Official Trailer for ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE

I've had little stake in the "Release the Snyder Cut" movement, but as someone who has always appreciated Zack Snyder's dark, almost sinister take on how super heroes might be received and/or implement themselves into modern society his films have always proved daring if not necessarily successful each time out. Man of Steel was one of my favorite films of 2013 and I absolutely adored the myth-building, Ben Affleck's approach to Bruce Wayne, and the sheer scope of Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice three years later which was only made better by the ultimate edition released later that year. Of course, all of this momentum - despite being stifled by a fair majority of critics - came to a screeching halt in late 2017 when Joss Whedon's re-configured Justice League hit theaters on November 17th. Snyder was already shooting his planned two-part Justice League when Batman V. Superman was released in March of 2016 and I can recall reading about set visits that June, many of which were attempting to course correct the BvS narrative and assure those that weren't fans of Snyder's vision for the DC Universe thus far that Snyder was listening and taking note. Of course, by May of 2017 Snyder - dealing with a family tragedy - decided to take a break from the project despite having completed principal photography and already screened a cut of the film for friends and fellow filmmakers. The story was Whedon was only being brought in to assist in some additional photography and to assist the remainder of the post-production process. A story in The Hollywood Reporter published in May of 2017 even stated, “The directing is minimal and it has to adhere to the style and tone and the template that Zack set,” said Warner Bros. Pictures president Toby Emmerich. “We’re not introducing any new characters. It’s the same characters in some new scenes. He’s handing the baton to Joss, but the course has really been set by Zack. I still believe that despite this tragedy, we’ll still end up with a great movie.” Needless to say, by the time Whedon's version of the film was released in November it was clear this wasn't the film Snyder intended it to be and large portions of the film had been re-shot and re-configured in order for Warner Bros. to get out from under the weight of Snyder's ambitious vision allowing them to move forward with more single-shot, director-driven films that Wonder Woman had proved could be just as successful earlier that summer. Five years later though, we're finally (somehow) getting a proper Justice League film and sequel to Batman v. Superman that Snyder always intended. As someone who was completely on board for Snyder's vision from the get-go I can't wait to see what this film holds and if/how it will change the course of DC films moving forward. In addition, this official trailer for the project does not disappoint and seems to hint that Snyder has delivered everything he promised his epic to be. Zack Snyder's Justice League premieres on HBO Max March 18th.       

JUSTICE LEAGUE Review

I guess I should start out by saying that I am and always have been a fan of Zack Snyder. Without much effort I can recall sitting in the theater and experiencing Dawn of the Dead along with that moment when it clicked that this wasn't just a fun horror flick, but it was a good movie. I can remember seeing 300 several times if not for the admittedly thin story, but for the ways in which the director was pushing the boundaries of the visual medium. My heart almost dropped out of my chest upon first glimpsing that opening credits sequence to Watchmen in glorious IMAX and with Man of Steel it felt as if Superman had never been so epic; that the whole scope of his being had been presented, warts and all, even if most didn't agree that Superman should have warts. I loved Man of Steel and to a certain degree, I loved Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice as well. I'm not one to say that film is without its flaws, there is a convoluted nature to the proceedings that are unnecessary and it devolves into a CGI crapfest for the last forty minutes, but for me BvS was very much a personal film and one that was as grand in scale as it was deep with heart and rich with themes. Though the marks against it have their validity it is a film that arguably has more to say and more at stake than any other superhero film produced in the last seventeen years and certainly in the last nine or so since Marvel has streamlined the process. This brings us to Justice League, a movie that is hard for me to even call a Snyder film for, despite having the trademark look of the director during certain sequences, is undoubtedly the least Zack Snyder film to have ever been produced. It's sad and disheartening in the way that Justice League, or what Snyder began in 2013 and has been building through to up until recently has culminated with this, a vanilla action film with people dressed like characters we know and love, but to the benefit of a story that is paint by numbers if not the simplest example of such, a barrage of unfinished CGI and shortcuts, with no real stakes to be felt. Say what you will about those civilian casualties or the lack of awareness for them in previous films, but they added a weight to these proceedings that reinforced that in order for evil to be avenged evil first has to occur. Warner Bros. and Geoff Johns have gone out of their way to ensure Justice League took into consideration the complaints from previous endeavors and it does, resolving it to be the broadest and most generic theater-going experience one might have this year. The masses will no doubt love it.

