Category Archives: adventure

X-Men: “Dark Phoenix” Trailers, Poster, Featurettes, and Images

action, adventure, based on a book, fantasy, science fiction, sequels, , , ,
Sophie Turner stars as Jean Grey.

Twentieth Century Fox’s next X-Men movie, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, is directed by Simon Kinberg, who has written quite a few of the franchise movies, including this one.

The movie stars James McAvoy as Charles Xavier, Kodi Smit-McPhee as Nightcrawler, Tye Sheridan as Cyclops, Alexandra Shipp as Storm, Michael Fassbender as Erik Lehnsherr, Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, Jennifer Lawrence as Raven/Mystique, and Jessica Chastain as Smith.

Blu-ray, DVD, and digital streaming are available. The bonus features include a hilarious but important one-on-one “How to Fly Your Jet to Space” lesson in the Special Features section.  You get hours of extensive special features and behind-the-scenes insights from Simon Kinberg and Hutch Parker, delving into everything it took to bring the movie to the screen. 

New faces and a new director make for a promising movie.  Kinberg is favorably familiar with the story that follows Jean Grey, played by Turner, who begins to develop incredible powers that corrupt and turn her into a Dark Phoenix. The second trailer starts off with Grey being with her mother and father. It’s a happy moment that turns to destruction and death.

The story is an extended version of the fictional Marvel Comics series penned by Chris Claremont and illustrated by Dave Cockrum and John Bryne.

The X-Men will have to decide if the life of a team member is worth more than all the people living in the world. That shouldn’t be too hard to figure out. Don’t you think?

Still, they share their existence as unique beings who are outcasts because they don’t fit in with the status quo.  It will be interesting to see how the X-Men handle their rogue mutant – Dark Phoenix.

The most recent poster shows all the characters in the movie. The imagery indicates the influence Dark Phoenix has on all of them. She is a true anti-hero.

The next trailer tells us a huge spoiler. It’s not blunt but obvious. Jean is an out-of-control killing machine. The green screen and CGI effects are unbelievable. They mesmerized me throughout the trailer – some true sound editing and mixing worth experiencing in the movie theater. The box office draw is diehard fans.

It looks like she’s turned into a bad girl. The trailer explains how it happens and when it happens. The X-men want to kill her, so they can protect themselves and society. The special effects (CGI) looks pretty good, showing us all that is happening. It appears the Dark Phoenix is in a chaotic world all her own.

The next two featurettes are keepers. Each stands out as a unique reason for telling the story of the Dark Phoenix. One featurette gives us hope and introduces us to the writer and editor of the comic book series – Chris Claremont and Louise Simonson.

The next featurette shows us the history of the X-Men, though some are women. We learn that the Dark Phoenix is a huge battle for them, and the outcome is what we all want to know.

“Ocean’s 8” Trailer

adventure, comedy, drama, sequels, thriller

Directed and co-written by Gary Ross, Ocean’s 8 follows Danny Ocean’s estranged sister, Debbie, played by Sandra Bullock, who attempts to pull off the heist of the century at New York City’s star-studded annual Met Gala. Her first stop is to assemble the perfect crew: Lou, Rose, Daphne Kluger, Nine Ball, Tammy, Amita, and Constance. These roles are played part and parcel by Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter and Dakota Fanning in an undisclosed role.

“Isle of Dog” Trailer, Poster, Behind the Scenes, and Movie Clips

adventure, animation, comedy, science fiction

Directed and written by Wes Anderson, Isle of Dog looks hilarious with tons of fun to watch over and over again. The trailer is fantastic and I am still laughing.

The story is so cool, which takes place in the future, an outbreak of canine flu leads the mayor of a Japanese city to banish all dogs to an island that’s a garbage dump. The outcasts must soon embark on an epic journey when a 12-year-old boy arrives on the island to find his beloved pet.

The Blu-ray, DVD, and streaming are happening now. The movie clip released with the disc release is witty. The drums in the background are awesome.  They play a major role in the movie.

