Onward - Teaser Trailer Review

Onward - Teaser Trailer Review

The first teaser for Onward has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: Know that I have the utmost respect for Disney and Pixar. They have delivered to us some of the best films and pieces of storytelling in the 21st century.

Also know that I have not liked very many trailers put out by Disney and Pixar, completely separate to what I actually think about their work. 

A film that I enjoyed tremendously, The Incredibles 2, I thought had a poor trailer. it was poorly put together and didn't showcase the best elements of the film, instead choosing to go for flashy animation and action. I firmly believe that no matter the quality of the film, Pixar's next endeavor, Toy Story 4, has had awful trailers.

So to me, it came as no surprise that I did not enjoy the first teaser trailer for Onward. Again please keep in mind that this will have no bearing on my opinion of the film come its release. In fact, I love Pixar's original content (Inside Out and Coco) much more than their sequels. But this trailer didn't do it for me.

The second the trailer started, I instantly got vibes from The Good Dinosaur (one of the few Pixar films that I don't quite enjoy). The concept of "what happens if society turned out differently". Now granted, we didn't get to see much. We mostly saw establishing shots and images of the setting. We only get to see our two main characters towards the end of the trailer, elven brothers played by Chris Pratt and Tom Holland.

But even their interaction felt stilted and unnatural. It felt like they were reading off a script more than they were naturally having a conversation.

The design of the characters and the premise seems interesting enough, but it just didn't appeal to me from the get-go.

Did it Raise Excitement? I'm a little tentative going into the movie after seeing the trailer. It didn't do anything necessarily egregious, no, but it felt so unlike Pixar and Disney to put out content like this. 

Trailer Rating: 4/10

Spider-Man: Far From Home - Trailer 2 Reivew

Spider-Man: Far From Home - Trailer 2 Review

The second trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home has arrived. Does it deliver? 

**WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR AVENGERS: ENDGAME AND POTENTIAL SPOILERS FOR SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME LIE AHEAD. DISCRETION IS ADVISED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED**

Thoughts: When Tom Holland popped up on the screen to tell us there would be Avengers: Endgame spoilers, I was intrigued. I had no idea what to expect from the trailer that was coming off of what will be the biggest film of all time.

But when the trailer started, I knew that it felt right. We see Peter Parker, and he's really, really weighed down by the loss of his mentor Tony. As is Happy. In fact, the whole world feels it. The entire world is remembering the hero of the past age of Marvel films. But now we have a new set of heroes, and folks, Peter Parker is ready.

We see new shots of the Elementals as Peter and his friends vacation in Europe. All of this, we've either already seen this or have heard of this. But what we haven't seen before is Mysterio's backstory. And THAT'S where this film gets interesting.

Nick Fury explains Quentin Beck, AKA Mysterio, came from another dimension that was torn open from the Snap. Peter quickly asks if that means a Multi-Verse, and from there, we're left to wonder - does it actually mean a Multi-Verse?

There are many possibilities with this, and I'll be sure to break them down in a separate post. But for now, this leaves a lot of different ways that the film could go. Which is exciting; one of the great things about Spider-Man: Homecoming were all the surprises that it had in store. And I think this film could have even more. 

Did it Raise Excitement? I'm already super excited for the film. There's not much that could raise excitement. I think the film is going to be great. But I will say that while the film doesn't necessarily raise excitement, it does raise intrigue. I am very, very, very interested to see where this film will go.

Trailer Rating: 7.5/10

It: Chapter 2 - Teaser Review

It: Chapter 2 - Teaser Review

The first teaser for It: Chapter 2 has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: Horror is a genre that I didn't get. A lot of unnecessary violence mixed in with some scares; how could that possibly equate into any enjoyment. Then I saw It. It was more than just a few jumpscares and cheap scares mixed with loud noises. It had a pulse, and it had a heart; yes it had horror, but it had a story and characters that were compelling; that's what made It so terrifying yet so enjoyable.

So, needless, to say, I was extremely excited for the second installment. And the second I began to watch the trailer, I knew that this was going to be something special.

Just the idea of using an extended scene instead of conventional trailer footage was brilliant. It set up the tone so extremely well, with Jessica Chastain getting to show off her acting and her character. And major kudos to the actress playing the old lady, who just had the creepiest vibes. There were also some nice callbacks to the Loser's Club from the first film, who will be returning for some flashbacks.

