(trailer review) - Spider-Man: Brand New Day

 

People can be funny. It is like they know what they want, but at the same time, do they know what they need? There has been all this talk about this new Spider-Man movie having too many characters (usually villains), and in this trailer, we see perhaps 3–5 antagonists. But this has happened before and we have not had an issue, so why now? A lot of it comes down to execution, if I am honest. In the past, Sony messed it up every single time by trying to do too much. But with the help of Marvel and the MCU, you can do a lot and still make it work if you have great writing, story, and pacing. Spider-Man has a huge rogues’ gallery, and even in the cartoons, you would often see multiple enemies in a single episode. It was not always just Green Goblin, Venom, or Doctor Octopus—there were many. This trailer, or at least the MCU’s approach, seems to embrace that. Having now seen it, are people still complaining? I have not seen anything to suggest that, and honestly, how could you? This trailer looks absolutely spectacular.

The trailer starts with Peter hanging upside down, similar to Miles Morales and Spider-Gwen in Into the Spider-Verse, watching MJ and Ned celebrate getting into MIT. Downtrodden and missing his friends, Peter pulls down his mask and drops off the side of a building. We get a great shot of his face under the mask, blinking and breathing, before he starts rehearsing what he will say—how he is Peter Parker and, because of everything that happened, they do not remember him. We then see quick moments: Peter spotting Ned in what looks like a coffee shop, sitting alone washing his suit, and Spider-Man receiving the keys to the city. From there, things escalate. Peter runs across a rooftop, pulling down his mask to fight crime, only to be thrown into a car by an explosion and then hit by a van. That is where we see the Punisher, leading to a brief clash before Spider-Man stops him. There is also a party scene where MJ is talking to another guy while Peter watches from a distance. Then Peter, clearly unwell, asks, "What is happening to me?" before collapsing and waking up trapped in webbing. Peter seeks out Bruce Banner, who warns that DNA mutation could be dangerous. Keith David’s narration follows, explaining that spiders have three life cycles, with vulnerable stages in between. As this plays out, we see Spider-Man undergoing scans, becoming ultra-sensitive to sound, losing focus during normal tasks, and visiting Aunt May’s grave. There are more explosions and a mysterious moment hinting at some form of mind control. We also see Scorpion in action, more of the Punisher, and a brief moment between Spider-Man and MJ. As the score builds, the trailer delivers an incredible montage: Spider-Man trying to stop an armoured truck and getting slammed into a bus, swinging with a civilian in his arm, dodging Boomerang’s attacks, avoiding Tarantula on a boat, and even what looks like a fight against the Hand. The trailer ends on a lighter note with a funny moment between Ned, MJ, and Peter. For a teaser, it gives us a strong sense of direction, hinting at a fresh story that could involve mutation and the Man-Spider. It is dark and brooding in places, but still full of colour and humour. This genuinely feels like the start of a great new trilogy.

(trailer review) - Dune: Part 3

 

How incredible does this look? I watched this trailer twice… well, I got near to the end, rewound a bit to catch something, and then watched it through again—because I said to myself, “Why does that face look familiar? Who is that? Wait a minute… isn’t that Robert? Wait, that is Robert Pattinson! I didn’t know (or likely forgot) he was in this!” Although this franchise has already delivered two great films (and a TV show I haven’t watched), and I’m aware there’s much more to the story, the storytelling and directing from Denis Villeneuve is doing its best to carry the weight of everything that comes after to "conclude" the story. That’s based on what I’ve learned—not read—but even so, while I was intrigued by the trailer and excited by that reveal, it didn’t quite land for me. The franchise is starting to feel a little long in the tooth. It’s like I already know what to expect at this point: great music and score, great acting, great storytelling, and bold, immersive cinematography and visuals that feel completely real. But aside from introducing new characters, what is this trailer really giving us beyond being a teaser? Maybe I just want more than a teaser trailer—which is probably a testament to how excited I am for the franchise.

The trailer opens with Chani in the arms of Paul as they discuss their pregnancy and potential names for the baby—Leto, if it’s a boy, is a nice tribute to Paul’s father. There’s some imagery that might suggest Leto’s ring in a scene, followed shortly by a group being led by Paul as he says, “War feeds on itself.” We then see images of battle: a tower firing on attackers, preceded by shots of bodies on the ground—charred, or perhaps frozen and stiffened in some kind of solidified liquid. The next shot shows a long, diamond-shaped ship flying into space toward a massive structure, giving a real sense of scale. Over this, Paul speaks to his mother, asking for advice—a moment that’s echoed later when he wonders what his father would have done, admitting that the more he fights, the more his enemies rise against him. We get a glimpse of Robert Patinson as Feyd-Rau followed by two groups of men facing off—one possibly led by Stilgar. Then comes the line from his mother: “Your father never started a war.” More stunning shots of large-scale battles follow, along with a brief look at Anya Taylor-Joy as Alia and the unexpected return of Duncan Idaho, training or fighting with Paul. Princess Irulan appears, walking with clear determination—likely driven by vengeance. Feyd-Rautha is seen again among what looks like the Fremen, and there’s a brilliant shot of Chani, ready for battle with a fierce, warrior-like expression. But the standout moment is Paul ascending the steps before addressing thousands upon thousands of followers. The scale is immense, and as he declares, “I am not afraid to die, but I must not die… yet,” it just feels epic—simply epic. I think I’m most excited to return to this world and be immersed in its lore again. While this is only a teaser trailer, I need a bit more substance to fully enjoy it. Maybe I’m asking for too much—I just need to be patient and wait. The music is already playing in my head.

(trailer review) - House of The Dragon: Season 3

Sometimes I watch a trailer and, when I’ve finished, I don’t know what to say or where to start. Sometimes this is due to excitement or boredom, but on this occasion — and specifically with House of the Dragon — I am excited and intrigued. Although the seasons feel very short (season one had 10 episodes, season two had 8, and now this season also has 8), I’m pretty sure a lot of us just want more and more and MORE. How long will this series go on for? I’m pretty sure none of us care because the show is THAT good. I suspect it’s a budget issue more than anything, but we lovers of this world need the politics and the deaths, the chance to side with those we gravitate towards and curse those we hate for being little sh*ts. And that final shot of Rhaenyra Targaryen spoke volumes… somebody is going to get hurt real bad.

The trailer starts with Aemond Targaryen sitting on the Iron Throne. His mother, Alicent Hightower, walks in and he asks about Rhaenyra’s whereabouts. Rhaenyra tells her council that Alicent was at Dragonstone and that she will allow them into King’s Landing so Alicent can surrender. However, Rhaenyra’s eldest son warns her that Alicent is not to be trusted, believing it to be a trap. The king has abdicated the throne, followed by shots of dragons and armies, a dragon burning men, and Daemon Targaryen saying, “You are the Queen of Dragons,” as he plunges his sword downward. Corlys Velaryon is shown aboard his ship in battle, and then we see various clashes until Alicent tells Aemond, “Sooner or later, Rhaenyra will send her new dragons here. It will be the end.” There is an incredible shot of a dragon swooping low over the sea during a naval battle, a dragon rider screaming “Dracarys!” I believe we see the King’s Hand — or possibly the head of the Kingsguard — killing someone on the battlefield, Corlys looking back in horror, Daemon screaming, someone diving into the sea, and a lot of flame. Lastly, Daemon says to Rhaenyra, “This is the moment you become queen,” while her face shifts from pain and grief to absolute anger and determination. If I were to award any actor for their performance, Emma D'Arcy would take the win on micro-acting alone. June is a long wait.