This official trailer for Mulan immediately brings to mind such films as Hero & Once Upon a Time in China. Which is really good company to have in my eyes. I was never a big fan of the original animated Mulan. It just didn’t deliver on the action I felt it could have to round it out all together. This looks like it takes that story, tweaks it a little, but mainly adds all that bad ass martial arts action I was looking for in its predecessor. The witch aspect add a level of mysticism reminiscent of what you’d find in some of my favorite Wu Tang films. I’ve been really pumped for this ever since I heard this classic martial arts epic style was being used, & now that I see a small hint of what’s to come, I’m even more excited. As if you don’t know the basics already here’s the synopsis that came with the trailer, “When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders, Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honored warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father. Masquerading as a man, Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her inner-strength and embrace her true potential. It is an epic journey that will transform her into an honored warrior and earn her the respect of a grateful nation…and a proud father. “Mulan” features a celebrated international cast that includes: Yifei Liu as Mulan; Donnie Yen as Commander Tung; Jason Scott Lee as Böri Khan; Yoson An as Cheng Honghui; with Gong Li as Xianniang and Jet Li as the Emperor. The film is directed by Niki Caro from a screenplay by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver and Elizabeth Martin & Lauren Hynek based on the narrative poem “The Ballad of Mulan.”” an amazing cast, with a director who is staying very true to the original poem. Great 1st trailer her though. Really gets me anticipating March 2020. Which honestly, is way closer than it seems. What do y’all think though? Does this do it for you? Are you still on the fence? What are your feelings on this versus the original animated film? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
How Did “Frozen II” Become One Of My Most Anticipated Films Of The Year?
I know I’ve been away for almost a month. I’m working out some things here & there, but I couldn't miss taking some time for this new trailer for Frozen II. I wasn't the biggest fan of the first film. I mean, I loved Olaf, but the film itself didn't hit me the way it seemed to hit everyone else. Over time as the hype died down & I had seen it a few more times it grew on me. I never thought I'd be highly anticipating a sequel though. Then came the first trailer. Elsa taking her role to save the kingdom in almost superhero fashion. This newest look just builds on that with a big shift to the adventure aspect. It basically doubles down on the first look. We get a sense of the plot through a story told to the children by their parents. Of an enchanted forest where something went horribly wrong. Once again seeming to be tied into the elements. Elsa is being drawn by a voice, inspiring this adventure. Once again, epic is the word to use. This looks epic. Turning this Princess tale into something more akin to Willow or Lord of the Rings than your usual Princess fare. Anyway, I can’t wait for this, & the inevitable songs it will bring with it that we won’t be able to forget if we try. What about y'all? Is everyone else on for this like I am? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
New Featurette For Upcoming “Lion King”
Yesterday, we got this featurette for the upcoming livish-action Lion King, & I feel like I'm the only person who's not thoroughly pumped for this. It visually looks great. Now that we've seen the talking more I can say it's better, we're still not t o the point where it won't take some getting used to. In the snippet of the duet Beyonce totally overpowers Glover singing wise, which never works. Other than that though, I should be all about this movie. I’ve been more excited for way less. Not that I don’t want to see it or anything, I just feel like I’m not as pumped for this as a lot of others. If they do pull this off though, it opens the door for “live-action” animation on a whole new level. There's also, in Favreau we trust. I'm still going in thinking this thing is gonna blow me away. The CG, visual perfection on display can't do that alone. Leaves me wondering what will be new? All these remakes usually have something new to them. I’m thinking that’s where my excitement level's. I can’t seem to think of any big changes we can get to build on this story from the original. July 19th is right around the corner. So, we'll see soon. Until then, I'm still waiting for the thing that gets me to that higher level of excitement going in. What about y'all? Is there anybody that’s also excited, but feels like their level of which should be higher? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
Celebrating 10 Years Of Disneynature!