After the opening half, we do get the traditional montage of footage. We see some shots of Pennywise and the Loser's Club, now and then, as they go about trying to vanquish the clown once and for all.

The trailer didn't offer much outside of the one scene, but that one scene was enough to raise the blood pressure and get me pumped to see the film. 

Did it Raise Excitement? If that one scene is any indication of the film, then ABSOLUTELY. This film could be another home run.

Trailer Rating: 8/10

Terminator: Dark Fate - Teaser Trailer Review

Terminator: Dark Fate - Teaser Trailer Review

The first teaser for Terminator: Dark Fate has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: I am not a Terminator fan, let me make that abundantly clear. Not that I have anything against these films at all; I just missed the train on these films. The first two, I have had heard nothing but good things, but by the time my interest in movies began to peak, these films were critical bombs. So I didn't bother.

I did know about all the drama and intrigue surrounding the new film. The previous installment, Terminator: Genisys, was critically panned and didn't do that well in the box office. The rights have now reverted to original owner James Cameron, and he has said that he's going to ignore all the Terminator films after the second one.

And for what it's worth, this trailer doesn't do anything egregiously wrong. But for me, as someone who is not invested in this franchise, did nothing for me to make me want to see the film.

We see Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger again, reprising their roles from the original two films. If this was supposed to have some nostalgic factor for some other people, consider me not one of them. 

The action and the setpieces did look a little generic to me. I think the CGI in places looked a little shaky. Maybe the CGI will be touched up by the time the film hits theaters, but I think that for what it's worth, there were quite a few shots that didn't work as well as others did.

Overall, like I said before, the trailer didn't do anything wrong at all. But nothing in it helped either. Also the music, which was interestingly somber and quiet, instead of loud and bombastic, was a little jarring - I tried to make it work in my mind, but after seeing it a couple times, it worked less and less and less. 

Did it Raise Excitement? Not particularly. It didn't make me want to not watch the film, but nothing past that. 

Trailer Rating: 5/10

Hobbs and Shaw - Trailer 2 Review

Hobbs and Shaw - Trailer 2 Review

The second trailer for Hobbs and Shaw has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: No one said it had to make sense. Not when you're dealing with Jason Statham and Dwayne Johnson. So when Hobbs and Shaw releases another trailer, I expect to shut my brain off for two minutes and enjoy a bunch of nonsense.

And I did - and it was awesome.

There are some films that require your utmost attention and are so beautifully and wonderfully crafted. Then there are films like this that essentially require a tub of popcorn and a dopey grin. This film looks so unbelievably stupid that I think it looks awesome.

We see more shots of Idris Elba being the most hammed-up bad guy in the history of bad guys. Granted, if I was judging this trailer on the same scale as I would a lot of other trailers, I would be very concerned at just how much story they're showing. They essentially showed us the plot of the entire film, with Hobbs heading back home to get backup.

But you know what? It works. You don't go to these kinds of movies for plot, you go to them for the experience of flipping Jeeps and machine guns and helicopters. 

This film could be one of the worst of 2019. Or it could be one of the absolute best. 

Did it Raise Excitement? You bet it did. 

Trailer Rating: 7/10

X-Men: Dark Phoenix - Final Trailer Review

X-Men: Dark Phoenix - Final Trailer Review

The final trailer for X-Men: Dark Phoenix has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: When marketing a film, you need to be careful about what you put out in what order. I think a lot of studios don't realize how important the order of releasing their trailers is. Because had they led off with this trailer, or even not released the last one and released this one instead, and I think the film would be on track. 

This trailer, despite everything negative I've said about the film and everything negative I've HEARD About the film, is actually rather decent.

Again, I do have the same problem I have with most of these X-Men trailers in that it shows a lot. People say that you can't possibly spoil a movie with a 2 minute trailer, but I think that you can if you cut two minutes of footage in a particular way. I was never a big fan of the idea of "show the entire beginning set up" in the first minute of the trailer. I think there's no need to do something like that, especially for a film like this.

Regardless, we see the entire set-up to the movie in a couple minutes, with the X-Men heading off to save a NASA Shuttle, and Jean gets wrapped up in the mysterious energy source. From what I've seen at least, I think this sequence looks far better than anything else that they've shown.

