How A Bunch of A-Holes Turned The Table

I should review Akiva Goldman's Winter's Tale or Paul WS Anderson's Pompeii, but there's a (supposedly) big thing that needs to be the topic of this post. The trailer for Marvel's brave (or stupid, time will tell) Guardians of the Galaxy just dropped some days ago during Jimmy Kimmel. It's an unexpectedly super fun trailer I just can't fathom it. To tell you the truth, I was already sold into watching the film with the 15-second teaser. But the full trailer made me want to watch it in the cinemas. The Marvel jokes work in the trailer. The trailer also embraced the silliness of the premise. But in the meantime, also teasing the incredible space sci-fi action adventure scenes that are in store in August. And even for this kind of film (third-tier superhero team), the casting are top-notch. I liked Chris Pratt in the role, he's super likable along with super hot green Zoe Saldana, Batista, John C. Reilly and Djimon Hounsou. Even Cruella De Vil Glenn Close is in this film, like wtf? However, it could end up as weird and strange like that mid-credits scene with Benicio Del Toro's The Collector. Nevertheless, it could be because of the different tone with the more majestic Thor. But with that trailer, GotG is actually on my top 10 list of films to watch this year now. The poster for the film is also great to look at. So, among some of the biggies this year, how does A-Holes of the Galaxy fare?

Guardians vs. Transformers
I gotta say, Guardians. The new Transformers trailer might be cool to the fans of the animated series but I am not a fan. The robots looks strange (that gun faced thing), Nicola Peltz ain't Megan Fox or even Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and what if I don't want to stay behind Mark Wahlberg's back during a robot attack? The only thing appealing for Transformers: Age of Extinction is the amount of Bayhem and the name Transformers itself. Guardians looks like fun and intense at the same time.

Guardians vs. Spidey
This one's a no contest. Never liked the new Spidey even I liked the idea of Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield in one film. The new film is a gamble and a possible mess. Not to mention the spoilerific trailers that I actually settled for that one trailer they released the first time. Guardians of the Galaxy is a slam dunk to The (supposedly) Amazing Spider-Man 2.


And Blue Swede's Hooked On A Feeling has been on repeat since.

Winter's Tale
Anyway, Colin Farrell/Lady Sybil, sorry Jessica Brown-Findlay starring Winter's Tale is a rare Hollywood fairy tale. Among the more realistic, gritty offerings, Winter's Tale actually gave something different. I loved the whole premise and idea. But things got weird--I mean real weird, and it's even weird for me. I was actually expecting a love story with a little fantasy element, but it's actually a fantasy with love story. The weirdness ranges from the villains who stupidly drive cars on a frozen lake, a horse that's actually a dog, face-shifting Russell Crowe, and Will Smith. The castings might seem a little off although in actuality they are good. It's not common to see Colin Farrell in this role but he played it nicely. However, it's sad that Jessica Brown-Findlay of Downton Abbey fame got a little typecasted as an aristocrat Brit and Russell Crowe basically played a supernatural, song-less Javert. The worst part of the film is Will Smith as Lucifer (which I thought was a joke in Russell Crowe's tweet), who doesn't change outfits for 100 years. Some story elements are not explained well, which makes the film a little stupid. Essentially, it's a weird-ass Hollywood fairy-tale with some boring lovey-dovey-you've-seen-it-all parts, some nice parts and a charming resolution in the end. Winter's Tale: rated 2.5/4

Pompeii

I'll keep this brief. Pompeii is Paul WS Anderson's best film since his Death Race remake, and that's already saying too much praise. Everything else is basically what you expect from his films but not with too much annoying elements. It's also amazing that he could muster an ensemble that includes Kiefer Sutherland, Jared Harris and Carrie Anne-Moss. The story is hyper-cliched, but the final act with the volcano makes it different. Bastille's Pompeii is still the best pop-culture medium to have been titled the name of the doomed city. Pompeii: rated 2/4



It has been a slow month at the theaters since The Lego Movie. I can't wait til Liam Neeson brings something fun this weekend with Non-Stop.
Back to Downton Abbey this week! And maybe some predictions on next week's Oscars!