Steven Spielberg is back directing a big budget action adventure film for the first time since the unfortunate 4th Indiana Jones film. I have some thoughts and feelings about that. This is Film & TV Friday.
News
The Return of the Spielberg
Steven Spielberg defined blockbuster films with Jaws, science fiction with Close Encounters and E.T, and action adventure with the Indiana Jones films. In Jurassic Park he set a new bar for the combination of effects and story, and the UI in Minority Report has had a profound effect on the tech we use today. But it's been a LONG time since he was the king of action adventure. In fact, one could argue that his last great live action adventure film was the first Jurassic Park film, and that was 25 years ago. He's made a bunch of good to great films since, but not the kind that made him famous.
I have a complicated relationship with Ready Player One. I was the Hebrew translator for the book, and I can honestly say it was the most difficult translation gig I ever had. People seem to like the translation, and I super appreciate that, but it damn near broke my brain.
All that said? I'm not going to watch this film in the theater. I have decided to wait for the much lower stakes proposition of watching at home, when it's out on digital release.
Legion's BACK!
All I want for Passover is for the second season of Legion to be as good as season 1 or better.
Wide Release Films Opening This Weekend:
| Film | # of Theaters |
|---|---|
| Ready Player One | 4,234 |
| Tyler Perry's Acrimony | 2,006 |
| God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness | 1,693 |
| Source: BoxOfficeMojo |
This weekend is all about RP1, about which I care too much and not enough and it's complicated, as seen in the previous section.
TV Show Premieres This Week
| Show | Season | Country | Network or Service | Day | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus Christ Superstar Live | TV Movie | US | NBC | Sunday | 8PM EST |
| The Crossing | 1 | US | ABC | Monday | 8 PM EST |
| Legion | 2 | US | FX | Tuesday | 10PM EST |
| The Last O.G. | 1 | US | TBS | Tuesday | 10:30PM EST |
| Troy: Fall of a City | 1 | Worldwide | Netflix | Friday | 3AM EST |
| Source: The Futon Critic |
After last week's flood of new and returning shows, this week's a little thin. But I'm intrigued by all of it. Even The Crossing, which sounds like a two bit Lost, is at least potentially interesting. And a new sitcom from Jordan Peele with Tiffany Haddish and Tracy Morgan? Definitely gonna check that out. John Legend starring in JCS? Brilliant casting.
Trailers
Interesting bunch this week. Let's take a look.
The House with a Clock in its Walls Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeF_5qo00Uw So... Eli Roth made a horror movie for kids? This has a pretty great cast, but... hard pass.
The Darkest Minds Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olb97DDMitk This is a YA adaptation, and an Amandla Stenberg vehicle, and it is not really for me, middle aged dude that I am, but... it looks like it may be fun?
Terminal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18RqtFuaNe8 Last week, the teaser trailer left me intrigued. Now? I am fascinated. This could well be terrible, but if it's good? It could be really good.
First Reformed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ6xeRGCcLs Well, this looks really good, and really, really, really bleak. I like good things. I tend to avoid bleak things (because life is bleak enough). I'll wait for reviews to see which of the two is stronger.
Do you plan to watch RP1? Looking forward to Legion's return?
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