X-Men 3

Originally Posted by LeHah

I didn't know what to expect from John Powell - drumloops? synth? - but it wasn't this. This is really, really wonderful. The theme for the X-Men is bigger than Ottman's and the motif for Jean/Phoenix is beautiful and unrestrained. Lots of anvils too - think Don Davis, not James Horner. By the film's finale ("Phoenix Rises"), the score reaches Lord Of The Rings perportions. I know I still have half the year left but this is probably the best action score of 2006.

I'll have to agree with your review of the soundtrack. I just finished listening to it in its entirety and I came away positively amazed. My attention was caught with "Bathroom Titles," easy, but it wasn't until "Attack on Alcatraz" to the end of the soundtrack that I went, "Wow."

You can't like every song on a soundtrack, of course, but I felt like the true standouts were the finale tracks. There were a couple of good tracks between Bathroom Titles and Attack on Alcatraz (Dark Phoenix's Tragedy, for example) that kept my attention, so all in all, I'd say it's a good soundtrack.

Most amazing jew boots

I don't think this movie is gonna be like GREAT!

The action scenes may be awesome, but story wise, i don't see how they can do it. Too many new characters. I love to see new characters, but in the first two, each character was introduced and brought in with some depth. These guys are just gonna show up? I don't like the sound of that, but we'll see. The action can save the movie for me as I am a action geek.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by TGC

The action scenes may be awesome, but story wise, i don't see how they can do it.Too many new characters.

As opposed to the first movie where they introduced Magneto, Logan, Rogue, Cyclops, Professor Xavier, Sabertooth, Toad, Storm, Jean Grey and Iceman?

FELIPE NO

I'm just not getting good impressions of this movie. It has nothing to do with the new characters, and nothing to do with special effects. I have every confidence that both will be acceptable, at least. It's just the way that the story seems to be getting mangled. I'm not against changes to the comic book continuity, not in any way. The cartoon series managed to "remix" X-Men continuity to magnificent effect. It is simply the nature of the proposed changes that bother me.

I always thought that the Phoenix saga, and the Dark Phoenix saga represented the pinnacle of what I found enjoyable about the X-Men. The fact that the people writing the scripts for this film don't seem to understand the sort of things that made X-Men awesome to begin with is becoming apparent.

It's also becoming painfully apparent that you can't tell the kind of genuinely epic stories that X-Men was famous for through the medium of a series of films, unless they are planned out from the begining. In the comics, Phoenix Saga led to Dark Phoenix Saga, which led to the whole arc with Madeleine Pryor, and the repercussions of that sequence of events were felt for years.

I'm not saying it's fair to blame the films for not being comic books, but it does make me feel a pang. I do believe that even in the medium of film, more could have been done, and should have been.

Originally Posted by LeHah

Before Jubilee it was Shadowcat/Spirte/Kitty Pryde. They just recycled the same father/daughter relationship from better years.

So true. The relationship was significantly better in the case of Kitty Pryde, too. While I always found Kitty to be a cute character who was rarely annoying, Jubilee isn't on the same level. I'm not saying that I outright dislike Jubilee, but the writers never really seemed to decide what to do with her, until relatively late in the life of the character. She was also more prone to unfunny attempts at humour than Kitty ever was. I regard Kitty's early years with a distinct fondness. I regard Jubilee's early years with mixed feelings. She could be cool. She could also be lame as hell.

I'm also in full agreement with your assesment of Gambit. It's been my experience that liking Gambit is a symptom of being a n00b.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Soluzar

I'm just not getting good impressions of this movie. It has nothing to do with the new characters, and nothing to do with special effects.

I disagree. Though this is the most expensive and elaborate of the X-Men movies - the deemphasis on "new material" and having "nothing to do with special effects" should force out - GASP - a good story.

Most amazing jew boots

Originally Posted by LeHah

I disagree. Though this is the most expensive and elaborate of the X-Men movies - the deemphasis on "new material" and having "nothing to do with special effects" should force out - GASP - a good story.

You don't find the things that have been changed make you uneasy, then? It isn't that I'm against changing things, but the specific changes that have already come to light seem like changes for the worse, to me.

It just seems to me that the kind of writer who would make those kind of changes isn't the kind of writer I trust to be able to write an excellent story which is in keeping with the tone associate with the X-Men franchise.

It's important to me that the movies should, as far as is possible, remain in keeping with the tones established by the comic books, and preferably the older comic books. There's so much more to what makes X-Men great than just flashy powers and whizz-bang explosions.

