December 21st - The Clash of Movies!

The winter battle will start with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Sony’s animated film that looks promising.  They have done a fine job with their trailers and building hype.  It takes on Mortal Engines which isn’t making waves, WETA has to work to promote more set videos, video on the world of Mortal Engines, and a video on the books, maybe an interview with the author, Philip Reeve.  December 19 is the release of Mary Poppins Returns getting a slight jump on the Clash of Movies now that the gap of Star Wars movies vacates it’s place.  It will lock up the family audiences, there will be a push at the parks, and air the original Mary Poppins on ABC and Disney Channel.  This leads to the Clash of Movies, Disney is heading into it’s second week with Mary Poppins, this clashes with Warner Bros. Aquaman, of course the DC franchise, and Paramount Pictures’ Bumblebee, part of the Transformers franchise.  The studios are set on the December 21st clash so may not move from that date.  There is also the Robert Zemeckis film Welcome to Marwen starring Steve Carell, Will Farrell comedy Holmes & Watson, and Alita: Battle Angel which has little chance with this competition.    

I’ve been waiting for an Aquaman movie all my life, with only some brief appearances on Smallville, and a failed pilot, he had less of a presence than Wonder Woman on tv.  It was the trailer, though, that was hollow.  Too much CG effects, what is important is to establish the underwater realm, the same way as the size of the Hobbits convinces you so you can enjoy the rest of the movie, this could be done by showing a sea shore, or whatever shots are done in a water tank. I hope this is done in the movie.  Of course, it will not be filmed entirely underwater, Abyss or Waterworld, but it is important to set the underwater world before you go CG.  James Wan said there is a Raiders of the Lost Ark and Romancing the Stone vibe, but I didn’t see that in the trailer.  I was impressed by the photos of Aquaman’s world, but didn’t feel the same with the trailer.  I may have too high expectations for the Aquaman trailer, I did like the beginning which is right out of the comics, very moody.  The aquarium scene ruined it, a shark ramming the aquarium wall, they are usually made of acrylic and can withstand great force with the amount of water in the tanks. At the very least, the shark would be dead. I didn’t see the point of the submarine, then it shifts to the look of King Orm, it looks like bad green screen.  One of the effects of underwater photography, even in the clearest waters, there is a slight distortion, particles, and  bubbles. 

 Orm has armor, which of course would drag, I would think Atlanteans have coral plates or something similar which is tough, but lightweight, and a cape, which of course gives additional drag and is floating like Superman’s cape!  The view of Atlantis with it’s multi-colored lights like coral is nice, but not stunning. I like the battle between Aquaman and Orm.  I also hope they reveal that Aquaman is not just a super hero name, but a title of a protector. Aquaman lifting the submarine, again I would like to know how this fits in, he has to fight Orm from flooding the world, find some relics, and return to Atlantis, where does a submarine fit in?  I like the shot of some red torch taken underwater, beautiful.  They swim past what looks like Alien-like The Trench.  I love the design of the Mer-people, bits of armor around the body makes more sense than a full suit.  Black Manta looks great especially his blasts. Again, all of this looks like Geoff Johns’ Throne of Atlantis storyline.  If the movie has parts that are identical to those comics, then what does it offer to me who has read the comics?  The best parts of the Marvel movies is that they take a comic book storyline like Civil War, but the plot is not the same as the comics, it is only the concept.  I don’t see this with Aquaman. 

Next, there is Bumblebee, the distaste of Michael Bay’s Transformers films, pushed this low on my expectation list.  Still, Bumblebee is my favorite Transformer, he was voiced Mark Ryan in the films. Then, Travis Knight was announced as director, I mentioned this to him at a Kubo and the Two Strings exhibit.  I love Hailee Steinfeld’s Charlie Watson finding the VW beetle in the junkyard.  Also, seeing the bee nest, which of course leads to his name.  Charlie drives the VW back to her house.  The radio switch flickers on. This is not Christine.    A part falls down.  Charlie checks the chassis with a flashlight, the pov of the flashlight that focuses on a robotic face, nice moody shots. Charlie’s astonished face and then the blue eyes of the Transformer opening up, great!  Then, it starts to transform, over Charlie, this is an awesome effects shot, gears twirl and boxes closes.  Unlike Aquaman a tease of a minor scene.  Bumblebee takes his robot form filling the garage.  If you don’t know anything about Transformers, this scene explains it.  Bumblebee shyly cowers in the corner of the garage.  Charlie holds out her hands, this is alien contact, out of sci fi.  She touches his face and his eyes close, the effects humanize the robot.  

Then, we see Bumblebee run in the forest.  Charlie leaping into the sea and holding Bumblee’s face as he sinks.  Then, he transforms on a beach and the next scene has him leaping with Charlie in his arms.  John Cena’s Agent Burns watches.  Bumblebee leaps down and the Decepticon jet, Blitzwing. Bumblebee in car form drives at the edge of a cliff and uses his robot arm to drag on the guide rail. Charlie hugs Bumblebee.  Yeah, this is classic Transformers. Bumblebee transforms into his helmet from the Transformers movies.  He slides back holding a metal form.  Charlie says, “This is why you’re here Bee.”  The end scene with Charlie loading a cassette tape playing Rick Astley faux-soul hit “Never Gonna Give You Up”, she smiles, and he ejects it flying across the garage, lol!  Charlie looks up stunned.  This ramped up my expectation of this film.  The first trailers are teaser trailers so they usually don’t give you a sense of the plot, more the atmosphere of the film.  This is the failure of the Aquaman trailer, it’s all over the place, starting with story and then just bits and pieces.  Maybe the next trailer will be better.  Still the question is which film will I see first?  I’ve seen both directors, James Wan at a Conjuring panel and interviewed and met with Travis Knight.  So the decider is what will be available preview night?  If there is an experience, giveaways like a poster or button, or something else will decide it for me.  Of all of the press events I attended, Travis Knight made me feel like a VIP, delicious chicken while the other studios offered maybe crackers.  I know for certain that I will buy toys from both films.    

#December21, #MaryPoppinsReturns, #Aquaman, #Bumblebee