Howdy ladies and gents of the internet, as some of you may have seen, back in April I started a film podcast entitled Film Focus and on this podcast I talk about various topics in film and reviews as well. I was actually meant to make this post available last week but was super busy with work, but hey better late then never right?
Anyway here’s the 14th episode:
Even though the summer movie session is not completely over, but most if not all of the heavy-hitters have come out and since there’s been some discussion online about the quality of this year’s summer of films I thought it’d make for a good episode on the podcast. So in this episode I cover all of the film’s I’ve seen and talk about whether this year has been a disappointment for summer films.
As I said before in each episode I’ll cover a different topic and since I don’t have much in the way of listeners or promotion, I’m here to spread the word about my podcast. 🙂
So if you have some spare time on your hands and would like to listen to the ramblings of a passionate/strange man then please check it out, and share it with your friends if you can. Also you have any feedback or if you’d be interested in joining on future episodes be sure to let me know, until next time, laters! 😀
Howdy ladies and gents of the internet, as some of you may have seen, not too long ago I started a film podcast entitled Film Focus! The latest episode actually went online last Friday, but since I was short for time and had a bus weekend I’m only getting around to posting it on my blog now haha. 😛
Anyway here’s the 13th episode:
As you can see above the latest episode is on the much-talked about Suicide Squad; the latest film from DC and Warner Bros. which has created a shitstorm of controversy online because of the polarizing reviews from fans and critics, and the whole crazy situation with the fans vs critics in regards to Rotten Tomatoes and their low percentage score for the film. But I’m not gonna get into this madness, that’s a whole different conversation. Here’s the thing, I didn’t hate the film, but I didn’t love it either. I did my written review on Friday, but I had a fair amount more to say about this film that was left out the written review, and hopefully you could get a better sense of my opinion at least from a passionate/emotional standpoint. I know my opinion won’t be for everyone, but for those interested in what I have to say (that won’t bite my head off) then please check out my podcast and let me know what you think about it. 🙂
As I said before in each episode I’ll cover a different topic and since I don’t have much in the way of listeners or promotion, I’m here to spread the word about my podcast. 🙂
So if you have some spare time on your hands and would like to listen to the ramblings of a passionate/strange man then please check it out, and share it with your friends if you can. Also you have any feedback or if you’d be interested in joining on future episodes be sure to let me know, until next time, laters! 😀
Hey there ladies and gents, time for another new review and today I’ll be talking about one of my most anticipated films of 2016 which I saw around an ago; Suicide Squad. Now for those not aware I’ve been hyped for this film since the first Comic-Con trailer, the choice of director, cast and overall marketing just made me believe that this was gonna be the DC film for me, and more so than Batman V Superman, this was the film that I had most hope for in terms of expanding the DC cinematic universe. Now unless you’ve been away from the internet then you must be aware of all the negative reviews this film has gained over the last few days, and even though I caught glimpses of it, I decided to steer clear of those reviews and see it for myself. So I watched the earliest screening in my cinema, now I’m here, and well, here’s the thing, Suicide Squad, it’s not bad, but was not the amazing film I wanted it to be.
The story can be described as the following:
“A secret government agency led by Amanda Waller recruits imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions and save the world from a powerful threat in exchange for clemency.“
This story had some interesting elements with the formation of the villain squad and some of their individual stories, but the plot felt a little muddled and could have been a lot simpler and more streamlined. The problems begin with the story as I felt like there was a few too many moving pieces, not that it was hard to follow, more so there were a few side/sub plots that could have been shortened or gotten rid of altogether. Also the flow of the story felt off with some pacing issues and oddly edited scenes. And the overall plot was fine, but it had several elements that I’d seen in other comic books films, but not in a good way, plus I was kind of hoping for a film that was on a smaller scale and while this story was smaller than the last two DC films, at the same time it felt like it was reaching further to a global scale and that was unnecessary.
