Today's News: loads of it

The haul of news from the last week:

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157156/nieuwe_trailer_oorlogsfilm_fury_met_brad_pitt

Last trailer focused on the action, this one's more about the drama. Can't say it looks any better when given more substance. Rookie soldiers faced with the moral burdens of battle has been done since time immemorial. Same goes for small bands of soldiers stuck behind enemy lines on suicide missions (Saving Private Ryan is just the tip of the iceberg there, you know). Heck, even Brad Pitt has dabbled in that before with Inglourious Basterds. Big change here is that particular persona of his didn't seem to mind his hard times as much as this one, even though in terms of character there don't seem to be that many differences between Wardaddy and Lt. Aldo Raine. I really hope there's more to the movie that what the trailers are showing us. Though if we're comparing notes, that certainly was the case with Inglourious Basterds, which turned out to incorporate a whole lot more to the plot than just the bloody retributions exacted on Nazis we were promised (though that element surely was also retained, to a lesser extent). On the other thand, there's the example to the opposite, in which the trailer promised more than the actual film delivered, like on the recent forgetabble The Monuments Men. Let's just say this tank can still roll either way.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157184/23_jump_street_aangekondigd

As the end credits for 22 Jump Street revealed, there's at least twenty more scenarios for the franchise's protagonists to get involved in. Of course the studio feels like trying out at least one more considering the success of that sequel. Will it be one of the outrageous possibilities offered by those end titles? Probably not, most of them seem a little too farfetched for any "serious" comedy flick. Doesn't mean there aren't enough possibilities for infiltrations taking zany turns left. Not that I need to see them. I have learned long ago that the number of sequels to successful comedies worth our while is pretty low indeed. Blatant regurgitation is their usual motto, a point the first film, 21 Jump Street (see the numerical pattern here?), already made both hilariously and painfully clear when the angry black police captain gave his poignant and speech about law enforcement officials just recycling old ideas ad nauseam, which was the movie at its most self-aware note. And here we have the prove studio execs do the same. Like we needed any proof...

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157183/eerste_fotos_batmobile_uit_batman_v_superman

I approve of this Batmobile. Not too realistic, not too unrealistic. Not too tacky, not too slick. Fits right into Zack Snyder's new DC-verse, while containing many a nod to past works, most notable Nolan's Tumbler design from the Dark Knight movies. The bat motif is not too obvious or overt, but definitely there. This basically is exactly the badass type of vehicle an angry billionaire would patrol the streets at night with to punish the guilty and protect the innocent, rather than doing drugs, banging scores of prostitutes and not giving a damn about the rest of the world because he is loaded, like real world billionaires prefer to do instead. Of course, we have yet to see it in action and discover its various funky gadgets - does it, too, feature a built-in escape vehicle and a self-destruct option, for example? - but in terms of looks and style this is right up Gotham's alleys. Good thing Hans Zimmer is still doing the music for the epic DC movies. Just add his stormy, percussive Dark Knight theme and this car is good to go.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157209/eerste_trailer_serena

Why change a winning team, the casting director of Serena must have thought? Cooper & Lawrence together have been the stuff of Oscars so far, and this movie clearly shows Academy Award aspirations, if the trailer is any indication. However, this movie is not directed by David O'Russell. Guess we'll find out whether it was the director that got the best out of his actors on Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle both, or whether it may have been the material after all. Susanne Bier certainly isn't a stranger in terms of character, since her movies often border on character studies, which equally seems to be the case on Serena. The language barrier doesn't seem to be present, as this is hardly her first English spoken film. This trailer definitely reaffirms the third time remains the charm.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157208/robert_downey_jr_mogelijk_in_assassins_creed

I'm starting to get a sort of 'Johnny Depp vibe' whenever Robert Downey Jr.'s latest project is mentioned. As Depp revels in playing quirky oddball types, Downey Jr. now seems to stick predominantly to playing witty, scienctifically considerate charmers (e.g. Sherlock Holmes and Tony Stark/Iron Man) when it comes to big budget Hollywood movies. He does that well, so the part of Leonardo da Vinci seems perfectly suited to him. However, as has been the case with Depp for quite a while, it's getting a routine, which may lead to typecasting (though I bet Downey Jr.'s hefty pay grade will halt such thoughts on studio execs' minds). Of course, there's many other types of characters Downey Jr. plays in smaller films in-between blockbusters (the Oscar buzzing The Judge would be a current example), but those are not the ones most audiences will get to see so they'll learn to appreciate the diversity inherent in his talent. Considering he's now the highest paid actor in Hollywood, it is interesting to see him accepting a sidekick part for a change. Unless Da Vinci is actually the assassin, which I have a hard time believing, though there is some logic to that notion. But then, I never played the games so what do I know? Don't have time for games, too busy watching and loving movies. Like those starring Downey Jr., for example.

