X-Men: Dark Phoenix - X戰警:黑鳳凰

X-Men: Dark Phoenix (X戰警:黑鳳凰) is an 2019 film. The movie stars an ensemble cast featuring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp, and Jessica Chastain. This film is part of the X-men universe from Fox. This is the second last movie of the series with next years' New Mutants being the last, as Disney has bought Fox and will end the series. This is the fourth movie of the First Class arc of the X-men universe of movies.



In 1992, a space shuttle is stuck in space. Professor X sends the X-Men to rescue the ship. During the rescue, Dark Phoenix force enters Jean, she is now imbued by the cosmic powers. Eventually, the force starts to exhibit itself in various ways. However, those ways are destructive and the government gets involved to try to stop her. Can Jean get control of the force?



I didn't give away the background story of Jessica Chastain's villain role. The trailers make no mention of her and her powers. So I will not either.

I actually liked this movie a lot. Maybe because I went in with such low expectations. The story was quick and does summarize a bit of the X-Men universe. A fitting end of to the Fox X-Men story. Unfortunately, it didn't get the release it needed, more of a February or October release may have saved its box office performance.

Go see if you are an fan of the X-Men film series.

Red Sparrow - 紅雀

Red Sparrow (紅雀) is an 2018 film. The movie stars Jennifer Lawrence. The supporting cast include Joel Edgerton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Charlotte Rampling, Mary-Louise Parker, and Jeremy Irons. The film unites Jennifer Lawrence with her Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence.

Lawrence plays a ballet dancer that turns to a life in the shadows when an injury ends her career. Forced to provide for invalid mother, she begins a life for mother Russia to provide for her. After some brutal training to become a sparrow, she's given a mission that will make or break her.

Lawrence plays a Russian spy. This is in essence Black Widow's origin story. Forced into a life of spying, it was the R rated version of what would have been a Marvel movie without the super heroes. The movie goes for the graphic and I am surprised by Lawrence's willingness to do these type of movies. Is it because she's bored. But she stars in so many films per year, she's maybe just keeping busy.

I got the movie via T-Mobile Tuesday's Redbox free rental. I would not want to rent this ever unless it were free.

Passengers - 星際過客

Passengers (星際過客) is an 2016 film. The movie stars Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt. The supporting cast include Michael Sheen and Laurence Fishburne.

On a trip to another solar system, two strangers are mysteriously awoken. Would they become lovers while the spaceship hurls through the cosmos? Or will drama arise and make their lives hard. They are both passengers in the game of space and life.

This was a good sci-fi genre film. If you like this genre, this will make you think. Chris does play someone different than his more recent turns in Guardians Of The Galaxy (星際異攻隊) and Jurassic World (侏羅紀世界). But it was welcomed as it was closer to his Moneyball performance. Can't say the same for JL, which I think could have been any decent female lead. But they are both oh so beautiful together.

I think it's worth a watch. I rented it from Redbox and picked up the Blu-ray during black Friday recently. Two watches and I still enjoyed it.

American Hustle - 瞞天大佈局

American Hustle (瞞天大佈局) is an 2013 film. The movie stars Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, and Amy Adams. The supporting cast include Jeremy Renner, Jennifer Lawrence, and Robert De Niro. The movie had a nice run during the 2012 movie awards season.



Christian Bale and Amy Adams play a couple that are running scams in the New Jersey area during the late 1970s, Irving Rosenfeld and Sydney Prosser. Even though they were a couple, Irving was married to Rosalyn Rosenfeld, played by Jennifer Lawrence whom came to the marriage with a boy the Irving adopts and treats like his own son. Bradley Coopers character, Richard "Richie" DiMaso, is an FBI Agent that bust Irving and Sydney. In exchange for leniency, they help Richie bust dirty government officials. Enter Mayor Carmine Polito, played by Jeremy Renner. The set up a sting to bring him down and those he has connections to. Let the hustle begin!

This movie was a trip. The 1970s was only a decade away, but it was constantly on TV and movies during my childhood that I feel that I know it. Shows like Charles Angels, Three's Company, 6 Million Dollar Man, and Hulk got me really into era as a kid. These days, the 1970s are still looked back to fondly in the media. American Hustle does it the same, nostalgia at its core. But the story was the main driver.

The STORY was a trip. You better have your thinking cap on. There's a main storyline that intersects with many others ones. And the movie has flashback moments. Its no wonder that it did well at the box office. Its an excellent film due to the story, great acting, and period its set in.

X-Men: Days of Future Past - X戰警:未來昔日 - 變種特攻:未來同盟戰 - X战警:逆转未来

X-Men: Days of Future Past (X戰警:未來昔日/變種特攻:未來同盟戰/X战警:逆转未来) is an 2014 film. The movie stars Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Halle Berry, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Ellen Page, Nicholas Hoult, Peter Dinklage, Fan Bingbing, Ian McKellen, and Patrick Stewart. The movie is a sequel to X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: First Class.



In the future, Sentinels are sent to exterminate mutants. A remaining few are left trying to survive on. When they keep losing, they decide to try to send back a person to the past to stop the Sentinels from being created. Wolverine's chosen because his mind and body both have healing powers. From the future to 1973. Wolverine's tasks is to prevent Mystique from killing Bolivar Trask, the creator of the Sentinels program. Wolverine must find the younger Charles Xavier and Magneto to help him stop her. All the while, in the future, the remaining few fight on against the Sentinels.



