Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025)

I only saw two movies in theatre in 2025 - "Wicked: For Good" and "Avatar: Fire and Ash".  Although "Wicked: For Good" was a memorable experience for my wife and our daughters, I felt that "Avatar: Fire and Ash" was the stronger film.

Avatar: Fire and Ash

I saw the movie with my nephew Anatol and my daughter Sophia at Cineplex Cinemas in Ancaster, and was pleasantly surprised when some parts were projected upon either side wall, to create an immersive, wraparound, effect (something I hadn't seen, before).

Taking a page from Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, "Fire and Ash" was shot simultaneously with "The Way of Water" in New Zealand.  If successful, the final two films will probably be filmed simultaneously, also.

There are many evocative new cultures showcased in the film, such as the nomadic Wind Traders in their huge, living, airships; and, of course, the "Ash People", fiery versions of Na'vi, inspired by the Baining people in Papua, New Guinea.

As with previous Avatar films, the spirit of Edgar Rice Burroughs as a source of inspiration was apparent throughout - as well as themes of colonialism, treated sensitively and with due respect for aboriginal cultures, in my opinion.

Cameron has accomplished something remarkable - the cinematic realization of a richly detailed, fantastic world (something I likewise appreciate about Jim Henson's "The Dark Crystal" (1982), also), and one that is worth returning to, again and again.

Wicked (2024)

2024 was a better year for movies (although, I missed seeing Dune 2).  The three films I saw in theatre were "Conclave" with my son, "Wicked (Part One)" with my wife and daughters (and a friend of theirs), and "Gladiator II" with my cousin Jim.

 "Wicked (Part One)" (2024)

"Wicked (Part One)" was hands-down my favorite moviegoing experience of the year (although Gladiator II's opening scene depicting the siege of Numidia almost catapulted that film into first place).  I'm looking forward to seeing it, again.

I remember watching "The Wizard of Oz" (1939) as a kid in our old house, so I must have been 4 or 5 years old.  Margaret Hamilton was terrifying as the Wicked Witch (I don't think I was able to make it through the whole movie).

Years later, I picked up the Del Rey paperback editions of Baum's 14 original Oz books, part of a late 1970s Oz revival seeking to capitalize on the burgeoning popularity of fantasy fiction (I regarding them as "required" reading).

I was therefore primed for Gregory Maguire's "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West".  I read the novel a year or two after it was released, soon after seeing an ad for it in "Realms of Fantasy" magazine, and genuinely enjoyed it.

I suggested "Wicked" to Meg, shortly after we started dating, and I've read the other three books in the series.  I think we've seen the musical 2 or 3 times.  The film was a fantastic adaption of the musical, and I'm looking forward to Part Two.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

Another year has come and gone, and I still haven't gotten back into the habit of seeing movies in theatre.  One of the exceptions was "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves", although the film came close to a boycott by D&D fans.

"Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" (2023)

The reason for this was Hasbro's ill-considered move to monetize D&D's Open Game License (OGL), resulting in a destruction of the relationship with their fan base.  While the corporation eventually backed down, the damage was done.

Announcing this decision in the run up to the release of the D&D film was myopic in the extreme, but certainly worked in favour of the fans.  Who knows if Hasbro would have stuck to its guns, without the prospect of major collateral damage?

My old gaming buddy Joe and I got together to see the movie, a few weeks after its release.  We were pleasantly surprised!  They absolutely nailed the balanced mix of danger and humour that's part of every D&D game.

I saw it again a few months later, with my wife and our daughter, Eleni, on the small screen.  It held up well to a repeat viewing, and the two of them enjoyed it.  (My wife and I actually saw the original D&D movie in theatres, back in 1999).

Who knows what next year will bring?  The only film I'm really looking forward to is "Dune 2".  At this point, I see so few movies in theatre, I might start blogging on the ones I do see, shortly after I see them.  Anyway, stay tuned!

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

I only saw a few movies in theatre in 2022.  "Everything Everywhere All at Once" was interesting and memorable, but weird.  "Smyrna, My Beloved" would have been my actual choice for this year, although was technically released in 2021.

