Logan Is The Wolverine Movie You've Been Looking For

Let me be the 700th person to tell you that Hugh Jackman's last outing as Wolverine is not only his best outing as the fan favorite character, but perhaps the best X-Men movie that Fox has ever produced. Logan is a truly great film that has brutal fights, relatable characters, and incredible emotional beats. Unlike last year's X-Men: Apocalypse, Logan lives up to the hype and cements Hugh Jackman's legacy as an amazing Wolverine. 

• Director James Mangold had shown he could make a kickass western with 2007's 3:10 To Yuma. Now a decade later, he used a similar western backdrop for his superhero film. The story and characters fit the setting perfectly and create a comic film that feels like no other. That's a good thing because if comic book movies want to continue their dominance they need to continue to dip their toes into other genres. Such as how CA:TWS is a 70's political thriller, or how Deadpool is an R rated action comedy. Keep spicing up our superhero movies. No one wants a generic hero origin anymore. That's how you end up with Green Lantern.

Screenjunkies hit the nail on the head

• Everyone has been praising Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart's performances and deservedly so. But two actors who also crushed in this movie were Boyd Holbrook, who played Donald Price, and newcomer Dafne Keen, who plays X-23/Laura. Holbrook was a real evil son of bitch and I appreciated whenever he was on screen. I'm excited to see him as the lead in Shane Black's new Predator. As for Dafne Keen, child actors are extremely hit or miss. Many fail on any level to be compelling. Dafne Keen does not fall into that category whatsoever. For most of the film she rarely speaks, but her body language says it all. As for when she does speak it hit you right the gut. Very impressive for a child to stand out in a film with so many experienced performers.

• "Logan makes the R rating fucking count. They fucking say fuck so many fucking times and Wolverine fucking butchers so many motherfuckers." That is my submission to Fox for the Blu Ray cover quote.

Overall I'm giving Wolverine an A. Great film. Great cast. Great ending. Go see it!

Go see if you love: Wolverine, westerns, sadness, loss of limbs, old people, bald people, body scarring, road trips, eternal pits of darkness with a tiny lights of hope that shine through that you can never actually reach, limo driver.

Follow me @cstrand73 on Twitter for all my dumb thoughts on everything from movies, tv, sports, and comics.

Casting News/Rumors Galore!

Take a moment to get away from your 24 hr. Deflategate coverage to check out all the castings + rumors that happened yesterday in the comic movie/TV realm. Seriously was yesterday was like Christmas for comic junkies. So let's take a look at what went down in no particular order.

1. CBS casts Melissa Benoist (Whiplash) as Supergirl
Source: ComicBookMovie

Like/Love/Hate/Don't Care: Last time I had doubts about a Glee actor becoming a superhero, Grant Gustin made me look like a fool. The guy is a fantastic Flash. So with the same casting company from Arrow and Flash, David Rappaport, and people behind the scenes such as Greg Bertani from those shows onboard, I have confidence in Melissa Benoist being an awesome version of Kara Zor-El. I liked Melissa in Whiplash and I like this casting.

2. Rumor: Gary Sinise (CSI:NY) will play Gen. Eiling in Suicide Squad

Source: ComicBookMovie

Like/Love/Hate/Don't Care: Gary Sinise would be a solid grab for WB/DC, but I don't think the role of Gen. Wade Eiling merits much hype. He will probably serve a similar purpose to what Christopher Meloni's General did in Man Of Steel which will amount to minimal screen time. So I like Sinise yet don't really give a shit whether or not he ends up being Eiling.

3. Jon Bernthal (Fury) or Joel Edgerton (Warrior) for Rick Flagg?
Source: CimenaBlend

Who You Taking?: Shane "Worst Best Friend Ever" Walsh is getting the nod here. Personally I'm not a huge fan of Edgerton, he really sucked in Exodus: Gods Among Us. So if it comes down to these two, I would rather see the superior actor, Bernthal, lead the Suicide Squad as Rick Flagg Jr.

4. Rumor: Joe Manganiello (True Blood) will be Deathstroke

Source: ComicBookMovie

Like/Love/Hate/Don't Care: Love isn't a strong enough word for how I feel about this rumor. I'm a HUGE Joe Manganiello fan. The guy loves comics and has one of the best beards in the business, nuff said. So if Joe steps into the greatest assassin in the DC universe's shoes, it would be a dream come true.

