For me personally, Dave Franco was never an actor that carried such an aura that automatically made a film or series tremendously more interesting entirely due to his presence. That said, his feature directorial debut, The Rental (from 2020), left a good impression, despite the movie itself being far from perfect. On the flip side there's Alison Brie (best known from "Community", "Glow", Horse Girl, Spin Me Round). The actress has also ventured into producing and writing in recent years, and now joins her husband to star in the film Somebody I Used to Know, handling the lead role and sharing a screenplay credit with Franco. https://onfs.net/3DV7oXm

"Where you are, Emma – be strong, be brave." Oscilloscope Labs has revealed an official trailer for an indie fantasy surreal thriller titled Moon Garden, from a filmmaker named Ryan Stevens Harris. This played at a number of film festivals last year, including Dances with Films, and is out in limited theaters sometime int he next few months. A comatose five-year-old girl journeys through an industrial wonderland (featuring stop-motion creations) to find her way back to consciousness. It was shot on 35mm with vintage rehoused lenses, giving this "fantastical odyssey" a handcrafted feeling, with fully practical FX in this story about how a child can shine light even in the darkest places. Haven Lee Harris stars as Emma, with Augie Duke, Brionne Davis, Maria Olsen, Timothy Lee DePriest, Philip E. Walker, and Margana Ignis. It has quite a few positive reviews: "Trauma though a child’s vivid imagination, where memories, joy and fear meld into fantastical, often terrifying, imagery, is the heart of the visually stunning Moon Garden." Check it out. https://onfs.net/3RUBsbh

"It's time to come home." Saban Films has revealed an official trailer for an action movie called Assassin - winner of the most generic and uninteresting titles for any movie in the last few years. Just call it anything else than this!! Bruce Willis stars as the man who creates futuristic microchip tech that enables the mind of an agent to inhabit the body of another person to carry out covert missions. When a man dies during this experimental military program, a former black-ops soldier, who also happens to be his wife, takes his place using the tech to find out who killed him. Yet another of these Willis movies where it doesn't seem like he knows the movie he's in. The cast includes Andy Allo, Nomzamo Mbatha, with Dominic Purcell and Mustafa Shakir. This looks so bad, not only a ripoff story but the filmmaking quality is just awful. Skip it. https://onfs.net/3Ej7uID

"We do not choose this life. It chose us... It'll be that way 'till we ain't breathing." Screen Media Films has revealed an official trailer for Devil's Peak, a "tense thriller" from filmmaker Ben Young. It's adapted from the novel Where All Light Tends to Go by David Joy, which was the original title before this film before they hcanged it to the VOD-search-friendly Devil's Peak. Set in the Appalachian Mountains, the story follows a family being dominated by a crime lord who uses his fists to control both them and his business. When his son meets the girl of his dreams, desperately wanting to escape the life he's expected to lead and then gain freedom from his father, he is forced to go head-to-head with the terrifying man who will stop at nothing to ensure loyalty from all of those around him. Intense! The film stars Billy Bob Thornton, Robin Wright, Hopper Penn, Katelyn Nacon, Emma Booth, Brian d'Arcy James, and Jackie Earle Haley. Billy Bob looks gnarly, with that thick goatee and shaved head, but the rest of this seems pretty much forgettable. https://onfs.net/3leTnNy

"Undefeated by the rain... Undefeated by the wind... Undefeated by the snow and the scorching summer heat." Oh my this is such a wonderful short film - one of the best this year so far. The Voice Actress is an entrancing 15-minute short film made by Japanese-American filmmaker Anna J. Takayama. It's a tribute to her mom, who was also a voice actress in Japan. After first premiering at festivals last year and picking up some awards - the short is now available online for everyone. It's a must watch! The fictional film follows a woman named Kingyo, played by Urara Takano (who's also a real voice actress in Japan for many anime characters), who possesses an ability to see the soul in all things. But the voice acting world is changing and she must find a way to reconcile her way of living with the modern industry. It's a beautifully shot, sincere film about a woman who deeply cares about her work and her (voice) performances being authentic. I really adore how patient and serene this short is, with all these lovely little touches like the fish and her umbrella. https://onfs.net/3YDUkgN

"Show me the evidence" Vertical Ent. has revealed an official trailer for a legal thriller titled Confession, the latest from filmmaker Dayna Hanson. It will be out to watch in March if anyone cares. The story follows a small-town district attorney named Jillian who takes on the case of a young woman who has accused three men of sexual assault, only to find her career and life in jeopardy as she unravels the dark web of murder and intrigue that lies beneath the surface of the town. Michael Ironside co-stars as a veteran investigator "diving into the complex case only to find difficulties and danger in spades as they hope to serve justice." Of course. Clark Backo stars as Jillian, joined by Sarah Hay, Sterling Beaumon, Mark Cryer, Marsha Dietlein, and Ray Faiola. This looks like a made-for-TV special event, nothing that should be in theaters. https://onfs.net/3jUrQRb