This movie was pretty good. Definitely a change of pace. Bryan Singer makes his way back to the directors chair this time around. It did have more of a X2 feel than the previous other x movies. Hugh Jackman's Wolverine is prime and center in the storyline, but James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Jennifer Lawrence have an equally significant role to the overall story. In a sense, this was more of a team film than the last few where Wolverine was very much front and center.



Without giving away too much, this movie totally blows the continuity of the Fox X-verse. Its like a big reset button was pushed at the end. That's what happens with time travel movies.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - 飢餓遊戲:星火燎原

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (飢餓遊戲:星火燎原) is an 2013 film. The movie is the sequel to The Hunger Games from 2012. The primary cast members return, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson. The supporting cast includes Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, and Lenny Kravitz. For this installment, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman joined the cast along with Sam Claflin and Jena Malone. At the moment, it is the top grossing film in the US for 2013 released movies.



The catch up with Katniss and Gale in the woods hunting game. The head back to the projects before splitting up. Katniss has a victory tour to make. During this tour, the different districts start to act up. This prompts President Snow to put in motions a plan to eliminate the species of The Hunger Games victors. Snow takes the Quarter Quell event as a way to make a special games made up of former victors. Thus, eliminating a huge chunk of their species. Katniss is the only female victor of her district and would be chosen for sure. Peeta and Haymitch make the other half, but Peeta volunteers when Haymitch is chosen. The training period starts and Katniss makes friends with the others and tries to survive. But she has every intention of helping Peeta survive to be the victor. This however take a turn. A twist if you will for continuation for the Mocking Jay book.

This movie is well made. Pace is good and it gets us on the side of the victors. Even though they won the lottery, they are trapped. We as "free" people want to see them free and able to decide their fate. As such, we wait and see if their fate will be positive. But we know this is the middle book of a trilogy and will have to wait for the ending. We also know that the book leads to a rebellion and revolution, ala USSR. Jennifer Lawrence doesn't have to do much, she just has to look conflicted. The character development is there, but in essence, anyone could be in those roles and make us feel for them. Looking forward to the next two. Sad it beat my Iron Man 3 for first place in 2013.

Silver Linings Playbook - 派特的幸福劇本 - 失戀自作業

Silver Linings Playbook (派特的幸福劇本) is an 2012 film. The film stars Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. The supporting cast include Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, Anupam Kher, Julia Stiles, and John Ortiz. Directed by David O. Russell of The Fighter fame. The movie was adapted from the novel The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick and partly based on David O. Russell's experience with his oldest son, whom had bouts with mental illness.

Bradley Cooper plays Pat Jr, who's spent the last 8 months in a mental institution after being arrested for beating the man his wife was having a affair with. Once home, Pat Jr. sets on a path to repair his marriage to his wife Nikki. However, Pat Jr. is still a bit unstable and lacks some social skills now, such has having no filter for thoughts. Robert De Niro plays Pat Sr., who's recently lost his job and makes a living bookkeeping on the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles. Pat Jr is obsessed with losing weight and goes out for a jog, bumping into his childhood friend Ronnie, who invites him over for dinner. While at the dinner, Ronnie's sister in law, Tiffany, played by Jennifer Lawrence, is also invited. Tiffany has been mentally unstable since the death of her police officer husband. During the dinner, a fight erupts, ending in Pat Jr. walking Tiffany home. Pat Jr. starts to run past Tiffany's house during his jogging. Tiffany intercepts him one day and they visit her home. The home was a old garage in the back yard of Tiffany's parents. Tiffany used her insurance movie to convert it, including a dance floor studio type set up on the first floor. Tiffany convinces Pat Jr. to join her in a local dance competition.



The movie was pretty righteous. Pat Jr.'s path to recovery will be a lifelong event as his mental illness will always be a struggle. Cooper does a great job to convey to the audience that he's not all there. You felt that he was pretty unstable. Which doesn't seem a stretch away from his roles in The Hangover and Limitless. Jennifer Lawrence goes in the opposite direction of her Hunger Games role here. Tiffany is played with a strong personality and likes to be in control. Combined with a story that's told in a tremendously sensitive way, you have a great movie. The supporting cast does a good job of painting the world that they live in. Basically revolving around the NFL season.

I highly recommend this film and I saw it via Blu-ray rental.

The Hunger Games - 飢餓遊戲

The Hunger Games (飢餓遊戲) is an 2012 film. The movie stars Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson. The supporting cast includes Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, and Lenny Kravitz. The film is based on the popular US YA book of the same name. The filmmakers expect to make this a long franchise.

The story is based in an alternative universe where Asians do not seem to exist. Maybe one district. The world is divided up into districts and they must offer up tribute to an authoritative regime. Imagine if North Korea were to take over Estonia or Finland. Strike that, imagine if the USSR were still around in the age of social media, etc. The district we're focused on is that of our two main protagonist, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, played by Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson. When they're selected as annual tribute for their district, they must be trained into well oil killing machines, because the tributes have to kill each other. And the last one standing is given freedom and riches! It is a dual to the death for these teenagers! The country stays peaceful and the rich get richer!

This movie was really difficult to watch. I think its because I watched a similar movie out of Japan only a dozen years ago called Battle Royale (BR). BR was revolutionary for its time because of the teenagers involved. The stars of those films went on to acclaim and a certain gal even appeared in a Kill Bill story arc. With that back drop, the Hunger Games people claim no knowledge of BR and that it was inspired writing. Yupe, the lack of whites in BR was repaid with the lack of Asians in The Hunger Games.

That aside, was the movie any good? Yes, the movie was well produced and told a really compelling story. Can our society ever get to a point of this? Unlikely, but it comments on the what can you deem acceptable for your society? Will tributes ever be acceptable for the US?