From there, we get to see shots of Quicksilver, Nightcrawler, and Beast, a few mutants that we didn't get as much footage for previously. And we get to see what looks like it could be a fantastic interaction between Jean and Erik, as she rips apart his helmet.

Honestly, aside from that though, this trailer is rather generic. But in a time when Fox decides to put out trailers that deliberately spoil the movie, I think generic is not a bad word. This trailer could've been a lot of worse. 

Did it Raise Excitement? I don't think anything could really change my view on this film. I think this could easily be the worst comic book film of the year. Regardless, this trailer itself was decent, so it does get points for that. 

Trailer Rating: 6/10

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - Teaser Review

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - Teaser Review

The first teaser for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: Honestly, my love of Star Wars had begun to fizzle out in the past months. I think that with the recent backlash with The Last Jedi and the lackluster performance of Solo: A Star Wars Story, I began to realize that being a Star Wars fan doesn't mean the same thing that it used to. So a lot, at least to me, was riding on this trailer. 

And for what it's worth, even though this isn't the best trailer in the world, I'm starting to wake up and come back. The weirdest thing happened to where I watched the trailer for the first time and thought, "alright, I'm not that interested still".

Then I kept watching it to see if I could pick up on little details, and I began to remember what it was like to be a Star Wars fan. Especially now, living in the culture of comic book movies and blockbusters not named Star Wars, I think that this trailer was the best thing to happen for this franchise.

While this trailer doesn't show us much, it shows us enough. It shows Rey in a desert planet, perhaps Tatooine, or even Jakku, as she flips over a TIE Fighter. We don't see who's piloting the fighter, but it could be many people; it could be a test from Luke, it could be Kylo, it could even be Palpatine (more on that later). 

We then cut to a montage of shots backed by the iconic Leia's theme (may she Rest in Peace), and we get to see Lando Calrissian again, in the cockpit of the Falcon. I'm not quite sure what role he's going to have, other than fan service, but whatever it is, bring it on. We'll see if his role really does service the story.

After some other intriguing shots, like Kylo repairing his helmet and killing someone on what looks like Endor, we finally see a shot with the entire new cast together, staring over the ocean where the wreckage of the Death Star is looming in the horizon.

Then we hear it. Palpatine's evil cackle bursts onto the scene and we get he title: The Rise of Skywalker. We'll discuss what we think it means in a future post, but for now, I think this was just enough to peak the audience's interest and let them know that a Star Wars movie is coming, and it's going to be big. 

Did it Raise Excitement? Absolutely. It raised intrigue and curiosity and I think I'm back on board with the direction that the Star Wars franchise is going. 

Trailer Rating: 7.5/10

The Lion King - Official Trailer Review

The Lion King - Official Trailer Review

The official trailer for The Lion King has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: I thought it could only go down from the first trailer. Anything less than mind-blowing was a step down from the first teaser, because nothing will replicate the excitement and the pure joy that I had when I saw the first teaser.

I was right; but not by much. By the smallest of margins. Because this trailer is awesome.

Disney knows exactly how they want to market this film, with the perfect blend of nostalgia mixed in with showcasing their innovative new technology. It's absolutely brilliant. 

We finally see shots of Scar and other characters like Timon and Pumba, as well as a grown Simba and Nala. We see classic, iconic shots from the original film with Simba and Nala being cornered by the hyenas and Scar. And we get to hear Scar say the famous line "Run away Simba, and never return". Which just sent chills down my spine.

Aside from that, from reliving parts of my childhood. I will say the ONE Thing that isn't even necessarily a bad thing, just something to point out, is that the trailer isn't long enough. It spends almost a tenth or a fourth of its time to list the cast names and have a little scene with TImon and Pumba. I would'e loved to see more shots of the animals actually talking, because barring a scene with Scar, we really don't see the animals talking other than in voiceover.

Did it Raise Excitement? Yes. Yes, yes, yes.

Trailer Rating: 10/10

Avengers: Endgame - Special Look Review

Avengers: Endgame - Special Look Review

A special look at Avengers: Endgame has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: Marvel, in abiding by their tradition, has unveiled a minute of new footage from Avengers: Endgame to announce that tickets are now officially on sale. 