Final JUSTICE LEAGUE Trailer

It seems as if this final trailer for Justice League, a mere six weeks prior to the films release, is a little unnecessary given we've already received three major trailers-the last of which was just in July and spanned just over four minutes in length, but alas much has happened with the film in three months since that last trailer dropped with the biggest change of course being that director Joss Whedon was brought in to steer Justice League to its opening day. At first, it was announced Whedon would ony be coming in to help finish up the film as Zack Snyder dealt with issues in his personal life, but since that initial announcement it has become clear Whedon's role is much larger than that as he will receive a screenwriting credit, meaning he rewrote at least a third of the movie. With Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman becoming the biggest movie of the summer Warner Bros. has put all of their effort into turning the tide on the rest of their heroes and this major overhaul on Justice League looks to only be the beginning of as much. All of that taken into consideration, this trailer looks and feels awesome. What is there not to like? Ben Affleck's Batman is doing his thing, that knowing shot of Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman giving a slight smirk in the midst of battle is great while Ezra Miller's The Flash and Jason Momoa's Aquaman make it look as if either of them could very easily steal the show. The only kind of question mark is Ray Fisher's Cyborg, but I like what we see of that mostly-CGI character here. What's interesting about this movie is that we have to keep in mind it was being planned and prepped long before the backlash received on Dawn of Justice and it is a film that has clearly had a new light shined on it due to those reactions. Ultimately, the film might have a spunkier tone due to Whedon's re-writes, but if this trailer is any indication as to the now movie overall (which it totally could not be) it would seem all those rumors about the level of Whedon's involvement over the past few months would be true. The tone here is much lighter than anything we've seen from the film up to this point, but I'm digging what I'm seeing with cautious optimism. Side note: We get our first glimpse of Henry Cavill here, but not as Superman, so-still pleased with that decision despite the fact we know Supes will be back in some capacity for Justice League which hits theaters on November 17th, 2017. J.K. Simmons, Willem Dafoe, and Amber Heard also star.

SDCC: New Trailer for JUSTICE LEAGUE

With Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman becoming the biggest movie of the summer Warner Bros. has put all of their effort into turning the tide on the rest of their heroes as they have debuted a lengthy new trailer for Justice League today at this year's San Diego Comic-Con. This trailer looks and feels awesome. What is there not to like? Ben Affleck's Batman is doing his thing, Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman is more or less his second in command while Ezra Miller's The Flash and Jason Momoa's Aquaman make it look like either of them could very easily steal the show. The only kind of question mark is Ray Fisher's Cyborg, but I like what we see of that mostly-CGI character here. What's interesting about this movie is that we have to keep in mind it was being planned and prepped for long before the backlash Dawn of Justice received and it is a film that has clearly had a new light shined on it due to those reactions. If you read any of the set visits from last summer you'll remember the fact WB and Snyder immediately went to work building a more positive narrative around the DCEU and for the most part, that was totally demolished by Suicide Squad. Ultimately, the film might have a spunkier tone due to quick re-writes, but it will still look like and be an epic Snyder film which is what these heroes and gods deserve. I don't mind owning up to the fact I'm a Snyder fan and that I hope his vision for this cinematic universe is seen through to the end even with the recent events of his personal life and the fact Joss Whedon has come in to steer Justice League to its opening day. Side note: really happy they still haven't showed us a glimpse of Henry Cavill's Superman despite the fact we know he will be back in some capacity for Justice League which hits theaters on November 17th, 2017. J.K. Simmons, Willem Dafoe, and Amber Heard also star.

