Upcoming Films

[A24 5,156]

Yeah, but he is making sense in this case, and has a greater tendency to simply call people stupid all the time.

What do you mean? He just said Alex is a dumbass and that's it. You have a strange agenda, Chaac. And yes, sorry, but your arguments were pretty lousy. There are trees and the grass is green so everybody knows it's Earth except dumbass Cremers? From that point it gets too ridiculous for me.

yikes!

[Brónach 1,330]

You aren't dumb, you're just being strange. You said it didn't look like Earth, forn some reason nobody can't quite fathom but you. And the planet does look every bit like Earth.

Whether it's supposed or not to look like Earth, I don't care that much, because I'm not interested in the film. If it isn't supposed to look like Earth, then FAIL. However it's meant to take place on Earth.

[A24 5,156]

There's nothing strange with saying the trailer is constructed as a twist. It's more strange to say that everybody knows it's Earth (didn't you see the volcano?!). The whole purpose of the trailer is work towards this climax, the moment Smith reveals (the music swells) 'This is Earth!!' There's your twist right there.

[Brónach 1,330]

Well I thought the volcano example was nonsense.

But it looks like it, what else is it going to be? I was certainly not thinking on an alien planet seeing the trailer lol It's Planet of the Apes all over again.

[Jay 46,244]

Alright everyone, let's stop calling each other names and just discuss trailers and upcoming films, mmmkay?

[BloodBoal 8,711]

Sounds boring.

[Wojo 2,458]

There are volcanoes on Mars, albeit extinct.

I'm curious to see if the "twist" is whether this is Earth so far in the future that without human interference, the ecosystem has fixed itself -- where did all the ruins and garbage go? -- or the father-son duo has fallen into a past where humans haven't climbed out of the trees yet. Either possibility could yield interesting results, along with parallel dimensions or simply a totally different Earth-like planet that was later called Earth, and the trailer is a red herring. I'd like to think of it as Avatar without all the Ferngully/Dances with Wolves bull pucky.

[BloodBoal 8,711]

[Wojo 2,458]

Sure it does. A high-resolution natural-looking CGI wonderland with wild beasts assaulting our heroes everywhere they turn. A National Geographic or Blue Planet on steroids.

[A24 5,156]

But it looks like it, what else is it going to be?

Well, have you never seen a science fiction before where distant planets look like Earth or at least uses Earth-like elements? Perhaps you believe there are no Earth-like planets in the universe? You may have guessed it right, you may have read the synopsis, I don't dispute that, but that doesn't mean the trailer (and even a part of the movie) isn't made in such way that one first assumes they crash-landed on a different planet only to discover they are on Earth. The gist and the structure of the trailer are what counts. It's strange to say, no, these things don't matter because I saw a tree or there's a volcano. Volcanoes, grass and trees aren't reserved for Earth alone. And it's not all familiar stuff we see either. We see strange beings/vehicles with lasers, odd organic shapes, ... As the text builds up to the big revealment - the revealment itself proves that the trailer is actually constructed as a twist, it wouldn't makes sense otherwise! - we gradually get a few brief flashes of animals that seem to be dangerous inhabitants. They are 'flashes' because it's still meant to be obscure and not very clear. The more we reach the climax of the trailer, the more clearer it gets. Finally the text goes in full exposure mode: "Do you know where we are, son?! No? This is EARTH!" That's a twist.The whole purpose of the trailer is to maker the viewer go: "Wait a minute, they are not on some planet, they are on Earth, but somehow not as we know it. Hmm.. Alright!"

A distant planet in Predators.

A distant planet in a galaxy, far, far away.

I think I saw a tree.

[BloodBoal 8,711]

[A24 5,156]

You know, when I was young, I believed 'trees' should never be a part of serious science fiction about distant planets. I'm not that strict anymore.

[Wojo 2,458]

What I grow tired of is when sci-fi crews scan habitable planets for lifeforms and find none. Apparently all grasses, trees, and shrubery required to generate a breathable atmosphere, and the molds, bacteria, and protozoa that recycle the dead vegetation, and the bees that pollinate and the squirrels and deer and cattle that spread the seeds aren't "lifeforms."

The Wikipedia synopsis of A.E. states: "One thousand years after cataclysmic events forced humanity's escape from Earth, Nova Prime has become mankind's new home. Legendary General Cypher Raige (Will Smith) returns from an extended tour of duty to his estranged family." So apparently, grassy forested worlds aren't rare, if all of humanity had to colonize a new world. Nova Prime would have either been terraformed by humans to become liveable, or was naturally forested by whatever mechanism places Earth-like planets out in the universe for humans to find and live on -- Earth2, Stargate, Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and Predators all find habitable worlds all the time, and the reasons aren't always explained.

