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Getting Ready for The X-Men
PedroReish writes "Here's the first review
of X-Men: The Movie, oddly
enough it's from Daily Radar. While
you're at it, have a peek at Senator Kelly's "Stop
the X-Men" commercial
(sorry, it's Quicktime) over at Mutant Watch.If you can't
get enough, browse over to Salon, they've
got a piece on The
queer world of the X-Men and a nice bio
on Stan Lee, father of the X-Men and some of Marvel's better superheroes.
" This is the movie I've been waiting for this summer. I can't wait for friday!
I have found that it is quite amusing to submit teachers (high school) to Mutant Watch and report symptoms that are in line with their appearance and personality. Specifically, "You feel a higher aura around them" and the like. And use fake email addresses.
Unfortunately, detentions are not amusing.
Attention all planets of the Solar Federation! We have assumed control! - Neil Peart
I'm going to stop reading reviews. Personally, I don't care if the X-Men represent any group (Gay, Black, Jew, etc.) Whatever happened to just sitting down in a theatre, getting involved in the story line?
I read the X-Men for years way back when (Rogue and Dazzler were fighting). In any case, I'm starting to think we overanalyze a lot of things. I'm glad to see that X-Men looks like it won't be another Batman-sequel-type movie, but who cares if they parallel with minority groups? That's not what I'm going there for!
I want to hear the *SNIK* (or whatever the sound was) of Wolverine's claws coming out. I want to see Rogue kiss somebody and steal their powers. I want the witty chatter and excellent writing that drew me to the X-Men in the '80s.
(end rant)
Okay, now that I've got that out of my system... the movie looks GREAT. I've only watched one trailer and only seen one of the commercials... I'm trying to limit my exposure so I don't ruin it for myself!!
*sigh*
(here I go, defending someone I don't really agree with)
Invoking Adolf Hitler anytime someone mentions the possibility of the species improving itself is intellectually bankrupt and foolish.
Evolution is about changing the species, adapting it to be better suited for survival under particular conditions and, contrary to popular myth (insert Kansas State High School curriculum here), evolution does occur over time, even to homo sapiens. Assuming we don't go extinct, someday the dreaded (and tabu to mention) homo superior will emerge. What would you rather have, complete stagnation of the species until the sun bloats red and consumes the earth?
Intelligence is one of the defining survival traits of humanity -- it is the one thing that allows an otherwise weak, poorly adapted tree-hanger ascendency over the rest of the animal kingdom and the planet (at least until the very ecosystem that sustains us collapses, taking us with it). It is arguably our most critical survival trait as a species.
Are we wise enough to direct our own evolution? The verdict is in and the jury has rendered its emotional, intellectually void decision in a thoughtless, knee-jerk reaction to the horrors of world war II and genocidal maniacs like Hitler. As with most irrational and emotional verdicts, the answer arrived at has no greater likelihood of being correct than if one were to simply flip a coin for the answer.
The truth is we are already directing our evolution, and will do so even more so in the future. Those with characteristics that give them decisive advantages over others could be termed "homo superior." Not the most politically correct terminology, perhaps, but certainly not a call to genocide as your snippity reply implies.
Human eugenics is a tabu subject because of perceived historical abuses (which actually had nothing to do with eugenics, other than using the concept as a propoganda point to promote very non-eugenic actions, eg crimes against humanity and genocide). What we forget is, making something tabu to discuss doesn't mean it doesn't exist, it simply means we have our head in the sand while other societal and natural forces replace conscious human direction.
Is this preferable? Perhaps. Certainly natural forces should be tampered with only with a great deal of caution (if at all). But what about societal forces, which are defined by our culture and economic system, and are therefor inherently artificial to begin with? As an example, economic disincentives in the United States lead many of the most intelligent and most prosperous people to have the fewest children (many having none at all), while at the same time our welfare programs provide monetary incentives for those unable to support their own children to have even more.
Whether or not you personally agree with the outcome, there is clearly an artificial form of eugenic breeding taken place, as undirected and unplanned as it may be.
Perhaps our inability to even ponder these notions has resulted in the opposite: our actively breeding "homo idiotus." The self-acclaimed geek you responded to may achieve the advantages s/he would have had had s/he become "homo superior," simply by remaining "homo sapiens" in a world populated by humans of ever decreasing intelligence.
