The latest from J. J. Abrams is a four-part docu-series premiering on Showtime, focusing on a fairly perennial topic in American media: Our fascination with whether or not the power of government, corporations, and the military have colluded to shield evidence of extraterrestrial phenomena from the public eye. Though the trailer never directly references the X-Files, the show is one of the tangible influences underlying this preview (and probably the series UFO as well).

John David Washington (Tenet, BlacKkKlansman) stars in this new summer headed thriller headed to Netflix. With Ferdinando Cito Filomarino directing, celebrated English singer and songwriter Dev Hynes—also known as Blood Orange—is a key collaborator, and unsurprising then that his music figures heavily in this first trailer.

Move over, Tarantino—to some extent also following Concrete Cowboy (which also features Idris Elba), here is a hyper-violent take on the Western, furthering reimagining and pushing it beyond its decidedly white-washed roots. According to Netflix, it is “a righteously new school Western”—with an all-Black ensemble cast, who represent historical figures from the Old West.

Edgar Wright has always been particularly well-attenuated to the music and image dynamic. From the original music-laden Scott Pilgrim Versus the World to 2017’s Baby Driver, his unique aural sensibilities are analogous to how Wes Anderson has become synonymous with distinctive palettes of colour; one can practically tell just by the edit who one is dealing with.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua (perhaps best known for editing music videos for Toni Braxton, Prince, and others) and starring Mark Wahlberg (Ted, Transformers: Age of Extinction), Infinite’s trailer is a study in fastidious synch between sound and image, at times clearly and unabashedly splicing directly to the rhythm.

Best known as the band leader for The Roots, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson makes his filmmaking debut with this documentary and concert film celebrating Black culture, fashion, music, and history. It offers a look at artists such as Stevie Wonder and Sly & the Family Stone in never-before-seen appearances. With 98% on the Tomatometer and a prize-winning screening at the most recent Sundance Film Festival, it’s already a can’t-miss event before even watching the teaser.

After a largely pandemic-induced lull in full feature-length proceedings in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the release schedule looks set to resume (for a mostly vaccinated stateside audience, at least) with Shang-Chi.

Starring Simu Liu (whom Canadians and many around the world will recognize from CBC’s Kim’s Convenience), Marvel’s first film with an Asian lead happens to be arriving in the midst of a moment of increasing awareness—and incidence—of anti-Asian hate.

Directed by Leos Carax (Holy Motors) and with the music and script written by Ron and Russell Mael of the long-running American pop dup Sparks, Annette is an intriguing new musical starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard. Set to open the Cannes Film Festival this year, the plot is not so much to be understood—at least at this point—as felt.

Much in the same way Mortal Kombat is being brought back from its theatrical grave for another run some 26 years after its 1995 debut, Space Jam is having a revival under the guise of “A New Legacy”. In this case, LeBron James essentially follows in Michael Jordan’s footsteps.

The steady stream of musician biopics in recent years—with at least eighteen in the offing—continues with HBO’s Tina, for which we have an “official teaser trailer.” The two-part structure incorporates multiple editing touches that help lend meaning to Turner’s interview sound bites as well as additional production elements to render it into a cohesive whole, working with footage from the early 60s up to today. From black and white to 4K and from Motown to orchestral anthem, it comes with an overarching promise—appropriate to the genre—that we might come away with a more in-depth understanding of Turner as a person.

It was only about eight years ago that popular media began to really reckon with Hollywood’s whitewashing of American cowfolk. After the original 1960 version of The Magnificent Seven by John Sturges, a 2016 adaptation recast its heroes in a way that better represented historical reality. Other attempts, such as those by Tarantino (Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight) grapple with such issues—without quite letting go of the narrative conventions that made the Western genre racially problematic to begin with. Concrete Cowboy, co-written and directed by Ricky Staub and featuring Idris Elba, not only stands to further correct the aforementioned fictions, but also presents a compelling story in its own right.

Premiering April 1st on HBO Max, Made for Love is an adaptation of a novel by Alissa Nutting exploring the dystopian experience of Hazel Green (Cristen Milioti: How I Met Your Mother). Her husband Bryan, a billionaire technology entrepreneur, implants a chip in her brain, thinking total surveillance of Hazel’s thoughts and feelings would somehow be an acceptable idea.

Following Soul, Pixar’s latest follows the young boy Luca on adventure by the seaside Italian Riviera—the catch being that Luca and his friend transform into sea monsters whenever they are exposed to water. Directed by Academy Award nominee Enrico Casaros, the voice talent includes John Ratzenberger and Drake Bell.

The latest film to receive the Disney Plus Premiere Access treatment, Raya and the Last Dragon is a story based on Southeast Asia featuring the voices of Kelly Marie Tran (Rose Tico in the latest Star Wars films) and Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians; Jumanji: The Next Level). The most recent trailer, released January 26th, uses an edit that places the dialogue front and centre, while balancing action with comic relief.

Arriving simultaneously on HBO Max and theaters (where possible, of course) April 16th, the latest film edition of Mortal Kombat is an entry that will slot in nicely for those watching Godzilla vs Kong later this month and feeling ready for more. At a healthy 2:42, the trailer earn a steady build-up to the gory scenes the most clearly mirror its video game namesake. Notably, the aesthetics feel a little more at home in a popular cinema landscape dominated in recent history by superheroes, with the music taking a similar cue.

Disney’s latest foray into the world of retellings and backstory for their most-loved films takes a closer look at 101 Dalmatians’ Cruella de Vil. At least judging by this trailer, however, Cruella (Emma Stone) challenges us to embrace the flaws of her character instead of giving us a reason to understand her as a tragically flawed or misunderstood hero (as Maleficent did for Sleeping Beauty’s villain or Joker did for The Joker). That unapologetic spirit partly fits the film’s new setting, in 1970s London and the context of the burgeoning punk rock scene.

Despite being a less competitive game than one might hope for, for many sports fans’ event of the year, Super Bowl 2021 fully delivered in its slate of trailers promising film and television delights to come this year, with many challenged to fit a tight 30-second slot to fit the budget that the Super Bowl demands. From Disney+’s latest Marvel-oriented offerings to M. Night Shyamalan’s summer thriller fare, here’s our run-down, with our usual focus on music and sound.