Walt Disney Studios put up this amazing video capturing the magic that has been Disneynature for the past 10 years. If you've been missing these, this is a great place to get a sample of the beauty that Disneynature is & more. I was first put onto these with Born in China , & I was pleasantly surprised. I bought the tickets mainly when I found out the first weekend sales go to helping the animals & environments depicted in the films. I wasn't expecting however, to be thoroughly entertained by a nature documentary. Even my children couldn't keep their eyes off the screen. This was a great way to not only see nature in a way we don't while trapped in our day to day, but also really realize that we share this Spaceship Earth with a host of other beings not too different from ourselves. That, & there's the fact that the ticket price goes to help so much as I mentioned earlier. Anyway, if you've been sleeping on Disneynature, do yourself a favor & check out this small sample of all the beauty up until now, with a taste of what's to come.
New "Lion King" Trailer, Still No Talking Animals
I feel like we just keep seeing the same thing out of July 19th's upcoming Lion King remake. The closer the not-so-live-action live action remake of the beloved classic animated film comes, I'm really starting to wonder when we're gonna see some talking animals. We're once again covering the "coronation" scene. In fact I'm pretty sure this is now pretty close to the whole scene now. What I'd really like to see is even a sentence actually coming from an animals mouth. We've heard some lines out of Mufasa in one of the trailers, but not with the visual of him saying it. I don't know why this troubles me so much, but it does. Honestly, that said, this trailer was a real letdown. I get it, the first minutes of the original are there. And even though I don't wanna see too much more, I wanna see something new. Just a little of what to expect out of more than just the beginning. In all honesty, I'm more excited about the absolutely beautiful poster that came out. At least it doesn't take place in the opening scene. Still close though, as if I had to guess this is the "all the land the light touches" scene. For that matter, I'd have took that in the trailer. I mean, what do y'all think though? Is this pretty much exactly what we've seen already minus some more species? Am I the only one that would like some talkin', singin', animals form this thing? Let me know in the comments, like, & share.
The Magic Behind The "Mary Poppins Returns" Bathtub Scene
This is why I love practical special effects so much! If you don't like knowing how the magic happens, don't watch this behind the scenes footage for the Mary Poppins Returns bathtub scene. For those as intrigued as myself in how they pull this stuff off without computers, this is definitely for you. I know you've at least seen this scene in the many trailers if you haven't seen the film yet. And if you're like me you just wrote it off to modern CGI effects. That said, I was ecstatic to find out I was wrong. This is what I used to love most about pre-CGI movie making. You had to just figure it out, & usually go through some pretty extensive means to pull things off. I'm not going to go into the house, you'll have to watch the short video for that. However, I will say I want this setup. This scene all the sudden looks like it was a blast to shoot. Not only that I can't wait for the BluRay release, just to see how much of this film was shot like this. Amazing! Or, practically perfect in every way, case being. What do y'all think though? Were you as blown away by this as I was? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
"Disney Empire" Starts The New Year Off Right With "From Now On"!
If you haven't seen this video yet, drop what you're doing & take some time to watch it. This thing almost brought me to tears, & at some points made me shout with excitement. All while doing the dishes. I'm working on a Top 10 video for my most anticipated items this year, & this gives a small look at a lot of them. Normally this is where I'd talk about what I liked most in the video posted, but in all honesty, I don't want to spoil it. Plus, like I said, I'll be talking about a lot of this later on today or tomorrow. I will say, bravo Disney!! This is how you boldly go into a new year. I was already pumped, but this totally put me over. I hope ya'll enjoy this video as much as I did. This is gonna be a big year, filled with limitless possibilities.
