The Greatest Showman features joyful dancing and infectious songs

Movie Title:    The Greatest Showman

Grade:  A

Rating:  PG, 105 minutes

In a Nutshell: Critics seem to be ripping this musical movie to shreds, so it makes me wonder if I saw the same film they did!  I really loved it!  In fact, the audience I watched the movie with on opening day applauded and cheered at the end of the movie.  They loved it too!  So do the Golden Globes, having recently nominated it as Best Picture in the Musical/Comedy category.     

Directed by Michael Gracey, this movie has been a passionate pet project of Hugh Jackman for quite awhile.  I adore him.  He can do it all: sing, dance, act.  He is a true showman and was also nominated by the Golden Globes for Best Performance by an actor in the same Musical/Comedy category.  I hear he is also a genuinely nice guy.  Don’t tell my husband I’m in love with him. I thought he was absolutely incredible in Les Miserables (2012)

                             

Tips for parents: 

• A father slapped his son on the face so hard that you could hear an audible "OH!!" from parents in the audience.
• No profanity.
• There is an element in the movie that teaches there is no right or wrong and that everything is ok.  That may bother some parents who teach their children that there IS a difference between right and wrong in this world.
• Lots of alcohol and drinking
• Violent bullying

Uplifting theme: 

• "The noblest art is that of making others happy." - P.T. Barnum
• Everyone of us is special and no one is like us.  That’s the point of my show.” – P. T. Barnum (Hugh Jackman)
• “No one ever made a difference by being like everyone else.” – P. T. Barnum
• “We can live in a world we design.”  - song lyric
• “A man’s station is limited only to his imagination.” – Jenny Lind (Rebecca Ferguson)
• “Make no apologies.  I am who I’m meant to be.” – song lyric
• Small-minded people vs. accepting others for who they are
• “Dream with your eyes wide open.” – song lyric

                                       

Things I liked:

• One critic said the 11 original songs are not even memorable.  I wholeheartedly disagree.  In fact, I'm completely obsessed with the soundtrack and have listened to it at least a dozen times already. The songs were fantastic and I can’t wait to watch the movie again.  This Is Me was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Song.  Keala Settle sings the triumphant anthem.  I’m so happy for her to make her film debut.  She plays the Beared Woman.  She is new to most of us, although she has been performing on Broadway for 30 years.  I think The Greatest Showman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is going to be very popular.
• The talented cast includes Zac Efron (He does a fantastic bar scene with Hugh Jackman), Michelle Williams (lovely solo), Rebecca Ferguson (she is truly stunning in this movie), and the popular pre-teen idol Zendaya.
• The dance numbers were joyful, infectious, and energizing.  Dance tutorials are already popping up on YouTube. 
• Some of the transitions were really clever.
• While the movie is a period piece, the songs sound more like today’s pop radio hits.  Critics claim that the songs should match the time, but audiences will love the songs because the lyrics are inspiring and the music feels relevant to today.  The  award-winning lyricists from La La Land wrote for this movie.  Critics fell all over themselves for La La Land, but I liked THE GREATEST SHOWMAN more.  
• It felt like a carefully crafted stage production, something that Barnum would have actually created. 
• I thought Rebecca Ferguson was amazing in the movie and looked gorgeous.  Then I learned that her singing voice wasn't hers, but actually Loren Allred's.  The song was beautiful.  It was actually written with Anne Hathaway in mind, but she didn't end up in the movie.

Things I didn’t like:

• The biggest complaint movie critics have is that the script is weak and clunky.  Again, I disagree.  I loved it all. 
• I would have liked learning more about some of the characters, like the Bearded Lady. It would have been a 3 hour movie to include back stories on some of the circus performers though!
• There are some basic historic facts that the movie got wrong, but it really didn't bother me.  In reality, P.T. Barnum was not a very nice guy and cared more about money than people.  He didn't have a romantic relationship with Jenny Lind.  She really did leave the tour early, but it was because she had been donating all of her earnings to charity and was getting tired of being on the road for so long.