Now let’s talk about the cast, they may be the best part about the whole film, though this ensemble cast are not properly balanced, and some get way more screen time and character development than others. Let’s start with the top-tier characters with Will Smith as Deadshot, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flagg and Jared Leto as The Joker. Smith was on-point, he was funny, charismatic, mean and commanding, pretty much all the reasons you like the actor and I liked what he did as Deadshot, but I felt like his character got the most screen time and character development, and some of his scenes could have been cut to give more fleshing out time to other characters. Robbie was solid as Harley Quinn, there was that right balance of playfulness, craziness and sexiness, and while I wasn’t keen on some of the backstory, the overly sexual costume and personality traits, Harley was still a lot of fun. Davis was my favourite as Amanda Waller, she was a no-nonsense, ruthless and intimidating individual and Davis brought her A-game. And Kinnaman, while I didn’t care too much about his character, this was one of the better roles I’ve liked him in. Then there’s the slightly lower tier of the cast. Jai Courtney and Jay Hernandez brought some interesting flavour to the film as Boomerang and El Diablo, Courtney was fun, hilarious and crazy, while Hernandez brought a cool seriousness to his character and ended up being one of my favourite people. And Cara Delevingne as Enchantress, I kind of liked her but at the same time her performance and character fluctuated between me liking and disliking her. As for everyone else they either alright or just there, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Killer Croc was alright but we barely got to know him and he didn’t say or do too much, and finally Karen Fukuhara as Katana severely underutilized and had some cool minor character detailed, but she was wasted and it pissed me off because it felt almost as bad as what X-Men: Apocalypse did with Jubilee.
When it comes to the presentation I wasn’t very impressed with this film. Visually the film had some decent moments with the action sequences, use of colour and CGI, but I wasn’t keen on how some of the scenes were framed, the action sequences were alright but lacked the right kind of choreography and cinematography to make them stand out, some of the lighting and editing was off and the CGI was iffy from time to time. Maybe I’m being a little harsh, but the visual material is one of the key elements I look forward to in any comic book adapted film and this film just didn’t have the wow factor. Also on the audio side of things the film score by Steven Price was a little bland and did nothing to amplify what was happening on-screen, plus there felt like there was an overabundance of music put in this film, and while I’m not against the use of popular music in films, at the same time it felt distracting and placed all over the film for the sake of it. Oh and finally, I dunno if it was just me but the sound effects really lacked impact especially when it came to the gunfire and characters getting smacked on the ground or into walls.
In the end Suicide Squad is not a terrible film, it’s certainly not Fan4stic or X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but I wanted to love this film so badly and it pains me that another one of these non-Batman films from DC has ended up not being a complete success considering the talent involved. I feel like this will be another polarizing film, but for the sake of your curiosity/sanity, give this film a watch and decide for yourselves.
So are you going to watch Suicide Squad and if you’ve seen it, pass on your thoughts in the comments below and I’ll see ya on the next review, laters! 😀
Good day to you ladies and gents, once again another crazy session at San Diego Comic-Con has come and gone, and if you’re fan of comics, film and TV then you’re more than likely hyped for this event. So between Thursday and Saturday this week us fans were treated to a plethora of information in form of interviews, trailers and descriptions of panels and footage, and man, it was an overwhelming amount of gorgeous announcements. While some of the stuff that shown off was expected, at the same time there were plenty of unexpected announcements and it was glorious as a fan of several of these different franchises to get all of this information. The hype is real right now and just trying to think of it all right now is boggling my mind! But like last year, I’m gonna try to show off my personal highlights from SDCC 2016 😀
Doctor Strange Trailer #2
Yo, this was the best thing I could have woken up to. I had heard rumours of a second trailer for Doctor Strange being released during Comic-Con, but I wasn’t sure it was going to happen, but sure enough it did and it was glorious! And while this wasn’t super amazing, it was certainly fascinating to watch. We got some additional details on Steven Strange’s path to becoming the Sorcerer Supreme with his training, use of magic and interaction with other characters, we also got to see more of the main cast especially with the extra scenes of Mads Mikkelsen as the villain and Benedict Wong as Wong. What I’m loving is how Marvel Studios are embracing the supernatural elements of the source material which is reflected in some of the dialogue and plot, but mainly with the visual presentation which is super trippy, colourful beyond comprehension and clearly got an Inception kind of feel but times twenty! Cumberbatch looks so cool especially with the way he puts on that cloak and I love that line at the end of the trailer with Baron Mordo giving Strange the Wi-Fi password, that was great. I’ve been hyped for this film for ages, but now the hype has gotten so much higher! 😀
Wonder Woman Trailer
Okay so the Wonder Woman trailer has finally been released and I have to say that I’m intrigued and definitely down for this film more so than before. The thing about Gal Gadot’s version of Wonder Woman is that she’s pretty, but I don’t find her intimidating or badass, and while she had her moments in Batman V Superman, I wasn’t in love with her. However this trailer really seems to be winning me over with the good chemistry between Gal Gadot and Chris Pine, the WWI setting and the action sequences that look pretty cool. Oh and the colour, I’m liking the use of colour especially in WW’s costume and some of those action scenes look pretty hardcore. Oh and the use of WW’s theme from BvS, nice! My only issues with the trailer was the use of slow motion during the action scenes, these days it feels a little excessive in action movies and seeing some of WW’s movements, it looked a little awkward, but other than that the trailer’s good and I’m ready for this film.