Do you recognize those voices? They are Anderson’s cohorts including Ed Norton and Bill Murray with

Bryan Cranston, Jeff Goldblum, Ken Watanabe, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, Courtney B. Vance, Fisher Stevens, Harvey Keitel, Liev Schreiber, Scarlett Johansson, and Tilda Swinton.

There is an interesting movie clip showing the stop-motion animation quality of the movie.

Here are a couple of clips that show a female dog who is a psychic. So, it’s not just male dogs in the movie.  The clips apparently show part of the plot points, which is helpful in understanding the story.  Currently, one of the clips are supposedly blocked, but you might be able to view them anyway.

The clip below shows how animation is done Wes Anderson’s style.

The movie clip is interesting because I am curious about the parody.

The movie clip is totally unexpected, and I find it rather funny if not satirical.

“Mortal Engines” Trailers, Featurettes, Movie Clip & Poster

adventure, based on a book, fantasy, science fiction, , , , , , ,

Peter Jackson is attached to this production as one of the producers. Yet, directed by Christian Rivers, Mortal Engines follows Tom Natsworthy, played by Robert Sheehan, after thousands of years civilization was destroyed by a cataclysmic event, humankind has adapted and a new way of living has evolved.

This new way is very science fiction with a twist of fantasy. Gigantic moving cities now roam the Earth, ruthlessly preying upon smaller traction towns. Natsworthy comes forth from a Lower Tier of the great traction city of London. The movie finds him fighting for his own survival after he encounters the dangerous fugitive Hester Shaw, played by Iceland actress Hera Hilmar.  Both are completely opposite in views and purposes, but their paths crossed anyway. They build an unlikely alliance that is destined to change the course of the future.

After viewing the featurettes and interviews with the actors, director, and behind-the-scenes talent, watching this clip is so much more real and impressive.

Composing music for a film has always interested me and this featurette is so inspiring.

I am surprised I didn’t know this movie is based on books. Here in this featurette, we hear from the author of the books – Phillip Reeve.

The latest featurette interviews the author and producers.  The film is visually stunning.

These behind the scenes featurettes are for the person who is an artist at heart.  My admiration for the talent behind this film is unbelievable. I am amazed at the detail and skill of each artist. The fact that Peter Jackson brought them all together to work on this extraordinary movie is so refreshing.

The featurette tells us what is happening with those engines. We learn about the lead character and how she relates to the story.

The third trailer tells us more about the story.  We find out who the villain is in the movie. The CGI looks great. I just hope there are not pan shoots of CGI. That can really make a movie boring.

The featurette tells us about the movie and how Peter Jackson envisioned the story.  It is better than the movie trailers.

Mortal Engines is adapted from the award-winning book series by Philip Reeve, published in 2001 by Scholastic.

The trailer doesn’t offer much of the movie, but it focuses on Shaw – a female character instead of a male character like Natsworthy. I wonder if it is because Universal understands the importance of celebrating the female role in Hollywood.

“Avengers Infinity War” Trailers, Posters, and Blu-ray/DVD

action, adventure, based on a book, fantasy, legend, sequels, ,

I must have watched the trailer over ten times to count how many superheroes are in this movie. Infinity of superheroes is definitely the way to interpret the title.

Then, at the very end of the trailer, we see and hear Thor say, “Who are you guys?”  I like the line better in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, “Who are those guys?”

The poster is slick but doesn’t say much. When the character posters come out it will be an epic download for all the fans.

The movie will be fun entertainment, and I look forward to seeing more trailers, clips, and sound bites. Here is another poster that was released after the first one above. The latest shows all the different superheroes in the movie.  I took a quick count and came up with twenty-one superheroes.  Wow! Below is the second movie trailer.

Found some more information on the movie. The next Marvel superhero movie brings to the screen the definitive, deadliest showdown of all time.  Just look at all the characters in the trailer. Allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.

