Okay, getting beyond that controversy (it’s only a controversy to the exceptionally noisy nerds who rule the internet and Sony‘s marketing team who would only use it to fuel more interest in the film), what did this new trailer show us that we didn’t know before about the Amazing Spider-Man?

Much of the footage was exactly what they showed us at San Diego Comic-Con last July, but there was a whole lot more that we’ve never seen yet peppered throughout the trailer. I’m going to focus on the revelations and questions that I found most interesting. If you find something that piqued your interest that I didn’t cover, feel free to comment below or contact me on Facebook or Twitter.

First, in case you haven’t seen it, the trailer…

• 0:08 – The trailer opens with the New York City skyline, just like the Avengers teaser that debuted this past Sunday. It’s no mistake that in Marvel Comics, Manhattan is as much a character as the people who put on the tights. It’s an establishing shot that tells the world that this is set in the most famous city in the world and it just happens to play host to arguably the most popular super hero in the world.
• 0:12 – Peter’s relationships are pretty quickly laid out. Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) is his girlfriend and there is more than a little tension between him and Gwen’s father, police chief Captain Stacy (Dennis O’Leary). And although the window scene appears to be at a time when Gwen doesn’t exactly know Peter’s secret identity, later scenes indicate that she figures it out well before the end of the film. Ben provides some voice-over and May looks concerned, but they appear to exist solely for the setup of a legend.
• 0:34 – A great comedic moment during the carjacking that shows us that Spider-Man is a funny guy. He doesn’t nervously quip. Spidey is meant to be boldly funny to the same degree that Peter is shy and reserved. And while we see a bit of his rapid-fire webwork very quickly in this scene, the footage from Comic-Con showed us how Spidey combines his goofy banter and trick-shot shenanigans. Later we see that a cop gets involved, showing us that Spidey needs to defend himself against an attack from the good guys as well. I am eager to see more of this scene because it seems to exemplify the funny and dangerous tension that exists in Peter’s life when the criminals are not as much of a problem for him as the police are, even though both he and the cop are trying to just do what they believe is right. And it all comes down to how Peter deals with those situations that makes him a hero despite the burden put upon him.
• 0:45 – Through flashbacks, we discover that Peter’s parents didn’t necessarily die as we once thought. They left with a very big secret hanging over their heads. It turns out that Dr Curt Connors, who works at Oscorp (Norman Osborn aka the Green Goblin‘s company), was friends with Peter’s father, Richard, who also worked there. Over the course of the film, for whatever reason, it appears that Peter’s inherited scientific genius leads to helping Dr Connors regain his lost arm through a serum that Peter creates, leading to the birth of the Lizard. This opens up all sorts of story possibilities that will likely lead us into Peter meeting and battling the Green Goblin in the next film. Smartly, the filmmakers are keeping with the foundation of the earlier films, in that it’s the relationships in Peter’s life, not Spider-Man’s that lead to conflict, both physical and emotional. This is where movies like the Green Lantern got it wrong.
• 1:08 – Ooh, that’s a fun little web down the sewers. I think he’s going to catch a Lizard. I like the fact that the strands are so taught, showing just how strong they are, even with Spidey perched atop them with literally zero sag from his weight.
• 1:16 – I’m still having problems with how digital the Lizard appears to be, even when it’s just his arm punching through the roof of a car. I realize it’s necessary and that a rubber suit would look much sillier, but to me, he still doesn’t seem to have any heft, any weight to him. I don’t doubt the fight scenes will look cool, but I need to see more to convince me that the Lizard isn’t more than a flat digital projection for Peter to punch. At least they made the Lizard’s alter-ego more than 2 dimensional, as I believe his personal connection to the Parker family will raise the stakes between the two characters. However, since the villain knows the identity of our hero (again), he’s likely going to die. Although it would be fun to see Osborn gather him up and lock him away along with a few other monstrous freaks, Sinister Six style, and unleash them on Spidey a few films from now.
• 1:21 – Back to the web shooters. Close up (see picture below), it definitely looks like Peter cobbled it together from pieces of available tech around the house. That is just one more thing that’s showing off his scientific genius. It looks like parts from a watch with some digital enhancements. Either way, it’s cool.
• 1:36 – Spider-Man unmasked! Don’t get too excited. It’s doubtful he’ll be exposed to the world. But, as you can see, he wastes no time taking down his captors, giving them little chance to see his face in the process. Plus, it gives the filmmakers a reason to show their actor’s face. As it is in almost every masked superhero film, the hero has to lose his mask in the battle, whether you’re watching the first Spider-Man or Iron Man. You don’t pay an actor all that money and then just hide his talent behind a mask when the audience is supposed to be identifying with him physically and emotionally. It’s hard to do that without seeing his eyes. It’s annoying to me, but necessary I guess.
• 1:52 – Black and white flashback to a spider in a glass case along with a voice-over from Dr Connors asking of Peter wants to know the truth. Does this mean that the source of Richard Parker’s older experiments were spiders? Could the very thing that gives Peter his powers early in the film be something his father created years ago? I’m guessing that we’ll be seeing papa Parker in the next film at some point, when it all comes out that the demands of Osborn and Richard Parker’s controversial experiments were the reason for Peter’s parents going away when they did.
• 2:10 – Spidey and the Lizard face off on top of the Oscorp building! ‘Nuff said!
• 2:17 – So what’s Peter doing by bringing down that tower on top of the Oscorp building? The Lizard was up there at some point, but he doesn’t appear to be there when Spidey clumsily brings it crashing down. And, it would appear to be a bit excessive as well, unless the Lizard was somehow way up on the tippy top of it.