Justice League Footage
But this footage was the real surprise for me, Justice League is still in production as far as I know and for there to be such polished-looking footage already is crazy, but welcomed for me. This footage if anything proved one single thing, that Justice League will be a different kettle of fish from the last two DCEU films with humour, light-heartedness and colour. I liked how Bruce and Diana were on the hunt for their superhero team and how these moments of banter between Diana and Bruce about Aquaman’s recruitment or the conversation between Bruce and Barry Allen. Ezra Miller’s version of the Flash is one that I think I’ll like a lot and Jason Momoa looks tough as nails as Aquaman, and overall it looks like this film will be good session. I will admit that this trailer lacked the style, charisma and impact of a proper trailer like Wonder Woman, but since the film’s not done with principal photography I’m gonna let it slide.
Kong: Skull Island Trailer
Out of every trailer that dropped from SDCC, this was the one that really caught me by surprise. I’ve been looking forward to this film for a while, but to see some actual footage and the tone this film is going for, I was like “Damn, this needs to be in my system now yo!” This film really has a Godzilla (2014) kind of vibe especially with that opening shot on the ocean with the use of colour and the dark clouds, but the style and tone feels more in line with a film from decades ago like the 1970’s. I also enjoyed seeing how big of a part Samuel L. Jackson and John Goodman have with Jackson looking like the tough military guy and Goodman being some kind researcher familiar with the island. The visuals are looks very solid with some cool cinematography, big set pieces and King Kong, damn, how big is here? This film definitely establishes that Skull Island isn’t a place for humans, that it’s been around since the early times of Earth and that trespassers will meet their end, and that just excites me to see how dangerous this place and it’s inhabitants are.
Danai Gurira Joining Black Panther
This was one of the best small surprises for me, to have Danai Gurira from The Walking Dead come over to the MCU in the new Black Panther film? Hell yeah, she’s perfect to come into this film and to have her as the head Black Panther’s personal body guards it seems like a great role that’ll hopefully have some action material as Gurira excels at that in Walking Dead. And just in general to see Ryan Coogler talk so passionately about being a fan and working on Black Panther was great, but also seeing the current cast, Chadwick Boseman Lupita Nyong’o, Michael B. Jordan and Danai Gurira together talking about their excitement for this new film was awesome.
Luke Cage & Iron Fist Trailers
And finally there’s the trailers from the first day of SDCC that got me all sweaty in the from of the trailers for the Netflix Marvel shows; Luke Cage and Iron Fist. And while there was this nice teaser for The Defenders, these trailers had actual footage and I’ve been hyped for these shows because of their potential in the future especially when it comes to crossovers. Firstly there’s Luke Cage and while there wasn’t really much in the way of story, this trailer definitely gives a look at the kind of tone, action and style of this show and how it’s different from Daredevil and Jessica Jones. I’m liking the action and how brutal/humourous it is with Cage just dispatching bad guys. And with Iron Fist there’s even less to see, but what glimpses we do get are pretty cool flashbacks to a young Danny Rand and his mum in a plane crash and then being found by monks in the snow, then fast forward to modern times with Rand being restrained in a bed and then smashing through that wall. I liked it, Finn Jones looks cool and with the music it really felt mystical and otherworldly.
And so that brings my highlights from this year’s SDCC to a close, what was your favourite material from Comic-Con this year? Whatever they are be sure to comment below and let me know and I’ll see ya on the next blog post, laters! 😀
Howdy people of the internet, time for the penultimate blog post in this series based on upcoming films in 2016 with my top 11 most anticipated films of the year. If you haven’t already, check out PART 1, 2 & 3 of my 2016 film preview. It’s a little late considering that we’re three weeks into January, but hey its better late than never right? Unlike last year this year’s list won’t be in any particular order.