And if Will Smith is a legendary general, it forces me to ask who he was fighting off-world. Robots on dead rocks? Human rebels on other terraformed or naturally habitable planets? No idea yet.

The notion that they're not immediately suspicious of the planet they crash onto makes me think that habitable worlds are common. Just something about the original Earth that forced people to leave it 1000 years prior and put it under quarantine, some mysterious secret will be at the heart of the film. Maybe it's like Wall-E, and the Smith boys can activate the "all-clear" to call humanity home.

[Muad'Dib 2,059]

Am I the only one that thinks that it's a remake of sorts of this?

[Quintus 6,496]

You know, when I was young, I believed 'trees' should never be a part of serious science fiction about distant planets. I'm not that strict anymore.

When I was young I was too busy climbing them to care.

[Jay 46,244]

You know, when I was young, I believed 'trees' should never be a part of serious science fiction about distant planets. I'm not that strict anymore.

I guess you never read Orson Scott Card's "Speaker For The Dead" then

[Koray Savas 2,260]

There are volcanoes on Mars, albeit extinct.

I'm curious to see if the "twist" is whether this is Earth so far in the future that without human interference, the ecosystem has fixed itself -- where did all the ruins and garbage go? -- or the father-son duo has fallen into a past where humans haven't climbed out of the trees yet. Either possibility could yield interesting results, along with parallel dimensions or simply a totally different Earth-like planet that was later called Earth, and the trailer is a red herring. I'd like to think of it as Avatar without all the Ferngully/Dances with Wolves bull pucky.

Yes I am quite aware there are volcanoes on other planets, but those also tend to be taller than Mt. Everest, and like you said, extinct. Ya'll need to lighten up. Alex, I wasn't being serious when calling you a dumbass, but like Chaac, I find it strange how one doesn't immediately think of Earth when the first animal you see is a baboon.

The "twist" of the movie is what happened to Earth. It's obviously changed a lot from the one we now inhabit, so knowing where they are leads us to wonder: what happened? And I'm sure Shyamalan has some small twist up his sleeve in that regard; or perhaps he's playing it straight this time. All I know is that I love the isolation present in the trailer and the man vs. wild aspect of survival. It all feels very primitive, which I think is the point.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Pacific Rim trailer is out.

GLaDOS voice actress ftw!

[A24 5,156]

Del Toro goes Roland Emmerich!

I think I saw a tree.

That was Carrie Fisher.

Carrie Fisher is the volcano.

There are volcanoes on Mars, albeit extinct.

I'm curious to see if the "twist" is whether this is Earth so far in the future that without human interference, the ecosystem has fixed itself -- where did all the ruins and garbage go? -- or the father-son duo has fallen into a past where humans haven't climbed out of the trees yet. Either possibility could yield interesting results, along with parallel dimensions or simply a totally different Earth-like planet that was later called Earth, and the trailer is a red herring. I'd like to think of it as Avatar without all the Ferngully/Dances with Wolves bull pucky.

Yes I am quite aware there are volcanoes on other planets, but those also tend to be taller than Mt. Everest, and like you said, extinct. Ya'll need to lighten up. Alex, I wasn't being serious when calling you a dumbass, but like Chaac, I find it strange how one doesn't immediately think of Earth when the first animal you see is a baboon.

1) It appears at 1.20

2) It's a flash. The brain has hardly any time to registrate it, let alone process it and come to the conclusion the voiceover better not end this trailer with "This is Earth!" or else the audience will laugh because they already knew it from the start.

3) The brain picked up something familiar looking but can we be sure?

4) Live can evolve in a way it did on Earth.

5) Maybe they terraformed it 'after Earth' a long time ago.

6) You outsmarted the trailer. Perhaps you already knew too much about the story, who knows.

[Quintus 6,496]

Pacific Rim trailer is out.

GLaDOS voice actress ftw!

Lol that looks fun as hell! Seems ages since we had a decent big budget monster movie. First I've seen anything of it actually, cool beans.

As for the legendary AI voice from The Greatest Game of All Time, turns out del Toro is a bit of a fan: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-12-13-glados-voice-in-new-guillermo-del-toro-film

He has immaculate taste. It'll be quite surreal for me to hear her quirky dulcet tones in a movie.

[Brónach 1,330]

Fuck, I had typed a long message about several things and I deleted it.

[BloodBoal 8,711]

lol.

I have when that happens.

[A24 5,156]

Pacific Rim doesn't seem to incite many reactions.

[Brónach 1,330]

I hope it has good characters and story and Djawadi doesn't bring it down too much. Everything else seems to have been achieved. I like the scale, the vivid colours... among random action blockbusters, this looks more unique. Bonus points for making the kaijus look like people in suits.

