Movie Review: ***^X-Men Apocalypse (2016)

 This movie uses the younger X-Men actors putting it chronologically before the original X-Men.  An ancient Egyptian, Apocalypse or En Sabah Nur, has come back to life, who has incredible power which he uses to increase everyone's power, and dong so recruits a good group of X-Men, Magneto, Angel, Storm, Jubilee, Psylocke.  Magneto is easy to recruit because his wife and child were killed by humans.  He is seeking revenge.  In addition they capture Professor Charles Xavier, who is to help them get everyone at the same time, mutant and human.  He is able to send a message to everyone with his powers supplemented by Apocalypse.  

For the other side they are first taken prisoner by Colonel William Stryker.  They have to get away from him, before than can go to Egypt and capture the real bad guy.  They release Wolverine, who was being held for experimentation.  He takes care of all the guards.  

Then they are off to Egypt to confront the real danger.  This sets up a very big confrontation and everyone's loyalties are tested.  Jean finally unleashes her true power.  

Moira shows up as she is investigating the Egyptian phenomena the turned into Apocalypse for the CIA.  Xavier gives her back her memories.

	James McAvoy	...	Professor Charles Xavier
	Michael Fassbender	...	Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto
	Jennifer Lawrence	...	Raven / Mystique
	Nicholas Hoult	...	Hank McCoy / Beast
	Oscar Isaac	...	En Sabah Nur / Apocalypse
	Rose Byrne	...	Moira Mactaggert
	Evan Peters	...	Peter Maximoff / Quicksilver
	Josh Helman	...	Col. William Stryker
	Sophie Turner	...	Jean Grey
	Tye Sheridan	...	Scott Summers / Cyclops
	Lucas Till	...	Alex Summers / Havok
	Kodi Smit-McPhee	...	Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler
	Ben Hardy	...	Angel
	Alexandra Shipp	...	Ororo Munroe / Storm
	Lana Condor	...	Jubilee
	Olivia Munn	...	Psylocke

Movie Review: ****^X-Men: First Class

 X-Men series

This version of X-Men provides the origin story for Xavier (James McAvoy), Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence)  and Eric/Magneto (Michael Fassbender).  In the case of Xavier and Eric different actors are used than the original X-Men.  Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) is also a mutant, but intent on starting WWIII.  This is around the time of the Cuban missile crisis.  At the end of the show the Russians and thr Americans are facing off over the American embargo of Cuba.  Will war begin?  Will war begin?  Magneto and Xavier work together, but have a falling out by the end over differing techniques.  This movie shows why Xavier was in a wheel chair; among other background stories.  

In Theaters: Dark Phoenix (2019) X-Men

X-Men Series

****Dark Phoenix (2019)  This movie plays on an alien power getting inside of Jean (Sophie Turner) and creating all kind of havoc.  Of course there are aliens who pursue Jean wanting the power for themselves, and the X-Men who are wary of Jean and her new powers.  The lack of control leads to the death of Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) and other similar mishaps.  With her new powers Jean starts to remember her past as it really was, not as it was manipulated by Professor Xavier (James McAvoy).  Of course the other X-Men get involved.  At one point Magneto (Michael Fassbender) is intent on killing Jean for her having killed Raven.  Other X-Men include Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Cyclops (Tye Sheridan), Storm (Alexandra Shipp) and Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee).  I really enjoyed this movie.  I am not sure why people have been staying away.  Perhaps Xavier is a little too self-loathing in his part in Jean’s past, but we come to understand what is actually happening we hat past that.  This movie seems to give us a future look at what has happened to the X-Men.  However one problem with the X-Men movie series is the timeline is all over the place.  Great fun none-the-less. 

