"Mad Max: Fury Road"

I have to this review by saying that I am not in any way a fan of the original movies. So I suppose it begs the question, why on earth am I watch this new film?

The future, a post apocalyptic desolate wasteland. Pretty much nothing but sand, where very litttle grows. Roaming the sand dunes are gangs of psychotic tribes, driving around in the most bizarre vehicles.
Immortan Joe rules, he controls the people, the supply of water, and rages a constant battle for fuel. Battling all this is Max, a former Police Officer, who has lost his wife and daughter, and now battles his own demons as well.

To answer my original question, when I saw the trailer, I was stunned by the visuals, which looked quite amazing. Also I felt that enough time had passed since having seen the original movies, that it was time to reacquaint myself with Mad Max and the world he is from. It must be 20 years since I last saw a Mad Max film, and I would be quite happy for the same amount of time to pass by before I see, if I see another one.

As a piece of entertainment, I cannot see what there is to be entertained by. The visuals are at times quite remarkable but it is so not enough to warrant 120 minutes of viewing. I just see what the point of the film is, just like the originals. Tom Hardy is a great actor, and is woefully underused. I would say that Charlize Theron has the better role.

The film is as barron as the wasteland that it is set in.............4 out of 10

"X-Men Days of Future Past"

Following on from the events at the end of "The Wolverine", we find that the feuding mutants have joined forces, to try and do battle with an adversary that seems unstoppable.
The sentinels seem to be the all conquering opponent, and there is very little that the mutants can do to stop from having their kind destroyed.
So, in a plot reminiscent of a certain James Cameron film franchise, their aim is to go back in time and avert the creation of the Sentinels by killing their Creator.

It may sound like a brief overview but literally that is all there is to the film. Now the delivery is another matter. We see Wolverine step into his past, meeting up with younger versions of the characters that he knows so well from the current day. At this stage, in the past, there is still some animosity certainly between  Xavier and Magneto, and takes some effort from the others to get them to combine their powers.
There is an additonal strand to the story, and the possible repercussions of the timeline involving Mystique. It all adds to the wonder of this entertaining movie.

There is the whole question of whether the film breaks the rules of time travel, and I am sure if one sat down and gave it some thought it would all become clear as to whether it does. But then one could end up destroying the fun. Best not to think about it too much.
Bryan Singer returns to the Directors chair, and fashions these characters that he so wonderfully brought to life in the original film.

I do really enjoy seeing two great thespians like Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen on screen together. It is a real treat for any film fan. It is a shame that they have so little screen time. But at the end of the day the film is about the past.
As one would expect there are some excellent set pieces and action sequences, all delivered with great cinematic style, and a delight to watch. There is one stand-out sequence involving Quicksilver  when the gang are seemingly surrounded.
One of the few downsides is that there are so many mutant characters in the series, that as many of them appear in this new film, some have just so little screen time. I know that Wolverine is probably the most popular character, and he had rather taken over the francise, but it would be nice to have some expansion on some the other characters.

A fantastic, Xciting, Xcellent romp with great visuals, and a great cast.......8 out of 10