EW's First Look At "Aladdin" Might Have Just Realized My Greatest Fears
We have our first look at Guy Ritchie's live-action Aladdin, & it's looking & sounding more street rat than prince. I'm gonna focus on the pluses first. Mena Massoud & Naomi Scott look absolutely amazing as Aladdin & Jasmine. Just like they were ripped straight out of the animated classic. Second, the proposed mixture of lands & culture to Agrabah, giving it a Middle Eastern & Asian feel really intrigues me. It sets it in a fully imagined place. For me that adds to the fantasy of it all. Third, is probably one of the strangest parts, Guy Ritchie. Even though I thought it was a very strange choice at first, Aladdin is a very fast paced, chase film. That's actually right in Guy's wheelhouse, & I think he can really knock this one out the park. Alright, now I'll address the big blue elephant in the room. I was very worried when they cast Will Smith in Robin William's iconic role as the Genie. Not because of Smith himself, I've actually loved this guy since his Fresh Prince of Bel-Air days, & even before them for that matter. Just knowing Smith's character, I had a feeling I knew where this was going to wind up. First strike was straight out of Ritchie's mouth with, “I like the fact that our Genie has an ego and is a little bit vain and he cares about how he’s presented because he’s been doing this for a very long time.” The words ego & vain just immediately suck the fun out the whole character for me. And if that didn't work, we're also going to get some tired hip-hop from Will Smith to go along. Who mentions there hasn't been a hip hop flavor in the Disney universe yet. Well, there hasn't been any heavy metal either, & there might just be a reason for that. The third strike came with the actual look of the Genie, but I'm putting a hold on that one for now. Only because I'm convinced there's a level of CGI that will be involved in post that doesn't make the EW pics. At least I'm hoping so. If I'm wrong it just looks like Will Smith with a funny top knot. So, all in all there's three wishes answered, & three thrown right back in my face. These are just still pics & a synopsis as well. My reserves could be wrong, & this could blow us all away. Here's hoping at least, as Aladdin is one of, if not my all time favorite of the classics. What do y'all think though? I'd love to hear it. Put it in the comments, like, & share.
Disney Releases First "Artemis Fowl" Teaser
Disney’s first teaser for Artemis Fowl was released today. The film is coming August 9, 2019. Kenneth Branagh will direct the film based on the beloved book by Eoin Colfer. I've actually never read it, though I've came really close many times. That said, I really have no idea what I was looking at in this teaser. I've always thought the synopsis sounded cool. Which we get again in the teaser description. Where they say it, "..follows 12-year-old genius Artemis Fowl, a descendant of a long line of criminal masterminds, as he finds himself in a battle of strength and cunning against a powerful, hidden race of fairies who may be behind his father’s disappearance." This sounds awesome, judging from the teaser this looks like it's going to walk a dangerous line. A line very few have pulled off. The first that comes to mind is Harry Potter . Those films danced on a thin line between being a children's film, & not so much. That's a really hard thing to do too. If it's too juvenile you lose your adult audience. Which just so happens to be the people who grew up with this series. I know many adults who still haven't made it past The Sorcerer's Stone just due to the fact they thought the whole series would be geared towards children. However, it still has to be accessible to a younger audience at the same time, to keep them growing up with said series. Could you imagine if the first Potter film had the same dark overtones as the fourth? Kids would have ran away, & never wanted to see it again. They'd have been horrified. So I'm very curious to see how this unfolds. The teaser has definitely done its job, & peaked my curiosity even more so than it was. I'd be really curious to see what fans of the series think. I'm sure there's some inside things in there just for them. The film stars Ferdia Shaw, Lara McDonnell, Tamara Smart, Nonzo Anozie, with Josh Gad, and Judi Dench. Judy Hofflund and Kenneth Branagh are producing with Angus More Gordon and Matthew Jenkins serving as executive producers, with a screenplay by Conor McPherson. Can't go wrong with Gad & Dench. I'm pretty excited to see some more of this. I'm hoping an actual full length trailer can boost my curiosity to full blown excitement, but we'll have to see. This teaser has done its job though. It has peaked my curiosity, & I want to see more. What did y'all think? Anyone out there who read these? I'd love to know how this first look stands up to the pictures that were in your head. Anyway, put it in the comments, like, & share.
