X-Men: First Class

[FQRizzo]

Nice review Mike. Good read honestly. Agree with some and not with other parts. You're not the first person I've seen say best Marvel movie. I just cannot agree with that at all for me personally. This movie might only be # 5 for me to be honest.

Why do I feel compelled to ask you what other four movies you like more than this one?


Anyway, I'm always hesitant to claim that something is the "best of anything" when it is the newest thing in my mind. I usually like to let it settle in before I can rank them. This one, as far as superhero movies go, will probably end up near the top for me.

 

[Rackemup]

Thought this film was great! And one of the best Marvel films IMO. I want to see it again.

 

[The Josh]

Thanks Josh!

No problem. I always enjoy reading your thoughts. They're well articulated and make you think on this subject. Helps me improve my own knowledge as well.

Its tough. I loved Iron Man 1 and Thor. Spider-Man 1 & 2 don't hold up well, given I just watched them a couple of weeks ago although there are some classic parts but something about knowing it's in the Silver Age timeframe and how well it weaved in their own continuity into the established Marvel continuity was fantastic. By far better than anything 20th Century Fox has done with their licenses IMHO and I really hope that their Daredevil and Fantastic Four reboots are given the same TLC.

I understand. I love the X-Men growing up that was probably my favorite group. So I dig these movies somewhat because of that. While I think this movie is solid and enjoyed it a great deal I just didnt walk out of it feeling the same way I did with Iron Man 1/2 or Thor. Its close to Spiderman 1 if I was getting really picky on a ranking scale.

Agreed. I hope those get treated the way this and recent marvel movies have been.

 

[The Josh]

Why do I feel compelled to ask you what other four movies you like more than this one?

I don't know but I'll tell ya.

1. Iron Man
2. Thor
3. Iron Man 2
4. Spiderman
5. X-Men First Class

Anyway, I'm always hesitant to claim that something is the "best of anything" when it is the newest thing in my mind. I usually like to let it settle in before I can rank them. This one, as far as superhero movies go, will probably end up near the top for me.

Thats understandable. In a few months or years my feelings may change on things. If Captain America is as good as I think its gonna be X-Men won't be in the top 5 very long.

That all being said I will buy this when it comes out on Blu.

 

[FQRizzo]

The funny thing is that now that after I've seen the movie, when I go back and look at the promotional pictures I still think they look cheesy. The movie just works when it is in motion. I do think that some of the character designs are pretty weak, though.

 

[The Mike]

The character designs are unique but a lot of that is the 1960s timeplacing. The original X-Men trilogy character designs were fairly bland as well if you really look at them. They won't really intermingle with other Marvel properties on the shelves which is unfortunate since HT won't go that deep into this line but a flight suit Magneto with blue helmet will be a fantastic display piece. I really hope the next one is also in the 60s and the last if it gets that far is in the 1970s.

I definitely prefer the Blue/Yellow flight suits over the black leather.

 

[FQRizzo]

The character designs are unique but a lot of that is the 1960s timeplacing. The original X-Men trilogy character designs were fairly bland as well if you really look at them. They won't really intermingle with other Marvel properties on the shelves which is unfortunate since HT won't go that deep into this line but a flight suit Magneto with blue helmet will be a fantastic display piece. I really hope the next one is also in the 60s and the last if it gets that far is in the 1970s.

I definitely prefer the Blue/Yellow flight suits over the black leather.

I agree with you, the new look is better than the X1-3 look. Though, I like the Magneto and Xavier civie look more than the suited up look (Sans the blue/yellow Magneto look with helmet).

Spoiler:

The full Magneto reveal at the end of the movie was laughably bad, though.

 

[JosephCPR]

I just saw this and well, I really enjoyed it but not the amazing movie I had expected. I was a little disappointed in all the WTF moments, because let's face it, there are a few.

I agree with the general consensus that Magneto, Xavier, Shaw and even Mystique or Beast (in human form) were perfectly casted. Azazel was cool too in his fighting scenes. Emma Frost was a little meh, January Jones is not sensual enough to portray her IMO. The rest of the cast is pretty forgettable.

Can anybody explain me...

Spoiler:

WTF does Mystique decide to follow Magneto? She never seemed to agree with Magneto's ideals (on Mutants' supremacy) throughout the movie so with does she leave the person she grew up with lying on the sand with a shot on his back??? Because she wants to be herself??? Couldn't she be herself next to Xavier or what? I really don't know if I missed something or it's just one of those weak moments the movie is filled with.

 

[The Mike]

Though, I like the Magneto and Xavier civie look more than the suited up look (Sans the blue/yellow Magneto look with helmet).

I will agree I want the brown leather jacket, purple mock and slacks for Erik the most, but I doubt it'll be available but hopefully easy to bash with the HS that HT will provide.

Spoiler:

The full Magneto reveal at the end of the movie was laughably bad, though.

I blame Singer.

Spoiler:

Color that suit grey and you've got McKellan lite. It was obvious that it was done to connect to his future look.

Can anybody explain me...

What?

 

[JosephCPR]

Had a problem with the spoiler tag

 

[The Mike]

Can anybody explain me...