The conspiracy theorists might go so far as to argue that some dark, evil government/business powerbase is deliberately breeding a slow, dimwitted, slave consumer class. I suspect, however, we are achieving that result more by accident, as a direct result of our unwillingness to discuss and cope with fundamental issues of human biology, breeding, and the social, political, and economic incentives we have built (consciously or otherwise) to encourage particular traits.
The Future of Human Evolution: Autonomy
Don't worry - no spoilers here.
It totally rocked!!!!!!!!!
I too had the good fortune to see a preview last night. And I too say - "it rocked!!!!!"
(for the Star Wars geeks - Anthony "C3P0" Daniels was at the screening I went to (at Fox Studios in Sydney))
The actor which plays Logan/Wolverine must have REALLY read the comics. He had the character down to a tee.
Nope! I read an interview with Hugh Jackman a couple of days ago, he said he'd never even heard of the comic until he heard the role was up for auditions! But damn, was he good! He looked absolutely perfect, and played the role just right, I reckon (taking into account that this was a less experienced Wolvie, not the veteran "I'm the best at what I do" Wolvie).
The special effects had me wanting more and more.
Damn right! Magneto and Storm's powers - all I can say is "WOW!!". That alone made me glad they decided to focus on a smaller group of X-Men, and do it right, rather than trying to hurl a dozen or so of them into battle.
So yeah, all you "can't wait until Friday!" folks - get set! I think you'll love it!!
I just don't understand the point.
I mean, computing was exciting when the personal computer revolution broke out (see Pirates of Silicon Valey), and the Mac was revolutionary (see that famous commercial), but a whole movie about X11 developers?
Where's the drama, getting 600x800 on a new card, making anti-aliasing work? I guess I'm just not geek enough to appreciate this.
George
If that's the case, I've just got one simple phrase to remind you of:
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Haven't you people gotten burned by these films more than enough times?
PHroD is one of the first martyrs of the Karma Whore-turned-Troll revolution currently overtaking Slashdot. He has forever earned a place in Troll History. He will be remembered long after slashdot has become just another corporate bought-out exercise in targeted marketing and banner ad revenue (Smell that? That's called *irony* kids!).
Moderators willing, Shoeboy (my young apprentice) and I are next.
Viva La Hot Grits!
Save the whales. Feed the hungry. Free the mallocs.
I always think it's kind of funny when I see an article like this. Just a couple of weeks ago, CmdrTaco was whining that "don't bother submitting Quicktime - I can't watch it so I won't post it!". Two weeks later, he posts another quicktime link. I'm not trying to troll or start a huge debate here. I just think it's funny.
One caveat about the salon.com article, however. The X-Men have always been about prejudice and living in a world that "hates and fears" you for being different. This has long had an appeal for teens and young adults who have felt like they were out of the mainstream for any reason, but the article seems to suggest that it's intended specifically as a parallel for Jews, or blacks, or homosexuals. It's not. It's a parallel for all of them, plus the geeks, nerds, wiccans, Arab-Americans, you name it -- not one or two specific groups. If you've ever felt like people didn't want "people like you" around, for any reason, then you can relate.
"... That probably would have sounded more commanding if I wasn't wearing my yummy sushi pajamas..."
-Buffy Summers
Goodbye Iowa
I give hime a week.
Hmmm... replace "Mutant" with "Drug User", and you pretty much have the drug war.
Or Replace "Mutant" with "Homosexual"
Or for "Violent Video Gamer"
This movie is shaping up to be a large socio-political statement. I hope that people can see the insanity in the movie and apply it to real life.
Look at this list of warning signs that your child may be a mutant. They seem to mirror the warning signs that your child may be using drugs, depressed, violent, whatever...
I am always amazed at the deep social commentary that is intentionally placed into art that most people overlook. What better way to raise awareness on how we treat our kids than in a comic-book styled movie? Seems harmless enough, but the messages are there, just slightly hidden.
... hi bingo
I think it is a safe bet that sometime next week Jon Katz will be writing another "Hellmouth" type story where he tells us that the X-Men mutants are really computer geeks.
Information wants to be anthropomorphized.
i hope they didnt try and add some fun, child friendly charachter that walks around and talked gibberish.
maybe they will make wolverine talk in baby talk or something... please, PLEASE dont mess this up
-thinkpol
That Salon article really nailed it. However the point is not so much that the X-men were designed to appeal queers, or racial minorities, it's that they appealed to everyone who didn't fit in. Everyone who felt mainstream society didn't approve of who they are.
