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Sonic The Hedgehog (2019)
Official Trailer
Watch It Here
Person of Interest: Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic, Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik, James Marsden as a sheriff in Green Hills (Get It?!), Tika Sumpter as some lady, and Neal McDonough as Major "Nobody Cares" Bennington.
Scene Pop: That first backside shot of Sonic. Dear lord.
Effective?: Oh no, no, no. Not taking the massive thumbs down rating it is receiving into account, this trailer is just terrible all around and deserves to be used as an example on how not to market a film. Firstly, why is it set to Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise"? The dark beat of the song absolutely doesn't match up with the poor preschool level humor on display nor heightens any of the other scenes, all of which look so poorly crafted that it makes the movie look like an Asylum joint. Then you have the awful decision to show Sonic in all of his disturbing glory up front. His body is so badly misshapen, the human teeth is just plain weird, and the face looks dreadful when he's not doing the famed Sonic tude stare. Oh, and who can forget the pitiful trailer stinger, which straight up spoils the film's ending and reassures fans that Dr. Robotnik will be bald and eventually head into Sonic's world to reek future havoc. And who the hell came up with the idea of Sonic's fur being electrified and the golden rings now being teleportation devices?
Check it Out?: A definite no. Even the diehard fans that have been a persistent online scourge will not venture out to see it. However, I will see it due to my love for bad movies and my personal history with the video game character. I used to be a very big Sonic fan back when I was a kid and I still have an affinity for the animated shows and the Archie comic book run. But man, this will be a tough sit. Seriously, who the hell came up with the idea of Sonic's fur being electrified and the golden rings being able to make portals?
Alita: Battle Angel (2018)
Official Trailer
Watch It Here
Person of Interest: Rosa Salazar as the titular bug-eyed anime heroine, Christoph Waltz as a humble junkyard-diving scientist, Jennifer Connelly as an evil scary lady, Mahershala Ali as an evil mobster, Keean Johnson as a boring love interest, and Ed Skrein as an unfortunate actor who had to wear a green screen bodysuit in order to play a CGI constructed cyborg.
Scene Pop: Those eyes... My god!
Effective?: It certainly is drawing major attention just for the first look at the CGI enhanced anime eyes the makers placed on Salazar, which means the trailer is ultimately a success. But seriously, what the hell is with the ultra serious tone, the dramatic reveal of "And Director Robert Rodriguez", and the pushing of its Oscar-winning actors? It's a sci-fi action flick!
Check it Out?: Maybe for a matinee. Alita has been one of the biggest white whales in Hollywood, thanks to James Cameron's absolute refusal to let the project die despite the sheer fact that even diehard anime fans have forgotten about the OVA. It could be an averagely fun film but I do really see it becoming the next Valerian.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Official Trailer
Watch It Here
Person of Interest: It's got all the warriors: bearded Captain America, scared Iron Man, blonde Black Widow, new cyber-suited Spider-Man, human skinned and sure-to-die Vision, The Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Dr. Strange, Wong, Black Panther, Winter Soldier, Falcon, War Machine, Loki, Thor, and the Guardians of the Galaxy. And finally, we have Thanos complete with his space wife-beater, ugly bald head and his special gem holstering glove.
Scene Pop: I can't really pick one. Sure there are some cool shots but they feel like total audience bait, the type of crap that causes YouTubers to fake scream their heads off into the camera.
Effective?: As a teaser for its movie, yes. However, it does so at the expense of the upcoming Black Panther film. Why bother sitting through that film when you know he's going to survive his personal ordeal and team up with the reformed Avengers?
Check it Out?: Of course I'm seeing it. Why wouldn't I?! I'm just feeling a bit fatigued at this point and not as highly enthusiastic as when this whole secondary build-up by Marvel started with the Thanos reveal in The Avengers.
Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Teaser Trailer
Watch It Here
Person of Interest: Emma Watson as Disney's live action Belle, the Beast's Rose, and Ewan McGregor and Ian McKellen as the unseen but heard Lumière and Cogsworth.
Scene Pop: It's a very brief teaser so there's is nothing really applicable.
Effective?: Mildly yes. This is just a dabble of what's to come and only really showcases the real-life recreations of the Beast's animated castle. Plus, hearing Alan Menken's gorgeous score also helps. However, if you compare it to the original teaser for Kenneth Branagh's Cinderella (look at this slipper!), it's a damn masterpiece.
Check it Out?: Oh hell yes. I am not a very huge fan of the Disney animated to live action adaptations (see my review of The Jungle Book for proof) but I frankly adore Beauty and the Beast and will glad pay an opening weekend ticket for its reinterpretation.
Batman: The Killing Joke
Teaser Trailer
Watch It Here
Person of Interest: Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprising their roles as Batman and The Joker respectively.
Scene Pop: "It only takes one bad day..."
Effective?: A little too spoilery and too much of a rapid highlight package a.k.a. normal trailer procedural for DC animated films.
Check it Out?: Yes. I don't normally cover direct-to-video releases in this column but I made a special case for this. DC Comics and Warner Bros Animation tend to go overboard on their Batman love, mainly to suck the wallets of fanboys everywhere, but their adaptations of famous Batman stories are some of the best. This looks to follow suit. And hey, it will likely be way, way better than Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice!
Captain America: Civil War
Final Trailer
Watch It Here
Person of Interest: Tom Holland as the brand new Spider-Man.
Scene Pop: Spider-Man enters into the battle!
Effective?: Nearly all of the trailer is rehashed supes drama but that last 12 seconds has everybody talking. Should have saved the reveal for the film though and get some more moola at the box office.
Check it Out?: Oh yes.
The Hateful Eight
Official Trailer
Watch It Here
Person of Interest: Kurt Russell as John "The Hangman" Ruth, Jennifer Jason Leigh as Daisy Domergue, Samuel L. Jackson as "The Bounty Hunter", and Walton Goggins, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, and Demián Bichir as the unnamed fellow residents staying at the hotel.
Scene Pop: Jackson's entrance in the movie.
Effective?: Yes. It kinda goofily explains the plot through selected lines of exposition and doesn't fully explain the remaining five of the "Eight" (Bichir getting the worst of it) but the trailer showcases Tarantino's dialogue, the beautiful cinematography, and the suspense of the ordeal.
Check it Out?: Certifiably yes but the majority of America will have to wait till 2016. The film premieres on Christmas but only in NYC and LA. Furthermore, the only theaters in those two locations showing the film will need 70mm projection.
Deadpool
Official Red-Band Trailer
Watch It Here
Person of Interest: Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool, Morena Baccarin as his girlfriend, T.J. Miller as Weasel, Ed Skrein and Gina Carano as nameless baddies, and Colossus of the X-Men.
Scene Pop: Triple Head Shot!
Effective?: Yes and no. The trailer does make the film to be the next Kick-Ass, bringing in the raunchy dialogue and bloody violence that teenage and older comic book fans would want as an alternative from the usual superhero films. On the other hand, save for the Miller's improv on the state of Wilson, the humor present is really not funny; that swipe at Green Lantern is pitiful and only plays to butt-hurt geeks who can't move on from a terrible 2011 film.
Check it Out?: I sadly have to say no, mainly because I don't see this film doing well come February. R-rated comic characters don't really work nowadays unless they bring some brand new to the table (mercenary supervillians, anyone?) or can play down a good chunk of their dark vision in order to work with general audiences. Even if you forgo this business thinking, the product just looks a like generic B-movie and a way too serious interpretation of a niche meta character.
