Trailer Wars: Springtime Special

It's a cloud stricken rainy first day of spring and I just sat and watched 10 trailers for movies with upcoming release dates. Let's just say I now have something other than the weather to be depressed about...

Movie fans all know that there is nothing quite like seeing an exciting trailer for the first time and the feeling of anticipation that then follows. Out of the coming attractions I just sat through, there were only two that got my heart beating and the rest had my eyes rolling.

With all the remakes and over the top action blowouts/action comedies/over used CGI action blockbusters, I can't be the only person who is bored by most of what Hollywood is cranking out these days. [Ben Hur? Tarzan? I love you Jack Huston and Alexander Skarsgard,  but y'all, just watch the original and the animated masterpiece scored by Phil Collins instead.]

Understated movies with emotional punches to the gut tend to be what really gets my motor going. At least that has become the kind of movie I value more than anything else. May I present evidence 1A: I spent all last night drooling over everything to do with the recent Oscar nominee Carol - the costumes, music, and cinematography (plus, Kyle Chandler in a tuxedo).

However, absorbing costume dramas aren't the only movies I am capable of enjoying. Not to seem contradictory, but I like to have fun too! I do love heading out to the theater for a good summer blockbuster as much as the next person, and will likely be shelling out dough for both X-Men: Apocalypse and Captain America: Civil War. Although, if this is the only kind of movie that's released for the majority of the year, doesn't it all become boring and expected? There is nothing to be gained when every other movie studio is just trying to capture the same magic (and dollars) as the Marvel universe. The world of movie making should always have surprises and give an audience more than they could ever dream up, not just settle for non-creative imitation.

One trailer that I saw today though seems to find the perfect balance of both of these worlds - it's a movie that blends understated filmmaking with modern effects laden sci-fi fare.

I'm referring to the latest from director Jeff Nichols, Midnight Special:


Nichols has already proven that he is a man capable of impeccable and creative storytelling by delivering wonderful movies, like Mud and Take Shelter.  The later even showed how Nichols could utilize impressive CGI to build the madness inside Michael Shannon's mind. Anyone can tell that just from the mysterious trailer alone, Midnight Special looks to blend together the best of what Nichols has already shown he can do as a filmmaker. His imagination seems to have no bounds.

Nichols always knows how to cast a movie as well: his muse, Michael Shannon, is present again, plus Kirsten Dunst in her full on continued resurgence (post the brilliant second season of Fargo), Kylo Ren (yeah, I know it's Adam Driver), and the kid (Jaeden Lieberher) from the still tragically underrated St. Vincent!

Not too much looks exciting to me these days (although, the Tim Burton fan in me was also pleased with the trailer for Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children), but I will be bubbling with anticipation until my eyes finally see all the mysterious genius behind Midnight Special.

Midnight Special is currently in limited release. Check it out - this may be playing in a theater near you.


Until next time. 

Trailer Wars: Go Ricki! Go Ricki! Go Ricki!

There's nothing quite like the mention of the name Ricki - with that exact spelling - to take me back to the glory days of daytime talk shows.

What is spawning my memories of that loveable crowd chant from Ricki Lake though has absolutely nothing to do with television and is also not due to watching Hairspray, but from a less likely source.

Oh how I wish this was an announcement that Meryl Streep was getting her own talk show. Just imagine it - her show would be all about championing women and a lot of time would be spent teaching the audience how to do the perfect enthusiastic finger point. It is not that, however, anytime there is a trailer for a new Streep movie, is a reason to get excited.

Streep has, yet again, tackled a musical focused role. This time, in Ricki and The Flash,there's no twisted fairy tales or ABBA, just Streep as a cool rock chick who doesn't want to grow up and who looks to be channeling the badass ladies from Heart.

Even though most people probably had never imagined Streep fronting a band, that doesn't change the fact that this is an absolutely fantastic idea. I would have signed up sight unseen had a blank poster simply stated, "Meryl Streep wears a bunch of crazy hairstyles and sort of looks like Stevie Nicks. Oh, she's also in a band with Rick Springfield ."

Done! Make that movie!

And they did. 



Just at first glimpse, we automatically think, "it's a Sophie's Choice reunion!" But besides the terrific cast, this movie looks like it's not really bringing anything new to the table. As in, if Streep wasn't the star, this wouldn't have quite the same pull.

Although, once you look at those impressive people who are working behind the scenes, it seems likely that there is a lot more going on than can be shown in a quick, somewhat happy-go-lucky, trailer.