I thought after the last trailer I would be satisfied. But this one minute of footage somehow blows the other four minutes combined out of the water. This special look is absolutely incredible.

We see the Avengers, depressed as they have been in the last few trailers at their defeat. They're huddled up at Avengers compound, and it looks like they're making one last ditch attempt to get at Thanos after the Decimation.

And after that, it's all money shots. We see Steve and Tony having a conversation in what looks like 2012 New York, which is incredible. We see a new lineup shot, with all the Avengers in street clothes save Thor and Captain Marvel, which is interesting. We see the Mark 85 flying over what again looks like it could be the Battle of New York.  More shots of Thor summoning Stormbreaker in front of Captain Marvel. 

But most importantly of all, we finally see and hear Thanos. He's standing, in full glorious battle armor, in the ruins of what could be Xandar, as the Big Three approach him. That alone was worth the price of admission. And this is just one minute. If this was only one minute, God knows how many more glorious moments we're about to get in just over a week. 

I wasn't going to watch any new footage after that second trailer. But as Thanos says, where has this marketing brought me back to? Back to him.

Did it Raise Excitement? Somehow, some way, Marvel has done it. But this is it. I can't watching anything else; I think this was the perfect note to cap off the marketing (at least the main one) with. I cannot be more excited for this film. Nine days. Nine days. 

Trailer Rating: 10/10

Joker - Teaser Trailer Review

Joker - Teaser Trailer Review

The first teaser trailer for Joker arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: If a trailer, or really ANYTHING can get me to feel any hint of emotion and pity for a psychotic killer who murders for pleasure and aims to send a city into chaos, then that trailer deserves the highest praise.

So it was to me delight and great surprise that I began to feel empathy for the Clown Prince of Crime as I watched this trailer. Because this trailer managed to show me two different sides of the same person that were so completely different, yet so closely intertwined. 

Joaquin Phoenix as just Arthur Fleck looks like he's giving an Oscar-worthy performance. The subtlety and the creepiness, yet the weakness and the sadness and hurt that you can see when you look at him is so profound. When he's talking to Zazie Beatz's character and she offers him a smile, just by lifting the corners of his lips into a small grimace in an attempt to smile, you're able to see so much about his character. He's broken, he's lost, and he has nothing left to lose.

But the scene that really got me was when the people on the street took his sign. Because I presume at that point in the film, Fleck is an honest man, trying to make it in a hard world, a harsh Gotham. And when those thugs beat him up, you can see that he's scared, you can see that he's genuinely afraid to lose his life. 

But as the trailer moves on, you see those layers began to shed as he gains confidence. The forced smile as he puts his fingers in the corners of his mouth shows how damaged he's becoming (without needing to tattoo the word "Damaged" on his forehead). 

By the time we see his final form at the end of the trailer, I was absolutely stunned that I actually was rooting for him. Not to kill a bunch of people, surely not, but to make things right. Because this character had been so horribly mistreated, he deserved to get what he wanted.

If a trailer can make me think all these things in two minutes about a psychopath, it has done its job and so, so much more. 

Did it Raise Excitement? Without question. This film was already on my top ten most anticipated but not because I thought it would be Oscar-caliber, but because I thought it looked interesting. But now I'm sold. Get me this movie. 

Trailer Rating: 9.75/10

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - Trailer Review

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - Teaser Review

The teaser for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: Quentin Tarintino has proven that he can do essentially anything he wants, and A-list actors will flock to his project. Case in point? Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The film stars, hold your breath, Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo Dicaprio. Right there, is the selling point of the film. The fact that a film can assemble such a ridiculously talented trifecta should be enough. 

But you have to let the general public know this film exists. So we have this trailer. 

Which is alright. But that's okay, because I think it doesn't need to be anything better than alright. I think it's great as it is.

We see shots of Leo and Brad as they're being interviewed, talking about their roles. Brad Pitt plays the stunt double to Leonardo Dicaprio. We also see shots of Pitt fighting Bruce Lee, which is something that I never thought I'd be saying. But there it is.

Aside from that, paired with the zany music and the shots of Margot Robbie looking like she's having the time of her life, we don't see much else from the film. Which is okay. Because as I said, I don't think we need to see anything other than the fact that this film exists. I think that alone will draw a crowd. Because really, how much better can you get in this day and age than Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo Dicaprio? 

