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Why You Should See X-Men: First Class (If You Haven’t)

I have no clue why people are so dismissive of Thor and X-Men: First Class. They’re about ten times better than most superhero movies, yet people are disliking them that much more. Are people getting bored with superhero cinema? Beats me.

X-Men: First Class was worth every penny of admission. I’d go see it again, right now, if someone asked me to.

(Some spoilers ahead)

Reason #1: Holy Shit Magneto

This  guy is my top reason. Michael Fassbender, the actor who played Magneto, was awesome. Whether he was drinking beer or performing coin tricks (move over, Joker), I was shitting my pants. What a fine Magneto. I guess the super dramatic music playing over his scenes didn’t help ease the tension.

One of my favorite moments was with young Erik, when Schmidt asked him to move the coin, and then the camera shifts to reveal the gigantic wall of metal objects behind them as the Nazis bring his mother in as leverage. You knew some shit was going to go down.

It’s a testament to a movie’s action when, in a day and age full of over-the-top special effects and ridiculous stunts, the action can still stun you. The scene with the metal chain and the ship? Holy smokes.

With all due respect to Ian McKellen, Fassbender is the better Magneto. He scares me a lot more. Plus, the director (Matthew Vaughn, of Kick-Ass fame) went deeper into the character’s psychology than Singer did in the first two X-Men films. Sure, Magneto’s a hypocrite because he wants to oppress a race (humans), when the same was done to him (a Jew) years ago. But in Vaughn’s film, Erik’s trauma is still fresh: brief but happy memories flickering like a candle in the dark recesses of his mind, and a hatred emerging toward those “just following orders.” Why he thinks the way he does makes a lot more sense and is shown much more honestly here than in any other X-Men film.

Reason #2: With the Grain

I found it refreshing that Vaughn didn’t contradict any cannon set up in the X-Men trilogy. Rather, he establishes a link between this film and the first of Singer’s: how Xavier ended up in a wheelchair, how the X-Men became a separate team—he even covers why Mystique is so loyal and romantic toward Magneto. Vaughn could have easily ditched Singer’s efforts and rewrote X-history completely, but he chose not to. Good move.

Reason #3: Genes and War and Mutant Men

“Realism” only goes so far when you’re dealing with comic book movies, but the storytelling was so engaging and grounded in First Class. In other words, there was no super machine that magically turned humans into mutants (X-Men 1 for you). Everything that happened was understandable in the context of the story, setting a good pace and giving each of the characters due screen time. Except for Darwin, poor guy.

Okay,  so Azazel maybe said all of two words the entire film, but screen time doesn’t necessarily equate to character building.

Reason #4: The Drunken Flirt, Xavier

This falls under the humor category. There was hardly a dull moment. I laughed my ass off. For such a serious story, the characters were generally laid back and cool, in that 60s way. They didn’t take themselves too seriously. Except Mystique, at times. And Magneto has that chip on his shoulder.

Reason #5: Nobody’s Perfect

Magneto isn’t the master metal-worker, and Xavier isn’t the best smooth-talker. They have a lot to learn before they reach the level of finesse demonstrated in Singer’s X-Men trilogy. Even the recruits are a sorry bunch at first, untrained and out of touch with their powers.

People gush over Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen as the ideal Xavier and Magneto, respectively—and they are perfect for the roles of these characters’ experienced selves. But youth is when their classic friendship is formed and broken; McAvroy and Fassbender are much more interesting to watch.

Reason #6: Kevin Bacon, in Style and Money

So Kevin Bacon can’t rock the Magneto helmet. It’s not his, anyway. But he made an entertaining villain, and I like that they held off on revealing his character’s powers until a little ways into the movie.

Reason #7: Hellfire Club

The Hellfire Club was an unexpected choice, but one that worked well as the center of villainy. Comic book aficionados or fans of the 90s cartoon will place it easily.

Reason #8: Mystique Can Talk! … And Talk …

Finally, Mystique gets to do more than stand around and look blue and naked. No wonder she turns evil—no one gives her a lick of sympathy. But hey, at least she can express herself with more than just body language in this film.