5. Karl Urban (Dredd) Wanted For a Role in Aquaman

Source: ComicBookMovie

Who Should He Play?: First off, Karl Urban is a beast. That is a fact. Anyone who has seen Dredd will concur with this. So who better to step into the shoes' of Aquaman dickhead half brother/ nemesis Ocean Master? He could be plotting in secret in the first solo film. Then unleash chaos for Arthur in the sequel.

6. Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years A Slave) Eyed For a Role in Doctor Strange

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Who Should He Play?: Chiwetel would have made an excellent Black Panther, but Marvel decided to go with Chadwick Boseman instead. With a chance to still be in the MCU, I see him potentially being the Ancient One. The mentor to Doctor Strange.

7. Younger Jean Grey, Cyclops, And Storm Casted For X-Men: Apocalypse

Source: ComicBookMovie

Like/Love/Hate/Don't Care: I mean I do like Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark on Game of Thrones, but the best actors of this franchise are already place, so I'm saying I don't care. Cyclops, Storm, and Jean are all great characters, but Singer has never given them their due and I don't see it happening for their younger counterparts either.

Bonus: Who Should Direct Aquaman? Nichols (MUD) or Murro (300: Rise Of An Empire)? No question, Nichols. He is an original film maker and not a Zack Snyder ripoff like Murro. I want different styles of filmmaking across the DCU, especially for displaying Atlantis.

Thanks for reading and make sure to follow us on twitter @Caped_Informers or follow me @cstrand73 for all your comic related news.

Oscar Isaac Will Be X-Men Villain Apocalypse!

Variety is reporting that Oscar Isaac (Sucker Punch) will play Apocalypse, a powerful ancient mutant and X-Men villain, in FOX's upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse. There are a lot of rumors about the follow up to the critically acclaimed X-Men: Days of Future Past (such casting younger versions of Cyclops, Storm, and Jean Grey), but little has been confirmed. Director Brian Singer (Superman Returns) was quoted recently as saying "'Apocalypse' will have more of the mass destruction that ‘X-Men’ films, to date, have not relied upon. There’s definitely now a character and a story that allow room for that kind of spectacle." Sure sounds like Apocalypse will be raising the stakes for the X-Men-verse. What do you think of Isaac as Apocalypse? Sound off in the comments. X-Men: Apocalypse opens May 27th, 2016.

Source: Variety

             ComicBookMovie

Oscar Isaac is on a roll. First he nabs a role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and now he is Apocalypse. It's always a treat to see a great actor like Isaac who has spent years working his way up the food chain get some awesome opportunities in franchise films. With his resume I have no doubt he will give us a fantastic rendition of En Sabah Nur.

James McAvoy Will Be Bald In The Next X-Men!

In a recent interview with the Huffington Post Prof X actor James McAvoy (Wanted) divulged that his character will finally lose his hair in the next X-Men installment. McAvoy said "I'll be older in this one, [And] I think I'm losing my hair finally. And, yeah, that's kind of all I know. I got an email from the [producer/writer Simon Kinberg] who informed me he was getting dead excited about stuff, but he didn't want to divulge anything for a couple of weeks, so I really don't know. It does seem fairly global, if we're talking apocalypse. Maybe it's just the character's name, but I think the nature of the film is going to be fairly apocalyptic." X-Men: Apocalypse is expected to start shooting in April and will be out in theaters in 2016.

Source: Huffington Post

             ComicBookMovie

Bye Bye beautiful mane!!

YOUR MOVE EISENBERG!

X-Men: Apocalypse Set to Start Shooting in April

It has been a bit quiet on the X-Men front since the success of Days of Future Past earlier this year. Well no longer! The X-Men will be heading for the Great White French North in April of next year to begin shooting for X-Men: Apocalypse. I am of course referring to Montreal, Canada when I throw the terms great, white, french and north around. The expected release date of the movie is set for sometime in 2016, but still exciting to see the wheels moving. Is this where we are going to get our first glimpse at Channing Tatum Gambit? Could this be one of the last times, if not THE last time we bear witness to Hugh the Wolverine Jackman? Tune in two years from now to find out!

