And so it is, the first trailer for Jem and the Holograms has been released. It has been a little over a year ago since we learned of its development and yesterday new images cropped up to give us a taste of what’s to come. But could the animated musical series of the ’80s live up to modern day expectations? Now that we’ve seen the first footage of the film, this may not be the Jem that diehard fans quite remember. See for yourself after the break. Continue reading
And so it is, the first trailer for Jem and the Holograms has been released. It has been a little over a year ago since we learned of its development and yesterday new images cropped up to give us a taste of what’s to come. But could the animated musical series of the ’80s live up to modern day expectations? Now that we’ve seen the first footage of the film, this may not be the Jem that diehard fans quite remember.
I’ve kept a cautious optimism in the back of my mind, preparing for this exact moment. Before seeing this trailer, I pegged that Jem would either target an ageless group like Pitch Perfect or be geared more toward a younger audience. The fact that she earns stardom through YouTube definitely signifies the later, which is fine, but the whole Beyond the Lights meets Dreamgirls kind of vibe gives it an awkward tone in the middle of a teen-focused musical.
With an astounding, “meh,” the Jem and the Holograms live-action adaptation isn’t quite as outrageous as the original series’ theme song would leave you to believe – see below. The music is hardly even a highlight of the trailer, which focuses more on the relationship drama between the band mates. This all makes the film feel very generic and watered-down, not so much the wacky ’80s shenanigans some may have been hoping for.
In the original cartoon, Jerrica masked her identity as Jem through the help of a super computer named Synergy. We only get a brief mention of it by name only. Throughout the series Jem would have to protect Synergy from those looking to obtain it. It doesn’t seem that any of that will play out into this movie, but only time will tell.
Watch the original theme song here:
(Click on any thumbnail below to begin the image gallery)
Here is the official plot synopsis for Jem and the Holograms, courtesy of Universal:
Directed by Jon M. Chu, Jem and the Hogorams stars Aubrey Peeples, Stefanie Scott, Hayley Kiyoko, Aurora Perrineau, Ryan Guzman, Molly Ringwald, and Juliette Lewis. This film is set to release on October 23, 2015.
Source: BuzzFeed
It was only a year ago when the cast for the Jem and the Holograms movie was announced. In that time we have gained very little details, news, or images on the production that micro-budget horror producer Jason Blum from Blumhouse Productions is backing. Seeing that we are only six months away from its release, I feel as though the marketing team has awoken from their slumber to realize they need to start getting the word out.
Full disclosure, as much as you’d all like to think I spend my time wearing pink wigs and my face painted as I type this out, I have no history with Jem and the Holograms. I know of the cartoon and that’s about it. And when Blumhouse became the studio behind this movie, it raised a few eyebrows, mine included. The production house that brought us Paranormal Activity and Insidious, how could they tap into the psyche of teen girls?
They have dipped their toes outside the realm of genre features before with the Oscar winning Whiplash, as well as HBO’s The Normal Heart and The Jinx. So is this an adult romp for nostalgic Millennials? Director Jon M. Chu (Step Up 2: The Streets; G.I. Joe Retaliation) shed some light on the project in a recent interview with USA Today:
“It’s actually about a group of young people who are going to be inundated with this idea of fame and fortune and products and stuff, and within all that, how do you stay true to who you really are? That’s the real soul of the movie.”
Many audiences today may relate this property to Hannah Montana, as the lead character Jerrica (Aubrey Peeples) takes on the alter ego of Jem. Chu continues:
“Jerrica is definitely a 21st-century sort of girl. She’s shy and scared to use her voice after the death of her father, who taught her guitar and would call her ‘Jem,’ yet still finds ways to make music even though she’s frightened of the stage. We see the transformation as she gets brought into it, getting seduced by it, and at the same time trying to find her real self in between those two identities.”
Peeles adds:
“She never wanted to pursue the big costumes, lots of makeup, all that stuff. But in a way it helps her hide and have the confidence to come out and be this persona.”
And so we have the band members, but now the supporting cast has also been revealed. Molly Ringwald will be playing Aunt Bailey, the legal guardian to sisters Jerrica and Kimber (Stefanie Scott), and their foster siblings Aja (Hayley Kiyoko) and Shana (Aurora Perrineau). And then we have Ryan Guzman, a Step Up veteran who enters the scene as the love interest, because we all need one of those, right? Juliette Lewis (Natural Born Killers; Whip It; August: Osage County) inhabits the role of the antagonist known as Erica Raymond, “a Starlight Music record executive.”
Check out the new production stills for the live-action adaptation of the hit ’80s cartoon here (Click on any photo below to being the image gallery):
It’s still not clear as to how we’re suppose to take this film. Whether it will be a fun romp like Pitch Perfect that services all ages, or more apt for tweens and young adults. I can only assume with the release of these images that a trailer should drop soon, which you can expect to find here once it drops.
There is no official plot synopsis yet, but here’s what IMDb.com has to say:
Music executive, Jerrica Benton, lives a secret, adventurous life as a glamorous rock star named Jem.
Directed by Jon M. Chu, Jem and the Hogorams stars Aubrey Peeples, Stefanie Scott, Hayley Kiyoko, Aurora Perrineau, Ryan Guzman, Molly Ringwald, and Juliette Lewis. This film is set to release on October 23, 2015.
Source: USA Today
This past weekend I had the opportunity to speak with writer/director/actor Leigh Whannell at WonderCon to learn more about what we can expect from the third installment of the Insidious franchise. As a prequel, Insidious: Chapter 3 takes fans back in time to discover how Elise (Lin Shaye), Specs (Whannell), and Tucker (Angus Sampson) came together to become the ghost hunters we know and love. After the jump, learn about his writing process and how he conceived the film’s main antagonist. Continue reading
Tapping the well once more, Blumhouse is laying it all out on the table in this latest trailer hoping for the next installment of the Insidious franchise to succeed. Set before the first film, Insidious: Chapter 3 plans to explore the “origins” of our favorite spirit hunters and their first case together. For the spoiler sensitive out there be warned, this new trailer features a lot of money shots and story elements that you might want to savor for your theater outing. Check it out after the jump at your own risk. Continue reading
It’s time to bust out your ’80s glam rock attire because Jem and the Holograms is coming to the big screen. Director Jon M. Chu tweeted the announcement today, which revealed the first look, teaser poster along with the casting announcement. Check out who will play the beloved Jem and the Holograms after the break. Continue reading
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