Posts Tagged ‘Bryan Singer’
2 items.
Am I aware that everyone and their brother will be making references to X-Men 2 this week? Yes. Do I care? Nope.
I’ve gotta say that I’m more jacked up for this round of mutant mayhem than I was for the first. I always had a mental block against the first picture because Brian Singer was at the helm. “Wrong choice”, I thought. It was confirmed when, in several issues, Singer confessed to have never been a read the comic books. “Oh, snap!”, I thought. “We’re doomed.” The fact that he kept pushing that Martin Luther King Jr. VS Malcom X ideology in regard to the relationship between Professor X and Magneto only exacerbated matters.
I always felt like the first movie was good, but flawed. It delivered in many regards – most notably bringing Hugh Jackman to the role of Wolverine, who slam dunked it. Kudos also for bringing aboard Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan as the aforementioned Professor X and Magneto.
But the remainder of the film felt cobbled together. Like they tried to make more of it, but just couldn’t.
James Marsden as Cyclops was a dud. Ditto for Anna Paquin as Rouge. Ray Park, Tyler Mane and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos as villains Toad, Sabertooth and Mystique were gimmicky additions at best. Darth Maul, a pro-wrestler and a supermodel? Please.
Halle Berry, of course, was the worst casting possible for the role of Storm. It should have gone to Angela Basset, if you ask me. She was offered it, but I guess she turned it down. Can anyone name the last movie she was in? Supernova? The Score? Yeah… good work, Angie.
But I have high hopes for the sequel. I know this is probably the most naive statement I can make considering A). It’s a sequel and B). It’s a comic book movie. But for some reason, I have a feeling it’s going to turn out more polished. I know they definitely had more money to spend. My wish is that it will make me turn around and appreciate the first a little more. Kind of how The Two Towers did for The Fellowship of The Ring. I think that will be the case since they don’t have to waste time on exposition and can just jump right into the action.
We’ll see.
Good news. Selling more posters. We’re inching ever closer to the half-way point of what’s left in the series. I don’t think you want to be left without one, do you?
I gotta give props to all the fine lads who have helped me pimp the wares as of late. Many thanks to Zach of No Pants Tuesday, Brian of Briworld, Carrington at Movie Punks, Aric from Fish Strips and Mark with Jayhoo and Jawhoo for spreading the good word.
Speaking of good ole Jay and Jaw, you need to check out this strip and look in the background of the second panel. See how cool these posters are?! Even THEY get cameos now!
I think this is going to be a pretty busy week for yours personally. I’m going to try and bring a forum to the site in the next week or two because I want those who have bought posters to have a place where they can discuss their experiences. Oh, and talk about movies.
I’ll also have an announcement regarding a new affiliation I’m considering. But the details will have to wait until later.
Thanks.
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May05
So if you’re like the rest of the free world, you probably saw X-Men 2: X-Men United over the weekend. And if there is a cooler movie suffering from a lamer subtitle, I haven’t heard it.
Never the less, the movie most assuredly handed my ass to me and with a polite grin and a nod said, “See this? This is your ass. Thank you.”
Did you hear the story about X-2 being the 4th highest grossing opening of all time? $85 million in three days. Not too shabby.
Frankly, though, I’m not sure if this is something we need to celebrate. And, if you keep it within context, is not as big of an achievement as you may think.
X-2 had the advantage of the one of the largest roll-outs in Hollywood history. Over 93 countries simultaneously and nearly 3,800 screens in this country. Yet, it couldn’t break the figures of the three highest opening weekend earners Spider-Man and the first two Harry Potter movies.
In fact, X-2 did almost $30 LESS business than Spider-Man did at this same time last year. Incidentally, Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets was the previous screen record holder with 3,682.
But forget the figures. What about the movie! Excellent on all counts and delivered right where it counts. I got to see a lot of the stuff I wanted to see versus the first movie which I always felt like it was on a short leash.
When the school is attacked and Colossus armors up from flesh to steel, it has got to be one of the most cathartic movie moments in recent memory. Even if it was only a fraction of a second – to see it sent chills up my spine.
Of course, if you couldn’t tell from today’s comic, I thought Nightcrawler stole the show. He’s gets the best effect sequence right at the start of the movie. I won’t spoil it, but it sets things off in a good direction.
I was a little disappointed that he wasn’t given much to do during the middle of the film. He only got his 10 minutes at the start and then was kept handy in the last 5. I wish they used him more.
Same for Iceman. It was if he only got to use his powers twice, and he never did the trick where he covers his whole body in ice. Maybe they’re saving that for X-3.
A really great moment in the movie is when Magneto escapes from prison. Again, I won’t spoil it, but it’s very clever. And anyone who is familiar with the comics will get the reference to what he does to the guard.
By the way, did anyone else notice that they stuck in Dr. Hank McCoy (AKA – The Beast) as a commentator on a TV talk show running in the background. Sweet!
Obviously I could go on and on, but I won’t. If you haven’t seen this movie yet, you’d better get moving. After all, The Matrix Reloaded is only two weeks away. We wouldn’t want you to fall behind!
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