Triple Nine
This is a film I’ve been looking forward to for a good while, I just like the concept of the story and the blackmail and corruption involved, plus the choice of actors and actresses is so good and its crazy to see some of these TV and film stars together in one place. I’m really interested in seeing how these actors come together especially when it comes to Norman Reedus, Aaron Paul, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Anthony Mackie.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
I believe my hype for this film has dropped a good deal since the release of the second trailer, but my hype for the film isn’t dead. For me what I like about this film so far is the initial tension between Bruce and Clark, the differences in their ideals, their main confrontation and the amount of chaotic action that ensues. But I am concerned about Lex Luthor, what will happen after the Batman and Superman beef is over with the Doomsday Troll monster and how this film will introduce Wonder Woman and the other Justice League members, but here’s hoping it’ll work out and be badass.
Deadpool
When it comes to Deadpool I am a massive fan of the character and his insane backstory, self-aware humour, violent and crazy personality. And for the longest time I’ve wanted to see a proper live-action version of this character and the trailers so far seem to be delivering all of the action, humour and violence that the character’s been known for. That being said I am concerned for the humour and the sexual references and I hope that the film will have better humour than most adult comedies.
Free State of Jones
Since I saw the trailer for this I’ve been very intrigued, not only does the subject matter make for an interesting tale in film, but I’m also very curious to see what the cast do with this material and whether it’ll be as dramatic and emotionally engaging as I hope it’ll be.
The Jungle Book
This film just has me full of curiosity and fascination, having a live-action/CGI hybrid adaptation of The Jungle Book is bizarre to me, but seeing the trailers leads me to believe that it’ll be cinematic experience worth seeing in the opening weekend. So far I’m liking the incredible visuals and the impressive voice cast as well, I can only hope that this film will be just as, if not more successful than Cinderella.
Suicide Squad
I’ve already said how much I’m looking forward to this film, but for the sake of this post I’ll mention it again, I am really looking forward to this. The concept of getting some villains and forcing them to work together on a dangerous mission that could involve death has my interest. But more so than that I want to see if David Ayer can make these characters work because if so then the possibilities for future DC films are endless.
The Girl on the Train
I haven’t even seen a trailer for this film, but the story and cast members Emily Blunt and Rebecca Ferguson has my attention so that I don’t need any more of a reason to watch this. I can only hope the subsequent trailers and eventual film will be worth the wait.
Star Wars: Rogue One
Also known as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (still is a horrible name) is the next Star Wars film, it’s a spin-off/prequel and there’s a lot of hype and speculation behind this from fans and critics. Since it’s set before A New Hope I’m curious to see what kind of stakes the heroes will take on and there are questions to ask like: 1) Who will survive? 2) What original characters will make cameos? 3) Will Darth Vader make an appearance? 4) Will there be any tie-ins to Episodes VII, VIII and IX? Regardless of the answers I’m curious to see what Gareth Edwards does with this film and what Donnie Yen will do in the film as well.
Doctor Strange
So Doctor Strange, ah man, I have so much hype for this film its mad. Marvel Studios have taken a good deal of risks over the years with Thor, Guardians of the Galaxy and recently with Ant-Man, and each of those films have introduced some new and creative elements to not only the MCU, but also to superhero films in general and I believe this film won’t be any different. Doctor strange is one of the most interesting character with his characters, backstory and mythos relating to the villains, different realms and magical abilities. I want to see how the supernatural elements get incorporated into the MCU and if this film is good then I’m gonna freak out yo!
Bourne 5
It’s the return of the Bourne series, with Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass, what’s not to like? I know I never wanted a sequel to Ultimatum, but hell if Greengrass and Damon have a relevant story that they feel like telling that would further this franchise want to see it.
Captain America: Civil War
And of course I had to have Civil War on this list. 🙂 The MCU has been forming nicely over the years and while not all of the films have been hits, the Captain America series so far has done well especially with Winter Soldier and Civil War may be the best entry in the trilogy. This film looks to change the way the heroes function in the world with superhero accountability from the government and pitting Cap against Iron Man for a superhero royal rumble. With friends on opposing sides, new heroes like Black Panther and Spider-Man showing up and a tone similar to Winter Solider, I believe that this will be the ultimate Marvel sequel. Now I got overly hyped about Age of Ultron, so I’m learning to manage my expectations, but I believe the Russo brothers and Marvel Studios have gotten this one right though.
