Okay, let me get this out of the way. I’m not a huge fan “The Matrix” franchise. I liked the first film but don’t hold it up as a classic the way many do. The second was a movie of three absolutely breathtaking action sequences and not much else. The third installment was a mess and I don’t remember a thing about it. Now eighteen years later they’ve decided to make a fourth film. It begs the question, do they actually have a meaningful story to tell that makes it worth reviving the franchise or is this a quick and easy cash grab?

Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Jada Pinkett Smith all step back into their leather-clad action roles. Joining them are new faces Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jonathan Groff, Daniel Bernhardt, Neil Patrick Harris, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Christina Ricci. After several days of Warner Brothers hype, the first trailer dropped today and it shows a lot of snappy images and stylish combat. But the Wachowskis have always be able to do that. It’s their storytelling that has sunk so many of their movies. How will this one turn out? We’ll find out soon.

“The Matrix Resurrections” opens December 22nd in theaters and on HBO Max. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

California native Mike Mills returns with his first directed film since 2016’s “20th Century Women”. His latest is “C’mon C’mon”, an A24 production that just had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival. The film sees Joaquin Phoenix plowing some fascinating new ground and taking a break from such dark and intense movies as “Joker” and “You Were Never Really There”. The first trailer looks great and hit me right in the feels.

Shot in exquisite black-and-white, our brief 1 minute 26 second peer into Mills’ new film sees Phoenix’s character reading a book to his nephew. As he reads we’re treated to a collage of images speaking to the young boy’s life and the relationship he forms with his uncle. There’s an incredibly tender thread that runs through the entire thing. If the movie as a whole has the same heartfelt connection I can see it resonating with me in a big way. Can’t wait to find out.

“C’mon C’mon” is still listed as coming soon, but it should release later this year. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Today Netflix dropped the trailer for their upcoming tight-knight thriller “The Guilty”. The movie is actually a remake of a terrific 2018 Danish film of the same name from director and co-writer Gustav Möller. This American version is helmed by Anthony Fuqua (“Training Day”, “The Equalizer”) and stars Jake Gyllenhaal. It features an interesting supporting cast that includes Ethan Hawke, Paul Dano, Riley Keough and Peter Sarsgaard.

Seeing those names attached is intriguing considering the movie takes place entirely in a 911 dispatch center and focuses on a single emergency operator (Gyllenhaal). The story unfolds after the operator takes the call from a girl believed to be abducted. Over the film’s tense 90 minutes the operator tries to piece together the mystery and save the girl with only fragments of information. I’m not sure if we needed an American remake, but I enjoyed Möller’s film enough to give this one a try. And with a cast like that…

“The Guilty” premieres in select theaters September 24th and on Netflix October 1st. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Focus Features dropped the first trailer for their upcoming drama which could be a legitimate player come awards season. “Belfast” is written and directed by Kenneth Branagh who calls this the “most personal” film is his career. It had its world premiere yesterday at the Telluride Film Festival and now sets its eyes on a November theater release. Judging by the first trailer, we may have something pretty special to look forward to.

“Belfast” is set in Northern Ireland during the tumultuous late-1960s. It follows a young boy named Buddy (Jude Hill) who watches the unrest in his city unfold before his eyes. Meanwhile his parents (played by Jamie Dornan and Caitríona Balfe) must decide whether to leave Belfast or stay as the violence and chaos festers. The film also stars Judy Dench, Ciarán Hinds and Lara McDonnell. The trailer is full of sparkling images and has an emotional tug that I wasn’t expecting. I’m really excited for this and it will be interesting to see if Branagh has an Oscar contender on his hands.

“Belfest” lands in theaters November 12th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

The upcoming action-comedy-thriller “Red Notice” sees streaming giant Netflix pouring in more money on one film than at any time in their company’s history. This big sprawling blockbuster comes from writer-director Rawson Marshall Thurber and stars the high-profile trio of Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, and Ryan Reynolds. Netflix hasn’t told us much about their Fall tentpole, but they have finally dropped the first trailer.

“Red Notice” sees the beefy Johnson playing the FBI’s top profiler who is on the trail of two rival criminals (Gadot and Reynolds). At first the three are at odds, but the trailer teases a potential partnership that should lead to a healthy platter of action and comedy. There’s still a lot we don’t know about this movie, but this first bite is pretty tasty. It could be a fun big-budget distraction and right in the middle of the super-serious awards season. Sounds good to me.

“Red Notice” premieres November 12th on Netflix. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

It’s hard not to be excited about a movie with names like Martin Scorsese, Paul Schrader, Oscar Isaac and Willem Dafoe attached. It’s Schrader’s first film since his stellar “First Reformed” and the trailers have looked pretty great. Now Focus Features has given us some terrific new posters for their upcoming crime drama that has all the ingredients to be something special.

DIRECTOR – Paul Schrader

WRITER – Paul Schrader

STARRING – Oscar Isaac, Willem Dafoe, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan

RELEASE – September 10, 2021