Wonka

Hmm…I don’t know. I think Paul King is a terrific director, he’s done incredibly well with the Paddington films, and this certainly looks beautifully staged and rendered, and whimsical in all the best ways. But…I’m still not sold on the idea of a Willy Wonka origin film. And it’s weird that we have this trailer for what appears to be a musical, but none of the music is featured in the trailer as a selling point. Very odd. Unless it’s actually not a musical, I’m not sure, but it sure looks like one. I’ll give it a chance because of everyone involved, but I’ll be a bit skeptical.

Wonka hits theaters on December 15th.

 

Napoleon

If there’s anyone who can direct a historical epic like this, it’s Ridley Scott. This looks fantastic, and I’m all in for whatever he has in store. Sadly, so few filmmakers get the opportunity to make stuff like this on this scale and with an adult audience in mind. Scott can be hit and miss sometimes, but when he hits, it’s a home run. I’m keeping my hopes up on this one.

Napoleon hits theaters on November 22nd.

 

The Nun II

I actually didn’t mind The Nun for the most part. I liked the gothic vibe, and it went to some wild places as it went along. This looks pretty decent too. I don’t know how all this connects at all to the overall narrative in the Conjuring timeline, but that ultimately doesn’t matter. As long as we get spooky vibes, I’m good.

The Nun II opens in theaters on September 8th.

 

Jules

Well, this certainly looks delightful. I love how this feels almost like an age reversal of what we’d usually see in these stories. It’s usually about a bunch of kids protecting an alien like in E.T., but here it’s a bunch of elderly people, and it puts a whole different spin on the dynamic between the leads and the people they’re hiding the secret from. I haven’t heard of this until the trailer, but it’s one I’ll keep my eye out for. Could be a pleasant surprise.

Jules will be released in theaters on August 11th.

 

Love At First Sight

Love At First Flight! Love At First Flight! It was right there! Come on! Anyways, this looks fine. At least, as far as these Netflix rom-coms go. Was wondering what the hook was until the midpoint, but I think it’s pretty solid as a way to get you into the story. I hope the narration isn’t a huge thing because it feels…off. The tone doesn’t seem to fit, and I’m worried it’ll end up being a bit of a crutch. I like Haley Lu Richardson, she’s such a talented actress that she can elevate even pretty basic material, so I hope this turns out good.

Love At First Sight premieres exclusively on Netflix on September 15th.

 

Lola

Now this looks really cool and really inventive. I was initially concerned about the visuals of the “present” of the film, done in black and white being compared to the actual archival footage, but as the trailer went along, it didn’t bother me as much. I dig the premise, and it looks like they’re able to do a lot with very little. I wonder if they actually incorporate the characters into archival footage, Forrest Gump style. I’m sure that would be easier to pull off these days, even on a smaller budget. Either way, I’m really intrigued by this.

Lola opens in select theaters and VOD platforms on August 4th.

 

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