Terminators, yetis, farmers, Bruce Springsteen, they’re just some of the things featured in this week’s movie trailers. Check out the trailers everyone’s talking about and some you might have missed.
Terminator: Dark Fate
In cinemas 31st October
After Judgement Day, the Terminator films have turned good ideas into mediocre movies. The trailer for Dark Fate sparks some hope that things will turn around for the franchise. Outside of the heavy emphasis on Tim “Deadpool” Miller directing and James Cameron’s “return,” this trailer really puts the theme of human-robot serendipity front and centre—not exactly a fresh theme in sci-fi cinema but one that the series hasn’t submerged itself in successfully.
It’s also great to see Mackenzie Davis (Tully, Blade Runner 2049) in a headlining blockbuster role next to a rocket launcher-wielding Linda Hamilton.
Downton Abbey
In cinemas 12th September
I have not seen a single minute of the TV series, and in all honesty, I would not have known this movie was based on one judging by this trailer. This looks gorgeously shot and produced to perfection, with a sprawling cast bringing their A-game (though no-one tops line-crusher Maggie Smith at the 1:20 mark).
If an Abbey newbie like me is looking forward to this, I can only imagine how much actual fans are frothing.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
In cinemas 15th August
Quentin Tarantino’s latest has earned a whopping amount of praise from (almost) everyone at Cannes this week. It is with great sadness that we can only show you two-and-a-half minutes of it, but within that time, you’ll get a great sense of the powerhouse performances and era-specific attention to detail on display.
There’s also an intentionally corny World War II sequence. Is that a statement of Hollywood in that era or Tarantino pulling a cheeky self-riff on Inglourious Basterds? We’ll let you decide.
Bellbird
In cinemas 22nd August
When it comes to depression, something that sadly takes the lives of many men in Aotearoa, us blokes struggle to talk to each other about it. From what this trailer shows, Hamish Bennett’s feature debut looks to boldly delve into this blindside of New Zealand manhood without being too grim about it. This isn’t to say the characters in Bellbird have depression themselves, but their situation highlights a culturally-implanted mental blockage that halts the road to recovery.
And it’s always a good day when we get to see the likes of Marshall Napier, Cohen Holloway and Rachel House on the screen.
The Art of Self-Defense
Currently undated
Jumping from a film that shows the limits of masculinity to a black comedy that mockingly states “Everything should be as masculine as possible,” the latest Jesse Eisenberg-starring feature looks damn funny to anyone who digs off-beat humour.
Eisenberg seems perfectly cast as a man who goes to the absolute wrong place to tend to his fears. With great power comes great responsibility, and the more power he thinks he gains from a cheap-looking dojo, the less responsible this whole enterprise becomes.
Blinded by the Light
Currently undated
Bend It Like Beckham writer/director Gurinder Chadha is ready to kick another dose of Brit-teen feel-good vibes straight in the back of the net. This time, a creative Pakistani lad in Thatcher-era England gets inspired by the holy sounds of Bruce Springsteen. Thus, a writer was born.
Sure, it doesn’t look SUPER original, but it’s damn near impossible not to get blinded by the light of this trailer’s good intentions.
Abominable
In cinemas 19th September
After that lovely Pixar short, I will go see any film with animated bao buns, so the trailer to DreamWorks’ latest family adventure won me over by shot #2. Some Fleetwood Mac doesn’t hurt, either. Beyond my dumb biases, this trailer’s a visual knockout that puts the studio’s power into making nature look absolutely beautiful. (Hey fellow humans, can we try to keep it that way, please?)
Taking Laika’s Missing Link and Warner Bros’ Smallfoot into account, one has to wonder what producer told these major studios that sasquatch/bigfoot/yeti stories were lit with the fam this year *dabs*. Whatever the deal is, it’s given us this promising journey.
The Nightingale
Currently undated
Babadook writer/director Jennifer Kent looks to frighten people with plain ol’ history this time around. From the looks of this gorgeously gothic trailer, she’ll achieve just that with Venice award-winning thriller The Nightingale.
Following last year’s excellent Cold War and First Reformed, I’m all for a film that uses a 4:3 aspect ration to its full potential. Actor’s faces fill the frame, there’s more emphasis on vertical spaces, visual symmetry becomes more apparent, and we get a lovely taste of it in this trailer.
