Special Feature | Summer 2017 Blockbuster Montage
Hey readers! AMONymous here.
It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything here – life has been a bit crazy for me these past few months – and I’m aiming to change that in the near future. One thing I couldn’t deprive people of was my annual Summer Blockbuster AMONtage, which has grown in popularity from year to year.
Doing these edits takes me a lot of time, but the fact that I got more messages about it this year than in times past was both humbling and motivating. You can now see the fruits of this year’s labour below. Let me know what you think (and be sure to share if you enjoy it!).
Film Trailer | Avengers: Age of Ultron
There is a great disparity between the posters and the trailers for Avengers: Age of Ultron.
In the build-up to today’s big reveal Marvel had released a number of bland and lazy character posters featuring each of our principal heroes in a standard hero pose set against a boring backdrop filled with Ultron drones. There’s also a one-sheet with all the Avengers that’s spent far too many hours in Adobe Photoshop:
Thankfully the trailers for Avengers: Age of Ultron have been anything but bland and lazy, and the third and supposedly (but probably not) final clip that was unveiled earlier today is no different.
Film Trailer | Avengers: Age of Ultron
For as fun and entertaining as the films in Marvel’s cinematic universe have been thus far, one element almost all of them have lacked is a physically imposing and truly memorable villain. To clarify, this is not to say that Loki was underwhelming in Avengers Assemble, only that watching the Hulk dismantle him in 2.3 seconds (awesome as it was) felt just a little too easy.
Film Trailer | X-Men: Days of Future Past
Whilst we’ve seen arguably a little too much footage from Marc Webb’s upcoming Marvel superhero offering The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014), almost the opposite can be said for Bryan Singer’s X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) – a detail all the more surprising when you consider that its release is less than two months away (official UK release date has been set for 22 May). Since the reserved announcement trailer back in late October of last year, all we’ve seen is a deluge of character posters and a tantalising Instagram teaser. So today, 20th Century Fox have finally unveiled a second full-length trailer, and it’s decidedly more ostentatious.
Film Trailer | Guardians of the Galaxy
Kicking off with Jon Favreau’s Iron Man (2008), the past six years have seen Marvel gradually build to become a blockbusting behemoth, the apex of which was ensemble adventure Avengers Assemble (2012). That success has granted Marvel the leeway to bring even more outlandish projects to the big screen, and in that regard Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) is easily their riskiest venture yet. Directed by James Gunn, it’s the first and only ‘Phase Two’ instalment that isn’t a direct sequel to what’s already been established. As is the custom for big releases, the past few days have seen the marketing machine ramp up ahead of today’s big reveal, and now we finally have our first good look at our ‘cosmic Avengers’.
Film Trailer | The Amazing Spider-Man 2
As we near the end of 2013, the time has come to not only look back at the year’s best (and worst) films, but also to look forward to next year’s offerings. One of the most highly anticipated releases is The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014), a sequel to Marc Webb’s not-so-amazing 2012 franchise reboot. The marketing machine has been getting into full swing over the past few weeks, from new posters and stills to not one, not two, but three ten-second teaser trailers granting us a brief look at the web-slinging hero. Now a full two-minute plus trailer has hit the web (no pun intended), and the footage gives us a closer look at what Peter/Spidey will have to overcome.
Film Trailer | X-Men: Days of Future Past
DC’s jewel in the crown Superman marked his return to the silver screen this year with the somewhat divisive Zack Snyder-directed, Christopher Nolan-produced Man of Steel, but next year will be an all-Marvel affair for superhero blockbusters. We were given our first look at ‘Phase Two’ offering Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) last week, and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) and Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) are two other highly-anticipated entries, but now the first trailer for X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) has landed online. Based on the celebrated comic-book arc of the same name, the footage offers a tantalising glimpse of what is an elaborate undertaking.
Film Trailer | Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Marvel are on something of a roll at this moment in time. With Joss Whedon’s Avengers Assemble (2012) and Shane Black’s riotous Iron Man 3 (2013) both crossing the billion dollar mark at the global box office, it’s clear that their colourful superhero blockbusters have struck a tone with not only comic book fans, but uninformed audiences as well. There’s a good chance that Alan Taylor’s Thor: The Dark World (2013) will continue the strong start to Marvel’s ‘Phase Two’ when it hits UK cinemas next week (you can read my review here), and smartly the studio has also seen fit to reveal the first trailer for Anthony and Joe Russo’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) online this week to ride on the current wave of goodwill.
