'Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice' unveils a better preview at Comic-Con

After a leaked preview, Warner Bros. released the official teaser trailer for their superhero blockbuster, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. It's best to say that our first look at the much anticipated showdown between two of comics' most iconic heroes did not go over well with fans. 

During Comic-Con, Zach Snyder and the cast of the film arrived at Hall H with a new trailer for Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Featuring more superhero fighting action and first glimpses of Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, the clip debuted to a standing ovation from audiences. 

Fearing the actions of a god-like superhero left unchecked, Gotham City's own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis' most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill) at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it's ever known before. 

From the preview, it seems as though Superman is facing the results of his actions during the events of Man of Steel, from both sides: one from the U.S. Government and Batman. Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne and his alter-ego take center stage as he runs head-on into a cloud of smoke while Metropolis is damaged during Superman and Zod's fight and prepares to take his god-like counterpart. From turning on the Batsignal, Bruce has been retired as Batman for years (check the suit defaced with yellow spray paint? Joker Easter egg?) but ready to don the suit again.

Overall, this trailer is a lot better. It still leaves questions as to what Lex's ultimate plans are as the heroes go to war. Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman is in action, using her bracelet's to cause an explosion, and we see more of the super-fight with Superman and Batman facing off after the Man of Steel rips off the doors to the Batmobile. 

I might not be fully on board yet with the movie but I am interested more now. Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is expected in theaters March 25, 2016.

Ben Affleck to direct and star in a standalone Batman movie

It seems like the upcoming showdown between two of comics most iconic heroes won't be the only time we'll see Ben Affleck don the cape and cowl. The Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice star is planning to direct in star in a standalone Batman film.

Confirmed by Entertainment Weekly and first reported by Deadline, the actor-director will also co-write the film with Geoff Johns, the well-respected comics scribe and chief creative officer for DC Entertainment. According to reports, this solo film will take place after the events of Dawn of Justice and the tentpole film Justice League, which is set to unite DC's version of The Avengers with their slate of heroes. 

Johns has helped usher in success for Warner Bros. television's DC Comics Universe including Smallville, Arrow, The Flash, and the anticipated Supergirl. Affleck has done a great job when pulling double-duty including The Town and the Oscar-winning Best Film Argo. While I have faith in the Affleck-Johns team up and Ben in the director's chair, I still want to be impressed by Dawn of Justice before I go any further in believing in the DC Film Universe. 

'Terminator Genisys' proves the franchise is old but not obsolete

In case anyone has noticed, Hollywood seems to be going through a nostalgia phase right now by rebooting or retooling classic franchises from the seventies and eighties for a new generation to enjoy. While some directors wont let their franchises be tampered with (Thank you, Robert Zemeckis!), others are ready to be re-branded for a younger generation to enjoy and original fans to judge.

Terminator Genisys is the fifth installment in the Terminator film series where John Connor (Jason Clarke) launches a final offensive against Skynet in the year 2029. When he uncovers Skynet's time travel plot, he sends Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back in time to save his mother, Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke), in the year 1984. However, when Kyle reaches his destination, he learns everything is not how it is supposed to be.

While I wasn't born when the first Terminator film debuted  in 1984 but I've watched them all, including the god-awful Terminator Salvation. I will say that this movie is not as bad as that one was but I will say that it's...okay. Not a "So-awesome-I-have-to-see-it-again" but not "Why-did-I-waste-my-money-and-time-on-IMAX 3D" but just okay. The special effects were incredible , especially with the role that Jason Clarke played in the Hybrid Terminator (if you have seen that spoiler-worthy preview, you know what I'm talking about). As far as the actors, Jai Courtney could have been a lot better with his tough outside, soldier-in-love Kyle Reese. Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) did a respectable job as the new Sarah Connor but I still expected to see a dragon pop out somewhere.

I would say the best part would be the original Terminator himself, Arnold Schwarznegger. He brought the film back to what made the franchise work with the man in the machine. Although this sub-plot is more scene in the first two sequels, Arnold brought it back and it looked like he truly had fun with this role once again. Jokes about his age and the franchise, in connection, was entertaining to poke fun at, especially once the silver-haired Terminator arrived later on in the movie.

Overall, the movie lost a bit of power going towards the end but the climatic battle was worth it. This film does get bogged down in its complicated timeline and mythology. While this film had the opportunity to fix what Salvation left behind of the series with a good reboot akin to the new Star Trek films or resetting the time like X-Men: Days of Future Past, the film remains just...okay.

Still hilarious but 'Ted 2' was not needed.

