X2

X2; Sequel knows key to X-Men success lies in Wolverine, and maintains focus on him and his backstory, while offering up some new mutants that explode off the screen. Some excellent set pieces and character combinations make for poignant dialogue exchanges filled w/allegory. Storm still sucks; B+

X-Men

X-Men; Great start to the film series, giving us a sense of the characters and their motivations, while keeping the moral allegories intact and underlying throughout. Centres on Wolverine, which is understandable given he’s always been the most popular mutant and Jackman doesn’t disappoint; B+

Charlie's Angels

Charlie’s Angels; Trio of talented actors make a fun, fight fueled action flick that shines on account of their personalities. Without the franchise baggage, this combination of script, style, actors and action could create its own franchise. Loved every minute of it; B+

The Kid Who Would Be King

The Kid Who Would Be King; Family film made in a way not often seen anymore. Earnest, in certain elements, w/love for the lore in its storytelling. Visual effects on a budget level that serve its purpose. Easy choice for children not quite teens, ready for a more mature movie; B

Logan

Logan; Brutal. Real. Jackman's fitting end. Stewart elevates it all. Raw. Violent. Earns the R rating and our emotional response. Dour; B+

X-Men: Days of Future Past

X-Men: Days of Future Past; New mutants to franchise provide thrills while old mutants offer dramatic weight. Expertly paced & crafted; A-

Conspiracy Theory

Directed by:  Richard Donner
Starring:  Mel Gibson, Julia Roberts, Patrick Stewart, Cylk Cozart
Running Time:  2h 15min

Gibson gives a solid performance as the nut job who finds himself involved in a real conspiracy.  Right from the start he has the audience and unfortunately things fall out of his hands and the audience is forced to endure way too much.  As the film grows in length so too does the need to seriously suspend disbelief or else give up hope on the film.  Roberts and Stewart are fine in their roles but the film drags and the extremely obvious attempts at humour come off lame.  It's as if the writer had stored up some jokes he thought were funny and decided to drop them in the script periodically, just to destroy all packing and timing.  This film could have gone somewhere, and almost did, but it eventually bent to Hollywood chase scenes and romance.

Grade: C