Trailer Tuesday: 12-28-10
December 28, 2010
It’s been quite a while since any trailers were posted, so there’s a plethora to view. So while you’re ignoring shoveling snow and keeping warm with a cozy blanket, check out what’s coming out and determine which ones to keep on your radar….
BRIGHTON ROCK
If you caught Sam Riley’s superb breakout role as Ian Curtis in “Control” than you know that he is an actor to follow. His latest film is “Brighton Rock”, a film written by first-time director by Rowan Joffe (screenwriter for “28 Weeks Later” and “The American”) and based on the acclaimed novel by Graham Greene. the book was previously adapted in a 1947 film set in the 30’s starring Richard Attenborough. Now, the scene is 1964, set in Brighton, England, where working class gangsters are on the rise. Riley plays a young gangster whose criminal act is witnessed by a tea room waitress (Andrea Riseborough, “Made In Dagenham”) who eventually develops a relationship with him. The trailer looks like a good balance of a crime thriller and a romantic drama. The film also stars Andy Serkis, Helen Mirren and John Hurt. UK viewers are lucky enough to have a release date of February 4, 2011, unfortunately there’s no U.S. release date yet.
MARS NEEDS MOMS
One thing you can count on in 2011 is more and more 3D animated films. They just won’t go away. But then again, I’d rather see animated 3D than live-action. Here’s a sci-fi adventure from Disney that centers on a young boy who has to rescue his nagging mother when she’s abducted by Martians since, as the title clearly states, they need mom to care for their young. The animation looks as stiff as “The Polar Express” (no coincidence, since both share the same producer) and it seems to be bloated with vomit and poop jokes, because, after all, that’s what boys want. Featuring the voices of Seth Green, Dan Fogler, Elisabeth Harnois, Mindy Sterling, and Joan Cusack. Look for it to open on March 11, 2011.
HOP
Here’s another animated feature coming your way just in time for Easter. Wait, has there ever been an animated film coinciding with the Easter holiday? Hmmmm, none come to mind. Anyways, I like this trailer. Dang, that bunny is cute. Look at those whiskers and them ears. Awwww…..oh, uh, sorry….director Tim Hill (“Alvin and the Chipmunks”) delivers this CG/live-action family film from the same folks who brought you this summer’s “Despicable Me”, which stars James Marsden (“Enchanted”) as a slacker who finds himself taking care of the Easter Bunny (voiced by Russell Brand) after he accidentally injures him. This is how a teaser should be, but a bunny jammin’ away to Blur? Is it an April Fools joke? Find out when the movie opens on April 1, 2011.
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
Doesn’t “The” Dark of the Moon sound better? What do I know? Supposedly, this is to be THE best of the three (why wouldn’t they say that?) because they know the last one sucked. Mmmmhmm, right. My only interest is seeing Chicago get blown up real good, other than that it’s just more of the same….they’re robots and they’re in disguise. there’s a babe and she’s running around with La Buff as they dodge explosions. There’s ho-ha army dudes and nerdy scientists. Oh, and they’ll all see you on the Dark Side of the Moon come July 1, 2011.
REAL STEEL
Otherwise known as “Rock ’em, Sock ’em”, the movie. I can’t really tell if this just looks utterly ridiculous or if it could have some kind of cult sci-fi appeal. At least the trailer didn’t give everything away. The gritty action film is directed by Shawn Levy (“A Night at the Museum”), set in the near-future where the sport of boxing has gone high-tech. Hugh Jackman stars as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up fighter who lost his chance at a title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring. Now a small-time promoter, Charlie earns just enough money piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next. When Charlie hits rock bottom, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) to build and train a championship contender. As the stakes in the brutal, no-holds-barred arena are raised, Charlie and Max, against all odds, get one last shot at a comeback. Doesn’t seem like it would the same effect as “The Fighter” but it also stars two Lost alums Evangeline Lilly and Kevin Durand as well as Anthony Mackie from “The Hurt Locker”. Look for it to enter the ring sometime in October 2011.
