Weekly Trailer Round-Up
22 Jun 2011 1 Comment
in 2011, Weekly Trailer Round-up Tags: 2011, A Dangerous Method, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, blog, Cinema Enthusiast, cinenthusiast, Dolphin Tale, Etc., Film Trailers, Flypaper, Griff the Invisible, Love, Movie Trailers, Puss in Boots, The Last Circus, The Muppets, Trailers, Weekly Trailer Round-up
The Last Circus – B: Magnet has really become a wonderful outlet for foreign films in the action/thriller/horror genre to get US distribution. While international genre films are more likely to get distribution here than most other kinds of international fare, I’ll take any distribution I can get, and Magnet does a nice job of picking up films for their label. The Last Circus looks particularly extreme and specially crafted in tone and pushing limits. This is one I will keep an eye out for.
Dolphin Tale – C: The second this trailer starts, you begin waiting for the ‘based on a true story’ visual, and sure enough it comes up. I certainly have nothing against a family-friendly narrative about dolphins; I just don’t really care to see it.
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked – D: Again; what could I do with this one? I am so unbelievably sick of this trend where CGI animals do an empty and lazy parody of a song or famous film scene. It’s happening everywhere I turn (or at least it seems so) and I was done with it before it started.
Griff the Invisible – B-: At once too light and then too melodramatic and then too I don’t know what, Griff the Invisible is another take on ‘superhero realism’, this time in the guise of a romantic dramedy. The only thing that made me really want to see this is Ryan Kwanten, who looks absolutely wonderful in this, fitting so nicely into the idealistic character.
The Muppets – B+: My love for the Muppets makes this one of my most anticipated of late 2011 (although at this point, a hell of a lot of films are falling into this category). I am a little worried about the amount of screen-time Segel has but I really like him a lot and I understand that this is his project. Right now it feels like we are getting footage from two different films. I hope it all fits together nicely and according to this trailer, so far so good.
Flypaper – B-: I am rooting for Flypaper; I really am. It looks like it could go either way. Mainly though, I hope the film is better than the trailer looks, because there is a lot of potentially fun wackiness afoot.
Puss In Boots – B-: This does not look half bad. It looks far more appealing than the last two Shrek films, and utilizes arguably the richest of the franchise’s characters. There are a few cute moments and excluding the character name of Kitty Softpaws, there is nothing outwardly awful here.
Love, Etc – C+: Love, Etc. is a documentary that, judging by the trailer, looks way too scattered, slight and polished to resonate in any way shape or form. I’m sure it will be touching and uplifting, but also irrelevant and processed.
A Dangerous Method – A-: My utmost trust in Cronenberg has me clawing at the walls for this film. And now we finally have a trailer. It looks like its trying a bit too hard to package itself as a melodramatic love triangle. Cronenberg always has something more interesting up his sleeve, even when he’s not the writer (he hasn’t been since eXistenZ). Between the subject matter, the kinky light bondage, the cast, the director and the time period…nothing can derail my interest in this one. I’ve seen most of Cronenberg’s work and (favorites being The Fly, Dead Ringers, Videodrome and A History of Violence) I hope to see the few I am missing before this gets released, which will hopefully be in 2011. And yet, I am quite possibly even more excited about Cosmopolis.
Weekly Trailer Round-Up
15 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in 2011, Weekly Trailer Round-up Tags: 2011, blog, Cinema Enthusiast, cinenthusiast, Dark Tide, Errol Morris, Film Trailers, Lucky, Movie Trailers, Pariah, Sundance 2011, Tabloid, The Guard, Trailer, Weekly Trailer Round-up
Pariah – A-: I have been wanting to see this since it played at Sundance. It looks like a rather simple trajectory, but one that matters and told with a desperate forcefulness. Adepero Odeye looks superb in the lead role.
Tabloid – A: The new Errol Morris doc, so, clearly a must-see. Every single aspect of this trailer is right up my alley. Focusing on an eccentric personality? Check. Focusing on media coverage? Check. Darkly comedic tone? Check. My most anticipated doc right now along with Beats, Rhymes and Life and Senna.
The Guard – C+: One the one hand, Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle look like a an inspired comedic duo. On the other hand, the dialogue was the same joke over and over. Seriously; is that what the entire film will be like? I am not sold on the weak humor.
Lucky – B-: The trailer feels very rushed. Functions as a trailer working with the timeframe of a teaser. But I would definitely see this.