Official Trailer for JUSTICE LEAGUE

"Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me." It's not hard to see why many fans of Batman and DC Comics' heroes in general might be feeling this way towards the newly released Justice League trailer because if one thing is evident it's the fact the studio and director Zack Snyder know how to cut an impressive trailer. What has also become clear though, is that they can craft an impressive and outright stellar trailer from a weak film. There is no greater example of this than with last years train wreck that was Suicide Squad. While I rather enjoyed Man of Steel and Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice more than most I can see how such an argument might be made as the trailers certainly indicated something far more exceptional than what we were ultimately delivered. All hopes are riding on Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman at the moment as all three trailers we've seen from the film have been superb and if that film can prove to be as much when it debuts this summer it might right the ship for the struggling DC Cinematic Universe. All of that is to say that of course this trailer looks and feels awesome. What is there not to like? Ben Affleck's Batman is doing his thing, Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman is more or less his second in command while Ezra Miller's The Flash and Jason Momoa's Aquaman make it look like either of them could very easily steal the show. The only kind of question mark is Ray Fisher's Cyborg, but I like what we see of that mostly-CGI character here. What's interesting about this movie is that we have to keep in mind it was being planned and prepped for long before the backlash Dawn of Justice received and it is a film that has clearly had a new light shined on it due to those reactions. If you read any of the set visits from last summer you'll remember the fact WB and Snyder immediately went to work building a more positive narrative around the DCEU and for the most part, that was totally demolished by Suicide Squad.  Ultimately, the film might have a spunkier tone due to quick re-writes, but it will still look like and be an epic Snyder film which is what these heroes and gods deserve. I don't mind owning up to the fact I'm a Snyder fan and that I hope his vision for this cinematic universe is seen through to the end. Side note: really happy they still haven't showed us a glimpse of Henry Cavill's Superman despite the fact we know he will be back in some capacity for Justice Laague which hits theaters on November 17th, 2017. J.K. Simmons, Willem Dafoe, and Amber Heard also star.

PATRIOTS DAY Review

One goes into Patriots Day with a certain expectation of what they believe will be delivered to them. We're all familiar with the story. Heck, if you're of legal age to see an R-rated film in theaters (meaning this one) then you were at least fourteen when the Boston Marathon bombing happened on April 13th, 2013. There is this expectation that the film will take us through these events we're already familiar with adding the caveat of getting to better know some of the individuals involved. When it becomes apparent what director Peter Berg (Lone Survivor, Deepwater Horizon) is doing though, it's not difficult to realize this is going to leave a greater mark than expected. With Patriots Day, much like with his previous two efforts with Mark Wahlberg, Berg has crafted a narrative around recent history that could very easily have been a kind of simple procedural; taking us through the day's events step by step and doing little more than adding a personal aspect to a story the whole world has already heard, but rather than allow this lack of time or perspective to hinder his film Berg allows this immediacy to relate to who he knows will make up his audience in stirring, emotional ways. There is a tinge of jingoism that builds throughout the film and becomes what is probably too obvious by the time Berg tags his film with interviews with the real life people we've just seen portrayed on screen, but that doesn't mean it isn't effective. It's a bit much, extreme even, but it works in the films favor more than it doesn't. It is in how much Patriots Day ultimately moves its audience not by simply taking us through the moments, but rather by expertly crafting a narrative around key individuals and bringing each together until they are tied in unison; some in expected and others in genuinely surprising ways. It is not so much what is being conveyed, but how the context of such moments is set-up and carried through that make the emotional heft of this thing as great as it ends up being-and it can be a tough one. The film does have its shortcomings-mostly in that it fails to better characterize its antagonists instead painting them as monsters, and deservedly so, but with no insight into their mentality or personal justification we are led to believe we should lump them into the Muslim stereotype that has become associated purely with terrorism. This stereotype can certainly prove true, but if you're making a whole movie around the reactions to these guys actions then we need a slightly more perceptive take on them. The movie also runs just a tad too long. At two hours and thirteen minutes Patriots Day begins to show its running time in the third act when the momentum slightly stalls and we feel the otherwise expertly structured film unravel just a bit.

LA LA LAND Review

What is worth more? Where does ambition measure when compared to reflection? Or...how does one know when to quit? When that ambition outweighs or cannot be met by the pure skill or natural talent possessed? La La Land is a movie about Hollywood and the Hollywood system and how it all flows in and out of making and breaking stars, but La La Land is also a movie about dreams and the ugly side of those dreams no one likes to talk about when they tell you to chase them-compromise. Compromise is what must be obtained if one is hoping to have their cake and eat it too. There is compromise in life no matter what professional or personal route one may choose to take, but when dreams are big enough to take you around the world and on extended stays in places away from home that require long or odd hours such as, say, when someone is a musician or film actor-compromises are unavoidable and typically made by the half of the relationship not actively participating in such a career. With La La Land director Damien Chazelle (Whiplash) follows up his Academy Award-nominated feature debut with an out and out musical in the vein of those golden age Hollywood musicals from the forties and early fifties that personified stardom, celebrity, and a certain type of lifestyle most could only hope to obtain. This goes well with the plight of the story as we follow two young aspiring artists-the girl an actress and the guy a jazz pianist-as they navigate modern Los Angeles in hopes of achieving their dreams even if the odds seem stacked against them and despite their closest friends and family not exactly holding out hope for success to find them. The standard structure of boy meets girl combined with that of a few song and dance numbers that pay homage to those aforementioned golden days of Hollywood aren't enough for Chazelle though. The writer/director isn't simply looking to recreate images and feelings afforded him during his youth as he watched Gene Kelly dance across the screen, but more he is interested in exploring the consequences of having such aspirations; the dark side of fame that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with addiction or other harmful habit forming activities, but more with the decisions such individuals have to make without knowing the answer as to what they'll regret more twenty years down the road. Can I be the person I want with the person I want? Is it worth more to make a life as I so desire or with the one I desire? La La Land doesn't prescribe to know the answers to these heavy questions, but its musings on the subject are infectious and reaffirming in that they capture the struggle one in a handful experiencing the film will have come face to face with at some point in their past.