Avatar: The Way of Water

Which leaves us with "Avatar: The Way of Water", the sequel to James Cameron's ground-breaking "Avatar" (2009).  I never got a chance to see the first film in theatre, when it first came out, but enjoyed it when I finally saw it, a few years later.

My daughter, Sophia, is environmentally-conscious, and asked if I would take her to see the movie.  We caught it in IMAX 3D at Cineplex Cinemas in Ancaster, at the beginning of the holiday break, and both enjoyed it.

Cameron has gone on record to state that the John Carter and Tarzan stories of Edgar Rice Burroughs were a major influence on "Avatar", and as a Burroughs fan, I caught multiple references (including the source of the serum which stops aging).

The first part of the film was a pleasant return to the forest ecosystem of Pandora, but I feel that the second part dealing with its marine societies was better.  The culture of the reef people and ecology of the sea creatures were well-realized,

If I have any complaint about the film, it involves the similarity of the plot to the first film, with the unwelcome return of its previous villain.  I would have preferred new challenges, but perhaps these are being reserved for "Avatar 3".

Dune (2021)

After a difficult year for many, it was a pleasure to begin seeing movies in theatre, once again.  "Dune" had originally been slated for release in November, 2020 but was pushed back to October, 2021.  For me, it was the beginning of the end of the pandemic.

Movie poster for "Dune" (2021)

I remember learning as a kid that Frank Herbert's novel had been rejected multiple times before finally being published, which was amazing, since my friends and I considered "Dune" to be the science fiction analogue to Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings".

The 1984 movie adaption featuring "The Police" frontman, Sting was a mixed success.  Critics largely panned it, although Herbert was apparently happy with it.  I rented the film on VHS, and appreciated many of the visuals, but hadn't read the novel.

My cousin Louie is a big fan of the series, and kept after me to read it.  I finally did so, one hot summer, back in the late 1990s, when I was living in Montreal (the fact that I didn't have air conditioning really helped set the mood).

I never got around to reading any of the sequels, but imagery from the book stays with you.  I was therefore excited to learn that a new movie was being planned, and looked forward to its release.  I saw it at Ancaster Cinemas with my son.

The movie won his approval.  My cousin Louie, a "Dune" purist, also loved it, as did mainstream audiences.  I'm happy for director Denis Villeneuve that "Dune" was well-received, and that a sequel is in the works.

Dolittle (2020)

My "rule" for deciding my favorite movie experience of the year is to have seen that movie in theatre, the year of its release.  Only thing is, I never imagined there would be a year in which movie theatres would remain closed for months.

Movie poster for "Dolittle" (2020)

"Dolittle" wasn't my favorite movie of 2020.  As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was the only movie released in 2020 that I saw in theatre.  (I also saw "1917" with my son in January, which was technically released in December, 2019).

I read several of the Doctor Dolittle books as a pre-teen, and enjoyed them.  Dolittle is a physician and naturalist who can speak with animals.  (Hugh Lofting first conceived of the character in letters to his children while stationed in the trenches during WWI.)

My daughter, Sophia, wanted to see a movie one evening, and since I had seen the trailer a couple of times and had fond memories of the books, we just went and saw it.  Unfortunately, "Dolittle" is possibly one of the worst movies I have ever seen.

How can you go wrong with Robert Downey Jr.?  He was a great choice to play Doctor Dolittle, (I also enjoyed Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes).  I blame the horrible script (the film apparently underwent re-shoots after poor test screenings).

I tried to catch "The Invisible Man" before the shut-down, but just missed it.  I wouldn't see another movie in theatre until the summer of 2021.  Fortunately, there were some pretty great films, released that year (to be continued...)

Tolkien (2019)

I hadn't been aware that a J.R.R. Tolkien biopic was in the works, and so it came as a pleasant surprise when my wife and I learned about it.  We saw "Tolkien" in theatre, and both of us really enjoyed watching it.

Movie poster for "Tolkien" (2019)

Nicholas Hoult was a fitting choice to portray Tolkien as a young man.  There were also great performances by Lily Collins as Edith Bratt, and the actors who portrayed Tolkien's friends, the other members of the T.C.B.S. club.

I had read both Daniel Grotta-Kurska's "unauthorized" and Humphrey Carpenter's "authorized" biographies of Tolkien, published around the time of Ralph Bakshi's "The Lord of the Rings" movie, and so was already somewhat familiar with Tolkien's life.