With a director like Jonathan Demme (who is known for classics like, Philadelphia and Silence Of The Lambs) and screenwriter Diablo Cody (who won an Oscar for penning Juno), I trust that the movie will not be simple, as the trailer tends to make it seem. Hopefully, it will instead dig rather deeply into the struggles of parents and children who are trying to live, be happy, and fulfill wants, needs, and dreams. We all know Demme is especially great at tackling that kind of family drama after directing a movie that is completely focused on those tensions - Rachel Getting Married.

It's probably unlikely that Streep will be seen talking on a hamburger phone, but I hope Cody still dropped plenty of pop culture references in that script and gave Streep some brilliant sass, great zingers, and most of all, some heart. Yeah, those are all the things I loved about Juno and still think it is pretty darn great.

Let's not pretend that there is actually something that would stop me - or lots of people - from seeing this flick. With Streep on board, I will see (and more than likely love) this movie no matter the circumstances.

Now that she's played a rocker, has Streep done every type of role imaginable? I hope she keeps being creative and flipping expectations. That's what makes her insanely fun to watch.


Until next time. 

Trailer Wars: Hold On To Your Butts...Again

I bet every article about the new trailer for Jurassic World is titled with that classic Samuel L. Jackson line - it just can't be helped. That's a significant moment in cinema and needs to be celebrated as much as possible.

While Mr. Jackson and the rest of the original cast will be sadly missed, this latest installment in the Jurassic Park franchise is really getting people talking.

After two ho-hum sequels, that not even Julianne Moore or William H. Macy could liven up,  it looks like they finally came up with the perfect reason to resurrect the series.

The first movie lived on the premise of bringing dinosaurs back to life. Being able to go to a place like that seemed exciting. Jurassic World shows us that even after all the terror from the original movies, someone is trying this whole dinosaur zoo/Sea World park again.

Everything seems to be doing well... at least for awhile. Anyone could tell you that, just like the tiger that was loose in Paris, one of those dino's was going to get out eventually.

At first the movie feels like just a complete rehash of the original. The ideas are definitely similar, but the new flick is really just sampling the best ideas from the original (running away from scary dinosaurs and exploring the park) and then switching things around. There is even a new creature doing Shamoo style tricks!

Best of all, two of the funniest men of television - Chris Pratt and Jake Johnson - will be running around trying to stop dino destruction. Aw Pratt, from Everwood to movie star, it's been his time to shine for a long while.

I'll keep longing for a Goldblum cameo ("Life...uh... finds a way."), but even if that doesn't happen, it looks already promising that the weekend of June 12th, 2015 is going to be all about people flocking to see Jurassic World.


Until next time.

Trailer Wars: That Guy.

[Just one of the gorgeous shots from The Tree Of Life that makes Mark Woollen's job easy.]

Little Children, The Social Network, Black Swan, and The Tree Of Life all have something in common.

All of these movies turned out to be sensational art house hits or mainstream blockbusters, but before we even had our butts in those velvet seats watching the finished product, each one was initially presented to its audience in the typical fashion -  a trailer.

What makes these movies different is they were supported by trailers that stand above the rest. Other previews will spill the beans on the entire plot or show all the funny scenes, but the trailers I'm talking about have a unique style and create art that is all their own. Each one could even be considered as mini stand alone movies that instantly propel audiences to rush out to the theater. Or maybe, just watch and adore the trailer itself.

The preview for The Social Network has been watched almost nine million times, which speaks to the popularity of the movie, but also the impact of an alluring clip.




Thanks to Vulture, now we know the secret - one guy and his company is responsible for making them all! It's not just the four movies I listed above either. Odds are that every movie trailer that left you in awe over the last 20 years was created with the help of Mark Woollen. Otherwise known as that movie trailer genius.

Without even knowing it, I was first introduced to Woollen's work during the under two minute preview for Little Children. It is an astounding work of film editing, all set to the pulsating sound of a train. Watching it now still makes my skin all goosebumpy. Back when I originally saw the trailer, I was hanging out in my dorm room. I actually called all my friends over to my laptop to watch it again. We did and then in a daze played it for a third time.

Over four years ago, being a little obsessed with that trailer lead to my first post in this here "Trailer Wars" tag. That single preview continues to motivate me to watch movie trailers on a regular basis. Maybe a new one will blow me away to the same degree. Nothing has yet, even though others from Woollen's portfolio have come close - The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty being one.