The Blu-ray, DVD, and streaming are hitting the streets. Now, is the time to see the movie again. We can only hope for a sequel that will save everyone.

The information provided says the bonus materials contain are pretty awesome, though some retailers may vary. The Blu-ray and digital bonus features are to die for and are fantastic. I included the timeframe for each feature, so you get an idea of how much is available.

    • Strange Alchemy (5:08)– Share the thrill of characters from across the MCU meeting for the first time—and discover why some were teamed up together.
    • The Mad Titan (6:34) – Explore the MCU’s biggest, worst villain, his trail of influence through the stories, and the existential threat he represents.
    • Beyond the Battle: Titan (9:36) – Dive into the climactic struggle on Thanos’ ruined world, including the epic stunts and VFX, to uncover the source of its power.
    • Beyond the Battle: Wakanda (10:58) – Go behind the scenes to find out how the filmmakers pulled off the most massive and challenging battle Marvel had ever attempted.
    • Deleted and Extended Scenes (10:07)
    • Happy Knows Best (1:23) – Tony and Pepper spar over the details of their upcoming wedding—until a hassled Happy Hogan pulls up with an urgent request.
    • Hunt for the Mind Stone (1:24) – On a darkened street, Wanda Maximoff and the wounded Vision attempt to hide from Thanos’ brutal allies.
    • The Guardians Get Their Groove Back (3:20) – As Peter Quill and Drax quarrel over their failed mission to Knowhere, Mantis interrupts with the news.
    • A Father’s Choice (4:00) – Thanos confronts Gamora with a vision from her past—and with lying to him about the Soul Stone.
    • Gag Reel (2:05)– Watch your favorite Super Heroes make super gaffes in this lighthearted collection of on-set antics.
  • Audio Commentary (approx. 149 min.) by Anthony and Joe Russo, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely

Only on Digital:

  • A Directors’ Roundtable (approx. 32 min.) – Eight amazing directors reflect on how their movies contribute to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s larger storytelling adventure.

Anthony and Joe Russo directed the film, which is written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely.

“Incredibles 2: Rising Son” Trailers, Movie Clips, Poster, and Blu-ray/DVD

action, adventure, animation, children movies, family movies, fantasy, kid movies, sequels, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s about time! Incredibles is one of my favorite Pixar movies. I wonder if the movie will be able to hold its uniqueness because the first movie had a clever twist. Superheroes were against the law. It’s interesting how Pixar will simply insert a similarity to something treacherous that happened in our history as an incredible animated movie that appears innocuous.

The logo being altered by Jack-Jack is clever and is the handwriting on the wall that is telling us Incredibles 2 will be a great and entertaining movie. I am excited.

The poster shows many aspects of the sequel storyline. The one that has my interest is the creature at the top of the poster with the blue-flamed bulging eyes and arms menacingly reaching out.

Titled Rising Son with the same talented voices Bob (voice of Craig T. Nelson) is left to navigate the day-to-day heroics of “normal” life, giving him an opportunity to bond with his younger son, Jack-Jack, whose superpowers are emerging—much to Dad’s surprise.

I can’t believe it, Brad Bird is returning to Pixar and directing this movie. He also directed Iron Giant, Ratatouille, and Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.

The third trailer is so funny. True to Brad Bird’s style of constant activity and funny situations. This trailer will have you laughing in no time.  Make sure you watch it until the end because you get to see the bad guy. The movie poster shows him but the trailer shows more of what he looks like and can do. It looks like he is hypnotizing people through television.  Only Bird could pull a parody like that off – subtle hint.

The Blu-ray and DVD are hitting the streets with streaming happening, most likely, before the disc releases.  The questions are: Have you seen the movie yet? Do you want to see the movie again?

Either way, here are some clips as a reminder of what a great movie it is or to entice you to see the movie.

Of course, the trailer has funny bits about adolescence and Common Core Math.  There are some funny lines at the very end, too. “You better be back ASAP!”