THE ACCOUNTANT Review

In director Gavin O'Connor's (Warrior) latest film, The Accountant, the films titular character and our protagonist is one that operates on the high end of the autism spectrum. The character is a math savant who has utilized his high-functioning skills to cook the books for several high-profile criminal clients that would seemingly stack the character's pockets, but may also serve as a threat to Christian Wolff and his legitimate, small-town CPA office. It's a hell of a way to set-up intrigue around a character while simultaneously bringing attention to those who function a little different from what society considers to be the norm especially when the film makes such a character as much a superhero as they do here. As Wolff, Ben Affleck is not only a genius when it comes to numbers though, but he's been nurtured into something of a killing machine by his militaristic father (Robert C. Treveiler). The film then combines these elements of Wolff's personality while mixing in a U.S. Treasury investigation led by the soon to retire Ray King (J.K. Simmons) and his forced apprentice of sorts in Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) that leads Wolff to take on something of a legitimate client in a major robotics company run by John Lithgow. This plotline also introduces us to the obligatory love interest in Anna Kendrick's Dana, but mostly The Accountant is about Affleck kicking ass and counting numbers with the amount of plot Bill Dubuque's (The Judge) screenplay attempts to pile on only serving to take away from the more interesting character study that's trying to peek out from behind all the storylines. And while the film does indeed suffer from something of an identity crisis while at the same time playing into the fact it knows fully what it is by embracing the inherent goofiness of an assassin accountant it never stops being entertaining. Even as the plot jumps from Wolff's main mission to that of the Treasury investigation, and onto the third party tracker embodied by the always charismatic Jon Bernthal and back to Wolff there is always something to keep us invested even if what is doing so feels scattershot. This would typically be a detriment to a film given it signals a lack of trust in the lead characters ability to sustain audience engagement, but under O'Connor's steady hand The Accountant makes one feel just satisfied enough by the time they're done consuming it without actually offering anything of nutritional value.

Teaser Trailer for PATRIOTS DAY Starring Mark Wahlberg

While Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg's Deepwater Horizon just hit theaters this past weekend (I'll be catching up with that one tomorrow) the actor/director duo (who also worked on Lone Survivor together) have already completed their next project together and are once again working within the realm of a tragic true story that turned average human beings going about their everyday lives and jobs into heroes. Patriots Day recounts Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis's actions in the events leading up to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the aftermath, which includes the city-wide manhunt to find the terrorists behind it. Three years removed from the marathon bombing and I can still remember exactly where I was when the news started pouring in about the events taking place at an even that was intended to bring unity and spirit to the city that was taken advantage of as an opportunity to diminish both such goals. In this rather somber first trailer we are mainly treated to a run through of Wahlberg's Sgt. Tommy Saunders as he goes about his routine before leaving for duty on April 15th, 2013. This first look is clearly meant to elicit the American spirit of the piece with more American flags popping up here than a Michael Bay flick while the trailer is scored with a piano version of "America the Beautiful" that resonates in an effective way when paired with the vague images suggesting the real terror that took place that day. While Lone Survivor was on of the best films of 2013 in my opinion and despite the fact I can't yet speak on the quality of Deepwater Horizon I'm inclined to be excited for what Berg and Wahlberg will deliver here as they seem to have tapped into a specific niche of their own that they find both interesting and artistically fulfilling. We'll find out if they can keep their streak alive when the film begins its awards-qualifying run on December 21st. Patriots Day also stars Michelle Monaghan, John Goodman, Kevin Bacon, J.K. Simmons, Melissa Benoist, Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Wolff, Michael Beach and expands wide on January 13, 2017. 