So that’s my top 11 list done, hope you enjoyed my choices. So what are your most anticipated films of 2016 and are any of your entires on my list? Whatever your thoughts are be sure to drop them in the comments below and I’ll see you on the next post, laters! 😀
Howdy ladies and gents, time for another one of those trailer reviews and today I’m here to talk about the newest trailer for Suicide Squad. Now I’m pretty sure I did a review for the first trailer last year, but according to my archives I didn’t. I really enjoyed the first trailer and since then my interest in the film has only increased, the new posters were cool, but I was just waiting for the new trailer and later on it was dropped.
So here’s the trailer below:
Now I only got to see this trailer just before I got to go to work around 10am today and I was impressed. This trailer has a nice sense of personality and charm, and while we don’t get too many new details when it comes to the story, we do learn a few more details like:
The fact that we see the villains taken from jail to another undisclosed location and drafted into a team.
We see more individual moments from the members of the squad.
And we start to see some hints as to what the squad will be up against.
This trailer is all about Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, I just love this girl’s enthusiasm, personality and timing for humour through her strange personality. Robbie just steals the spotlight and it’s not just because of how gorgeous she is in her costume, but more so because she has some of the best dialogue and scenes. Just behind her was Jared Leto as the Joker, while this trailer doesn’t show much more than before, it did allow us hear him speak and laugh and illustrate this new interpretation of madness. It remains to be seen whether he’ll be a super memorable Joker when compared to what’s come before, but I’m sure he’ll be great. I really enjoyed seeing more of the characters Deadshot, Enchantress and her creepy smoke aura, and more moments of Rick Flag and Captain Boomerang (who looks pretty funny as played by Jai Courtney). And it also helps that the trailer included “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen, besides “Don’t Stop Me Now“, this is one of the most popular of Queen songs and it was well interrogated into the trailer with specific scenes and moments. And while I don’t need famous songs in trailers, this was one of the better ones with the action cut to the music which amplified the visuals.
To conclude Suicide Squad looks like a lot of fun, and this new trailer only increases my excitement. Now It’s probably not in the high-end of my most anticipated films of 2016, but it’s very charismatic, colourful, action-packed and humourous. The film could be okay, but I’m hoping it’ll be much more than that and help launch the DC cinematic universe beyond Batman V Superman and the upcoming Justice League and Wonder Woman films.
So have you seen the second trailer for Suicide Squad and if so what do you think of it? Are you more or less excited than before? Be sure to drop me a comment and I’ll see ya on the next review! 🙂
Howdy people of the interweb and welcome to Films to look out for in 2016! This is my preview of upcoming films that I believe deserve your attention. In PART 1 I covered films from January to March, in PART 2 I’ll covered April to July and in this post I’ll be covering July to December. This was actually meant to be out sooner but I’ve been a little busy as of recent haha.
Now before we begin I have two main things I need yo point out:
Obviously a lot films come out, so if they’re not on my list it’s either because I don’t know about them or I don’t care…
2015 films getting their UK releases this year don’t count! So there. 😛
Okay then, let’s start 😀
Suicide Squad
Release Date: August 5th (USA & UK)
Trailer:
Man I’m so curious about this film. After the trailer was released my interest in the film went way up to the point where I’m more hyped to see this film over Batman V Superman. I just like the concept of seeing a group of misfit bad guys come together and form a team and see what kind of madness ensues. I like the cast including Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Will Smith and Viola Davis among some others, the action and character development look solid and if handled correctly this could open so many doors for other potential DC properties in the near future.
The Infiltrator
Release Date: August 31st (USA)
There’s no UK release date for this one yet, but I like the sound of the premise plus we can never have enough of crime thrillers and Bryan Cranston yo.
Sully
Release Date: September 9th (USA), December 2nd (UK)
Any time Clint Eastwood has a new film coming out it has my interest and while not all of his recent films have been hits, they are at least worth checking out for the source material he draws from or the acting talent he’s able to bring on board.
The Magnificent Seven
Release Date: September 23rd (USA & UK)
I find it crazy that this film even exists. A lot of people I know (my parents included) tell me that the original Magnificent Seven is loved and highly regarded and to add on top of that Seven Samurai the original film that started it all is regarded as one of the best films ever, so to know that there’s another version coming out just seems unnecessary. But with a cast including Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke and Vincent D’Onofrio, I’m down for it.
The Girl on the Train
Release Date: October 7th (USA & UK)
I’ve heard news about this on Collider Movie Talk a few months back and I definitely want to see how it turns out considering the fact that it’s a mystery thriller, it’s directed the man who did “The Help” and “Get On Up” and it also stars Emily Blunt and Rebecca Ferguson, mate I’m all in!
