. . . Very Encouraging

There's been a lot of talk ("maybe too much talk"--sorry, the U2 fan in me can't resist the shout-out to Bono's "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" intro on the Red Rocks album) about how Brett Ratner is going to take the somber, wonderfully understated franchise Brian Singer built in the first two X-Men films and stomp all over them. But the full trailer that was released some weeks ago gives me absolutely no ill-feelings. Quite the opposite, in fact--this looks like a very natural and exciting conclusion to what is being billed now as a trilogy. And the storyline they seem to be grabbing at least a thread from--Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men story about the development of a cure for mutants--is a perfect fit for the big screen, and a very organic continuation from the previous films. I am officially excited for this film now.

Until Whenever