X-Men: Days of Future Past Review

A Blast From the Past

X-Men: Days of Future Past is an ambitious film uniting both members of the old cast from the original trilogy and the new younger faces of X-Men: First Class. The plot follows Logan aka Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) as he is sent back in time to the 1970's to prevent the assassination of Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage) and avert a dystopian future in which nearly all mutants have been hunted down and killed.

Although the plot follows the character of Wolverine for the most part, the true stars of the film are Mystique or Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) and Professor X (James McAvoy). Whereas Fassbender's Magneto stole the show in First Class, in this film McAvoy steals the limelight with a truly emotional character arc with one highlight especially being a scene shared with the future Professor X (Patrick Stewart) that contains some fantastic acting on both parts. It's a testament to the screenplay and the writers that the film mostly manages to juggle the high number of characters and complex plot relatively well. While it was nice to see some of the old cast return, they are very much left aside while the newer cast along with Jackman deal with events unfolding around them.

James McAvoy as Professor X

As with many great ensemble films, this film gives each character something to do while even introducing new characters in the process. One notable example is Quicksilver (Evan Peters) who has some truly humorous and spectacular sequences. The action is excellent and the Sentinels, particularly in the future, are a formidable foe. Bryan Singer returns to this franchise with his last film being X2 and admirably picks the mantle back up without any cause for concern. There is enough fan service there to please those who like the comics and enough story and character to keep the average cinema audience entertained. The film also contains enough lighter or comedic elements, an important point in a film about a dystopian future where there is a danger of too many darker themes.

Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Michael Fassbender as Magneto

A minor issue I had with the film was that it did feel a little bloated. The X-men franchise is well known for its wide and varied cast. Part of the fun of these films is seeing all the different mutants, their powers and what they can do. But with new mutants introduced every film, you could see why this could be a problem. I was a little disappointed to see some characters from X-men First Class removed entirely from this plot, with their absence being explained away quite arbitrarily. In addition, many characters are reduced to simple cameos. It will be interesting to see how this is addressed in X-Men: Apocalypse which is slated for a 2016 release. And yes, there are moments that hint towards this next film, particularly if you stay for the end credits Easter egg.

Nevertheless, X-Men: Days of Future Past is a fantastic return to the X-Men franchise for Bryan Singer. Although some of the film feels like course correction after the much disliked X3, there is plenty here to enjoy. Xavier's relationship with Raven is a fascinating one and is explored more in this film, seeing Logan interact with past versions of characters is as amusing as it is interesting and the action looks great. If you're looking for an X-Men film done right, you could do a lot worse than Days of Future Past.

Top 10 Games of Last Generation

With the Xbox One and Playstation 4 released in most countries at this point, next-gen gaming is upon us. Despite many games continuing to release over the next several years on current-gen consoles many developers will be switching their sights to next-gen. With that in mind here are my top 10 last generation games (so far) that I've played owning an Xbox 360.

10) L.A. Noire

Sneaking in at #10 is L.A. Noire. While lacking many of the extra activities of GTA or Skyrim that makes open world games feel truly alive. Credit must be given to L.A. Noire for its innovative gameplay, excellent facial animation and a faithfully recreated 1940's Los Angeles. I'd never played a game like L.A. Noire before and found the investigatory sequences a breath of fresh air. The game's biggest strength though is its story. Cole Phelps is an excellent detective, driven and ultimately flawed which makes him human above anything else. L.A. Noire was a standout surprise for me.

9) Skyrim

Possibly the only game I would have banked on making this list before its release, Skyrim did what Oblivion did at the start of the generation by crafting a beautiful world to explore dungeons, fight strange creatures and create a character that was unique while showcasing the hardware to great effect. With the addition of dragons and using their souls for powers while refining the already well liked formula, Bethesda again delivered one of the best games this generation. I can't wait to see what's next.