Picking up shortly after the first film left off, Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) tied the knot with the gum-chewing townie Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth) while John (Mark Wahlberg) is depressed after breaking up with his wife (played by Mila Kunis in the first film). Within a year, the honeymoon phase is over and in order to save their marriage, the two decide to have a baby. However, this brings up a problem: Ted is a teddy bear, no matter how lifelike he looks. This leads to Ted fighting for his civil rights to be seen as more than just a teddy bear and he'll need his "thunder buddy for life" for this.  

Like it's predecessor, Ted 2 starts off the same way the first one ended: with a wedding and Patrick Stewart's epic narration. If you have watched the first film, you know MacFarlane's one-joke premise that was on display with the raunchy, bromantic adventures of an underachieving Boston idiot and his foulmouthed childhood toy. With their relationship being a sub-focus, it's the heart and soul of the film. The sequel once again walks the tightrope between clever and crass and it was close to do that until it got to the 10th or 11th semen gag. That knocked the movie off into the area of crass. The jokes near the end reminded me of my nerdy days in high school where porn, pot, and science fiction references were actually understood. 

Cameos from Liam Nesson (stealthily stealing a box of Trix), Tom Brady (who refused to provide a sperm sample stolen from him), Morgan Freeman's dry humored lawyer, and Flash Gordon himself, Sam Jones (still doing drugs) helped provide more hilarity. Amanda Seyfried's stoned counselor and John's new love interest was funny and the target for jabs towards Arizona State and her limited knowledge of pop culture (80's references galore in this film, especially with New York Comic-Con). Overall, MacFarlane's jokes can still have power behind them but some of them feel lazy. It might be time for give up the prankster routine and grow up a little

'Jurassic World' roars to the biggest worldwide opening of all time

When Steven Spielberg first opened the park for a test run with Jurassic Park in 1993, he added to his list of perfectly engineered popcorn movies that have withstood the test of time. With 1997's The Lost World, Spielberg had the task of building on what he started. Was it bigger with two T-Rexes? Yes. Better? Not really. Then, Spielberg passed the reigns to director Joe Johnston for 2001's Jurassic Park III, which was not that much better than its predecessor. The last 14 years has been enough time to take the 'Do Not Trespass' sign off the main gate and for Spielberg to trust his brain to revisit the tropical paradise-gone-wrong.

This weekend, The Park opened to a major turnout.

Twenty years after Richard Attenborough's John Hammond spared no expense and brought Alan Grant (Sam Neill) to the island of Isla Nublar to display his attempt at outsmarting Mother Nature, his park is finally opened. The park is a fully-operational, family-friendly destination with restaurants, Starbucks, and kids riding on docile triceratops. While Hammond's dream has become a reality, the crowd has grown bored. So, in order to bring them and newcomers to the island, the operators and scientist of Jurassic World return to the lab to genetically design a newer, scarier attraction: the Indominus Rex.

While the powers that be ready the beast for its debut, a pair of brothers (Ty Simpkins and Nick Robinson) arrive to spend time with their aunt, Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), the park's no-nonsense, work driven operations manager. Seeing her with a cell phone at the ready, heels, and severe bob, you know her character is in for a change once the disaster hits the fan. Playing off of her opposites-attract-style is Chris Pratt's (Guardians of the Galaxy) rugged and sarcastic Velociraptor trainer, Owen Grady.

If you've already seen the other films, you know these characters aren't given second or third dimensions. The dinosaurs are the main attraction. Director Colin Trevorrow (Safety Not Guaranteed) followed a similar formula that Spielberg used: throwing as many dinosaurs going wild and after unbeknownst visitors (the dinosaurs are just CGI this time). That's what will pull audiences in. Colin does not seem bothered by the challenge of focusing on the dinos and not the people, only bringing them into the limelight at certain times. It really looked like Trevorrow had fun directing this film and while I usually like characters with more dimensions to them, I didn't mind the distraction game that the director was playing. It made Jurassic World breathless summer entertainment. If you are busy focusing on character-building, you'll miss the velociraptor taking off someone's face of the I. Rex taking apart a tactical hunting party.

Seeing the dinosaurs rampage, eat unsuspecting tourists, and run as fast and furious like nitrous- fueled cars is what the audience wants. This makes Jurassic World a blockbuster. It's not a deep-thinking movie with life lessons learned by the characters before the credits roll. Although Pratt is the main star of the movie, he's just seen as the extra along with every other human in danger. There are many nods to the first film. Whether there is a lot or just enough is up to the audience. While it is not up to the level of the original, this is an entertaining installment to the franchise. The buffet-style helping of dino-mayhem is what makes Jurassic World the beautiful accomplishment of being the number one movie worldwide.

