Been a while since we've done one of these, but with all the new holiday movies out, and slew of interesting trailers having recently been released, I think it's high time for a new installment. All links below lead to Trailer Addict.
Guardians of the Galaxy 2 - I love that they gave Drax so much of the spotlight in this teaser. Really, a couple of fun character moments was all that was necessary here, and it's exactly what we got. Apparently Yondu and Nebula will be joining the Guardians for this adventure, along with some new faces. Not too much to see here yet, but at this stage that's fine. I'm also glad that "Hooked on a Feeling" has made another appearance, evoking the original trailer for the first movie. It's nice to know that at least one of the Marvel movies has memotable music, even if it's borrowed.
Logan - The final "Wolverine" film has had a fantastic marketing rollout so far, and I've gone from total ambivalence to pretty high anticipation. It's one thing to have Hugh Jackman's final outing as Wolverine be in a post-apocalyptic future, but quite another to have this film be such a gritty, rugged-looking departure from all the other "X-men" films. With director James Mangold promising the third act won't fall victim to excessive CGI, and Jackman and Patrick Stewart both looking great as damaged older versions of their characters, "Logan" could be a great repudiation of the overly glossy "X-men: Apocalypse." Best of all, it promises to be a smaller, simpler story, that will really get to the heart of its characters, and give the actors the sendoff they deserve.
A Cure for Wellness - Gore Verbinski's taking the plunge back into horror, and bringing some absolutely stunning visuals with him. The trailer's glimpses of a remote health spa that looks an awful lot like a mental hospital or mad scientist's laboratory the further in you go, are gripping. I'd been hearing good things about this project for a while, but this absolutely knocked my socks off. I look forward to some epic creepiness and mind-twisting fun when we finally get to see this in February. Also, I should note that it's going to be a big year for Dane DeHaan, who will be headlining at least three films next year.
Life - The JFK narration gives this a sheen of respectability, but "Life" is clearly a space disaster movie of the most prurient kind, which is why it's being released in May instead of October. It is nice to see the advances in effects we saw in "Gravity" and "Interstellar" being used in more mainstream blockbuster fodder. However, I don't have much anticipation for this one, even with Ryan Reynolds and Jake Gylenhaal headlining. None of the primary creative staff have particularly impressive resumes, and the film was delayed from March to avoid comeptition from "Power Rangers" and the Guy Ritchie "King Arthur" movie.
Wonder Woman - The newest trailer gives us more glimpses of Diana in action, including a scene on Themiscyra. I like Gal Gadot in the role the more I see her, accent and all. There's also a lot of Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, which some have complained about, but I don't see the problem. He sets up Diana's quest to aid in WWI, and gives us a good POV character for her to interact with. We also finally see a little humor in the closing moments with Lucy Davis, just enough to confirm that the film will have a lighter tone than the recent Zack Snyder DC films. I won't be watching any further previews, because I'm already sold.
T2: Trainspotting - The first "Trainspotting" was so long ago, it didn't register that some of my favorite UK actresses, Kelly MacDonald and Shirley Henderson, were part of the cast. But here they are, along with Ewan MacGregor, Johnny Lee Miller, and all the rest. A new version of the "choose life" monologue announces their reunion here, which I'm not quite sure of the shape of yet. Without any context, this looks a bit like a midlife crisis movie. Surely the drugs and the self-destruction of the original are still in the mix? The trailer is entirely too happy looking for the kind of film that I'm hoping to see. Danny Boyle, don't let me down.
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets - Luc Besson is doing another space opera, this one based on a French comic from the '60s. Full of alien creatures and scenic sci-fi starscapes, it's going to be the most expensive French film ever made, and I'm hoping that this turns out to be closer to "The Fifth Element" than "Jupiter Ascending." So far the visuals look great, but I'm worried about the relatively green cast here, which includes Cara Delavigne and Rihanna playing a shapeshifter. I don't see a grounding human presence like Bruce Willis, who was so vital to "The Fifth Element." It's too early to say much yet, but fingers are crossed.
Ghost in the Shell - The amazing recreations of scenes from the various "Ghost in the Shell" anime will make this a treat for existing fans, but will it connect with general audiences? Will the film still retain some of the franchise's heady existential themes, or have the filmmakers just cherry-picked the best looking visuals for a more typical dumbed-down action film? Scarlett Johanssen looks great, at least, and I'm hoping that her performance will be good enough to temper some of the casting controversy. Also, though I'm not going to link it here, the opening sequence of the film as leaked, and it's pretty spectacular.
Beauty and the Beast - It looks like the strategy here is to include nods to other several versions of "Beauty and the Beast," including Jean Cocteau's, thought the 1991 animated film is clearly the main inspiration. It's going to take a while for me to get used to the CGI versions of the enchanted objects like Cogsworth and Lumiere, who will also have different voices. I'm not quite sold on Emma Watson as Belle, or the look of the Beast, but I'm absolutely willing to give the film a chance.
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