8) The Wolf Among Us

While it was a tough choice between The Wolf Among Us and The Walking Dead, this game won out as it refined The Walking Dead mechanics a notch and personally has a much more immersive feel to it. Bigby is a great character and I eagerly await the final two episodes. The characters are all fantastic and I'm a big fan of how it utilizes the stereotypes of these characters. I'm hooked on the story and if nothing else Telltale games have shown this generation how good episodic gaming can be when done right and handled properly.

7) Batman: Arkham City

Another close call, this time between Arkham Asylum and Arkham City. Ultimately Arkham City wins out as it contained so much more fan service including easter eggs, Riddler challenges, side missions, a fantastic plot and, as a big Batman fan, this game delivered in so many ways. Not afraid to make a bold ending Rocksteady is hard at work on the next-gen Arkham Knight and I can't wait to see what's next for these established characters.

6) Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Without a doubt one of the best first person shooters ever released, the Call of Duty series has followed the same winning formula to this day. An explosive and action-packed campaign is only one highlight amongst a fantastic multiplayer that was so much fun to play with friends. At the time its mechanics were a welcome evolution of the first person shooter and was highly popular. Having jumped onto an Xbox 360 a while after its initial release, this was one of the first games I purchased and didn't regret it along with...

5) Halo 3

Arguably the best in the Halo series, this was the first Halo game I played and I was blown away by it. The campaign took you to strange and foreign locales that were as beautiful as they were fun to blast through especially in co-op. The story and its cliffhanger added a fantastic sense of adventure and anticipation for its sequel. On top of this was forge mode, a creative tool to build your own maps and gameplay sessions and an addictive multiplayer. I spent many hours playing this game with friends and trying for that pesky Vidmaster achievement.

4) Red Dead Redemption

My first Rockstar game on this list, Red Dead Redemption told the tale of John Marston, an outlaw forced to hunt down his old bandit buddies to save his family from the clutches of the government. The Old Wild West open world was stunning and filled with interesting characters and locations. Such a background led to some truly emotional moments from the ending to the moment you enter Mexico. The story of John Marston was captivating and easily one of the best told stories of this generation.

3) Grand Theft Auto V

Sequel to the excellent and well received GTA IV. Grand Theft Auto V once again raised the bar for open world gaming. Rockstar once again created an expansive world filled with life and vibrancy like never before. Instead of revolving around one main character, the game had 3 main protagonists from the aspiring Franklin, the weary Michael and the insane Trevor, there was never a dull moment in Los Santos. Improved customization, weaponry and driving were all highlights to a truly incredible world. And while the online section began poorly it continues to improve and will certainly be one to watch in the future.

2) Assassin's Creed 2

Assassin's Creed 2 is often held up as the best AC game and rightly so. Following the exploits of young Ezio Auditore, the story revolves around a coming-of-age story for the young Florentine as he's introduced to a world of Assassins and Templars. Improving upon the original in every way, Assassin's Creed 2 allowed us to explore Florence, Venice and other areas of Renaissance Italy in style with minimal modern day interruptions. This game is a brilliant example of how to do an action-adventure game right.

1) Mass Effect 2

As another sequel that built and improved on the original, Mass Effect 2 not only firmly established the franchise as an excellent role-playing science-fiction rollercoaster but also my highlight of this last generation. The player choice, the detailed universe, the impact of the choices you make, fun gameplay and emotional storytelling sealed Mass Effect 2 as my favorite game of this last generation.


What are your favorite games of this generation? Let me know in the comments.

Godzilla review

Godzilla sees the return of the 'king' of monsters to the big screen in a triumphant and satisfying film. Directed by Gareth Edwards, credited with the making of the indie hit Monsters, the film contains breathtaking action, staggering destruction and real human emotion. Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen and Bryan Cranston, Edwards keeps the human story the focus of this movie with the titular creature kept mostly in the background and not appearing until a good way through the film. This serves the film well though as it builds anticipation making the appearance of Godzilla even more spectacular.

Bryan Cranston and Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Joe and Ford Brody

The film bases around one family, the Brody's, and provides ample room for human drama amidst all the action. Joe Brody (Cranston) is consumed in his search for the truth around an accident at a nuclear plant he used to work for. While his son Ford (Taylor-Johnson) seeks to move on from this past and live happily with his family. In one of his first roles since the hit show Breaking Bad, Cranston hits the mark once again finding real emotional resonance in Joe Brody and delivering some truly stirring and impressive monologues, although he is very much a supporting role in this film.The star of the film is Taylor-Johnson who does just enough to supplement the action and CGI with human drama despite coming off a little too stoic in some scenes. Most of the other characters in the film have little to do and struggle to make an impact.

Its a testament to the writing that the human story remains front and centre in this movie and isn't overshadowed by the enormous monsters and battles. Credit must also be given to the script as the film is paced perfectly. While some have criticized the slow start, it gives the arrival of these monsters some context and allows for some great acting by Cranston. The running time doesn't feel overextended and the switching of locales keeps the plot moving along nicely. When it comes to monsters, this film succeeds tremendously. Godzilla is as he was intended: a force of nature. The impact of the battling between Godzilla and the other monsters is incredible to behold and a type of action that feels like its been missing from the big screen for a while.

King of the Monsters

Gareth Edwards work in this movie has been described by some critics as Spielberg-esque and this is well earned. The slow build towards the reveal of something extraordinary or terrifying yet always spectacular is reminiscent of old films such as Jurassic Park and Jaws which is high praise indeed as those films are held up as an example of how to make great movies. Godzilla and the other monsters have such a sense of scale and awe that you can't help but be mesmerized by them as an audience. Despite similarities to Spielberg's work this film certainly feels like Edwards' own and the decision to trust him with such a large budget with his limited works was well worth the risk. Compared to the 90's Godzilla film this one is much more successful and impactful.

Only a slightly dull main character keeps Godzilla from becoming a truly amazing film and earning five stars. Incredible special effects and an interesting and entertaining plot keep the film ticking along nicely while emotional gravitas is found in spades with Cranston's performance.

What did you think of Godzilla? Let me know in the comments below.

Anchorman 2 Review

The long-awaited sequel directed by Adam McKay and starring Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and Christina Applegate follows Ron Burgundy and his news team during the rise of 24-hour news channels. Like it's predecessor the plot is loose and the script pretty uneven, however, unlike most films this plays to Anchorman's strengths and only pushes the humour to the forefront, which is the whole point of these films.

The highest compliment I can pay Anchorman 2 is that it almost reaches the comedic level of the original. Ron Burgundy (Ferrell) is every bit ridiculous as he was a decade ago and no less amusing. Ferrell adopts the persona again with ease and clearly has a blast playing him. The supporting cast may have less to do in this sequel but do shine in their respective roles, particularly Carell's Brick Tamland whose idiotic antics still serve up plenty of laughs including an hilarious scene with green screen technology. The sequel also injects new blood into the cast with James Marsden playing a rival news anchor in the vein of Vince Vaughn's character in the original. Expect nods to the original throughout the film including another battle scene with extensive cameos that surpass the original's already overblown sequence.

The News Team Is Back!

Another plot thread is the introduction of Ron's child, Walter. For me, this area didn't quite work, with Burgundy's outbursts feeling quite out of place in the family scenario set up in the film. In my opinion this thread could have been removed entirely as there was enough going on with the new characters and nods to the original without shoehorning in another plot thread. Nevertheless, I appreciate the director's attempt to try to do something new with the sequel as there was a real danger going into this film that it would be too similar to the original.

Remember The Ground Rules

Overall, Anchorman 2 is a well received return to the big screen for Ron Burgundy and his news team. Although hitting on many of the same beats as the original and being more of the same rather than reinventing the wheel, this film succeeds in providing new laughs and entertains in abundance. Although these sorts of film aren't to everyone's tastes, McKay brings enough fan service to fans of the original without being too heavy handed, making Anchorman 2 a successful comedy sequel.