X-Men Days of Future Past: Review

I had no considerable issue with the recent X-Men films such as The Wolverine, but many felt that the series had lost its way. Because of this, expectations for Days of Future Past were considerably high in hopes that it would be the film to set this beloved franchise back on course. And in my opinion, it did so spectacularly. 

The film begins in 20th century, with a bleak vision of the future. Large, sinister beings known as 'Sentinels' have taken over the world, and have enslaved both human and mutant. Only a scarce few mutants still remain un-captured, including the iconic Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellen), but their chance of survival is dwindling by the day. Another small group of mutants led by Bishop (Omar Sy) also live in this dangerous landscape, but their chance of surviving also grows unlikely. The only hope for all of human and mutant kind is to send Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) back to the year 1973 and stop the events which set this terrifying future in motion. 

Charles Xavier / Professor X (James McAvoy)

The plot of Days of Future Past sounds almost as complicated as the strange title when put down on paper, but the film manages to deliver such a story in a surprisingly coherent manner. In fact, the plot of the film is one of its strongest assets, as it allows numerous references and cameos which will appease long-time fans as well as entertain those newer to the series. The return of James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender as a young Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr is also very welcome, as both have proven themselves as incredibly talented actors to portray these iconic characters, as exhibited within First Class. The star of the show however is yet again Hugh Jackman as Wolverine / Logan, as he plays the pivotal role in this story of time-travel. Wolverine acts as a thread which ties both the future and past together, and no other actor could convey such a complex character to the standard of Jackman. 

Another asset of the film is its ability to switch seamlessly between genuinely funny humour and deadly serious drama. There were times the entire cinema was filled with laughter, which was then followed by eerily silent tension as one scene transitioned to the next. The main conduit of this humour is the character of Quicksilver (Evan Peters), who acts as a cocky, arrogant adolescent, despite being fairly important to the success of Logan's mission. The only problem with this is that Quicksilver was barely in the movie, but the scenes which he does feature in are amongst the most memorable. 

Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto (Michael Fassbender)

The only real issue I have with Days of Future Past are less about the film itself, but more about the topic of continuity. Without spoiling anything, the events that take place within the movie drastically throw-off events which have occurred in other films in the series, which makes some almost entirely redundant. Although this needed to happen for the plot in Days of Future Past to take place, it just felt a little strange. 

Verdict 
X-Men: Days of Future Past is not only an incredibly enjoyable movie, it is also my favourite amongst the X-Men franchise. The plot is interesting and unique, the acting is excellent, and the action is exciting. The only real issues I can think of aren't even explicitly about the film, which should speak for itself. Basically, if you are a fan of the X-Men or comic-book movies in general: see this film. 

"You'll need me as well. Side by side to end this war 

before it even begins." 

Godzilla: Review

Back in 1999, a Japanese nuclear power plant collapsed due to huge seismic activity below ground. Fast-forward to the year 2014, and scientist Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston) who worked at the plant is determined to disprove any notions that it was merely an earthquake, and in turn discover what exactly killed his loving wife. Meanwhile, Joe's son Ford (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is trying to live a normal life with his wife and son, who all see Joe as a crack-pot theorist. The events of 1999 soon begin repeating however, and it seems as if something far worse than an earthquake rests beneath the ground. 

Godzilla

Godzilla sets up a very unsettling, ominous tone from the start which is largely maintained throughout. Although there are numerous scenes of action, it's far from just an action movie. The actual creature itself only appears on-screen for a small portion of the entire run-time, and the rest of this is spent focusing on the characters and the building of tension. Some may be disappointed to hear that a movie titled 'Godzilla' only features the monster sparingly, but this is definitely not a negative. Due to the mere occasional glimpses of a tail or leg, the film manages to keep you engaged throughout far more than if it showed everything within the opening moments. When you do eventually get to see the destructive creature (or possibly creatures) that are attacking, Godzilla does an incredible job of conveying scale. This is the largest Godzilla has ever been featured in a movie, and it definitely shows, making the wait more than worthwhile. 

Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston)

When it's not focusing on colossal monsters fighting, the movie places a considerable focus on the human aspects of a nuclear disaster, and this is where the film fell down a little. None of the actors were blatantly awful, but nobody really stood out as particularly memorable. The critically-acclaimed Bryan Cranston was advertised as if he would hold a key role, but his interesting character of Joe only really features for the first quarter of Godzilla, with Aaron Taylor-Johnson being the main protagonist for the remainder of the film. 

The final segment of the film however is when things really begin to pick-up. Yes, the gradual build-up is relevant and necessary to engross an audience, but without a considerable pay-off, all of this would be pointless. Luckily, Godzilla delivers in masses. The gigantic fight-scenes near the end are better than any featured within last year's Pacific Rim and more than make up for any 'slower' moments, especially the very final scenes of the film. The action comes close to being a little too campy, but it's incredibly entertaining regardless. 

Verdict
Godzilla is a slow-burner in its build-up, but more than makes up for it with the closing scenes. Regardless of the lack of superb acting or constant action, it's a consistently entertaining film which managed to reach my expectations, even if it didn't completely surpass them. 

"The arrogance of man is thinking nature is in their control...

and not the other way around."

My Top 5 TV Shows

As with any list I compile, I'd like to start by saying I haven't seen every television programme. This includes critically-acclaimed classics like The Sopranos and even the much more recent Game of Thrones, so don't expect every show ever aired to be on this list. This is my personal top 5, and so it's entirely subjective. 

5) House of Cards (2013 - Current)
The only reason House of Cards is at number 5 in this list is because it has so much more to come. Season 1 built up the series reasonably well, but it wasn't until this Netflix-exclusive series entered its second running that things really exploded. Kevin Spacey plays the leading role of Francis Underwood incredibly well, and the rest of the cast support him to a very entertaining degree. With outstanding acting, production value and plot; this is really a series to keep an eye on in the near future. 

"Power is better than money for as long as it lasts...

but it never lasts."

4) The Simpsons (1989 - Current)
It's difficult to think of a beloved long-running cartoon without considering The Simpsons. Now in its 26th season, some may argue that it's well ran its course, but I can easily watch any episode of this hugely popular series and find copious amounts of entertainment. It's widely agreed that the earlier seasons (up till 8) were the pinnacle of The Simpsons' career, but the constant pop-culture references and consistently excellent animation makes me think that it'll be around for a long time to come. 

"Just for once I'd like someone to call me 'sir' without

adding 'you're making a scene'."

3) The Office: An American Workplace (2005-2013)
A lot of people seem to love the original, British version of The Office, and although I can find some enjoyable moments in it, the American interpretation completely blows it out of the water. With Steve Carell taking over Ricky Gervais as the lovable/detestable boss of a small company, The U.S Office is literally packed full of enjoyable content. Every single one of the 187 episodes made is funny, emotional and entertaining - something I can't say for the British version. 

"I wouldn't say I'm superstitious. 

I'm just a little-stitious." 

2) Luther (2010 - 2013)
When a friend of mine recommended Luther, I was initially apprehensive. I thought it would be a typical police drama which would be occasionally exciting but overall bland and predictable. And I couldn't have been more wrong. Yes, without Idris Elba, Luther may not be nearly anywhere as good as it is, but the detailed and intriguing plot of every single episode means they can be watched and re-watched numerous times. Combine this with multiple outstanding series finales and gut-wrenching twists, and you've got something truly special. The only problem is the length of each season, but the quality more than makes up for it. 

"Someone said to me once: hell is empty...and all the devils

are here."

1) Breaking Bad (2008 - 2013)
Was this really a surprise? Yes, I have a bit of an obsession where Breaking Bad is concerned, but anybody whom has seen the show will completely agree that it is by far one of the best pieces of entertainment ever made. Every single episode in this 5-season masterpiece is tense, well-acted and incredibly enjoyable. But I've already said this multiple times, so for anybody who hasn't seen Breaking Bad: go and watch it. Just try out the first episode. Then the next. Then the first few seasons. Then you ought to just watch it all. It really is more addictive than meth. 

"I am not in danger, I AM the danger."