Let’s Talk About X-Men: Part 2

Alright peeps. Seeing as Logan is Hugh Jackman’s curtain call as Wolverine, it seemed like a good time to take a look back on the X-Men film series and talk about what we liked and didn’t like. These aren’t reviews, per say. We’re not going to rank these things or analyze the crap out of them. Instead, we’re just going to crack jokes and revel in the fact that Jackman has been playing this character for almost 20 years. That’s pretty damn amazing, whether you like the X-Men or not.

We already traveled back to the early 2000’s and discussed the groundbreaking start to the X-Men movie franchise covering X-Men, X-2, and The Last Stand right here. So make sure to check that out to find out which movie knocked Jesse’s pants off (he still hasn’t found them) and which movie we wish never existed at all (hint, it’s The Last Stand).

Next we are going to whip out our adamantium claws and slash our way into the Wonderful World of Wolverine.

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“X-Men: Days of Future Past” Review by Jesse Schaffer

“It’s not their pain you’re afraid of. It’s yours, Charles. And as frightening as it may be, that pain will make you stronger. If you allow yourself to feel it, embrace it, it will make you more powerful than you ever imagined. It’s the greatest gift we have: to bear their pain without breaking. And it’s born from the most human part: hope. Charles, we need you to hope again.” 

With the Academy Awards rapidly approaching on the horizon, we thought it made sense to go back and review some of our favorite movies from last year. Of course, this will include a few films that were nominated for best picture, but we all know that the Academy seldom gets everything right. And in the wake of the huge announcement regarding Spider-Man this week, I was reminded of just how true that can be concerning the movies that I appreciate the most. It will never receive any prestigious awards or recognition, but there wasn’t a film in 2014 that resonated with me more thoroughly than X-Men: Days of Future Past.

I vividly remember the day Kevin and I went to go see it. The weather was insane. A severe thunderstorm moved into the area and caused a rare tornado warning in Lakewood, Colorado, complete with intense hail and those frightening tornado alarms that you would hear in a movie like Twister. My family and I took refuge in a nearby Smashburger, which had rather large glass windows up front. Not exactly the best place to protect yourself from a tornado, I know (I never said I was the world’s greatest Eagle Scout, folks). Thankfully, the worst of the storm blew over and we were able to make the showtime that we wanted.

The opening credits kicked in and I immediately recognized a familiar tune: the main theme to X2: X-Men United, well-known as the very best X-Men film, hands down. A huge grin crept across my face and before I knew it, I was being transported via time capsule back to the year 2003, when Bryan Singer was the king of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the X-Men were the coolest team of superheroes that we ever could have wanted.

You know what? 2003 wasn’t all that shabby. Don’t mind if I kick my feet up and stick around for awhile.

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