Interesting lines:

• “People are fascinated with the exotic and the macabre.  That’s why we stare at it.”  - P.T. Barnum
• “You don’t need everyone to love you, Phin, just a few good people.” – Charity Barnum (Michelle Williams)
• “Men suffer from believing too little than too much.” – P. T. Barnum
• “Comfort is the enemy of progress.” – P.T. Barnum
• “Nothing draws a crowd quite like a crowd.” - P.T. Barnum
• “People come to my show for the pleasure of being hoodwinked.  Just once I’d like to give them something real.” – P.T. Barnum
• “When you’re careless with other people, it will bring ruin on yourself.” – Jenny Lind
• “I wanted to be more than I was.” – P. T. Barnum

Funny lines:

• “Don’t turn sensible on us now.” – Beared Lady (Keala Settle)
• "Real estate in Manhatten is a terrible investment." - P. T. Barnum   haha
• 
  

If you're obsessed with this movie, check out some of these must-have items:

           

                                                @trinaboice 

Logan's Rated R surprises superhero fans

Movie Title:   Logan

Grade:  B

Rating:   R, 135 minutes

In a Nutshell:  This is NOT your typical Marvel superhero movie.  For starters, it’s Rated R with tons of bloody violence, trampy girls, and an aging Wolverine wearing reading glasses.

It's the first Rated R movie to feature Wolverine and is a very dark, brutal movie.  It has some thoughtful reflection peppered in between the explosive action sequences.

One of the best things about seeing Logan in theaters is the Deadpool short right before the movie starts.  Hilarious.

Uplifting theme: 

•  Love, friendship, loyalty
•  Don't judge people. 

Things I liked:

• I love love love Hugh Jackman.  He can truly do it all.  I hated seeing him drunk and lost though.
• Patrick Stewart is awesome too.  I didn't like seeing him old and helpless though.
• Boyd Holbrook does a great job as the bad guy.
• I always get a kick out of Stephen Merchant, but the character he plays in this movie is nothing like you've ever seen him play before.  Kudos to him for having two movies in theaters right now!  (He plays his typical nerdy self in Table 19.)  
• It was funny to watch Wolverine read comics about himself.
•  Some of the characters watch the movie Shane.  It's one of my dad's favorite movies, so I noticed it!
• Logan's license plate said "wer112".  ha ha

Things I didn’t like:

·        Some Spanish without subtitles.

·       I didn’t like seeing Charles Xavier as a helpless old coot.

·       There’s lots of shaking and loud noises that make the mutants 
         go crazy, which is super annoying to sit through.

·       I didn’t enjoy watching a little girl be super violent.  Dafne 

         Keen did a great job though.

·       It's sad to see Wolverine tired, old, cranky, and mean.

*        I'm not an X-Men comic book junkie by any means, but there

          is a character that's not in the comic books.  It looks like the

          screenwriters just made it up.

Interesting lines:

• From the song in the movie: “I hurt myself today to see if I could still feel.  I focused on the pain, the only thing that’s real.”
• “You know, Logan, this is what life looks like: a home with people who love each other.  You should take a moment to feel it.” – Dr. Xavier
• "I always know who you are.  It's just sometimes I don't recognize you." - Dr. Xavier
• 
  
• Tips for parents: 

• Tons of profanity, including LOTS of F-bombs.
• TONS of bloody, gory, violent fighting.
• You might not want your children to see this gritty version of Wolverine.
• The theater near my house posted this warning to parents:  

@trinaboice 

Eddie the Eagle jumps to DVD

                                          AVAILABLE ON DVD June 14

               

Movie Title:      Eddie The Eagle  

Grade:   A

Rating: PG-13, 1 hour 45 minutes

In a Nutshell:    With big heart and a sense of humor, Eddie the Eagle has now landed on DVD.  If you missed it at the theater, now is your chance to watch this feel-good, underdog sports movie that will make you cry, laugh, and soar.

Just a few days before the 2002 Winter Olympics in SLC, Utah, I went to Park City to watch the pre-Olympic trials in men's ski jumping and freestyle aerial skiing.  It was one of the coolest things I have ever seen (pun intended).  So, raise your glass of milk to toast to a great film and a triumphant moment of human spirit.

Uplifting theme: 

• There is something truly special about those who have big dreams and believe in themselves.
• Don’t ever believe anyone who says you aren’t “Olympic material” or “college material” or any kind of material.  They don't know what you can really do.
• “A true Olympian is not just about a God-given skill set.  It’s about not ever giving up, no matter what.” – Warren Sharp
• “Doing your best is the only option, even if it results in failure.” – Warren Sharp
• “The important thing in the Olympic Games is not the winning, but the taking part.  The important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle.” – Pierre De Coubertin, Founder of the Olympic Games, 1896

Things I liked:

