Preparing for the Apocalypse

So ahead of X Men Apocalypse coming soon i have finally watched First Class and Days of Future Past.

First Class to start with! I really enjoyed it. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender are a great fit for the younger McKellen and Stewart!

Erik is such a confusing character. I find it quite difficult to see him as a proper baddie because he’s not really. He’s just not the best ideas of how to deal with things, but does want to protect mutants. I had the same problem with Ian McKellen’s version. I can’t help but like him a bit. Also seeing his back story in this film just reinforced that further. I mean I’m not into murder being a good thing but the way he got back at Shaw in the end – cheering at my TV! Bloody brilliant.

Interesting to see Mystique (sp?) being Charles’ good friend knowing it flips to her siding with Erik in the later set versions. Seems through Days of Future Past she’s still a bit between the two of them. Let’s see how Apocalypse goes.

I wish i remembered more about the cold war and cuban missile crisis from my GCSE history days as i felt a bit muddled up at times but it made for an interesting setting and i like how it shows mutants being part of everyday life and history we know.

One of my favourite moments was meeting Hank. Realising he wasn’t scary furry blue man yet so when he was suggesting an experimental drug i though…well Hank…think we all know how this is going to go buddy.

Also A+ cameo from a never aging Hugh Jackman…but i suppose that ability of his is explained.

Speaking of! Days of Future Past.

Well this was a fun one! Fantastic way to bring both generations of Erik and Charles together! All very dramatic. That speedy kid who sits around playing games is that the same fella from Avengers: Age of Ultron? Friends with Scarlet Witch? Quicksilver is it? He’s been doubled up a bit there.

I spent most of this film thinking “ERIK..WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING?!” We just never know what is going on inside his head. You think he wants one thing then he changes his mind. Yes, we need to get rid of Raven so she doesn’t kill that guy that leads to the destruction of all mutants. General plan seems to be…don’t let people see mutants as dangerous. No..Erik has a better idea…make them see mutants as so dangerous that they’re a massive threat. HOW IS THAT HELPING ERIK?! The only side he’s on is his own.

Final thing, cleverly done X-Men folk. Zooming back into the past and treading on a few butterflies..what a way to pretty much wipe out the original X-Men trilogy. Or at least any fatalities. Excited to see where it all goes.

In chess, the pawns go first…

Quick post! Because i keep forgetting to write about them and i wanted to give them a separate post before i started watching “First Class” and “Days of Future Past” that i’ve not seen before.

I watched the first 3 X-Men films recently because i’ve not seen them in such a long time and (as i said just before) i wanted to give them a watch through before i get to the films i’ve not seen yet.

First point, what an absolutely amazing cast throughout!

I mean, Ian McKellen i ADORE (now i think Eric/Magneto is born in…Germany was it?..i was trying to decipher his interesting accent. In the end i decided since he’d moved to America and had probably been all over the place he was allowed a bit of a mish-mash in there). Patrick Stewart – obviously brilliant, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, Kelsey Grammer, Brian Cox (not the professor), James Marsden, the list goes on!

I enjoyed the first two films but i think i found X-Men: The Last Stand the most exciting. I liked that they didn’t really have a clear villain. Or not to my mind anyway. With Magneto it was strange because he was friends with Xavier though clearly a bit violence inclined…but i never saw him as a villain really. Just a guy who wanted to be accepted, but didn’t think it was going to happen without….well…obliterating all non-mutants. I was upset for him when he seemed to become “normal” again and i think the way they ended the 3rd film with the slight hint and then cut to the credits was just fabulous.

There was some good humour in the films but compared to the other Marvel films about it seemed quite dark and serious. I know it’s good to be a bit different but i do like the sort of crazy-fun times that comes with a superhero film..though i suppose these stories weren’t really framed as such.

I also liked that there were a lot of mutants with a big range of skills about without it getting too ridiculous. I mean sometimes i was a bit like “that’s an interesting combination of abilities you’ve got there but hey-ho!”. But the good thing is that a lot of the time they just…were. They didn’t try to endlessly go into each character and their abilities which can get confusing and tiresome. (Remember that TV show ‘Heroes’…yeah..i’m looking in their direction).

So yes, i definitely enjoyed them. I almost watched Wolverine Origins on TV last night but then i didn’t bother in the end. He did give me some of my favourite moments across the trilogy…including towards the climax of Last Stand where his struggling to get to Jean results in such power that he loses his shirt and even starts to lose his skin (luckily he’s a healer) but his trousers stay almost completely in tact apart from the odd bit of dramatic wear and tear.

Ha. Who needs realism in X-Men!

Keeping up with Comic Con!

So! This past weekend was the beautiful thing that was San Diego Comic Con! It was also the weekend where most of the internet is either at comic con, or sad that they’re not at comic con! And in all fairness, we’ve every right to be! EVERYONE is there and it’s brilliant! Our time is mostly spent clawing at youtube watching panel after panel, and well, that’s good enough for me! I won’t get into the debate about showing exclusive footage of things at comic con, some things i’m totally cool with others i feel border on rather unfair to those who cannot be there through no fault of there own (example, living on the other side of the planet and doing have thousands of pounds to spend! xD) but those of us at home do get lots of great stories and videos and pictures and if nothing else at least we hear about what goes on! They’re not being realistic if they think what gets shown there wont get out!

I myself (in a rather terrifying agoraphobia combating moment) went to Manchester comic-con this weekend! Well okay, i went (which was the main thing)..the queue was HUGE, i would have been queuing for longer than the amount of time we had paid for parking, my anxiety was kicking up a fuss because of how crowded it was OUTSIDE let alone going in so..you know what…we just stayed outside for a couple of hours and enjoyed ourselves!

There was so much going on! Photo-ops left right and centre! And SO many cosplayers i got some great photos! I’m reluctant to post them here just because i’m not sure how comfortable those in the photos would be with me sharing them publicly like this so i hope you understand! =) A couple though, i think may be okay!

Couple of Star Wars ones that i figure might be okay to share!! The stormtroopers had the proper voices and everything it was brilliant! I think the AT-AT may have been one of my favourites! Bless the two people inside working each pair of legs, i’m not sure how much of a view they had but it took them a very long time to walk anywhere! They were very popular though and it was BRILLIANTLY done!! It was huge!!

Now i know we all have different tastes but i thought, for anyone who has missed it or anyone who is interesting (and partly for my own organisation) here are some links to some of (what i’ve seen) to be among the highlights of San Diego Comic Con, especially where things i am personally a fan of are concerned! Some of these i’ve not even watched myself yet but!! (N.B. some things take a few minutes to start up!)

Sherlock Panel

Sherlock Panel – Nerd HQ

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman Message to Comic Con

Doctor Who Panel

Matt Smith Walks the Floor as Bart Simpson

Doctor Who Panel – Nerd HQ

Supernatural Panel

Supernatural Panel – Nerd HQ

Vampire Diaires Preview Video

X-Men Days of Future Past Panel

Tom Hiddleston/Loki – Thor Panel

Tom Hiddleston – Nerd HQ

Evangeline Lilly – Nerd HQ

Hannibal Panel – Nerd HQ

Quality may vary and as i say i’ve not watched all of them myself, it was a mix between what i’ve seen what i’ve yet to see and what i know appeals to the masses if not me! xD So apologies if there’s any problems with them i’m not aware of! Let me know if there’s any problems or if i’ve linked something wrong! So many tabs open!!