They might not be raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens, but that doesn’t mean that we love them any less. Welcome back to My Favorite Things, a weekly column where we gab about the greatest in geek. This week is all about a gorgeous new book cover for an upcoming release, and not one, but two Marvel movies! One features an insect-inspired superhero (although maybe not the one you’re thinking about), and the other is a trailer for what’s sure to be one of next year’s biggest movies.
Shara’s Favorite Thing is… the Logan trailer!
If I’m being honest, despite the recent resurgence with X-Men: First Class, I haven’t been excited about this franchise since Bryan Singer left X-Men: The Last Stand to be destroyed in the hands of Brett Ratner (and no, I still haven’t forgiven him for it).
But then I watched the trailer for Logan. I was immediately captivated: they hooked me by using Johnny Cash’s “Hurt” (which gets me in the FEELS every time I listen to it), and then they showed Logan’s shaking hand, and his face that clearly wasn’t healing the way it should. As the trailer unfolded and I got a better sense of the story (aided by my husband, who was telling me the comic series he thinks the movie is based on), I found myself immensely excited. This movie could be amazing, and I desperately want it to be. I know, I know… don’t judge a movie by its trailer. But I can’t help it! Right now, my expectations are desperately high. Help me, Logan, you’re my only hope!
Betsy’s Favorite Thing is… Ant-man!
I’ll admit that I didn’t go and see Marvel’s Ant-Man (2015) in the theater, thinking it was doomed to be a disappointment. But after borrowing it from my local library once, my husband and I ponied up and bought a copy, because it’s absolutely one of our favorite Marvel movies thus far — which is really saying something, as we’ve been hugely enjoying all their releases. They managed to make a somewhat ridiculous concept into something just as plausible as any of the rest of Marvel’s superheroes, and the casting is genius. Paul Rudd has a fantastic sense of timing, Michael Douglas is always a joy to see working, and Evangeline Lilly was believable as a high-powered science-executive struggling against her father’s protective instincts — and there’s a gorgeous promise that she’ll get a much more active role in a potential sequel. Michael Peña routinely threatened to steal the show with the sidekick squad, and as a parent of young kids firmly in the “Thomas the Train” phase of life, I found myself laughing perhaps more than I should have at the climactic fight sequence aboard the signature toy’s tiny tracks — and its conclusion. All in all, I’m so glad I didn’t miss this gem, and I really hope it gets a sequel. The action is solid, the plot works well, and as I’ve mentioned repeatedly, the humor is spot-on. (Come on, he names his primary ant-buddy ANT-ony.) It’s definitely worth your time if you haven’t seen it, and it’s just as good on repeat viewings. Highly recommended.
Tez’s Favorite Thing is… the Dreamfall cover!
Ah, cover reveals. Sometimes they’re middling, and other times they’re disappointing. But when they produce art that I want to share with everyone, they’re magical.
Amy Plum’s young adult horror novel Dreamfall won’t be published until May 2017, but in the meantime you can stare at this piece of awesomeness. The story involves an experiment to treat chronic insomnia. An equipment malfunction lands a group of teens into a shared dreamworld, which is more like a living nightmare. And if they die in the dream, they’ll die in real life.
A scenario like this deserves an outstanding cover, which HarperTeen has created. Note the hospital, the woods, and the distortion representing the story elements. While I wish the one-word title was on one line, instead of across two, that’s a minor quibble in a pretty great piece of art.
Any thoughts on the selections above? Let us know in the comments!
Whoops! I really buggered up on my proofreading. “group of teams” should actually read “group of teens”. Sorry about that, everyone – my bad.
Fixed! 🙂
Thanks, mate 🙂
I am PUMPED for Logan. I love the look and gritty feel of the trailer. In fact, it kind of tickles me that the Wolverine franchise, which was so embarrassingly overblown with it’s first installment (the cringe worthy X-men Origins: Wolverine) would end up as something so grounded. Well, as grounded as you can get for a superhero flick.
Even without the trailer, I would still be excited as it looks like they’re introducing X-23 to the film franchise. As a huge Laura fan, this makes me so happy.
My husband was watching the trailer again over the weekend, and he said, “This trailer is better than all the X-Men movies combined!” I’m rather inclined to agree with him!
Oh, Ant-Man! I went to see it because I was bored. Had such minimal expectations, but loved it immensely. I could quibble about the overtly evil villain, or a whole bunch of familiar plot points, but in the end, it’s just so much fun! I’ve watched it a couple more times since it came out on disk and it always makes me smile.
And that cover for Dream Fall is amazing. I’m disappointed it’s not out right now!