"65 million years ago... humans discovered Earth." We did? Sony has revealed their 30-second Super Bowl TV spot for the sci-fi dinosaur movie 65, arriving in theaters in March 2023 next month. The first official US trailer debuted last month, and this spot mashes up a lot of this existing footage in a fun package. An astronaut who crash lands on a mysterious planet discovers that he is not alone. It turns out he crash lands from the future back on Earth – 65 million years ago – and encounters dinosaurs as they try to find a ship to escape on. Adam Driver stars with Ariana Greenblatt and Chloe Coleman. Produced by Sam Raimi, directed by Beck/Woods. The opening 15 seconds of this trailer is going for that original Alien text teaser where they slowly reveal one letter at a time. This looks like it's going to be big and epic and fun! Bring it on. https://onfs.net/3jLSlZ0

"How are going to pull THIS off? Figure it out over a drink?" "Probably best..." Yes, let's all get a beer and strategize! Paramount Pictures has unveiled their new 30-second Super Bowl TV spot for the epic live-action Dungeons & Dragons movie, fully titled Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (watch the second trailer here). A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen in a hilarious and action-packed adventure. As expected, but still! The ensemble cast features Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head, and Hugh Grant. This is opening in theaters at the end of March in just a few more months. Still looks like it's going to be a blast! Tons of action in this spot - lots of VFX but it seems thoroughly enjoyable. https://onfs.net/3DYv6SF

"This is our spot, it's our little corner of the world, and I'm not giving it up." Samuel Goldwyn Films has revealed an official trailer for an indie romantic comedy titled Space Oddity, which I don't really think is good enough to borrow this iconic title from David Bowie's song. Oh well. The film first premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last year and will be out at the end of March this year. A space-obsessed man gets the opportunity of a lifetime thanks to a Mars colonization program but finds his plans changed by his feelings for a woman who brings him down to Earth. In the midst of his rigorous preparation, he meets Daisy, the new girl in town who's trying to start over. Eventually Alex finds himself questioning whether it's easier to confront his past or fly away into the stars. Kyle Allen stars as Alex, with Alexandra Shipp as Daisy, and a cast including Kevin Bacon, Madeline Brewer, Carrie Preston, Christopher Jackson, Andrew Polk, Arden Myrin, and Simon Helberg. This looks cheesy and sweet and corny and adorable all in one. https://onfs.net/3YIZxnN

"The end of the road begins." Universal Pictures has debuted the first official trailer for Fast X, the 10th movie in the epic Fast Saga series of action movies. In 2011's Fast Five, Dom & his crew took out nefarious Brazilian drug kingpin Hernan Reyes and decapitated his empire on a bridge in Rio De Janeiro. What they didn’t know was that Reyes' son, Dante, witnessed it all and has spent the last 12 years masterminding a plan to make Dom pay the ultimate price. Dante's plot will scatter Dom's family from Los Angeles to the catacombs of Rome, from Brazil to London, and from Portugal to Antarctica. New allies will be forged and old enemies will resurface... But everything changes when Dom discovers that his own 8-year-old son is the ultimate target. Fast X stars returning cast members Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Jason Statham, John Cena, Scott Eastwood, Helen Mirren, and Charlize Theron. Plus newcomers Jason Momoa, Brie Larson, Alan Richtson, Daniela Melchior, plus Rita Moreno as Dom & Mia's Abuelita Toretto. https://onfs.net/3YDOtrZ

"Who is your favorite artist?" Amazon has unveiled a first look teaser trailer for a fascinating new horror thriller series titled Swarm, an anti-hero tale of a woman obsessed with a pop star. They've been keeping the plot of this a big secret, with the creators hinting that it's inspired by Haneke's Piano Teacher and The King of Comedy (huh, okay - we have to wait to find out what exactly that means). Swarm follows a young woman named Dre, played by Dominique Fishback, whose obsession with a pop star takes a "dark turn". That's all they offer up so far and this teaser doesn't show much more yet either. The series also stars Chloe Bailey, Damson Idris, Leon, Rory Culkin, and Karen Rodriguez. From some early hints, it's a riff on being infatuated with Beyonce, and where this leads her when she gets too obsessed. I really dig the various title cards in this, I'm now considerably curious to find out what's going on. They certainly got my attention. https://onfs.net/3HQERDw