Film Trailer | The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
We’re now entering the final quarter of the year, and although there are many great-looking films yet to be released, only a few will be more hotly anticipated than the second instalment of Peter Jackson’s pre-Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013). Following the character banners that have been revealed in the past few days, a second full-length trailer has surfaced online, giving us a tantalising glimpse of this big-budget December blockbuster.
Film Trailer | The Double
Richard Ayoade is best-known for his role as the technically adept but socially awkward Maurice Moss on British sitcom The IT Crowd, but with 2010’s Submarine he proved that he had skill behind the camera as well. As such, his follow-up – simply entitled The Double (2013) – is highly anticipated for more reasons than just its impressive cast. The film has just had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and now a brief but nonetheless eye-catching trailer has hit the web.
Film Trailer | Captain Phillips
The true story of the Somali pirate hijacking of the Maersk Alabama vessel back in 2009 – and more specifically, how the ship’s captain, Richard Phillips, and his crew dealt with their captivity – drew national attention, turning Phillips into an overnight hero in the process. The captain landed a book deal and TV appearances, and now British director Paul Greengrass (best known for directing two of the three original Jason Bourne trilogy, as well as 2006’s United 93) is bringing his story to the big screen. We got our first glimpse of Captain Phillips (2013) back in May, and the second full trailer released today showcases more footage of what looks to be a powerful thriller, already selected as opener of the London Film Festival.
Film Trailer | Thor: The Dark World
The summer of 2013 may be coming to a close, but there are still a number of highly anticipated blockbusters due for release this year. One title sure to be on many a filmlover’s watchlist is Thor: The Dark World (2013). Directed by Alan Taylor, the man behind the camera on numerous episodes of HBO’s Game of Thrones, the sequel marks the second instalment of Marvel’s ‘Phase 2’ after Iron Man 3 (2013) took the box office by storm earlier this year. Some spoilerific footage was shown to lucky fans at the recent Comic-Con convention and a new poster was released last week, but now we have our best look yet with a revealing two-minute plus trailer.
Film Trailer | 12 Years A Slave
Often said to be America’s ‘original sin’, slavery is a topic which has formed the basis of many a powerful drama. Most recently, Quentin Tarantino and Steven Spielberg have each analysed the subject in their own unique ways in Django Unchained (2012) and Lincoln (2012) respectively, and the next to do so will be Steve McQueen. After garnering acclaim for Hunger (2008) and sex addiction drama Shame (2012), the director’s latest endeavour, 12 Years a Slave (2013), will see him tackle the oft-examined topic in typically candid fashion, with the first trailer released online earlier this week.
Film Trailer | 300: Rise of an Empire
Back in 2007, Zack Snyder’s stylishly-directed 300 was a surprise hit, slashing its way to $456 million at the global box office. The director has since busied himself with a little known film called Man of Steel (2013), which gets its worldwide release this week, and so the reins have been handed over to Noam Murro for the next chapter of the saga, 300: Rise of an Empire (2014). Yesterday saw the unveiling of a new poster and, as is the trend these days, a new trailer has swiftly followed.
Film Trailer | Thor: The Dark World
With Shane Black’s Iron Man 3 released in UK cinemas nationwide from this Thursday (my full review can be read at Cine-Vue here), now seems the perfect time for Marvel to drop the first trailer for their second Phase Two feature, Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor’s Thor: The Dark World (2013). Due for release on this side of the pond in late October, we pick the story up with Chris Hemsworth’s thunder god back in Asgard after the events of Avengers Assemble. However, it’s not long before Thor’s beloved Earth – and plucky human love interest Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) – to come under threat from a new intergalactic force, led by the vengeful Dark Elf Malekith (Christopher Eccleston).
Film Trailer | Man of Steel
The UK release of Marvel’s Iron Man 3 may be just around the corner and The Wolverine has been steadily building anticipation after the release of its first teaser, but for many, DC Comics’ Man of Steel is still the biggest superhero film of 2013. Small titbits of information for Superman’s eagerly-awaited return to the big screen have been making their way to us via online and magazines in the past few weeks, but fans have been baying for some new, substantial footage. That has finally come in the form of a third full-length trailer, and what it reveals will no doubt get people even more excited to see just what Zack Snyder (Watchmen) and Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Trilogy) have done with comic book history’s most iconic character.
