Posts Tagged ‘xmen’

Will #Logan be a Harbinger for Alternate Universe Comic Book #Movies?

Posted: June 12, 2017 in Meat Me @ Camera 4
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By @anarchyroll

For as much money as the X Men movie franchise has netted over the last two decades, one would think they would have a better reputation and wouldn’t be in need of saving. But that is exactly where the franchise found itself heading into Logan this past spring.

Logan recently had its home release, coming out on Blu Ray, digital download, etc. I saw it in the theater and absolutely loved it from the opening blood bath, to the bloodier climax, to the era ending book end as the credits rolled.

The movie got lots of press and lots of positive reviews that were both well-earned in my opinion. One thing that I didn’t see get much coverage was the fact that the movie was not a take on the Old Man Logan graphic novel but was rather a classic “What If” or alternate version/universe comic book. My personal favorite series of alternate universe comic books were the Marvel vs DC crossover comics from the mid 90s.

Logan was a critical and commercial smash hit. Something the X Men franchise desperately needed. One has to wonder if the movie’s success will bring about more alternate universe comic book movies going forward. What other franchise(s) could benefit from abandoning their current story arc/ timeline and making a stand a lone film with the same characters but in a completely different story arc?

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Doing this would immediately eliminate the need to constantly remake origin story movies as has been seen ad nauseum in the Superman, Spiderman, Batman, and X Men movie franchises. That alone makes this concept worth moving forward on. It would certainly draw in more fans that are often scarred away from seeing comic book movies over the dread of having to sit through yet another origin story.

Alternate universe films would spice things up and could resurrect dead franchises. The Fantastic Four immediately comes to mind. Why not just abandon another reboot and just make a film where they are in space dealing with Galactus? A dormant franchise like Blade could benefit from this as well. Whether Wesley Snipes returns or the role is recast, forget retelling the birth of Blade, just drop the audience into Blade doing work. Put the origin story in the trailer or as a mini film on YouTube and let the movie be balls to the wall from open to close.

More comic book movies can be made using alternate universes, just like is done with comic books. How many timeline versions of Batman, Captain America, The Avengers, and Green Lantern are currently in circulation? Alternate universes would allow stand alone Iron Man, Cyborg, Hulk, Green Lantern, X Men, etc movies to be made while Avengers and Justice League movies are being made. Why does only one actor/actress have to play Tony Stark or Diana Prince?

Would this over saturate the market? I ask you, how many comic book movies actually come out each year? Compared to horror movies, rom coms, and CGI animated kids movies?

Fox has essentially started moving forward on this concept over the past three years. Days of Futures Past and Old Man Logan are two of the better alternate universe comic book series’ in history. Marvel is balancing standalone franchises with each individual member of The Avengers between each super film. Tying the individual films into the overall Marvel Cinematic Universe story arc is both an entertaining and financially successful archetype.

With the financial backing of Disney, and such a vast amount of profit earned, Marvel can financially and creatively afford to take the risk of releasing alternate universe movies concurrently. DC might have to wait a few years to reestablish their credibility with the movie going public. Though the wild success of Wonder Woman might allow them to start earlier if they want.

Something tells me this is inevitable with the way the entertainment/ media industry is evolving. Netflix and The CW having their own comic book worlds of secondary characters is likely just a long-term test for the A listers to have; high budget super hero, slow burn narrative, action adventure, television shows in the spirit of Game of Thrones.

The tipping/saturation point for comic book movies and tv shows has not come close to being reached. The numbers don’t lie. People wont go see any comic book movie if it is poorly made and receives more reviews. However, one need only look at the highest grossing movies for each year over the past decade to see that there is a vast, loyal, paying audience for comic book movies. Having comic book characters played by different actors and actresses in alternate universes, made and released concurrently is the next logical step for the genre.

#XMen Apocalypse Redeems Last Stand’s Failures

Posted: June 20, 2016 in Meat Me @ Camera 4
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Ten years and a reboot later X Men 3 #2 finally got the franchise to the fireworks factory or in this case, to the CGI fire bird.

The previous two films in the franchise (First Class, Days of Futures Past) set a high bar for Apocalypse to live up to creatively and commercially. Luckily the first X Men 3 (The Last Stand) as well as Origins Wolverine set a very, very low bar. So the average bar height set by both eras of X Men movies left a medium, reasonably placed bar for the second X Men 3 to reach or jump over.