Movie Review: ***^Passengers (2016)

This movie has a fascinating premise, you are woken 89 years before your arrival on a ship where you are suppose to hibernate for 90 years on your way to a colony.  The ship is on autopilot, and suppose to regulate itself.  However, a large asteroid causes a miss function, and one of the hibernating pods frees the passenger.  The only other beings on the ship are robots, cleaning, medical, and a bar tender (Michael Sheen).  SO the dilemma is created when our passenger (Chris Pratt) spies a woman in her functioning pod, who fascinates him.  He begins to study her, listens to her video blog.  She is a writer, and intends to write stories no one has written before.  He studies her (Jennifer Lawrence) and also the functioning of the ship.  He discovers that he could also cause a malfunction in her pod, and awaken her; but should he.  Of course in the end he does, and then there are two alive.  He however is carrying a very big secret.  Another crew member is also awoken, (Laurence Fishburn), however in his case, there are also physical health problems from the process.  However, he knows enough to know that something is wrong with the ship, and it is getting worse.  I really enjoyed this movie.  It is a romance in space, and an Adam and Eve type scenario.  Very fun.

Movie Review: Hunger Games Mockingjay part 2 (2015)

This is the last installment of the Hunger Games Movie.  I had read the books, so knew what to expect; however Caleb, who had not read the books commented that it was pretty intense.  I hoped beyond home that Primrose (Willow Shields) wouldn’t die as she did in the books.  Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) was wounded on several occasions, beginning with the choking she took in the last movie.  At another point she was shot, and if not for her armor would have perished.  She was also almost blown up at another point.  This movie is intense, with some pretty wicked traps and monsters out to get them as they travel to the capitol to kill President Snow (Donald Sutherland).  It answers a couple questions.  Who will be the next ruler?  It appears President Coin (Julianne Moore) is ready to take over, and continue the games.  This show also answers the question, Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) or Gale (Liam Hemsworth). There are some scenes that were really scary.  Especially as they faced those creatures under the street level.  Scary!  Based on the book by Suzanne Collins.

Movie Review: ****X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

X-Men series

This is the most recent and the most successful of all the X-Men series.  It is a bit confusing as it has Wolverine's (Hugh Jackman) consciousness going back in time 50 years to change the future, because the future is just death for the X-Men as the result of the development of an army of Sentinals which hunt down and kill the X-Men. Wolverine recruits an army including younger versions of Xavier (James McAvoy), Magneto (Michael Fassbender). Colossus (Daniel Cudmore) and Beast (Nicholas Hoult).  The mission is to secure Raven/Mystique's ( Jennifer Lawrence) blood so it can't be used to enhance the Sentinals. 
This movie rocks during the action scenes.  However at times it gets a bit too bogged down with going back and forth between the past and the future.   It also deals with personal demons and that gets a bit slow. 
True to form, Magneto is focused on beating the humans, and this drive gets him into lots of trouble.  It takes someone changing course, to get them out of this trouble.

Movie Review: ****Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 1

I have enjoyed the presentation of the "Hunger Games" books in the theaters.  I went and saw the third installment, which is the first half of the third book.  Again it was very entertaining.  We are now past the arena, and the sinister game of the capital, and into a real revolution.  Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) is recruited to serve the rebellion as a spokesperson.  She finally accepts, and is drawn into the conflict, and is the favorite target of President Snow (Donald Sutherland).  Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) is held captive by the capital, and his captivity is a major focus of this film, his torture and his eventual rescue.  However, the torture has influenced his mind to the point where he has been brain washed and manipulated, first as the spokesman of the capital, and then as an assassin. 
However has Peeta really been turned, because he does get a warning through to the rebels in District 13 that they are due to be bombed.  The other person prominent in the movie is Gale (Liam Hemsworth).  Gale is Katniss' first love, who has now joined the rebels.
The idea of this movie is very good.  It is very tense. The back and forth between Snow and Katniss is very well down, as President Snow tries to break Katniss, by sending white roses, and by manipulating Peeta, and finally by making Peeta into a killing machine.

