Author: Megan Williams

The Lighthouse: Trailer Talk. By Megan Williams.

A24 have had an amazing catalogue when it comes to distributing films and what films they pick. Unique and, often weird, films have been pushed into the limelight because of them. Films which otherwise probably wouldn’t have had the same attention if it were another studio, and their latest release is no exception when it comes to gaining buzz.

‘The Lighthouse’ stars Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson as two lighthouse keepers in a remote island off New England in the 1890’s. The film shines a light on their life working in this environment.

As you’d imagine from that era and environment, the film looks extremely eerie and isolating. Both actors are fantastic and I respect Robert Pattinson purely because of the interesting film choices he makes. I think the different styles of acting will blend together beautifully. The decision to shoot in black and white makes this look dark and haunting,  further adding to the eeriness.

This film has quickly crept up on my radar, and I’m glad it has; I’m definitely looking to seeing what this nightmarish-looking film has to offer.

‘The Lighthouse’ is in cinemas 18^th October 2019.

A24 is an American independententertainment company founded on August 20, 2012, by Daniel Katz, David Fenkel, and John Hodges and based in New York City. It specializes in film distribution, and film and television production.

As of 2019, the company has received a total of 25 Academy Award nominations. In 2016, films distributed by A24 won Academy Awards for Best Actress (Brie Larson in Room), Best Documentary Feature (Amy), and Best Visual Effects (Ex Machina). In 2017, Moonlight won the Academy Award for Best Picture (the first such award for the company), Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali). A24’s television division released The Carmichael Showand Euphoria.

Trailer Talk: Gretel and Hansel. By Megan Williams

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realised that a lot of fairy tales and folklore are disturbing; they carry a message through harsh storytelling.

But one tale that I immediately recognised as disturbing was ‘Hansel and Gretel’, and thought it would fit perfectly in the horror film genre. Well…

‘Gretel and Hansel’ is a horror film directed by Oz Perkins (‘I am the pretty thing that lives in the house’) and tells the story of two children who wander too far into the woods and find a lonesome house that belongs to someone evil.

A Western adaptation has rarely been made, and I’m surprised at how long it’s taken to be considered. The trailer is creepy and intriguing, and doesn’t give viewers too much information. In this case this is a positive, especially considering how well-known the fairy tale is.

The imagery is disturbing and, at times, a little gross. However, this is definitely a horror film that I will be seeing. 

The film is in cinemas 31^st January 2020.

“Hansel and Gretel” (/ˈhænsəl, ˈhɛn- … ˈɡrɛtəl/; also known as “Hansel and Grettel”, “Hansel and Grethel”, or “Little Brother and Little Sister”; German: Hänsel und Gret(h)el^[a][ˈhɛnzl̩ ʔʊnt ˈɡʁeːtl̩]) is a well-known German fairy tale recorded by the Brothers Grimm and published in 1812. Hansel and Gretel are a young brother and sister kidnapped by a cannibalistic witch living in a forest in a house constructed of cake, confectionery, candy, and many more treats. The two children escape with their lives by outwitting her. The tale has been adapted to various media, most notably the opera Hänsel und Gretel (1893) by Engelbert Humperdinck. “Hansel and Gretel” is classified under Class 327А of the Aarne–Thompson classification system.

Last Christmas: Trailer Talk. By Megan Williams.

Trailers are supposed to act as a preview of the film it’s promoting. The best trailers are the short ones that give viewers the least amount of plot information. However, most trailers don’t follow this advice, and the one for ‘Last Christmas’ is no exception.

‘Last Christmas’ stars Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) as Kate, a department store worker who seems to be constantly hit with bad luck. However, after she meets Tom, her life looks as if it’ll take a turn for the better.

Trailer editors, take note: this is how you don’t edit them! I’m going to be honest with all of you: I had to look up the plot because I didn’t know what was going on. While I like mysterious trailers, I like them when they are only 1-2 minutes long…this one was nearly 4 minutes! While I like Emilia Clarke, I have not been convinced to see this after watching the jumbled mess of a trailer.