• Wow, what a lesson in tenacity and perseverance.  I give up way too easily.
• Eddie’s mother, played by Jo Hartley,  is so sweet and supportive.  I hope I'm that kind of mother.
• I love the glass stain on the tablecloth in the beginning of the movie in the shape of the Olympic rings. 
• The boys who play Eddie when he was younger are adorable and brothers in real life.  (Tom Costello, Jack Costello)
• You see a LOT of terrible and funny falls.  I truly admire anyone who is that determined.
• I love that Eddie doesn’t drink alcohol.  It’s refreshing to see a protagonist in movies nowadays who isn’t a wise-cracking, egotistical drunk.  I was sad when he succommed to peer pressure.
• I love Australian hunk Hugh Jackman.  He can do it all.  Did you know his character is actually fiction?  There was no Bronson Peary who coached Eddie.
• How did they film some of those jumping scenes?!  Green screens?  If so, they did a really great job.  It's all very believable.
• You get to see some of the old footage from the 1988 Calgary Olympics.
• The Olympic crowds loved him and movie audiences do too.  Of course, the movie is entirely predictable, but I still weeped tears of joy.
• I love that Eddie was able to be happy for other people’s accomplishments and not let those who beat him take joy away from his own personal triumphs.  We can all learn a lesson from his example.
• Christopher Walken plays a small role, but is great and has a powerful moment.
• You get to see some pictures of the real Michael "Eddie the Eagle" Edwards at the end of the movie.  Since the Olympics, he has gone on to compete and win in several celebrity British reality TV shows, still a fan favorite. Taron Egerton portrays him well in the film and even includes Eddie's famous under bite.

Things I didn’t like:

• It's very predictable and full of cliche's, but it still tugs at all of the right strings on your heart.
• There is a comparison between sex and ski jumping that is inappropriate for children.

Funny lines:

•  “It’s not like I’m taking up ballet.  It’s still skiing, just higher.” – Eddie
• “He’s going to break his neck!” – Jeanette Edwards

“Ah, I’M going to break his neck!” - Target Edwards

• “Any tips then?” – Eddie

“Don’t die.” – Bronson Peary 

Tips for parents:   

• There is some profanity, but not much.
• There is a scene with a bunch of naked men in a sauna.  They all have strategically-placed items so you don’t see any “naughty bits.”  It’s actually a funny scene.
• There is a When Harry Met Sally sex scene when Hugh Jackman makes sound effects and facial expressions that are inappropriate for children.
• Bo Derrick is mentioned quite a few times in the movie.  Kids won’t know who she is. She was a popular, sexy actress in the 80’s.  She is still beautiful today and makes occasional movie and TV appearances.

If you loved this heartwarming Olympic film, you'll also love:

         

X-Men: Apocalypse made just for fans

Movie Title:     X-Men Apocalypse

Grade:  B+

Rating:  PG-13, 2 hours 16 minutes

In a Nutshell:    Another super hero movie filled with destruction, violence, and supernatural forces that just might destroy the world.  Ho hum.  

This installment in the X-Men franchise is set in the 1980’s, occurring right after the story in X-Men: Days of FuturePast.  If you’re not a fan of the characters or missed that last movie, you won’t feel very invested in this one.

If you are an X-Men fan, you’ll enjoy this more than the average viewer, and get a kick out of learning more back story about your favorite super heroes.  There is a moment early in the film when a student talks about a movie she is going to see, but admits that it’s a 3^rd sequel, which everyone knows is not as good.  X-Men: Apocalypse both pokes fun at itself and takes itself too seriously.

 Uplifting theme: 

• Loyalty, friendship, family
• Good vs. evil

Things I liked:

• Stan Lee!  I love that Marvel includes him in every movie.  They even gave him a cameo performance in the TV series “Agents of Shield”!
• It was kind of hilarious when the all-powerful mutant Apocalypse (played by Oscar Isaac) starts watching TV.  When Storm (Alexandra Shipp) asks him what he’s doing, he mumbles “Learning.”
• Some of my favorite scenes in this and the last X-Men movie involve Quicksilver (Evan Peters). I love it  when he runs around, rearranging everyone to places of safety.  His character and moments provide most of the comic relief in the film.  He’s awesome, even if he lives in his mother’s basement.  Ha ha
• So many things get destroyed, so it was nice to see one of the mutants rebuild the school with his powers.
• Director Bryan Singer makes a cameo appearance in his own film and describes the moment as “poetic” in an interview with Empire.  He plays a security guard and gets to hug Wolverine in the scene.
• Keep watching the screen after the credits roll for a sneak peek! Audiences are teased with the potential of seeing Mr. Sinister and other cyborg villains.
• Jennifer Lawrence's nephew is a huge X-Men fan, although he tells her she isn't a "real" X-Men.  In an interview with Jimmy Fallin, Jennifer revealed that her nephew played her son in the last Hunger Games film.  When she told him about this X-Men Apocalypse movie, he asked "Do I HAVE to be in this one too?"  ha ha

