice misdirection, Bryan Singer did a great job, young Hugh Jackman. Saturday, X2: This one wasn't quite as good, but still fun. Too much romance/teen angst. Then we were pumped for Future Past. Didn't lay hands on First Class in time, and didn't recall X3 being much worth it except for the final scene.

Really enjoyable film. Just enough call backs to the other movies to tie together without being repetitive; a nice variety of mutants new and old, and it made sense. I do agree that Peter Dinklage's character was kind of one note, and not terribly amazing, but he didn't really need to be. There was too much going on to give him much backstory, and I'd rather see more of Magneto and mopey Charles, and yes, Quicksilver. He was awesome.

Now, they've essentially given themselves the same reboot as Star Trek, the ability to go back and redo everything from 1973. I wonder if Wolverine ever got his metal skeleton. It does appear that Rogue gets her white hairstreak, so events of X1 must have happened in some way... Stewart and McKellan are getting up there though.

Kid now wants to watch the 80s cartoon. Yesss.

P · Jun 7, 2014, 03:03 PM

I think the main point of this movie was to erase X3 from continuity. For those not following the inside baseball here, director Bryan Singer was forced out and took James Marsters (Cyclops) with him, which lead to the hacked together X3 which

killed off professor X, Cyclops and Jean Gray

and incidentally mortally wounded the franchise. Supposedly this debacle was the reason George Lucas decided to go to Disney rather than 20th Century Fox for Star Wars - he did not entertain competing offers.

Saw DoFP now, and I agree - there was no real tension. Since we all knew that the mutant team would win somehow, nothing mattered.

Shaddim · Jun 8, 2014, 04:57 AM

X3 never fit well with comic continuity anyway, so that's all for the better. Saw DoFP again and liked it just as much the 2nd time, what a brilliantly made, and acted, film.

People complaining about Dinklage being one-dimensional, I wasn't talking about the character of Trask, not exactly, I was talking about the actor. The scene where Mystique masquerades as the pint-sized industrialist was one of the best in the film, short though it was, those couple of minutes were magic. The realization, the pain, the grief... powerful stuff.

ShortcutToMoncton · Jun 8, 2014, 05:52 AM

I assume you must really have some affinity for the subject matter? I generally find that elevates a particular movie in my esteem.

Because, and I'm just sayin here, I think everyone would agree that it was a solidly made movie and overall quite enjoyable, but I'm going to go on a limb and say it's only a big X-Men fanboy who would declare DOFP brilliantly made, acted, and Oscar-worthy.

Shaddim · Jun 8, 2014, 06:36 AM

Did I say Best Picture? The SFX, sound, cinematography, art direction, Dinklage's performance, were all amazing. I see 4 nominations, easily. Not sure what you mean by "affinity for the subject matter" or why you'd choose to use a term like "fanboy"? Were the undersides of all the bridges occupied this morning?

ShortcutToMoncton · Jun 8, 2014, 11:55 AM

"Are you an X-Men fanboy"

I don't know what you mean about bridges, I'm not familiar with their significance re: DOFP.

andi*pandi · Jun 8, 2014, 02:59 PM

I'd forgotten about Dinklage in that scene, or rather, I completely bought into the concept that he was Mystique. He was good there, but criticisms about his character being one-dimensional are valid... but him playing Mystique, excellent.

As good as it was though, not sure it was oscar worthy.

Shortcut, the bridge reference is not to DOFP, but to Billy Goats etc.

ShortcutToMoncton · Jun 8, 2014, 03:31 PM

Hah I just had to google "billy goats bridge".......oh.

Earlier I had also looked up some critical reviews to see if my impressions were shared elsewhere - it seems that they were. Shaddim obviously thinks it was awesome, but that opinion seems most shared amongst big fans of the X-Men that I could see.....so maybe he's a big fan of them.

P · Jun 8, 2014, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by Salty

I wish Fox would just sell the rights to Xmen back to Marvel so they could be included in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

I understand that that is just not going to happen. The Fantastic Four reboot that is coming is solely there to keep the rights to that franchise (they revert to Marvel after a number of years if no movie is made). Fox is apparently steaming over Disney seemingly cutting them out of the big franchises by buying both Marvel and the rights to Star Wars. Sony wants to keep Spiderman because it makes them money (and they really only stumbled with Spidey 3, while Fox has as many hits as misses by now), but they're willing to talk. Spidey could show up in Avengers if Disney/Marvel writes a big enough number on the check.

Shaddim · Jun 8, 2014, 05:08 PM

As said in another thread, somewhere around here, Spidey was a member of the Avengers for a couple years, so it's not a stretch. He and Stark did not get along well, mainly because Tony wanted to have him dissected to figure out his powers...

P · Jun 9, 2014, 10:00 AM

I can see how that might annoy someone.

I know Spidey was in Avengers, but he's better known outside the team - and Marvel specifically sold that character. The logic of who belongs to what franchise is getting convoluted - Quicksilver was in DoFP (because he's Magneto's son) and will be in Avengers 2 (because he was an Avenger for many years in the comics) but they will have completely different backstories.

Shaddim · Jun 13, 2014, 11:32 PM

I just found out that Peter Dinklage played the little mime in the Bloodhound Gang's The Bad Touch music video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xat1GVnl8-k

andi*pandi · Jun 14, 2014, 08:53 AM

WTF, that whole video was creepy.

Doc HM · Jun 17, 2014, 07:06 AM

Originally Posted by Shaddim

I just found out that Peter Dinklage played the little mime in the Bloodhound Gang's The Bad Touch music video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xat1GVnl8-k

He is of course also awesome in Elf!...

Saw it last night. Dinklage was OK, but Fasbender was better. Mind you Fasbender is always good. He's becoming one of my favourite actors.
Saw it with my daughter who is a huge Holt (Beast fan) and also happy as she's met Pat Stewart through my work so she likes seeing people she knows up on the screen.

Was a solid film if uninspiring. Too png like nearly all modern films are. plot make only some sense. I guess Wolverine, Prof X and the others a who were at the big fight would remember that part of the timeline? Before it gets reset?

Anyway 6/10 I guess.