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Monday, May 26, 2014

Movie Review: X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST - 9 Stars - No Spoilers - Amazing 3D!

X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST has the best 3D I have seen other than THE HOBBIT movies, GRAVITY and HUGO! Truly an achievement.

If you are an aficionado of 3D then go see this movie (on the largest screen possible) for the stereo alone! Of course the movie is worth while seeing for all it's other components but the 3D really stood out for me.

The team of John Harper (Lead Stereographer), Brent Robinson (Stereographer - Second Unit / UW Camera Operator), Ben Gervais (3D Production Systems Supervisor), Brian Cassar (Stereo Rig Technician) and Jeff Amaral (Stereographer, Splinter Unit) nailed it! They were using 3ality Technica rigs for the production which I continue to hear absolutely wonderful things about from the actual crews that use them. A great group of stereo professionals!

Harper called them "a Dream Team of true believers." and I heartily concur. I have met most of these guys and they are consummate pros - passionately involved in blending their creative eye with today's leading technology advancements.

I don't know what small portions were converted but Stereo D was involved to a degree with some shots - probably the tight space scenes or post production touch ups based on the director's eye or studio influence. Not sure, will find out. This is usual for most tentpole native 3D productions.

What 3D did I love? Well if you watched the trailers there is one scene where Quicksilver is running around a room doing Quicksilvery things and that shot is staggeringly well done! It made the movie for me. Icing on the cake. Robinson was particularly proud of this scene and said "The Quicksilver 3D was probably the coolest thing I've done." I also really enjoyed the inside of a 'control room' that features a prominent TV show from the late 1960's and the curvature of the shot was very well done. Further there is a scene where outside light is being shone through a window down over a character and on to a chess board. Really beautiful.

The cast of course is another dream team. How can you go wrong? I felt the story was lacking in a few areas but the pacing was incredible and it kept you on the edge of your seat throughout. Character Development rated my lowest and understandably so - with so many characters it's hard to go into any depth of where they came from, but at this point there is solid understanding of many of these franchise centerpieces - Wolverine in particular. I appreciated the screen time and further exploration of Ellen Page's Kitty Pryde. She really is VERY important to this plot.

I would have liked to see more detailed effects development for the sentinels. I know that's a personal thing and what they have in the movie is fine, but with the abilities that they have I felt something was missing. Something more sinister. That's my opinion.

Overall, if you want a movie that is WELL WORTH YOUR MONEY, then X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST is it. They spent $200 million on this thing and it shows. Believe me when I tell you - go see it. It's all up on the screen and more.

I'll discuss more in the comments without anything held back regarding spoilers. Feel free to speak your mind!

X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST is now playing!


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