Film Trailer | Elysium
South African filmmaker Neill Blomkamp won critical and commercial acclaim in 2009 with his debut feature, District 9. It’s taken the director four years, but his eagerly awaited sophomore effort – entitled Elysium (2013) – is now mere months away. Earlier this week, we saw the first poster for the futuristic sci-fi, and now a full-length trailer has been revealed. In the year 2154, two classes of people exist; the impoverished struggle on the Earth’s ruined surface, whilst the wealthy reside in ‘Elysium’, a man-made space station that orbits the planet. In need of medical care only available on Elysium, Max (Matt Damon) takes on a dangerous mission that pits him against Elysium Secretary Delacourt (Jodie Foster).
Film Trailer | The Wolverine
Of all the big summer releases of 2013, James Mangold’s The Wolverine has strangely been the least marketed. That all changed last Sunday, however, when the first poster for the next chapter in the fan-favourite anti-hero’s saga was thrust onto the web. This was followed by more one-sheets and, as is now customary for big blockbusters, short teasers for the full-length trailer. Today, the full two-and-a bit minutes have been officially released, and the early indications corroborate what Mangold and star Hugh Jackman have been saying since The Wolverine began production; this is the Wolverine film fans have been waiting for, inspired by Frank Miller and Chris Claremont’s much-loved comic book series.
Film Trailer | Star Trek Into Darkness
As the annual summer blockbuster season draws ever nearer, more and more previously confidential information on some of this year’s biggest releases are now beginning to be revealed. The latest to get in on the act is J. J. Abrams’ sci-fi sequel Star Trek into Darkness (2013). It seems more than likely that Abrams, who will now also be directing Star Wars: Episode VII, won’t be returning for any future Star Trek sequels, such is the competition between the two rival franchises. However, everything we have seen thus far suggests that he’ll be leaving this current franchise on a high, and a mouth-watering second full-length trailer released online today gives further credence to the early impressions.
Film Trailer | Kick-Ass 2
With Shane Black’s Iron Man 3, Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel and The Wolverine all scheduled for release in the coming months, the summer of 2013 is stacked with eagerly anticipated superhero movies for global audiences’ viewing pleasure. If the aforementioned blockbusters aren’t quite what you’re looking for, however, Jeff Wadlow’s Kick-Ass 2 (2013) – the sequel to Matthew Vaughn’s outrageously popular original, Kick-Ass (2010) – is set to offer an alternative to the spandex-clad genre with another helping of ultra-violent superhero satire. Today, Universal Pictures officially unveiled an official poster to go along with a US red band trailer, and you can check out all the foul-mouthed goodness at the bottom of this post.
Film Feature | Iron Man 3 Trailer: 5 Things We’ve Learned
An epic new trailer for Iron Man 3 came online this afternoon, and I wrote a succinct breakdown of what was revealed for What Culture. Read (and watch) here.
Film Trailer | Monsters University
It’s been over a decade since Pixar Animated Studios’ highly regarded Monsters, Inc. (2001), and fans have been eagerly awaiting a return to the universe since. Directed by Dan Scanlon – who replaces Pete Docter at the helm – Pixar have done a good job of whetting our appetites, what with the 3D re-release of Monsters, Inc. late last year as well as a teaser trailer. Now we have our best look yet in the first full length trailer, and it promises more animated fun. Monsters University (2013) will focus on the college years of Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) and James P. Sullivan (John Goodman). Before they became the delightful duo we know and love, Mike and Sully were mismatched roommates who couldn’t stand one another. However, when a larger dilemma forces them together, they must overcome their differences.
Watch the trailer for Monsters University at CineVue here.
Film Trailer | 42
Although the sports underdog story has been told several hundred times already on the big screen, it’s one that audiences keep coming back to. Combine it’s tried-and-tested form with a historical grounding and you have 42 (2013), a biopic of Jackie Robinson who was the first black ballplayer in baseball history. Directed by Brian Helgeland, Warner Bros. have released a second trailer for the film this week, and already it has the air of inspiration. Chadwick Boseman is the actor who has been deemed fit to fill Robinson’s shoes, whilst veteran Harrison Ford will play pioneering Los Angeles Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey, who signed Robinson to the minors before bringing him up to the pros.
Watch the trailer for 42 at CineVue here.
Film Trailer | Trance
The London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony will forever be a landmark accomplishment for Oscar winning director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours). This year will see the auteur back behind the camera in the intriguing looking psychological thriller, Trance (2013). The first trailer has popped up online today, and it looks to bring many twists and turns to an otherwise conventional heist movie. The narrative will follow Simon (James McAvoy), an arthouse auctioneer who joins forces with criminals to steal a painting from his own gallery. However, during the theft, Simon suffers a blow to the head causing him amnesia, and he subsequently forgets where he stored the valuable artwork.
Watch the trailer for Trance at CineVue here.
AMONymous 