This is great from a marketing perspective. We can all grasp on to our own alienation (whatever the reasons) and feel close to the X-men. Then, we can imagine ourselves with super cool mutant powers =D How can you beat that?
I wonder if the movie managed to capture this sense. I haven't seen it yet, I hope it appeals to geeks and queers.
On a last note....I still wonder what happened to Cypher of X-Factor. I stopped reading shortly after he died. For those who don't remember, Cypher's mutant power was the ability to speak any language. This included the ability to communicate very well with computers. He died, but there was always a hint that he might be resurrected, through the alien man-machine Warlock. Cypher was a mutant hacker geek, anyone know if he ever came back?
Truffle
---
I support spreading santorum
Well, everybody's been to the Mutant Watch site, but I wonder how many enrolled themselves at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters.
I did back when it was first announced. (Warning for those with less than lightning-fast net connections: this is a resourece-hog flash-heavy site). The quiz was cool, and I got a mutant ID and everything (I have enhanced physiology, enhanced senses, rapid healing, and possible structural implants - I wonder which X-man that was templated from). However, when I got to the "training" portion, I can only do the first exercise. Levels two and three tell me "Insufficient training to receive clearance. Your mutant abilities need time to develop. //Try to gain access again next week."
Am I a tremendous lamer, or have they just not fully implemented the site? Has anyone else gone further? For that matter, did we all get the same mutant ability, or did they actually bother to vary it. I know the Mutant Watch site id's you as a potential mutant no matter what you reply.
-- I'm not evil, I'm
Cypher, AKA Doug Ramsey, was killed, as you well know.
:)
They buried him, and when Warlock died in the beginning of the X-Tinction Agenda (I think) they placed his T-O ashes on Doug's grave.
And that was fine.
Then Marvel couldn't leave well enough alone, and brough Douglock into being, as a concatenation of Doug and Warlock, made into a new techno-organic being.
It's a long, sad, painful story, and not one of Marvel's brightest ideas.
Redhawk, X-fan.
I'd say supporting the major studios this way would be "selling out", but we're actually paying cash money for the chance to piss away our fair use rights (and maybe, possibly, get 2 hours of escapist amusement).
Have fun at the movies!
-Isaac
I am not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice. For Entertainment Purposes Only.
Only problem, it was too short. I clocked it at around 1.5 hours. I didn't really notice that it was too short though, which is a testament to how great this movie was. The actor which plays Logan/Wolverine must have REALLY read the comics. He had the character down to a tee. The special effects had me wanting more and more. Best way to describe them is 'The Matrix' but, as hard as it may seem, I felt these effects were usually more believable.
Rogue runs away from home to Canada after draining a dude that kissed her. He was in a coma for a week. She heads up north and runs into our favorite Canadian mutant (at least mine that is) Wolvie. Wolvie's fighting in a bar (presumably to make some cash) and kicking everyones ass of course. Rogue seems drawn to him and warns Logan of a guy who's about to stab him. Wolvie cleans up shop again and heads down the road (with an uninvited Rogue hiding in the trailer pulling his cycle.)
Rogue begins to lecture Wolvie that he should be wearing his seatbelt when they have a little encounter with Sabretooth. Fight ensues, Wolvie gets knocked out. Storm and Cyclops show up and kick Sabretooth's ass. Wolvie wakes up in the Mansion. He's a little disoriented, since he's waking up in a strange place and almost takes Jean Grey's head off. Xavier guides him into his office using that old TP ability of his. That's telepathic of course. Xavier encourages Wolvie to join them, at least for 48 hours, and he'll help Wolvie find out about his past. Wolvie takes him up on the offer.
That night, Wolvie has a nightmare about his past. Unfortunatly, Rogue decides to try and comfort him. You see, she has a big crush on him. Well, as one can imagine, you don't go waking up a guy with adamantite claws unless you want them poking through your chest and out the back. To save herself, Rogue touches him and drains his healing factor for a few minutes. So, while Wolvie's knocked out again for a while, the sexy blue babe Mystique shows up in disguise. She wires Cebrero up the wrong way (to take out Xavier) and poses as a VERY young Iceman to convince Rogue that she's not wanted there by the X-Men. Of course, she leaves crying for the train station.
