Trailers! Trailers! 2020 Cometh

2020 is soon upon us, and there have been a spate of new trailers for some of the big blockbusters and blockbuster hopefuls. It's been a while since I've done a trailer post, so let's get cracking. All links below lead to Trailer Addict.

Fantasy Island - First, I'm including this one just because I've got to talk about the wild approach the filmmakers are taking with this property. The original "Fantasy Island" was a '70s television series about people getting to experience their fantasies on a magic island. There were a few "be careful what you wish for" stories, but the tone was generally lighthearted. Now, Blumhouse has gotten their hands on it, and we have a horror reboot. Michael Pena, god bless him, is not remotely an adequate substitute for Ricardo Montalban, Tattoo is nowhere in sight, and the scares look pretty tedious. That said, I like the look of the cast and I like that the filmmakers are taking a big risk. So, fingers crossed. We'll see how this turns out.

No Time to Die - Bond is finally back. He's got a fantastic supporting cast around him, some comforting (and not-so comforting) old faces around, and a nice hook for the latest installment. Apparently at some point James Bond retired to be with Lea Seydoux, and now he'd being reluctantly un-retired for more mayhem. Lashana Lynch looks like she'll have a bigger role than I originally anticipated, and I like how they're setting up Rami Malek. What peeved me a bit was the was the multiple acknowledgements that Bond is getting old - something they've been harping on for several movies now. Craig's tenure may be long, but he isn't the oldest Bond we've had, and still looks great in the suit.

Black Widow - I still have no idea what to make of this movie, but the new character introductions are good. I know to expect lots of action in the same vein as the "Captain America" movies, plenty of dodgy Russian accents, and very good actors saying very silly things. It worries me that our heroine looks to be the least interesting character in her own movie, but it's far too early to conclude anything yet. I just hope that the filmmakers make better use of Scarlett Johanssen, who clearly has the chops to make Natasha into a truly iconic hero, but has never really been given the right material to do it, even after so many other MCU appearances. Don't screw this one up, kids!

Wonder Woman 1984 - I'm not really digging the clunky golden eagle armor. That aside, I love this trailer to bits. I love the music, the rampant '80s nostalgia (which I now accept is not just a phase), and all the wow moments. Diana seems to have gotten all the glamour shots and badass shots that "Black Widow" is missing. She's dressed to kill! She's riding lightning! I'm glad that Chris Pine is back too, and keeping an open mind about Pedro Pascal playing a Trump stand-in, and Kristen Wiig being primed for future villainy. As far as I'm concerned, of all the superhero movies coming our way in 2020, "Wonder Woman 1984" is the one to beat.

Free Guy - Oh boy. This looks a lot dumber than I was expecting, but then again I shouldn't be too surprised with Shawn Levy directing. On the other hand, Ryan Reynolds is as charming as ever, the premise has a lot going for it, and I like the entire cast. I just hope that Jodie Comer's role isn't going to be as dull as I think it's going to be. Also, making a mental note that Hollywood has managed to update their gaming references roughly to the point of "GTA" with some "Fortnite" characters types. They're still behind, but they're not as far behind as they used to be, and that's something.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife - It looks like we're all going to pretend that the Paul Feig "Ghostbusters" never happened, and I'm perfectly okay with that. The new tactic is clearly to go for full "Stranger Things" style spooky nostalgia (Hi, Finn Wolfhard!) and downplay the comedy. It feels very appropriate to have Jason Reitman taking over, though his filmography contains nothing that remotely resembles this. I'm just hoping that the culture wars don't decide to blow up around this franchise again - and that the filmmakers are smart enough to address and defuse it.


In the Heights - It's nice to see musicals making a comeback, and I'm happy to see a more recent one getting an adaptation. I hardly know anything about this title, and it's staying that way until I see the movie.

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