Return of the Geek/X-Men Days of Future Past

What's the last thing you remember?

Well I'm back!  It's been several months since I've posted a review and that's basically because of... stuff.  I've been busy, ok?  The weather was soo nice and I was trying to spend more time outdoors and working out, tho I've still seen my share of movies during that time.  I may have a few quick reviews coming up for some of those.

Another reason for my absence was that the last month+ has been ridiculous with the number of shows that I was watching.  That could be a post all in itself. (Write that down...)

I am skipping the traditional Trailer Tuesday for a full movie review this week.  Might sneak a Trailer in sometime this week.  Wonder if there are any good/exciting/relive my childhood ones that were recently released?

Enough with the excuses!  We have a movie to review!

Basically Wolverine and "Friends."

If you kept up with the blog before I disappeared, then you know I was really excited about X-Men: Days of Future Past.  It didn't disappoint at all.  My excitement wasn't even hindered by some recent flops, in my opinion, in the X-Men line of movies.  The Wolverine, for instance I thought was just terrible.  Even X2 and X-Men 3 didn't live up to what they could have been, although both had their cool moments.  Days of Future Past was more of a complete story.  

The basic premise of the film was that in the future, machines called Sentinels are created to deal with the mutant threat.  The inventor, Bolivar Trask, is played by the amazing Peter Dinklage of 30 Rock fame.  Oh, that's not the reference you get?  Let's try Game of mother-f'n Thrones.

Someone's had enough of this "Imp" crap.  Tyrion has gone technological.

As usual, I never read the comic, so I don't care how close it is.  As a movie, I had a really good time. It was also one of the darker stories told in comic movies recently.  I'll get a little more into that later.
I have very few negatives in regards to this one.  Huge Jacked-man (Hugh Jackman) is continuing to get more ripped than ever.  Jennifer Lawrence returned in her role as young Mystique as did most of the cast from X-Men First Class.  (Well... the ones who lived.)  We got to see a blending of the young and the old with Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan playing their older Professor X and Magneto along with James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender.

I expect most people would walk away from this happy after watching.  But when you do, make sure you stick around after the credits to see the short teaser of the next installment: Apocalypse.  I'm really excited to see something more come out about it and to find out what direction the series takes.

You're going to be very scary when you grow up.

It's been a while since it came out, but SPOILERS!

I mentioned that this one was dark.  Be prepared to see several of your favorite characters die... twice, if you haven't already.  Days opens up showing a future where a war between humans and mutants has changed the world for the worst.  Mutants are hunted and executed by super advanced robots called Sentinels.  Not many mutants are left and one group in particular which includes some familiar faces in Ice Man, Colossus, and Kitty Pride (and also my new crush Blink) are doing their best to stay hidden.

Gives new meaning to 'Playing Portal with my girlfriend.'

This group has an advantage.  Kitty Pride has the power to send a member of the team, Bishop, mentally back in time into his younger body.  Any time they are discovered by Sentinels, they do the Time Warp to warn themselves, giving them time to get away and it was like they were never there.

While they wait for Bishop's actions to become permanent, we witness them all get torched, frozen, crushed, and torn to shreds.... for the 1st time.

They are joined by another group of mutants.  The Professor, Magneto, Storm, Wolverine and crew found them to try and use Kitty's power to stop the war from ever happening.  This would require sending someone back decades.  The strain on the person's mind would be such that it would tear it apart.  Enter Wolverine, the only one who can withstand being torn apart.

'Tis but a scratch.... bub.

Wolverine is sent back to before he even got his Adamantium claws. It's the 70's.  His mission is to find the Professor and get him to unite with Magneto in stopping Mystique from assasinating Tyrion... I mean... Trask.  His murder is the tipping of the scales that leads to war.  Also, Mytique herself in captured and they find a way to integrate her adaptive power into the Sentinels so they can face any mutant.

Back in time, Wolverine recruits the Professor and Beast.  They get Quicksilver to help rescue Magneto from prison and go to stop Mystique.  As you can imagine, young Magneto has his own plans.

In the pivotal point of the film, time is running out in the future.  The mutants are battling a load of Sentinels, trying to delay them long enough for Wolverine to change the course of events in the past so that when Kitty releases him, none of it ever happened.  It's a pretty epic battle.  We see many of the same mutants die.... for the 2nd time.

It wouldn't be much of a movie if all the characters died for good, so the good guys win.  Young Magneto is caught. Mystique is made out to be a hero for saving President Nixon.  The war is averted.  And everyone wakes up in their beds.  Wolverine is the only one who remembers what happened.  To everyone else, life has just gone along as usual at the school.

I have to believe that many of you won't be disappointed.  There is lots of action.  There are also plenty of feels going on in this one.  If you've seen it already and are anything like me, you can understand why I really thought some former main characters like Ice Man were dead after that first battle.  Even the second time with the clock ticking, there are some heart-wrenching moments watching the mutants get outmatched.

So go see it, if you haven't already.  Should be On Demand or RedBox by now.  Except for knowing who the characters are, I don't think you even need to really see the other movies to know what's going on.  Enjoy!

You know you want to see her again soon.