Of course, all of that analysis only makes me more excited to see the film. It looks darker, sleeker, more mature than the previous films, which I loved as well, but I’m glad they’ve taken this in the direction they have. And I hope they ratchet up the villain threat level exponentially as the sequels roll out over the next decade. Spider-Man is a fun, thrilling character with whom we can all empathize. Put him in the right situations and you’ve got a great comic book and a great movie. And all the haters can now shut up. I don’t think anyone can deny that Andrew Garfield looks great in this role and if there is any weak point in this film to be judged WHEN WE ACTUALLY SEE IT, it won’t be him. If you’re still a cynic, nothing’s really going to break you, so don’t watch this next clip…

The Amazing Spider-Man swings into theaters July 3rd, 2012.

Again, this is NOT the trailer you saw during the Superbowl! This is that clip and a whole lot more! But if you need to see even more Avengers related stuff, go to facebook.com/avengers.

If your eyes aren’t fast enough to catch all of the goodness packed within, here are a few screen grabs from the trailer:

Anyway, my point is about the weirdness that took place the other day in New York City. New Yorkers rarely look up and hardly anything phases them. But when people started reporting that they saw 3 human figures flying just off the shore of the Big Apple, everyone took notice. The flying figures were actually a set of human-sized remote control planes, created as promotional project put together by the folks at ThinkModo, who specialize in buzzy viral marketing campaigns that are just a little bit strange. The first clip I have linked below shows how they did it…

Chronicle hits theaters this week, February 3rd, 2012.

Chronicle Trailer

Er… don’t answer that.

Well, whether you feel that strongly about such people or not, I suggest that instead of acting on such urges, it might be healthier to live vicariously through a guy named Frank. He has no money, no job, no love life, and he just got the news that he could be dying. He’s become more than a little unhinged. He’s also the main character in a new film by Bobcat Goldthwait. If you know who Goldthwait is and you think he’s just that tweaked, screeching guy from the Police Academy movies, think again. He’s actually spent a lot of time writing and directing a number of films over the years. His latest is God Bless America, which finds Frank with a thirst for righting all the wrongs in the world, starting with the little things. Speaking of little things, he picks up a sidekick/accomplice along the way, in the form of a 16 year old girl named Roxy, who believes that the best way to wipe away the bad in this world is with a few well-placed bullets to the head of those responsible for it all. This looks like it will be a fun dark comedy and an exercise in cathartic celluloid (or it would be if theaters weren’t totally digital nowadays).

Check out the RED BAND trailer below (“Red Band” means that the trailer is very uncensored and Rated R, i.e. not for kiddies).

God Bless America arrives in theaters (I swear to GOD, you better not talk in my screening!) May 11th, but you can also see it on Video On Demand starting April 6th.

There not many films that deserve a high definition upgrade, but when it comes to classics like To Kill a Mockingbird, there should be no hesitation. Universal has digitally remastered and fully restored the film for its 50th birthday, making it pristine both in picture and sound. They even through in 3 and a half hours of bonus material, including footage of the actor receiving his Oscar for best actor in To Kill a Mockingbird and his acceptance speech for the AFI Lifetime Achievement award. There are interviews with actress Mary Badham, who played Scout in the film, and recollections from his daughter at the Tribute to Gregory Peck that took place after he died in 2003. And if you’re a fan of Peck or Mockingbird, the feature length documentary, Fearful Symmetry, on the making of the film and a Conversation with Gregory Peck are not to be missed.

One other item that I have to mention that is not directly associated with the film itself is a feature on Universal’s efforts to restore their massive classic film library, improving both picture and sound quality, so that these treasures will not be lost to the ravages of time. From To Kill a Mockingbird to Dracula to Jaws and hundreds more, the caretakers of Universal’s film library go over the painstaking steps they take to keep these classics alive. I’m sure it’s going to appear on all of their Universal 100th Anniversary releases, but I’m mentioning it now as it’s the first I’ve seen it. If you’re a movie buff, especially when it comes to behind-the-scenes stuff and classic film preservation, this is definitely worth checking out.

