Let's face it: You like reading about the panels, you like looking at pictures of people in costumes and you like watching interviews with all the stars of your most anticipated upcoming movies. But what you really want to know when it comes to Comic-Con is which films hosted the best footage presentations. That's all that really matters when you think about it. Actors can say all they want about how awesome it was to work on [insert film here], but in the end it comes down to what's on the screen. So, my Fandango Friends, here's what I consider to be the five best footage presentations from Comic-Con.
Zack Snyder's first original film looks to be the very definition of original. In Sucker Punch, an all-female cast (led by Emily Browning) tackles a number of ridiculously cool-looking fantasy worlds in order to help them escape from the mental asylum they're all committed to in the real world. I don't think anyone at Comic-Con knew what to expect when the footage from this film was unleashed upon them, except that when it was over I can bet that 6,000 fans wanted to all simultaneously high five Zack Snyder. Coincidentally, the first trailer for the film was released yesterday, so you can check out the same footage below.
It's been awhile since we were able to watch a film that was actually shot in 3D, and so the footage from Drive Angry 3D was definitely a welcomed surprise. For starters, yes, it was shot in 3D instead of being converted, which means the film was planned with 3D in mind. That made all the difference, as the footage shown at Comic-Con was just bursting with energy, with the 3D action scenes screaming out for you to throw down 20 bucks to watch the entire thing when it hits theaters this February. Look, it's no Avatar – and the crazy plot (Nicolas Cage plays a man out to exact revenge upon the men who killed his daughter) is definitely not suitable for all ages – but if you want to see some genuine 3D rock out hard, then this should not disappoint. Watch the Comic-Con teaser trailer below.
Though I wasn't crazy about the way the 3D conversion looked on Thor, there was no denying that a heavy wave of anticipation swooped down over the thousands of fans packed into Hall H when footage from Marvel's next two films screened. Captain America had only been filming for one week, but they had enough to show us a complete scene featuring the villainous Hugo Weaving before he turns into Red Skull. They also gave us a quick shot of Chris Evans in the suit, and another of him throwing the shield toward the camera. Meanwhile, there was plenty of Thor footage to go around – with both scenes on earth and his home planet of Asgard. They introduced the villain The Destroyer (who looked completely badass), and some of the fight scenes look like a lot of fun. Still, will audiences connect with Marvel's first film to leave the planet earth? And will they connect with Chris Hemsworth, who doesn't seem all that interesting up on the screen aside from his ripped abs? What do you think?
Barely a month into filming and Jon Favreau still managed to bring a nice piece of footage from next summer's Cowboys & Aliens. A Comic-Con favorite (thanks to both Iron Man films), Favreau knew just how to ramp up the crowd, and he didn't have to do it alone since the cast – including Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, and Sam Rockwell – was also in attendance. The scenes in question felt very much like an old-school Western, with a gritty, beaten-up stranger stumbling into town causing all sorts of issues. And then, as tensions arise between the townsfolk, a bunch of alien ships begin attacking from overhead. It's a wild scene – and it messes with your head because the last thing you're expecting from a Western is an alien attack – but that's what I think is so cool about this film. And after watching these scenes, I have faith that Favreau will deliver the goods come next July.
Not much was known about this film prior to Comic-Con except that it featured – wait for it – another alien attack. (Are we becoming more and more obsessed with alien attack movies, or is it me?) The good news is that Battle: Los Angeles did not come off as yet another useless disaster porn, and instead presented us with a very cool action sequence featuring helicopters dodging an aerial alien attack. It kind of reminded me of a real-deal, balls-to-the-wall war movie … except with aliens. And that's something I can get behind! Check out the image in this post, and look for this one on March 11, 2011.
Which of these films are you most excited to see?
