This week, senior writer Logan J. Fowler joins up with Bill Bodkin to look at the trailers for Thor, Pixar’s Cars 2, The Mechanic and Priest.
Thor
Release Date: May 6
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Rene Russo
Director: Kenneth Branagh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKoN-dTaepA
Theater, Rent, No Thanks, Undecided? Theater.
As the countdown begins to next year’s The Avengers, we get a little exposition this summer with Marvel’s one two punch of this and Captain America: The First Avenger. As a lover of comic book heroes, Thor looks epic, not just on the scope, but also in the cast side. Also, putting a director who normally helms Shakespeare films behind it was a class move. A lot of people think it looks too shiny where the atmosphere in the comic looks dark and gritty, but it doesn’t matter to me — I’ll be there opening weekend. Verily.
— Logan J. Fowler
The Mechanic
Release Date: January 28
Starring: Jason Statham, Ben Foster, Donald Sutherland, Tony Goldwyn
Director: Simon West
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pY4CC-w3MY
Theater, Rent, No Thanks, Undecided? Undecided — but definitely will see it in some form.
Sometimes you have to admit when you’re wrong. I had heard about The Mechanic, a remake of the Charles Bronson flick from the 70s, and I groaned. My brother-in-law Frank mentioned how he wanted to see it, and my rarely-seen-film snob reared his ugly head and dismissed him immediately. Then I watched the trailer. The Mechanic looks like a step up from your usual Statham actioneer. He’s got a solid actor (Foster) as his partner and it looks more polished, more intense and more interesting than anything we’ve seen him in since The Transporter. Overall, I think The Mechanic, while I might not drop money to see it in theaters, will be a very solid and entertaining action film much the same way Taken was in 2009. — Bill Bodkin
Cars 2
Release Date: June 24
Starring: (The voices of) Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine
Directors: John Lasseter and Brad Lewis
Theater, Rent, No Thanks, Undecided? No Thanks.
Do I own the original Cars on DVD? Yes, but it’s also because I own all the Pixar movies on DVD — I didn’t want to leave it out. Anyway, I still think that Cars is the worst of the Pixar films (which means it’s way better than a lot of the other animated films put out there). It’s unfortunate that Pixar is going the sequel route, as it almost feels as if the company has run out of original ideas. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Toy Story 3, but Toy Story was the only movie to have a sequel, let alone one more, and that idea was worked in an arc sense. In any case, this sequel has Lightning Mcqueen (Wilson) and Mater (Larry The Cable Guy) get involved in some sort of car spy espionage. I watched the trailer, and thought, “Meh, no interest here.” Sorry, Pixar, but I’m going to sit this one out. See you guys next go round for Monster Inc. 2 (holding out hope for a great sequel in that one).
— Logan J. Fowler
Priest
Release Date: May 13
Starring: Paul Bettany, Karl Urban, Maggie Q, Christopher Plummer, Stephen Moyer
Directors: Scott Charles Stewart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JghQgA2HMX8
Theater, Rent, No Thanks, Undecided? Rent — for now.
The trailer is visually stunning, but I’d like to see a second trailer on Priest before making my decision on whether I’ll be going to the theater to see this. Paul Bettany plays an exiled yet heroic badass religious figure (which he’s done successfully before in the underrated film Legion) who must wander into the wasteland to battle a new breed of vampire who have kidnapped a family member of his. It’s an interesting concept with a solid cast, but the trailer does provoke some memories of the movie Underworld … and we all know how bad that turned out to be.
— Bill Bodkin
Great articles.