Today's Double News: X-creed

Two bits of movie news I wrote for MS:

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/155455/justin_kurzel_gaat_assassins_creed_verfilmen

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/155407/fox_overweegt_x-men_tv-serie

An X-Men TV-show, why the heck not? In fact, why not try this years ago? There's so many characters, locales, powers and motives in the many decades of X-comics, the movies have barely even scratched the surface. Plus, the film franchise insists on a small ensemble of characters as the core team, while most other mutants presented are relegated to bit parts instead. A TV-show would be able to flesh such underused characters out neatly, while also keeping the franchise from becoming overly convoluted to the general audience, as the film series tends to risk just that in the next few years due to Fox's insistence on copying Marvel proper via excessive crossovering. That said, I agree with Kinberg that a show revolving around superpowered individuals is in danger of breaching budget limitations which always plague the realm of television. But these powers don't have to be so in-your-face as seen in the source material. It's not the first superhuman TV-series after all. Just consider the likes of The 4400, Heroes and Alphas, who in many ways incorporated everything X-Men would have to do, except they were lacking the big X-Men name to draw audiences in initially. Granted, FX on these shows weren't always convincing (Heroes far from it in fact), but the technology keeps pushing the limits and grandiose effects are getting ever more affordable. Of course, at its heart, X-Men isn't at all about the superpowers and the cool visuals, it's about the characters and the social commentary. We are living in the golden age of television, where such ingredients are almost a given, so that also need not be an issue. However, as with Marvel's current series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., audience expectations in terms of characters might be an obstacle to overcome. These days, thanks to the X-movies, the term 'X-Men' will immediately bring to mind associations with a very select group of characters, including but not necessarily limited to Wolverine, Professor Xavier, Magneto and Mystique. Considering the high profile actors, if not outright Hollywood stars, playing these parts, it's not likely these hugely popular characters will make an appearance, unless recasting is in order (which won't sit well with many fans no doubt). To me, Xavier is the only true must-have, as he's the guy responsible for all the X-ing about. Other than that, there's plenty of personas, protagonists and antagonists alike, to pick from. You just need to convince the audience quickly of the quality of the show and the characters involved before they start to miss those X-characters they've come to love. Of course, if the TV-show is running alongside the movies, things are different, and probably only more difficult to pull off in terms of making the show stand on its own instead of being a mere appendix of the movies. As you can see, there's many elements to take into consideration in creating this show, which is undoubtedly why Fox hasn't greenlighted anything yet. I think it's harder to make a TV-show based off a film series work than the other way around. But then, if Fox had started the franchise on television instead of on the big screen in 2000, it's unlikely the superhero movie (especially those carrying the Marvel brand) would have been as popular as it is today.

As for Magneto, I highly doubt we'll see either Sir Ian McKellen or Michael Fassbender in that role on telly. We will be seeing Fassbender in other capacities though, most notably as the popular titular assassin from Assassin's Creed, in the upcoming big budget movie adaptation of the video game. The project will reunite him with director Justin Kurzel, with whom he recently worked on an adaptation of that Scottish play, MacBeth. Considering Fassbender is also producing Assassin's Creed, he'll probably have had a hand in hiring his director. Such loyalty is a good sign the relationship between star and director is strong and effective and will likely spawn positive results for Assassin's Creed. Good thing too, as expectations for this video game movie are no doubt high considering its success on the game market and its recognizable name. Even though the "curse" on video game adaptations has softened somewhat over recent years, it sure as hell hasn't been lifted wholly, and any movie based on a game is still met with quite a lot of initial scepticism accordingly. At least the movie will star a solid actor we know can play any part including this one easily.