The Accountant
Release Date: October 7th (USA), November 4th (UK)
This is a another film with an interesting premise and good cast too, I like thrillers and this film has great selection of talent including Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal and Cynthia Addai-Robinson from Arrow, yo this film has my attention yo. 🙂
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back
Release Date: October 21st (USA & UK)
I really enjoyed Jack Reacher back in 2013, it was the better of the recent Tom Cruise films that wasn’t Mission Impossible 4, plus it was just a little different to come of the other Cruise performances that I’d seen. And while I didn’t need a sequel I am interested to see where the sequel goes, I just hope that director Edward Zwick can liven up this sequel and make it better than then the last.
Doctor Strange
Release Date: November 6th (USA), October 28th (UK)
I have a lot of hope for this film, while I’ve never been a big fan of Doctor Strange I have come to appreciate his talents in the Marvel comics and animated material since the latter side of my teen years, and now that he’s coming to Marvel his an actor like Benedict Cumberbatch playing th title character, I’m all over this. I really want to see Marvel Studios commit to the magical/supernatural side of things that’ll make Asgard and the Microverse feel so normal by comparison.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Release Date: November 18th (USA & UK)
Trailer:
I am very curious to see how this film turns out, unlike the Harry Potter films very I was aware of the source material before the films came out, this on the other hand is completely alien to me. The teaser didn’t wow me and I’m not sure about the premise either, but since it is coming from author J.K. Rowling and stars Eddie Redmayne I’m willing to give this film a chance.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Release Date: December 16th (USA & UK)
Rogue One is an interesting film for several reasons: 1) It is the first spin-off film in the franchise. 2) It’s plot about stealing the Death Star plans ties directly into A New Hope. And 3) It feels more like a heist/war film which is different for the Star Wars films series. This film has me excited for all of those reasons, but in addition to that we have Gareth Edwards at the helm who has done good work with Monsters and Godzilla (2014) and I want to see what his creative mind can apply to Star Wars, but add on top of that talent like Felicity Jones, Donnie Yen and Benicio del Toro and you have a film I need in my system sooner rather than later.
Assassin’s Creed
Release Date: December 21st (USA), December 30th (UK)
Much like Warcraft this film needs to be successful if we’re to see more video game adaptations in the future. I’m hopeful for it with Michael Fassbender as the lead with Marion Cotillard, Michael K. Williams, Jeremy Irons and Brendan Gleeson involved I’m all over this. The AC games have such a great and rich mythos to draw from, I just hope that it gets adapted well with good action sequences, lovely locations and cinematography.
Passengers
Release Date: December 21st (USA) December 23rd (UK)
This is one of those films I heard about and as soon as the cast got attached I was all over it. I love space-based stories and this one sounds super interesting and with Chris Pratt, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Sheen and Laurence Fishburne attached, I’m hyped for this one.
So finally that’s PART 3 done. Thanks a lot for reading. Are any of the films listed on your personal list of films to watch? Whatever your thoughts are be sure to drop them below and coming back to see my Most Anticipated Films of 2016! Laters 😀
Howdy ladies and gents, time for some frigging news and recaps! So over the past weekend San Diego Comic-Con went down and it was a pretty crazy session with a good number of stories that dropped online. There was so much news not only for films, but also for TV and comics and I wasn’t able to see it all because I was at work. 😦 This was the first year for a while when I was working during the actual event so a lot of stories dropped while I was at work and I didn’t find out about it until I got out at 2am UK time which SUCKED! So rather than trying to talk about everything I’m just going to talk about my highlights from the convention. Oh by the way I will be talking about the leaked trailer for certain films but I won’t be showing the trailers because I don’t want my blog posts being shut down. 😛
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Trailer
It was kind of given that this would be the first topic of conversation and probably the biggest highlight, but it’s hard not to be hyped for this film now. I will say that I’m not going gaga over this trailer, some fans have been losing the frigging minds over this, but that’s not me. I do like this trailer a lot, but some of my concerns about the film still stand but I’ll get into that later.