[A24 5,156]

Pacific Rim doesn't seem to incite many reactions.

Based on this trailer, I find it hard to say something positive about it. If I didn't know any better, I could have sworn it's Emmerich's latest CGI-fest.

[Muad'Dib 2,059]

Why did you just answer yourself??

[Brónach 1,330]

Honestly, Emmerich's Godzilla looked far more boring than this lol I don't think he shares many sensibilities with Del Toro.

[A24 5,156]

Why did you just answer yourself??

Yes, I wanted to answer Chaac but what the heck, it makes sense anyway. I'm glad I could make you laugh.

But Chaac, it looks boring! What a terrible concept. Big machines and monsters fighting it out with their fists, destroying bridges and skyscrapers. That's as dumb as Emmerich. And what a CGI overload! I hope for Del Toro that there's more to it than this trailer is showing.

[KK 3,313]

I got a big "Meh" from it.

[Brónach 1,330]

Yes I am quite aware there are volcanoes on other planets, but those also tend to be taller than Mt. Everest, and like you said, extinct.

You're thinking on Mars. The Martian volcanoes answer to the particular characteristics of that planet, and so do Earth's. There's no particular reason why other planets like ours wouldn't have our kinds of volcanoes.

There's plenty of volcanic activity only in our Solar System. Jupiter's moon Io is usually considered the most geologically active of the system. It's small, but heated internally by Jupiter's massive tidal forces. Venus is riddled with brutal volcanic features.There's also other kinds of volcanoes that don't expel molten rock but other materials. We're well served, where volcanoes are concerned.

You know, when I was young, I believed 'trees' should never be a part of serious science fiction about distant planets. I'm not that strict anymore.

I think it depends of the film/book in question.

One could say that in the case that life like complex plants evolved in a planet similar to Earth (which doen't have to happen necesarily; for example, on Earth animal life predates plants); that is, say, multicelular, inmobile, autotroph life that makes use of sunlight; they would end up through evolution with body plans similar to plants of Earth when faced with similar encological niches. Like for example, the overall shape of a tree. This is called convergent evolution and it's well documented on Earth. The significance of convergent evolution is heavily discussed among experts. Of course, the tendency to specific solutions and body plans would change with the characteristics of the planet, which would allow some things or others; make concepts familiar to us unfeasible, or viceversa.

Something different is to take plants from Earth, and make it pass for something of alien origin in a serious science-fiction setting. That's so lazy!

But Chaac, it looks boring! What a terrible concept. Big machines and monsters fighting it out with their fists, destroying bridges and skyscrapers. That's as dumb as Emmerich. And what a CGI overload! I hope for Del Toro that there's more to it than this trailer is showing.

Well, let's see. I didn't say it wasn't dumb. That's actually the point. It's called Rule of Cool. True, they filmmakers have said that they tried to speculate things that would actually happen, like the interrumption of maritime trade, but I don't have the feeling that the film is trying to rank very high on the Mohs scale of science-fiction hardness, do you? Lee gets it, you don't!

Which is strange given that the dumb set up isn't much dumber than some stuff you've actually liked. Sometimes i think you're just pulling my leg.

I recently saw Gojira (1954). I thought it would be awesome but I didn't like it. I however, did like some moody scenes with the monster approaching. There was something there. I thought: hey I could do with a great kaiju film, one I liked. I mean, one that isn't King Kong, or Gwoemul (with a small monster.) I would like to like this one. I don't know if I will. It might just suck! Who knows!

I certainly don't expect a Del Toro kaiju to be like an Emmerich kaiju. There's a basic difference for a start: Del Toro is good at making films. In the trailer I can already see some Del Toroish elements that would have probably ended up different if someone else made this.

The complain on the CGI is hilarious.

Edit: I'm remembering now Cloverfield, which I had stuff I liked, and stuff I didn't (but I don't remember what). I have to see Them! and The Beast of 20000 Fathoms.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Pacific Rim trailer is out.

GLaDOS voice actress ftw!

Lol that looks fun as hell! Seems ages since we had a decent big budget monster movie. First I've seen anything of it actually, cool beans.

As for the legendary AI voice from The Greatest Game of All Time, turns out del Toro is a bit of a fan: http://www.eurogamer...o-del-toro-film

He has immaculate taste. It'll be quite surreal for me to hear her quirky dulcet tones in a movie.

It was surreal enough to hear it in the trailer. It took me a nanosecond to recognize it, but once I did I thought it was hilariously awesome. This does look like a good time at the movies, but people that think it's going to be something more than what Bay has established with Transformers is fooling themselves. Giant robots are giant robots. This has cool Del Toro monster designs, that's the difference. Oh, and probably decent dialogue.

