X Men: The Last Stand - Phenomenal Fun!

I was lucky enough to get to see X Men: The Last Stand at a special screening in London last night and all I can say is, 'WOW!'. What a rush! I woke up this morning and I was still buzzing.

I can't say too much but what I can say is that Brett Ratner has done a fine job picking up the franchise for the final (don't be so sure...) 'episode'. The best thing about the movie is that unlike the first two films you don't know who to back in the final battle - do you back the X men who are out to protect the victim or do you back Magneto for their fight to protect the rights of mutants? It's a dilemma (well, an analogy about being 'different' ie gay, black, any minority, and being able to be 'cured' ie becoming straight, white, part of a majority) but it really draws you in and makes you think.

Okay, best things about the film: It looks great; the set pieces are really impressive; Magneto really gets to flex his campy muscles in this one and the whole thing is paced perfectly. Kelsey Grammer as The Beast was an inspired choice.

The things that bugged me: Some of the scriptting is a bit weak in places; some of the mutants are under used as they were in previous films; and Vinnie Jones as Juggernaut.

If you haven't already, then you need to see the first two films before you see this one. There are certain things that you might not understand about characters, their relationships and their motives. However, if you go into it totally blind to the heritage of the characters you will still probably have a great time.

X Men: The Last Stand is a great film (of its genre.. don't expect any Oscar nods) and a more than worthy addition to the franchise. What all summer blockbusters and superhero action movies should be like. The best of the (Mutant) blockbuster breed.

And if you can't wait for it's release in 2 weeks time... click here for a 7 minute preview of what's in store.

X Men: the Last Stand - Superb edge-of-the-seat stuff. Outstanding fun. Do not miss it!

So the conversation goes something like this....

Okay, picture this. So, it's a lovely warm day, the sun is out, I've got home after my day at work - a good and productive day - so I think to myself, 'Hey! Have a beer, go out into the garden and take a load off.' So I take my own advice and I do that. So there I am basking in the late afternoon sun, with a cold beer and my dog at my feet when the home phone goes...
So I run into the apartment and there's this guy on the other end and the conversation goes something like this:

ME: Hello?
MAN: Is that Simon?
ME: Yes. Who is this?
MAN: It's Dave Matthews. I'm in London. How's it going?
ME: *Silence*

The world seems to stop for just a second and it hits me.... WOW! Dave Matthews - one of my favourite artists of all time - is calling me, at home, on my home phone, to chat and do an interview. Dave Matthews doesn't do many interviews but he's doing one with me. It was one of those moments where you just think, 'I have a cool job and I am a lucky, lucky man'.

Anyway, he was lovely - very funny, very friendly and one of the most grounded people I have spoken to. Out 10 minute interview went on for about 30 minutes. We could have talked for longer but he'd just got off a plane and I was on the verge of going all spazzy and telling him how much I loved his work. Anyway, I'm going to see him LIVE for the first time on Monday night and it's going to kick ass! What a day!

Another thing that's made my week really excellent is getting two tickets to go to a press screening for X Men: The Last Stand tomorrow night in London. I can't wait. I'll let you know what it's like as soon as the movie studio says I can.

In other news, I've been having a bit of an 80s thing going on for a few weeks now - music and movie wise - and found these sites that you might like. Firstly, this is a great 80s music resource called New Wave Outpost. The people on the forums there are really nice and really helpful in helping you track down hard to find stuff. Also, try out this radio station that I stumbled across called Club977. Click here for their site. This is a bookmark must for fans of 80s movies, an essay on the 'teen-sex comedies' of the time called They Want Us To Look. Have a read. Also, for fans of The Karate Kid, check out this site and this site. Bonsai!

In addition, and not at all film related, check out this site that my friend Martin aka Chewie sent me this week. It's brilliant. Hilarious and work safe too!

Hey, wanna see where I work? Click here!

This is sad. the guy who owned house at the centre of The Amityville Horror has died, George Lutz. That film still scares the living crap out of me now. The remake was quite scary too actually - although the sequels to the original movie - especially the one with the lamp in it, A LAMP????!!! - was terrible.

Also, everyone seems to be rallying around Tom Cruise at the moment after what's been a tough week for him. It seems like he's not as popular with audiences as he used to be, certainly in the US and with women especially. It hit the opening weekend box office of M:I III - although to be honest, at $48 million dollar weekend is not to be sniffed at.

I'm going to be talking to AFI in a week or so. I've had a listen to their new album - which isn't out for a few weeks - and I have to say it's superb. Expect them to be summer 2006's Blink 182/Good Charlotte/Bowling For Soup.

Stan Lee is looking for new breed of superhero in this new US TV show- Who Wants To Be A Superhero? Also, did you know that Sam 'Jurassic Park' Neill owns a vineyard?

Okay, it's sunny and warm so I am going to go outside now... maybe Dave Matthews will call again? Or maybe it will be one of They Might Be Giants? Or Adam Ant? Now THAT would be cool...