June Movie #3: X-Men: First Class

Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, January Jones, Kevin Bacon
Directed By: Matthew Vaughn
Run Time: 2 hours 11 minutes

X-Men: First Class takes a few steps back in time, back before the X-Men were the X-Men. It shows the "mutants" from the beginning, how they came together and why. It also shows how Professor X and Magneto were friends in the beginning and what caused them to become on opposite sides.

The only X-Men movie I've seen is Wolverine and that was more for the actor than for the story. I had little interest in the other X-Men movies. I know little about them. Every time I saw the preview for this movie, I kept getting confused as to which actor (McAvoy or Fassbender) was portraying whom (Professor X and Magneto) and which one was the bad guy in the future. I think part of my confusion stems from the height difference between the old versions and the young versions. My confusion between who was who made the story I saw in the previews much different. Now that I've seen the movie, I am no longer confused about whom is who.

For never having seen any of the other X-Men movies, I was able to enjoy this movie, probably more than those who have seen the others because I have no idea what happens to any of them in the future. Who lives, who dies? I didn't know. I was able to just enjoy what happened. And I must say, I rather liked it.

This movie has fabulous character development. I was absolutely engrossed with Magneto (played by Fassbender). You completely understand with just the one scene they showed why he was bent on revenge, bent on killing Shaw (played by Bacon). And then to find out their relationship goes further... it's really a no wonder why he wanted him dead. And I also loved how honest Magneto was with Mystique (played by Lawrence) about her true identity, about being a mutant.

There were several lines dispersed throughout the movie that I found absolutely hilarious. Unfortunately, I was the only one in the theater laughing. This movie had some wit to it and I found that refreshing. I liked that it had a lot of heart and wasn't just a comic book with action.

If this movie was lacking, it was lacking in full team development. Aside from the one scene where the mutants meet one another and reveal the things that make them unique to determine their superhero names, I really didn't see the gang doing things to make themselves a team. They did all have one on one time with Professor X (played by McAvoy) which helped solidify him as the leader or "teacher" but there weren't many moments with other mutants with other mutants.

One of the reasons I liked this movie (other than the character development, funny bits with charm, and general cohesive storyline) was the acting. Michael Fassbender was superb as Magneto. I truly saw him embracing his mutant abilities as well as fully understood his pain and his struggle. Kevin Bacon as evil Shaw was despicable. I truly rooted for Magneto to exact his revenge on Shaw. He was used car salesman swarmy... but with ruthless appetite for killing. The way he killed the first mutant was so sad. I kept thinking that the role must have been fun for him. I am on the fence about January Jones' Emma Frost. She was very robotic, so robotic that she was evil. That was good. But then there were too many moments where I wondered if I was mistaking her robotic performance for intended evilness or if she's just robotic and wooden in every performance (see my review of the Unknown). I absolutely loved  Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone but I thought her take on Mystique was a bit stilted. I understand why she gravitated towards Magneto (because he helped her deal with being a mutant) but I just wasn't seeing her struggle.

Speaking of Mystique, there is one scene where she morphs into another image that made me howl. I loved the cameo (of whom she morphed into). Such a nice touch. And this is coming from someone who has never seen the other X-Men movies.

I was painfully aware of the use of CGI in several key dramatic moments in this movie. I'm pretty sure no submarine was ever harmed in the production of this movie. There was probably never even a submarine in this movie. So CGI. The blatant use of CGI kept pulling me out of the movie.

One small aside: I was so happy to see Michael Ironside! Watch for him towards the end.

I really liked this movie. I wasn't expecting to like it so much, particularly since I've never seen the other X-Men movies (have I mentioned I haven't seen the others?). It was very well done. The acting, the history, the characters, the story. I didn't even feel that the run time is over two hours. And after it was all done, I will never confuse which one is the bad guy. Ah, Michael Fassbender. I want to see him be full evil. I hope there's an X-Men: 202. And if I'm rooting for a sequel, you have to know that this movie was pretty darned good.

June Movie #2: Kung Fu Panda 2

Starring the voices of: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Gary Oldman, Michelle Yeoh
Directed By: Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Run Time: 1 hour 31 minutes

Kung Fu Panda 2 is about Po the panda, who is now the Dragon Warrior, trying to protect the Valley of Peace with the Furious Five (Viper, Crane, Tigress, Mantis, and Monkey) from Lord Shen (voiced by Oldman) and his new weapon that could end kung fu.

I saw this movie with Dawn, Joel, and of course, Benjamin, who is shaping up to be my new movie watching buddy. He lasted the entire movie although he wasn't as engrossed as I hoped he'd be. I mean, it's about a panda... who does kung fu. What's not to love? Benjamin would have probably have liked it to be more panda. Wait. Maybe that was just me.