I’m going to do a mini review of the trailer and keep my thoughts brief. All in all, the more I see from this film, the more hyped I get. This film is looking better with each new reveal, I love how they’ve tied BvS into Man of Steel by putting Bruce Wayne right in the thick of the chaos that went down when Superman fought Zod, and having been a witness to the destruction and death that happened, Bruce now has a reason not only to hate Superman but also to resurface as the Batman. I also like how Superman is being handled, the world is split on him, some love him and some hate him, and he’s also being held accountable for the damage he caused and is being brought to court (where’s Matt Murdock when you need him :P). Everything about this film is looking pretty cool, the story is looking good, I’m liking the character motivations and dilemmas, the action looks kick ass and very Snyder-like (super stylish and crazy) and there’s a lot of cool quotes being thrown around too. That being said I did think the trailer felt a little crowded especially with the appearances of Wonder Woman (still wondering how she fits into this film), also I’m not over the moon about Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor (though that red capes line is hilarious) or Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman (notice how there was no dialogue for her), I’m still waiting to be wowed. Otherwise all you need to know is that my general consensus is that I’m really looking forward to this film and I want it now.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens Panel & Behind-The-Scenes Footage
While I’m not the biggest Star Wars nerd ever, my love for the films and the franchise as a whole is undeniable and I’m so hyped for The Force Awakens and the panel just gave me more confidence in the cast and crew behind hit. Hearing the answers from JJ Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan and Kathleen Kennedy given by fans and the host made me feel so at ease and just reconfirmed my hopes for the film. It also helped that the cast both new and old are so charming, down to earth and excited for the film to be released.
But then that behind-the-scenes video was the part that really got me giddy. Take a look:
There is just too much to mention. Hardcore SW fans must be having a field day picking apart the footage for me I just loved seeing these on-set locations whether they were exterior or interior, I loved the concept art and the practical animatronics and the lighting used for the darker scenes during filming. I like the stormtroopers, I love the explosions, the sets look incredibly detailed and big, and seeing the cast’s enthusiasm for the film is infectious especially from Simon Pegg. I think Mark Hamill said it best, “Everything’s changed but nothing’s changed, that’s the way you want it to be really.” It truly seemed like the filmmakers want to bring fans back to the beginning of the series but modernize it and I’m hyped.
Deadpool Trailer
It feels like this film has been in development for AGES, for the longest time it was all just talk and hoping that a Deadpool film would happen, but it’s actually happening and it’s still kind of surreal. But seeing the trailer in action just put things in perspective and I know now that Deadpool, so far, looking awesome and I want it now! Now I will say that I watched the leaked trailer online, but hey if you’re not at Comic-Con and its online, you have to watch it right? So I took a peek and it looks just as mad as I had hoped. There are jokes galore, breaking the fourth wall, references to other superhero films, violence and action and at the center of it there’s just this wonderful sense of madness and fun. I loved the use of DMX in the trailer, Ryan Reynolds is on top form with this role and I like TJ Miller too. I’m totally down for this film.
Suicide Squad Trailer
I was actually really hyped up when this leaked online. I know it’s not good to hope for exclusive film footage to drop online, but when you’re not an attendee of fancy events like these it is great to get to see something cool ( even if it is a bit blurry and out of frame. What I will say about the Suicide Squad trailer is that it felt right, it felt so right. I know only the tiniest bit of info about them from the source material, but from what I know about them they seem correct. I love the tone, it’s serious, but not too dark, I love the look of the film, the use of colour, lighting and action looks nice too, plus the cast look pretty badass especially Amanda Waller, Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Killer Croc and the Joker too. I also liked the references to Man of Steel creating a sense of continuity and this film feels like the starting point of expanding the DC cinematic universe in a really good way.
UPDATE: Here’s the official trailer:
X-Men: Apocalypse Trailer
This was the last leaked trailer that I saw because it was a little more recent and again I was glad it found its way online because it looks awesome! I’ve heard people talk about this trailer online, but you can only imagine how they feel when you haven’t seen the footage yourself, but after seeing this trailer I can understand the hype. X-Men: Apocalypse looks like it could well be the best X-Men film yet, the sense of disaster, dread and end of the world kind of tone can be felt all over this trailer. I’m really liking how in this film, it seems like the film is progressing when it comes to the looks of the characters when it comes to the costumes, hair and make-up. Characters like Storm, Nightcrawler and Professor X look really great, but Apocalypse was the real surprise, Oscar Isaac was shown right there in full make-up and costume and he looked SO beastly and unrecognisable. I just like some of the stuff they’ve carried over from First Class and Days of Future Past into this one, I’m just in a proper good mood to see this film.
