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Reviews
X-Men (2000)
The best movie you will see this year
The X-men is a movie that will please both Comic readers and contemporary audiences alike. At first i had my doubts like the millions of other fans worldwide, over things that have been discussed over and again [The dark costumes being the major player in this]. This, quite simply is probably down to the fact that most people not too fondly remember Batman and Robin [1997], and dont want to see a similar movie. Well, if you havent seen the X-men yet, i can tell you to rest assured this movie topples the entire Batman franchise tenfold. I went to see the movie at a special preview 17/8/00, and as soon as i entered the cinema i knew the movie was going to be a hit. We had previously been refused access to a different cinema because it had sold out on X-men tickets. We got the last two at this cinema and it was a huge relief. As i looked around i saw what i believed to be a non X-men audience. Normal people wanting a slice of something different, and i didn't see one disappointed sole. Everyone loved it. Cheered the heroes and booed the villains. At the end everyone stood up and applauded, and i felt proud. At last a Comic Book movie had delivered, at last i was satisfied. The whole thing looks slick and fantastic. Special Effects can sometimes swamp a movie, but these endeared it. The SFX were eye popping from the word Go, and the whole cinema was thrilled. In the three main characters in Professor X, Magneto and Wolverine, we are treated to spot on characterization and acting. Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan were relishing there chances and done superbly. Hugh Jackman, well, after seeing him i couldn't imagine anyone else in the role. Surely a good candidate for the role of James Bond when Pierce Brosnan hand up his holsten? Jackman IS Wolverine. Everything from his caring for Rogue [excellently played by Anna Paquin] to his at odds nature with Cyclops, Marvel Girl and Storm [again a top notch cast] is how the comics make it fell. Bryan Singer gets it right with his direction. And the Music was wonderfull too. In Michael Kamen there is surely one of the most under-rated American composers. O.K. there isnt a theme tune but were is the need for one with all the special effects, good acting and marvellous action? Mr Kamen does well and deserves special praise. So go see this, you will LOVE it. Before this, i used to think wouldn't it have been great to have seen Star Wars when it first came out? It must have been special. Well now i know what it was like because i have seen X-men.
King Solomon's Mines (1985)
A campier take on the Indiana Jones Movies
This movie will forever be dogged by the shadow of elder brother Raiders of The Lost Ark, when in actual fact the movie far more resembles that movies little brother, Temple of Doom. Now O.K., this is typical Cannon material. A blatant attempt to imitate more succesful efforts, and if sometimes in this movie anyway, things dont come off as intended the movie will LOOK bad. However, when all is said and done this is one of the better Cannon movies. Richard Chamberlain is simply wonderful as an Adam West-Alike Quatermain. Oblivious to the world around him. Sharon Stone too does well, with what silly dialogue she is given, and the rest of the cast [ John Rhys Davies etc ] take things seriously, which helps the film. The one thing that does let the movie down is the direction. Which is a carbon copy of the Indiana Jones movies. Maybe Cannon encouraged this, but J. Lee Thompson is in all honesty an uninspired director,. Maybe a younger director would have spurned the chance to out Spielberg Steven, and we might have had a better movie. Jerry Goldsmith's Theme is also badly under-rated but adds to the excitement, and enjoyment. When watching this movie dont take too seriously and sit back and enjoy a campy, Batmanesque movie.