erik lehnsherr doesn't want to be friends!

[aria]

Today I saw X-Men: First Class! Lots of other people have said lots of things about its various fails and issues and layers, and all of that is awesome, but I can offer nothing of the kind, because I am in FULL SQUEE MODE.

Usually I do not like to go to movies alone, if only because sitting by myself in the audience is a bit lonely, but I am so glad I saw this one by myself! Mostly because I spent large segments of it CLUTCHING MY FACE WITH GLEE, and ... I am pretty sure that the scene in which Charles puts a gun to Erik's head is an inappropriate for gleeful face-clutching. But I don't care, because EVERYTHING ABOUT CHARLES AND ERIK, I CAN'T EVEN. I am amazed and delighted at how much of the film was just shots of them gazing soulfully at each other and occasionally crying. And playing chess. And being the only ones to understand one another while also completely failing to understand one another!

Also, oh god, CHARLES' PARALYSIS IS ERIK'S FAULT, HOW IS THIS REAL LIFE. I can't even deal with how much I love it. I am fairly sure that in my headcanon they were partners for at least some years before the ideological differences became too much (and obviously also in my headcanon they were TEXTUALLY fucking) but I am very willing to add the bit where Charles' paralysis is Erik's fault.

Both of them were just generally great, too! Michael Fassbender is no Ian McKellan, but I quite enjoyed his Erik anyway. And meanwhile young Xavier is ... apparently enough of a manipulative jackass that I have a big crush on him. I really love the fact that Charles is a big jerk who says stupid things and thinks that it's cool to poke around in everyone's minds without their consent. No wonder Magneto put that helmet on.

I may be giving the impression that the Erik/Charles was my favorite thing about this movie, but that would in fact be an incorrect impression! My favorite thing about this movie was EVERYTHING ABOUT RAVEN. I love her, oh my god. I mean, I am fond of Mystique at all times, but I loved watching her slowly become comfortable with herself -- I am pretty sure the bit at the end where she says "Mutant and proud" before bamfing with Magneto & the baby Brotherhood was supposed to be ~ominous~ but I just thought "I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU." She's obviously too good for Charles, and I'm pretty sure she's too good for Erik too, but I really loved their relationship, and how completely genuine his insistence was that she was beautiful when she was just her. (Other things I liked about the slightly ambiguous bedroom scene: the older!Mystique cameo. Hellooo Rebecca Romijn.)

I am pretty sure that is all my addled brain has right now! In related news, I ... may have two Marvelverse movie kinkmemes open in tabs. What has my life become.

Comments

[bagheera-san.livejournal.com]

OMG, it didn't even occur to me that Mystique's "Mutant and proud" at the end was supposed to be ominous! You're right, it probably was, but no, how can you watch that film and not think YES at that moment? It's quite possibly the emotional climax or something. And it's such a perfect parting word both for Mystique as a character and for the proto X-Men and proto Brotherhood, because the X-Men and Magneto/Mystique/theBrotherhood are really not the sort of enemies that go "rah we hate each other" and really more the, "OMG you're in danger we're gonna save you!" sort of enemies. It's pretty much 50/50 fights and team-ups for them. So it was right for them to part on something almost hopeful like that, not, idk, angry stares of silence, or something.

It's like Hank turning blue - I know we're supposed to feel sorry for him, but all I thought was, "Oh Hank, you deserved that a little."

[aria]

YES. That's why I love the X-Men universe a lot -- it really is 50/50 fights and team-ups. <3

And yeeeah, Hank. I mean, I did feel sorry for him, but he totally had it coming.

[sophia_sol]

Oh, Aria, you crack me up. <3

[aria]

*dies* Oh dear, which bit was giggle-inducing?

[sophia_sol]

Mostly this bit: And meanwhile young Xavier is ... apparently enough of a manipulative jackass that I have a big crush on him.

:D

[aria]

Yeeeeah. My fictional type is horrible. :DDD

[feverbeats]

I really love the fact that Charles is a big jerk who says stupid things and thinks that it's cool to poke around in everyone's minds without their consent. No wonder Magneto put that helmet on.
I actually have a complaint about this! It would have been nice if that had textually been the reason Erik put the helmet on, but it wasn't. The reason was "I don't trust you," and I have my doubts about how aware the film-makers were of Charles' mind-reading being problematic. So, basically, they didn't go there, but I wish they had.

Other than that, obvs., they are the otp of the soul. *___*

[aria]

Huh! I think you're right, actually, which is rubbish. It was just so obviously the reason he should be putting on the helmet that I ... sort of assumed that that's what "I don't trust you" meant. Would have been nice to have textually, though! Sort of like it would have been nice if their big gay love was textual.