Fun movie trailer to watch is the best way I can describe it. Jack-Jack is going to steal the show. The reference to Common Core math is hilarious and so true.

“A Wrinkle in Time” Trailers, Poster, Interview with Director

adventure, animation, based on a book, children movies, family movies, fantasy, kid movies, , , , , ,

Directed by Ava DuVernay,  A Wrinkle in Time is based on a wonderful and timeless book by Madeleine L’Engle. My daughter read her book with awe and excitement. The timeless classic came to the screen before in the 1980s. The technology at the time failed to bring the magical story to life.

A Wrinkle in Time Blu-ray/DVD hit the streets. So, if you haven’t seen it yet, nows your chance.

Now, the audience will be able to view the dimensions of time and space, examining the nature of darkness versus light and, ultimately, the triumph of love. Through one girl’s transformative journey led by three celestial guides, we discover that strength comes from embracing one’s individuality and that the best way to triumph over fear is to travel by one’s own light.

The movie’s cast is stellar with Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Michael Pena, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Zack Galifianakis, and Chris Pine.

DuVernay is a woman of many firsts in the movie industry as a director and screenwriter. In 2012, she won Best Director for her second feature Middle of Nowhere at Sundance becoming the first African-American woman to win the award. For her work in Selma, she was the first black female director to be nominated for a Golden Globe Award and the first black female director to have her film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. A Wrinkle in Time exceeds a budget of $100 million, making her the first black woman to direct a live-action film with a budget of that size.

The movie’s screenwriter, Jennifer Lee, is best known as the writer and director of the Disney’s Frozen, for which she earned an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

The interview with the director, Ava DuVernay, who tells the storyline and describes each character and how each actor plays the role.  This is a must watch and very informative interview.

The second trailer shows more of the storyline. The CGI is pretty awesome looking. I just hope there are no pan shots of CGI.

“Goodbye Christopher Robin” Trailers, Featurettes, and Interviews

adventure, based on a book, family movies, true stories

Winnie the Pooh will always be in the soul of children of all ages. There is something about Pooh’s innocence that draws readers to his adventures. Watch these trailers, featurettes, and interviews; audiences will gain a deeper understanding of the reasons for A.A. Milne’s stories about these awkward and unique animals in the forest.

“Dunkirk” Trailer and Clips

action, adventure, true stories,

Directed by Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk is a story mentioned in films or television shows. I don’t believe it has ever been a dedicated movie. It is an amazing story, and World War II has so many stories to tell. The movie is a courageous story at an amazing time in our history.

With that, in May 1940, Germany advanced into France, trapping Allied troops on the beaches of Dunkirk. Under air and ground cover from British and French forces, troops were slowly and methodically evacuated from the beach using every serviceable naval and civilian vessel that could be found. At the end of this heroic mission, 330,000 French, British, Belgian and Dutch soldiers were safely evacuated.

The movie tells the story of how these fishermen pulled it off.  I am excited about seeing this movie.

“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” Trailers and Vignette

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Directed by Jake Kasdan, son of Lawrence Kasdan (Body Heat), who also directed Bad Teacher, Zero Effect, and Sex Tape, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle follows a breakfast club theme where four teenagers end up as avatars in the Jumanji game.

The teenagers discover an old video game console with a game they’ve never heard of, they are immediately thrust into the game’s jungle setting, into the bodies of their avatars, played by Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Karen Gillan.  Nick Jonas plays one on the teenagers. The trailer is fun to watch since the avatars are against type.

What teenagers discover is that you don’t just play Jumanji –Jumanji plays you. They’ll have to go on the most dangerous adventure of their lives, or they’ll be stuck in the game forever. If you haven’t seen the first Jumanji, then you wouldn’t know how to play the game.

I have to mention the first move because it is awesome and still available with Robin Williams and Kirsten Dunst starring. 

The newest poster is funnier. It really shows the characters. This could be a fun movie because giving it a Christmas release date shows the studios are banking on it being successful at the box office.  But, box office success doesn’t always mean a fun movie.