I know, I'm cheating by rolling both reviews in to one, but this summer entertainment season is hoppin'.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides set sail in the U.S. on June 20th but was already a success overseas. It is well on its way to being one of the biggest money-makers of all-time. To date it has made over $800 million world-wide. So, the question remains, is it really any good. The answer is...yes. While parts 2 & 3 of the franchise were basically a
single (and kind of dark) story shot and released back to back, part 4 is a welcome return to light-hearted adventure more in line with the first film. Some are making comparisons to an
Indiana Jones style as the crew is off on a quest for the legendary Fountain of Youth. And, I must say that the way they approach it is quite clever if sometimes a bit tedious. If you are a fan of the Jack Sparrow character you will be well rewarded as this is definitely ALL about him. Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush and Ian McShane (as Blackbeard) are along for the ride but it's Johnny Depp that carries this story. This is a good and a bad thing. Depp, as always, is very good, but a change of focus to another character now and then would have provided a better pace for the movie. Instead, it's everyone pretty much reacting to whatever Jack Sparrow does and with a running time of 2 hours and 17 minutes it begins to run just a bit thin toward the end. Also, being shot in 3D, the visuals really work well as opposed to a 3D conversion. However, I didn't really see how it enhanced the movie that much. I think a 2D viewing would provide just as much enjoyment. Overall, I think this is a good re-launch and, if they can keep up the momentum, they may be able to get a few more nautical miles out of it. The door is left open but it doesn't leave you hanging. Time will tell...
X-Men: First Class was quite a pleasant surprise. I purposefully stayed away from previews and spoilers for this as I wanted to go in fresh. I didn't even know who was playing the main villain until just a couple of weeks ago. I think that this approach paid off and allowed me to really experience the story as it unfolded rather than waiting for it to unfold. Most people had a bad taste left over from part 3 and I think that explains the slow start at the box-office. My advice to them is to go ahead and give it a try. It is a period piece, taking place almost entirely in 1962. The writing, casting, acting, effects and pacing are all well done. There is plenty of action mixed with some humor and quite a bit of drama, mostly involving the primary leads of James McAvoy (as Professor Xavier) and Michael Fassbender (as Erik/Magneto). So far, it's being well-received overall with the primary complaint being January Jones' performance as Emma Frost. Let me just say that this is where the nitpickers are focusing. There is nothing wrong with her acting in this and I'm not sure what people are expecting from a comic book-based movie. This isn't Shakespeare! Anyway, look for a few cameos and nods to other characters of the X-Men universe.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides set sail in the U.S. on June 20th but was already a success overseas. It is well on its way to being one of the biggest money-makers of all-time. To date it has made over $800 million world-wide. So, the question remains, is it really any good. The answer is...yes. While parts 2 & 3 of the franchise were basically a single (and kind of dark) story shot and released back to back, part 4 is a welcome return to light-hearted adventure more in line with the first film. Some are making comparisons to an Indiana Jones style as the crew is off on a quest for the legendary Fountain of Youth. And, I must say that the way they approach it is quite clever if sometimes a bit tedious. If you are a fan of the Jack Sparrow character you will be well rewarded as this is definitely ALL about him. Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush and Ian McShane (as Blackbeard) are along for the ride but it's Johnny Depp that carries this story. This is a good and a bad thing. Depp, as always, is very good, but a change of focus to another character now and then would have provided a better pace for the movie. Instead, it's everyone pretty much reacting to whatever Jack Sparrow does and with a running time of 2 hours and 17 minutes it begins to run just a bit thin toward the end. Also, being shot in 3D, the visuals really work well as opposed to a 3D conversion. However, I didn't really see how it enhanced the movie that much. I think a 2D viewing would provide just as much enjoyment. Overall, I think this is a good re-launch and, if they can keep up the momentum, they may be able to get a few more nautical miles out of it. The door is left open but it doesn't leave you hanging. Time will tell...
X-Men: First Class was quite a pleasant surprise. I purposefully stayed away from previews and spoilers for this as I wanted to go in fresh. I didn't even know who was playing the main villain until just a couple of weeks ago. I think that this approach paid off and allowed me to really experience the story as it unfolded rather than waiting for it to unfold. Most people had a bad taste left over from part 3 and I think that explains the slow start at the box-office. My advice to them is to go ahead and give it a try. It is a period piece, taking place almost entirely in 1962. The writing, casting, acting, effects and pacing are all well done. There is plenty of action mixed with some humor and quite a bit of drama, mostly involving the primary leads of James McAvoy (as Professor Xavier) and Michael Fassbender (as Erik/Magneto). So far, it's being well-received overall with the primary complaint being January Jones' performance as Emma Frost. Let me just say that this is where the nitpickers are focusing. There is nothing wrong with her acting in this and I'm not sure what people are expecting from a comic book-based movie. This isn't Shakespeare! Anyway, look for a few cameos and nods to other characters of the X-Men universe.