I didn't realize the film had received such mixed reviews, or that the Tolkien Estate didn't endorse it.  (Certainly, there were liberties taken with historical facts.  Tolkien and Bratt were married by the time he went to fight in WWI, for instance).

Nevertheless, I'm a big fan of the Inklings, particularly J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Charles Williams, and so am also looking forward to seeing "The Most Reluctant Convert: The Untold Story of C.S. Lewis".

As for "Tolkien", I think it needs to be understood that a biopic is a form of storytelling, just as historical films should not be equated with documentaries, and so my wife and I are looking forward to watching it again, this time with our kids.

Black Panther (2018)

As a collector of comic books growing up, I was familiar with the character of T'Challa, Prince of Wakanda, aka Black Panther, mostly in his role as a member of the Avengers.  (I also picked up the 1st issue of "Black Panther" in Greece).

Movie poster for "Black Panther" (2018)

By 2018, Marvel Cinematic Universe fatigue was beginning to set in.  Nevertheless, I really enjoyed "Dr. Strange" (2016) and "Thor: Ragnarok" (2017), and so went into "Black Panther" with high expectations.

I was quickly impressed with the complexity of themes the film was willing to address.  Although primarily a superhero movie, "Black Panther" is nuanced and leaves the viewer with much to think over.

The score by Ludwig Goransson is fantastic.  (Goransson researched traditional African music, and even went on tour with Senegalese musician Baaba Maal, who contributed an original song for the film.)

"Black Panther" was the first superhero movie to be nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, winning three (for Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, and Best Original Score).

Chadwick Boseman's unexpected passing a couple of years later due to colon cancer was truly saddening.  He was a gifted actor, and made such a tremendous impact during the time he had with us.

Wonder Woman (2017)

Ever since they were little, I would remind my kids that Wonder Woman was Greek (every chance I got).  In fact, she was the only member of the "Superfriends" who wasn't American (counting Superman as a naturalized citizen, of course).

Movie poster for "Wonder Woman" (2017)

My cousin Dina was a huge fan of the TV series starring Lynda Carter in the 1970s.  (I remember watching the pilot with my father in our living room at home.)  See also "13 Great Reasons to Watch the 1970s Wonder Woman Show - Ranked".

Finally, I was an avid collector of the 1980s run of DC's "Wonder Woman" by George Perez, which emphasized the Greek roots of the Amazon princess.  That's why I was so excited to see a big-budget Wonder Woman film.

Gal Gadot was a good choice to play Wonder Woman on the big screen (her pronunciation in the one Greek line was spot-on, by the way), and setting the action during WWII, as in the original season of the Wonder Woman TV series, was perfect.

However, the scene which really caused me to jump out of my seat?  When Steve Trevor says "British tea for the Germans, German beer for the British, and Edgar Rice Burroughs' novels for both" of course!  (You can check it out, here.)

Wonder Woman was originally created by psychologist William Moulton Marston.  I found the documentary "Professor Marston and the Wonder Women" (which I caught on a flight, pre-Covid) to be interesting, although somewhat disturbing.

The Legend of Tarzan (2016)

As a lifelong fan of the character, I was excited to learn that a new Tarzan movie was in the works.  It had been over three decades since I'd seen "Greystoke" in theatre, and none of the Tarzan movies since then had been particularly good.

Movie poster for "The Legend of Tarzan" (2016)

I got back into the Tarzan novels in 2012, on the centenary of the publication of the first Tarzan story in the pulps.  I even attended the Centennial Conference at Bridgewater College in Virginia, that November.

When I learned that the Edgar Rice Burroughs Chain of Friendship would be holding their annual gathering in Los Angeles that year, with a special advance screening of "The Legend of Tarzan", I knew that I had to attend.

My wife and I took separate planes to LA, and I was ready and waiting in a rented jeep when she stepped out of the terminal.  We saw the movie on the Paramount lot with fellow Burroughs enthusiasts and members of the Burroughs family.

I think director David Yates did an admirable job of portraying a classic hero through a twenty-first century lens.  The music and cinematography were brilliant.  It's a shame the movie didn't do well enough to justify a sequel.