Not surprisingly, it turns out that I've featured seven of Woollen's trailers in posts on this blog over the years. Yet, I never connected that all together. Oh geez.

What a difficult task to somehow condense the idea of a whole motion picture into a two minute clip. Why Woollen succeeds so profoundly has to do with his way of consistently pulling out the heart and purpose of every movie and, with his special flare, forming the trailer with that in mind. The audience is then able to quickly care about a movie. Which just so happens to be the exact purpose of a film trailer.

It also helps that, according to the interview in Vulture, he only creates trailers for movies he honestly cares about. All his passion can be thrown into his projects. Although, that makes me wonder about him producing the trailer for 50 Shades Of Grey...

His first trailer was for a little movie called Schindler's List - a wonderful standalone piece as well, using mostly powerful images from the movie set to stirring music. Most recently Woolen's touch can be seen on previews for a bunch of this year's Oscar bait, Gone Girl, Birdman, The Theory Of Everything, The Skeleton Twins, and Boyhood.

Gushing adoringly is my strong suit, so I could blabber on about all his work for quite awhile.  Instead of reading my writing, just go watch the trailers. The entire collection of work from Woollen and his production team can be found on his website.

After scanning through the long list and watching a few as a refresher, I realized that I love every single one. Come back to me in a few days when I have finished watching them all on repeat.

The funny thing is, it never occurred to me to look up who made these trailers. It's rather crazy to only suddenly realize that everything you love is connected.


Until next time.

Trailer Wars: Evil Stepmothers, Fairy Godmothers, and Handsome Princes! Oh My!

The recent release of The Original Folk & Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm has garnered much attention for Jack Zipes, who is the first to translate all of the brother's original stories into English.

Those who only know the Disney interpretations, brace yourselves. The first version of their tales are shocking in comparison. No adorable animated animal sidekicks are in sight. Instead, all of the Grimm's stories are quite gruesome.

In the original version of Cinderella, birds peck out the eyes of her stepsisters. Worst of all - her dad isn't even dead, he just LETS all that bad stuff happen to his daughter. How rude!

The entire world might not be ready for the real stories, but it seems essential to know the truth behind an author's original intent. Watered down plot might make things kid appropriate and more pleasant, yet it is doubtful that it improves the quality of a story.

Sir Kenneth Branagh (yeah, he's been knighted) should have included some of these more edgy elements into his upcoming directorial project - the latest movie version of Cinderella.

Oh, this is a Disney production? Never mind, that would make it too scary.

But can they get Cate Blanchett to play the evil stepmother? They did! Glorious. Now that just made this a whole lot more interesting.


When the trailer for this movie was released today, anyone who said that their first thought wasn't, "Aw, nuts! Do we need another version of Cinderella?", is lying. Especially, if nothing different has been done. Taken straight from the Disney canon, it's a very simple story that we all know and love.

There have been cartoon movies, stage productions, endless movie versions of the stage productions, plus  the memorable interpretation from Faerie Tale Theatre. It can be said that it has all been done before.

That cynicism completely disappears the longer the trailer plays. Modern filming technology has reached a point where a fairy tale land looks magical and very real. The effects aren't overdone, like another recent adaptation - Alice In Wonderland. Both the computer animated parts blend perfectly with the actors and the actual world around them. Cinderella's classic robins egg colored dress also looks dazzling and has that showstopper effect more than ever before.

Fans of Downton Abbey will recognize the girl in that beautiful dress as saucy cousin Rose (not to be confused with cousin Amy) from the hit PBS show. Here, she is not just a side role, but leading the entire cast. Although, Cinderella is bound to be shown up. It's just unfair casting both Cate Blanchett and Helena Bonham Carter, who play the evil stepmother and the fairy godmother - no one, no matter how hard they try, will be able to top their presence on screen. Who really cares, those two classy broads make this one a must see.

The gruesome elements from the Grimm's original stories might eventually jazz up movie versions of Cinderella, but right now, it actually isn't necessary. Casting talented people and hiring directors with creative visions (Branagh has done it all) can still transform any old story into something new again.


Until next time.

Trailer Wars: Miss Cuckoo

Jodie Foster's character in Contact utters a famous line about trying to describe the beauty of the cosmos. She says, "They should have sent a poet".

In the case of attempting to write something witty about Miss Meadows, I lack the proper words, and now say, "They should have sent a comedian."

