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Visual Power Structures in the “Spectre” Trailer Promise Greatness
The first full trailer for the next entry in Daniel Craig’s James Bond begins with Ralph Fiennes’ M chiding Bond for carrying out an unauthorized operation in Mexico City. Fiennes stands behind his desk and towers over a seated, subservient Bond asking, “Mexico City: What were you doing there?” We cut to the event in question and see Bond targeting someone in a building – and then effecting an enveloping explosion in the man’s room. Bonds wry answer to M nearly suppresses a laugh: “I was taking some overdue holiday.” The MGM and Columbia logos blazon across the screen, and that is our introduction to Spectre:
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“The Revenant” Agonizes through the Frontier in a Perfect Teaser Trailer
The Revenant has been anticipated since April of 2014, when Alejandro G. Iñárritu announced that he had started to work on the project with Leonardo DiCaprio in the leading role. The story was to be based on a novel of the same name detailing the true events of a fur-trapper on the American frontier at the beginning of the nineteenth century. After the world saw the heights Iñárritu was capable of with Birdman, that anticipation skyrocketed, and we are fortunate to finally get a brief look at The Revenant with a haunting teaser trailer which revels in the mood of a dark, savage thriller. Watch the teaser below:
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“An Honest Liar” Focuses on Our Relationship with Deception
Think about something in which you truly believe. It could be quaint, or it could be defining – but is it the truth? Do you believe this thing because someone has tricked you into it, or is it genuine? In An Honest Liar, escape artist, magician, and debunker James Randi investigates the world of professional deception. Following in the footsteps of Houdini, The Amazing Randi spent a career freeing himself from straightjackets and others from the fantastical claims of faith healers, psychics, and other charlatans through his own brand of trickery. Replicating or revealing their tricks, however, is shown to be insufficient, as belief in telekinetic abilities or divine communication persists after Randi has shown Oz behind the curtain. But, Randi holds secrets in his own life, and their revelation causes great tension and a profound humanizing effect on this titanic man.
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Oh, That’s Where All the Fun Went: the “Suicide Squad” Full Trailer
So I definitely found all the fun in the DCCU, and it looks like I was right – it is going to come from the villains. Look no further than the recently released trailer for Suicide Squad, where I finally get the sense that there is more to the DCCU than brooding, gritty darkness. Somehow, the characters that are supposed to be the baddest and meanest have the most time to have fun, joke around, and lighten the mood. That’s not to say there aren’t some really disturbing visuals, though. Have a look:
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A Glimpse of Fun in the “Batman v Superman” Trailer?
It is no secret that the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) has darker ambitions than its brightly colored and quip-filled Marvel counterpart. Since the DCEU is late to the shared universe party, they are tasked with differentiating themselves, and if Man of Steel and the teaser trailer for the follow-up Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice are any indication, they want to skew more serious and dramatic. This is fine, as Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy leaned more realistic and was a success. But, this strategy could be quite dangerous if applied across the board (including Man of Steel, 13 DCEU films are in various stages of planning). While a single film can focus on the darker aspects of the world, I feel like the weight or power of such a choice is diminished by each successive trip to that well. With that in mind, I looked to the new Batman v Superman trailer with the question: is there ever going to be any fun at all in the DCEU?
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Ben Affleck to Direct, Co-Write, and Star in Standalone Batman Film
The rumor mill has been churning of late with regards to the standalone Batman film. The expected timeline for new Batman appearances in the DC Cinematics Universe (DCCU) are actually fairly complex, though. Of course, the first look we get at the rebooted Batman with Ben Affleck will come next March 26th with the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Then, in August of 2016, Batman will appear in some fashion in Suicide Squad, but this role is expected to be ancillary. Once we get into 2017 and beyond, we have three announced films: The Justice League Parts One and Two, and an untitled Batman standalone film. Rumors are that the film will simply be titled, “The Batman”, but that has yet to be confirmed. What has been confirmed, though, is that Ben Affleck will not only be in front of the camera for the reboot, but also behind it and in the writers’ room with DC’s Geoff Johns.
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Duncan Jones to Squeeze in Blade Runner Homage, “Mute”
In an Empire exclusive interview at Comic-Con preview night, Duncan Jones revealed that his oft-delayed Indie sci-fi film Mute may finally have its shot. Jones has previously created two of the best science fiction films of the new millennium in 2009’s Moon and 2011’s Source Code. Both of those films were pleasant surprises. Source Code looked very foolish from the trailers, but other time-travelling movies could learn a great deal from how Jones navigates the difficulties with that particular subgenre (I’m looking at you, Terminator: Genisys). And, of course, Moon is a refreshing, feature-length bottle episode starring Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey’s voice. It would be a fantastic piece of work from any director – it was Jones’ first film.
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Brad Bird’s “The Iron Giant” to Return to The Big Screen with New Scenes
The Iron Giant was perhaps the last masterpiece of American hand-drawn animation. The film was the directorial debut of Brad Bird, and may be the best entry in his filmography to this date, despite how crazy that sounds. When it was released in 1999, I was not aware of it and missed seeing it in theaters, but it looks like I will be getting a second chance. On September 30th, 2015, The Iron Giant will be shown in select theaters under the title The Iron Giant: Signature Edition with two new scenes added. Soon thereafter, the film will be available for digital purchase in this re-mastered state. Apparently, Warner Bros. is not particularly interested in producing a Blu Ray edition flushed with extras, so this digital release is what we get.
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Empathy is the Strength of Formula One Racing Documentary “Senna”
Ayrton Senna navigated the racetracks of Formula One as Beethoven navigated the symphony. Born in São Paulo in 1960, Senna and his career racing Formula One is the subject of the Asif Kapadia documentary Senna. The film uses archival footage of Senna’s interviews, racing coverage (including on-car cameras), and voice-over interviews from his friends and family to document his ascent through the sport, culminating in multiple World Championships. The strength of Senna lay in its ability to transport the viewer into Ayrton’s head as we ride along with him at over 200 miles per hour. We feel his frustrations, experience his triumphs, and even see through his eyes during tense races. What emerges is a story exploring themes of the weight of immense ability and the inspiration that such ability can provide, all amid the backdrop of heart-stopping, tense racing action and political intrigue.
Film Criticism and Fiction Writing by Derek Jacobs