We saw "The Legend of Tarzan" three more times in theatre, including once with my friend Joe and his wife, Kim.  We've seen the film again on DVD and itunes, since then.  It never fails to bring back memories of a really special trip.

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

"Avengers: Age of Ultron" was the 11th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, by which time the franchise was picking up pop cultural steam.  While not the best movie, it was the best movie I saw in theatre in 2015.

Movie poster for "Avengers: Age of Ultron" (2015)

My wife and I saw "The Avengers" in 2012 with friends from work (we went to Quatrefoil for dinner, beforehand).  It was a wonderful evening, and if not for "John Carter" would have been my pick for favourite film experience of 2012.

"Avengers: Age of Ultron" had more of an international feel, with locales including north-western Italy (standing in for the fictional Eastern European country of Sokovia), Johannesburg in South Africa, and Seoul in South Korea.

Quicksilver and The Scarlet Witch first appeared in early issues of "The Uncanny X-Men".  Back in the 1980s, it was revealed that Magneto was their father, although their true parentage has been revised a couple of times, since then.

I was impressed with the diorama featured during the end credits of the film (the story of its creation is an interesting one).  It evoked for me the realization that the Marvel Universe has become the mythology of our times.

Of course, I saw "Avengers: Infinity War" in 2018, (its conclusion felt reminiscent of the United States presidential election in 2016).  "Avengers: Endgame" in 2019 would turn out to be the last big movie event for some time.

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

My wife and I got into the Marvel Cinematic Universe a bit after "Iron Man" was released (we saw it on DVD).  She was instantly hooked.  It's incredible how far the films have come in terms of their popularity, since then.

Movie poster for "Guardians of the Galaxy" (2014)

"Guardians of the Galaxy" turned out to be the first MCU film that I saw in theatre with my son.  It was a rare, carefree summer afternoon, and it had just rained.  The pavement in the parking lot of the theatre was still wet, but the sun had come out.

While most of the early MCU installments featured popular Marvel characters, "Guardians of the Galaxy" was a bit of a gamble, and an unexpected surprise.  The characters are original and compelling, and there's an undeniable chemistry between the group.

Seeing the film was like finding a new title in the spinner rack, when collecting comics in the 1980s.  Marvel's cosmic characters have a particular look and style.  Kudos to Kevin Feige for having the intuition to see this movie through.

Like most people my age who have seen the film, Peter Quill's "mix tape" of popular songs from the 1970s was pure nostalgia (there were always plenty of cultural references in Marvel comics).  It almost felt like being transported back in time.

I'm really glad that the success of the earlier MCU films means that we got "Guardians of the Galaxy".  It's a film that holds to repeat viewings (although I didn't like the sequel as much).  Will be interested to see "Volume 3" when it comes out.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

I was excited to see "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" with my son, back in 2012.  I had read him "The Hobbit" as a bedtime story, and each Christmas, we looked forward to seeing the next instalment.

Movie poster for "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" (2013)

While I had some issues with the first film, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" was better (the wild barrel ride of the dwarves, escaping the wood-elves while simultaneously being attacked by orcs, was on its own worth the price of admission).

The Lake-town sequences were atmospheric and memorable.  (I love the Lake-town theme, and can listen to it for hours).  Steven Colbert's cameo was also fun, (although I didn't know who he was at the time).

In fact, I enjoyed the movie so much, I saw it a second time with my wife.  There was a widespread power outage that year, so we stopped at the theatre on our way home from dropping the kids off at my parents' house, who still had power.

Ed Sheeran's "I See Fire", which plays during the film's end credits (immediately following a smash to black), is a moving and evocative song.  (I like to listen to it, late at night, when I'm in a particular mood.)

Even though "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" failed to capture the spirit of "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" we've watched the films a couple more times.  There's apparently a fan version, which condenses the trilogy, which I've yet to see.

John Carter (2012)

As a fan of all things Edgar Rice Burroughs, I looked forward to the release of "John Carter of Mars" with great anticipation (becoming worried and confused when Disney dropped the "of Mars").  While not perfect, it was a much better film than most realize.

Movie poster for "John Carter" (2012)

I saw a midnight showing on the Thursday before opening night (I called a few friends, but only my cousin Jim was game).  We saw it at Cineplex Cinemas on the Queensway, having dinner at Montana's beforehand (quite appropriately).

