Links and Updates

The coronavirus has reached the South Island of New Zealand with (so far) one confirmed case, so it looks like we’ll be heading towards shut-downs and self-isolations soon enough. For now at least, life carries on as usual, but with a lot more hand sanitizer. I hope everyone out there is keeping safe, and not going crazy with panic buying.

I haven't done one of these posts for a while, because I am looking forward to precisely three upcoming projects, and no more…

Yes, Pixar's Soul will probably be good, but the trailer didn’t quite grab me, and I have zero interest in the live-action Mulan or anything involving James Bond (Lashana Lynch notwithstanding). But here’s what I’ve got my eye on:

Wonder Woman: 1984

Well, obviously. I'm trying to wean myself off superhero stuff, especially since I've never been an uber-fan anyway, but who can resist that beat? It continues with everyone’s fascination with the eighties (I came in halfway through, so I’m not entirely sure what the big deal is) and somehow finds a way to resurrect Steve Rogers.

I mean, I’m glad Chris Pine is back and everything, but they’re gonna have to come up with a good reason as to why he’s there. Presumably this is the original Steve and not just a reincarnation or copy, but I really hope he’s not some kind of secret bad guy. The movie will already have two with Kirsten Wiig and Pedro Pascal, who both look like they're having fun.

I’m also happy to see a return to Themyscira, even if it’s just flashbacks (I glimpsed Diana as a little girl during what looks like an athletic competition among the Amazons). And of course, Robin Wright is back on board as Antiope. Let’s hope it delivers on that aesthetic, Cheetah’s look (which could be bad if they’re not careful) and the next chapter in Diana’s (long) life.

Raya and the Last Dragon

There’s still no trailer out for this yet, but it looks as though the titular Raya will be next on the Disney Princess line-up, and the concept art looks fantastic. I think the influence of Avatar: The Last Airbender and Studio Ghibli runs deep with this one, even if that dragon has what looks like the Dreamworks Face (ugh).

That’s literally all I can say about it given the lack of information we have, but even in the midst of my current apathy towards all things Disney, they do keep delivering on the stories they do best: princess coming-of-age adventures. You know it, I know it.

The Green Knight

Okay, this one took me completely by surprise: I didn’t even know of its existence before the trailer popped up in my Tumblr feed, and WOW! I’ve always loved the two Arthurian stories focusing on Gawain (the Green Knight and the Loathly Lady) and this looks amazingly weird and surreal.

The crown! The skeleton! The puppet show! The knight himself! Man, I’m gonna love this.

Also, Dev Patel has now played two iconic characters from great Western literary works in a single year (Gawain and David Copperfield). That’s what I call a power move!

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That’s really all I can share for now. Stay safe out there.