Did it Raise Excitement? Maybe not necessarily excited, but intrigued for sure. This film has Oscars written all over it, and I'm excited to see what comes out of it. 

Trailer Rating: 6.5/10

Toy Story 4 - Official Trailer Review

Toy Story 4 - Official Trailer Review

The official trailer for Toy Story 4 has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: I've asked the question and I'll say it again; why was this film necessary? I don't know. I think that there was some justification that went on inside the Pixar studios to cover up the fact that they wanted to go for another billion dollars. 

I digress. If the film is good, I'll be the first to say it.

This trailer shows us more of the tone and the story of film. It shows our characters as they traverse the outside world. We get to see more of the new addition, Sporky, as he goes through an existential crisis. We also see the grand return of Bo Peep as she shows Woody there's a bigger world outside than in Bonnie's room.

I would be absolutely idiotic to deny that there is huge potential in these characters and this storytelling team to pull off something fantastic. That's not really the point. I think the Pixar team would need to deliver nothing short of near perfection (which, by the way, was Toy Story 3) to show WHY this movie needed to be made. The film can still be amazing, and I will still come out of the theater saying "that was great, but it didn't need to happen". This trailer delivered those vibes for me; I sat down and after it was over, I said to myself, "That was fine, but why was that necessary?"

The film can really do nothing to change my mind at this point. Which is fine. I'm just being upset, and I'll get over it. When this film comes out, I'll judge it on its merits. But for now, these are the things that I'm thinking about. 

Did it Raise Excitement? I suppose a little bit. This was certainly better than those gag trailers that had been released before, and that's encouraging. But not by much. 

Trailer Rating: 3.7/10

Shazam - Trailer 2 Review

Shazam! - Trailer 2 Review

The second trailer for Shazam! has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: As some of you may know, I did not like the first trailer for Shazam! at all. I thought it was cheesy, corny, over-the-top (in a very bad way) and presented this movie a joke. I know that the film was going for a lighter tone, but when I sat down to watch the first trailer, I was thoroughly underwhelmed. Especially with the "trying to be relatable" vibe, I was not in at all. As a reviewer and a pundit of these big budget films, I knew that I would have to watch it. But I was not looking forward to it.

What was interesting was that no major pieces of marketing came out for a long, long while. So I was stuck with the first trailer for a good three or four months. And that didn't help either. But then, out of the blue, we were hit with the news that the critics had seen the film and they absolutely loved it. That peaked my interest. Then, Warner Bros. announced they would be showing the film early. So the general public got to go see the film a little early, and THEY absolutely loved it.

Around the same time, they dropped this trailer. And now I'm sold. While this trailer does retain a lot of the "corny" elements of the first trailer, it also has a warmer tone, and a lighter tone, fully embracing Zachary Levi's character. I felt the first trailer was dipping its toe in, to try to gauge where the audience was after the disappointing Justice League. But this trailer goes for it, and more power to it. (I still hoping Zachary Levi flossing isn't part of the film, but what do I know? Maybe it'll be the funniest scene).

The trailer shows much of the same beats from the last one, where we see Billy Badson getting his powers and becoming the superhero he always wanted to be. And for the first time in any of the marketing for the film, I laughed audibly when seeing the trailer for the first time. I thought the gag where Shazam is at the store and throws an action figure of Batman at the villain was genuinely funny. And the gag at the end where he tries to leap over the tall building did put a grin on my face as well.

Let's be clear; my expectations are still not through the roof for the movie. The only thing holding it up was the critical reception, and now this trailer. But after hearing the positive buzz, I'm not so sure - I think this could one of the films that completely turned me around. 

Did it Raise Excitement? Absolutely; if the goal of a trailer is to make you more excitement, mission accomplished. 

Trailer Rating: 7.5/10

Aladdin - Official Trailer Review

Aladdin - Official Trailer Review

The Official trailer for Aladdin has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: Consistently inconsistent. That's the only phrases I can use to describe the marketing of this film. I've said it before on other trailer reviews for Aladdin but I will continue to hammer the point home. I am so frustrated because I know that there is a great film buried in under terrible marketing.

