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In This World, There’s One Park
One name: Steven Spielberg.
And just like that, I have your attention.
As June 12th creeps closer, and as every man shaves his beard with help from the Limited Edition Jurassic World-themed Barbasol shaving cream cans (yes sir!), the pure adrenaline for the follow-up to Jurassic Park that every fan has been waiting for builds to, well, a Tyrannosaurus Indominus sized-level. There are multiple trailers, TV spots and increased product cross-promotions. Awesome! Although, to maintain the highest sense of surprise coupled with an impossible intrigue to know more about this summer blockbuster to be, I have been careful to only watch the minimum (but still satisfying) amount of press for Jurassic World.
Fortunately, this behind-the-scenes photo shoot recently released doesn’t reveal any plot points…except it’s value is significant for the fact that it’s the first public appearance by the legendary director of Jurassic Park (Steven Spielberg) and the young man given the reins by Spielberg to create Jurassic World (Colin Trevorrow, 38).
The pressure on the latter is nearly unfathomable, considering this is not a traditional sequel, but a revival tied directly to the original 1993 dinosaur epic. Fans (including myself) are impossibly protective of the original. And unlike the past two sequels, Jurassic World is making sure to highlight that Spielberg served as the lead executive producer. After all these years, he’s boldly returning to this mega franchise that he and his team built with cinematic genius from the brilliant words of the late Michael Crichton.
It’s an amazing thrill to see you back in the Jurassic Park director’s chair for any reason, Mr. Spielberg!
The stakes are high and this movie should spare no expense.
Happy Monday!
A bootleg is nothing new. As a matter of fact, for anyone who has ever walked through the bustling streets of a major city, it’s as common as a 3-figure gold Rolex. Sure, the time is only right twice a week, but it looks like a Rolex at passing glance.
But what happens when a bootleg teases something that hasn’t reached a global audience yet and it changes an entire movie studios’ elaborate trailer release plan that was only a few days away from occurring with spectacular fanfare and that even forced a direct response from the director of said film the very next day?
Welcome to director Zack Snyder’s world last Thursday night.
It’s being reported that the trailer leak of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice late last week originated from Brazil with a cell phone capture of the trailer with Portuguese subtitles. The quality was low, yet it clearly showed it was for the highly-anticipated superhero epic to-be-released on March 25, 2016. Snyder took to his Twitter account Friday to attempt to counter the early teaser trailer release with the official video and hashtags, “#BatmanvSuperman #NotBlurry #NotPirated.”
While the planned IMAX event at select movie theaters tonight will feature the trailer, a message from Snyder, a few additional shots and some goodies, below is the long-awaited trailer for the public:
Snyder was clever at leaving Easter eggs throughout Man of Steel (regarding Bruce Wayne, Lex Luthor and Aquaman) and it seems he’s continued this fun trend in the trailer above. Watch it again and pause at the 1:21 mark. Notice that question mark on the cement column in the foreground on the left side with Batman standing in the background…?
Have a Super Week!
P.S. The first look at Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne brooding (a pivotal expression for the character) somehow appears to have missed the mark, confirming my initial criticism of his casting. And yes, it may be a hasty response (fair enough) and it was always going to be impossible to follow Christian Bale and The Dark Knight trilogy, but still…
There’s Time to Discover Another Dimension
(io9)
“Confusion gives us the opportunity to find clarity’s stretched-out hand”
–Me
The above quote was inspired by today’s Blu-ray release of Interstellar. Fans of the emotional operatic space epic finally have limitless time to watch and re-watch the Christopher Nolan Sci-Fi classic in an effort to connect the dots together.
Have no fear, the nearly 3-hour gargantuan of a film (see what I did there) has a quick, entertaining pace.
The best movies leave the audience thinking about the story and its key message(s) long after leaving the theater. They strike a nerve (see picture above). Movies, regardless of how refined or goofy, need to have a purpose. And it’s the films that present something that’s larger than life that have the greatest impact and lasting impressions on people. This goes for Jaws, Jurassic Park, Titanic, The Godfather, Citizen Kane, The Sound of Music, Ghostbusters and The Breakfast Club (to literally only name a few).
Think about it: 1, 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 and even 74 years later, modern society still talks about a wide-range of movies and their impact several decades later for a variety of reasons. This timeless fact is why release dates like today are so exciting. Watching Interstellar in your living room will be astonishing with its green screen-free visuals, pulsating soundtrack, excellent acting and exhilarating twists and turns. But, in the big picture, it’s the latest example of a great movie’s second-life. It will earn itself a permanent spot on people’s movie shelves. This is one of those films that will be enjoyed multiple times because there will always be something new (no matter how small) that will be seen with each viewing.
To help with that, Paramount Pictures included “3 hours of bonus features!” and an IMAX film cell with the Blu-ray and DVDs. My film analysis teacher in high school taught me that we need to see a movie 3-4 times to completely see everything the director wanted us to see. The story won’t change, but it’s fascinating to focus on different things to bring the experience together all the more. Example: Appreciating the intricate detail of the specific books that were placed on the bookshelf in the beginning of the movie. Or when Steven Spielberg recorded how Lincoln’s pocket watch would have ticked in the 1860s. And, quite honestly, to enjoy the movie all over again!
“My films, if people go to them worrying about whether they’ll understand and approach it like a crossword puzzle, they’re not going to get as much out of it. You’re meant to go along for the ride,” Nolan said.
Thankfully, there’s now no line for the epic ride of Interstellar.
Happy Monday!
Is a fifth Mission: Impossible possible? Well, the official full-length trailer was just released:
Hang on come July 31, 2015!
Jimmy's Daily Planet 