Game of Thrones Panel
And finally we have the Game of Thrones panel, while nothing too significant got revealed, I just found it entertaining to watch as 2015 has found me at the peak of my GoT hype and since I’ve never watched a panel on this show I found it really fun, interesting and surprising too. I’ve not really seen many of the cast for the show outside of their characters besides Maisie Williams, Sophie Turner and Gwendoline Christie, so it was firstly just fascinating to see them all talk in their normal accents and interact in a more relaxed and playful manner. i liked hearing about the cast’s experience doing season 5 and answering some of the questions that fans gave. Though I thought Conleth Hill was the highlight of the panel and stole the show, his normal speaking voice was so much more manly than expected, but beyond that the guy is just hilarious, he cracked so many jokes and said a lot of humourous things, Hill just seems like the best kind of guy ever to hang out with in real life. I want him as a best friend.
So that’s me done, do let me know about your highlights from this year’s SDCC and what your thought of my mine in the comments section below and I’ll see ya on the next blog post, laters! 😀
Hello again ladies and gents, time for my second news story of the day and this one comes in the form of some casting news concerning DC’s upcoming Suicide Squad film. The following info comes from superherohype:
TheWrap brings word today that not only has actor Tom Hardy had to drop out out of Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Entertainment’s upcoming Suicide Squad movie due to scheduling conflicts, but that David Ayer is eyeing his End of Watch star Jake Gyllenhaal to replace him in the role of Rick Flagg.
This would have marked Hardy’s second appearance on the big screen as a DC Comics character, having previously played Bane in 2012′s The Dark Knight Rises. He can next be seen in theaters in Child 44 on April 17 and Mad Max: Fury Road on May 15. Gyllenhaal has previously been courted for other comic book roles including Doctor Strange and The Green Hornet when director Kevin Smith was attached to the project.
Written and directed by David Ayer, Suicide Squad will star Will Smith as Deadshot, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Jared Leto as The Joker, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, Cara Delevingne as Enchantress, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller. The film is set to hit theaters on August 5, 2016.
Ah man, when I read about this yesterday I was really disappointed. The cast for this film is one of the main reasons why a lot of people are excited for this film and with Tom Hardy being one of the major names in the cast that make me hyped for the film, it is a shame that he’s left the DC project. That being said scheduling conflicts can’t be avoided. But now there’s talk of Jake Gyllenhaal replacing Hardy’s role and that to me is not a bad idea at all. If you’re gonna replace someone talented, you better have a good replacement and Gyllenhaal is a great choice. The man has been going from strength to strength and his performance in Nightcrawler last year was nothing shot of amazing, at this point I would love to see him part of a superhero film.
So what do you think of this news people? Please put your thoughts down in the comments below. 🙂
Howdy ladies and gents, time for a bit of film news and today’s story relates to some casting surrounding the upcoming Suicide Squad. The following information comes from ComicBookMovie:
It was rumored last month that Viola Davis had entered talks to nab the role of Amanda Waller in the highly-anticipated Suicide Squad movie, but The Help actress has now confirmed her inclusion. Speaking with Nerd Report at the press junket for Blackhat, Davis admitted that she’s yet to do any research via DC Comics. “Not yet,” she said. “I have not started reading them yet. I’ve read up about her but I’m working out my schedule for Suicide Squad.” She continued, “I’m fascinated by her. I’m fascinated by her in this world of superhero-ness because she is not a woman that you would expect. I think that she is a massive contradiction. She’s this big powerful black woman, hard, ready to pick up a gun and shoot anyone at will. I’m fascinated in exploring her psychology, just put it that way. And I’m excited to pick up a gun.” Anyhow, Viola Davis was previously in contention with Octavia Spencer and Oprah Winfrey for the Amanda Waller role, but she now joins Will Smith (Deadshot), Tom Hardy (Rick Flag), Jared Leto (the Joker), Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn), Jai Courtney (Boomerang), with Cara Delevingne (Enchantress), and Jessie Eisenberg (Lex Luther). Directed by David Ayer, Suicide Squad starts shooting in April and hits theaters August 5, 2016!
It looks like the rumours were true, we now have our Amanda Waller in the form of Viola Davis and to be fair she is a great choice, she’s an Oscar nominated actress and has great screen presence so if you want someone good to play someone like Waller, Davis is your woman. While it would have been interesting to see what Oprah would have brought to this role, I’m still happy about the casting choice and Davis’ comments, seems like she knows her stuff and is ready to become fully immersed in the source material which is always a plus.
So what do you think of this casting news? Please be sure to comment below, laters! 😀
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