August 12, 2012

A short list of upcoming films that are now just starting to build hype now that the season of superheroes has come to an end.  

First, let’s get the most obvious one out of the way.  

1.

By now, everybody should have heard about the newest addition to the James Bond series.  Between a set of jaw-dropping trailers (linked below) and an amusing bit of viral marketing during the opening ceremony of the Olympics, James Bond has once again taken center stage.  The reboot of this franchise, starting with the record-setting “Casino Royale”, has only been rivaled by Christopher Nolan’s revision of the Batman series.  Now with that trilogy all wrapped up, all eyes are looking to October to see how Daniel Craig’s Bond delivers in what looks to be the most stylistic Bond film ever created.  

TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5AD3PBPuKc&feature=relmfu

2. 

Based on the best-selling novel, “Cloud Atlas” is the newest project from the creators of the “Matrix” trilogy (feels weird not to be able to say the Wachowski bros.).  As if the cast alone isn’t impressive, the trailer itself is a whole five minutes long and brings you on an epic journey that spans different periods of times and into the lives of several different characters. This amazingly well-done trailer hints at how the decisions these characters make and the lives they lead impact each other.  The choreography looks stunning and the music is mesmerizing.  The only bad side is that it comes out the same day as “Skyfall”.

TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWnAqFyaQ5s

3.

Another film based on a popular novel, “Life of Pi” is the new film from award-winning director Ang Lee.  The story revolves a young boy named Pi, the son of a zookeeper, who is stuck adrift on a tiny boat with a Bengal tiger, zebra, hyena, and a monkey after the ship they were all on capsizes.  The trailer is very well-done and displays a unique charm as the odd crew takes on this journey together across the Pacific ocean.  When all seems to be lost for these characters, friendships are built and through each other they find the hope to survive.  Coming to theaters November 21, 2012.

TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHbdWFC_9i4

4. 

Starring James Franco and Mila Kunis, “Oz: the Great and Powerful” is a Disney revision of the far-away land that presumably takes place before the classic Wizard of Oz starring Dorothy and Toto.  Directed by Sam Raimi, this is the story of how a magician eventually becomes the powerful ruler of the realm.  As the trailer shows, many of the classic elements of the old film are present and updated for this prequel.  The witches army of marching men specifically look impressive in the trailer.  Coming to theaters March 8th, 2013.

TRAILER:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1NGnVLDPog

5.

Not much footage has been released for this film, in fact: nothing has been shown outside of San Diego Comic Con’s special demo.  There are a very few production photos, but for the most part, this film has been kept under wraps.  Directed by Guillermo Del Toro (Pan’s Labrynth) and starring Idris Elba, “Pacific Rim” is quite simply a movie about robots and giant monsters.  Much like the golden age of Japanese kaiju films, human pilots will pilot these mammoth machines to defend the Earth against these beasts.  Hearing Del Toro speak so passionately about the project can make anybody excited (especially when he talks about the battle at Hong Kong at night) because he has never been scared to make films the way he wants to make them, no matter how different or based in fantasy they seem to average move goers—something that the giant monster genre deeply needs.  Coming July 2013.

NO TRAILER YET.