Movie Review: **^Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

This is not a family movie.  However, it does who people with mental illness, and their relationships with their families, friends and community.  This includes interactions with police.  In many instances there is stigma from family and friends, "I hear you just got out of the nut house" kind of stuff, which in is subtle way puts others down.  There is even stigma between those with mental illness, "So my illness is worse than yours." kind of stuff.  It is interesting how we react to people with mental health issues, and whether or not we can be safe around them.
The story is intriguing.  I love triangle, with part of the triangle out side of the picture and protected by restraining order.  However, she is the focus of the attentions of our primary character, Pat (Bradley Cooper).  He meets another girl, Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) who challenges him to dance with her in a competition.  Robert De Niro plays Pat's father, who has many superstitions about sports, and spending the right amount of time with his son so as to create good luck.  When his father loses a bet on the Eagles, Tiffany manipulates the holder of the bet to make a double bet, including on on the dance performance.  The have to score a 5, not a winning mark, but a mark higher than expected.  This creates a funny scene with the dancing, and a great cheer for a mediocre mark.  This movie gives important social information with regards to living with mental illness.  People with mental illness deserve to find a silver lining.  Too much bad language to recommend this movie however.

Movie Review: ****Hunger Games

The thought of children killing children is eerie, and I was hesitant to watch this movie as a result.  I think the bloodshed was done as tastefully as it could be, but still it leaves you with a bad feeling. This movie stars Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen who is good with a bow and arrow, and volunteers for the Hunger Ganes to save her sister.

I keep mulling in my head, what is the theme of this movie?  What is it trying to say?  Is it saying something about governments and power?  Is it saying something about relationships when there is an over bearing government?  When there is the chance that your child will be picked for a game that will most likely leave you child dead, how do you react?  They try to glorify the contestants, giving them fancy clothes to wear and good food to eat, but there is the ominous presence of death in the room.  The presence of death is engrained in the society through the games, and in this manner the Capitol controls the provinces.

The story goes that they have been playing the “Hunger Games” for the past 74 years—ever since 12 of the provinces rebelled against the government.  The war was won by the government, and the game helps keep this in everyone’s mind, that the provinces were defeated and the central government is supreme.  This is a punishment for the rebellion, but also they say good will from the government as they take only two children from each province each year, rather than the greater bloodshed which would be caused by war. 

The two children Katniss and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) from district 12 survive the games, having to show everyone they are a couple so as to avoid the wrath of the government.  However there is another boy who loves the heroine, Gale (Liam Hemsworth.) 

The President, portrayed by Donald Sutherland, is in a position to be very evil in the next movie, at least so it appeared at the end of the movie.

Movie Review: ****^Hunger Games: Catching Fire

It is hard to critique a movie after watching it for the first time, because you are still moved from the emotion of the movie and feeling violence of the movie.  This is the continuation of "Hunger Games."  In this movie, we are introduced to Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) as the spark of revolution.  Her boyfriend Gale (Liam Hemsworth) is invited to runaway with a few.  However, how would the protect the entire community.  She is given the task by President Snow (Don Sutherland) of convincing the people that she and her pretend boyfriend, Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) are madly in love, as was given for the reason they would both take the berries in the first movie.  This is agreed to, but things have already been put into play, and this is something that will be hard to stop.  The provinces are restless, after the last games and Katniss, whether she meant to or not is the reason.  I like the trip to District eleven, and the spontaneous speeches from Katniss and Peeta.  It causes a riot, but was very well done and moving.
And so for the 75th games, she and Peeta are back into the arena.  Again Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) is their mentor.  The new games master is Plutarch Heavensby (Philip Seymour Hoffman.) However this time things are different.  The president, and the empire are still ruthless, putting down the masses, and living a life of extravagance, while those in the provinces starve.  This ruthlessness can became their own undoing however as more and more people turn against them.
This is a great ride, it is a bit bloody, but tremendous fun.  One thing for sure, it keeps you on the edge of your seat.