First Trailer for BASTARDS Starring Owen Wilson & Ed Helms

With the long-delayed release of Masterminds next week it seems Warner Bros. thought now might be the best time to debut the first trailer for their R-rated January offering in Bastards. While it couldn't feel more like Owen Wilson has slipped into complete comfort roles after passes with more challenging material in Midnight in Paris and Inherent Vice I always enjoy a nice piece of comfort comedy and hopefully if Jared Hess' Masterminds doesn't fill that quota in a few weeks maybe Bastards can come January when we (arguably) need it more anyway. What is interesting about Bastards is the pairing of Wilson with Ed Helms (who I totally thought was Jason Sudeikis in the above still). It's always interesting to mix and match and see what comedic stars charisma's work best together and so the prospect of Helms' more frantic gonzo mentality mixed with Wilson's more laid back persona should make for an interesting dynamic. It doesn't hurt the film has strong supporting credentials either as Glenn Close plays Wilson and Helms' characters mother with the premise being that she lied to her sons about their fathers death. Originally telling them he died of cancer the boys come to learn their mother actually doesn't know who their father is at all and so they set off across the country to track down potential dads. With J.K. Simmons and Terry Bradshaw delivering some of the bigger laughs here it seems first time director Lawrence Sher has taken advantage of every caveat screenwriter Justin Malen (the upcoming Baywatch movie) has thrown at him with it being especially endearing to see Katt Williams in a major studio comedy like this alongside more mainstream names. While the comedy probably won't be breaking any new ground and by all accounts might be pretty bad I'm always hopeful when Wilson is involved and so I can only hope he proves the release date stigma wrong. Bastards also stars Ving Rhames, Katie Aselton, Bill Irwin, Ryan Cartwright, Harry Shearer, and opens on January 27, 2017.

Comic-Con Trailer for JUSTICE LEAGUE

With Suicide Squad opening in just over a week and anticipation higher than ever I certainly expected Warner Bros. to drop a Wonder Woman trailer at this years San Diego Comic-Con, but never did I expect a full trailer for next November's Justice League. Sure, Wonder Woman doesn't hit theaters until next June, but would the studio really miss the opportunity of putting the trailer for their next DC film in front of the one that is tracking to make more than a $125 million opening weekend? Of course not. All of this to say that not only were we given a wonderfully fitting Wonder Woman trailer, but director Zack Snyder also flew in to deliver some footage from his upcoming Justice League movie that has been officially released online by WB. There is something to be said for the course of action the WB is taking as they began releasing trailers online almost immediately after premiering them at Comic-Con last year, but that is for another time. What we have right now is a first look at footage from a movie that is currently still in production and doesn't come out for over a year. It is the first look at a movie that was planned and being prepared for long before the backlash to Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and it is a film that has clearly had a new light shined on it due to those reactions. If you read any of the set visits from a month or so ago where Snyder and the studio invited several online journalists to the set of Justice League to check out their process so far you undoubtedly noticed that both Snyder and the studio were on a mission to not only convince those that disliked BvS that they were fixing a lot of their complaints in Justice League, but to also get a more positive narrative going around the DC cinematic universe as early as possible. With the release of this first look at Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne assembling his team including Jason Momoa's Aquaman, Ezra Miller's Flash, and Ray Fisher's Cyborg as well as the already established Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) it only stands to reinforce that Snyder and the studio are now moving on to change the narrative with the fans as well and this tease couldn't do a better job of getting me excited as its clear that while the film might have more of a spunkier tone it will still look like an epic Snyder film which is what these heroes and gods deserve. Though Henry Cavill's Superman is absent from the trailer the newly released image of the Justice League (see below) indeed confirms (as if there were any doubt) that Superman will be back in some capacity for Justice Laague Part 1 which hits theaters on November 17th, 2017. J.K. Simmons, Willem Dafoe, and Amber Heard also star.

Teaser Trailer for LA LA LAND Starring Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone

It's a little ironic that we've received the first trailer for director Damien Chazelle's follow-up to Whiplash on the week it was originally scheduled to open. La La Land was and still is my most anticipated film of the year so it only hurt when distributor Summit Entertainment pushed it from the middle of summer to a more awards friendly December release date, but at least they finally gave us something. For me, Chazelle directed what might be one of the best movies of the past fifteen years with his 2014 feature debut and whatever it was the thirty-one year old director chose to do next there was sure to be a great amount of anticipation around it. Working again from an original screenplay that he penned La La Land tells the simple story of a jazz pianist who falls for an aspiring actress in Los Angeles-the catch is that Chazelle and stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone will be conveying this love story via musical. Taken from a screenplay Chazelle wrote before writing and directing Whiplash, this first trailer for his sophomore effort very much elicits the magic and music of old Hollywood that feels both inherent to the story and supremely executed. While it was originally planned for Miles Teller to reunite with his Whiplash director, that the lead male role eventually went to Gosling seems more of a perfect fit as Gosling is already a singer and musician on his own terms and that Chazelle and Summit have chosen to set the first footage audiences will see to a song sung by the actor can only suggest they made the change for the better. It doesn't hurt that Gosling and Stone have magnetic chemistry together as has been displayed in their two previous films together (Crazy Stupid Love, Gangster Squad). I was in from the get-go and after seeing how lush the visuals are and how keenly Chazelle has seemed to capture what I can only imagine he was going for I'm only all the more excited for Oscar season to arrive. La La Land also stars J.K. Simmons, Finn Wittrock, Rosemarie DeWitt, John Legend, Jason Fuchs, Callie Hernandez, Sonoya Mizuno, Jessica Rothe, Tom Everett Scott, Josh Pence, and will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on August 31st before opening in NY and LA on December 2nd, in limited release on December 9th, and wide on December 16th.

Teaser Trailer for THE ACCOUNTANT Starring Ben Affleck

In putting together my most anticipated films of the year I labored over whether or not to include The Accountant starring Ben Affleck and Anna Kendrick. From the synopsis it sounded like an interesting enough drama/thriller and with director Gavin O'Connor (Warrior) at the helm I was certainly intrigued, but something about the project just screamed this was going to wind up more in the vein of Runner Runner than The Town. With the first teaser trailer though, I'm certainly more intrigued than I was based solely on the already interesting credentials this thing had going for it. While this could certainly end up being more on the generic side of things it looks as if Connor has taken something of a methodical approach to the material as Affleck plays a forensic accountant that is in another world as far as working with numbers is concerned and while he sits behind the guise of a small town CPA he is doing much bigger business behind the scenes as he un-cooks the books for some illicit clients. It was reported that Affleck pushed directing his next film (Live By Night, which is now in the can) after already pushing it back once before due to Batman v. Superman in order to make this film and so, if nothing else, my interest is piqued for what Affleck might have seen in Bill Dubuque's (The Judge) screenplay that made him so committed to seeing this project through to the end. Whatever the case may be with the final product, there is certainly a lot of promise here and this teaser does a perfect job of highlighting the character quirks that are enough to entice and make one wonder what type of story might have been built on top of them. Besides Affleck and Kendrick, The Accountant also stars J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Jeffrey Tambor, John Lithgow, and opens on October 14th, 2016.

ZOOTOPIA Review

Zootopia is something of a combination of an analogy for our real world and the hopes and dreams of where we might one day end up-a utopia if you will. In Zootopia everything is indeed perfect and as animals have risen up to become responsible citizens of the planet it is of course, imagined. Still, this world is portrayed as a place where animals have evolved to the point there is no dividing line between the once vicious predators and the meek prey they once hunted, but rather both groups have moved beyond these primitive ways to conduct a society where everyone has the same opportunities and where all species get along with one another no problem. Of course, there are minor cracks of prejudice between certain sects of animals, but these seem to only be apparent in some of the more backward thinking individuals who still hold old traditions to be of an absolute truth. Sound familiar? Disney seems to be making no qualms about drawing the parallels between this imagined world where cute, animated creatures roam free and our own society where we too have trouble letting go of lessons drawn from a world of different circumstance and experience and not applying them to our current cultural landscape. That Zootopia is willing to display such faults is telling in the first place, but that it goes so far to make this desire to return to the old ways of thinking and ultimately existing by some tells even more. With a group of five writers and directors the film is primed to start many a discussions after viewing it as the film itself seems to have naturally come out of many a long conversations between its creators and their staff. If you're one who doesn't care to have your animated films relevant or culturally-charged rest assured the final product is still very much in the vein of what most parents and families will be expecting from the film, but with the added weight of such apt comparisons and broad resolutions of love and equality with acknowledged caveats to each situation there is certainly an added layer of meaning to the proceedings if you care to look.

