X-Men

Comic-book heroes get a nice screen treatment in this far-better-than-expected tale of good mutants vs. bad mutants. Magneto (Ian McKellen), an evil human mutant, plans to turn the world population into mutants with the help of a big round machine that shoots off lots of pretty lights. Patrick Stewart plays a nice mutant who teaches fellow mutants how to cope with their powers at his mutant school. Can you tell this film is about mutants? A superb cast and spotless direction from Bryan Singer make this one a summer must-see, and a film that goes right alongside the first Batman and Superman as genre bests.