Trailer: Kick-Ass (2010)

To be honest, I’m not really a Mark Millar fan. Sure, I loved what he did with The Ultimates, and Civil War was decent. Wanted is mildly interesting as a comic, but I love the way Timur Bekmambetov took it to the big screen. So, will Millar’s Kick-Ass fulfill its title as a film? Seems to the case, judging from the bootlegged clips from this year’s Comic Con, and also the teaser trailer which has just surfaced. Click on the poster below to view it.

I first knew of Matthew Vaughn as the producer of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, but he definitely caught my attention with Stardust. Any one who can make me enjoy a film adaptation of a Neil Gaiman novel with Robert De Niro swishing around in a dress on screen is definitely worth the attention. With Vaughn once again taking directing and screenwriting credits, let’s see if he can work the same magic this time round. (Too bad we got to wait till April 16!)

PS: Though it doesn’t have much to offer at the present time, you can check out the official movie site and sign up for updates if that’s your thing.

Trailer: Black Lightning (2009)

Those who have been following my ramblings for a while know without equivocation that I’m a Timur Bekmambetov (Night Watch, Day Watch, Wanted) fan. So imagine my surprise—and delight!—when I came across the trailer for something called Black Lightning that apparently is scheduled for December 31, 2009. I’ve not heard a peep about this project anywhere, online or in print, and there’s no mention of it on IMDb, so pardon my initial skepticism when I read about it on The Awesomer.

But the trailer looks legit enough (not like the many faux “trailers” proliferating on YouTube), and I’m getting strong flashes of Spider-Man, Back to the Future, and and the final tank vs. helicopter scene in Rambo III (I like it; shut up now) in a potent, zippy mix with Bekmambetov written all over it. Although I’m not a hundred percent sure Bekmambetov is directing it (the YouTube sub says “Timur Bekmambetov Presents”), it still looks like a very fun film to end the first decade of the twenty-first century with.

Trailer: 9 (2009)

I wasn’t sure about what I saw in the first trailer of 9. In fact, I was pretty much nonplussed by that fact that a film that combines the forces of Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov could be so … middling. It reminded me of the many attempts at animated films produced by the locals in Singapore: all about piling on the effects, showing off technical expertise, and absolutely nothing to do with art, vision, and good old storytelling.

But wait, what’s this? The new trailer (see it here or here in HD) shows some serious promise. Although the whole “Machines Turn Against Us!” thing (and also the appearance of the machines) is vaguely reminiscent of The Matrix trilogy (particularly the incredibly inane third installment, The Matrix Revolutions), I doubt 9 will sink as low as that.

With Burton and Bekmambetov producing the film, I’m really looking forward to some out-of-this-world visuals, rich characterization, a solid narrative, and kick-ass action to boot. (I know, I’m asking too much.) And with a cast that features Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, Martin Landau, Christopher Plummer, and John C. Reilly, there’s really quite a bit to look forward to this coming 9-9-09.