Let's get caught up on movie trailers. Clint Eastwood is dropping another December surprise, Rupert Everett reminds us that Bradley Cooper isn't the only actor stepping behind the camera, and there's always another would be franchise or two on the horizon. Four trailers after the jump starting with the Eastwood...
THE MULE
Yes - Very effective trailer opening with that car trunk mishap and the barking dog. Perhaps it's a bit vain, given that he is directing and starring, but we admire the honest of Clint only giving himself a solo title card at trailer's end despite major stars and cherished character actors supporting him (Bradley Cooper, Michael Peña, Dianne Weist, and Laurence Fishburne) since that's probably the truth of the movie. It'll live or die based on Clint's work behind and in front of the camera...
No - This isn't fair to the movie but I dont think I can take Clint Eastwood dashing lots of other people's Oscar dreams AGAIN with a sneak attack in the last two weeks of the year...
The Best Actor field is already so stacked.
For what it's worth, I'm sorry.
Also how many movies about drugs and cartels and criminal activity surrounding the drug wars does one need?
Maybe So - People largely agreed that Clint's last movie, this year's 15:17 to Paris was terrible but the last time he released a truly terrible movie early in the year (Jersey Boys) he chased it immediately with a huge smash Oscar hit at the end of the year (American Sniper). Will history repeat itself? You can never trust reviews for Clint Eastwood pictures -- there's just too much hero worship with that one -- but it'll be interesting to see if the movie is good or not since he's so hit and miss. But at least the role looks like a promising one for this 88 year old superstar.
THE HAPPY PRINCE
Yes Rupert Everett -- longtime devotee here. Oscar Wilde - love him. Good supporting cast. Why not?
No On the other hand will this have anything to offer that Wilde (1997) didn't? They're even sharing one cast member: Tom Wilkinson. Plus Stephen Fry looked more like Oscar Wilde than Rupert does and nobody ever or will ever look as life-ruiningly delicious as Human Embodiment of Homolustful Temptation as Jude Law circa mid to late 1990s...
You go too far, sir!
so good luck topping that Colin Morgan since you're risking the Lord Alfred Douglas role (No offense -- loved you inThe Fall and in Humans).
Maybe So How has this movie previously escaped our attention when the movie is opening Wednesday in NYC and LA and this trailer came out two movies ago? Hmmm.
MORTAL ENGINES
Yes - Big sci-fi blockbusters that aren't parts of already pre existing franchises are too rare in the all reboot / all sequels world and the writing team of Walsh, Jackson, and Boyens have worked magic before. Those roaming cities on wheels are a fun steampunk look and remind briefly of Howl's Moving Castle -- definitely not a bad memory.
No - On the other hand how can a new franchise look so familiar, complete with regular franchise villain faces like Hugo Weaving and Stephen Lang. And there's a difference between keeping people wondering what something is about and just not telling them what it's about and still expecting them to head to the theater!
Shut up and run.
Maybe So - We always wish new directors well. Christian Rivers has graduated from storyboard artist on Jackson's films (all the way back to his 90s films like the masterpiece Heavenly Creatures) to a second unit director on the recent Pete's Dragon to sitting in the big chair here. For those of you who watch Icelandic movies, Hera Hilmar was the star of one of Iceland's Oscar submission Life in a Fishbowl (2014) and she was pretty good in that.
AQUAMAN
Yes - Nicole Kidman actually engaged in superheroic battle? Patrick Wilson's cape "blowing" aka flowing in the water? Cute underwater seahorses actually trying to look tough on a leash like your neighborhood toy dog? James Wan somewhat correcting for Zach Snyder's decision to make the trident have five points even though that means it's no longer a trident? The sparkly orange original costume reinterpreted for the "totes masc!" crowd? I'm in... at least in a camp way.
No - "This is badass!" ohmygod the bro-ness of this interpretation is like nails on a chalkboard. It's so performative and tryhard. Anyway, the first trailer was cut just like the Black Panther trailer with all the same first installment beats and this new one is doing Superman's ice palace in the antartic? Will there be anything fresh about this movie?
Maybe So - There is a LOT of world-building plot-setupplot in this 5 minute (5 MINUTE!) trailer as if we this is some intricate story and have never seen a superhero origin story before and might get confused even though we all know we'll be able to understand this even with the sound off.
Something... something... trident.
On the other hand lets be generous. James Wan is pretty talented at the horror genre so let's see what he can do with superheroes.
TO RECAP
I'm basically a maybe so on all of these movies but leaning yes on The Happy Prince (provided the reviews are kind) and leaning no on Mortal Engines (unless the reviews convince otherwise) ... and only excited about Aquaman in the 'seeing Nicole Kidman with superpowers for 5 minutes whilst lusting after Patrick Wilson' kind of way. How about you? YES NO OR MAYBE SO?
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