"Perfection is a battle that you'll never win." AMS Pictures has revealed an official trailer for a documentary titled Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection, a look back biopic at the beloved American singer and drummer. Karen Carpenter was half of the sibling duo the Carpenters, but died at only the young age of 32. Now forty years after her death, this doc reveals astounding new insight into the singer's tragically short life and enduring musical legacy. Utilizing unreleased recordings and celebrity interviews – including with Olivia Newton-John, Cynthia Gibb, Suzanne Somers, Kristin Chenoweth, Carnie Wilson, Bob James and Carol Burnett – the documentary sheds light on the musician's challenges with eating disorders. Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection is a "captivating, revealing, and unvarnished doc providing astounding new insight into the singer’s tragically short life and enduring musical legacy." This looks like a tough look at Karen and her harsh struggles with anorexia & fame. Premiering soon at the Santa Barbara Film Festival. https://onfs.net/3If6Q0X

"I can't do it alone, I need you!" Paramount Movies + MGM have debuted an official trailer for an indie dark comedy / survival thriller titled Unseen, not to be confused with Steven Soderbergh's psychological thriller Unsane. This is launching directly on VOD for streaming at home in March. Here's the extra wild pitch for this movie: two women form an unlikely connection when Sam, a gas station clerk, receives a misdialed call from Emily, who is running from her murderous ex-boyfriend in the woods. Having lost her glasses in her escape, Emily must rely on Sam’s eyes using the video call and camera in order to survive and make it home. Unseen stars Midori Francis, Jolene Purdy, Missi Pyle, and Michael Patrick Lane, along with a few others. This is an interesting concept that seems especially fake as a movie. I prefer the radical poster (also seen below) more than the trailer, but that's just me. I guess it's a hint that this is skipping theaters entirely. https://onfs.net/3HNCfWZ

"What a prize creature we have fished from the river..." BBC revealed a very brief teaser for their new 2023 adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic Great Expectations, a mini-series arriving for streaming this March. It's a BBC / FX co-production, with an impressive cast of stars that will make sure it's thoroughly entertaining. The 2023 series follows orphan Pip, who spent his childhood as a blacksmith's apprentice and suddenly receives a windfall from an unknown benefactor that allows him to travel to London and enter into high society. Great Expectations is Dickens' thirteenth novel and his last finished work, published in 1861. It has been adapted numerous times before, including as feature films recently in 1998 with Ethan Hawke, and in 2012 with Ralph Fiennes. This latest 2023 series stars Olivia Colman as Miss Havisham, Fionn Whitehead as Pip, Ashley Thomas as Jaggers, Johnny Harris, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Hayley Squires, Owen McDonnell, Trystan Gravelle, and Matt Berry as Mr. Pumblechuck. There's not much to this teaser, except for a rather deranged Havisham. Stay tuned for a full trailer arriving sometime soon. https://onfs.net/3JYDxRz

"The only way of getting to the truth is by investigating for myself." It was the giant yellow duck! Hulu has revealed a new US trailer for the horror comedy series Wreck, from the BBC. This one is already streaming in the UK as of last fall, and it will finally be available in the US for streaming this March. Set aboard The Sacramentum cruise ship, Wreck follows 19-year-old new recruit Jamie as he attempts to infiltrate a crew of 1000 people to find his missing sister who vanished on the previous tour aboard the same vessel. Watch as Jamie, and his new found friends, work together to uncover the sinister truth that runs as wide and deep as the ocean on which they’re trapped. A new horror comedy turned into a series? Why not! Wreck stars Oscar Kennedy as Jamie, Thaddea Graham, Jack Rowan, Harriet Webb, Jodie Tyack, Louis Boyer, Anthony Rickman, Amber Grappy, Diego Andres, Peter Claffey, and Alice Nokes. These are both very short trailers, but it does look like some wacky horror thriller cruise ship mania. Might be a fun watch. https://onfs.net/3K1uHCK

"For super service, call or text...!" Ahaha who needs a plumber! Or two?! Illumination Animation revealed this fun TV commercial viral promo for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, arriving in theaters this April. It's a TV spot entirely in the style of a local plumbers commercial, with all the trimmings and perfect riffs on plumbers trying to get your attention. It even has its own vintage '90s hip hop Run DMC-style jingle. All of this is just delightful. The video also leads to a viral website, for Mario & Luigi's plumbing business, with a number you can actually text (if you're in Brooklyn & Queens). The movie features the voices of Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser (of course), Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson, and Sebastian Maniscalco. The marketing for this has been on point so far, and this commercial is the cherry on top. The site is also worth perusing - who'd like a "career" with these Bros? https://onfs.net/3IiPgJk