Reason #9: Dead People

This calls back to the “realism” point. A lot of the deaths in First Class are graphic—people die left and right, and the survivors react to the sight as real people would: in horror. It’s no more gory or violent than any other superhero film, but the emotion makes an impact that’s hard to ignore.

Reason #10: Totally Memorable

I can’t stop thinking how damn good this movie is. There’s so much to talk about—so many good, intelligent moments; so much tension; and a healthy number of characters who get the proper attention.

It’s totally better than any other X-Men film. Sorry, Singer, but it’s true. You’ve been out-classed.

Tags: James McAvoy, Marvel Comics, Matthew Vaughn, Michael Fassbender, X-Men: First Class
Posted in Comics/Manga, Movies/TV, Reviews | 1 Comment »

Kick-Ass: No Power, No Responsibility

Matthew Vaughn pounds a memorable nail into his directing career with the latest superhero romp, Kick-Ass. Erasing the often cumbersome line between mediums, the film gulps down audience and critic praise with Vaughn’s surprisingly polished tour de force.

Kick-Ass (Lionsgate) rocks the big screen by providing moviegoers with quite the enticing concoction. Aaron Johnson guides the story as Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass, a high school nerd whose head throbs with the perfect balance of “optimism and naivety,” and quickly encounters noted talents such as Nicolas Cage (Big Daddy), Mark Strong (Frank D’Amico), and Xander Berkeley (Detective Gigante). Boldly, Kick-Ass pairs the household likes of Cage with that of the up-and-coming Chloe Moretz (Hit-Girl), who gives a knock-out performance that rivals those of the better known actors. Such a streamlined mix of experienced Hollywood names and promising young underdogs works undeniably in the movie’s favor. Even Nicolas Cage proves an unusually smart choice, knitting endearing facets into his character with sheer language and expectation-bending quirks. Christopher Mintz-Plasse excellently portrays Chris D’Amico/Red Mist, a son who, hungry for paternal approval and individual acceptance, tumbles into accidental villainy. Despite the role, each character dutifully fulfills his purpose on-screen.

Plus, the thoughtfully chosen music sifts between dramatic and hilarious with enviable ease, but regardless of the ephemeral context, the soundtrack’s direction rarely fails. Although the exposition drags at first before powering through its remaining length, just shy of two hours, it’s almost easy to forget why: Kick-Ass doesn’t imitate real life, but rather channels it. And that entails all the slow-burning or unpleasant qualities of our time.

In fact, the film delivers more brilliance than casual viewers might be willing to swallow. Kick-Ass surpasses most superhero movies not because of budget or special effects, but because of its hard-hitting human connection. When the stuff of comics bleeds into the real world, the emerging issues devour new power. The film mixes child-driven violence and swearing with its reciprocal. Hit-Girl, spewing foul words one moment, gains an intimate understanding of death the next. Scenes rapid-fire between the hilarious, the charismatic, and the explicit with terrifying comfort. The film slams shut the invaluable but tiny window of childhood innocence, and heroes become fueled by the needs we, everyday people, can understand if only the situation were ours.

We tap into Kick-Ass‘ world through the shared link of pop culture: Youtube, the internet, news reports, comics. As the television show Lost sidelongs imminent execution, the real world and the fantastic crash together. In turn, Kick-Ass achieves morbidly realistic heights, a level of success that other extraordinary superhero productions can barely touch.

Overall, the film communicates one striking message: When violence terrorizes our society, we contentedly watch. Even as heroes die, we quietly observe from behind windows, cameras, and computer screens. As Kick-Ass himself iterates, “And three assholes, laying into one guy while everybody else watches? And you wanna know what’s wrong with me? Yeah, I’d rather die.” Kick-Ass turns its own audience into test subjects who laugh at gut-wrenching, heartbreaking scenes in which desperate widows burn alive simply because a teenage outcast triumphantly feels up a pretty girl between takes.