FRANKIE AND ALLIE
And now come “Gothika 2″ or at least something that looks it could be. Halle Berry in another ‘Who am I?” role, playing, you guessed it “Frankie and Alice” and maybe even more personalities. I dunno. Nothing about this trailer makes me interested in seeing this film. It looks kinda overdone and familiar until you read the synopsis….”a young woman in the 70’s affected by multiple personality disorder, struggling to keep her racist white alter ego at bay.” Say what? But hey, it’s based on a true story! Is it no coincidence that the film is being screened for Academy members as it gets limited release on December 17th. Directed by Geoffrey Sax (“Stormbreaker”), Berry is joined by Stellan Skarsgård, Phylicia Rashad and Chandra Wilson.
BEASTLY
CBS Films is on a roll as they release one weak film after another….and it looks like that trend isn’t ending. Here’s he latest “Beastly” trailer. A movie that just looks plain silly. The film, obviously a reimagining of Beauty and the Beast, is directed by Daniel Barnz (“Phoebe in Wonderland”) and set in high school. Alex Pettyfer, soon to be seen in “I Am Number 4” stars as a dreamy and popular high school student that becomes a beast who has one year to find someone who can love him so that he can reverse the curse. Is there a girl out there who can look past his outside and find his inner beauty? Ugh. The film also stars Vanessa Hudgens, Neil Patrick Harris, and Mary-Kate Olsen (that’s right). Look for “Beastly” is set to open on March 18.
THE BEAVER
“The Beaver” is a hand puppet that is being controlled by an unravelled and mentally unstable Mel Gibson, directed by his pal, Jodie Foster. Count me in. For some time, it was thought that Summit Entertainment had given up on this film due to Gibson’s off screen antics. I’m glad that didn’t happen. Of course, the movie, also starring Anton Yelchin (“Star Trek”) and Jennifer Lawrence (“Winter’s Bone”), will be controversial and you’ll have to decide for yourself whether or not to see it when it hits theaters on April 8, 2011.
THE TREE OF LIFE
Recently, I caught this trailer on a giant-size screen before viewing “Black Swan” and I was completely hooked. Director Terence Malick’s long-delayed and highly-anticipated new film starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn is finally coming out. Malick has less than a handful of films to his name and they are either revered (“Days of Heaven” & “Badlands”) or reviled (“New World”), but regardless he remains an artist to respect and a director that is sought out by actors. Summit Entertainment is describing as such: “the tale of a Midwestern boy’s journey from the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as a “lost soul in the modern world”, and his quest to regain meaning in life.” The film also stars Jessica Chastain, Joanna Going, Kari Matchett, and Fiona Shaw. It’s set to open on May 27, 2011, but who knows.
ARTHUR CHRISTMAS
So, what’s coming out next Christmas? This is. And it looks funny. No, it doesn’t? Hold on, wait till you see who is involved. The Sony Pictures film is directed by Barry Cook (“Mulan”) and stars James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, and Imelda Staunton. What else? Aardman Animation is involved! Those are the hilarious folks who gave us Wallace and Gromit. Instead of clay-mation, they are using CGI here. Wait, there’s more….writer Peter Baynham (co-writer of “Borat” and “Bruno”) is involved as well. I would not have expected for me to like something like this, but the frantic elf, Santa’s son, and that Star Destroyer-size Sleigh, won me over! You’ll have to wait till November 23, 2011 for it though.
RIO
And yet another 3D animated feature! From the creators of “Ice Age” comes a story about a pair of animals who are trying to, um, multiply. over-simplification. Anne Hathaway and Jesse Eisenberg voice a pair of macaws who are brought together to mate but are then kidnapped so they can be sold on the bird black market. The trailer looks kinda cute and funny but how do you explain some of this to the wee ones? Yikes. The film also features the voice talents George Lopez, Jemaine Clement, Tracy Morgan, Leslie Mann, will.i.am, and Jamie Foxx. It’s set to open on April 8th.
AND EVERYTHING IS GOING FINE
Remember writer/actor Spaulding Gray? Well, producer/director Steven Soderbergh does and he made a doc about the guy. Providing an incisive and entertaining portrait of Spalding Gray, it’s described as “an intimate look at the master monologist as described by his most critical, irreverent and insightful biographer: Spalding Gray.” The film, which consists primarily of Gray and his monologues with no narration or cutaways, seems to appropriately let the man speak for himself. Footage has been culled from the past 25 or so years, including his final monologue, so i doubt it will touch on his suicide. Fine with me. The film had premiered at Sundance this year and then made the festival rounds throughout the rest of the year, and will have a limited release that started December 10th.
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