Nathaniel is heading back from Venice. While he got to watch so many great upcoming films, all we’re left with are trailers. Christopher James is taking over and giving all the recent trailers the Yes No Maybe So treatment.
Neo and Trinity are back in the first trailer for "The Matrix Resurrections," opening this December.
What a wild week of movie trailers! A lot of films seemed to want to capitalize on festival buzz and release trailers alongside glowing reviews. However, some blockbusters, most notably The Matrix Resurrections, thought this week would be the best week to own the internet. Either which way, it’s nice to be excited to go to the movies again and it looks like there is a lot of great stuff on the horizon.
Let’s do some Yes No Maybe So after the jump…
THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS
YES
- The black-green visual aesthetic looks so good! It’s so nice to be back.
- The trailer wisely doesn’t just rely on nostalgia. All the action set pieces look vibrant, colorful and, best of all, new. Oscar winner John Toll seems to have brought his epic sensibilities to his work as the cinematographer on this project. Everything feels wide and gorgeous, like something out of Braveheart or Legends of the Fall. Still, we never lose track of the characters and their relationship to the space.
- Sole director credit goes to Lana Wachowski. The big screen has been missing her one of a kind vision, though Netflix’s Sense 8 was a great reminder of how audacious a storyteller she can be. This new chapter looks bold and stunning. I can’t wait to see how her vision unfolds.
- It’s so nice to see Carrie-Anne Moss back in movies, looking like she hasn’t aged a day since the last Matrix film in 2003. Her and Keanu make a perfect (gorgeous) team.
- Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is such perfect casting for young Morpheus. I’m excited to see what this rising star brings to the role. Already, he seems like a formidable screen presence.
- The trailer is loaded with Alice in Wonderland references (from the “Cheshire” cat in the beginning, Neo going through the looking glass, the white rabbit tattoo and other little Easter eggs). This directly refers to Laurence Fishburne’s line as Morpheus in the original where “[if] you take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.”
NO
- Obvious music cue alert! The use of Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” feels more on the nose than other elements in the trailer. Will the Alice in Wonderland allusions get overused? Yeah, I’m being nitpicky because the trailer was legitimately great!
- “See it In Theaters and on HBO Max.” Yes, we as consumers all have the choice on how we want to watch movies. However, for something as big as The Matrix Resurrections, I worry that WB is losing out on lots of revenue and prestige by not following the traditional windowing release strategy. Even moreso than that, I hope this doesn't get labeled as a flop and we don't get another big Lana Wachowski vehicle for another long while.
MAYBE SO
- My dirty little secret is that I am a Matrix agnostic. I appreciated the original, but don’t have the clearest memory of it. Additionally, I never got around to the sequels. As someone who is far from a Matrix-head, the trailer sold the spectacle of the latest chapter. However, the story didn’t really shine through for me. Will it just be some cool set pieces jazzing up either a nonexistent story or an overstuffed mess?
FINAL VERDICT: Yes… after a Matrix re-watch. It made me want to delve into the series again so I can be prepared to enjoy both the scope and story of the latest chapter.
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C’MON C’MON
YES
- “To visit planet Earth, you have to be born as a human child.” Already, I’m won over by newcomer Woody Norman, who could be this year’s Brooklyn Prince. He seems naturalistic and not trying to play into any precocious pitfalls.
- All the uproar around Joker made many (including myself for a moment) forget how good Joaquin Phoenix is as an actor. He’s been capable of expressing his sensitive side in movies before (see Her) and I can’t wait to see how he tackles this role.
- The voiceover instantly made me think of the voiceovers in 20th Century Women so I immediately started crying. This movie is going to wreck me, isn’t it?
- “You’re crying.” Yes I am.
NO
- Not enough Gaby Hoffman. While I’m all here for a sweet Father-Son story (especially from Mike Mills), I would love for Gaby Hoffman to have a major role that commands awards attention.
MAYBE SO
- Okay… is the black and white aesthetic overdone, especially in this year which also has Belfast? Maybe So. If it is done well, I won’t care that we are treading over similar visual language. However, one can already see the copycats on the horizon.