[happydork]

I am pretty sure the bit at the end where she says "Mutant and proud" before bamfing with Magneto & the baby Brotherhood was supposed to be ~ominous~

I totally didn't realise this!

[aria]

I am extremely happy to be DW friends with a bunch of people who were cheering Mystique on, so much so that the line didn't read remotely ominous. :D

[daphnie_1]

I'm with you! I didn't realize either!

[oliviacirce]

IAWTP.

[aria]

<333

[littledust]

I JUST GOT BACK FROM SEEING THE MOVIE FOR THE SECOND TIME IN TWO DAYS

MY EYES, THEY ARE STILL FULL OF STARS

[aria]

ISN'T IT SO GREAT

SERIOUSLY I MIGHT LOVE IT AS MUCH AS I LOVE THE FIRST X-MEN FILM AND I LOVE THAT ONE A WHOLE LOT

[nai_is_not]

THIS WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT TIME TO SHARE THAT FASSBENDER WAS EVENTUALLY THE PB I SETTLED ON FOR MR. SINK, HUH

also, I haven't seen this movie yet, but I am so not shocked that you're stoked. This is such a you pairing, okay. Even if your favorite thing was Mystique.

[aria]

FDSKSFDKSDF THAT IS AMAZING. Yeah, I stick glasses on that guy and I can picture that really easily. O.o

Such a me pairing, Nai, oh my god. I think you would enjoy it quite a lot too, though. :D

[luzula]

I haven't watched this yet, but your post totally makes me want to! Charles and Erik staring soulfully at each other sounds wonderful.

[aria]

To be fair, it is not all hearts and sparkles. There is some racefail, and the A-plot is eye-rollingly stupid; that said, it's gorgeous, and full of fun characters, and Charles and Erik do indeed stare at one another soulfully a whole lot.

[alwayswondered]

I don't usually go to the cinema alone either but I might go to see this film because I don't want to miss it on the big screen and NO ONE WILL COME WITH ME ARGH. It sounds…like it's everything I'm hoping it'll be, to be honest.

I am amazed and delighted at how much of the film was just shots of them gazing soulfully at each other and occasionally crying.

GOLD. Pure gold.

[aria]

You really must! I mean, it fails a lot, and the A-plot is RIDICULOUS, but I went there for heaps of Charles/Erik and oh man did that film deliver.

[schiarire]

W--why have you used a subject line that makes me envision that icon with the shark??

[aria]

What is this shark icon of which you speak?

[schiarire]

You know, the thing! With the thing?

It's after 3am. :(

[aria]

Ahahaha that thing! <3

Sleep, Ji! And do not be ashamed in the morning, for lo, this comment was gold.

[everysecondtuesday]

My favorite thing about the movie was also Mystique! :DDD

Yeah, I totally didn't see her "mutant and proud" moment as ominous so much as joyful and this happy climax where she has come to accept herself. Yay, Raven.

No wonder Magneto put that helmet on.
I took the "I don't trust you" to encompass both that, and what follows from that, which is that Erik can't trust Charles not to completely disregard Erik's free will and choices to force upon him what he thinks is ~the right thing~, i.e. using his powers to forcibly prevent Magneto from doing what he thinks needs to be done.

[aria]

I would watch a dozen movies that were basically just about Mystique being awesome, no lie.

And oooh, yeah, I like that reading a lot. Honestly, if I spent any amount of time with Charles, I'd probably want a helmet too.

[lowkey]

My largest problem with this movie is that it didn't have enough Loki in it.

Or, for that matter, enough of Erik walking around in his awesome leather jacket and black turtle neck. Also: my demands might be unreasonable, considering the fact that that's pretty much all Erik did all movie.

[lowkey]

Another also: I got home from the movie, sat down at my computer, and was all like "yyyyeeeeesssssssss now I can read that post of Aria's!"

[aria]

...thank you, this entire comment makes me laugh with joy. EVERYTHING ABOUT IT IS CORRECT.

[daphnie_1]

"It is a little bit of a mini-tragedy that him and Magneto don't, you know, have sex and become married and become best friends." - James McAvoy

[aria]

YES! I love that quote! I also have a whole mini soapbox about how it frustrates me that all the actors seem to know the subtext they're playing but it STILL ISN'T TEXT, but it is still a quote of joy. :)

[daphnie_1]

Yeahh YANA with the soapbox, it annoys me too, but I still like the quote.

(Also?: Agreed on the awesomeness of Raven)