Dark Tide – C-: I am not sure this is the type of film Halle Berry should be making if she wants to get her career to the place it was several years ago. Tonally, this just does not work. It’s not scattered, but it is too paint-by-numbers. “From the director of Blue Crush and Into the Blue” does not exactly reel me in, although it does tell me this man likes the ocean a hell of a lot.
Weekly Trailer Round-Up
25 May 2011 Leave a Comment
in 2011, Weekly Trailer Round-up Tags: 2011, 2011 trailer reviews, A Little Help, blog, blog review, Cinema Enthusiast, cinenthusiast, Conan O'Brien Can't Stop, Film Trailers, Movie Trailers, Salvation Boulevard, Take Shelter, The Muppets, The Perfect Age of Rock 'N' Roll, Trailer Reviews, Trailers, Weekly Trailer Round-up
Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop – B: My boyfriend got to see this at IFFBoston, while I had to miss it due to class. Both of us attended O’Brien’s tour, making this of particular interest. The film looks like a satisfying combination of entertainment and insight.
A Little Help – D: This is the kind of domestic indie drama I cannot abide by. Nothing here feels genuine and it comes complete with ‘indie’ dramedy font. Fischer will lose her husband, struggle to find her own way and mark out a relationship with her son. There will be plenty of ups and downs and the film will end on a moment of hope. There you go. Film seen.
Take Shelter – A: Recently screened at Cannes, this is one of my most anticipated films of the year. Inner psychological torment mixed with eerie atmosphere and bigger-scale visuals looks to be a winning mix. Shannon’s predicament seems similar to his in Bug, a film I love, making this an even more exciting release.
The Muppets – B+: A really clever trailer which shows, in its short footage of the Muppets, that the humor will stay very much inline with the type of meta-jokes they were known for. I am so nervous and excited for this one; the Muppets mean a lot to me. They have been so misused in recent years by Disney. Jason Segel seems to appreciate what they once were, so I have hope. Also, it is hard to imagine this not working in a theater.
Salvation Boulevard – C-: This trailer it waaaaay too scattered to feel coherent. It may be going for a zany, wacky satirical vibe, but this too muddled for any of that to really come through.
The Perfect Age of Rock ‘N’ Roll – C: There is something so purposefully dour about this; it so badly wants us to care. I am not sure I do. Everyone involved is clearly trying, but it I did not finish the trailer feeling like I needed to spend two hours with this story.
Weekly Trailer Round-Up
18 May 2011 1 Comment
in 2011, Weekly Trailer Round-up Tags: 2011, 2011 Trailers, blog, Cinema Enthusiast, cinenthusiast, Colin Farrell, Craig Gillespie, Film Trailers, Fright Night remake, Horrible Bossess, Movie Trailers, Steven Spielberg, Straw Dogs remake, The Adventures of Tintin, Trailers, Weekly Trailer Round-up, Zookeeper
This was definitely a light and disappointing week in trailers.
Horrible Bosses – C+: This looks pretty inane, but the main reason for my willingness to eventually sit through it is the presence of both Kevin Spacey and Colin Farrell, who look like they are having fun. There are certainly hints of black comedy here, but in plot, not tone, where it counts. Hopefully it goes further down that road than I expect it to.
Fright Night – C: May I ask how the hell this trailer manages to last two and a half minutes and only feature one blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot of David Tennant, who is playing the Roddy McDowall character in this remake? This looks like it has very little of the humor of the original (which I am not much of a fan of in the first place). It also looks like it might be hard to buy Farrell in this role. There are a few reasons I am holding onto indifferent hope here. One is that Marti Noxon is credited for the screenplay. The other is that Craig Gillespie is directing. Lastly, this is a pretty solid cast. We’ll just have to see.
Straw Dogs – C-: Honestly, if this grade reflected my thoughts on the existence of this remake, it would be an F-. Yes, an F-. This C- should serve as evidence that this trailer was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. It looks like they are falling back on the original more than I expected, which is better than them taking the name and telling a story that vaguely resembles Peckinpah’s original. To put it plainly though; this. film. should. not. have. been. touched. But it’s happening, whether we like it or not. The casting of the leads is dull as fuck. Alexander Skarsgaard’s presence is always a good thing. I don’t really have much to say. I was expecting disaster; the result is something that has the potential to be passable, but no matter what the level of work, its very existence makes it involuntarily dreadful.
Zookeeper – D- : Hmm. It is hard to know what to say about Zookeeper. This kind of film was not made for me, and I am sure many who see it will enjoy themselves. Trying to bank on the success of Night at the Museum and Kevin James’ previous vehicle Paul Blart: Mall Cop, this will probably make a considerable amount of money. Rosario Dawson. Rosario, Rosario, Rosario. Sigh. The Talking Heads usage just made me a little sad. Although, since I cannot recall “Wild Wild Life” being used in other trailers, it was a welcome change to the endless list of played-out songs that can commonly be found here. There is one thing I will say for this film. Casting Nick Nolte as a talking gorilla is GENIUS. Hence the D- instead of an F.
