Trailer Tuesday: Looper

One film that's been making waves at the Toronto International Film Festival this past week is Looper: the ambitious time-hopping sci-fi, starring Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. From visionary writer/director, Rian Johnson, Looper looks set to thrill with its no-holds-barred high concepts and wiz-bang action set pieces, all the while walking the very thin tight rope that is making time travel work. Here's the surprisingly detailed synopsis, from Wikipedia:

"In a futuristic gangland in the year 2044, a 25-year-old assassin named Joseph Simmons (Gordon-Levitt) works for a mafia company in Kansas City as a "Looper." Loopers kill and dispose of agents sent by their employers from corporate headquarters in Shanghai from the year 2074. Loopers are foot soldiers, paid on the condition that all targets must never escape. When Simmons recognizes his target as a future version of himself (Willis), his older self escapes after incapacitating him. The failure of his job causes his employers to come after him, forcing him to fight for his life as he hunts his older self" - Wikipedia

And now the pretty darn impressive trailer: 



Breakdown:

• 0:19 - "I don't want to talk about time travel" -- are we getting a tongue-in-cheek, direct reference to how difficult time travel is to explain and how Looper's going to potentially side step that? Meta nod + cut the crap = awesome.
• 0:24 - Yes, it is hard to believe that this is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, what with all the digital refiguring of his face to look like a younger Willis. Ah, Technology, will your limits ever be reached?
• 1:01 - English actress Emily Blunt co-stars as Sara, Simmon's love interest it seems.
• 1:04 - The tone of the city is said to be a mix of futuristic and retro themes, particularly focusing on a 1940s and 50s vibe with architecture, clothing and even the "gangster lifestyle".
• 1:21 - Hell yeah; The Newsroom star, Jeff Daniels portrays what looks like the Looper leader.
• 1:35 - Spin shots, motion runs -- Johnson's directional style will certainly be present.
• 2:09 - Perhaps time travel isn't the only Sci-Fi trope we'll be seeing as telekinesis and other physics-bending abilities come into play.
• 2:12 - Oh and Burlesque. Very physics-bendy. Well, bendy at least.
• 2:24 - The flashy title card is a refreshing break from the looming, solid metal fonts of the big-budget blockbusters of late, presenting a slight indie feel to this one (hence its place at opening TIIF).

And you don't even have to wait long for what is already being described as "this generation's Matrix", as it releases 28th of September. Originality, talent and a hell of a lot of potential; definitely one not to be missed. 

ATR

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Trailer Tuesday: Doctor Who: Season 6 Part 2

Another trailer from Comic-Con, was the preview of the next half of Doctor Who Season 6. Expect terrifying monsters, twisty plot lines and David Walliams as a small alien with no hair and pointy ears.

Anyone for a breakdown?

• 0:02 - Since when can Rory ride a motorbike?
• 0:04 - The Doctor appears to be wearing a proper suit, top hat included (No Fez?!) in front of a swastika.  Confused yet?
• 0:07 - The number 11. Not only my favourite number, but the incarnation of the Doctor that Matt Smith is, hence the "My time is running out" over the top of it. Don't panic though, Matt is still playing the Doctor next season too.
• 0:08 - Who is Winston Churchill holding a gun to? The Doctor? Hitler? James Corden?
• 0:09 - Speak of the devil; here comes that lovable mass of a man running down a changing room corridor. Looks like we'll be seeing a return of his character, Craig Owens.
• 0:10 - And here's David Walliams' aforementioned alien, called Gibbis, a spooky new creature appearing in the Toby Whitehouse (Being Human) written episode, God Complex.
• 0:11 - And another guest star this series, Daniel Mays (Outcasts, Ashes to Ashes), who'll be in a Mark Gatiss (Sherlock) episode, entitled Night Terrors.
• 0:11 - Madame Kovarian also returns...
• 0:13 - What is this the eye of? Dalek? Silence? James Corden?
• 0:15 - WTF?! Middle aged Amy? In futuristic armour? When is this going to happen?
• 0:16 - A snippet from the much anticipated episode "Lets Kill Hitler", where apparently the Doctor and co do quite the opposite. "Oh FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU"
• 0:19 - An odd exchange between Doctor and Corden, involving some homosexual interactions. Didn't see that coming, did you?
• 0:22 - Amy in wonderland.
• 0:23 - A quick shot of what looks to be a darker and grimier take on the Starship Enterprise cockpit.
• 0:25 - At least now we know how the Doctor gets to Hitler. Smashing through the window.
• 0:26 - River. Is. Madame. Kovarian? WHAT!? Actually, there was always a slight resemblance there...
• 0:28-0:33 - The Silence. Cybermen. Weeping Angels. Creepy Dolls. Robots. Ugly Viking playing chess. And a close up on a Minatour. Anything else?
• 0:33-0:35 - Followed by smashing. Lots of smashing.
• 0:36 - Rory punches Hitler! FRIDGE YEAH!
• 0:37 - Amy fights robots with swords and sticks! FRIDGE YE-HEAH!
• 0:38 - David Walliams/Gibbis hides in a closet! FRIDGE YE-oh wait, that's not that exciting.
• 0:40 - SLOW DOWN! IT'S GOING TOO FAST! From what I could gather here, dudes shoot Silence, one guy teleports, the Doctor pulls Daniel Mays away from something, a Minotaur runs down a corridor and Cybermen heads blow up. Phew.
• 0:46 - So who is in the astronaut suit? That little girl? The Doctor himself? James Corden?
• 0:52 - Answers will come, en masse I suppose. Looks like all these over arching plot lines should be tied up by the end of this, which makes you wonder, "How the fridge are they going to do that?".

So. Many. Questions? Why is there a Minotaur, why are the Cybermen there, will they kill Hitler, what's the deal with River, why was Amy aged, will there be a Fez, who is Daniel Mays, how does the Doctor not die, how does Gibbis play into it and most importantly, is the Doctor gay with James Corden? It'll all be revealed, this Autumn. Can't wait.