X-Men
The original X-Men movie is fascinating to watch as it harkens back to a simpler time for superhero films. It’s remarkably restrained as the genre has expanded into multiverses and using CG backgrounds for every shot. Every scene feels intentional, building upon the mutant struggle and how each member of the X-Men factors into it. The 2000 movie is refined instead of referential. It’s campy instead of quippy. Overall it’s just a really solid flick that understands what the X-Men are about. And god, talk about a perfectly cast film. Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, and Ian McKellen are some of, if not the best-casted superhero roles in the genre, and have solidified themselves into the DNA of their characters. — Kenneth Shepard