We mistakenly believe that we know, not merely idolize, the film’s heroes: That kid at the local comic store, the renegade cop, the new girl at school. As much as we think the film allows us to feel at home with them, our own hypocritical reactions distinguish us. We are still the ones behind the television screens: the cowards, the wannabes. We are the ones giving high-fives to Kick-Ass on the street. We are not Kick-Ass himself, a realization that starkly contrasts against the likes of, say, Batman. While The Dark Knight nurtures that inner heroism and encourages citizens to act righteously, Kick-Ass establishes why in real life those masked avengers are, as Dave Lizewski ponders, absent.

Pulsating with entertainment, Kick-Ass soars as an outstanding movie experience, but we should appreciate the underlying substance, as well. D’Amico’s painting transforms for the watchful eye, and the blood red underlining the multiple guns ultimately emphasizes merciless violence. The film’s startling perspective on our society’s indoctrinated, trigger-happy lust for violence soaks the very fabric of Kick-Ass and cements its paramount success.

Tags: Aaron Johnson, Chloe Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kick-Ass, Lionsgate, Mark Strong, Matthew Vaughn, Nicolas Cage
Posted in Movies/TV, Reviews | 4 Comments »

Kick-Ass: Creating the Comic, Making the Movie

Pumped for Kick-Ass on April 16? You can get a juicy sneak peek and behind-the-scenes scoop with Kick-Ass: Creating the Comic, Making the Movie from publisher Titan Books. The book well deserves your money. You can read the in-depth review at OneMetal.

You’ve probably read OneMetal staffer Dave Convery’s lukewarm review of the highly anticipated Kick-Ass flick, but some of us are still drooling over its upcoming, mainstream release. Surely the folks at Titan Books could sense our excitement because they’ve sent us a tightly bound companion book that documents the hot-selling story’s origins. Unlike many works of its kind, Kick-Ass: Creating the Comic, Making the Movie honors both the printed and on-film renderings by chronicling one surreal phenomenon. With the comic’s issues hitting stands during the film’s ongoing production, this brightly colored tie-in thoroughly explores Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr.’s innovative world of Kick-Ass. Fans rejoice, for these glossy, high-quality pages deliver not only eye-popping flash and bang, but also fascinating insight and notes.

Tags: Jane Goldman, John Romita Jr., Kick-Ass, Mark Millar, Matthew Vaughn, Titan Books
Posted in Books, Comics/Manga, Movies/TV, OneMetal, Reviews, Writing | No Comments »

SDCC09: Kick-Ass Panel

On Thursday of San Diego Comic-Con, Jeff Walker introduced director Matthew Vaughn, who then presented the world premiere of Kick-Ass—based on the popular Marvel comic book of the same name.

Actors Evan Peters, Aaron Johnson, and Clark Duke

The first clip rolled, scaling up a city building to a red-winged, costumed hero at the top. “At some point in our lives,” the narrator begins, “we all want to be a superhero.” The crowd below looks up and smiles a la Spider-Man, and when the man dramatically jumps off, he crashes painfully into a taxi cab far below. “That wasn’t me,” the narrator winces. “That was some Armenian guy with a history of mental health problems.”

Meet Dave Lizewski (actor Aaron Johnson), a curly-haired comic nerd who proposes an interesting idea to his two friends: with all these superhero comics, why hasn’t anyone tried to become a superhero? “Probably because they’d get their ass kicked,” his friend offers, followed by a crack about Paris Hilton.

Screenwriter Jane Goldman, creators Mark Millar and John Romita Jr., and actors Clark Duke (Marty) and Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Red Mist) arrived on stage shortly after Vaughn, ready to dish about the upcoming, sure-to-be-controversial film.

The second clip revealed one of my favorite scenes in the series so far: the memorable standoff between Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz) and Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage)—out of costume, of course. After an unnaturally calm debate about how much being shot in the chest would hurt, Mindy Macready’s loving father finally pulls the trigger. The blast knocks Mindy to the ground, and a few seconds later she sits up, examining the bullet-proof vest underneath her jacket. By agreeing to suffer two more rounds, she cons her dad into stopping by the bowling alley with an extra promise of ice cream. Hot fudge sundae it is, baby doll.

