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While it's not perfect, this is the best trailer yet. Count me slightly anxious for this to be released but proceeding with caution. More footage of Gambit is always a plus, and a look at what appears to be a young Scott Summers (aka Cyclops) just discovering his optic blast capabilities. I'm still a huge critic of the Michael Bay level of explosions though. It borders on parody.
And I have a very weird bone to pick with some of the sound effects/design in this trailer (which I really hope are't the final effects to be used in the film). This is a strange nitpick, but it's only because I saw the movie I'm going to reference so many times as a kid that this just entered my mind. The sounds that are used when Gambit hits his staff into the ground and various other structures with kinetic energy is EXACTLY the same sound that the huge water splashes made when the sprinkler turns on in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. If you want to compare them, the clip for the sprinkler scene can be found here (the action starts at about 1:12 into the clip).
There's also just a lot of shots and action just taken directly from other films. The cut of Wolverine dragging his claws along that Hummer, causing it to flip over is just like the scene in The Matrix Reloaded when Morpheus slices his sword into the Twins Escalade (go to 4:31 in the clip). And the later shot of Wolverine landing on top of the helicopter is very reminiscent of an equally ridiculous scene in Live Free or Die Hard with John McClane jumping onto a jet. Granted this is a comic book movie, but this is a bit overkill in my estimate. It just feels like they're trying to hard.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine hits theaters on May 1st, and I pray that people don't think Wolverine is gay after Hugh Jackman's Oscar hosting last month. We already have a gay mutant and his name is Perez Hilton. What do you guys think of the new trailer?
'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' Three One-Minute Promos
One of the more worrisome elements is that a lot of the forced humor that turned Wolverine into a walking punchline in X-Men: The Last Stand stuck around, and that's a bit disheartening. Also, I don't know if I'm the only one still skeptical, but I haven't seen Liev Schreiber (Defiance) do anything that makes me like him as Sabretooth yet. Hugh Jackman has already done a bit of damage control on those reshoots in Vancouver, but unless something amazing comes out before May, then I might need some more reassurance.
So far the only things sustaining a decent amount of interest and dare I say excitement are:
- Hugh Jackman as Wolverine because he's just so damn good at it
- Gambit being in the movie at all. This was a character that deserved the full fledged X-Men treatment, and it's good to see him on screen.
- Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool. Despite Blade Trinity falling flat on its face, I enjoyed Reynolds character and it'll be good to see him in something other than mediocre romantic comedies again.
- Dominic Monaghan as Beak. I just want to see how he plays in a comic book movie.
- Any potential cameos from other X-Men.
Labels: Dominic Monaghan, Gambit, Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Ryan Reynolds, Trailers, Wolverine, X-Men, X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Nostalgia for my childhood is something very close to my heart, and now I have will have the chance to go back and revisit my love of the cartoon X-Men. According to TV Shows on DVD, on April 28 Volume 1 and Volume 2 of the X-Men animated series will be coming to DVD. Each volume is a two disc set and between the two of them have 32 episodes (and these episodes apparently include the Dark Phoenix saga as well).
Coming up, I've got a look back at some of my favorite childhood shows that have yet to be released on DVD. But for now I have for your enjoyment and childhood glee, the majesty of the opening titles of X-Men the animated series. Classic.
Cinema Bits: X-Men, Star Trek, Transformers and More!
Star Trek - Paramount Pictures announced that it will be attaching a new trailer for the J.J. Abrams directed franchise reboot with copies of Watchmen when it is released on March 6. Both the first trailer and the Super Bowl spot were pretty intense, but I wonder how many people will suddenly be excited about this film when the target demographic seeing Watchmen, more than likely already knows about Star Trek
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - From Transformer World 2005 (I'm not sure why their website is called this) comes the first picture of the titular Transformer known as Fallen. The picture is that of some sort of toy that will be released. This should be a pretty epic villain considering the villains who don't get title focus are GINORMOUS as was seen in the Super Bowl TV spot.
X-Men: First Class - The last time we heard about this upstart, it was announced that Josh Schwartz (creator of series like Chuck, Gossip Girl, and The OC) would be writing the script, and there was much speculation about whether he would make his directorial debut with the film. Well Schwartz recently talked to MTV and told them he hasn't been asked to direct and "would be terrified to have the first thing I direct be a giant franchise movie." He did go on to rule out any focus on the Dark Phoenix storyline, which is the crux story of the X-Men universe, simply because it was done (albeit poorly) in X-Men: The Last Stand. Still no word on who this young, first class of X-Men will be.
