With this trailer for the biopic of James Brown, you get two visions. One is the great recreation of the singer's music and some good casting choices, particularly with rising star Chadwick Boseman in the lead role with what looks like a stellar performance. But the other way that the film can be seen is clichéd, with a parental figure leaving and returning when their child least expects it, and a brief temper tantrum which'll happen in the second act. It may be a true story, but it's no different to anyone else's - but that's not to say I won't give it the benefit of the doubt.
Mr Turner
Another biopic, this time with all manners of acclaim following the Cannes film festival the previous week, primarily directed towards Timothy Spall. I sadly can't really see all the acclaim within the trailer, with its cheesy accents and similarly clichéd moments of critique and acceptance - much like the trailer of Get On Up. But it looks as though Spall is very deserving of his accolades from Cannes, with his somewhat lovable grumpiness stealing every scene he's in. A possible viewing.
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Now here's a trailer which surprised me. I had little knowledge of the film's existence or if it would even be good, following past British teen spy flops like 2006's Stormbreaker, but its sudden publicity promotions have brought it up to the top of public interest and has certainly done right. Whilst it does borrow some aspects from other teen films like Ender's Game and The Hunger Games with its gruelling training sessions, its award-winning cast, large spectacle direction and humour does bring it above all of those with its original story for what could be a big hit. Think James Bond meets Attack the Block.
Big Hero 6
Based on the little known Marvel Comics series, there is evidence that Disney are being faithful to the source material through the musical choices made to accompany this short teaser, which likely won't make the final film in the same sense as Frozen's teaser a year prior. But there's something more here which was lacking with Frozen's tease, and that's the scale of it all. Rather than a simple cat-and-mouse match between the two characters, it builds up a huge creation which takes hold of the main story. Add a little humour with the lovable marshmallow-like robot and the end scene, and it does give out appeal. However, there is little indication to the Asian roots of the actual story, with the protagonist having too similar a design to past Disney successes Tangled and Frozen. But who knows, Disney may surprise once again.
This is Where I Leave You
This trailer seems to stick to me, and I don't know why. It's clichéd and features mainly former or current television stars like Tina Fay and Jason Bateman, and is rather predictable, but it's humourous and has heart, particularly towards Bateman. I doubt many will see it going by its nature, but it may be a worth a look in.
Annie
Whilst I did have a chuckle at the Batman jokes in this new trailer, it's hard to say that I'd want to see this musical remake. It's clear that Jamie Foxx and Quvenzhané Wallis are giving their all in this film, but it has some otherwise poor humour and pacing, with a rather lacklustre song choice which likely features in the final film. Add a rather gruelling performance by Cameron Diaz (and not in a good way) and that scene (you know what I mean), and it's a probable miss.
What If
This film falls in the same ball park as This is Where I Leave You, with a predictable nature and clichéd format, but excels in the humour department and looks to be a great rebrand for Daniel Radcliffe post-Potter, following the critically successful Kill Your Darlings and box office hit The Woman in Black. It has warmth to it, and is possibly the most surprising film on this list that I have actual interest in. This has quickly gone to the top of my radar.
Kill the Messenger
First Radcliffe, now Jeremy Renner. In another attempt to head his own film outside ensemble pieces (American Hustle and The Avengers being key examples) following The Blind Side and The Bourne Legacy, here he's once again aiming for the award crowd. It does look appealing going by his strong performance and storyline, but it does give off the idea that it could be a dull film for reasons unknown. More trailers may help, but at the moment it's rather critical that it's presented in a positive light.
Book of Life
The animators of 2013's box office flop Free Birds returns with Guillermo del Toro at the helm of producing, as they attempt to make a splash in the overcrowded animation arena. This is a rather mixed film in my opinion. On one hand, you have a great rendition of the classic Romeo and Juliet story and a good casting selection, but the animation and design is either brilliant or poor, whilst it features some stale comedy and little understanding of what it wants to focus on. Is it the kids at the start, is it the God-like creatures in the bet, is it Diego Luna's character? It's likely the latter, but may fall prey to the same fault which did bring the critically successful Grand Budapest Hotel a little lower in my personal rating. It's clear where del Toro marked his expertise, but it's possible that not even he can save this picture.
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