Things I didn’t like:

• There are several languages spoken, requiring subtitles, which will make it difficult for young ones and slow readers to know what’s going on.
• This will be very dark to see on a computer screen once it comes out on DVD.
• 99% of the movie seemed like it was in front of a green screen.
• The fight scenes were not nearly as good compared to those in Captain America: Civil War.
• Psylocke (Olivia Munn) mostly stood around as a decoration.
• Don’t get me wrong here, I LOVE Hugh Jackman and am always happy to see him in any movie, but I thought it was odd that all of the actors were younger versions of their characters, except for Wolverine.  The good news is that Hugh Jackman has agreed to one more super hero feature in Wolverine 3, scheduled to hit the big screen March 3^rd, 2017.

Funny lines:

• “The CIA would kill for this!”  - Moira (Rose Byrne)
• “Why do you care so much?  Did you see a speech or something on TV?” – Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence)
• “Hold on!  What did I miss?” – Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee)

Interesting lines:

•  “Not all of us can control our powers.” – Cyclops (Tye Sheridan)

“Then don’t.  this is war.” – Mystique

• “The 4 horsemen.  He got that from the Bible” – young handsome guy

“Or the Bible got it from him.” – Moira

• “This world needs to be saved.” – Apocalypse 
• “Just because there isn’t a war doesn’t mean there is peace.” – Mystique
• “You got your war plane. Let’s go to war.” – Mystique
• “You will never win.”  - Dr. Charles Xavier

“And why is that?” –  Apocalypse

“Because you are alone.  Am I am not.” – Professor X
* "A gift can often be a curse." - Professor X

Tips for parents:   

• 1 F-bomb and some other profanity.
• LONG sequences of violence and destruction.
• Some characters and sequences might be too scary for young ones.
• One of the characters is a Holocaust survivor, so there is some discussion about tolerance and hatred.
• Most of the violence is bloodless, but in the beginning there is a body that is sliced and gory, as well as bodies that are on fire. Pretty icky.

PAN disappoints and bewilders

Movie:    Pan

Rating:  PG, 1 hour 51 minutes

Grade:   C-

In a Nutshell:    Maybe I’m weird, but I’ve never really liked Bobby Driscoll's story of Peter Pan .  I mean, a boy who refuses to grow up?  Don’t we already have enough of those in the world today?  Jealousy among Tinkerbell, Wendy, and the mermaids?...yep, we have enough caddy women in the world too.

And did we really need ANOTHER version of this movie?  This film, however, offers a new backstory that fleshes out the story and provides greater depth to the character motivation as a type of prequel.  Is it worth the retelling?  Meh.

Uplifting Theme:

·         “Sometimes to truly understand how things end, we must understand how they begin.”  - narrator 

       Hope, friendship

         

Things I liked:

·         Levi Miller, who plays Peter Pan,  is absolutely adorable.  Unfortunately, his pacing makes it look like he was told to constantly hurry up!

·         Hugh Jackman as Blackbeard is awesome.  He can do it all.

·         It’s very colorful and imaginative with lots of CGI action for kids.

·         Wow, Amanda Seyfried is playing a mother’s role already?  She is always beautiful and welcome in any role.

·         There is a surprising amount of music. 

·         Cara Delevingne is a beautiful mermaid.  You’ve seen her recently in the mopey teenage angst-ridden Paper Towns , which I hated.  Read my movie review of Paper Towns here.

·         Rooney Mara is a strange casting choice for Tiger Lily, but she's already winning awards for her role in "Carol".

·         There is a decent amount of subtle humor.  More please.

Things I didn’t like:

·         There were some odd religious undertones that I didn’t like.  For example, it was so cliché to have the nuns in the orphanage be cruel, but the surprising parts were the lines that Captain Hook spoke that made him out to be an evil Savior, quoting things like “Come unto me”.

·         It kind of felt like Mad Max in the sky....lots of crazy people and stuff constantly flying around.

·         Garrett Hedlund turns Hook into a kind of Indiana Jones douche bag.  His accent is super annoying.

·         The story line is messy, all over the place, and rushed.
-     Every shot looks manufactured and artificial.
-     Everyone starts singing Nivarna's "Everyone's Got Teen Spirit" for no apparent reason.  What the?

