A to Z Challenge: My Favorite Storytellers-- X

OK, I am REALLY cheating on this one. I know it. I embrace it, because this cheat plays well into my total nerdom.  X is for...

Charles Xavier

Uh huh, I am featuring an X-Men character as a storyteller. And it is mostly fair, because Professor X DOES actually spend a lot of his time in the comic books, tv shows, and movies telling stories and parables.

He also happens to be one of my all time favorite characters, like ever. And why?

1. Because he is brilliant, charming, and genuinely caring
2. Because his strength of character is in knowing how to use force when necessary, and avoid it when not-- a really admirable trait
3. Because he has been played by two of my favorite actors (and dreamy men)- Patrick Stewart in a really amazing film franchise, and James McAvoy in a movie that left me feeling like my childhood had been defiled (see my review of X-Men first class here)

And since, yes, I very much did cheat, I welcome suggestions for other "X" story tellers! 

When Dreamy Men Disappoint: X-Men: First Class

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about my ecstatic excitement over the forthcoming X-Men : First Class movie, because it combined two of my favorite things-- the X-Men, and dreamy man James McAvoy. So, on my first free afternoon, I headed to the theater...

... and I was reminded that, much like chocolate and red wine, loving two things does not necessarily mean you will love them together. I found the movie overwhelmingly disappointing.

One of the better aspects of the previous movies have been a quick build up to the central conflict-- who are we fighting and why, with a healthy dose of tension between fighting other mutants and fighting the humans that hate mutants. Not so in this movie-- half an hour in, I was still wondering why the bad guy was wanted by the CIA. Forty minutes or so, and we finally get to actual conflict that requires cooperation of all the mutants and human. 

There are gaping contradictions between the first four movies and this one, the acting was just OK. Kevin Bacon was good, and James McAvoy did a good job, but the character just wasn't Professor X. Their job was not aided by costume and set design that was just plain caracitureish. I frequently had to remind myself that I wasn't watching an Austin Powers movie.

All in all, not as disappointing as Terminator: Salvation, but most definitely a movie that does not live up to its potential.

To the land of dreamy men...

Please indulge me in a digression-- I have been trying to focus on things of substance, fiction that changes my understanding of things, places that make me happy, etc. But, the time has come to return to one of my favorite subjects... dreamy men. Ah yes, I have too long abandoned Ryan Buell, Ben Barnes, Joseph Gordon Levitt, and friends, but a recent trip to a movie theater reminded me that it was long past time to add a new name to my list: James McAvoy.

The ironic thing is that I can't think of any of his movies off the top of my head that I have loved, save for Penelope and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (and he is a fawn in that, goat legs automatically rendering anyone as NOT dreamy). I've seen a lot. Been OK with a few. Loved less... until now I hope, because this summer McAvoy takes on the role of one of my all-time favorite characters ever. Are you ready to see my geek? Well here it is, six words that give me chills: James McAvoy as Professor Charles Xavier. Seriously, I am giddy with anticipation.

I am also giddy with lack of sleep. I am trying so hard to wrap up a few loose ends on Book #2. I want to start talking about , sharing it, seriously shopping it, and, most importantly, put it to bed so I can work on Book #3. The publication of Max and Menna showed me, quite wonderfully, that maybe a future as a professional writer is on the horizon. Now I just need the present to give me time to make it happen :)