I don't think the movie will be a disaster, certainly. I just don't think it will be outstanding, and given how much of a fan I was through the 80s and early 90s, I'd love for this movie to be outstanding.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I don't disagree that movies that are comic book adaptations should feel more like the comics themselves when being portrayed on the screen, however it is not a simple task in doing that translation. Some comic movies try it, and fail at it horribly.

With the X-Men however...I think we shouldn't base the movies off of the comics, but rather the writer's and director's take on the X-Men. Yes, I think The Phoenix and Dark Phoenix saga were amazing stories, but those were sagas, and I think what this new film will do is take the climaxes of those sagas and implement them to the big screen, along with main story. I don't feel Phoenix will play the ONLY major part of the story, of course.



But seriously...all in all...I think everyone in general just needs to relax and enjoy these films and not be so goddamn critical with every little thing and detail. It really has become that...more of a critic/judgement call, than a good time at the movies. I think we should just enjoy the movie, not get all strict. :/

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Soluzar

You don't find the things that have been changed make you uneasy, then?

1.) Whats changed?

2.) Story has to involve change. Otherwise it would be boring and no one would bother with it.

Originally Posted by Soluzar

It isn't that I'm against changing things, but the specific changes that have already come to light seem like changes for the worse, to me.

Be willing to hear them out is all. I actually greatly disliked X2 when it came out - its a real bastardization of one of the best X-Men stories ever (God Loves, Man Kills) - but I've grown to like it quiet a bit after some time. I ain't saying X3 is going to be Hamlet, either, but you gotta take the good with the bad.

I'd rather another Hulk (overly long, overly intelligent) than another Daredevil (too short, too stupid)

Originally Posted by Soluzar

It's important to me that the movies should, as far as is possible, remain in keeping with the tones established by the comic books, and preferably the older comic books. There's so much more to what makes X-Men great than just flashy powers and whizz-bang explosions.

I don't think it's easy to fill 30 years of material into a couple of 2 hour movies. I think the fact that the movies attempt to distance themselves from the comics by being more "grounded in reality" than most of the Mighty Marvel Library is a strong point.

How ya doing, buddy?

The changes made thus far in the X-Men movies do not bother me at all. They have managed to maintain the essence of the X-Men as well stay true to the characters (though perhaps storm is the exception). In order for the movie to have mass appeal and in order for non-fans to be able to understand the movie, things must be changed. Besides, they have enough hidden cameos and refrences thrown in there to make any fanboy happy.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by LeHah

1.) Whats changed?

I thought you said that they were changing the nature of Jean's powers, for one thing. I'd always hoped that they would do something Phoenix related at some point or another. They couldn't do it now, even if they wanted to, could they?

Quote:

Be willing to hear them out is all.

Of course, I will. I'll have my tickets booked for the first night at the local multiplex. I'm only complaining so much because I care so much. It's not going to stand between me and watching the film.

Quote:

I'd rather another Hulk (overly long, overly intelligent) than another Daredevil (too short, too stupid)

Well, if those are the choices... The latter seems to be what Joe Public wants from a comic book to movie adaptation though. Perhaps not in the case of Daredevil - I don't know how that performed. It's certainly the case that some comic book movies that I would have described as bordering on moronic did well at the box office. It's possible that we disagree, but I have no idea how Blade Trinity managed to avoid losing money.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by BucPride

I'm curious, has FOX ever bothered to market the cartoon series on DVD?

They can't do so, as Disney also claims ownership to the series; Disney bought Saban, the production company that made the series.

Until the rights mess between Fox and Disney is cleared up, there won't be a DVD release.

FELIPE NO

Just watched it. It was pretty short. Alot of action, but not much character development

Spoiler:

-Jean Grey *apparently* kills Prof. X.
-Wolverine kills phoenix Jean Grey
-Jean Grey kills Cyclops
-Rogue takes the cure
-Angel does nothing
-Psylocke dies
-Quill dies
-Iceman pwns Pyro
-Magneto and Mystique get hit with the cure
-Judging by the ending, Magneto's powers aren't fully supressed/are coming back.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Yeah, the end of the movie is kinda "OR IS IT". Which is pretty cheap considering it has the balls to do what it did for 2 hours.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by LeHah

Yeah, the end of the movie is kinda "OR IS IT". Which is pretty cheap considering it has the balls to do what it did for 2 hours.

but you liked it? how is it compared to the others?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Freddy Krueger

but you liked it? how is it compared to the others?