KUNG FU PANDA 3 Review

The Kung Fu Panda films hold something of a special place in my heart for reasons I'm not really sure of. The first was a blockbuster of an original for DreamWorks, who'd been struggling to produce a hit outside the Shrek and Madagascar franchises, signaled the start of something new. It didn't hurt that it premiered during a summer that felt rather exceptional as it counts among its company the likes of Iron Man, The Dark Knight, and Tropic Thunder. Of course, by the time the sequel came around three years later it was considered something of a disappointment as it opened to only $46 million (the original opened to $60m without the 3D bump of the sequel), but in terms of quality it was right up there with the first, if not better. Maybe the idea that since I'd ventured out to see the sequel and didn't understand the drop in anticipation made me feel as if I should hold the film more sacred (though the same is now true with How to Train Your Dragon 2), but something akin to as much happened and five years later I could not have been happier to see Po and the furious five returning. I realize how odd it may sound for a grown man whose only child isn't even old enough to go to the movies yet to be excited for an animated children's film, but much like the films of Pixar, certain DreamWorks properties have that transcendent quality where age doesn't matter. The Kung Fu Panda franchise, for me at least, is one of those. It is one of those franchises that I can't wait to share with my children in the hopes they embrace the ideas and themes these movies so boldly teach. Po has always been about defying expectations and not judging books by their covers which, in the realm of kids movies, aren't exactly new ideas, but they bring them to life in such a reverential way that it is impossible not to appreciate the craft and skill that has gone into creating a compelling narrative around such basic ideas. In the great tradition of the series, Kung Fu Panda 3 is a riveting and completely fun chapter that is gorgeous in its visual representations, effectively moving in its weightier moments, and satisfying in a manner that Po's story has come full circle and feels complete.

New Trailer for Disney's ZOOTOPIA

As Pixar has been working to re-establish it's dominance on the world of computer animation Walt Disney's own animation house has been turning out both commercial and critical successes one after another since the 2010 resurgence of Tangled brought the Mouse House firmly into the twenty-first century. Followed up by the likes of Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen and last year's Big Hero 6 the studio looks to continue their streak by going back to a formula that has always seemed to be a reliable staple of children's entertainment: talking animals. With Zootopia we have a world that is being called a "modern mammal metropolis" and features the likes of a fast-talking fox, Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), who's trying to make it big and goes on the run when he's framed for a crime he didn't commit. Zootopia's top cop, a rabbit named Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), is quick to jump on the suspected criminal's tail trail, but when both become targets of a conspiracy they're forced to team up and eventually discover that even natural enemies can become friends. Like with Big Hero 6 Disney's marketing team have chosen to go the route of releasing what is more or less a clip from the film rather than a traditional trailer. The scene we are treated to has a hilarious spin on DMV's with the reassurance that no matter what world we're in it's always as terrible an experience as one can imagine. Zootopia also features the voice talents of Shakira, Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons, Nate Torrence, Jenny Slate, Tommy Chong, Octavia Spencer, Alan Tudyk, and opens on March 4, 2016.

TERMINATOR GENISYS Review

After the one-two punch of Rise of the Machines and Salvation it's unclear who exactly was clamoring for more Terminator films, but Arnold Schwarzenegger's career clearly called for a boost and so here we are. It is easy to be cynical, but it's difficult to let go and embrace an entity for what it might be regardless of the strings attached and the fifth film in the Terminator franchise certainly had some heavy strings attached to it. From the moment the title was revealed with its misspelled subheading there has been something of a backlash towards the film, an inherent feeling that whatever this could be it would really only be little more than a cash grab and excuse to reinvigorate its stars dwindling career. The trailers, posters and overall spoiler-heavy promotional campaign did little to booster any kind of confidence in the final product and only added to the complete lack of interest on my part as the expectations really couldn't have been much lower. Given that environment I came away from Terminator Genisys rather surprised at how much I enjoyed myself. This brings us to the question of if a movie can be entertaining without necessarily being what we might typically consider "good"? As far as director Alan "Thor: The Dark World" Taylor is concerned it seems he thinks so as he has again crafted a cookie-cutter studio film that follows the template of any other action film and, if nothing else, creates an entertaining film that I was able to consistently have fun with as it continued to defy my expectations of not actually being horrible. The real tragedy of the project is that there might have actually been more to tap into here. With the two listed screenwriters being Laeta Kalogridis (Shutter Island, Alexander) and Patrick Lussier (Drive Angry) the expectations are again leveraged due to the somewhat bad quality of many of their credentials, but it's clear a lot of thought and planning was put into re-tooling the storylines of the first two films so that Arnold's T-800 might have a more substantial role and so Paramount might launch another trilogy of films. The problem is, the film never utilizes the social commentary or ideas around mortality that it touches on sporadically to be anything more interesting than a two-hour sizzle reel of action scenes.

