Trailer Trashin’: Super Bowl 50 Movie Spots

Another Super Bowl has come and gone, dear readers. Congratulations to the Denver Broncos on their victory, and my sympathies to the Carolina Panthers. And just like every year, the Big Game brought us a fine crop of TV spots for upcoming movies. There were eleven Super Bowl 50 movie spots, and in this roundup edition of Trailer Trashin’, I’ll be giving you my quick takes of some of the big ones.

Deadpool

Premise: In an effort to cure his cancer, former special forces operative Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) was subjected to an experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, disfigured skin, an unstable mind, and a dark, twisted sense of humor. Armed with new abilities and a new identity as “Deadpool,” Wilson hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life.

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My take:  I am really freaking excited about Deadpool. Fox has done a great job marketing this film, and this spot is the perfect way to cap off their promo campaign. It’s got cool action shots, funny jokes, and our red-suited antihero breaking the fourth wall, exactly what I want to see for this character. My favorite moment is the slow-motion shot of Deadpool tossing one of his swords into the spokes of a motorcycle’s front wheel, sending the unfortunate rider helmet-first into the road. I definitely plan to see this one as soon as I can.

ANTICIPATION: Now is movie time, movie time, popcorn, popcorn, popcorn!

Captain America: Civil War

Premise: One year after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, another international incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, prompting politicians to form a system of accountability and a governing body to determine when to call in the Avengers, which results in the fracturing of the team into two opposing factions – one led by Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) who wishes to operate without regulation, and the other led by Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) who supports government oversight – while they attempt to protect the world from a new enemy.

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My take: The first trailer for Captain America: Civil War was great, and this spot does a good job of whetting our appetites for more. There’s not a ton of new footage, but a few moments stand out. My favorite is probably Tony’s watch that turns into a partial Iron Man glove, which he uses to stop Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) from shooting him. I also love that last shot before the title card, showing the two teams of heroes facing off with each other, and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) glancing at Iron Man with a “Do we really want to do this?” expression. And that “United we stand, divided we fall” chant underscoring the whole thing is really cool. This looks like a great way to kick off this year’s summer movie season, and definitely one on my must-see list.

ANTICIPATION: Moviegoers, assemble!

X-Men: Apocalypse

Premise: Since ancient times, the first and most powerful mutant, the immortal and invincible Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac), has been worshipped as a god. When he awakens after several millennia, Apocalypse is disillusioned with the modern world and recruits a team of mutants to “cleanse” humanity and create a new world order, forcing Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) and Charles Xavier/Professor X (James McAvoy) to lead a team of young X-Men to save humanity.

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My take: While some people found the first trailer for X-Men: Apocalypse to be underwhelming, I liked it, and I like this spot, too, even though it doesn’t show us much new footage. My favorite moment is definitely the shot of Psylocke (Olivia Munn) flipping through the air and slicing the car in half. That looks straight out of a comic book splash page. And for anyone who’s wondering, the song in this spot is a cover of Coldplay’s “Don’t Panic,” sung by Clarity. My only issue is that we’re seeing so much of Mystique looking like Jennifer Lawrence instead of her blue scaly self. But that quibble aside, I’m definitely looking forward to this one.

ANTICIPATION: This year, we are watching the apocalypse!

Independence Day: Resurgence

Premise: Twenty years after the War of 1996, the international community recovers and the United Nations creates the Earth Space Defense (ESD), a united global defense program that serves as Earth’s early warning system and the main defense force using technology salvaged from remains of the alien forces, with some military forces assembled on the Moon. However, the aliens were able to send a distress signal to their other battalions before their final defeat while others went into hiding elsewhere around the world. The aliens in deep space receive the signal and send a larger battle fleet, threatening the human race once more.

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My take: I unabashedly love Independence Day (1996). For me, it’s a perfect example of the fun, entertaining popcorn movie, and watching it in a double feature with Jaws (1975) has been a Fourth of July tradition for me for over a decade. But I feel it works perfectly as a standalone story, and did not need any kind of continuation. That said, what we’ve seen so far of this sequel does look cool, but I’m worried it’ll end up falling into the sequel trap of just being “the same thing, but bigger.” I’m kind of interested in seeing it, but it’s firmly on the “maybe” list for now.

ANTICIPATION: I’m not sure if I should declare my independence from seeing this movie.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

Premise: The Turtles come into conflict with T.C.R.I. scientist Dr. Baxter Stockman (Tyler Perry), the Foot Clan, and the return of the their enemy The Shredder (Brian Tee), who has hired Stockman to create mutants of his own in the form of Bebop (Gary Anthony Williams) and Rocksteady (Stephen “Sheamus” Farrelly). Meanwhile, an invasion above New York City is led by the Dimension X inhabitant known as Krang. The Turtles are joined in the fight by their human friends April O’Neil (Megan Fox), Vern Fenwick (Will Arnett), and the vigilante Casey Jones (Stephen Amell).

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My take: In the interest of full disclosure, I have not seen Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014). I was a big Ninja Turtles fan as a kid, and I had been slightly interested in seeing it, but the huge amount of negative reviews ultimately kept me away. And the part of me that grew up watching the 1980s cartoon loves seeing characters like Bebop, Rocksteady, and Krang in live action. Depending on how it’s reviewed, I might check this one out when it drops in June.

ANTICIPATION: Turtle…Power?

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Timothy Monforton

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