Trailer Talk: West Side Story, Here Today, and more!

West Side Story

I’ll always be there for a Spielberg picture, so I don’t have to be sold on this. That said, this is a very well done teaser, full of magnificent shots. It also looks like they’re giving a look that feels like an update to the technicolor vibrancy of the original. Not sure what would motivate remaking a classic like West Side Story, aside from the lack of brown face, which might just be reason enough. I’m just glad to see Spielberg finally do a full on musical. However, I do find it funny how it seems like they’re trying to hide the fact that Ansel Elgort is the lead. Unfortunate, but there’s a lot more that’s worth looking forward to.

West Side Story hits theaters on December 10th.

Here Today

Dang, this comes out May 7th, and I’m just hearing about this now? How does the new theatrical film from Billy Crystal – after well over two decades since his last – have zero hype behind it? I mean, sure none of his previous films were great, but it’s still Billy Crystal, dude’s national treasure. This doesn’t look half bad. For the most part it seems like a pretty straightforward feel good comedy, and those are typically a dime a dozen. But there were some parts here I found amusing. I can’t say I’m expecting great things, but it looks solid for what it is.

Here Today will open in theaters on May 7th.

Undine

I’m not entirely sure what to make of this, but when the name Christian Petzold appeared, I was immediately sold. I haven’t seen much of his earlier work, but I have seen Phoenix and Transit, and both were excellent. The man is a skilled craftsman and a terrific writer, so anything he does has my immediate attention. It seems like there are some fantastical elements at play, which I think is really interesting, and usually up my alley. I hope it actually delivers on those elements because usually when an otherwise grounded film teases otherworldly elements only to downplay them as metaphor or what have you, I’m usually disappointed. But with a filmmaker like Petzold at the helm, I will remain optimistic.

Undine opens in select theaters and VOD platforms on June 4th.

Summer Of Soul

I heard pretty much universally great things about this since it premiered at Sundance earlier this year. I didn’t read too much into this, so I don’t know if this is simply a restored concert film in the vein of 2018’s Amazing Grace, or something more extensive. It definitely looks great, the restoration is stellar, and it features some top notch talent. You don’t normally see teaser trailers for documentaries, but this is an interesting enough exception, considering the subject matter. It is one I’ve been looking forward to since I heard about it, and the trailer only gets me more excited.

Summer Of Soul will release in theaters and on Hulu on July 2nd.

The Djinn

Looks like a pretty straightforward horror film for the most part. I guess the only thing that sets this apart is that this one involves a little mute boy being terrorized by something demonic while on his own. I honestly missed the last jump scare before the title because I thought the dark figure behind the guy was a shadow or something. I am curious about one thing, though. The concept of the “djinn” is one that is rooted mostly in Islamic/Arabic mythology. I wonder if that spiritual aspect will play into the film because the trailer certainly doesn’t make it clear if any of the characters are Muslim or not. Either way, I do like supernatural horror, so I’ll be interested in seeing this when it hits.

The Djinn opens in select theaters and VOD platforms on May 14th.

Final Account

Way to end today’s Trailer Talk on a heavy note, huh. I like the conceit behind this. We constantly have this image of Nazi Germany thrown at us through media showing the soldiers, but we rarely get the perspective of the average people in Germany who simply got caught up in the regime, whether aware or unaware, of the atrocities that were happening under Hitler’s rule. I think there’s definitely a connection that can me made between this and what we’ve been experiencing in America over the last four years. I know that might seem like a stretch to some, but I would find it hard not to make the connection. Anyway, the narration isn’t doing the trailer any favors, but other than that, it looks solid.

Final Account hits theaters on May 21st.

Thoughts on any of the trailers? Feel free to discuss in the comments!