Untitled Woody Allen Project - Variety reported that Josh Brolin and Anthony Hopkins will star in Woody Allen's next film set to shoot in London this summer. They are the first to join what is said to become an ensemble cast, but in typical Woody Allen fashion the script, plot and even title are being kept under tight wraps. I loved Vicky Christina Barcelona, and look forward to any Woody Allen project.
Untitled Adam Sandler Ensemble Comedy - Variety announced negotiations with Kevin James, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider and David Spade to all star in a comedy directed by Dennis Dugan (who nailed comedy with Happy Gilmore and then gouged out its eyes with You Don't Mess with the Zohan). The film will follow "five best friends from high school who reunite 30 years later on a Fourth of July weekend." Dugan and Sandler's Happy Madison Productions have made some real agonizing comedic films, but I'll wait for a trailer before I rain on this parade.
The Rum Diary - The film based on the Hunter S. Thompson novel of the same name just picked up recently Academy Award nominated actor Richard Jenkins, and Aaron Eckhart to join the cast (according to The Hollywood Reporter). Similar to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (a film that made me feel like I was on drugs, but not in a good way) the film follows journalist Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp) on a drug and alcohol binge as he comes to term with the fact that his life may never get any better as he sulks away in 1950's San Juan.
Cinema Bits is a recurring installment here at Screen Rider providing you with brief snippets of casting, production and all things newsworthy in movies and television.
Well, lo and behold, the waters parted and there was word from up on high. And this information came from a bit of an unlikely source...Wolverine himself, Hugh Jackman. This was such an important matter to clear up that Jackman took time out of these extensive re-shoots and I'm sure his continuing busy schedule regarding his hosting the Oscars to put the collective fan boy mind at ease.
Ain't It Cool News (AICN) received an e-mail straight from Jackman, and a bit of a bonus was also included with the e-mail. Here's what Wolverine had to say:
Hey Mate- Would you mind posting this? Thank you for your support! HJ
Hey everyone -
It's Hugh Jackman, sending this note from freezing Vancouver. I have read a lot of your online comments regarding the footage that we are currently shooting and I share your passion for the Wolverine character and the movie - I owe it all to you guys!
I wanted to reach out and let you know that due to scheduling conflicts with certain cast members and location/weather considerations, we had to wait until now to shoot a couple of scenes. Please rest assured that WOLVERINE will be badass and hopefully meet all of your expectations. I am stoked by the positive response to the teaser, which clearly reflects the tone and scope of the film. If you like that, we've got much more in store!
In the meantime, here's an exclusive shot of some characters you may recognize...
Cheers,
Hugh
Well this seems reassuring enough, but it seems very hokey to me that Hugh Jackman felt the personal need to include this extra exclusive cast picture with the e-mail. This is worrying to me because I wasn't entirely blown away back when we premiered the first trailer for X-Men Origins: Wolverine and it seems like the studio is using Jackman's apparent trusted nature amongst the web to take care of damage control. I had the same uneasy feeling when meeting Eddie Izzard over the summer and asking him about Valkyrie. Without prompt Izzard proceeded to tell me and his Q&A audience that the jostling around of the film's release date had nothing to do with worry about the quality of the picture but simply a decision to get the movie out of October (apparently a month known for historical dramas) to a better date more accommodating for the thrilling, suspenseful picture that it really was. I love Eddie Izzard, but that just screamed out damage control to me.Wolverine looks cool enough but maybe too action-packed to the extreme. These re-shoots are worrying and despite Hugh Jackman's reassurance, I'll hold my real judgment until the film is released this May.
Labels: 20th Century Fox, Fox, Gavin Hood, Hugh Jackman, Richard Donner, Wolverine, X-Men, X-Men Origins: Wolverine
After showing exclusively in theaters this weekend attached to copies of The Day the Earth Stood Still the first trailer for the prequel to the X-Men franchise has finally hits the net.
The trailer is absolutely stunning and really gets me pumped up for a film where Wolverine isn't a walking punchline and doesn't have to contend with terrible X-Men like Storm. There are some great cinematic shots of Wolverine and especially Gambit, with some quick shots of Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, and even quicker shots of the rest of the team.
My one complaint however, is that this seems a lot more explosive then X-Men, in the literal sense. There are ridiculous explosions in this trailer alone, all shot epically but also a little too crisp and pre-meditated to feel completely awesome. But the biggest worry for me came from the final shot where Wolverine jumps from his motorcycle and is hurtling towards a flying helicopter, explosion abound. For me that just screams Live Free or Die Hard.
Anyway, the trailer is great fuel for the fire, and I sincerely hope that we don't have another X-Men: The Last Stand on our hands. Check out the trailer below.