Spoiler:

WTF does Mystique decide to follow Magneto? She never seemed to agree with Magneto's ideals (on Mutants' supremacy) throughout the movie so with does she leave the person she grew up with lying on the sand with a shot on his back??? Because she wants to be herself??? Couldn't she be herself next to Xavier or what? I really don't know if I missed something or it's just one of those weak moments the movie is filled with.

Sure here you go:

Spoiler:

Throughout the entire film, she felt the need to hide in her human form, even when she asked Charles about whether she'd be datable in her blue form he hesitates and then dodges the question. Throughout the film she feels as if no one will like her blue, until she meets Erik and he continues to tell her that she is perfect in her natural form. Even Beast who she felt connected to turns on her when he has the chance to change and tells her basically that she'll never be accepted. Going to Erik then, he tells her that she should stop hiding whereas Charles has always pushed her hiding in the blonde form. Throughout their entire life Charles has been pushing for her to suppress even to his freakout in the pub about the eyes. Erik was the opposite. Even in the end when she is holding Charles' hand and he tells her to go, he doesn't say "stay with me and you can be yourself" he tells her to go because she'll be happier with him. Charles was always about co-existing and for him that meant hiding in plain sight where Erik was about being superior, a sense that he always had but pushed further after finally dealing with Shaw since that was his number one. With Charles, Raven would have to hide, with Erik he would want her to be normal for the majority of her time which was preferable. It wasn't about being supreme but being herself, Erik just lined up his monologue with the idea that they don't need to hide because they are superior which nicely tied into the idea of her being herself.

 

[The Josh]

Spoiler:

The full Magneto reveal at the end of the movie was laughably bad, though.

I liked that part.

 

[The Mike]

I did too.

At that point I was already seatbelted into the Singerverse so in a way it made more sense.

 

[Shai]

Just saw it, definitely the best movie of the franchise...the script and the characters really made you care about this story. I still prefered Thor over this movie but still a very solid movie. 8/10.


Strongest point: the Guy playing Magneto steals this movie for me.Brillant performance IMO.

Weakest point:January Jones is definitely not Emma Frost material.

 

[The Josh]

I did too.

At that point I was already seatbelted into the Singerverse so in a way it made more sense.

I like the look because it reminds me of the comic look. Its not exact but it just reminds me of it.

Strongest point: the Guy playing Magneto steals this movie for me.Brillant performance IMO.

Weakest point:January Jones is definitely not Emma Frost material.

Agreed the performance playing Magneto was really really good.

The thing with January Jones playing Emma was they way they used her sucked. They used her as badly as POTC used Blackbeard.

 

[2ndname]

No problem. I always enjoy reading your thoughts. They're well articulated and make you think on this subject. Helps me improve my own knowledge as well.



I understand. I love the X-Men growing up that was probably my favorite group. So I dig these movies somewhat because of that. While I think this movie is solid and enjoyed it a great deal I just didnt walk out of it feeling the same way I did with Iron Man 1/2 or Thor. Its close to Spiderman 1 if I was getting really picky on a ranking scale.

Agreed. I hope those get treated the way this and recent marvel movies have been.

You didn't feel that way about this movie at the end because it's not something that you can rejoice over. You see the beginning of 2 friends going their separate ways, not really a theme to be excited about. It is however a great origin story and was told in a very good way. As fans know what it will eventually lead to and I feel that they did a great job in making me care about all of characters involved.

 

[The Mike]

Given the time and the way that a man with Shaw's power would have treated women I don't really see how they could have used her differently, she was basically shoulder candy back in the Dark Phoenix Saga as well and only came into her own really later on. January Jones definitely wasn't the right person for it, I wish they had kept Alice Eve or casted her over Jones because she would have at least been sexy in the role.

 

[FQRizzo]

I liked that part.

I wanted to like that part.

 

[JosephCPR]

Sure here you go:

Spoiler:

Throughout the entire film, she felt the need to hide in her human form, even when she asked Charles about whether she'd be datable in her blue form he hesitates and then dodges the question. Throughout the film she feels as if no one will like her blue, until she meets Erik and he continues to tell her that she is perfect in her natural form. Even Beast who she felt connected to turns on her when he has the chance to change and tells her basically that she'll never be accepted. Going to Erik then, he tells her that she should stop hiding whereas Charles has always pushed her hiding in the blonde form. Throughout their entire life Charles has been pushing for her to suppress even to his freakout in the pub about the eyes. Erik was the opposite. Even in the end when she is holding Charles' hand and he tells her to go, he doesn't say "stay with me and you can be yourself" he tells her to go because she'll be happier with him. Charles was always about co-existing and for him that meant hiding in plain sight where Erik was about being superior, a sense that he always had but pushed further after finally dealing with Shaw since that was his number one. With Charles, Raven would have to hide, with Erik he would want her to be normal for the majority of her time which was preferable. It wasn't about being supreme but being herself, Erik just lined up his monologue with the idea that they don't need to hide because they are superior which nicely tied into the idea of her being herself.

Yeah, I agree and I guess that is the key question that sums everything up... but still

Spoiler:

I found it weird that she left when he was so injured. He is almost like a brother! What an ungreatful selfish _____! (j/k)

 

[2ndname]

Jones seems like a one trick pony as an actress. She was supposed to be sexy but she played her role exactly like her character in Mad Men but with less clothing.