Movie Night: X-Men: First Class.

Review #042: X-Men: First Class.

Cast
James McAvoy (Charles Xavier), Michael Fassbender (Erik Lehnsharr), Kevin Bacon (Sebastian Shaw), Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique), January Jones (Emma Frost), Rose Byrne (Moira MacTaggert), and Nicholas Hoult (Hank McCoy) Directed by Matthew Vaughn.

Review
EDIT: I've edited this to remove this segment that is in retrospect, stupid to have added: "If you don't read the comics, then the film causes continuity issues for non readers (X-Men 3: The Last Stand's opening sequence in general with Xavier standing 20 years ago when he is paralyzed here in the 1960's)", especially given how the next X-Men film dealt with continuity. 

One notable thing is that the movie is directed by the guy who was supposed to direct X-Men: The Last Stand before departing. Now he has his chance here to make a good movie. Which he did. The cast did their best to be like their adult versions, and the action is good. One is that the film spends way too long on developing and training these guys. I mean, it's development, but it's so long. Another thing to add is that some of the characters are focused on when we know they don't matter to the plot, slowing the film a little bit more. It manages to be a good way to revamp the franchise in terms of quality and history, which is nice.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Thor.

Review #041: Thor.

Cast
Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Natalie Portman (Jane Foster), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Anthony Hopkins (Odin), Stellan Skarsgård (Erik Selvig), Kat Dennings (Darcy Lewis), Clark Gregg (Agent Coulson), Colm Feore (King Laufey), Idris Elba (Heimdall), Ray Stevenson (Volstagg), Tadanobu Asano (Hogun), Josh Dallas (Fandral), Jaimie Alexander (Sif), and Rene Russo (Frigga) Directed by Kenneth Branagh.

Review
Greetings fellow viewer who clicked the link from the review of Thor: Ragnarok (2017) or simply wanted to see an old review. To provide some context, I have written a small piece of memories from this film, having seen it when I was 14.

In retrospect, I will say that Thor (2011) is a decent film, but it definitely pales a bit when compared to Iron Man or the film that followed this one, Captain America: The First Avenger. That's not to say that this is a mediocre movie, but it definitely has its issues, such as some of its human characters along with taking a bit of time to really get going. Hemsworth does a capable job, however, and Hiddleston and Hopkins are also fairly good standouts in a movie that has some dazzle in what proves to be fair entertainment.

The film is a exciting film that won't put you to sleep, as the film has action that is done well. The acting is good, especially from Hemsworth. The only flaw I find is that the film takes a little time to go, especially after Thor is banished to Earth. In a way, this is the penultimate film before The Avengers (The final being Captain America - #060).

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Batman (1989)

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Review #040: Batman.

Cast
Michael Keaton (Batman/Bruce Wayne), Jack Nicholson (The Joker), Kim Basinger (Vicki Vale), Michael Gough (Alfred Pennyworth), Tracey Walter (Henchmen Bob), Robert Wuhl (Alexander Knox), Jack Palance (Carl Grissom), and Billy Dee Williams (Harvey Dent) Directed by Tim Burton.

Review
Prologue: So I was searching for something to watch, when I heard the Batman theme done by Danny Elfman, which signaled that this movie was starting. I immediately turned it to AMC, as I wanted to see how it was...
Long story short, I liked it. Jack Nicholson as the Joker was great. He steals the show as he's crazy and surprisingly funny. Keaton is a great Batman who doesn't need a sore throat infection to be threatening. Basinger is okay, even if she really isn't developed. I liked it's scenery and its action. The Batmobile looks really great, better then the Tumbler in the new one, which looks like...A tank that was dipped with oddities. There were a few things that I noticed that sound off. For one, Jack Napier (Joker) kills Bruce's parents, instead of Joe Chill. Why I know that is unclear, but I suppose even someone as uneducated on comic books like me can know a thing or two about this stuff. Another is more of a minor thing, but the bat wing scene where Batman misses the Joker wide, even though he's clearly right in front of him, and then the Joker brings a long gun and shoots him in one shot. But anyway, the film is stylish, it has good acting from the cast, and it's a good film, that would inspire three sequels not as good as the first, and a reboot trilogy (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises), with this still being a good candidate for best Batman movie.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.