Here we are folks! HorrorBuzz at Cinemacon, the premier trade show and gathering for movie theater owners the world over, from over 80 countries. It is here that the big studios like Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros. 20 Century Fox, and Universal Pictures attempt to woo the business of theater owners and, in turn their patrons who have annually spent billions of dollars annually. The event is taking place at the world famous Caesar’s Palace Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.
Each of the major studios are planned to hold court in the Caesar’s Palace Coliseum theater.The gigantic space, normally home to the Celine Dion extravaganza, CELINE, is turned into a glorious altar to the promise of more movie going revenue. Studio executives, Chairpersons, and the stars of some of this years biggest movies are presented on stage to share what is coming for 2017.
Today we were fortunate enough to enjoy presentations from both Paramount Pictures and Walt Disney Studios. Both had major tentpole announcements including Paramount’s Baywatch and Disney’s 5th Pirates of the Caribbean film. There were however, notable bits for the horror enthusiast to savor mostly generated by Paramount Pictures fascinating list of releases including a new thriller from Darren Aronofsky and Alex Garland.
Paramount Pictures
AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL: TRUTH TO POWER is in theaters July 28
This one is real-world scary yet with a tinge of hope.
A decade after AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH brought climate change into the heart of popular culture, comes the riveting and rousing follow-up that shows just how close we are to a real energy revolution. Vice President Al Gore continues his tireless fight traveling around the world training an army of climate champions and influencing international climate policy. Cameras follow him behind the scenes – in moments both private and public, funny and poignant — as he pursues the inspirational idea that while the stakes have never been higher, the perils of climate change can be overcome with human ingenuity and passion.
Annihilation
Alax Garland (Ex Macina) adapts and directs a film based on a novel by Jeff VanderMeer in which A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition where the laws of nature don’t apply. What we saw was an extended preview that gave us the set up and let us know what was at stake. The Biologist (Natalie Portman) is moving on with her life as a widow when her supposedly dead husband (Oscar Isaac) returns home. He was thought to have been part of a lost group that was exploring a spot on what looked to be Earth that was a sort of Bermuda Triangle of physical oddities and otherworldly creatures.
He soon begins to expire and is rushed to the hospital when a government team led by The Psychologist (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is attempting to control the effects of this newly discovered area before they reach the public at large. Portman’s character volunteers to explore what the area that has affected her husband so profoundly. We then got a sizzle reel of stunning landscapes, iridescent plants, the gapping mouths of creatures and then cut to black.
I gotta tell you this looked like a hell of a lot of fun. Maybe even this years answer to ARRIVAL. The fantasy of the situation is grounded by the straight performances from Portman, Issac and Leigh.
Annihilation is slated for a September 2017 release
Tomorrow we will be reporting from the show floor of Cinemacon, bringing you the the breaking news from the Universal Pictures Panel and Warner Bros. presentations.