Dave Lizewski, aka Kick-Ass (actor Aaron Johnson)

By the time the third clip plays, Dave has decided he wants to be Kick-Ass. He gets mugged early on in the film, and now attacked.

“What the fuck are you looking at?” asks one of two guys trying to steal a car. “Nothing! Get the fuck out of here!” Dave backs off, and we hear, “Like every serial killer already knew, eventually fantasizing just doesn’t do it for you anymore.” As he returns donning his green and yellow costume in full daylight, the two laugh at how ridiculous he looks. Once Dave starts to intimidate them, however, things escalate. They fight, and one of them stabs Dave in the stomach, leaving him to die in front of the Capri Pizza Spaghetti. Staggering into the street, he immediately gets run over by a car.

The fourth clip commences after Dave has recovered from the hospital. Loud rap music floods the drug dealer Rizul’s apartment from outside as he approaches, claiming to be a friend of Katie’s. “Who the fuck are you supposed to be?” asks the man at the door. “The Green Goblim?” Dave manages to get inside, where a woman in a red dress and boots playfully exclaims that she’s Rizul. The real Rizul, however, keeps his eyes glued to the screen in front of him, controller in hand.

Dave finally gets Rizul’s attention, and announces, “I’m Kick-Ass, and this is me giving you a message. Leave Katie alone!” “Or what?” Rizul demands. “Or I’ll come back and break your fucking legs!” Kick-Ass swears. He shoots a taser at Rizul’s head, and in the struggle, Dave is pushed to the ground. Just when things start to get ugly … they get uglier.

A knife plunges through Rizul’s chest, and he collapses. Hit Girl, wearing a purple wig and dressed in black, smiles, “Okay, you cunt. Let’s see what you can do now.” Cue a series of acrobatics and gruesome stabs to the head and chest. Even a thug returning obliviously from the bathroom—who proceeds to show off his skill with knives—can’t beat Hit Girl’s prowess. The scene ends with her bloody knives jutting through the door, surprising the doorman and earning young actress Chloe Moretz a standing ovation as she steps on stage.

Red Mist (actor Christopher Mintz-Plasse)

The panelists finally give the green light to premiere the trailer. Red Mist jumps down on a dumpster, hurting himself in the process. We see Hit Girl at her computer, Kick-Ass in his room, and Red Mist asking, “Wanna go fight some crime?” In between villains and thugs, Hit Girl shoves a gun in a guy’s mouth; we hear, “With no power … comes no responsibility.” Then debuts a Batman look-a-like using guns, clones dressed in red and black, a series of head shots, a driving sequence, explosions—and best of all, Hit Girl reloading her twin guns in mid-air. At the end, she teases Kick-Ass: “Just contact the mayor’s office. He has a light that shines in the sky. It’s in the shape of a giant cock.”

So what makes Kick-Ass—in which “the script was finished before the comic”—so successful, the panelists were asked? “It’s just about telling good stories,” commented Jane Goldman. The crew plans to release the movie within the first quarter of next year; one of the biggest issues remains trying to nail the music to avoid it being outdated by the time of release.

“[We] wanted it to be true to the comic,” said Romita Jr, who also admitted he tried to “act as if I’m working on the book” when inquired about the animation sequence.

Writer Mark Millar confirmed his desire for a three-arc series; when prompted, the sweet and somewhat shy Chloe Moretz briefly mentioned the three months of training with martial artists she underwent. It’s hard to imagine foul words and incredibly gruesome action scenes being born out of the talent of such a small girl, but judging by the way Moretz blew the audience away on screen, she just might steal the show.

Encouraged by the strong approval of the Hall H audience, the impressive trailer ran a second time—ending the panel with a bang.

Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and Hit Girl/Mindy Macready (Chloe Moretz)

Tags: Chloe Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Clark Duke, Jane Goldman, John Romita Jr., Kick-Ass, Mark Millar, Matthew Vaughn, San Diego Comic-Con 2009
Posted in Comics/Manga, Movies/TV | 3 Comments »