First "Lion King" Teaser Delivered Almost Perfectly On Thanksgiving
So after cooking all day, eating way too much, & fighting off a turkey haze, this CGI "live-action" Lion King teaser from Disney kinda felt like the big payoff. An almost perfect teaser. It's a short look, not much you can really say about it. A couple iconic scenes with a little longer version of Mufasa's "all the land the light touches" speech, is pretty much the perfect way to kick things off. I couldn't help but keep thinking it was missing something. It looks amazing. Visually stunning. If I took this back in time, they'd be wondering how we trained all those animals to do that. I just felt it missed the mark without ending on some sort of talking animal. And since it seems like I'm being super picky, they totally could've gone without the parade of actor names. That would've worked for me though, with the addition of Timon or Pumba talking in the end. That break from the epicness of the iconic scenes, even with the name scrolling, would've really put this over the top for me. So, I liked it, but I felt like I could've loved it. What did y'all think though? Put it in the comments, like, & share. Disney's The Lion King opens in theatres July 19, 2019.
New Sneak Peek For "Mary Poppins Returns"
Another look at Disney's upcoming Mary Poppins Returns , & the more I see, the more I'm falling in love with this movie. We'll have to wait until December 19th to be sure, but this late sequel looks practically perfect in every way. I can't wait to see how it will fit side by side with the original. Besides the updated effects it looks right in line. I absolutely loved the answer as to why she's there. If this trailer is anything to go off, we're looking for a real treat this holiday season. Anyway, I loved it, wha tg did y'all think? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
Did You Catch The New "Dumbo" Trailer?
A new trailer & beautiful poster for Disney's upcoming live-action Dumbo soaring to theaters March 29th 2019 was released last night. It sheds some of the first light on the new story involving much more humanity than its animated predecessor. It's definitely left me intrigued, the cast lineup is phenomenal, & I'm sure it helps Dumbo is just friggin' adorable. In fact my only concern is still the unknown. This was one of the animated films that really seemed they were going to reinvent it. I didn't like how that worked out with Maleficent at all. That said, I also felt that one in particular needed no reinvention. Where as Dumbo would just be a CGI animated film without some human elements added in. To help touch on those unknown human elements the trailer was also accompanied with this synopsis: "Circus owner Max Medici (Danny DeVito) enlists former star Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) and his children Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins) to care for a newborn elephant whose oversized ears make him a laughingstock in an already struggling circus. But when they discover that Dumbo can fly, the circus makes an incredible comeback, attracting persuasive entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton), who recruits the peculiar pachyderm for his newest, larger-than-life entertainment venture, Dreamland. Dumbo soars to new heights alongside a charming and spectacular aerial artist, Colette Marchant (Eva Green), until Holt learns that beneath its shiny veneer, Dreamland is full of dark secrets." This sounds really good. Just going off this & what I've seen to this point, I have to say I'm really excited for this movie. I’m hoping this can build on the original with these new ideas. Rather than try to heavily change what we still all know from the classic. Love to know what y'all think? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
Disney Releases A "Special Look" At "Mary Poppins Returns"
I love all these different names for trailers now. Essentially that's what this is. It's a minute long short trailer, preview, teaser, but specifically in this case, it's a "special look" at Mary Poppins Returns. That said, I totally dug it. Who dosen't want dolphins in their bathtub? There's a lot of quick jumps to a bunch of fantastic looking scenes. I really get the feel of the original in some of these. I've still got my fingers crossed this actually feels like a follow up sequel, & doesn't come off as remake. Some of these double digit years later sequels try to pay homage so much they just go through the original motion. Fingers crossed until December 19th, but this special look at proves we're in for at least a visual treat that will pay homage to a beloved classic. If we also get a classic sequel to match, all the better. Anyway, I really liked the look of this "special look". What about y'all? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
First Look At Live Action "Aladdin" With New Teaser Trailer
Between trying to get ready in this new place, hurricanes, & just life stuff, I feel like I've been missing a lot. Even though I'm not fully back on track though, I said I wouldn't miss the big stuff, & this is pretty big. A couple of days ago Will Smith put out the poster for the upcoming Aladdin . I've been noticing a pattern. The poster release has usually been followed within a day or two by a trailer. So, last night I had about gave up, when I got a notification in bed that sure enough it was here. I wasn't expecting much, the movie doesn't come out until May 24th 2019, but I was looking forward to it after seeing the poster. It was basically an upgraded version of the original animated poster. Now the trailer. It's impossible to make any real decisions on these small teasers, but this one had three things that really stuck out. Aladdin was an instantly a classic for me when it released. This familiarity gives us a little more to work with in these quick looks. Out of my three standouts, we've got one bad & two good. So, I'll start with the bad. I wasn't really digging the reflection shot of Agrabah. I don't know why offhand, I just wasn't that impressed with the model. I thought the Cave of Wonders looked amazing though! Right after it bit down though, I remembered the original teaser. I immediately thought there is only one way this trailer can end to make me fully happy. Sure enough, we get that shot of Aladdin walking up on the lamp for the first time. Loved it! So one trivial, don't really care dislike. Followed by two amazing "love its" all in the course of a minute & twenty-eight seconds. A lot of which is the title. Which looks really good by the way. Once again, paying homage to the classic, but having a distinctive new, real feel as well. Very impressed, especially for just a teaser. I know it won't happen, but part of me wants them to hold off on Will Smith's Genie until I'm actually in the theater. Anyway great teaser in my book, what'd y'all think? Put it in the comments, like & share.
