X-Men Days of Future Past (2014) Review

X Men Days of future Past is really a statement by its director, Bryan Singer. A statement that not only can he direct a great comic book movie but that X Men is HIS franchise. Singer began the franchise back in 2000 when comic book movies were not the box office giants they are today. It can be argued that he directed the first "modern" comic book movie. It was a film which utilized the relatively new tool of  CGI to help bring its powerful heroes to light. After that first installment he followed it up with a sequel which many critics believe is even stronger than the original. The franchise was off to a great start and Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, Patrick Stewarts Professor X, and Ian McKellen's Magneto were now instantly recognizable. Unfortunately for us movie-goers the third installment was helmed by another director and it suffered for it. After this, two wolverine movies were made, and then in 2011 the franchise was "rebooted" by Mathew Vaughn with X-Men First Class. First Class gave us the backstories of Charles and Erik before they became enemies. It was set in the sixties and had a great Bond-like vibe. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. As you may be able to tell from this complicated history the franchise was really all over the place and the task was given to Bryan Singer to right it all. It is a seemingly impossible task but miraculously he has pulled it off and made my favorite X-Men film to date.

The film opens in the future where Mutant killing Sentinels have wiped out much of civilization. Professor X sends Wolverine back in time to stop these  Machines from ever being used. This plot allows for a bridging of the universe of the first three films and the universe of the "reboot". Of course complications ensue and many great twists occur along the way which you should enjoy for yourselves. One of the best things about this film is just how great the cast is. everyone is back and plays their characters with a virtuosity the blurs the line between actor and character. Stewart IS Professor X and Jackman IS Wolverine just as Fassbender IS the younger Erik and Jennifer Lawrence IS Mystique. The story fleshes out both time periods even if the majority of the film is set in the past. The film is not afraid to have fun either. It was probably tempting to make everything in a film this epic deadly serious but it is a credit to the script and to singer that the film ahs plenty of moments of fun.

Singer shows off in several sequences that remind the audience just how good the early X-Men films were at bringing the comic books from the page to the screen. The action sequences work and they are done with an energy which keeps the film exciting. There enough surprises along the way that the movie never becomes stale. To be a comic book movie made in 2014 and still feel fresh is a great feat.

If there is one nit-pick it would be that the characters who are specific to the future don't get much time to be fleshed out. Some of them are just kinda there. For comic book fans this is probably fine because they are already familiar with the characters but for the average film goer some of the characters seem like extras. I'm not suggesting they should've been fleshed out because that would have weighed down the film but it is something which I noticed. The film packs so much into its run time it's really incredible how well paced it is. The fact that Singer was able to bring together this convoluted franchise is as great a feat as what Whedon did with the avengers. The fact that he made me really excited about future X-Men movies is maybe something he deserves even more praise for 4.5/5!   

Classics Thursday: On the Waterfront (1954)

In continuing with my new series I am reviewing another great film. This one is very well known, so it is not in the "gem" category, but after picking up Criterion's wonderful Blu-Ray this week I couldn't help watching it again and reviewing it.

Very few films have as important a place in film history as On the Waterfront. Many times a film is either historically significant, in that it is inexorably connected to its period due to its subject matter or style, or artistically significant, In that the techniques used to create the film were revolutionary. On the Waterfront is in that rare group of films that are both historically significant and artistically significant. The historical significance stems from its connection to the Hollywood blacklist. This has been written about many times in many places and really has very little bearing on a review of the film so if you are interested in the significance this film has in relation to the blacklist feel free to look it up for yourself. For the purposes of this review I will focus on the many advancements On the Waterfront made in terms of acting and filmmaking technique.

On the Waterfront is the story of Terry Malloy who begins the film as a heavy for the waterfront union. Throughout the course of the film Malloy begins to realize the types of atrocious things the union is doing and finally stands up against them. This is difficult since his older brother is very close to the union boss. The film is about Terry standing up for what's right and coming to realizations about his character. The true power of the film cannot be given in a brief synopses as this film is really about character. The revolutionary acting and directing allow this to be possible.

