Logan

The hard R made me prematurely pop my claws. Logan is a surprisingly grim, bloody and melancholy ride into the sunset that proves these type of movies could, no, should be better. The uneven comic book movie shenanigans of the past are discarded and we're finally getting a story and characters worth being invested in; ornery Xavier was fantastic and Huge Jackedman sells every wince and groan. I wiped away a tear at the end and accidentally sliced off half my face. Worth it though.

The most brutal movie in the franchise both visually and emotionally. Feels completely different than all of the other movies. You feel nothing but sympathy for every mutant presented. The screenplay allows Logan to develop really well and pays up with Jackman's most humane performance in the series. The supporting cast is also really good. The scenery, writing, directing, and acting make this the most intimate X-Men film and my all time favorite. This is a must see for fans. Really good!

After 17 years and 8 X-Men films, Hugh Jackman and James Mangold gave audiences the best "Wolverine" story yet. The final tale of what is left of our beloved aging X-Men is a gritty and brutal one. Both Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman are fantastic returning to their iconic roles. However, neither had ever been seen in such grim fashion. The most intimate film in the series is also the most visceral. The movie earns every bit of its R-rating, but uses it in service of the characters and story.

The movie borrows from old westerns like True Grit or Shane, and builds on them with comic book imagery and awesome fight scenes. The most compelling parts, however, are the quiet moments--like the dinner scene with Logan and Prof. X--where emotion is built from seeing these characters onscreen for two decades. But most of all, this is a timely film about how the world uses refugee & immigrant children as props for shortsighted goals. Easily the best superhero film since The Dark Knight.

Pushy with the pathos and overlong, but in the realm of superhero flicks it's an oasis. It goes for westerns, keying on the natural vs man-made to provide a poetic end for the beloved character (and inner demon). Doesn't it feel refreshing to ditch the tired urban catastrophe/cgi sky laser third act? To see a hero's arc concluded, not discontinued? To hear Sir Patrick Stewart say naughty words? To at least feel something human in these again?