X-Men: First Class

2.5 Paws
Seen recently at Aksarben Cinema

If you want to make a pretty darn good movie, no matter the plot, cast a pair of small (in physical size only) actors from the British Isles in the lead roles. James McAvoy (Charles Xavier) and Michael Fassbender (Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto) make equally compelling arguments for good and evil, respectively. If hard-pressed, though, I'd give the nod to good.

I loved the film's Twiggy-like costuming (here's to the '60s), the Hugh Jackman cameo and the questions it answers about how the characters we know from X-Men (2000) came to be. I also loved getting to know Beast and Banchee - I'd want them on my team if I had to fight Kevin Bacon's Sebastian Shaw.

I didn't love the fact that the main female mutant - Jennifer Lawrence (Raven/Mystique) - was obsessed with her appearance. Teens need a better female comic book role model out there, people. Neither did I love it when Kevin Bacon donned the Magneto helmet. I think my Footloose memories of him were too strong to make me believe what he was selling, although he was pretty damn scary in the concentration camp section of the film.

All in all, not too shabby for summer blockbuster fare.

Bonus Bones: 1
The Nazi guard dog made the most of his few moments on film.