While a really enjoyable film, Taylor Kitsch was miscast as John Carter (which needed somebody like Henry Cavill to carry the role).  On the other hand, Lynn Collins was excellent as Dejah Thoris (they should have renamed it "A Princess of Mars").

Disney's abysmal marketing campaign makes more sense, when one realizes that the studio acquired the Star Wars franchise while "John Carter" was in production, thereby losing all interest in the century-old tale that inspired Star Wars in the first place.

The details are captured in Michael Sellers' excellent book "John Carter and the Gods of Hollywood".  Sellers also created some awe-inspiring fan trailers for the movie, (very much worth watching, in case you haven't seen them).

For my kids, who were underwhelmed with the original Star Wars trilogy, "John Carter" is their Star Wars.  They've seen the movie several times, and my son still has a "John Carter" poster in his room.  Hopefully, one day we'll be able to go back to Barsoom.

X-Men: First Class (2011)

I was intrigued to learn of the reboot of the X-Men franchise in 2011.  I'd always had a fondness for the Stan Lee and Jack Kirby run of the original X-Men, published in the 1960s, (although wasn't familiar with the more recent "X-Men: First Class" comics).

Movie poster for "X-Men: First Class" (2011)

After the disappointment of "X-Men: The Last Stand", my wife and I skipped "The Wolverine" in theatre.  When we finally saw it, I was pleased for the most part, although felt that its conclusion missed the mark entirely.

So it was with no small degree of apprehension that we went to see "X-Men: First Class".  Happily, we were not disappointed.  In fact, it rekindled all of the excitement of the original film.  We were totally engrossed.

The picture really did a good job of capturing the look and feel of the 1960s.  The costumes and soundtrack were spot on, and I really enjoyed witnessing how the writers leveraged the Cuban missile crisis to thematic advantage.

We recently rewatched the film, together with our twin daughters (after the first two X-Men films, skipping the third).  They both really enjoyed it, and continued with the rest of the more recent instalments (except for "Logan").

Some people complain about the chronology of the X-Men franchise, but that's one of the things I love about it.  It's fairly representative (and not as convoluted ) as the actual X-Men comics, so quite appropriate, in fact.

Robin Hood (2010)

I wasn't sure what to expect from Ridley Scott's treatment of the Robin Hood legend.  "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" was a favourite movie of the year, almost two decades earlier, and so I was curious to see how the two would compare.

Movie poster for "Robin Hood" (2010)

Set in 1199, "Robin Hood" could almost serve as a sequel to Ridley Scott's "Kingdom of Heaven".  King Richard the Lionheart appears in the final scene of that movie, preparing to leave on the Third Crusade, and again at the beginning of this one.

I'd read about the death of King Richard at the siege of Chalus Castle, and so was in disbelief and awe when I realized that the opening sequence would involve that historical episode.  To me, the movie was worth watching, for that alone.

Russell Crowe did fairly well in the title role, although the long shadow of "Gladiator" was hard to avoid.  (He even rode the same horse in both movies).  Still, I appreciated the grittier take on the character of Robin Hood, and so wasn't displeased.

The movie also stars Cate Blanchett as Marion, William Hurt as William Marshal, and Max von Sydow as the elder Loxley.  (In case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a sucker for historical epics with strong supporting casts.)

While there's been talk of a sequel, I would rather see a trilogy of sorts, with Scott directing a film about the Fourth Crusade.  (If anybody knows how to get word to the man, please let him know that I have a screenplay in the works.)

District 9 (2009)

Every now and then, a film comes along that wasn't on my radar, but nevertheless turns out to be an instant classic.  "District 9", produced by Peter Jackson and directed by Neill Blomkamp, was just such a film.

Movie poster for "District 9" (2009)

It had been a challenging time, and so I welcomed the opportunity to go out and see a movie with a friend, who isn't into science fiction or fantasy, but appreciates a good film, regardless of the genre.

Like most good science fiction, "District 9" deals with matters of the human condition.  In this case, it's themes of racism and xenophobia, filmed against the backdrop of apartheid in South Africa.

An alien spacecraft suddenly appears in the skies over Johannesburg, back in 1982.  The plot then fast forwards twenty years into the future, which is when most of the action takes place.

