Superhero Movie Countdown — No. 11


Today's superhero movie countdown continues with the one that started the modern wave.

No. 11 — X-Men (2000)
Starring: Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman, and Halle Berry
Director: Bryan Singer
Quote: "Does it ever wake you in the middle of the night? The feeling that one day they will pass that foolish law or one just like it, and come for you? And your children?" — Magneto
About: Superhero movies and TV shows are everywhere in 2016. We've already had four major superhero movie releases — four if you count the Ninja Turtles — and at least two more on the way. But when Bryan Singer brought his vision for the Marvel Comics "X-Men" to the big screen in 2000, that wasn't the case. In fact, at that time his film was an outlier. The Superman franchise had died out in the 1980s and Batman's franchise had withered on the vine in the 1990s. When Singer tapped into the Marvel vault in 2000, no one knew if superhero movies could be a thing. Then "X-Men" was released, the market exploded, and now we're saturated. A lot of the modern wave owes a debt of gratitude to Singer, who just this year released his fourth "X-Men" film. The original does a great job of building characters and establishing the world. Is it a great film? Probably not. But it's important in the cinematic history of the genre, and it is a very enjoyable film. It also is responsible for launching Jackman as Wolverine, an iconic character that he has played eight times over the past 16 years. I always loved the "X-Men" as a kid, and I was really excited for this movie. It didn't disappoint. Even 16 years later I still love watching it and seeing the story develop. It's not the best of the "X-Men" movies but it does a great job of establishing the world and characters, spawning a film franchise that is eight movies and 16 years strong at this point and still going.
Rating: PG-13 for sci-fi action violence.

Superhero Movie Countdown:
No. 12 — Spider-Man (2002)
No. 13 —Batman Begins (2005)
No. 14 — Superman II (1980)
No. 15 — Batman Returns (1992)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve
Read more