[bubba966]

As I didn't have either DVD version of X-Men, I picked up the X-Men Collection today as it's got X-Men 1.5 & X2 together as a set.

I was honestly expecting it to just be regular versions X-Men 1.5 & X2 in a slip case, ala Jurassic Park. But it's actually entirely new & different packaging. It's a 4 disc set much like the LOTR Extended cut sets. It's a very nice set.

I've not the time tonight to watch the entire thing. But what scenes I've watched so far have been great. The DTS track seems pretty damn good. And the transfer is excellent. I appreciate that they didn't put any of the extras on the disc w/the movie (other than the commentary tracks that is), but put the extras on their own separate discs.

So if I don't work tomorrow, I'll probably watch it then.

[bubba966]

Well, I'll say that I'm very happy with the transfer & DTS track on X2.

Can't say that the deleted scenes are very good. In fact I think only one or two of them was worth putting on the disc. The rest of them were lame alternate versions of a scene.

Some of the making of features were pretty good. It's very interesting to see how much time & effort (and $ ) must go into all of the sets & stunts to get everything to look real. It's no wonder it cost $125,000,000 to film this movie. I'd say it was well spent as I still fell X2 has the best SFX of anything put to film so far.

[Rob Babcock]

Just watched X2 tonight and I must say it was considerably better than the original in every way.  The story was better, the effects were better and there were more of my favorite characters this time (I dug that Mystique took the form of Uber-Hottie Rebecca Romaijn this time! ).

I'm also stoked that they've set up the next flick perfectly- it has to be Dark Pheonix!  You can see how powerful Jean is becoming and that she's losing control over it.  The ending as much as shows it.

[bubba966]

I'm also stoked that they've set up the next flick perfectly- it has to be Dark Pheonix!  You can see how powerful Jean is becoming and that she's losing control over it.  The ending as much as shows it.

Well, the whole Pheonix storyline actually started in X-Men. Magneto triggered the acceleration of the maturing of Jean's powers when she was hit with the radiation from his "mutation machine" or whatever you care to call it. In fact if I remember correctly, you can actually see the flames in her eyes in a scene or two in the first one after she's hit with the radiation.

So it started in the first one. Was really brought on in the second one (at least by those of us that know what the hell is really going on), and will probably be a decent part of the third one.

But I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Sentinels are in the third one. Not only are they mentioned in the second one. But in some of the extras for the second movie they show productions sketches of what the Sentinels should look like.

Who knows though. There could be many a different villan in the third. Could be Omega Red, The Hellfire Club (they're both also mentioned in the second film), or someone else entirely.

Guess we shall see in 2006...

[Rob Babcock]

If Jean does become the Dark Pheonix in the 3rd one, there's your villian.  Magneto, the Sentinel, they all pale next to Pheonix' powers.  Small potatoes.  She could  destroy the sun and the entire solar system; she's one of the most destructive forces in the Marvel universe.

But one of the hottiest, too!

Minor quibles:  Colossus is a kid, that's stupid.  He should be about Logan's age.  And Kitty Pride has gotten like 30 seconds of face time.  What's up with that?  Kudo's for bringing Kurt into the story, but what about Beast?  X-Men history wise Rogue was a blip until recently.  Now she figures in more, but I'm not sure why.

[bubba966]

but what about Beast?

What, you missed him in X2?

And true, Jean could be the villan in X3. Which'd be good in my book. Famke was damn hot in X2. Would love to see more of her in X3...

[Rob Babcock]

I don't mean a cameo; Beast is a classic X-Men character.  He deserves a lot more face time.  Rogue (who should also be about 10 years older) was personna non grata for a long time for permanently absorbing the powers of one of Logans good friends.  She was a fringe X-Man (hottie) at best for a long time.

Really, Rebecca Romainj shoulda been Rogue- she's a dead ringer.  The girl they got to play her in the movie doesn't bear the slightest resemblance.  Becky is dead perfect.

[Rob Babcock]

BTW, I don't mean Nightcrawler.  He's cool too, and they're both blue!

As long as they don't bring David Hasslehoff in as Nick Fury in X3!

[bubba966]

I don't mean a cameo; Beast is a classic X-Men character.  He deserves a lot more face time.  Rogue (who should also be about 10 years older) was personna non grata for a long time for permanently absorbing the powers of one of Logans good friends.  She was a fringe X-Man (hottie) at best for a long time.

While Rogue is one of the X-Men I liked better while I was a comic collector I understand what you mean. I think Rogue's only been around since '86 if I remember right. Where as Beast & Angel have been around since '63. But there's plenty of things in the movie that aren't the same as they are in the book.

And you have to think about it this way as well. When they did X-Men, superhero movies weren't doing so swell. X-Men & Spidey changed that, but things were different then. And they didn't have quite the budget for the first one as they did the second time around.

So as most people are more familiar with Beast being blue & furry, imagine trying to do that with a limited budget. The same goes for Angel. Either way he looks, he'd be a bitch to do with a smaller budget.

Really, Rebecca Romainj shoulda been Rogue- she's a dead ringer.  The girl they got to play her in the movie doesn't bear the slightest resemblance.  Becky is dead perfect.

Hmm, I'd not thought about who really shoulda been Rouge. I'll have to think about it.

So who woulda been Mystique then?...