I thought there were similarities to the 1980s TV miniseries "V", which was a bit of a pop culture phenomenon when it came out.  Perhaps that's one of the reasons the film resonated with me.

There has been occasional word that a sequel (or even a prequel) is being planned, but I don't know of anything definite in the works.  That's too bad, because "District 9" is a story worth returning to.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)

"The Chronicles of Narnia" by C. S. Lewis are among my favourite stories.  I've read every book in the series countless times, most recently to my children, as bedtime stories.  Like most Narnia fans, I have strong opinions about the cinematic adaptions.

Movie poster for "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" (2008)

I remember when the animated version of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" aired on CBS in 1979.  I also watched the BBC versions, when they were released in the late 1980s.  So, I was excited to learn of the big budget adaptions planned by Disney.

My wife and I saw "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" when it came out just before Christmas in 2005.  Parts of it were extremely well done, but it suffered a bit from the influence of Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings".

"The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" opened exactly as I would have suggested, with the flight of Prince Caspian.  I also loved the children's return to Narnia, and many other scenes.  (I didn't care for the Spanish accents of the Telmarines, however).

"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" was a disaster as an adaption in 2010.  The next movie was apparently going to be "The Magician's Nephew" (a good decision, in my view) but was canceled with the death of one of the producers.

Netflix acquired the rights to the Chronicles of Narnia a few years ago, but has been fairly quiet about what's being planned.  There's some apprehension in Narnia fan circles, since Netflix is known for it's darker take on material, but let's see what happens.

300 (2007)

Both of my parents are from villages near the ruins of ancient Sparta, where there's an imposting statue of Leonidas, so I've always known who he was.  (We've even passed by the Leonidas monument in Thermopylae, on previous trips to Greece.)

Movie poster for "300" (2007)

I saw the 1962 film "The 300 Spartans" on TV as a kid, but it wasn't until I stumbled across the first issue of Frank Miller's "300" while browsing in a comic book store in Montreal, that I took a deeper interest in the story.

I re-read those "300" comic books with my wife, prior to our first trip to Greece (we had only been dating for a couple of months).  We later included color-photocopied panels from the series in a scrapbook that we made.

Zack Snyder's film adaptation in 2007 came as a pleasant surprise.  Our twin daughters had just been born, and my wife's friend Sue kindly watched the kids while we stole a quick date night to see the film.

I was blown away by Snyder's visuals.  He really captured the look and feel of Miller's art.  I haven't yet seen the sequel "300: Rise of an Empire" from 2014, but heard it wasn't as good (I plan to see it, anyway).

Most recently, Miller published the follow-up graphic novel "Xerxes: The Fall of the House of Darius and the Rise of Alexander" in 2018, (upon which "Rise of Empire" was partly based) which I also intend to check out.

X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

I started collecting X-Men comics after the Byrne/Claremont "Dark Phoenix" story arc, (my first issue was #148 (August, 1981) "Cry, Mutant").  I followed the series for years, up until issue #230 (June, 1988) at the beginning of the team's Australian phase.

Movie poster for "X-Men: The Last Stand" (2006)

I saw the first X-Men movie in 2000 in Montreal with good friends Don and Suzanne (I forgot my wallet, so Don paid for me.  I promised to pay the next time we went to the movies, although we've never seen another movie together).

A couple of years later, I rented the VHS from the Blockbuster at Westdale Mall.  My wife was initially reluctant to do so, but ended up loving it.  (I think it was the first superhero movie she ever saw, predating even "Spider-Man").

I had a trade paperback of the Dark Phoenix saga, which my wife read and enjoyed.  We saw X2 in 2003 in the VIP cinemas at the Varsity theater, and were tantalized by a glimpse of a phoenix-like shape in the closing shot of Alkali Lake.

As a result, we were pretty excited to see "The Last Stand".  It was a really busy time in our lives, and I'm pretty sure that it was the only movie we saw in theatre, that year.  Unfortunately, it wasn't that great.

Thirteen years later, I saw "Dark Phoenix" with my son, which was a much better treatment of the Dark Phoenix saga, although still flawed.  If you've never read the comic books, do yourself a favour and check them out.