Someone needs to fix the trailer editing crew for this movie, because they clearly don't know how to edit a trailer. The trailer jumps from street-level action, to a fantastical cave, to the Genie rapping? To the A Whole New World? The trailer would've felt inconsistent if they had only picked two of those element, much less ALL of them.

But poor editing aside, let's focus on what I liked from this trailer, because there's quite a bit, actually. First of all, the new iteration of a Whole New World sounds fantastic. Naomi Scott and Mena Massoud sound absolutely brilliant, at least in the short clip that we got. This could be one of the best "re-singings" of a classic Disney song in the modern age. It sounds beautiful, and true to the original, while still being unique.

The visual style seems consistent to the magical whim of the original as well. We see Aladdin running through the streets, and he really does feel like an "urchin" for lack of a better word. He seems like he's lived in these streets and has been ravaging around for awhile, which is very consistent with what his character is. 

For what it's worth, I've been saying that I didn't mind Will Smith's Genie. He doesn't exactly strike me as anything great; it's Will Smith painted blue. But I think he's different enough and has enough charisma (Will Smith has enough charisma to carry almost any film), and I think he's going to work. As for the two leads, I'm not completely sold on either. I think both will be fine, but I don't think either will be a standout. But I think they're both going to be fine.

As for Jafar, I still don't know what to make of that voice. I think the look is nearly perfect. That is one thing that this film has for it; the look of all these characters are spot-on. But that doesn't mean anything if the character themselves don't live up to their predecessors. 

It's a little too late for this movie at this point, but I wish that this movie's marketing would have pulled something out at the last second and given us a trailer that was consistently consistent. As it stands, I will go watch this movie and I think it will be great; I'm very much looking forward to it. But I have a feeling not many others will. 

Did it Raise Excitement? This trailer did nothing to change my opinion on this film. I don't think much can at this point. But that's okay - I'm going to go see it no matter what. 

Trailer Rating: 5.5/10

X-Men: Dark Phoenix - Trailer 2 Review

X-Men: Dark Phoenix - Trailer 2 Review

The second trailer for X-Men: Dark Phoenix has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: I had hoped that 20th Century Fox, as it had been known during the making of the film, would have learned from the mistakes of X-Men: The Last Stand. The film was a colossal failure, especially among the critics, so I saw every reason to stay as far away from the film as humanly possible. 

So why does this trailer make this film like a shot-for-shot remake of the film? Have we learned nothing? 

First of all: what in the world was the marketing department thinking? Directly spoiling the death of a major character? (If you haven't seen the trailer, I will not spoil which character it is here). But then, to make things worse, Simon Kinberg goes out and tries to "save face", and confirms that this character dies. Not ONLY does he confirm that this character dies, but he tries to DEFEND why this character's death was spoiled in the trailer.

Right there, you already lost me, big time. There is NO good reason to show someone's death in a movie, no matter how minor a character. If you're going to kill a character, chances are, you want the audience to feel something, anything, for either the character themselves or the supporting cast. To me, there is absolutely zero justification for revealing the death of a character in the trailer.

So right there, RIGHT THERE, if this was the best trailer ever released, it would still be one of the lowest rated for me because I can't tolerate spoilers like that. But then, while the rest of the trailer doesn't exactly do anything wrong, it feels like a rip-off of X-Men: The Last Stand.

Why? What was the point of that?

We do see some neat shots, granted. There are some interesting scenes, like when Jean Grey is taking Magneto's helmet and curling up the edge to try to cut his face. That looks like a harrowing and haunting scene, and one that will truly show how powerful Jean is. And the train heist looks interesting, absolutely. But other than that, this trailer was one giant dud, mixed with a lot of question marks. I have absolutely no interest in Jessica Chastain's character because even though she's supposed to be an alien, she's being presented as a blonde in heels. I know that this is to save spoilers, that I know. But why, then, would you spoil the death of another character and not show who Jessica Chastain is? It's inconsistent.

This film could very well be the best X-Men movie after Logan. It could. But right now, this trailer has absolutely tanked my expectations for the upcoming films. To those who are saying that they can see nothing wrong with this trailer, all I can say is that I envy you. 

Did it Raise Excitement? Absolutely not. Get the X-Men back to Marvel right now. 