"It's time to shift into high gear. Mirage makes his debut as a legendary 1993 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8." Paramount has debuted an extended Big Game spot for one of their big summer sequels - Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, introducing a brand new Autobot named Mirage. This is technically the 7th movie in the sentient alien robot series Transformers, bringing back Optimus Prime and the Autobots again. Rise of the Beasts will take audiences on a '90s globetrotting adventure and introduce the Maximals, Predacons, and Terrorcons to the existing battle on earth between Autobots and Decepticons. This Transformers movie stars Anthony Ramos (also from In the Heights) and Dominique Fishback, along with Tobe Nwigwe, Peter Cullen (as Optimus Prime), Ron Perlman (as Optimus Primal), Peter Dinklage (as Scourge), Michelle Yeoh (as Airazor), Pete Davidson (as Mirage - from this spot), Liza Koshy, John DiMaggio, David Sobolov, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, and Cristo Fernández. This actually looks enjoyable so far. https://onfs.net/3DXGb6n

"Time has a pattern... that it can't help reliving." Warner Bros has revealed the first official trailer for The Flash movie, revealed during the Super Bowl after years of waiting. This movie has been in production for a while, delayed from opening last year with a new release set for June this summer. This movie about The Flash is also about Batman (again), bringing the two together in a "worlds collide" marketing slogan. But wait! There's a few more DC superheroes in here! Ezra Miller returns starring as Barry Miller, with a cast including Sasha Calle as Supergirl, Kiersey Clemons as Iris West, Maribel Verdú as Nora Allen, Ron Livingston as Henry Allen, plus Michael Shannon, Antje Traue, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Rudy Mancuso, and Luke Brandon Field. And Michael Keaton is back as Bruce Wayne / Batman - "an older version of Wayne from an alternate universe." There's also a tease that Affleck's Batman is in this, too, as another alternate Batman. The biggest reveal is Supergirl, who shows up at the end looking quite badass. All this looks better than expected, DC's Multiverse concept firing up (just as things change with James Gunn). https://onfs.net/3jKTBvK

"My memory's a little fuzzy - are you still a Nazi??" Lucasfilm has debuted a new Super Bowl TV spot for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the upcoming fifth Indiana Jones movie, this one directed by James Mangold. The outstanding first trailer dropped last year, with an action-packed 30 seconds more of footage in this spot. They still haven't revealed any official plot details yet. Only: the film will be set in 1969 in the middle of the Space Race, with Harrison Ford back as Indy. Meanwhile, Voller, a NASA member and ex-Nazi involved with the Moon-landing program, wants to "rectify the world and make it into a better place as he sees fit." Along with Harrison Ford, The Dial of Destiny stars Phoebe Waller-Bridge (who shows up in this spot), Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Kretschmann, Boyd Holbrook, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Toby Jones, Antonio Banderas, and John Rhys-Davies. What a stellar cast! This is looking like it might've really turned out damn good, which is all we can hope for. Bring on another summer of Indy. https://onfs.net/3IgXstQ

"Are you ready... for one last ride?" Marvel has debuted a second official trailer for James Gunn's sequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 during all the Super Bowl Sunday mayhem (view the first trailer again). This Marvel Studios sci-fi extravaganza kicks off the summer movie season - launching in theaters on May 5th in a few months. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally the Guardians on a mission to defend the universe and protect one of their own. But also Gamora is somehow back? This continues after Volume 2 (in 2017) and the Guardians Holiday Special last year, bringing us into Phase Five along with Quantumania. The Guardians are back: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Sean Gunn, and Elizabeth Debicki, with some special guests this time: Sylvester Stallone, Will Poulter, Chukwudi Iwuji, and Maria Bakalova. There's so many slow mo walking shots in this trailer! Did I count four? Ha. This does look like it's going to be a blast. https://onfs.net/3E2pSp0

"Don't let him destroy everything you've built..." It's going to be one brutal showdown in the ring between these two!! MGM + UA have unveiled a new Super Bowl TV spot for the upcoming boxing sequel Creed III, arriving in theaters in just a few more weeks. They've been promoting this one extensively recently, since it's opening quite soon and looks like a top notch sequel. The past always finds its way back. Adonis has been thriving in both his career and his family life, but when an old childhood friend and a former boxing prodigy resurfaces, the face-off is more than just a fight. Michael B. Jordan is making his directorial debut and returning as Adonis Creed in this third installment of the hit boxing franchise, a continuation of the Rocky series. It also stars Tessa Thompson, with Jonathan Majors as his contender this time, a former friend named Damian, as well as Wood Harris, Florian Munteanu (also returning again as Drago), newcomer Mila Kent + Phylicia Rashad. I am really looking forward to watching this soon! Looks like it'll hit hard. https://onfs.net/3Ysutc1