[A24 5,156]

You know, when I was young, I believed 'trees' should never be a part of serious science fiction about distant planets. I'm not that strict anymore.

I think it depends of the film/book in question.

One could say that in the case that life like complex plants evolved in a planet similar to Earth (which doen't have to happen necesarily; for example, on Earth animal life predates plants); that is, say, multicelular, inmobile, autotroph life that makes use of sunlight; they would end up through evolution with body plans similar to plants of Earth when faced with similar encological niches. Like for example, the overall shape of a tree. This is called convergent evolution and it's well documented on Earth. The significance of convergent evolution is heavily discussed among experts. Of course, the tendency to specific solutions and body plans would change with the characteristics of the planet, which would allow some things or others; make concepts familiar to us unfeasible, or viceversa.

Something different is to take plants from Earth, and make it pass for something of alien origin in a serious science-fiction setting. That's so lazy!

Chaac, the reason why I didn't want trees in Science Fiction movies was because I wanted to see different worlds. I wasn't a fan of trees as a sci-fi backdrop. That's all. If I want to see a tree, I just need to look out of the window. Back then, I think I was traumatized by Return Of The Jedi .

The complain on the CGI is hilarious.

?

[JoeinAR 1,957]

Pacific Rim doesn't seem to incite many reactions.

Alex, my reaction was this is a big budget mecha Godzilla style movie with top notch effects.

toy makers are counting their $$$.

[A24 5,156]

Ryan Goslin stepped out of the Logan's Run remake so Nicolas Winding Refn's involvement is unsure.

[Quintus 6,496]

Just remembered I saw the trailer for Les Miserables before The Hobbit started. If it's director manages to turn in a performance as wholeheartedly sincere as his cast appears to have done, epic movie musical lovers are in for a special one-off treat. It looks fantastic. I lolled at the sight of Russell Crowe singing his heart out! Really hoping this one turns out a corker.

[BloodBoal 8,711]

Yeah. I have to say, the trailers I've seen for that one look impressive.

[BloodBoal 8,711]

[Quintus 6,496]

Poster looks violently fun and full of promise.

Shame the movie itself will eventually be Boxing Day early evening worthy.

[Brónach 1,330]

Failure incoming!

[Brónach 1,330]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csstykAOQKI

The thing with the two people somewhere cuddling while the camera is swirling around with beautiful light is getting old. Malick, do something new.

[BloodBoal 8,711]

I already guessed the twist in the trailer.

[Brónach 1,330]

No planets? I'm out!

And the shots of a woman running around grass and trees and opening her arms to the sky are also getting old!

There's no way on Earth I'm going to queue at the cinema for 112 minutes of couples being happy or sad. And all those I already hear calling Malick "experimental" and similar terms must realize there's nothing in that trailer we haven't seen before.

Frankly, I'm not really surprised. I imagine Malick's doing a few fast films made out of scraps from The Tree of Life. Afterwards, we'll see.

[filmmusic 3,269]

At last!

The trailer for Mallick's "To the Wonder"! (i think Koray will be thrilled)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csstykAOQKI

[BloodBoal 8,711]

Dude, that's very disrespectful to Victor, what you just did.

[Brónach 1,330]

We were commenting it.

Upon seeing the trailer a few more times because I like the music it's starting to look hilarious.

Dude, that's very disrespectful to Victor, what you just did.

Haha, he might just have poster without reading.

(i think Koray will be thrilled)

I think Koray will be positively delighted at this dose of concentrated Malick.

[filmmusic 3,269]

Dude, that's very disrespectful to Victor, what you just did.

Sorry? were you talking to me?

I don't understand..

and who's Victor?

[Wycket 36]

Dude, that's very disrespectful to Victor, what you just did.

Sorry? were you talking to me?

I don't understand..

He just posted a link to the trailer a few posts before you did.

[filmmusic 3,269]

Dude, that's very disrespectful to Victor, what you just did.

Sorry? were you talking to me?

I don't understand..

He just posted a link to the trailer a few posts before you did.

Oh, yes. Now I saw it.

it wasn't embeded, so i didn't check on that link.

[Jay 46,244]

yes youtube links need to be HTTP ones not HTTPS ones or they won't embed. I've had to edit a bunch of posts recently.

~~~

So speaking of To The Wonder, I read two interesting things about it on wikipedia:

Emmanuel Lubezki called the film 'abstract' and described it as being less tied to theatrical conventions and more purely cinematic than any prior film directed by Malick.

All footage of the performances by Jessica Chastain, Rachel Weisz, Amanda Peet, Barry Pepper and Michael Sheen was removed from the final cut.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/barry-pepper-michael-sheen-amanda-peet-also-cut-from-terrence-malicks-to-the-wonder-20120829#

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Can't fucking wait.