The Adventures of Tintin – B-: I am very excited for The Adventures of Tintin, more for the screenwriters involved than for Spielberg. This was an underwhelming teaser, that did not entice me to want to see more, the way teasers are supposed to. It is just sort of there. Nothing great, nothing bad. Hopefully the trailer will entice more from me than unwanted indifference.
Weekly Trailer Round-Up
10 May 2011 Leave a Comment
in 2011, Weekly Trailer Round-up Tags: 2011, 2011 Film Trailers, blog, Buck, Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff, Cinema Enthusiast, cinenthusiast, Colombiana, Conan the Barbarian, Film Trailers, Final Destination 5, Green Lantern, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Octubre, Page On: Insde the New York Times, Project Nim, Reel Steel, Saviors in the Night, The Future, The Ledge, The Road to Nowhere, The Skin I Live In, The Trip, Thunder Soul, Trailers, Weekly Trailer Round-up
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff – B: This is one of my most highest anticipated films of the summer. Jack Cardiff is one of the all-time great cinematographers. This looks like it will be a purely celebratory tribute to the man, and that is exactly what I am looking for in this case.
Page One: Inside the New York Times - B: A fascinating topic that hopefully assumes we are all somewhat aware about the state of journalism, as opposed to using it as an introduction to the hard facts. I am banking on this being well-done, but the question is; will it be as meaningful and insightful as it clearly wants to be? Hard to tell from the trailer.
Buck – B+: This documentary is yet another of the docs I am highly anticipating. It looks like the kind of inspiring story I can actually get behind and want to engross myself in. The way others relate with other animals is something that greatly interests me. It is part of the reason Project Nim is my favorite film of the year so far.
Octubre – B: Really liking the purposely off-kilter nature of the trailer. Even though there is no indication as to what the it is about, this left me wanting to know a bit more.
Saviors in the Night – C: This does not looks like it stands out in any way from the many WWII-era films. The tagline at the end is way too overstated, just like the rest of this trailer.
Thunder Soul – B-: While this comes off more like a reality show special than a documentary film, I definitely want to see this, especially to learn about the original incarnation of the band. Overall, this looks like a fun time.
The Road to Nowhere – C-: This trailer is telling me I should be really excited about this film coming out. But outside of Hellman’s involvement, nothing here pops at all. The trailer takes the ambiguous route which can only work when the images are compelling, leaving us wanting more; this does not.
The Ledge – C-: We get way too much set-up here, telling us not only why Hunnam is on the ledge but giving us all of the backstory leading up to it. Gives away too much and looks mundane and rote to boot.
The Trip – A: Having seen The Trip, the trailer is somewhat unrepresentative, but aren’t they all? Smartly puts an emphasis on what we know of Coogan and Brydon’s personalities. Banter will be ever-present as will impersonations. It does not, and probably for the best, go into the more uncomfortably self-reflexive elements of the film. It also misrepresents itself as ‘the trip of a lifetime’. In fact, its the opposite. Nothing out-of-the ordinary happens in the entire film. The ‘my name’s Michael Caine’ and ‘Gentlemen to bed!’ scenes are the highlights and it also smartly shows each of these. Excellent work. Love this film.
Martha Marcy May Marlene – A+: When trailers like this come around, it reminds us how predictable most trailers are nowadays. This causes us to realize just how predictable the films themselves are nowadays. This looks like something entirely original, telling a story that treads unfamiliar ground. Yes, it can be loosely described as a thriller, but the main character looks like a refreshing brand of unstable and the trailer’s structure thankfully gives little away. If the film is as good as this trailer, and its festival run suggests, we are for something great here. Its time for this Olson sibling to shine in the spotlight.
Green Lantern – B: Pretty much everyone who watched the first trailer to Green Lantern was majorly disappointed. While there is nothing anyone can do to make me all-out stoked for this film, I am happy to report that this new trailer is a massive improvement. It’s light on the humor, heavy on the epic scale. Sarsgaard alone is enough to get me to see this. The effects look top-notch as well.
Conan the Barbarian – F: I feel like I need to take a shower now. Not sure what else I expected from a film directed by Marcus Nespiel, but there you have it. Everything about this looks filthy and nauseating. Count me out for this one.