This movie starts off a bit slow. I gotta say that I wasn't as sucked in as I was the first one. And a lot of the funny bits that were great in the previews just didn't have that zing to the funny bone in the actual movie. They  were edited faster in the previews, closer together. That quick cut made things sharper, funnier. But the movie is pleasant. There are some great funny moments. But the first one was funnier.

This movie has a sweetness to it. And a great sadness to it. There were parts that were too hard too watch, too emotionally frightening. Po's memory of his biological parents was sad... and even more sad was what happened to them. This movie is much darker than the first one. Actually, I don't think the first one had any darkness to it. And this one has a lot more violence in it. I was glad that they didn't show a lot of it, particularly when the weapon was discharged.

The best part of the movie was Tigress. If you remember from the first one, she was the last to approve of Po. She was tough. She was disciplined. She was a master. And she's all that in this movie, too. Po and the rest make a point of telling her that. But there's a small twist... and I loved it. It was incredibly sweet. Don't count Tigress out.

The visuals are gorgeous. The colors are amazing. Lord Shen is absolutely beautiful. I liked how the most gruesome backstory is told with "drawings" and the violence is alluded to, not shown. It was like a child's picture book. It was a nice way to tell the dark part of the story. The sweetest part of the story is about 30 seconds before the credits roll. It was quite touching. And a relief. It also leads it open for KuFuPa 3 (Kung Fu Panda 3)..

So, this movie is sweet and scary and sad and violent and touching. Who doesn't love a big, fat panda? Benjamin lasted through the whole thing, which has to say something. I liked it. I know Dawn and Joel did, too. Three thumbs and one baby thumbs up. One to see over and over again.

June Movie #1: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Starring: Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush, Ian McShane, Astrid Berges-Frisbey
Directed By: Rob Marshall
Run Time: 2 hours 17 minutes


The fourth installment of Pirates of the Caribbean starts off with Jack Sparrow (played by Depp) busting out of jail only to find himself in another sticky situation. The King of England tries to convince Jack to go an expedition to find the Fountain of Youth (since it is rumored that he knows the way) before the Spanish find it. When he refuses (and escapes), the task falls upon Jack's rival Captain Barbosa (played by Rush). Jack wants to beat Barbosa and finds another ship to take him. This ship's first mate happens to be an old flame Angelica (played by Cruz). Now three ships (the Spaniards, Barbosa, and Jack/Angelica) are heading towards the same treasure. Someone has to get there first... with a mermaid's fresh tear. 


I try to avoid reading too much about a movie before I go to it and I hate seeing too many previews for it. The first couple normally are great teasers but rest of them start to reveal too much about the movie and before you know it, you've seen the movie just from seeing the previews. I knew I was going to see this movie just because I've invested so much time watching the other three (and truly the first was the best). I didn't need to see or read anything about this movie as a result. I'm really glad I didn't know anything about this movie. There was a small plot point that had I known anything at all about this movie, it would have given away something that neither Jack nor I knew. I liked the surprise. 


This movie is in 3D. I did not want to give the Pirates franchise any more of my money so I opted to see it in 2D. You do not need to see this movie in 3D. There are several annoying swords coming at you that are probably supposed to be thrilling in 3D but come across as just plain superfluous. I can't imagine any other part of the movie that would be enhanced with another dimension. Stick to the cheaper 2D. 


Um, yeah. I was bored. That pretty much sums up how I felt about this movie. Bored. Jack is normally such a fun character - goofy, quirky, funny, unpredictable. Just plain fun. He's the reason I see these movies. That and the adventures. Jack was lacking. He didn't entertain me. I found him only mildly appealing. And the adventure - a voyage to the Fountain of Youth - was also boring. There were no unexpected obstacles, twists, turns, or battles. It certainly was not an adventure. All three ships knew exactly how to get to the Fountain. No one really seemed to have an issue capturing a mermaid, despite the fact that the mermaid legend would have you believe it to be impossible.  


I don't understand the supernatural aspect of the Fountain, particularly the last few steps to actually get to it. What's wrong with the notion of drinking water that makes you young? The cup aspect - drinking from the proper cup with the mermaid tear - seemed to take too much from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. It's been done before... and better. 


I did like the mermaid Syrena (played by Berges-Frisbey). She was an interesting character. I did actually like something about this movie! And I did like Angelica. I wasn't sure when I saw the previews if I would like Penelope Cruz in this but she adapt well. She was tough but likable. She had the charm that Jack did not. I did like the two of them together, perhaps because she had the upper hand. 


One final tip: Stay until after the credits finish rolling. That will give you first and only laugh of the movie.