The Capitol is under siege in the first preview of 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2'

The first teaser trailer reveals a glimpse of The Rebellion against the Capitol. After the first official poster was released, featuring a beheaded statue of President Snow, followed by Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson revealing the first official photos from the final film of the franchise. 

The trailer begins with a moment of happiness and celebration in the midst of the war that is going on as we see Finnick (Sam Claflin) and Annie getting married. Despite this, Katniss (Lawrence) can't afford to be distracted and knows that words are not enough to stop the Capitol. "Nothing good is safe while Snow is alive," says Katniss. "Snow has to pay for what he has done."

But the Capitol leader is not going to go quietly. "Make no mistake...the game isn't over," he says with a grin. 

The rest of the preview shows the war intensifying as the warring districts rise up against the Capitol and bring the war to an end, one way or another. The last installment in the franchise based on Suzanne Collins' best-selling books depicts how Katniss Everdeen fully embraces becoming a leader of District 13 in an all-out rebellion to overthrow the Capitol. Lawrence joins returning actors Donald Sutherland (President Snow), Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mellark), Julianne Moore (President Alma Coin), and Liam Hemsworth (Gale Hawthorne). Franchise director Francis Lawrence helms the final film. 

"Ladies and Gentlemen," says Finnick, at the end of the trailer, "Welcome to the 76th Hunger Games."

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 will hit theaters November 20.

'San Andres' shakes California and rocks expectations

I've never been to Los Angeles or California at all. I've always wanted to go to San Diego or maybe San Francisco. I've seen how beautiful the beach and the cities are but I just don't think the West Coast is right for me. One thing that always worried me about being California is the earthquakes they have to deal with, mainly one that could be caused by an active San Andreas Fault. This would be known as The Big One. What better idea to base a summer disaster film off on?

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (Furious 7) stars as Ray Gaines, a Los Angeles Fire Department helicopter-rescue pilot, who loves his job but has put a strain on his personal life while he is in the midst of a divorce from his estranged wife, Emma (Carla Gugino, Watchmen). His daughter, Blake (Alexandra Daddario, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters), goes up to San Francisco with her mother's new boyfriend for the weekend as she prepares for college. When the San Andreas Fault becomes active, causing devastation to the city, Gaines must journey through the havoc to save his daughter. 

This seems to be a role that Johnson seems most comfortable in and born for. Coming out of the ensemble shadow of the last three Fast and Furious films and with his alpha male aura and invincibility, Dwayne Johnson showed that he could headline his own shock-and-awe, stunt-filled, action flick. He can save a girl trapped in a ravine or land a crashing helicopter with ease and a smile on his face and ready to get back to business. Like all disaster films, the main character has an unstable home life by facing divorce papers from his wife, a college-age daughter he dotes on, and dealing with past tragedy that only work seems to distract him from. Johnson completely embraces the hero role: a body carved out of stone but a haunted spirit. 

During the film and Gaines running around, saving people, Cal Tech seismologist (Paul Giamatti) delivers the bad news and seems to be the "earthquake whisperer" and keeps busy during the movie, mapping subterranean activity that could threaten the West Coast. The first domino of the impending apocalypse fell in Nevada, destroying the Hoover Dam and taking the life of his research partner. With the data saved, he learns that this is just the beginning and a major quake is coming through California. The rest of the cast does a solid job but one person I looked at with interested was Alexandra Daddario. After her stint in the two Percy Jackson films, this was her first mainstream adult film. I watched her in HBO's True Detective and was impressed with the depth she can bring to a character. While this is not her best work, I think the best is yet to come. Watch out for Daddario. 

If you have seen one disaster film, you have seen them all. This film is no exception. It essentially boils down to an estranged couple putting their differences aside to save the one link that connects them: their child, who handles her own and has a small romance blossom during the destruction with some British tourists. What makes the film work is not its plot but its long stretches of ruin to the cities of California. Skyscrapers are falling like Jenga towers. The Golden Gate Bridge is destroyed by a Tsunami and a cruise ship falls into a populated area like a giant bathtub toy. This film has no shortage of excitement.

Even though I have an issue of the overuse of CGI flash used for action scenes and prefer the old-school practical effects, especially after Mad Max: Fury Road, sometimes it is easy to overlook your disdain when the effects are done correctly. Between some of the groan and quiet human moments of the film, which aren't all bad because it pulls the story along for the hour and forty-eight minute length, San Andreas shows that good effects can help as well. While it's not a great film, the fakery taps into an important fact: don't underestimate the power of our planet.