Interesting lines:

·         Are brave, Peter?”  - Blackbeard

“Trying to be.” – Peter

“Are you scared?” – Blackbeard

“Yes.”  - Peter

·         “Have you come to kill me?” – Blackbeard

“I don’t believe in bedtime stories.” – Peter

·         “I lie sometimes.  It’s called being a grown-up.”  - Hook     (What a terrible thing to say.)

Tips for Parents:

·          Little kids won't mind all the nonsense.  Purists of the original Disney version might hate it.
-      Lots of fighting, but nothing too scary.

Want to see other versions of this story?

Night at the Museum nods a fond farewell to fans, Robin Williams, and Mickey Rooney

Movie:  Night at the Museum 3

PG, 1 hour 30 minutes

Grade: B

In a Nutshell:  If you’re a fan of this edutainment franchise, you’ll enjoy seeing some of your favorite characters again, as well as meeting a few new ones, including a Neanderthal that looks like Larry Daley (Ben Stiller)  and Sir Lancelot (Dan Stevens from Downton Abbey Season 1-3 ).  We get to visit the famous British Museum while slapsticking our way through calculated goofy moments and funny lines.

The door is always open for another sequel, but it also feels like the dust may settle on this one as an appropriate and fond farewell.  There are a few touching moments and enough humorous ones to keep the entire family entertained.

Uplifting Theme:

·         Be careful or the magic might die.  (Is that a lesson that the new writers learned while writing this?)

   *  Family is who you surround yourself with.

   *  Enjoy every moment of life.

·          

Things I liked:

·         It was wonderful seeing Robin Williams as Teddy Roosevelt again.  We miss you.  Before the credits rolled at the end, the screen displayed the words “In loving memory of Mickey Rooney and Robin Williams.  Magic never dies.”  Sweet.

·         I also loved seeing Dick Van Dyke.  He’s still got moves!

·         Hugh Jackman makes a cameo performance, playing himself.  Ben Stiller's character runs past him and says “I just want to say, you’re the whole package.”

·         The star constellation performance was super cool.   "Of course they're special effects!  How could they not be special effects?"   (Dr. McPhee)

·         Capuchin on silks.  Ha ha

·         I thought the research librarian was hilarious.   “Oo la la.”

·         Great aerial views of London.  I’m going there next June with the fam!

·         Ricky Gervais does a great job playing the quirky Dr. McPhee.  The comedic timing during his awkward moments scene with Larry was fantastic.

·         Nick Daley is almost all grown up now. Skyler Gisondo has natural talent.  You might have seen him in The Amazing Spider-Man ; The Amazing Spider-Man 2 , as well asHalloween .  I'd like to see more of him.

  .    Rebel Wilson as Tilly the British Museum security guard was hilarious and should have been used more.

·          

Things I didn’t like:

·         Jedediah (Owen Wilson) and Octavius (Steve Coogan) don’t have the same magical spark they did in the first installment of this trilogy, but they were still cute.

      I would have liked to see more exhibits and characters in the British museum come to life.  There were so many more ways the movie could have poked fun at our beloved Britts.

·          

Funny lines:

·         “Who would have ever thought…I’m wax and she’s polyurethane, but it works.” – Teddy Roosevelt

·         “Summon the apparatus!” – Octavius

·         “I don’t know what’s come over me, but I like it.” – Jedediah

·         “You’ll rue the day you mocked us with your hypnotic blue eyes.” – Octavius

·         “Keep the scrunchies.”  - Tilly

·         “You can’t catch light.  It’s as evasive as human happiness.”  - Jedediah as he watches YouTube videos of kittens chase a flashlight.

·         “My boyfriend says he doesn’t like the way I do my hair.  He says it looks like a golden poo.” – Tilly

·         “With their size, they’ll bake like tiny, little scarabs in the Egyptian desert.  Too dark?” –  Rami Malek

Interesting things:

·         The investor guy with glasses in the beginning of the movie looked like the bad guy in Indiana Jones' Raiders of the Lost Ark. He says “I can’t help but feeling we’re making a terrible mistake.”   The Indiana Jones character in this movie then says “We’re not making a mistake; we’re making history.”

·         You don’t need to stay until the end of the credits.  There are a few clips of the crew dancing, but nothing else shows once the credits begin rolling.

·          

Tips for Parents:

·         Octavius makes several odd homosexual innuendos about Sir Lancelot.

In case you missed the first 2 installments, check them out here for cheap!