At the train station, Magneto and Toad and Mystique clean up shop and kidnap Rogue. Time to mount an offensive and get her back. But where can she be? Let's use Cerebro and find out! *ZAP BAM* Xavier's gone, at least temporarily. Jean fixes Cerebro back and uses it to find Rogue at the Statue of Liberty. Magneto's gonna use her to power a machine he built which induces a mutation in non-mutants. Unfortunatly, it would kill Magneto to use it so... he'll just give his power to Rogue and kill her instead.
X-Men can't let this happen of course, so they're off to the statue. Toad intercepts them when they arrive and pretty much single handely mops the floor with them for a good 15 mins or so. Well, Mystique is there too but she's busy with Wolvie. Wolvie decides that a few well places claws through her stomach should probably do the trick. Mystique's out for the count. Meanwhile, Storm wakes back up and is extremely pissed off. She zaps Toad with lightning and we get to see him learn how to fly... well, at least for about 15 seconds. Just when it looks like the heros are gonna have an easy time of this, Magneto decides to step in. Wolvie warns them to run, because he finds himself suddenly stuck to the floor. Unfortunatly, they didn't head his advice and they all (yes all) got pinnned to the inside of the Statue's torch. Just to make sure that Wolvie didn't try anything, he positioned his claws pointed at Wolvies neck. Of course, Magneto then leaves to start the mutant weapon.
Meanwhile, Wolvie has promised Rogue that he'll watch after her. So, he does what anyone with an extremely fast healing factor and adamantite claws would do. He slits his own throat but breaks out of the bonds holding him to the Torch. In the time that it take him to recover, Magneto get his ability passed off to Rogue. She cries and screams of course but she can't escape her bonds. Sabretooth and Wolvie have a huge battle and Wolvie wins with Cyclops help. Wolvie frees the rest of the X-Men and gets flown up to the weapon with Storm and Jean Gray's help. Big struggle with Magneto using the fact that Wolvie is mostly metal against him. Cyclops and the rest of the X-Men are still in the Torch but he's getting a bead on the machine. Just as the mutant evil ray beam is about to hit Manhatten, Cyclops blows it up and Wolvie frees Rogue, who develops a white streak in her hair to match the comic. There's much rejoicing as Rogue drains Wolvie again to heal her wounds. They head back to the mansion.
Xavier is back to normal, and tells Wolvie of a military base up in Canada he should check out. Wolvie leads and gets a sad farewell from Rogue. He hands her his dogtags which say 'Wolverine' on them. Xavier makes a visit to Magneto who is now in a plastic jail.
The end!!!
Garth (Dark Horizons Web site) has his review. He gave it a score: 9 / 10, Very Minor Spoilers. :)
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
Personally, I'm waiting with baited breath for the sequel: The X-10 Men, a cadre of mutants who have the amazing ability to turn lights and household appliances on and off at will!
Don't even get me started on the rumored conclusion to the trilogy: The X11 Men where the mutants take on the evil Microsoft Empire.
Kevin Fox
Kevin Fox
X-Men: 20th Century Fox, plaintiff in DeCSS lawsuit
I wish I could see this movie, but I don't think I will, not paying money, anyway. If I do, it will be with a sad heart. It hurts to be a conscious consumer sometimes.
Maybe I can make up for it with my DeCSS page. Or maybe not.
Ceterum censeo Microsoftam esse delendam.
I'm pretty sure that I'm feeding a troll here, but anyway...
The comparison is not to the genetic characteristic, it is the comaprison to the "moral crusade" against any group of people that is perceived to be different.
That includes Homosexuality, Drug Use, Violent Video Games, whatever... Society as a whole has decided to brand these people as "EVIL" because they do not fit in to the norm of society.
There is NOTHING inherently evil about any of the activities that there are insane movements against. Nothing. Drugs are Drugs.. they arent good or evil, they just are. Video games are just games.
But once you start persecuting a subculture because they are not normal, or doing things that you simply do no agree with, you are falling into fascism.
It could be easily said that being "Jewish" isnt hereditary, and that you could consider this a "changeable human property", but that didnt stop 7 million people from being slaughtered.
Damnit... I've brought up a Nazi comparison... according to Usenet rules, that makes this thread pretty much dead, doesnt it?
... hi bingo