First Trailer for KUNG FU PANDA 3

By the time time Kung Fu Panda 3 comes out it will have been nearly five years since we last saw Po and the Furious Five on the big screen. It's hard to believe there is even enough excitement to garner another installment in this Jack Black-fronted series as the sequel seemed to come and go with little buzz despite being rather solid in my opinion, but certainly a lesser version of the original. While I have enjoyed both installments in the adventures of Po Ping so far, I can't help but be somewhat weary of this third chapter that will complete what is at least the first trilogy in the Kung Fu Panda saga. If not for the several delays that the project has been subject to, but now for the decided upon release date of January 29, 2016. Typically, January is a wasteland that isn't exactly reputable for producing quality movies, but I understand Dreamworks motivation in that it cleared out of its December release date (just as everything else has) for Star Wars and has chosen its current date as it will open in both America and China the weekend before the beginning of the Chinese New Year celebration that will only boost the sequel's profile. As for the teaser itself, it's a nice bit of an exchange between Black's Po and new character Li (Bryan Cranston) that sets up the basic premise. Kung Fu Panda 3 also features the voices of Rebel Wilson, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, David Cross, Lucy Liu, Dustin Hoffman, James Hong, Randall Duk Kim and will play in 3D.

TOP 10 OF 2014

For me, 2014 has been something of a transitional year. A year where my tastes have shifted and my ideas of what makes a lasting film have changed. I wouldn't say I'm necessarily more cynical, but obviously the fact I continue to see more and more films and build a larger pool of knowledge makes it tougher for each individual film to impress me more. That being said, I actually found it easier to craft a top ten list this year than ever before. I've pretty much seen everything I imagine might have a shot at making my list except for maybe Selma (which I won't see until January 7th), but at this point the only year-end awards bait films I'd even consider including in a top fifteen are the likes of Foxcatcher and American Sniper. After repeat viewings one of them might even crack the top ten, but as of right now I feel strongly about the films I've selected. What I've done differently this year is to begin to leverage expectations; I thought this might help the films be more impressive if I didn't go in expecting too much, but even with that state of mind many of them simply met expectations or felt more insignificant than substantial. I don't believe this has made me a snob or prude in any sense as I would still boldly place The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in my top fifteen of the year when it is clearly nothing more than a pure popcorn flick and on top of that, one most critics absolutely hated. For me, Marc Webb's super hero sequel was one of the most entertaining experiences I had at the movies this past year and one I can watch at any time without fearing boredom. My final top ten will likely come off a little more pedigreed given that introduction, but while me liking something such as Spider-Man may make you question my taste just know that I went into every film this year really wanting to like it and the ones that follow are the ones that surprised me with their quality or surpassed every expectation I held for it. Enjoy!

First Trailer for TERMINATOR: GENYSIS

I remember sitting in my first non-IMAX show of The Dark Knight in 2008 and seeing the trailer for Terminator: Salvation for the first time. There was a clear excitement in the air for it and not only because Christian Bale had a role, but because it had been a solid six years since the T-800 had hit the screen. Even better, director McG seemed genuinely invested in the story and continuing the saga of John Connor rather than simply capitalizing on the success of the earlier films. Well, believe it or not, but the same amount of time between Rise of the Machines and Salvation has again passed and next summer we will receive the fifth feature length film in the James Cameron spawned series. Unlike Salvation though, Terminator Genesys seems to exist solely to make Arnold Schwarzenegger a box office star again. The first trailer that dropped today gives us a look at the other side of the coin from the original 1984 film as we see the deliberations that went into future John Connor sending his fellow soldier, Kyle Reese, back in time to save his mother, Sarah. This time though screenwriters Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier have essentially scrapped the events of the original film in order to incorporate Schwarzenegger's character back into this world. Who knows, this could turn out to be better than this first look gives it credit for, but even the extravagant effects feel hollow. Directed by Alan Taylor (Thor: The Dark World) Terminator Genesys has a lot to prove on its opening day as I was excited for Salvation and it proved little more than a distraction. If this is indeed as bad as it looks it may in fact be time for the Governor to call it quits. The film also stars Jason Clarke, Jai Courtney, Emilia Clarke, Matt Smith, Byung-hun Lee, Dayo Okeniyi, Courtney B. Vance, J.K. Simmons and opens on July 1, 2015.