- Similarly, we already got a bi-coastal fractured family drama with Marriage Story. Will this feel too similar? Again, it likely won’t. Still, my mind did start drifting to that film at various shots of Central Park and Venice Beach.
FINAL VERDICT: Absolutely Yes! Where Mike Mills goes, I will follow.
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DON’T LOOK UP
YES
- Leonardo DiCaprio is a really gifted physical comedian. Some of the best work in his career was in The Wolf of Wall Street, such as his quest to get into his car following some particularly potent Quaaludes. In the opening of the trailer, he is seen frantically panting. Does this mean we’ll get more of Leo’s comedy chops in the film? One can only hope.
- It’s great to have Jennifer Lawrence back. While she was overexposed at her peak, Lawrence does have great screen presence and does often make unexpected character choices. She’s at her best in something as unnerving as mother! Also, she isn’t afraid to go big and be the butt of a joke, see American Hustle. This could be the perfect way to reintroduce her to audiences.
- Wow! Meryl Streep! What a serve of a look. I’m sold.
- The cast is insane, and I can’t wait to see how they all play off one another: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Rob Morgan, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry, Timothee Chalamet, Ron Perlman, Ariana Grande, Scott Mescudi, with Cate Blanchett and Meryl Streep.
- The idea of everyone starring in a disaster movie a la Armageddon actually sounds somewhat great. It feels very 70s, a la Airport or The Towering Inferno.
NO
- Allow us to join in making fun of Jennifer Lawrence’s bangs. Did no one learn from Courtney Cox’s bangs in Scream 3?
- I’ve liked Jonah Hill in many things. However, there is a certain type of Hill character that I find particularly repulsive. Think of it as the War Dogs type macho bro without any level of self-awareness or parody. I worry under McKay’s watch we’ll be slipping into that caricature very quickly.
MAYBE SO
- I’m a “No” on self-serious Adam McKay, but a Maybe So-Yes on comedy Adam McKay. This looks more intentionally funny than his past films, almost in a Steven Soderbergh/Coen Brothers fashion. While we likely won’t get anything Tim Burton-esque from Adam McKay, I also thought of Mars Attack for a second (sprawling ensemble in a goofy movie centered in the White House). The broader it goes, the better its chances for success.
- Though the cast is stacked, we only get glimpses of Timothee Chalamet, Cate Blanchett, Mark Rylance, and many others. Will they just be glorified cameos, or will these stars actually have something to do?
FINAL VERDICT: Maybe So leaning Yes. Meryl Streep is the President. I can’t sit this one out, unfortunately.
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Finally, we got some second trailers for some upcoming big titles. It’s time for lightning round:
THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK
MAYBE SO/NO: I’m right in the middle of a Sopranos re-watch and it’s a masterpiece that only gets better and better. The second trailer whiffs of fan service in a way that is very concerning. The Sopranos was the perfect blend of a workplace drama, family drama and therapy two-hander. All trailers so far make this film feel more like a Black Mass type generic mob movie. Plus, why is Hollywood so obsessed with origin stories. The Sopranos told me all I needed to know about Tony Soprano and his family. Why this story and why now? It smells of a cash grab, though I would be happy to be proven wrong. Still, thank you for casting Vera Farmiga as a young Livia Soprano. Perfect casting.
LAST NIGHT IN SOHO
YES/MAYBE SO (MOVIE); MAYBE SO/NO (TRAILER 2): To be honest, I didn’t need this second trailer. The first one perfectly sold the film based on mood and vision. With more of the plot given away, it feels like a bit of the magic is let out of the bottle. That’s not because the new trailer looks bad. The neon, highbrow I Know Who Killed Me type conceit looks like a great time at the movies. Plus, Anya Taylor Joy has real screen presence. I’ll be there opening week, but wish they held details a bit closer to the vest.
Though who knows if it actually will be a good time at the movies? Nathaniel recently saw the film in Venice, giving it a negative review. Perhaps behind the glitz, glamour and breath-y covers of "Downtown" there isn't much to the film.
What do you think of these trailers? Let us know in the comments below.