Honestly, while quiet at times and riveting at others, this movie would probably bore some kids to death today, but it’s the type of movie schools should be showing students on those days that they decide to not teach (Too many kids are coming home with stories of seeing Cars 2 instead of learning something – no offense to Pixar). This is the type of film that would open their eyes to an era we hope is long gone, but should also be seen and understood so that it stays gone. And while there isn’t much on this DVD/Blu-Ray/Digital Copy combo set that adds to the educational aspect (yes, I know, even mentioning the educational impact makes it sound boring), it’s the film itself that needs to be seen by every man, woman, and child for that very reason. That said, I’m really not sure why the movie required a Digital Copy version, but I suppose it’s the thing to do these days. I just can’t imagine someone clutching their iPod on the bus to watch and rewatch To Kill a Mockingbird. However, if they have the means to digitally present it on their home big screen tv, then that’s definitely the better option. Mockingbird is meant to be savored in a big moviehouse with a packed audience of equally enthralled movie lovers. And, if possible, at home curled up on the couch with your family. This 50th Anniversary Edition goes a long way to making that possible, breathing new life into a still very relevant American classic for everyone to enjoy…

To Kill a Mockingbird is available online and in stores on January 31st from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

Doug, Scott, Luis Calderon, Mike Wellman, Joshua Dysart

To be clear, this should really be titled “Our Favorite Movies of 2011″ because this is hardly a definitive list of all movies released and we certainly can’t be the final word the best and the worst the year had to offer. So this is basically a bunch of favorite films from five very different guys with very different tastes in movies. And, admittedly, when this was recorded, we had not yet seen The Adventures of Tintin, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, War Horse, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, or The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. There’s a chance they might have made it onto our top 10 lists (especially after seeing Mission Impossible in IMAX) had we recorded later (but the holidays do get in the way, don’t they?).

I don’t think you’ll find a broader selection of favorite films on any other End of Year Best Of collection, nor as many loud, obnoxious opinions crammed into just over an hour’s discussion. This certainly won’t be the last time we get these guys together. We hope it’s as fun for you to listen to as it was for us to make it. Let us know what you think in the comments below, especially if you agree or disagree with our lists.

By the way, here’s a peek at one of our (okay, only Josh saw it) favorite movies of the year that very few people may have seen. We were so impressed by the trailer, we had to include it in the post. Yes, that man is fighting a deer in arial hand-to-hand combat…

With the Avengers, the Hobbit, the Dark Knight Rises, and Prometheus (all of them familiar prequels or sequels of sorts), it looks like there is no shortage to some amazingly huge movies coming out in the summer of 2012. If the Mayans were right about 2012 being the end of the world, it might be a good time to go out, because we might not get a better year at the movies than this…

Introducing the first trailer for Ridley Scott‘s apparent Alien pseudo-prequel(?), Prometheus, in theaters June 8th, 2012.

You can see it in even higher resolution on the Apple site here.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey arrives in theaters December 14, 2012.

Although, as we saw in the special footage they showed in front of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol last week, Bane’s voice is still incomprehensible. That has to be fixed by next summer.

Check out the full trailer for the Dark Knight Rises available online for the first time now, courtesy of ComingSoon.net!
The Dark Knight Rises in theaters July 20, 2012.

Who does he call when it gets too deep for him? Apparently, Bruce Willis in an El Camino.

Yes, Dwayne Johnson aka “the Rock” seems to be the go-to tough guy (and kid-friendly funny tough guy) you call in to supe-up up your sequel. He’s already appeared in Fast Five and he’s appearing in Journey (to the Center of the Earth) 2. Now he’s the 50-cal toting Roadblock in GI Joe: Retaliation. If nothing else can be said about this film, he certainly looks the part.

On GI Joe‘s latest trip to the big screen, it looks like they’re leaving the super exo-suits and mostly CGI character stuntwork behind them. Actually, it looks like they’re leaving most of GI Joe behind them, if the trailer is any indication. There’s a greater sense of realism to what’s happening in this new film. Stepping away from the rule from the classic 80s GI Joe cartoon series where no one ever died, it appears that most of the Joes get slaughtered by the US government at the beginning of the film, leaving Roadblock and a handful of attractive team members in fatigues to take back the Capitol from a Cobra Commander controlled President. Look fast and you’ll see Mr Scratchy-Voice standing next to the President, shiny helmet and all.

Oddly, this trailer makes me want to see this movie despite how poor the last one was. If they keep the cool kung-fu moments with Snakeyes and Stormshadow, amp up some somewhat realistic battle sequences, and actually put a coherent story throughout it that makes us care about these action figures, they could have a fun summer popcorn movie on their hands. You never know…