The above gif entirely explains the normal reaction after you have seen the trailer for this movie.

For your viewing pleasure this Saturday, the movie that finds Katie Holmes playing an adult woman who wears a variety of bobby socks with heels. Oh yeah, she is also packing heat.




Toodaloo?

I really wish this movie was going to be good, just so that could become an actual catchphrase.


Until next time.

Trailer Wars: Burton Betterment

Gene Wilder singing "Pure Imagination" while dancing into Wonka's magical factory full of edible candy plants and tea cups, plus those tasty giant gummy bears, is a scene so perfect that it is cemented into the vaults of historic cinema. Not to mention what this movie means to all the children that grew up watching it religiously.

There is such a sense of happiness and creepiness as those greedy parents and kids push their way into Wonka's wonderland, all while Wilder performs his beautiful ditty. I can never see this musical sequence enough, so I was happy to catch this exact part of Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory playing on cable just yesterday.

While watching this movie now-a-days, it's very easy to at the same time be thinking about the version from 2005, where Johnny Depp took his turn at wearing the Wonka top hat. Comparing the two is useless.Both include the same characters from the books, but are still very different and enjoyable for their own reasons.

One thing that left me frustrated about the newer interpretation was all about the director. Not that Tim Burton did a bad job, his movies are always gorgeously executed. My annoyance was more about his choice of material. Would the master behind truly creative, original gems like, Edward Scissorhands, Big Fish, and Ed Wood ever escape from remakes?

Between Charlie, Alice In Wonderland, Sweeney Todd, Planet Of The Apes, and Dark Shadows, Burton has spent much of the last fifteen years rehashing old material. I still happened to enjoy nearly all of those, but at the same time I was internally pleading him to get back to making movies that were special and unexpected.

Finally, he has done just that - it's a Christmas miracle!



Other than recognizing some of her prints from my days touring rooms around my dorm, I can't say I'm at all familiar with the story of Margaret Keane. Just from watching the trailer for Big Eyes, it is clear though that her life will make for quite the fascinating movie. Having brilliant actors like Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz acting out her life is simply a bonus.

Those two are another key to showing that Burton is branching out. Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and all his other regulars, are nowhere in sight, yet his signature style is still all over this production.

In the hands of another director, Keane's story would be told very simply, and end up looking similar to most modern bio-pics.There would be all the drama about her husband stealing the credit for her life's work, but that's about it. Not boring and not too exciting either. In the trailer, there are all those fantastical elements of Keane seeing people in real life who look just like her paintings. That is all Burton. He excels best at spicing up movies with his interesting perspective.

This is the season for many a thing, including the release of any movie that wants to qualify for Oscar season. All those involved in Big Eyes come with an Oscar pedigree, so it will not be surprising to find this movie up for awards in the new year.

No matter if it's passed over for awards, it is still just refreshing to find Burton once again making original movies unlike anyone else.

Look for Big Eyes when it is released on Christmas Day.


Until next time.

Trailer Wars: Hometown Glory

Up in Toronto it is movie festival fever. TIFF has been raging all week, and what I wouldn't give to be there myself. Jealousy has never poured over my Twitter feed more ravenously than reading 140 character initial reactions to endlessly fantastic sounding cinema.

Julianne Moore is already locked for a Best Actress win? Eddie Redmayne is more than just a handsome face and is a revelation in The Theory Of Everything? The book I had some issues with, may actually be Reese Witherspoon's restorative movie role? I want to know more!

Around these parts, in regular world where we have to wait ages to see these doozies, the flicks from Sundance are just getting around to finding distribution. That festival happened in January, this is now September. You can do the math - that's too long folks!

One of these films has really left me testing my patience skills. The movie walked away with much praise, but the director also got attention for something else he did while at the festival. Did you hear about the guy who accidentally took his parents to a "secret" screening which turned out to be Nymphomaniac: Volume 1?  Well, that was Craig Johnson and he also co-wrote and directed The Skeleton Twins.



You had me at Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader. I won't be the first to acknowledge that they are two of the best SNL cast members post the age of Fey and Poehler. Even when people were complaining about the quality of the classic Saturday night mainstay, Wiig and Hader made it worthwhile to continue tuning in week after week. Stefan, Target Lady, Vincent Price, the girl with the little hands who chased bubbles - these two could make the most bizarre character truly hysterical.

