<<>> Now That's Entertainment . . . Issue # 11 [[ WARNING: The following piece contains material and/or language that may offend or not be suitable for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.]] "X-Men: The Movie" Not sure what the tentative title may be.... it could very well be what I stated just above....but either way. Scheduled to be released nationwide, at a theatre near you, on the 30th of June next year. X-Men: The Movie. I'm sure most of you have got to think I'm joking about this. I'm sure most of you think that I've gone completely back to the crib with this, but no, you are far from the truth. I am genuinely excited about this future flick, and I am willing to admit it. Growing up, during elementary school, every Saturday morning at 10am on Fox, you would be sure to find me, staring at the boob tube, watching the adventures (and misadventures) of favorite evil-expelling group known only as the X-Men battle miscreants (sic) of all shapes, sizes, colors, etc. who are hell-bent on killing all the humans. Mutants, as they were called, would either be on one side of the spectrum or the other, regardless of how peculiar their appearance. On one side, you have the mutants who are working their asses off to get humans and mutants to live in harmony. Then, there are those who just go around spreading havoc and chaos to every last corner of the globe, to prove their point, and to basically wipe the face of the earth clean of "normal" people. Then, one of my favourites, who basically falls into the second group there....Apocalypse. His infamous quote (to me anyways), "I am as far beyond mutants as they are beyond you," will almost have a special place in my childhood memories, right next to my first experience with video games, right next to my first exposure to professional wrestling. "OK, Michael, where the hell have you gone?! I always thought of you as some intellectual freak, with a strange obsession with professional wrestling." Maybe I still am. But there will always be a place in my heart for cartoons growing up, especially X-Men. Now that I have gotten a little older, maybe not necessarily more mature, but more knowledgable and insightful for sure. Now, I can see X-Men, truly for what it was meant to say. The message behind the violence and rivalries. "X-Men" was an allegory for racism, for sexism, and any other kind of prejudice. Just like how "Animal Farm", on the surface - a story about some pigs on a power trip, was really a story about the Russian revolution, complete with representatives for Lenin, Stalin, and Trotsky. "X-Men" is no different. The mutants are a reflection of any minority group, be it Blacks, Asians, or whatever. I'm not saying that Blacks or Asians are strange in any way, or have any supernatural powers, but on the surface, they look different than the "mainstream." I'm talking your stereotypical blond hair, blue eyes, strong Aryan warrior, the way that Adolf Hitler saw his "superior race." When in fact, there is no such thing as a "superior race." We're all equal, just like the mutants and the humans. Sure, there were side stories to keep the show interesting, and dynamic, and most importantly entertaining. However, the main thing was showing the struggle for the minority group (ie Mutants) to be accepted into the mainstream. Some from the group work towards living in peace with the "normal" folk. Others worked to eliminate the "normal" folk. Martin Luther King, Jr. worked for equality. The Black Panthers worked for something quite different. For those of you who did watch X-Men growing up, those of you like me, you can know have a deeper understanding, and you can better appreciate the children's cartoon series. And now, after years and years of waiting, I finally....we finally get to see Wolverine, Professor X, Mystique, Magneto and the rest of the gang on the silver screen. For those of you who are curious, I happened to come across a website on this, and I'll give you the URL at the end of issue. For now, here is the basic rundown of the cast, followed by a quick rumor: Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier/Professor X Ian McKellen as Max Lensherr/Magneto Famke Janssen as Jean Grey James Marsden as Scott Summers/Cyclops Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine (my personal favorite) Tyler Mane as Victor Creed/Sabertooth Anna Paquin as Rogue Halle Berry as Ororo Munroe/Storm Rebecca Romijn-Stamos as Mystique Bruce Davison as Senator Scott "Frank" Kelly Ray Park as Mortimer Toynbee/Toad Matthew Sharp as Henry Gyrich As far as that rumor....Cyclops and Jean Grey were seen by some unnamed insider wearing Matrix-inspired leather jumpsuits. The insider said that they are very Matrix-esque, except not as tight, so obviously not as flattering as the tight one worn by Trinity. Oh, and another rumor that happened to float my way, was that Rebecca Romijn-Stamos (yes, the real life wife of Jesse from Full House....and yes, the supermodel), who will play Mystique, is rumored to have a costume, well it's not really a costume,...slicked back fire-red hair and head-to-toe blue body paint, and few strategically placed scales. That's right, her white dress may not be there! For all of you hormone-induced teenage boys, that's worth the price of admission right there, right? :) And here is the URL for all of you to gawk at: http://www.corona.bc.ca/films/details/x-men.html Watch for the rumors....watch for the trailers.... and be sure to watch the movie when it is released June 30, 2000. ============================ © 1999 Michael Kwan. Reproduction, exhibition or distribution of the preceeding piece without the expressed written consent of the author(s) can result in severe criminal and civil penalties under international agreements. Note: As always, if you wish to be removed from this mailing list, feel free to email me at flawless316@usa.net and let me know. A reason behind why you'd like to unsubscribe would truly be appreciated.