This film is a master-class in method acting, an acting style which was still quite new at the time. Brando's performance is legendary, and rightfully so. He brings so many layers to Terry that you feel that the character really comes alive. The famous "contender" speech is rightfully famous as well. It is really the dramatic peak of the film, and while repeated over and over it still retains much of its power. The rest of the cast also turn in tremendous performances. Eva Marie Saint in particular seems to work very well with Brando and you can't imagine another actress in that role  Karl Malden plays my favorite priest in film history, Father Barry. Finally Lee J. Cobb brings the right amount of nastiness to the role of the ironically named Johnny Friendly.

Acting is often what draws people to this film but Kazan's direction and innovative location shooting are what help make it a "perfect" film. The idea of making a movie, in widescreen no less, on a grimy waterfront was risky in the 1950's. This level of realism had been explored in Europe, especially Italy (see Bicycle Thieves as an example), but in America it was just not typical. Kazan brings an energy to the film that keeps everything moving. His close ups allow the actors to act and his framing gives every scene the right mood. The score is by Leonard Bernstein and it is quite dramatic but because of Kazan's energy it works very well.

On the Waterfront is a movie everyone should experience at some point. It is both a moral tale and a character study which works on a variety of levels. If you haven't seen it now is the time to check it out and if you have, you already know that it is worth going back to. It is simply one of the classics of cinema 5/5!

Classics Thursday: Charade (1963)

After a short hiatus (due to studying for finals) I am now back writing film reviews. For the summer I am going to institute a new series called "Classics Thursday". Every week on Thursday there will be a new review of a classic film. Some films will probably be ones that many may have seen, but my goal is to find, and review, some gems. Because of this, If you have any suggestions for movies that I should review for this series please comment.

Charade has been called "the best Hitchcock film Hitchcock never made", by that description alone I knew I had to see this film. Charade was directed by Stanley Donen, who, while not as well known as Hitchcock, is a great director in his own right. Donen is known for his musicals like Funny Face and my all-time favorite, Singin' in the Rain. Charade is the first, and only, pairing of two of the screen's most iconic stars: Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. Based on this film it's a shame that these two never did another film. All of this talent behind, and in front , of the camera makes Charade a truly fantastic film in the classical Hollywood vein. It was made in a year when that style was slowly dying out, but it shows no signs of aging in Charade.

Charade begins with a murder, the murder of Audrey Hepburn's characters' husband. This murder leads to a series of twists that really should be experienced uninhibited by spoilers. Suffice it to say, that this film is a jigsaw puzzle in which no one can be trusted. It is a thriller in the vein of North By Northwest with chases, witty dialog, suspense and romance in equal measure. Grant plays the urbane character he does so well and Hepburn is really the center of the film. Both stars light up the screen. Part of the reason for this, is the quality of the dialogue, but another reason is the power of seeing these two icons meet. The supporting cast is filled with great actors playing the roles we always imagine them in. Walter Matthau plays a member of the state department while George Kennedy and James Coburn play assassins. This depth in the cast is reminiscent of the great Hollywood films of old.

Donen directs the film with a style that is very reminiscent of Hitchcock. This is a major compliment. Donen creates sequences that are memorable long after the film is over. The musical score is by Henry Mancini, and that's all you need to know to know that it's good. The film takes great advantage of its locations and seeing it on Blu-Ray was a fun visual experience.

A surprising aspect of Charade is its comedy. It's as if Donen set out to create a perfect combination of the classic screwball comedy of the thirties and the post-war thriller of the forties. For the most part this combination is incredibly successful. The romantic comedy aspects of this film make Charade a little like a happy median between Hitchcock's To Catch a Thief and North By Northwest. This makes for one of the most entertaining experiences a film goer could have, but it is impossible to call Charade perfect. As with anything this tightly plotted, it can seem contrived at times, and some of the comedy could be a little bit out of place. Like Hitchcock however, because the film on a whole is so entertaining I really can't resist giving Charade a 5/5!

Remember if there are any films that you think are "gems" that you would like me to review please comment below!