you're so proud of being a mutant, where's your mark?

for the week leading up the release of x-men three: the last stand, i agonized over what my super mutant powers would be. paulix had already determined that, as a mutant, he would be able to shape-shift into any species of animal and take on that animal's powers. entirely fitting for a man who is saving the world, one panda at a time. i turned things over in my head, frustrated that the only super power i could come up with was the ability to "clean up disasters." whenever there is a blockbuster film involving the destruction of urban infrastructure, i always leave the theatre thinking: "god, it will cost millions to clean that mess up!" of course, this is not the sexiest of mutant powers, so as much as part of me thinks it would be practical, given the destructive forces of the phoenix and magneto and their posse, i really didn't want to be the one woman FEMA. so, finally, i've decided that my mutant power would be the ability to travel and manipulate time. mr. panda is concerned, though, that such an ability would wreak havoc and chaos, and that i should only be able to passively observe the past and present. my argument, however, is that the most interesting mutant powers are those that are double edged swords, which challenge their possessors to make ethical decisions about their use. plus, we saw harry potter and the prisoner of azkhaban over the weekend as well, which demonstrates the benefit of being able to back in time and change things.

as for the last stand, i agree with this review in new york magazine. while the film definitely had amazing special effects, i was disappointed with the storyline and the lack of subtlety and finesse. that brett ratner has a heavy-handed touch is an understatement, and what made the movie frustrating was that the blurred lines between good and evil, which challenged viewers in both the first and second installments, had become clearly demarcated in the hands of mr. ratner. most infuriating was how neat and tidy everything ended, as if one event in history could absolve the world of all the tension and prejudice against mutants. the x-men is not a story that should end with a happily-ever after. shame on you, brett, for treating a complex issue like an episode of full house.