Trailer Rating: 1.5/10

Toy Story 4 - Super Bowl Spot Review

Toy Story 4 - Super Bowl Spot Review

The Super Bowl TV Spot for Toy Story 4 has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: I have been adamant and vocal of my dislike of this film. The very idea and notion that this film is being made is ridiculous. Why would Disney and Pixar choose to reopen a book that was shut in the most beautiful, poetic, and emotional way possible. Why would you return to this franchise? This is one franchise that a billion dollars does not justify. 

And yet, the fourth film is here. I'll be the first one to say that no matter how low my expectations are, if the film is good, I'll be the first to sing its praises. But in the months leading up to Toy Story 4, I need to see in the marketing why this film's story needs to be told. Why did you need to dig up this franchise again? What was so important that the Pixar creative team came back together for this fourth installment?

I'll tell you that this trailer doesn't do this movie any favors. If anything, this teaser makes this film seem even more pointless and useless.

This teaser is essentially another gag, with new characters Ducky and Bunny (Key and Peele) making a fool out of Buzz Lightyear, until he eventually makes a fool out of them. Great. Make a Pixar short about Woody and Buzz going to a carnival. Now I know, this is only thirty seconds of a two-hour-length film. I understand. But if this is the kind of promotional material Pixar wants to put to the public, I have no choice but to judge it on that merit. 

What is the point of this movie? A plastic spork and a carnival? Pixar seems to think so.  

Did it Raise Excitement? Somehow, I'm even less excited about this film after seeing this. It's not by much, no, but this teaser did nothing to help this film's case. Again: why is this necessary? I want to see elements of a story that seems like it is worth telling, not Key and Peele antagonizing Buzz Lightyear at a carnival. 

Trailer Rating: 2/10

Birds of Prey - Teaser Review

Birds of Prey - Teaser Review

A short teaser for Birds or Prey has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: The footage was brief, so I'll make this brief as well. I don't think this new footage did anything for the film, but I don't think it necessarily hurt it either. This was more like test footage that was cut to be a short teaser. You only really saw shots of Harley Quinn and her co-stars. Harley Quinn is looking different, with new makeup, a new costume, and a little sharper look. But it's still Margot Robbie and it's still the Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad.

We get a brief, brief look at Ewan McGregor as Black Mask, but there appeared to be nothing substantial that came from that brief look. Birds of Prey doesn't come out for nearly a year; what was the point of releasing a teaser now? The excitement is going to die down and everyone's going to forget. Granted, it's not like this trailer showed a ton of footage that DC is going to regret putting out so early, but there was no point either. 

Did it Raise Excitement? Not excitement, necessarily. But intrigue? Curiosity? Absolutely. The fact that we are seeing footage from this film so early is interesting. Perhaps it shows DC has confidence in the movie? Maybe. Maybe it shows desperation. Whatever it may be, this trailer wasn't bad. But it didn't seem necessary either. 

Trailer Rating: 5/10

Aladdin - Special Look Review

Aladdin - Special Look Review

A special look at Aladdin has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: I love Disney. I love the new Disney live-action remakes. Not being a child at the time the animated films were huge, I don't have the same nostalgia that a lot of people have for these movies BUT I am able to enjoy them as modern retellings of classic films. So when a new one is announced and cast, and sent into production, I'm always optimistic. The Jungle Book in particular has been one of my favorite Disney films of recent years.

So when Aladdin was announced, I was excited. I knew that Aladdin was a rich story that could be developed into a great movie in live-action. The first teaser barely gave us anything though. It gave us a couple shots of the Cave of Wonders and Aladdin, but other than that, nothing to go off. So this was the first substantial piece of footage that we got.

And it was alright.

I will say that the marketing for this film is not helping the movie's case at all. The editing is wildly inconsistent and the tone that they're trying to give is epic, dark, gritty, yet fantastical, and humorous at the same time. I'm not quite sure what to make of that.

There really wasn't much new footage at all either; just an extended shot of the cave with Jafar. His voice wasn't nearly as off-putting as a lot of people seemed to think, but it wasn't the Iago I was expecting. I did expect a level of menace and terror from the antagonist of the movie, and maybe he will bring it come May. But for the very short amount of time we saw him in the trailer, it wasn't very good at all.

We also saw our first look at Genie, played by Will Smith. Now, I will say that I don't hate him nearly as much as a lot of people online do. I don't think the CGI is great, nor is the design itself, but it doesn't immediately take me out of the footage. But I don't see the Genie either. I see Will Smith, painted blue, trying to be quirky, and that's not difficult to do. 