Source: ComicBookMovie

THE CAPED INFORMERS #15

This week on the podcast, Brady and Christian discuss everything X-Men: DOFP. Then some other crazy shit comes up like always. Enjoy! (Recorded 5/29/14)

Follow us on Twitter @Caped_Informers or @cstrand73 or @O_doyleRules11

Editorial: Ranking the X-Franchise

With X-Men: Days of Future Past dominating the box office, what better time than the present to evaluate the X-films from best to worst.

7. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

Why?: This film takes the Weapon X storyline and wipes it's ass with it. With a boring plot, awful special effects, and characterizations that will make all X-fans cringe (WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO DEADPOOL!) X-Men Origins: Wolverine successfully creates a puke fest.

Worst of the Worst: Sewing The Merc with the Mouth's mouth shut.

6. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

Why?: Kelsey Grammar's Beast and Ellen Page's Kitty Pryde are nice additions to the ever expanding cast, but everything else in Brett Ratner's X-film is a huge disappointment. This movie unsuccessfully attempts to adapt The Dark Phoenix Saga. Ratner's lose vision and several pointless deaths hamper this third film. 

A Moment of Greatness: The Juggernaut!

5. X-Men (2000)

Why?: This is the film that showed the general public that comic book movies can be taken seriously. Bryan Singer's first trek into the X-verse is a fun time that gives the X-Men a proper movie adaption. Characters like Cyclops fall short, but X-Men is a fine introduction to everyone's favorite mutants.

Fight Night: Beat down in the Statue of Liberty.

4. The Wolverine (2013)

Why?: A great character piece that adequately adapts Claremont and Miller's Japan Saga. Hugh Jackman once again shines as Logan and Rila Fukushima as Yukio is just excellent. The climax scene with the Silver Samurai and the twist that everyone saw coming a mile away are downers in an otherwise great story.

Badass: Wolverine vs. Shingen!

3. X-Men: First Class (2011)

Why?: This movie re-envigorated the franchise. With a completely new cast and a 60's setting, Matt Vaughn was able to tell us the story of the beginning of the X-Men. The First class may not be exact the original five (Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Iceman, and Angel are the originals), but the main players for later films are there. Michael Fassbender especially stands out as Magneto while McAvoy, Lawrence, and Hoult were all welcome additions to the X-Men movie verse.

Holy Shit: Frankenstien's monster!

2. X2: X-Men United (2003)

Why?: The Raid on the X-Mansion. Nightcrawler in the Whitehouse. The Brotherhood and X-Men teaming up. This film is full of great moments. Brian Cox's Stryker is the most fleshed out villain of the series, besides Magneto of course. And this film excellently adapts the classic X-storyline God Loves, Man Kills.

BAMF: Nightcrawler assassination attempt!

1. X-Men: Days Of Future Past (2014)

Why?: The newest installment of the franchise is just plain awesome. Stellar cast, direction, and story. Infusing the best of new cast and the best of the old cast led to cinema magic. Check out my review for further insights.

WOW!: This film is full of worthy moments. This is the only one I could find on Youtube.

I can't wait until X-Men: Apocalypse. So then we have this discussion all over again. For more X-Men coverage follow us on Twitter @Caped_Informers or follow me @cstrand73. What's your list look like? Sound off in the comments.

Original X-Men Will Be in 'X-Men: Apocalypse'

In an interview with The Daily Beast, X-Men: Days of Future Past writer Simon Kinberg confirmed that some of the original X-Men trilogy cast will return for X-Men: Apocalypse. "It will focus primarily on the First Class cast, but it will certainly have some of the original cast involved, too." Kinberg told the interviewer.
So that pretty much confirms some more good old fashioned time travel. This next film seems like the perfect time for the franchise to cast it's younger versions of Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Storm. Hell if there is enough room bring in Gambit and Cable. The more the merrier. Can't wait for 2016 to see what happens to Wolverine and the rest of the gang in the 70's. #TeamBoneClaws. X-Men: Apocalypse is expected in 2016.

Read more: CBM

                   The Daily Beast

Leather Fetish!

End Credits Scene from X-Men: Days Of Future Past. Check out my main man En Sabah Nur.