Live Action "Lilo & Stitch" Coming!!!
I had to take some time from un packing to address this one for sure. Yesterday a THR exclusive reported that Lilo & Stitch was the next in of a long line of live action remakes!! This is amazing! This live action/CGI retelling will be penned by Mike Van Waes, & will be produced by Dan Lin & Jonathan Eirich of Rideback, formerly Lin Pictures. The two are already getting their breaks wet on the remake of Aladdin . It's totally unknown whether this will be a major release or another in the barrel for Disney's streaming service launching in 2019. Personally, I'm hoping for major release. Stitch is probably more popular now, than anytime of the original's release. Or any of the straight to video sequels for that matter. However, he became one of my all time favorite Disney characters from the jump. The most intriguing piece to this for me though, has been Van Waes. Before I even read this article, I thought that a live action Stitch film would be terrifying. Van Waes being attached halfway confirms that thought, being mostly known throughout Hollywood for writing horror, penning The Crooked Man & Oz horror themed Not in Kansas. If that resume is anything to take examples from, Stitch might be cute, fluffy, & absolutely terrifying. I can't wait! If this is a major release I feel like I should go ahead & get in line now for tickets. What about y'all? Thoughts on live action Lilo & Stitch ? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
New Trailer For "Nutcracker & The Four Realms" Gives A Bigger Look
A new trailer was released for Nutcracker & the Four Realms , along with this description: "All Clara (Mackenzie Foy) wants is a key – a one-of-a-kind key that will unlock a box that holds a priceless gift. A golden thread, presented to her at godfather Drosselmeyer’s (Morgan Freeman) annual holiday party, leads her to the coveted key—which promptly disappears into a strange and mysterious parallel world. It’s there that Clara encounters a soldier named Phillip (Jayden Fowora-Knight), a gang of mice and the regents who preside over three Realms: Land of Snowflakes, Land of Flowers and Land of Sweets. Clara and Phillip must brave the ominous Fourth Realm, home to the tyrant Mother Ginger (Helen Mirren), to retrieve Clara’s key and hopefully return harmony to the unstable world. Starring Keira Knightley as the Sugar Plum Fairy, Disney’s new holiday feature film The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is directed by Lasse Hallström and Joe Johnston, and inspired by E.T.A. Hoffmann’s classic tale." There's a little more to go on for people like me who have never really fully seen the full story of The Nutcracker . I've seen excerpts here & there, but have never really been interested enough to see the whole story. And if I'm being totally honest, this trailer didn't make me want to hold my breath til November 2nd. Don't get me wrong, it looks visually amazing. In fact, I'm blown away by the visuals displayed here. I just didn't get much from the trailer that I hadn't already known. It looked like it would definitely grab anyone who's a Nutcracker fan already, but I didn't see anything that grabbed me except the synopsis. The synopsis actually sounds more appealing than what they've shown. This thing could have some hope for me yet. Won't know for sure until November 2nd. Maybe future trailers, with a little more story will help curve my excitement up. Anyway, what do y'all think? Put it in the comments, like, & share.