Mulan
Yeah, that’s one hell of a teaser. I like it a lot. It’s the first time since perhaps Pete’s Dragon that I’ve been really intrigued by one of these Disney remakes. I didn’t care for Aladdin, and I’m not totally sure about the upcoming Lion King. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they actually do something fresh and interesting with this. I know some will be upset about the lack of Mushu and musical numbers, but it’s worth remembering that one, Mushu was terrible and the worst part of the original film, and two, there are only like four songs, so the ones that they would shoehorn into this would probably suck. I hope this turns out good.
Mulan hits theaters on March 27th, 2020.
Ode To Joy
I don’t buy for a second that Jake Lacy is Martin Freeman’s brother. This cast seems way too overqualified to be involved in something that seems to basic and sleight. However, I admit, I did find parts of this pretty charming. It certainly helps that it has a cast like this, I can’t imagine I would be as equally engaged if these were no-names. I don’t have any great expectations for this, but I’ll keep an eye out for it.
Ode To Joy opens in select theaters and VOD platforms on August 9th.
Otherhood
I do like these actresses a lot, but I’m not totally convinced by this trailer. It doesn’t even look terrible, it just didn’t really make me laugh. The filmmaking looks rather pedestrian, so I’m hoping that the writing can at least elevate things a bit. The director, Cindy Chupack, is known for her work on Sex and the City and Modern Family, and she’s won awards for her writing there, so maybe there’s more to this than the trailer is made to look. I like seeing older performers getting a moment to shine, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
Otherhood hits select theaters and Netflix on August 2nd.
Judy
I dug the hell out of the teaser, and this isn’t any different. I suppose I could bring up concerns about how it might be structured, reliances on standard biopic tropes, etc., but I’m just so into this period and industry, and I’m excited to see someone tell Garland’s story on the big screen. Plus, I loved Jessie Buckley so much in Wild Rose that I’m instantly excited for whatever she’s in now. So, yeah, hoping for the best with this one.
Judy will release in theaters on September 27th.
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
Wow. There is a surprising amount of stuff to process here. At first, the whole idea of the story being set into motion because she didn’t want the girl to get married was…not that interesting to me, but then I saw Michelle Pfeiffer holding a crossbow, and was very much into it again. And then there’s that big reveal in the end, which I kinda wish they kept a surprise, but whatever. I don’t know what to make of this. I don’t see what is so essential about this being made aside from the fact that the first one made money, but I am curious.
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil opens in theaters on October 18th.
Sacred Games: Season 2
I had to share this one. I really liked the first season of this a lot, and I think it’s fairly accessible for western audiences, especially if you’re a huge fan of gritty crime dramas. I like the look of this, and I’m just really excited to see where things go.
Sacred Games: Season 2 will be available on Netflix on August 15th.
The Divine Fury
I had to throw this here because it looks so cool. I’m sure many people, myself included, have been thinking about how stale the demonic possession subgenre of horror film has been. There’s only so much you can do with that formula. Turns out, all you needed were some wild South Korean filmmaker to take the basic elements, and turn it into an action movie. I love this. I don’t know if the movie itself will be great, but that trailer is a ride.
The Divine Fury opens in select theaters on August 16t