Part I: A Conjunction of drones simulating the way in which a classic was born.
This past Friday, X-men 3 came out. I never have too much hope for mainstream representations of my favorite heroes, especially when they are switching media, however, I was blown away by X-men 2. Sure it was just a fun movie, but it was really well made, with interesting character development and gripping plot that made relative sense. In light of this, I can't help but say that I was let down by the most recent installment, and Sorry Shu, but I don't think you're missing anything. (SPOILERS TO FOLLOW, but honestly I don't think its the kind of movie that gets any better if you dont know what is going to happen). Ok so you were warned. Scroll to next bold area if you don't want to read this. The movie starts with phoenix being dead, she proceeds to come back to life as we all expect and in a loving embrace...mysteriously kill Cyclops!!!!! As her power is spiraling out of control, in another scene, xavier tries to help her. She proceeds to mysteriously kill him as well!!!!! in a kind of disintegration by particle kind of way. Magneto turns up as token baddy, tries to form an army, the real enamy in the end ends up being phoenix, in one of the last scenes wolverine kills her!!!!!! to stop her from killing other people!!!!!! Now I am no stranger to the comic-book medium. I know that none of them are really dead, and it will all be explained in a later book/movie. This, however, is the very device (or at least a big one) that comics receive so much flak for, for not being serious literature. Superman cant ever die because he has to be around for the on-going monthly series he is featured in. This is also true for any of the basic elements in place that make the comic work. In an attempt to make his danger seem real the writers concoct deaths which they can retract only with some careful planning. These deaths are not resolved in the movie! One of the last shots is a pan of the three grave stones. (after credit scene aside). This leaves wolverine and storm to carry the team, which I must admit is pretty interesting, and they are both done well, however, the rest of the team consists of iceman, rogue, neither of which I like in the movie, a pretty well done beast, and colossus and shadowcat, that are good but not seen enough. Very small team considering the wealth of characters they have to choose from. Also a problem with comic movies is the way in which they change who characters are. Archangel was one of the founding members of the x-men, but here becomes the newest recruit. One great scene is the one in which wloverine battles jeans psi energy and walks up to her despite his flesh being torn apart and knitted ack together, managing to kill the woman he loves- that was amazing. All in all, considering the material they are working with, they could have done so much better. What about all the hundreds of amazing stories that are already out there but unkown to most of the public, oh well.
Part II: Benjamin Steele caught in the existential maze of history.
On another note I recently saw Singin' in the Rain for the first time. It is fucking incredible. I didn't know. There are so many aspects to it, that make it feel unbelievably modern, maybe even post modern. They mix silent film, with black and white film, color film, sound film, spoof silent film, filming of silent film, musical, filming of musical, in a menagerie of styles that interweave creating an absolutely surreal reality. The ability to act as in life, especially singing and dancing, is a metaphor for true ability and heart. All the silent film actors are phonies. The main characters crisis comes when talkies come out and he realizes he doesnt know how to act or speak lines. The solution comes when he decides to make his first talking picture a musical, which is what made him want to get into the business in the first place, and of course what he has been showing the audience all along. He has a fake "for show" romance with his silent film co-star who can't sing, but starts to fall for the girl who is a theatre actor who he gets to voice over the other womans' songs when they go musical. Lastly, I got chills when the scene started in which I new the title track was coming. It embodies the absolute epitome of happiness in who you are, and what you are capable of despite everything. He taps like a pro up until he starts tapping in puddles and ends the number stomping around in them to the beat of the song as it builds in crescendo. If you havn't seen it, or seen it recently, do your self a favor.
