Days of Future Past Days of Future Past News and Discussion

[Specter313]

Exactly. Jones isn't wining any awards. We all know that. But at least give Singer the opportunity to work with her. And how about giving the character something to do this time around. With First Class, the Frost character wasn't onscreen/involved enough for JJ to truly be a disappointment IMO.

I'm sorry, but that's just making excuses for her. Frost was on screen enough and had enough lines where any actress who wanted to could have injected enough life/sass/*****iness to emulate Frost from the comics enough where it would have at least been satisfying to have at least seen her on screen. Jones did none of that. Instead she came off bored and aloof, like she didn't even want to be there. It's not the amount of lines that a character has, it's how you deliver them that counts.

 

[magneto23]

By that logic, then casting Ellen Page as Shadowcat in X3 was a horrible decision. And Aaron Stanford as Pyro. And Kelsey Grammar as Beast. Continuity isn't "magic" nor is it necessary when it comes to casting, and this franchise proves it.

Those are the examples you use to "prove" it. Those characters you mentioned were complete BACKGROUND players. Did they even have lines of dialogue outside of Hank talking on the tv fo 5 seconds? Totally different situation with Jones as Frost. Page, Stanford, and Grammar replaced extras who didn't contribute a single thing to X1 & X2. Jones, no matter how negatively people view her performance, DID contribute to FC.

 

[magneto23]

I'm sorry, but that's just making excuses for her. Frost was on screen enough and had enough lines where any actress who wanted to could have injected enough life/sass/*****iness to emulate Frost from the comics enough where it would have at least been satisfying to have at least seen her on screen. Jones did none of that. Instead she came off bored and aloof, like she didn't even want to be there. It's not the amount of lines that a character has, it's how you deliver them that counts.

I agree the girl came off as "aloof". But I think some of that had to do with the fact that they didn't put her in the right situations. She shared only one scene with Charles. One. And only two with Erik. She had her few scenes with Shaw and that scene with the CIA guys and that was it. And then she was shelved for the final act. Pair her up with the young charesmatic leads a little more. Put her in the action. You don't want boring then give her some more exciting things to do.

 

[Specter313]

Those are the examples you use to "prove" it. Those characters you mentioned were complete BACKGROUND players. Did they even have lines of dialogue outside of Hank talking on the tv fo 5 seconds? Totally different situation with Jones as Frost. Page, Stanford, and Grammar replaced extras who didn't contribute a single thing to X1 & X2. Jones, no matter how negatively people view her performance, DID contribute to FC.

She contributed a POOR performance, is what it was. It doesn't matter if they were just "background" characters or not, the argument was said that keeping the same actors as important. I stated three examples that shows that it is not. Both Kitty's and the first Beast actor are all actors who have continued acting since their roles, so if the argument is supposed to be made that "Singer and co. should work more with who they originally cast", and now you saying that they're just "extras", then why didn't they keep them if they're fully working actors and not just filler that usually happens in films? How about another recasting that goes with your reasoning of they should be kept because they "contributed" a larger role in a previous film? Wolverine: Origins may have been a ****** film at the end of the day, but I didn't hear that many complaints when they didn't bring back Tyler Mane, who pretty much has a similar size role to Frost in XFC. Mane also has kept up acting since X1, so it's not a case of him just being filler either. I'm just pointing out that these reasons for keeping her are just flimsy.

 

[Specter313]

I agree the girl came off as "aloof". But I think some of that had to do with the fact that they didn't put her in the right situations. She shared only one scene with Charles. One. And only two with Erik. She had her few scenes with Shaw and that scene with the CIA guys and that was it. And then she was shelved for the final act. Pair her up with the young charesmatic leads a little more. Put her in the action. You don't want boring then give her some more exciting things to do.

Again, that's excusing her. Think about the common phrase "I could watch _______ read the phone book and it would be awesome." It's all about what the actor or actress brings to the part. If she was given a "less than exciting" role, then it's up to her to bring some life to it and make the most of it. The writers can't give every role some major action, and an actor shouldn't have to rely on those things and working with certain people in order to give a good performance. That is not the mark of a good actor in the slightest.

 

[Great Mind(s)]

Then leave her out and don't recast.

 

[Superhero 101]

id want jones to return i thought she did her part well in xmfc

 

[georgec]

I hope they recast. The end of FC kind of sets up that alliance, so to ignore it completely in the next film would feel odd.

 

[psylockolussus]

I want January to return because she's Emma in this movie-verse. I don't care that she was ...bland..and cold. I mean, Bryan Singer I think is a better director so he could give her better things to do. I hate recasting and hate continuity errors and for a movie that's supposed to "fix" continuity errors and link established actors together, it would be a mistake to recast a character just introduced. And it would be silly to not have her in this seeing as how the last film ENDED with her.

Agreed.

 

[Iceman]

I'm half and half on JJ (or maybe a bit less). She wasn't good & she wasn't awful.

But with regards to this discussion, would you want to keep an actor who was absolutely terrible in one of the main roles (eg Charles, Wolverine or Cyclops) for 3 or 4 films for the sake of continuity? Having the best people is more important to me; I say trade up whenever you get the chance. If they'd had in place a reasonable actor for Tony Stark & had the chance to get RDJ for sequels I'd be happy for them to **** up continuity to get him. And if Charlize Theron was available for this role the same would apply.

 

[Hawkingbird]

I'm half and half on JJ (or maybe a bit less). She wasn't good & she wasn't awful.

But with regards to this discussion, would you want to keep an actor who was absolutely terrible in one of the main roles (eg Charles, Wolverine or Cyclops) for 3 or 4 films for the sake of continuity? Having the best people is more important to me; I say trade up whenever you get the chance. If they'd had in place a reasonable actor for Tony Stark & had the chance to get RDJ for sequels I'd be happy for them to **** up continuity to get him. And if Charlize Theron was available for this role the same would apply.

...Charles and Wolverine were perfect in their roles.

 

[The Infernal]

What? No love for Cyclops? He just can't catch a break.

 

[magneto23]

She contributed a POOR performance, is what it was. It doesn't matter if they were just "background" characters or not, the argument was said that keeping the same actors as important. I stated three examples that shows that it is not. Both Kitty's and the first Beast actor are all actors who have continued acting since their roles, so if the argument is supposed to be made that "Singer and co. should work more with who they originally cast", and now you saying that they're just "extras", then why didn't they keep them if they're fully working actors and not just filler that usually happens in films? How about another recasting that goes with your reasoning of they should be kept because they "contributed" a larger role in a previous film? Wolverine: Origins may have been a ****** film at the end of the day, but I didn't hear that many complaints when they didn't bring back Tyler Mane, who pretty much has a similar size role to Frost in XFC. Mane also has kept up acting since X1, so it's not a case of him just being filler either. I'm just pointing out that these reasons for keeping her are just flimsy.

The situations just aren't the same. Those actors didn't do anything in X1/2. They were extras. There's no going against continuity when replacing insignificant extras. Jones actually contributed to FC and replacing her would fu#k up the continuity. And with Tyler Mane, they completely rewrote/rebooted that character for XOW. Why would he still play Sabertooth if its a brand new character basically? And now we have two versions of the same guy. I'm complaining about that, its Annoying as hell.

 

[magneto23]

Again, that's excusing her. Think about the common phrase "I could watch _______ read the phone book and it would be awesome." It's all about what the actor or actress brings to the part. If she was given a "less than exciting" role, then it's up to her to bring some life to it and make the most of it. The writers can't give every role some major action, and an actor shouldn't have to rely on those things and working with certain people in order to give a good performance. That is not the mark of a good actor in the slightest.

Only part of it is up to her. IMO the writers and directors have to put their characters/actors in the right spots. You say Jones should have "injected enough life/sass/*****iness" on her own. I can't buy that. Its a collaborative effort. IMO, Jones was given bland dialogue and was isolated from the other characters to the point where we couldn't get any good interaction.

 

[Hawkingbird]

I agree. I don't actually feel I can make a judgement about January because her lines were so limited.

 

[Angamb]

As Ive said, I hate recastings too, but if we were gonna discuss about which actress could have been a good choice for First Class, after watching a few episodes of Dexter, I think Yvonne Strahovski would have been a great choice.

I hadnt watched her acting before, but from the episodes Ive seen with her in, obviously I thought about her playing Miss Marvel, like many fans have been saying since years, but now that I look at some of her pics too.... she would have been a really solid choice for Emma. Havent seen other work from her, but I feel like she has the enough acting skills to play the badass Emma.

but anyway, it is what it is, and January is our Emma, so again, lets hope Singer or Fox confirm her soon, along with Rose.

 

[Great Mind(s)]

Is there a music thread?

 

[Mulholland-Jr]

Bryan's pretty good at making subpar actors have good performances. Rebecca Romijn, Kate Bosworth, even that Baldwin brother for cripes sake! Maybe he can work his magic on JJ. Notice how bad the acting became in X3.

 

[Iceman]

...Charles and Wolverine were perfect in their roles.

What? No love for Cyclops? He just can't catch a break.

Sorry, I meant hypothetically if one of the actors for the main characters (just used eg so people wouldn't think I was still talking about January Jones) was terrible, would people want the actors to stay just for the sake of continuity.

 

[Great Mind(s)]

Sorry, I meant hypothetically if one of the actors for the main characters (just used eg so people wouldn't think I was still talking about January Jones) was terrible, would people want the actors to stay just for the sake of continuity.

IMO, yes. I hate having to see 3 different Kitty's in the trilogy... even though I loved Ellen Page for the role..and want her back. But the other 2 Kitty's didn't have the same sized role as Emma Frost. I want JJ back! I want her back! arg

 

[huzzah]

Bryan's pretty good at making subpar actors have good performances. Rebecca Romijn, Kate Bosworth, even that Baldwin brother for cripes sake! Maybe he can work his magic on JJ. Notice how bad the acting became in X3.

Nope! Some characters actually had something constructive to do in the third film.

 

[Alex Logan]

Nope! Some characters actually had something constructive to do in the third film.

I heard that.

 

[BMM]

Bryan's pretty good at making subpar actors have good performances. Rebecca Romijn, Kate Bosworth, even that Baldwin brother for cripes sake! Maybe he can work his magic on JJ. Notice how bad the acting became in X3.

Yep. Though, part of that is also the terrible script. When characters aren't being cured or killed offscreen, they're usually saying something stupid or cliche. Even McKellen and Stewart aren't safe from the terrible, clunky dialogue.

"Einstein wasn't a mutant... at least so far as we know."
"That's why the pawns go first."
"What have I done?"

 

[Manic X]

Yep. Though, part of that is also the terrible script. When characters aren't being cured or killed offscreen, they're usually saying something stupid or cliche. Even McKellen and Stewart aren't safe from the terrible, clunky dialogue.

"Einstein wasn't a mutant... at least so far as we know."
"That's why the pawns go first."
"What have I done?"

The only poorly delivered line is the "What have I done?" line. The other two were just fine.

 

[BMM]

No, really, they aren't--not for those two. Stewart's line is beyond corny, and McKellen's is made worse by the fact they have him repeat in a matter of minutes.