X-Men Days of Future Past gets thumbs up from fans

Movie Title:  X-Men: Days of Future Past

PG-13, 2 hours 11 minutes

 Grade:  B+

 

In a Nutshell:  Some are saying this new edition of the beloved X-Men franchise is the best one yet.   Some of the popular Marvel characters make sacrifices to protect their future by going back in the past.  Young Charles yells “I don’t want your suffering!  I don’t want your future!” but learns that pain and experience bring wisdom.

 

The story jumps from past and future, which could confuse newbies who haven’t seen prior X-Men movies.   Some of the character development will also be lost on those who are unfamiliar with their growth throughout the movie installments.   Otherwise, expect lots of cool special effects and fight scenes.  With a little bit of a The Matrix feel to it, fans will enjoy the journey through a perilous timeline.

 

Uplifting theme: 

 

• “Can we evolve fast enough to change ourselves?  Change our fate?”
• “Just because someone stumbles, loses their way doesn’t mean they’re lost forever.  Sometimes we all need a little help” explains Charles Xavier, illuminating the need for hope in our lives.
• “Pain will make you stronger” says Charles Xavier to his younger self.  “It’s our greatest gift: to bear their pain without breaking, and it’s born from the most human part…hope.”  I’m a sucker for movies about hope.
• Even heroes need to be saved sometimes.

 

Things I liked:

• The X-Men franchise hit a gold mine when they cast Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine.  He is so ridiculously talented that he has never been stuck in type-cast mode, but continually pumps out successful movies in a variety of genres.
• James McAvoy does a fantastic job portraying a young Charles Xavier and Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique/Raven wows, as always.  She speaks Vietnamese and offers some fancy fight moves to scenes that might otherwise just provide flying bullets.   That’s a brave actress who is willing to wear the skin-tight blue suit of Raven.
• I’d love to have one of those cool portal bomb things that allows you to instantly pop in and out of locations.  Imagine how much I could get done!
• I cracked up when I saw the guy duct-taped to the wall.
• I loved the “Time in a Bottle” slow-motion scene, featuring QuickSilver, the film’s introduction to a witty mutant who can move so fast that time seems to slow down.  This scene sequence is the funniest in the entire movie.  The faster my kids grow up, the more often I wish I had the mutant power of slowing down time.
• How would you like to have that one mutant’s power to make people start throwing up instantly?  (About 22 minutes into the film.)
• Directors Bryan singer and Matthew Vaughn create a look that feels like you’re back in the 1970’s with kitchy gags and an old news reel atmosphere.  There is some interesting commentary about the Vietnam War and even a glance at Nixon recording tapes during a meeting.  (Mark Camacho does a terrific job as President Nixon.) 
• Logan travels to the 1970s and wakes up in a waterbed and, of course, slices it accidentally with his claws.  Haha  I grew up on a waterbed and often worried I’d pop it.
• I got a kick out of the short Star Trek clip of Captain Kirk saying “We’re going back in time.”
• Peter Dinklage does a great job as Bolivar Trask.  Way to rock the 70’s ‘stache.
• Marvel fans will appreciate the meaty motivations beneath the action sequences.

Things I didn’t like:

• Some of the graphics and fight scenes happen so fast you can’t appreciate everything on the screen.
• Some of the film’s most profound lines are uttered in a whisper so that you have to really strain to appreciate them.
• I feel bad that an actress as talented as Halle Berry has to play a mutant whose power isn’t very exciting and who doesn’t get much screen time.

Interesting lines:

• “You and I are going to be good friends.  (Punch in face)  You just don’t know it yet.”  - Wolverine to Hank McCoy/Beast
• “Get off the bloody chandelier, Hank.” – Young Charles Xavier to Beast
• “You built these weapons to destroy us.  Why?  Because you’re afraid of our gifts.  We are different.  Humanity has always feared that which is different.” – Erik Lensherr/Magneto
• “Countless choices define our fate.  Each choice, each moment, a ripple in the river of time.  Enough ripples and you change the tide, for the future is never truly set.”  - Charles Xavier
• Bishop says “You can’t stop that many.”  “No, but we can slow them down” replies Storm.
• Charles Xavier says “Tell whoever it is that sent you that I’m busy.”  Logan reveals “The person who sent me was you.”

Tips for parents: 

*  Hugh Jackman fans will be treated to a full rear view of a naked Logan.  Parents, be warned.  There is not very much profanity, but a lot of violence and fight scenes.  Young children won’t be able to follow the story line, but will enjoy the action and cool special effects.

 

If you've never seen an X-Men movie, you've got a lot of catching up to do!  Here's a start: