Summer blockbuster movies are orbiting in the Marvel Comics universe.

"X-Men: Days of Future Past" uses the plot device of time travel to bring "X-Men" superheroes old and new into the blockbuster fold.The results are entertaining at best, confusing at worst.I wasn't a fan of Marvel Comics and DC Comics as a child. Walt Disney, Archie Comics and Classics Illustrated were more my style. I'm not particularly enamored of so-called graphic novels. R. Crumb and Zap Comix were more my speed.My trusty blockbuster super hero film interpreters: my son, Elias, and Movie Maven Mike, were absent. So, there I sat, trying to make sense of the myriad characters, back stories and intertwining plots. I am at a loss as to what "X-Men: Days of Future Past" is all about."X-Men" has amazing special effects, which probably would be fun in 3D. I saw "X-Men" in 2D, having felt bludgeoned into my seat by "Godzilla" in Imax 3D.One obvious aspect to recommend "X-Men" is its outstanding cast. It seems half of Hollywood is in this one.Patrick Stewart (Professor X) and Ian McKellen (Magneto) lend the solemnity of a Shakespeare tragedy to "X-Men." It's great to see these thespians go brow-to-brow.Garnering major screen time are Hugh Jackman (solidly buff Logan-Wolverine), James McAvoy (appropriately brooding Charles Xavier), Michael Fassbender (smoothly evil Erik Lehnsherr), Jennifer Lawrence (ravishing blue body suited Raven-Mystique), Nicholas Hoult (Hank-Beast), Ellen Page (Kitty Pryde) and Peter Dinklage (Dr. Bolivar Trask).Each actor elevates the material above the banal.In supporting roles amounting to not much more than cameos: Halle Berry (Storm), Anna Paquin (Rogue), Shawn Ashmore (Bobby-Iceman), Omar Sy (Bishop), Evan Peters (Peter-Quicksilver), John Helman (Major Bill Stryker), Bingbing Fan (Blink), Booboo Stewart (Warpath), Famke Janssen (Jean Grey) and James Marsden (Scott Summers-Cyclops).The numerous characters and complexity of relationships, compounded by the time-travel element and Mystique's shape-shifting, renders the plot indecipherable.Wolverine time-travels from, apparently, 2023 to 1973. Historic events (conspiracy theories about the JFK assassination, ending of the Vietnam War, signing of Paris Peace Accords) and characters (President Richard M. Nixon, played by Mark Camacho) become grist for Marvel Comics universe mill and provide backdrops for the action. While the 1970s clothing and hair styles, cars and home decor are great fun, the rewriting of history is not.The action is bigger than big in "X-Men." The battle-bots, called The Sentinels, are huge. The RFK baseball stadium of the Washington Nationals is lifted right out of the ground and plunked down around the White House. There are conflagrations aplenty.Director Bryan Singer (director, "The Usual Suspects," 1995; "X-Men," 2000; "X-Men 2," 2003; producer, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," 2009; "X-Men: First Class," 2011) etains a good mix of action and dialogue.The screenplay by mon Kinberg ("X Men: Last Stand," 2006; "Sherlock Holmes," 2009) from a story by Kinberg, Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn (both, screenplay, "X-Men: First Class") has its share of pontificating and technical "numbo-jumbo."The storyline for this "X-Men" is taken from the 1981 Marvel comics, "Days of Future Past," written by Chris Claremont. That title was apparently appropriated from The Moody Blues' 1967 concept album."Is the future truly set?" it's asked in "X-Men."Yes, when it comes to more movies based on Marvel Comics.I had better get Elias and-or Mike to accompany me to "X-Men: Apocalypse," set for 2016 release."X-Men: Days of Future Past," MPAA rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some Material May Be Inappropriate For Children Under 13.) for sequences of intense sci-fi violence and action, some suggestive material, nudity and language; G re: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Fantasy; Run time: 2 hrs., 11 min.; Distributed by 20th Century Fox.Credit Readers Anonymous: At the very end of the "X-Men: Days of Future Past" closing credits, a crowd in a desert bows down to a man in a cloak standing atop a sand dune in front of a pyramid. The figure is Apocalypse. It's a teaser for "X-Men: Apocalypse."Box Office, May 30: Angelina Jolie proved to be no sleeper at the box office, with her biggest opening ever with "Maleficient," the Disney live-action spin on its "Sleeping Beauty" fairytale animation classic, conjuring up $70 million, putting "X-Men: Days of Future Past" back to No. 2, $32.6 million, $162 million, two weeks; and leaving in her dust, "A Million Ways To Die In The West," starring Lehigh Valley native Amanda Seyfried, way back at No. 3, $17 million, opening;4. "Godzilla," $12.2 million, $174.6 million, three weeks; 5. "Blended," $8.4 million, $29.6 million, two weeks; 6. "Neighbors," $7.7 million, $128.6 million, four we s; 7. "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," $3.7 million, $192.7 million, five weeks; 8. "Million Dollar Arm," $3.7 million, $28. million, three weeks; 9. "Chef," $2 million, $6.9 million, four weeks; 10. "The Other Woman," $1.4 million, $81.1 million, six weeks;Unreel, June 6:"Edge of Tomorrow," PG-13: Tom Cruise stars as a soldier caught in a time-warp who is fighting aliens. Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton and Brendan Gleeson co-star in the sci-fi action film."The Fault In Our Stars," PG-13: Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort star in the romantic drama about two teenagers with disabilities who fall in love.Read Paul Willistein's movie reviews at the Lehigh Valley Press web site, thelehighvalley-press.com; the Times-News web site, tnonline.com; and hear them on "Lehigh Valley Art Salon," 6 6:0 p.m. Mondays, WDIY 88.1 FM, and wdiy.org, where they're archived. Email Paul Willistein:

pwillistein@tnonline.com. You can follow Paul Willistein on Twitter and friend Paul Willistein on Facebook.Two Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes