This Blog is Moving to YouTube!

For those who have taken the time to read these stories and reviews, I can't thank you enough! The plan has always been to eventually make the transition to YouTube once I had the equipment to make that possible, and now I do. I've had so much fun writing for the past few months (as much as I could) and feel like I have a great opportunity to do what I love on camera.

The channel will contain movie reviews, news discussions, a ton of Star Wars related content, book reviews and, hopefully, film commentaries. Right now, the channel is still a work in progress. I have a few videos up from last year that are fun to watch, but clearly nowhere near the quality they will be. In the next few days, I will be shooting and uploading new videos.

Please, if you've been reading for the past few months, I'd love for you to take the journey with me on YouTube as well. Your support would be awesome!

YouTube channel: 96dmt (David Triana)

'Split' First Official Trailer from M. Night Shyamalan

M. Night Shyamalan has returned and, dare I say it, he seems to be heading on the right track! After many misses at the box office (After Earth, The Happening, The Last Air Bender), Shyamalan seemed like he just went back to basics with last year's The Visit. To be honest, I was not expecting anything great from that film because of his more recent films, which is sad because Signs is one of my favorite movies. Not to mention other films like The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable. So, to see him become a joke among the casual movie goer is a shame. Luckily, I think he's found a groove and Split is the return of classic Shyamalan.

Split stars James McAvoy as Kevin, a man with 23 personalities who kidnaps three teenage girls, including Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy). This trailer is chilling, to say the least. It has a sense of total unpredictability and manages to elevate the level of tension as the trailer progresses. I also thought the music set the tone perfectly as it seemed to be cycling through multiple personalities as well. Beginning with an innocent sounding rhythm, followed by a more ominous tone as if it was slowly counting down from ten, and then those moments of a swift personality change that would coincide with am erratic sound. The music alone should be enough to sell an audience on what type of film this will be: uncomfortable, tense, and possibly terrifying.

Also, I cannot praise James McAvoy enough after watching this trailer. This isn't the kind of role I would expect from him, but after watching half of the footage, it was a no-brainer. It looked like he was so committed to this role because he manages to transform himself into these other personalities. To be honest, there's only one other actor I can think of that would fit this role and that's Daniel Radcliffe, but I'm so glad to see McAvoy playing this character. As for Anya Taylor-Joy, she is a rising star in Hollywood. I wasn't a huge fan of The Witch but I thought she was the stand out in that film by far, and I'm loving what I'm seeing from her in Morgan. Very interested to see how she plays off of McAvoy in this film.

Overall, I'm very excited for this film. I'm a fan of these actors and the plot is something that fits so well into this genre. However, I am going to try and go into this film with low expectations because we all know how good the trailer was for The Last Airbender. The only other thing that has me a little worried is the release date. January has a tendency of having disappointing films, but maybe this is a bright spot. I'm hoping Shyamalan has a great film in store for us with fantastic performances.

Split is slated for release on January 20, 2017.

'Justice League' Official Comic-Con Trailer

DC is making a HUGE splash today at San Diego Comic-Con as they debuted the first trailer for Wonder Woman, and now the first official teaser for Justice League. I'm not going to waste time talking about the response that Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice received, because its all been said. However, I suggest watching the extended cut because until I saw it, I was doubtful on whether or not I thought Snyder should be directing this film. After seeing the extended cut, and this teaser trailer, I think he definitely deserves another shot.



This teaser trailer absolutely nailed it because it did what is was designed to do: tease. We didn't need to see any of these characters in action, nor did we need 2 minutes and 38 seconds of story points. Ben Affleck saying, "I believe that an enemy is coming," is all we needed to hear, followed by the recruitment of the Justice League. As an audience, we want to be surprised in the theater and we want your best scenes and moments to be left for that experience. My only complaint with the trailer was the use of the rock guitar riff, but I'm nitpicking at this point.



As far as the actors go, I thought Jason Momoa and Ezra Miller knocked it out of the park in the trailer. Jason Momoa is no stranger to playing the role of a character with an intimidating presence, and extraordinary power. For this portrayal of Aquaman, and from what I saw in this teaser, he was a great pick for the role. Now, as for Ezra Miller, while I would've preferred Grant Gustin to continue playing the Flash in the films, Miller grew on me. He exhibited that wit and humor perfectly in his encounter with Bruce Wayne, and I trust that the special effects surrounding him in the film are going to be spectacular. I still want to see more from Ray Fisher as Cyborg, although the look of the character is awesome.



Justice League is directed by Zack Snyder and is slated for release on November 17, 2017.

WONDER WOMAN Comic-Con Trailer

The first trailer for Wonder Woman is finally here! Gal Gadot made her first appearance as the Amazonian warrior in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and was terrific in the film, making her first solo film one of the most anticipated superhero movies of 2017. Luckily for us, the trailer is not an exclusive for SDCC attendees. We can watch and dissect this trailer until the next one, and until its eventual release in the summer of 2017.



This trailer was absolutely fantastic. I mean, I don't know what else there is to say. For it being nearly three minutes long, they didn't give us a plot, nor did they spoil any cool action sequences. The color of this film is also much richer and saturated than previous DC films, giving it a much more lively tone. I'm also liking Gal Gadot and Chris Pine's chemistry in this film quite a bit, albeit its a very small sample. Robin Wright looked pretty badass, as well, so I'm hoping she gets a scene or two to show off her skills. But, overall, this film has me extremely excited for the future DC properties. I'm hoping this trailer is a little taste of what we can expect next year, and that's all I really need. We will inevitably get an official trailer with more story, but I hope they don't fall into the BVS trap of releasing your best scenes in the trailers.



Wonder Woman is directed by Patty Jenkins and is slated for release on June 2, 2017.

'Star Trek: Beyond' Review

It has been three years since Star Trek: Into Darkness, a film that is still a touchy subject for hardcore fans of the property. However, J.J. Abrams succeeded in reinvigorating the franchise back in 2009, but it will be the first time in which Abrams is not directing the film. Fast and Furious 6 director, Justin Lin, is in charge of Star Trek: Beyond, which was already getting some heat for the Fast and Furious style action sequences in the trailers. Granted, the previous two films were not without their grandiose action sequences or special effects, but the fear was that Lin would utilize these aspects of his previous films too much. Despite these worries, writer and star of the film, Simon Pegg did say that the trailers did not represent the film as a whole, as well as Lin saying that this film is a throwback to the original series. Well, let's find out, shall we?

When a surprise attack demolishes the Enterprise, led by Krall (Idris Elba), an alien creature who is in search of an ancient artifact that is on board the ship, the crew is stranded on the planet below and must band together to escape. We're also introduced to Jaylah (Sofia Boutella), a delightful addition to the current ensemble, who tries to help the crew escape the planet and defeat Krall. One of the strengths of this film are the character moments between Kirk, Bones, and Spock. We learn that being the captain of the Enterprise has taken a toll on Kirk and he begins to reflect on why he enlisted in Starfleet. Spock, also facing an internal struggle, ponders leaving the crew of the Enterprise. Bones, on the other hand, is not undergoing any of these self-examinations. He is the character that, throughout the film, acts as the familiar voice for both Kirk and Spock. The character development in this film was the strongest element.

I did, however, have problems with the film. One of the main things that I noticed was the direction of this film. It is apparent that J.J. Abrams was not helming this movie. In the previous films, there was emotional build-up, investment in the story, and there was a sense of urgency for the protagonists and antagonists. Also, the beginning of the film did not feel like Star Trek to me at all. We're in a world with countless alien species, yet we have these non-humanoid looking creatures speaking English? Its the same problem I had with some of the aliens in The Phantom Menace. Also, while we were supposed to emotional about Kirk and Spock's internal struggles, while I thought that the character development was the best part of the film, I did not feel any emotional investment in that storyline. That brings me back to the direction of the film. Had J.J. Abrams directed this film, I think this film would've packed a better emotional punch, which he succeeded in doing with the previous two films. Lin, I think, was trying too hard with these characters. I think it speaks volumes when your favorite moment of a Star Trek film is when a Beastie Boys song is utilized. As for the villain, Krall did nothing for me. While many thought Nero was forgettable, and many didn't like the Khan reveal, I thought they were much better villains for the story that each film was telling. Nero was responsible for the death of Kirk's father, and Khan was responsible for the death of Captain Pike, who acted as a father figure for Jim. What I am trying to say is, while the subject matter wanted this to be the most mature of the films, I felt it missed the point.

Overall, I thought the movie was fine. It could've been about 10-15 minutes shorter, seeing as I was glancing down at my watch a few times during the film, which should not happen. If you're a fan of these films, I will still tell you to go see the movie. Pine, Quinto, Urban and the rest of the cast still turn in great performances, and Sofia Boutella is a wonderful addition. There were funny moments peppered throughout the film, although they seemed to be reaching a few times. It's a good addition to the films, and it definitely has its fans. So, I encourage you to see it. All film is subjective, so you may completely disagree with my assessment of this movie.

Finally, it would be remiss if I did not mention Anton Yelchin. With his tragic and untimely death, Yelchin once again is fantastic in this film. Although, it does hurt whenever you see him in the film, knowing this is one of the last things he ever did. I am glad that this film was dedicated to him, and that his role will not be recast in the future. Yelchin was truly a great talent and will be sorely missed.

R.I.P Anton Yelchin.

New Trailer for 'Hell or High Water' Starring Chris Pine, Ben Foster and Jeff Bridges

A new trailer for the film Hell or High Water has been released by CBS Films earlier today, showing a little more of what we can expect from Chris Pine, Ben Foster and Jeff Bridges in this modern-Western thriller. The film revolves around brothers Toby (Chris Pine), a father who has had no trouble with the law, and Tanner (Ben Foster), his ex-con brother, who orchestrate a series of heists to have their revenge on the bank that is foreclosing on their land. In pursuit of the brothers is a Texas sheriff who is nearing retirement in Jeff Bridges.

One of the things that immediately grabbed my attention with this film was the writer. Taylor Sheridan, writer of Sicario, a movie that was in my top 3 of 2015, easily makes this one of the films I'm most looking forward to in the coming weeks. Aside from the visuals of Sicario, I thought the script was one of the best parts of that movie because it made the performances what they were, along with the direction of Dennis Villeneuve. Also, the tone of the film feels very much like a character driven narrative. I don't think Hell or High Water will rely on action sequences or chases in order to make the film worthwhile.

With Chris Pine, Ben Foster and Jeff Bridges being the main characters of this film, I think we're in for some fantastic performances and I think David Mackenzie has a golden opportunity to build off of his break out film Starred Up.

Hell or High Water is slated for release in select theaters on August 12th and opens nationwide on August 19th.

'Star Wars Celebration Europe' Recap - Day 3

Image via comingsoon.net

Star Wars Celebration Europe has officially come to an end. Following a day that saw the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn, a new trailer for season 3 of Star Wars Rebels, and the announcement of a Thrawn novel by Timothy Zahn, the finaly day had to pack a big punch. Today, we had the pleasure of spending an entire hour with Princess, now General Leia herself, Carrie Fisher, the Lucasfilm Story Group, Ray Park, and the most anticipated panel of the day (which wasn't streamed), the Future Filmmakers panel, featuring directors Rian Johnson, Phil Lord and Chris Miller. So, what happened today?

Carrie Fisher: The Princess Diaries

Much like the panel with Mark Hamill and Anthony Daniels, Carrie Fisher spent an hour with the fans and host Warwick Davis. With anything involving Carrie Fisher, this panel

Image via metro.co.uk

was a lot of fun and very funny. She shed some light on Han and Leia's relationship leading up to The Force Awakens, saying they weren't divorced, but "estranged." That is something that you could pick up a bit in Claudia Gray's novel, Bloodline. She went on to tell some stories from the original films, as well as commenting on Leia's look in the most recent film. One of the more memorable moments of the panel was when she, along with Warwick Davis, attempted to reenact a scene from Return of the Jedi in which Wicket and Princess Leia meet for the first time. Unfortunately, Carrie's beloved sidekick, Gary Fisher, chased Davis off the stage and cut that reenactment a bit short. At the end, however, Fisher and Davis invited fans onstage to take selfies with them as the Q&A was nearing its end. This was an hour filled with fun and laughs, a perfect description of Carrie Fisher.

Lucasfilm: The Art of Storytelling

Including members of the story group like Kiri Hart and Dave Filoni, as well as Lucasfilm executives, this panel was focused on the inner workings of how these stories are crafted and all of the stuff that goes on behind the scenes. One of the big themes in this panel was how everyone at Lucasfilm, and each department, acts as a cohesive unit. When crafting a story for a film, TV show, or video game, it is important to have everyone working together in order to deliver the best possible product. Towards the Q&A portion, a fan on Twitter asked if the folks at Lucasfilm have experienced Star Wars fatigue since they work on these stories all the time. In response to that question, StarWarsNewsNet.com summed up the sentiments of the panelists perfectly b

Image via starwarsnewsnet.com

y saying, "They never get tired of Star Wars because they love it so much and they can't afford to get tired. They do exciting things and they love it. Lucasfilm takes ideas from many sources, but they also do a lot of them internally by brainstorming. Everyone who has an idea should express it and if its good - it will be used." So, clearly, the members of Lucasfilm are exactly like us. We can't get enough of Star Wars.

Ray Park Unleashed

Image via starwarscelebration.com

Ray Park, lauded for his role as Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace, delighted fans with an hour long Q&A in which he even taught some lightsaber techniques to fans, as well as reenacted his death from the film with help from a few fans and Warwick Davis. His interactions with the fans was definitely a highlight of the panel, showing how much he appreciates the Star Wars fandom. One of the more interesting things that Park said during this Q&A was that when he learned of Maul's return in  The Clone Wars, he thought he should start getting ready to reprise his role, if the character was ever brought back to the big screen (maybe in a future Obi-Wan film?). He also spoke about an idea he had for Qui-Gon's death that involved using his horns. He pitched the idea to George Lucas that he thought Maul could scratch Qui-Gon's chest with the horns, and then deliver the killing blow. Unfortunately, Lucas said that would've been a little too scary for the audience. Nonetheless, little details and stories like that are what you can hope to get from these panels.

The Future Filmmakers Panel

Image via nydailynews.com

The final panel of the day, and the most anticipated panel, centered around the future of the Star Wars films. Joined by host Pablo Hidalgo of the Lucasfilm Story Group, was fellow Lucasfilm Story Group member, Kiri Hart, President of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy, Episode VIII director, Rian Johnson, and Han Solo directors, Phil Lord and Chris Miller. We learned some information about Episode VIII, but nothing that we didn't already guess, or nothing that would've broken the internet. For example, Episode VIII will pick up right where The Force Awakens left off, its going to be a more character-centric film, Billie Lourde, Carrie Fisher's daughter, will return for the film, and Rian Johnson will be at next year's Celebration in Orlando. Then, for Han Solo, we did get some information on when the film will begin shooting, which is in six months. We were also introduced to Alden Ehrenreich, the man who will be taking on the mantle of the legendary character. He gave some information on his audition, stating that his screen test for the film was on the Falcon with Chewie and that he was in awe of the whole experience. After that exchange, John Boyega surprised the crowd and came up on stage! He spoke a bit about Episode VIII, saying that Rian Johnson's "doing an indie film within a franchise." This is very exciting news, considering his success with films like Brick and Looper. Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher then joined them on stage and had a bit of fun with the crowd. To end the recap of this panel, Pablo Hidalgo mentioned earlier that next year's Celebration in Orlado will be the "Episode VIII Celebration." We can definitely expect a lot of news next year for the 40th anniversary of Star Wars.

That is the end of Star Wars Celebration Europe! I hope those who attended had a fantastic time indulging their obsession, as well as mine, for a weekend. Here's to Celebration 2017 in Orlando!

May the Force be with you.

Image via starwarscelebration.com

*Links to the respective panels will be posted if and when they are posted online.*