film review: x-men days of future past

Last night NYLON Guys' Web Editor, Christian Lavery, and I took in a screening of X-Men Days of Future Past  courtesy of Axe. As two X-Men newbies, we really didn't know what to expect from the franchise--or from the time traveling plot line of the latest film. We were confused? Very much so. If you don't have experience with the X-Men franchise, you're going to have a lot of questions about this one for sure. 

That said, the two hour movie was full of excitement, thrills, and even a little comedy. Here are the best reasons to head out to the theater to see the epic film. 

1. Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart: I would do basically anything to see these two together. 

2. James McAvoy: Superhero movies can get very cheesy very fast, but as Professor X, McAvoy pulls out a thoughtful, deep, and intense performance. His character goes from a place of darkness into a leadership role, struggling all the way. 

3. Crazy Special Effects: The movie is a CGI masterpiece, but, thanks to good direction from Brian Singer, never becomes only about the special effects. The bad guy Sentinels are terrifying futuristic beasts, while the sleek ease that transforms Raven into Mystique is beautiful. The best scene in the whole film, however, might be a shootout sequence starring Evan Peters as Quicksilver, artfully speeding through bullets. 

4. Jennifer Lawrence Speaking Vietnamese and French: If American Hustle taught me one thing, it's that Jennifer Lawrence definitely cannot do a New Jersey accent. If X-Men taught be one thing, it's that she speaks Vietnamese and French quite well. 

5. Peter Dinklage as The Bad Guy: I don't watch Game of Thrones, so I have no idea if Dinklage is good, bad, or anything in between on the show, but in X-Men he is truly lethal, in a calm, academic, Gary Oldman-way. 

6. Hugh Jackman's Bum: This one explains itself. 

X-Men Days of Future Past is out May 23.