Colombiana – C-: Honestly, after the near-brilliance and violent exhaustion of I Saw the Devil, any vengeance themed film needs to bring something seriously new to the table to spark my interest. This looks like it will bring absolutely nothing new. Zoe Saldana kicking ass is always a good thing, and I’m happy that she has a star vehicle (she deserves it). Yet, it looks like there is nothing this has to offer.
Project Nim – A-: This is my favorite film of 2011 so far. The trailer ultimately makes a very wise choice; it only shows footage from the first half hour. This way, Nim’s story will be a surprise to all that see the film because they will not have been spoiled by a trailer that could have easily given an overview of Nim’s entire life. Unfortunately, the trailer loses all the levels of depth that the film carries and merely looks like a documentary that only works on a surface level. The film is so much more than that and while the trailer sacrifices that sense, it was the right decision.
The Future – A-: This is a film I have seen that is not entirely successful. The first half of the trailer makes everything a little too upbeat, giving it that ‘indie’ feel without acknowledging the true originality of July’s voice. The Future has a lot of humor, but it’s all very droll. Once Beach House kicks in, this trailer becomes everything I wanted the film to be. It highlights a lot of the best things about it and the feel of the song gives everything a sense of existentialist wonder that should have come through a lot more in the film itself.
The Skin I Live In – B+: This is a quick jolt of a teaser that focuses on one scene. Without a doubt, one of the most anticipated films of 2011 for most film buffs. Cannes reactions will soon give us some quotes we can all hang off of. Almodovar is delving into outright horror territory, a genre I love when it proves itself. The teaser itself really is just that; a tease. He is clearly taking some notes from Franju’s Eyes without a Face, a great personal favorite.
Final Destination 5 – B-: Something that I enjoy about the Final Destination series is how ridiculous their set-ups are. And that’s what this series is all about. They spend an awful lot of time setting up their kills, because it is all about the extreme circumstances that are wrapped up in the characters’ ‘destiny’. Their inventiveness in this regard can be quite fun and even, dare I say it, effective. They seem to know how amusing it is that this franchise has lasted as long as it has and I won’t begrudge them the fun they are having with it. Plus, Emma Bell is in it and she is great. I will take a moment here to plug Adam Green’s. Frozen. Also; Tony Todd!
Reel Steel – C-: A sci-fi variation on the boxing movie has potential, but Reel Steel looks contrived on arrival. The characters seem uninteresting, especially Jackman’s down-and-out protagonist. The kid looks tiresome and all that’s left are the robots, in which case I could just watch the new Transformers film.
Weekly Trailer Round-Up
03 May 2011 Leave a Comment
in 2011, Weekly Trailer Round-up Tags: 2011, 2011 trailer reviews, blog, Cinema Enthusiast, cinenthusiast, Trailer Reviews, Trailers, Weekly Trailer Round-up
Our Idiot Brother (C+) – Hmm. There is a really solid cast here and hopefully they can get something out of this material, which looks mundane at best.
The Devil’s Double (B) – The ‘based on a true story’ label has me intrigued where I otherwise might not have been. This looks interesting enough to garner a look. And Ludivine Sagnier is an immediate lock for me; she is one of my favorite actresses.
Immortals (C-) – This really just looks like a mish-mash of previous projects with nothing new to offer. Like an odd combo of 300/Clash of the Titans/The Tempest. No thanks.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (A+): This trailer sets the highest bar possible and I’m not going to lie; I am a little worried about whether they can pull this off. The trailer says they will; it is phenomenal. Hits all the right emotions, truly feels as epic as it is meant to and the action set-pieces look tremendous. Yet, can they pull it off? We will know in July.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (B): I have no interest in the Transformers series but I’m not the kind of person who will blatantly discount special effects of this caliber. This honestly does not look bad. Sure, tarted-up Rosie Huntington-Whiteley looks completely absurd amidst the chaos and it will probably be mostly brainless. But Bay has admitted how bad the sequel was and between that and the scale on display, this has a chance at being decent; even though it looks like its taking itself as seriously as ever.
One Day (C+): Every issue I have with this trailer, and there are many, pertain specifically to the trailer itself and not to the film. The film looks quite good; if only I didn’t feel like I know every single thing that happens in it. After that trailer; why see it? It spoils so much. It tries to mix things up a bit, but it is easy to place everything in its proper chronology. The music and narration are extreme overkill. As a trailer, this gets a C-, but because the film itself looks good (not great, but good), it gets a higher grade. Also; I am not sold on Jim Sturgess. Just not a fan of his.
Intruders (B-): Very awkward teaser, but it is enough to keep me looking out for a full trailer.
