'X-Men: Days of Future Past' Trailer Review

If you're not quite sure who or what the X-Men are, leave this post now, and rent the movie.

Following the events in 2013's 'The Wolverine' and 'X-Men: First Class', characters from the original 'X-Men' film trilogy are reunited with their younger selves to fight a war for the survival of the mutant species across two time periods. A battle that must change the past, to save their future.

Reasons to consider seeing it:

1. New X-Men are recruited! (You just might see some familiar faces)
   • Evan Peters, as some might recognize him in 'American Horror Story', joined the cast as Quicksilver. He's plays a mutant that can (you guessed it) run, talk and does everything with supersonic speed.

   

   In the center is newcomer, Evan Peters as Quicksilver. On the left, Michael Fassbender as Magneto (past), on the right, James McAvoy as Charles Xavier (past)

   • Fan Bingbing appears as Blink, a mutant that can teleport. Keep an eye out for this Chinese actress. She's definitely going to be kicking some major telepathic butt in this film.

     

     Bingbing as Blink

   
   
2. Your old favorites are back!
   • Kitty Pryde, Kitty Pryde, all hail Kitty Pryde! This mutant can go through solid objects and her power allows time travel to happen. She is definitely a key aspect in the film.

     

     Ellen Page returns as Kitty Pryde (left), and on the (right) is new X-Men recruit Bishop

   • Shawn Ashmore as Bobby Drake aka Iceman returns. Let's hope to see some rekindled romance with Rogue... or Kitty Pryde. 

     

     Iceman returns with a new look?
     
     
     
     

     Although Halle Berry was pregnant during filming, she still manages to pull off a good Storm. She brings back her silver hair and she's ready to go! 

     

     3. Plenty of Man Candy! 

Let's not forget the very hunky Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy (who sports a longer 'do in the film), Nicholas Hoult, Shawn Ashmore and many more are BACK! I'm expecting at least one shirtless Michael Fassbender in this movie.

     4. The new villain is not "new"

• Mutant hunting robots, the Sentinels! These deadly robots are out to destroy the mutant race. Fun Fact: these things were the villain in the 'X-Men' trilogy but they were never shown clearly.
• Bolivar Trask, head of Trask Industries is portrayed by Peter Dinklage. The creator of the Sentinels has appeared in 'X-Men: The Last Stand' and was mentioned in 'The Wolverine'.

  

  Peter Dinklage as the villain Bolivar Trask

Excited to see 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' now?

COMES OUT MAY 23, 2014

My 'Divergent' Experience!

If you haven't read my last post, I reviewed the movie 'Divergent'. However, I saw it a little earlier than most people.

I found out a week before, about the 'Divergent' press tour in Chicago. I tried to get tickets, but it was already sold out. Although it was sold out, I fortunately discovered that the red carpet part of the event was FREE. I asked a friend of mine if he wanted to go, but two days before the actual event, he tore something in his ankle. Long story short, I had to ask my sister to tag along with me.

The day of the event, Ansel Elgort (who plays Caleb Prior in the movie) tweeted that he was going to give away two tickets to the movie screening if [people who didn't have tickets] made a sign that read, 'I am Factionless! Need tickets!'. Well, I read that tweet while I was in school and made a sign during my French class.

This is the sign. I put a picture of Ansel on it at the last minute.

I was at the movie theater and my sister and I waited for three and a half hours until it actually started. Ansel Elgort walked out and finally gave out the tickets... to the girl standing next to me. I felt so bad, but then, HE CAME BACK! He gave away 2 more tickets... to the girl BEHIND me. At this point, I had given up. It wasn't until my sister excused herself to get food when he returned to the "Factionless" area when he looked me directly in the eyes and asked, "How many do you need?". I was so frantic and happy and yelled, "Two please!". After he reached over to hand me the tickets, I freaked out and ran to find my sister.

The two tickets Ansel gave me

After finding my sister, I went onto the lower floor (I was on a balcony) and tried to get closer to the other actors. As Ansel took a picture with some people who made him a cookie cake (yes, I was right behind them), I asked him if I could get a picture with him and he said, looking at my digital camera, "Don't know how we're gonna do this, buuuut" and shrunk down a bit and held my camera out to take a picture of us.

Not the best picture, since there's a bunch of people photobombing it (haha the blue haired girl)

So basically before this time and afterwards, I got everyone's autograph, except for Ansel's, but it's okay (I mean, look at that picture). My sister and I got to watch the movie and well, you'll have to read my review to see what I thought of it.

'Divergent' Movie Review (SPOILER FREE!)

So, let's just say Ansel Elgort (himself!) gave me two movie tickets  to see the Chicago premiere of 'Divergent' at the press tour...

As I sat in the large theater amongst other 'Divergent' fans, I remember being filled with a myriad of emotions: Eagerness, Excitement, Happiness, Tiredness, Hungry-ness? That entire night, I went 10 hours without food. Not a good idea.

'Divergent', as many know, is the movie adaption of the first installment in the dystopian book trilogy. It sets place in the city of Chicago in the future (post-apocalypse?). Chicago is divided into 5 factions: Abnegation, the selfless; Amity, the peaceful; Candor, the honest; Dauntless, the brave; and Erudite, the intelligent. As every teenager turns 16 years old, they are faced to go through an aptitude test that tells them what faction they’re suited to be in. It's up to them to choose whether or not they want to stay with their family or transfer to a different faction. Beatrice Prior (Shailene Woodley) discovers that her aptitude test is inconclusive, which makes her “Divergent”, meaning that she fits into more than one faction. As she faces her predicament, she learns of the corrupted faction system and the sinister plans regarding her identity.

‘Divergent’ was a very good movie. I try to use my words carefully, because in many ways, the movie was lacking. As someone who has read the book, many, many times, I must say there were some expectations that I had, but were not met in the film. Overall, the acting and the creative soundtrack tied the movie together perfectly... and I’m all about movie soundtracks. Shailene Woodley, who is known for her “decent” role as a pregnant teenager in ABC Family’s ‘Secret Life of an American Teenager’, definitely shows off her skills as an actress in the movie. She’s relatable and displays what a true feminist is, and I applaud her for that. Many people have even asked me about Four (Theo James). As he might be handsome and talented, Theo portrays Four very well. Although, I wish I would have seen more character development or more scenes with him in it. Even though in the first book he IS kind of absent. Another character people have asked me about was Peter (Miles Teller). Yes, Miles played Peter to justice. What I like so much about Teller’s portrayal of him, is that he made me want to punch Peter (of course), but at the same time, laugh WITH him. I never knew how sarcastic Peter could be until I saw the movie.

CH-CH-CHANGES. I swear, the one thing that bothered me the most was the ending. I have to confess, it was not what I expected at all. It was quick and inaccurate (according to the book). Without giving too much away, I must say, they pulled a “Hunger Games”, and did something completely different from the novel. Although that was the movie’s “major” change, I hope that the sequel ‘Insurgent’ will make up for it.

It was a great movie and overall, a great experience. The day I saw it (March 4^th!), was literally the best day ever for me. I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys the books and sci-fi/action movies. I went with my older sister who never read the books or heard of the cast, and she enjoyed it very much. If you’re worried about the differences between the book and the movie trust me, you’ll get over it and you’ll learn to deal with it. Because there’ll be 3 more movies…

I give this movie 4 ‘Four’’s out of 5