Gemini Man (2019), Clive Owen, Will Smith, Paramount Pictures
Starring Will Smith, Clive Owen, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Benedict Wong; Oscar-winning director Ang Lee’s latest is an action/drama/sci-fi movie about an over-the-hill hitman who faces off against a younger clone version of himself.
I’m always intrigued by movies where one actor plays two characters who have to interact with one another. How convincingly will the execution of the creative challenge be? I definitely hope the answer is excellent.
As for the actual storyline, I like the idea of facing off with a younger version of myself. Well, as long as it’s not a super-fit young me and a fifty-plus-year-old version of me. In fact, I think I’m more curious to find out how my opinions and attitudes will have changed.
Douglas Hodge, Ralph Brown, Theodora Miranne, Linda Emond, Tim Connolly and David Shae also star.
Following the ‘Special Look’ Aladdin trailer released just over a month ago, we now have the official trailer with plenty more story and the characters played by Will Smith, Naomi Scott, Mena Massoud and Billy Magnussen.
I’ll be honest, I’m happy to report that Smith is definitely looking less and less like a casting error. Who knew, besides the film-makers, of course?
Up until 1:47 minutes into this new trailer, I’d completely forgotten that Aladdin is actually a musical. I guess now I’m most looking forward to the visuals and the parts without singing. That’s unless this movie somehow manages to revert my lifelong aversion to musicals. You never know.
Kamil Lemieszewski, Numan Acar, Marwan Kenzari, Navid Negahban and Nasim Pedrad also star.
Starring Will Smith, Naomi Scott, Mena Massoud and Billy Magnussen, finally, the new Aladdin trailer shows us what will smith will look and sound like as the famous genie.
Overall, I like this trailer and my favourite moment in it is the sight of Naomi Scott as Jasmine. What I can’t deny though is my immediate reaction after seeing Smith as the the genie.
An undeniable sense that a massive miscasting may have taken place definitely came over me. However, I’ve decided to ignore that feeling and wait to see how the film actually is.
I of course wish that my reaction was undoubtedly positive and filled with excitement – both for the entirety of the trailer and afterwards. Nevertheless, who knows, perhaps I’ll look back and wonder what I was worried about in the first place, once I’m watching director Guy Ritchie’s movie. He is the man behind my favourite British film of all time after all, Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels(1998).
Numan Acar, Kamil Lemieszewski, Nasim Pedrad, Marwan Kenzari and Navid Negahban also star.
From directors Nick Bruno and Troy Quane, Spies In Disguise is the story of Lance and Walter.
Lance is a super cool charming spy, and Walter invents the impressive gadgets Lance uses. When an event happens, they must learn to rely on each other like never before. Why? In order to save the world, of course.
Will Smith, Tom Holland, Rashida Jones and Karen Gillan make up the key cast.
I definitely noticed the unflappable confidence on Lance Sterling’s face throughout this trailer.
I’ll see this one because of Smith and to find out if Sterling ever brakes a sweat, looks concerned or even a little scared.
Directed by David Ayer (End Of Watch (2012); and starring Will Smith, Joel Edgerton, Noomi Rapace and Edgar Ramirez, Brightis a buddy/cop movie set in a world where humans live alongside fantasy creatures. It’s also a film that isn’t quite all I wished it to be.
The issues I have with Bright start with the story. Perhaps the fact that fantasy and sci-fi are not my go-to genres has something to do with it, but I just didn’t fully buy into the world the story occupies. I’m not even sure that the truth of how Orcs, elves, fairies and humans came to co-exist in LA, let alone planet Earth, was properly explained.
Then there’s the fact that due to pacing and one or two other unfortunate factors, the movie did’t get particularly interesting for me until ‘the cop shooting’ that happens approximately forty minutes in. Even then, I still found myself thinking about how much more I enjoyed End Of Watch, especiallythe story and co-star chemistry.
I’m not saying that I think Bright is all bad – because if it were, I’d have stopped watching long before the end – the way I recently did with A Bad Mom’s Christmas (2017). The things I did enjoy about Ayer’s movie start with the vibrant graffiti in the opening sequence, followed by the impressive Orc prosthetics. Then there’s Noomi Rapace’s villain character, particularly the way she fought and dressed. Last but in no way least, I rather like how well Edgar Ramirez wore his elf/vampire look. I admit that it was a much greater highlight than expected.
A thought that entered my mind soon after I hit ‘play,’ ‘I bet Will Smith is super happy about not having to wear any Orc prosthetics or makeup. I know I would be‘. Who said that acting isn’t hard work?
Give Bright a chance if you’re curious enough. Or, you can always watch /re-watch End Of Watch instead, if not some other far better buddy/cop film.
