The New Mutants

Posted on January 7, 2021 by Craig M

Viewed – 05 January 2021 online-rental

2020 was the first year in a while that we had no real big comic book movies, apart from Wonder Woman 1984 at the end and this decidedly low key release. Set in the same universe as the X-Men movies, this focuses on a group of troubled teens in a hospital who are coming to terms with their mutations as a female doctor studies them … including a Native American girl who arrives following an incident that wiped out her reservation.

Think ‘Girl, Interrupted’ meets ‘Heroes’ and you’ll get the vibe this one’s going for. A recognisable cast includes Game of Thrones’ Maisie Williams as a girl with the ability to turn into a wolf, and The Queen’s Gambit star Anya Taylor-Joy as a bitchy Russian who can summon abilities from other dimensions. The banter and varying powers between the characters held my interest and there’s some good action, even if this is less a full-on comic book actioner and more a character piece.

However, hints at a shady organisation responsible for the hospital are unexplored, and the whole thing feels like part one of a bigger story. Plenty of potential here despite the fact that teen mutants is nothing new and has been explored in prior X-Men movies. Sadly a luke-warm critical and commercial reaction probably means this story won’t get continued. Worth a watch though.

Verdict: Good

X-Men: Dark Phoenix

Posted on October 19, 2019 by Craig M

Viewed – 18 October 2019 online-rental

I’ve always enjoyed the X-Men movies but in recent years they seemed to have fallen out of favour with the critics. I stood alone it seems in my liking of Apocalypse and I think going by the reaction to this latest offering, I remain in a minority on this one also.

With mutants more accepted into society and Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) able to continue running his school for gifted children … all seems well. That is until a fairly routine mission to rescue some astronauts goes bad and Jean Gray (Sophie Turner) gets caught in a blast that drastically increases her powers to an uncontrollable level.

This might not have the epic scale of say, Days of Futures Past and with the focus (mostly) on a single character, some of the series’ most memorable characters are sidelined (especially Jennifer Lawrence‘s Mystique / Raven). However with decent turns from McAvoy and the always dependable Michael Fassbender as Magneto as well as Sophie Turner delivering an occasionally menacing Jean Gray – I still found myself absorbed. There is some terrific action too (particularly the train sequence) and the effects work throughout is great.

There’s just something missing. It lacks the drama and depth of previous movies and Jessica Chastain‘s villain is woefully under written. Turner despite best intentions just can’t carry the movie either. She was wooden in Game of Thrones and isn’t that much better here. So, a lesser X-Men movie but if you’re a fan as I am there’s still much to enjoy.

Verdict: 3 /5

Stan Lee dies

Posted on November 12, 2018 by Craig M

So sad to hear that the legendary Stan Lee has passed away. The creator of many of our favourite super heroes, including Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk, he was the pioneer of many a kid’s childhood fantasies and well, we wouldn’t have the Marvel Cinematic Universe without his boundless imagination. He will be sadly missed.

R.I.P.

Logan

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Craig M

Viewed – 21 March 2017 Cinema

It would be easy for me to write this off as just another Wolverine movie. After all I didn’t entirely miss his (generally) absent status from X-Men Apocalypse, and well the character has been milked to death. But from initial images showing a more grizzled, aged Wolverine and early positive hype I thought I’d give it a go.

No question though, Hugh Jackman was born to play Logan/Wolverine. He has all the grumpy but likeable personality perfect for such a tortured character. This latest take see’s him departed from his X-Men colleagues sometime in the future when many of them are believed dead and all he has for company between trips away as a grumpy limo driver, is an aged, half senile Dr Xavier (a heart-breaking Patrick Stewart). So along comes a Mexican woman and a mysterious girl (a star making Dafne Keen) who she wishes for Logan to transport across the border to a ‘safe haven’ known as Eden, where more people like her and Logan himself are seeking refuge. On their heels is a scenery chewing villain (Boyd Holbrook) and a megalomaniac scientist (Richard E Grant).

What surprised me was just how brutal this latest Wolverine movie is. We get beheadings, vicious stabbings and dismembered limbs-a-plenty and it seriously doesn’t hold back. Some of the violence and the general tone here is light-years away from what I’m used to seeing in a comic book movie and it really helped this spring to life … especially in brilliantly executed (pun intended) action sequences that are amongst the best in the genre. Director James Mangold has delivered a confident and mature road movie that is held together by three strong central characters and their slowly developing bond that makes this much more meaningful and powerful than I could have expected. This is one of the most intense and gripping comic book inspired movies I’ve seen in a long time and in the closing moments I can honestly say Jackman deserved an Oscar nod. But we know that won’t happen for this sort of material, unless perhaps you happen to die in real life (ahem…Heath Ledger RIP).

Simply put – go see this movie.

Verdict: 5 /5

Top Ten Movies 2016

Posted on December 31, 2016 by Craig M

I watched a lot of movies this year. I watched a lot of very good movies. I also watched a few bad ones and several disappointing ones. But the list below, in descending order compiles the movies that had the greatest impact on me during 2016. A few may have actually been theatrically released prior to 2016 but I didn’t get to see them until this year.

10.

Zootropolis

‘Disney does it again with very likeable characters, gorgeous animation and a fun, exciting story with plenty of great moments’

The Nice Guys

‘Shane Black writes and directs the spiritual sequel to Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang and the result is every bit as good as that sounds’

The Witch

‘One of the more original and genuinely disturbing horror movies of the year’

The Jungle Book

‘It shouldn’t work but oh boy … does it. Disney deliver a remake that really impresses’

X-Men Apocalypse

‘Underrated comic book entertainment and for me, the best X-Men movie since X2’

Straight Outta Compton

‘The biopic of the controversial rap pioneers proves more emotional than I expected’

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

‘A spin off movie every bit as good as the famed saga? Oh yes and then some!’

The Revenant

‘Alejandro G. Iñárritu delivers a powerhouse man vs nature survival epic that breaks as many hearts as it does DiCaprio’s bones’

Sing Street

‘Feel good coming-of-age drama with great music, great characters and great performances’

The Martian

‘Ridley Scott proves without a doubt that he’s still got it and delivers a powerful, funny, breath-taking sci-fi drama with genuine heart’

A few almost as deserving ‘honourable mentions’ include:

When Marnie Was There

Arrival

Captain America: Civil War

It’s been another great year for movies and I am already looking forward to what 2017 has in store. Happy New Year everyone and hoping next year is good to you all.

Craig.