Now with their separate forays into movies (Wiig with Bridesmaids and Hader, known for more supporting gigs in Superbad or voice work in Cloudly With A Chance Of Meatballs) it only seems right that the two would star in a film together.

When Wiig first started doing movies - like in another one these two were featured in together, Adventureland - it seemed like the only parts she would get forced her into doing one of her SNL like characters. Somewhere between Gilly and that "one-upper" lady. Thankfully, movie makers finally realized she could act outside of those parameters and gave her a chance to play a real person, who could also be silly and zany.

Hader too was limited on the silver screen. He would show up as a lot of "funny best friends", but has yet to lead a movie. This looks like the perfect role to let him be funny and also expand on what he can do as a full fledged actor. If Will Forte can do it, so can Hader.

I also had vested interest in the film after hearing that Johnson was from my hometown. Our local paper, the good old Bellingham Herald, had a little interview with Johnson back before his movie had its opening night at Sundance. First Hilary Swank, now him - this place is unstoppable.

The Skeleton Twins has a release date of this weekend, but it appears to be limited. It is not playing yet in my neck of the woods, not even at our independent theater. [We actually have two now! Shout-out to The Pickford and Limelight.] I wish it was because, oof, the selection at our large megaplex this week looks terribly bleak.

Blast, it looks like we all have to keep our patience pants on for a little while longer. Movie fans, I hope your town has as nice of an independent theater as we do, because hopefully, we all won't have to wait that much longer.


Until next time.

Trailer Wars: Time Off Well Spent

Last summer, when it was first announced that Jon Stewart would be taking a leave of absence to direct and write the screenplay for his first movie, all I could do was feel a little worried for our outstanding skewer of media and politics.

Sure, we would get to enjoy the jovial, British wit of John Oliver for a couple months, but what about Stewart? Would his venture back to films turn out like his often joked about and ill fated supporting role in Death To Smoochy? Should he dare return to movie land?

The world of his fans then anxiously crossed numerous fingers, awaiting word on the final product.

This week the trailer for said flick, Rosewater, (based on the memoir, Then They Came For Me) was released. What sigh of relief! Even without seeing the final product in its complete form, it's clear our man Stewart may indeed have a life beyond a desk and jokes about Glenn Beck.

Ultimately, this movie about the capture and over three-month imprisonment of former Newsweek reporter Maziar Bahari, couldn't be coming out at a more interesting time.

There is a huge part of the world raging out of control - between Russia, the Ebola outbreak, the ongoing tension between Palestine and Israel, plus the increasing violence in Iraq and Syria, some are already wondering if this could escalate into a new world war.

People are scared. They have questions and are worried about their stakes in the various crises.

Those doing their best to keep everyone informed are journalists, risking their lives in the hopes that information is power - that telling the stories of people living amongst these tragedies is still important.

Sometimes journalists get entangled within the stories they are trying to capture. With the recent tragedy of James Foley, we know too well what can happen.

Thankfully, for Bahari, he made it back alive and by telling his story we can all spend some time learning more about a life experience vastly different than our own. Maybe allow for more compassion and empathy. Movies may be entertainment, but the best ones teach us something.

After hearing that the film got a standing ovation at the Telluride Film Festival last night, I think its safe to say that Stewart set out with a mission to tell an impactful story and succeeded even with some doubtful minds.

Stewart, you old softie, we worried early on only because we care!


Until next time

Trailer Wars: Hey, Preppy!

[Zach and Kelly are just as excited as you are! But seriously, what do you think their direction was for this photo-shoot?]

"Oh, that makes me feel so old!" is a phrase that can only be flung out of people's mouths with dramatic flare and it's something I am hearing more frequently. Being 27-years-old, an increasing amount of my compatriots are beginning to worry about their mortality, or you know, being thirty, and anything referenced by an 18-year-old will cause a down spiral into despair.

To me, being around longer on the Earth is a good thing, something to take honor in, so overuse of that phrase is annoying, and people need to get over themselves and be happy for nostalgia and blazing the trail into retirement homes. I'll be the one on the front lawn playing croquet and making a floral muumuu look good.

Well, I too soon committed the very verbal sin of my judgements. Watching Lifetime a couple nights ago, a clip for another one of their made for tv masterpieces started to play. When what appeared to be an infant in a blond feathered wig popped up on screen playing the part that was originally filled by the first crush I ever had, an audible gasp flew out of my mouth, followed by, you guessed it, "ahhhh, I'm so old!"

