The latest exciting trailer for Sin City: A Dame To Kill For

Prepare yourself for the return to the city of sin:

After analysing the Fifty Shades of Grey trailer and seemingly a little unsure as to whether or not I should put myself through the film's release, it was great to finally watch a trailer that built up my excitement with each shot! Of course, I'm talking about the new 3 minute 23 second red band trailer of the second Sin City film - Sin City: A Dame To Kill For. 

As I'm a fan of action, Noir and all films that cleverly execute special effects that take you to a whole new dimension, A Dame To Kill For definitely looks like a film to watch. Starring Jessica Alba, Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke and new additions Eva Green, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and even Lady Gaga (who must have enjoyed her time shooting - equipped with a golden gun of course - with director Robert Rodriguez in his film Machete Kills), the trailer gives us not a snippet, but almost a starter course to get us prepared for the main meal! 

Directors Frank Miller and Rodriguez will clearly be giving us another stunning film filled with violence, women and more violence. What I like about the Sin City films is that the women are also capable of kicking butt themselves, even if they are watched by men who call them 'dames to kill for' (which is still a compliment right?). The emphasis is definitely on the ladies, even if we do see the male characters that are also in the film.

Watching the trailer over and over, you notice the little tricks that make the film look like something from a video game; it's introductory shots that are something from a comic book page that fade to black and white camera shots, shots like at 00:39 where we see a character overlayed with police cars and the shots of the same character running, and of course its infamous emphasis on particular colours (red lips and blood, pink clothes, blonde hair or green eyes).


Filled with a killer cast (no pun intended...), stellar effects and released August 22nd, Sin City: A Dame To Kill For is one to add to your diaries. 

The Fifty Shades of Grey trailer is here: will it be one to watch or one to steer clear of?

50 Shades of Uncertainty 

So as you've probably noticed from every ad that pops up when you watch a YouTube video, or when you log into Facebook and see it on your news feed (even being shared by Beyonce's Facebook page), we finally have been given a taste of just what to expect with the film Fifty Shades of Grey. 
♡ Watch the trailer to the film below or here

After what seems like centuries of stories surrounding the casting and who would be playing Mr Grey and Anastasia Steele, the release of the trailer has allowed us to see just what the film is going to look like with actress Dakota Johnson and actor Jamie Dornan. 

Articles around the internet were comparing the storyline - taken from E.L. James' surprisingly popular book of the same name - to Secretary, a 2002 film starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Spader (whose character also just so happens to be a Mr Grey). If you'd like to take a look at the similarities yourself, check out the video from Hollywood Reporter's website that puts the trailers of Fifty Shades of Grey and Secretary next to each other to highlight the striking resemblance between their set-ups: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/video-how-do-trailers-fifty-721647

If you were analysing the trailer frame-by-frame, or you happen to be in the know with everything surrounding this film, or (like me) you happened to read the 'About' section underneath the trailer on YouTube, you'll find the words 'Rita Ora as Mia' in the paragraph listing those involved in the film. You'll spot her on the right in a short, brunette wig at the table:

Now, having never read the Fifty Shades of Grey books and never seeing the film Secretary, I can't help but think that it's inclusion of Rita Ora and Beyonce's place on its soundtrack (with a new version of 'Crazy in Love' for you to enjoy in the trailer) is to sway the minds of those that think that the film might not be for the masses (Cosmopolitan recently posted what men think when watching the trailer here). Perhaps it's also the fact that I've not been totally sucked into reading the books and my unawareness of how the story actually turns out, but I can't help but watch the trailer thinking that the whole film has a horror-esque, Hostel-type feel to it. Particularly when Christian Grey unlocks the door to his room of secrets that reveal his 'singular tastes' and we see Anastasia blindfolded and tied up. 

Now I tend to go to the cinema without watching the trailers for the films that I'm about to see (bad idea when it came to Fault in Our Stars - the only warning I was given was by my friends telling me that it was a film that makes you cry, I had to hold in the tears which made me look like I had a heart of stone). I like to let the film just present itself as it is - with a trailer so much is cut out and pieced together that you could almost make an entirely different feel to the film, which can give you false expectations. So maybe watching the trailer before seeing Fifty Shades of Grey was a bad choice, and maybe I shouldn't judge a film by its trailer in this case. But as this is another phenomenon (although I'm still not sure why, should I read one of the books?), I couldn't help but to watch the trailer as did 15 million other people judging by its YouTube views. I realise that I have treated the trailer negatively, however, I will say that as a film student and avid cinema-visitor I think that I will be grateful that this film will hopefully create a burst of movie-goers and give the film industry a well-deserved boost.

I just know that someone that I know will want to see this and I'll be taken along for the ride, but until then I think I'll stay out of this phenomenon for now...

What did you think of the film trailer? Are you excited or dreading the new addition to the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon? Comment below and share your views.

APPLAUSE vs ROAR

GAGA vs PERRY

[originally posted 13 Aug. 2013]

 

 It's been a hectic week in the world of pop. With the leaking of Katy Perry's latest release 'Roar' and Lady Gaga's new song 'Applause', both Katycats and Little Monsters were sent into a meltdown! Both pop artists are head to head with their releases, and with both set to make an appearance at the MTV VMA's, it's only a matter of time before we see which one comes out on top.

Roar

Catchy, inspiring and uplifting, Katy Perry brings back the big guns that she used with anthem 'Firework' to create a summer track set to battle with Gaga's 'comeback' single. Using popular emoticons in her lyric video that are regularly used by teens and young adults, it's clear that Perry is out to sell a happy, fun record - one which people of all ages will find themselves singing "You're gonna hear me rooooaaar!" I mean, imagine driving home after a hard days work and yelling out the lyrics "I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire, 'Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar". The lyrics are motivating and leave you wanting to climb a mountain - almost Rocky-esque style in the infamous scene when he runs up the stairs!
Take a listen and try to prevent yourself from joining in the chorus' "oh oh oh oh oh ohh!"
♡ Below is the lyric video to Roar, or you can watch by clicking here

Applause

Gaga is back!!! Monsters rejoice! Applause is fast-paced and is definitely the rave song that Gaga hinted at way back in November regarding her latest album ARTPOP (to be released in November this year) with the tweet: "#HappyBirthdayTheFameMonster a special day when you were born, your techno raver little sister is in my uterus she says hello in glowsticks"

Never one to disappoint and always filled with surprises (after releasing the song early), Gaga has penned a dance song laced with lyrics that might escape some people such as 'One second I'm a Koons, then suddenly the Koons is me!' (referring to artist Jeff Koons). But despite the poetic and cultural lyrics, Gaga delivers a pumped-up and celebratory track as she asks us to "Give me the thing that I love, put your hands up make 'em touch!"

How could we ever say no? 

♡ Below is the official audio for Gaga's 'Applause', click here and get your hands ready for some clapping!

Comment below with your opinions of the songs! Who do you think has won this week's battle of releases? Gaga or Katy? Are you a Katycat that loves Applause or a Monster that loves Roar? Or are you still stanning for your favourite diva?