The combination of Last Stand being one of my most disliked films ever, and Days of Futures Past being one of my favorite comic book movies ever, has created a rose-colored paradigm of which I see anything on a screen with X Men in the title.  I have a specific soft spot for X Men because of the fabulous 90s cartoon. I also have a general softspot for popcorn blockbusters that make genuine attempt to be films/works of art rather than just another disposable consumer good.

The opening sequence of X Men Apocalypse is so good and so comic book authentic, it almost  creates a let down when the rest of the movie doesn’t follow suit with its authenticity to the source material. This is not an Age of Apocalypse movie, which is unfortunate but understandable. However, the effort and execution of adding depth to all of the main characters and to even the second the tertiary characters during the middle act is much appreciated and does the job of creating emotional investment in the story arc.

The climax of the movie had me popping like a kid again and required restraint to not stand and clap. Though what unfolds at the end of this X Men 3 would have been more fitting at the end of the first X Men 3, it’s better late than never. The writing, acting, cinematography, and directing all came together beautifully.

The scene before the final credits rolled left me hoping/wondering if a live action series is on the way with a clear tip of the cap paid to the 90s cartoon with a very out-of-place Mystique, though Mystique has been misplaced in every movie since they cast an A level actress to play a B level villain.

Better late than never is what kept coming to mind as I left the theater. Though this movie is very much what The Last Stand was supposed to be, nothing can wash the taste of that Brett Ratner disaster from my mouth or my mind. However, the new trilogy led by James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Jennifer Lawerence has been of a consistent high enough quality to forgive the shortcomings of he original trilogy.

And by shortcomings of the original trilogy I of course mean the third one was so bad it was enough to taint the excellence of X2  and the acceptable quality of the original X Men movie. Seriously what the fuck were they thinking with The Last Stand?!

Anyway, a live action series would obviously welcome. An entrance into the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the Infinity War movies would be ideal. But if those are both pie in the sky wishful thoughts, then a fourth installment with this cast is very much welcome as the New Class Trilogy has given me every reason to believe that another film will be a high quality piece of pop art as long as they don’t allow Brett Ratner to cast Hugh Jackman’s replacement.

#XMEN Days of Future Past is The First #Movie of its Kind

Posted: June 5, 2014 in Meat Me @ Camera 4
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by @anarchyroll
6/4/2014

A sequel, a prequel, and a reboot all in one movie. Regardless of personal taste or opinion, X-Men Days of
Future Past deserves respect for being the first of it’s kind.

Those of us who have fond memories of the 1990s X-Men cartoon that aired on Saturday mornings finally got
the movie we have been waiting almost two decades for since the first film hit theaters. By that, I of course
mean sentinels, sentinels, sentinels.

I’m not fluent in the comics, the X-Men I know are from arcade games, video games, and animated tv shows. I
am still confused why it took fifteen years to get a sentinel movie. I’m sure it’s in the same line of thinking that
thought it a good idea to kill off Cyclops, not have Gambit, have Phoenix with no fire bird, and nothing but
Magneto for a villiain over the course of the first four films.

All is not forgiven or forgotten, but for my money all is made better in X-Men Days of Future Past.

I mean that literally and metaphorically. The details I won’t get too much into to avoid major spoilers.

Bryan Singer (the director) did his best work out of all the comic book movies he has made. The writing was as
good as comic book movies get. My two favorite scenes in the movie do not involve action or explosions.

The merging of the two eras of the movie franchise showed that the acting chops of the bunch goes to the
prequel group. Jennifer Lawerence, Michael Fassbender, and James McAvoy really shine as actors while
everyone else not named Hugh Jackman looked as they did in the original trilogy, like they were phoning it in
and didn’t respect the franchise they were representing.

I was happy to see Bishop and Quicksilver and was still left to wonder where the hell Gambit has been.
Apparently Gambit will be getting his own movie starring Channing Tatum. At this point, that character that is so
popular and has been that ignored, has probably earned his own trilogy.

I suppose there has been a fair amount of negativity in this review considering it’s my favorite X-Men movie by
far and is easily in my top ten comic book movies of all time list. For me thisine is right up there with Dark
Knight, Avengers, Spider-Man 2, Man of Steel, and the like. Certainly a cut above films likes of Green Lantern,
Fantastic Four (both), Amazing Spider-Man (both), and all the X-Men movies that came before it.

A great summer blockbuster that is the first of it’s kind in terms of franchise films. Good acting, good action, a
good tease for what is to come. X-Men Days of Future Past gets my endorsement and my excitement for where
the scene after the credits is taking the franchise. Fingers crossed for my main man Cable!