Weekly Trailer Round-up #1
24 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment
in 2011, Weekly Trailer Round-up Tags: 2011, 2011 Trailers, 30 Minutes or Less, Another Earth, Brother's Justice, Circumstance, Film Trailers, L'Amour Fou, Submarine, Terri, The Change-Up, The Help, The High Cost of Living, Thoughts on Trailers, Trailers, Weekly Trailer Round-up
School is winding down which is making me rethink how I want my blog to be. I know consistency is my big issue and my main goal to work on that. Writing does not come as naturally to me as it does for many others out there, so time is a factor. I’d like to do a weekly trailer post as well as a weekly commentary post sharing my thoughts on a piece of film news. My weekly screening posts will have musings as well.
Trailers are usually about prepackaging a film into a definitive set of criteria. For the most part, people want to know what to expect when they walk into a movie theater. Will they be scared? Thrilled? Laugh? Cry? Trailers boil down the expected emotions. Or they purposely misrepresent the film in efforts to gain more viewers. It goes without saying that trailers are a form of advertising. They are meant to sell the film. So while they always have to be taken with a grain of salt, they also are a great indicator on whether or not any given film will be ‘for you’.
30 Minutes of Less (B): The material looks little more than average, but the comedic pairing like Jesse Eisenberg and Aziz Ansari looks very promising. Eisenberg is one of the best young actors today and Ansari is one of my favorite stand-up comedians, so it would be a shame if this doesn’t pan out they way it theoretically should. Eisenberg’s character seems to have a lot more confidence than the types of characters we are used to seeing from him. It is not hard to see the slightly different air about him, making him, dare I say it, even more attractive? Yes…I believe I dare say it. In short, hopefully the film itself will match the potential of the cast and not depend too much on the line deliveries of the actors.
The Change-Up (C-): Another take on the ‘Freaky Friday’ concept, this time with two actors who seem incapable of portraying the other convincingly. At least, that’s the sense one gets from the trailer. Isn’t the entire point of a film like this to see all the fun ways the actors portray their characters post body-swapping? When Ryan Reynolds, a womanizing bachelor, and Jason Bateman, a domesticated family man, switch bodies it is nearly impossible to tell the difference. This may be because we do not stay with a scene long enough to get a sense of the performances, but uninteresting material aside, it looks like it’ll be hard to fully buy these performances.
The Help (C+): I have been meaning to read The Help, but now I’m not so sure if I want to. This looks a lot more light-hearted than I thought it was supposed to be. Packaged into the epitome of a heartwarming crowd pleaser, nothing about this trailer feels real. I’ll read the book because it is absurd to not read a book because the trailer for the movie adaptation is disappoints, but the fact remains…this looks overcooked.
Submarine (A): I’ve been looking forward to this ever since hearing about it, and the trailer exceeded my expectations. Has a Rushmore vibe about it (one of my all-time favorites; as innovative in 2011 as it was in 1998), yet it looks like it has its own identity and does not feel forced or unoriginal. The film looks quite beautiful to boot. Unfortunately, I’ll be missing this at IFFBoston next week, because I am opting for Green instead.
The High Cost of Living (D+): Everything we hear Zach Braff say in voiceover during the first third of this trailer sounds like dialogue that could have come directly from Garden State. Nothing about it looks worthwhile; a somber romantic drama laced with some half-hearted humor. The only question left hanging is whether or not the lead female will accept Braff for his actions. I don’t care to know the answer. The tagline, the music, all of it; no thanks.
Another Earth (B): The concept of Another Earth certainly has potential, and it looks like the outcome can go either way. Low budget indie sci-fi cannot help but recall last year’s Monsters, and that was a near disaster in execution.
Circumstance (A-): Try not to be captivated by this. My hope is that it can give legitimate insight on Iranian youth culture, and not just be a titillating tale of victimhood.
Terri (B-): This is certainly something I’ll see but outside what looks to be a great performance by Jacob Wysocki and the ever-reliable presence of John C. Reilly, nothing sticks out. There are so many trailers for these kinds of indie films, and it is unfortunate that they are always put together to convey the same exact tone and feel, despite the wide range of identities these films carry.
L’Amour Fou (B+): Biographical documentaries are an immediate hook. Plus, lots of stunning fashion. Plus, this kind of high-profile auction is something that fascinates me. Also; a few shots of Saint-Laurent remind me of Crispin Glover. Weird.
Brother’s Justice (D): This looks like a thoroughly pompous project. Nothing is funny in this trailer. Appearances by Ashton Kutcher and Tom Arnold are terrible selling points.