Moviegoers tend to complain about trailers showing the whole film, but this one is a prime example of that complaint. How a trailer can show its whole film, as well as be extremely confusing at the same time is impressive.

‘Last Christmas’ is in cinemas 8^th November 2019.

Charlie’s Angels (2019): Trailer Talk. By Megan Williams

The film industry is never one to shy away from remakes, and ‘Charlie’s Angels’ is no exception. In this remake of a remake (the previous remake was released in 2003), the Angels, a group of female private detectives, are tasked with solving a crime by the mysterious Charlie.

After ‘Atomic Blonde’, I am ready to see more female spy/detective characters, so this is very welcoming, despite this being a reboot/remake. And, to top it off, it looks like a lot of fun!

The Angels this time are played by Kristen Stewart (American Ultra), Naomi Scott (Aladdin), Elizabeth Banks (Power Rangers). I love all of these actresses: they bring a different style of acting to the screen and they look as if they’ll have great chemistry onscreen.

Therefore, as a group, they’ll bring something new and unique to the franchise that has been redone a few times. The action sequences also look entertaining, and it looks funny.

It’s time for more female action protagonists so, despite this being a remake of a remake, I  welcome this film with open arms.

‘Charlie’s Angels’ is in cinemas 29^th November 2019.

Charlie’s Angels is an upcoming American action comedy film directed by Elizabeth Banks, who also wrote the screenplay, from a story by Evan Spiliotopoulos and David Auburn. It is the third installment in the series which is a continuation of the story that began with the television series of the same name by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and the theatrical films…

The film stars Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska as the titular characters and is scheduled to be released on November 15, 2019, by Sony Pictures Releasing.

The Angels have always provided security and investigative skills to private clients. Now the Townsend Agency has expanded internationally with the smartest and most highly-trained women from all over the globe: multiple teams of Angels guided by multiple Bosleys, completing the toughest missions around the world. When a young systems engineer blows the whistle on a dangerous technology, these Angels are called into action, putting their lives on the line to protect us all.

Trailer Talk: Honey Boy. By Megan Williams.

I’ve never been that keen on the Biopic genre; while the subject matter may be interesting, the execution has always been dull in my opinion. If you’re going to make a biopic, make it interesting and entertaining…Enter ‘Honey Boy’.

‘Honey Boy’ is a biopic of Shia LaBeouf (Even Steven’s, Transformers) starring Noah Jupe (A Quiet Place) and Lucas Hedges (Boy Erased) as Otis Lort, and Shia LaBeouf as his own father. 

What’s interested me the most about this is the quirky execution of it. The trailer gives moviegoers a glimpse into his suburban life, as well as the dream-like sets of his movies and acting. With someone as crazy as Shia being the lead writer, this means that moviegoers are in for a wild ride. 

I am a fan of Shia LaBeouf’s work; I think he’s a brilliant actor who, by now, seems to be in on the joke regarding his somewhat strange behaviour and antics. And, judging from this, this will be a unique journey that I can not wait for.

‘Honey Boy’ is in cinemas 8^th November 2019.

Shia LaBeouf based the script on his own life, with his character being based on his own father, and the title comes from his childhood nickname. LaBeouf wrote the script as a part of his rehabilitation program.

In March 2018, it was announced that Lucas Hedges and LaBeouf had joined the cast of the film, with Alma Har’el directing from a screenplay written by LaBeouf. Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Christopher Leggett will produce the film under their Automatik, Stay Gold Features and Delirio Films banners, respectively.

Fred Berger will serve as an executive producer. LaBeouf had shared the screenplay with Har’el, a friend and creative collaborator, who decided that she wanted to direct it.^[4] In April 2018, Noah Jupe joined the cast of the film. In May 2018, Clifton Collins Jr., Maika Monroe, Natasha Lyonne, Martin Starr, Byron Bowers and Laura San Giacomo joined the cast of the film. In June 2018, it was announced FKA Twigs had joined the cast of the film.^[9]