I'm going by the novelization, which is pretty terrible in terms of writing. Chris Claremont isn't exactly the most gentle of writers when it comes to lingo and terminology. I can't see the term "frequency modulation" coming out of Jean Grey's mouth.

The story it's self is very much a mix between the previous two movies - it has that b-movie silliness of the first (sans MUTANT MACHINE) while trying to be as epic as the second movie. It seems to mostly work on paper - I'm sure Ian McKellan is fantastic with what he's given.

However, there are some problems. (Ultra minor spoilers, but I won't risk ruining someone's expectations)

Spoiler:

Rogue has almost nothing to do in the movie which is considerably disappointing for me. However, the movie is less about Logan than the previous entries which is a strength and weakness - I am tired of seeing everything attached to him but the movie also tries to be all things to all people in characterizing everyone in it.

I also think that what they do with Professor X is a little unusual. It's very... BIG yet I don't think we're able to make sense of it or have any real feelings on what happens to him until we see a X-Men 4 roll out

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Lehah, is the Juggernaut in this one?

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by SemperFidelis

Lehah, is the Juggernaut in this one?

Most amazing jew boots

Originally Posted by Devo

I'm guessing XMen 3 tries too hard to incorporate a crapload of mutants that we should care about even though we've never seen them before and most non-comic book readers have no f'in clue what they're about.

You mean like the last two movies which were very successful with general audiences?

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Even I like all three movies, and that takes a lot. And it's a trilogy, no X-men 4 will come. Many of the characters, e.g. Kitty, Wolverine, Storm and Angel wll get their own spin-off, most likely, though.

HUEG-ASS spoiler:

Spoiler:

At the end, though, it's not Magneto, it's X in Magneto's body moving the chess piece. If you remember X's lesson he gave to young mutants about soul transferring. How could M move a wooden piece anyway.

FELIPE NO

Xavier can't move wood, either. His power is telepathy, not telekinesis.

Did you sleep through the last two movies?

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Devo

f there isn't a good explanation for Juggernaut I'm going to be disappointed.

Prepare to be disappointed then. And not just at the Juggernaut thing.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Devo

The second we still had the same cast, and their characters were just elaborated on. In this one we get Juggernaut, Beast, Angel, Shadowcat, Callisto, Colossus (bit part in the 2nd I know along with Kitty). If there isn't a good explanation for Juggernaut I'm going to be disappointed.

As opposed to other half-assed characters from the previous movies like Jason Stryker, Pyro, Toad or Sabretooth?

The movies are known for being too big for their britches. Quit your bitch'n.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Well after I've been anticipating on watching this film for quite some time now, i'm getting a little worried about actually going to watch it. The reviews have been pretty flat, but then again if it's just another typical spectacle driven high concept film then critics won't rate it very high.

I'm not familiar with the comics and their characters, I just enjoyed the first two films. I'm not expecting in depth detail about characters since there seem to be so many new ones, but I hope that the story will have a little depth to it rather than "hey lets blow shit up". So all in all, is it worth going to see or will I be disappointed?

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I just want to know why they felt some ridiculous need to more or less "invent" a new character, Quill/Spike, for this movie.

Technically, "Spike" has been the bastard child of the X-Universe for quite a while. He's never truly existed in the comics proper, at least not as a character of noteworthy status, yet he continues to appear in other X-related productions. They tried to push him with that new X-Men cartoon from around 2000/2001 and he never clicked with audiences. They all wanted Wolvie, Kitty Pryde, Phoenix, Xavier, etc, as well they should.

If I had to guess, Spike/Quill exists to fill a perceived gap in the X-roster, one that appeals to youth in that ever-so-cliched manner that actually doesn't appeal to youth at all. Spike is TOTALLY EXTREME HE'S LIKE ALL UP IN MY FACE WITH HIS RIGHTEOUS 'TUDE AND FRESH MOVES CHECK IT.

Executives think we want that shit. This is the same fucked-up logic that causes them to put rollerblading kangaroos on drink boxes.

Now I haven't read the script, so I don't know what purpose Quill/Spike serves in this movie. My guess is "fodder". But why have him there in the first place? Is the character so crucial that it couldn't have been replaced with someone whose already been canonized? If Quill is meant to bite the big one, then I feel they could've at least found a REAL, expendable character. Husk or Northstar comes to mind.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

He serves little to no purpose. Like a lot of the random characters they've added to X3 his only purpose seems to be to take up screen time and detract from (semi-)established/decent characters.

I was speaking idiomatically.