Trailer haul

Earlier this year we got our first look at Tron: Ares, the third entry into the Tron franchise which began in 1982 with one of the first CG-heavy movies made. 

Now, we have a new trailer, featuring the first piece of original music from Nine Inch Nails for the movie, and it looks cool and sounds cool, and I am SO mad that we have to go through Jared Leto to enjoy this movie.

 

You can hear the full NIN song here. In the grand tradition of cool ass Tron music—which is actually one of the best traditions in cinematic music—this is a banger, and I can’t wait to hear NIN’s full score. My little 90s kid heart is filled with joy by new music from NIN.

I’m also super into Greta Lee looking cool as sh-t on a motorcycle, and I’m intrigued by the plot and its AI themes and how that relates to our current world. Tron was always ahead of its time, not just technically in what computers could do for movies in 1982, but in the ways technology would develop and impact our lives. Now, though, we might be in a place where Tron is less prediction and more reflection, and I’m curious how that impacts its audience. Tron has always been a cult movie, the 2010 sequel didn’t catch on, either, becoming another piece in the cult lore of the film. Is the third time the charm? Will Tron: Ares finally catch the public’s imagination? Maybe! I’m just annoyed that we’ve got to deal with Jared Leto.

Speaking of 90s kids, Mortal Kombat II is a real film that exists and it’s coming out this year (two weeks after Tron: Ares, in fact). This is a sequel to the 2021 film, Mortal Kombat, which adapts the popular video game series into a new franchise. That film actually doesn’t suck, and besides bringing back Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Mechad Brooks, Tadanobu Asano, and Hiroyuki Sanada from the first film, the sequel adds Karl Urban as Johnny Cage. NSFW language warning:

 

Karl Urban as a washed-up 90s action star caught in the middle of an interdimensional death match? I don’t hate it! Mortal Kombat II looks like a fancy B-movie and sometimes that’s all you need from a video game adaptation centered on a magic fight club. 

Sticking with the retro theme, our final trailer for the day is the teaser for the fifth and final season of Stranger Things.

 

For the life of me, I will never understand why they didn’t do a time jump into the 90s, a la It, and just let the “kids” play twenty-somethings. Ten years have passed since season one was produced, and those “kids” now look old enough to be on their third marriages (Millie Bobby Brown is literally married). 

Cognitive dissonance of how old the kid cast is now aside, Stranger Things 5 looks pretty dope. I do want to see how it all comes together, and whether or not the Duffer Brothers can land this plane. I re-watched the first season a while back and was struck by how simple it is compared to the later seasons, but also I really appreciate Steve Harrington’s character arc. He’s really been on a journey! Some of the characters—Hopper—they’ve floundered with over the years, but Steve has consistently been growing from shallow asshole to noble mom friend taking care of all these insane children running around the woods and the Upside Down. Naturally, I’m desperately worried for him. Literally everyone else can die, I won’t care, but if anything happens to Steve Harrington, I WILL riot. Stranger Things 5 has ONE job and that is to protect Steve Harrington at all costs.