Really, there isn't anything going for this movie but charismatic actors and good source material. I still whole-heartedly believe this film will be good. There is potential beyond the poor marketing team. But I'm not seeing it. And forgive me for being a little worried. 

Did it Raise Excitement? I wouldn't necessarily say I'm any less excited for the movie than before. This special look is consistent withe rest of the marketing. There's much to be desired, and pacing, editing, and tone of the marketing, but at least it's consistently inconsistent. I still think buried beneath the trailers is a great movie; but the trailers aren't doing Disney any favors. 

Trailer Rating: 4/10

Frozen 2 - Teaser Trailer Review

Frozen 2 - Teaser Trailer Review

The first teaser trailer for Frozen 2 has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: No one saw the massive success of the first Frozen film coming. The film grossed over a billion dollars, and rode on the back of the success of "Let it Go". I personally wasn't the biggest fan of the film, simply because at a certain point, the songs became so overplayed that the film itself lost all appeal.

But regardless of what people like, who clearly weren't the targeted demographic, think, a billion dollar speaks for itself. The sequel was going to get made. It was rather surprising that it took this long, but it's coming. the first teaser is here.

What's very interesting is the tone. As I have said before, if a trailer doesn't show you much, it has to cement a tone. And this tone is very, very different from what any of us expected, and from what the tone of the first film was. It was actually a little dark, and it had a drive to it. It almost felt like an action film, from where Elsa is trying to escape the island at the beginning, to the end where Anna slashes at the camera.

I will say, although it mostly worked for me, the one shot that I audibly laughed at was Kristoff riding Sven and an army of reindeers. It's one thing to take yourself seriously, which is completely okay. It's another to take something seriously that really isn't quite serious. The determined, angry look of a man riding a reindeer didn't quite click with me. Every time I see the trailer, it pulls me out. 

Other than that, I enjoy the music. I thought at the beginning it didn't quite work, but then the dark tune shifts to a vocal piece, and I really liked it. I don't know if it's a one-off piece of music just for the trailer, but I'm actually hoping a little that it will be part of the final film. 

It looks like the film will be heading for a fall theme as well, as you see the right orange maple leaves prevalent throughout the entirety of the short amount of footage. It would be interesting to see 4 Frozen films, each set in a different season. 

Did it Raise Excitement? I still wouldn't quite say that I'm excited for this film. It's just not for me; but I know that Disney will put out quality. Their animation studio almost always does. And the animation is only getting better. The opening shots of the ocean almost looked real; that's a true testament to how far technology has come. 

Trailer Rating: 7/10

Avengers: Endgame - Big Game Spot Review

Avengers: Endgame - Big Game Spot - Review

The Big Game Spot for Avengers: Endgame has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: In direct contrast with the Captain Marvel Big Game Spot, Marvel knows exactly what it's doing with the Avengers marketing. The Russos and Feige have their hands on this promotional campaign and their eyes on it like a hawk. So you know that whatever they show is going to be only what they want us to see.

For me, the most frustrating part of this trailer was how short it was. Thirty seconds is not nearly enough. If you think about it, this trailer didn't really have that many distinguishing shots. We see a desolate New York, with shots of Citi Field and the Statue of Liberty, both abandoned. We see a couple shots of Captain America at a survivor's guilt therapy session. From there, we get to see Ant-Man and War Machine in their suits as well as Tony and Nebula working on their ship.

But where this trailer doesn't deliver on new footage (and it really doesn't need to - knowing as little as possible is good), this spot delivers on tone. What's so important is that if you're not going to see something that makes an impact, you want to feel something. And this Avengers TV Spot smacks you in the face with a dark, depressing, gritty tone that is reminiscent of The Winter Soldier. You know immediately, from the heavy music and dreary cinematography, that the Avengers are in for another beating. If they're going to make things right, they're going to have to do whatever it takes to get there. And like Cap says, they're not ready to move on.

And also he has his shield back. Enough said. 

Did it Raise Excitement? I would say no, but I wouldn't say that's a detriment of this trailer. There was almost next to nothing that would raise my excitement for this film at this point, and this trailer only cemented that for me. 

Trailer Rating: 8.5/10