Logan (2017) and the Value of Quitting While Ahead

Here's the Cinema Freaks podcast (featuring myself and Tony) for the new movie Logan, in theaters now:

(SPOILERS in the video!)

By now you've likely seen Logan or at least heard about it and have plans to see it, so here's my take. This is one of the greatest superhero movies ever made. I don't think that's too hard a bar to clear – what else would make the cut? Superman from the 70s. The 1989 Burton Batman. The Dark Knight. Maybe a few others based on your personal taste, but I think this is pretty close to a prime cut for the genre that has grown out of being a niche and into a full-blown phenomenon as you can get.

People love superheroes, and this movie is basically for the people who were kids in the 80s and 90s and have now grown up – but still love their old favorite characters. Superheroes, like it or not, aren't just for kids anymore – geek culture has gone mainstream and those who liked this stuff when they were younger aren't letting it go, entranced as they are by the timeless stories and the iconoclastic characters. Logan the film is a dark, gritty, brutal and ultimately emotional and somber picture, and it's made from something that, in the 90s, was marked by pastel colored cartoon characters and colorful costumes fighting giant robots.

And yeah, I know that old show and the X-Men as a whole could be quite great at times before – I'm not saying it was just kiddie stuff. But Logan is another level – it's a superhero action film made with the class, artistry and style of an A-list drama. While it hits all the tropes you're familiar with, from a cross-country road trip chased by bad guys to a superpowered little girl and a reluctant hero, plus boatloads of cool action sequences fueled by superpowers, it does these things with a very serious temperament and a care for great cinematography and atmosphere more befitting of a No Country for Old Men-style dirge.

It's just really well done from a directing point of view, made whole by powerful performances from leads Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart. We've seen this kind of stuff before – old men reckoning the ends of their lives, regrets buried deep coming to the surface, an obligation to do what's right even in the face of the desire to just crawl into a dark bar and stay there. But Jackman and Stewart, framed by a vague story of horrible happenings years ago in which most other mutants like them died apparently, make the story visceral and intense. The story is tried and true, but what's new about it is how well it is done.

I like that you get so little of the backstory behind this – the film takes place in 2029 and follows, as I said, an apparent tragedy that killed off most of the other mutants in the world. I like how vague that all is. Please, filmmakers, if you read my blog – don't make any prequels to this, nothing explaining how this came to pass. Also, if you read my blog, I'm sorry if I bashed any movie you made and you're now considering making prequels to Logan in spite of that.

But seriously – that also goes for the fact that Stewart and Jackman will reportedly not return for any more X-Men movies after this. I hope they stick to that as close as they can. I think there is a virtue in going out on top and not over-extending your welcome. Personally, I hate it when a series just drags on forever and loses the quality it once had, and I usually value a concise, beginning-and-ending story contained in one film over a never-ending sprawl of them. The story should end whenever it needs to, and if that takes three good films or only one, I personally like to see it end at that point – not just milked afterwards for money.

In this case, both Stewart and Jackman are going out on fucking top. There's nowhere else to really go from here. Logan is a wonderfully made, dark, harrowing and sad epic, but it's also a testament to the power of quitting while you're ahead. Here's to that.

REVIEW: X-Men: First Class (2011)

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Starring: James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender

Website: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0891216/

This was a surprise to me, as superhero movies have been getting stagnant. I didn’t expect to have one actually pull me in that wasn’t a Christopher Nolan Batman movie in these modern times of CGI and special effects and 3D. But here we have the new X-Men movie, quite a pleasant surprise for sure, and I found myself very entertained here.

The reason this film works is that it actually does focus more on the characters and their various journeys than on some kind of superfluous need to tell a superhero story, even when there were no ideas. Director James Vaughn previously directed the excellent Kick-Ass, which was another superhero movie with great writing, relatable characters and a powerful, inviting sweep, and so you can see where he's coming from when you watch this movie. This is a superhero movie, but it’s one that takes the high road and doesn’t try to check off the various tropes of its genre before getting into the substance of the story first. First Class is a smart, snappy action movie that has enough drama to interest the more prudent among you, and enough comedy to make sure it doesn’t sink into a mire of modernist depression. It is well rounded and feels wholesome and complete.

The film focuses on Xavier, played by James McAvoy, who is a great actor and really pulls off the character with style and passion, making you care about what he says and what he’s doing. I was really impressed by this performance, as he pretty much turned one of the less interesting X-Men characters into someone I found very intriguing, and who I wanted to see win. Erik, or Magneto, played by Michael Fassbender, also puts out a great performance. The chemistry between the two of them on screen as friends was very believable and actually one of the best parts of the movie – I wanted to see more of it. They’re both hugely charismatic and enjoyable to watch.

The other main character is Mystique, or Raven as she was known, played by Jennifer Lawrence, who also starred in the superlative Winter’s Bone last year. In this film’s universe she met Xavier as a young child, and stayed with him all throughout his growing up. She’s uncomfortable with her mutant state and wants to look normal, although the film’s progression shows her slowly shedding those ideals and embracing opposite ones. She’s a very well done character and I enjoyed seeing her progression. A great performance on all counts.

So yeah, the film’s other characters aren’t quite as fleshed out, but they’re still cool. They introduce a few new X-Men not even from the comics. The film goes on a bit long, but it packs in a lot of great scenes like the early ones with all the kids together for the first time, and the several scenes in the middle where they're all training - very creative and fun. The ending battle scene is actually really awesome, which is refreshing, as a lot of movies like Thor and Iron Man really skimp out on having memorable finales. The movie’s main message is a coming of age one. These kids don’t know where they’ll end up yet, and although the viewer does, it doesn’t make the ride any less engaging, because of the strong acting and well told story. So go see this. It’s fun, effective and involving. Recommended.