We all fall for the dramatics sometimes - you can't help it.

Whether it makes you cringe or feel excited, Lifetime has outdone themselves by making a movie perfectly aimed at my generation. It's all about the deep, dark secrets behind the scenes of everyone's favorite late 80s early 90s TV show. Check out the first clip of The Unauthorized Saved By The Bell Story and ask yourself, "but, why does Zach Morris have to look like he's 10-years-old?"

Please tell me there is some sort of "unauthorized" Dustin Diamond biography written by an uber fan, that this amazing mess is based on. Otherwise, does "unauthorized" just mean the plot is based on the cast interviews from the classic 2002, "E! True Hollywood Story"? "Unauthorized" is really the key to the title - it's so mysterious.

When it comes to casting, it seems like the look of the actors completely revolved around matching the hair to the original cast. Otherwise, the actual resemblance to Kelly, Zach, Slater, Screech, and Lisa is a stretch.

In the end, who cares who the actors are because we all win if there are re-creations of the Hot Sundae music video (plus, the part in that episode where Zach dresses up like an old woman and sneaks into the girls locker room), Jesse's pill freak out, Zach Attack, "The Sprain", and if Tori Spelling insisted on returning to her star making role, Violet, the very stereotypical "nerd".

Discovered in another video this week, it's not just kids of the 90s that still dig the show. Some teens of today have good taste and find enjoyment in the show about twenty years after it ended. Is this like how I felt about The Facts Of Life?  

Wow, how time flies in pop culture land.

Plan accordingly - this year's Labor Day plans should probably involve 90s crop tops and floral pants instead of a BBQ. Gather with others to laugh and check out the premiere of The Unauthorized Saved By The Bell Story on September 1st. 

What a way to say goodbye to summer and to say hello to the beginning of everything from our childhood being open fodder for resurrection.

Trailer Wars: Oh, You Betcha

Over the last couple years, "limited series run" has become my favorite phrase.

Tight, well-told stories in this seemingly outstanding golden time in modern television all hinges on how well time is utilized. Or, how well writers can execute a story over time.

Ryan Murphy was a disaster with time - great ideas disintegrated into nonsense within one or two seasons. How can anyone trust a creative mind with a reputation like that?

Smartly he recognized his own strengths and created a show that can be limited in scope, and evolve each season.

Of course with the success of Murphy's American Horror Story miniseries/series, the idea of shorter TV shows that can change year to year spread through Hollywood like Hisenberg's blue meth.

Certainly the idea of a short ever changing show is sad - you get all hooked on characters like Cohle and Hart and then have to say goodbye after only eight episodes. It's rough, even if we got to enjoy a completely satisfying effort, with no disappointing, extra fluff. Season one of True Detective definitely laid the groundwork for fans to come screaming back anxiously anticipating how the new actors and different story will play out.

Some of these new shows won't evolve. When they say limited, they really mean it - 10 episodes in one pop and we're out.

I had been talking about this for months, and then it completely fell off my TV radar. I bounced back into excited reality after seeing a commercial over the weekend - The Coen Brothers are coming to TV!

There is no loveable Frances McDormand, William H Macy, or Buscemi, but I think we'll survive with this kind of caliber cast they pulled together. 

Unlike some, I was never worried about one of my favorite movies inspiring a TV show. Okay, well, maybe I was, but not after hearing that the Coen's were executive producers.

 

This isn't just a retelling of a car salesman's attempt to ransom off his wife and the pregnant cop that gets in his way. Judging by the short clip alone, they have perfectly captured that sparse, chilly atmosphere of the movie, and there will also be many zany character actors in small roles, which is always a  highlight of any Coen production.

 

If they have those elements right, I trust that the story will be enthralling, just like the movie.

We will all just have to find out when Fargo starts its limited, 10 episode run tomorrow night on FX.

I'll probably grab some Arby's to celebrate.

Trailer Wars: Stiller is Mitty

Ben Stiller is a guy whose appeal has always eluded me. Sure,  Zoolander and The Royal Tenenbaums are on his resume, but the triumph of those movies are directed toward the enjoyable plot, rather than the "ridiculously good looking" leading man.

Earlier this week at the cinema, prior to being transported into space with Bullock and Clooney, I was in for quite a shock when a preview for a certain movie starting playing.

The years have been good to Stiller - for the first time in my life, with his crisp blue eyes and salt and pepper hair beaming off of a large screen, I became intrigued to find him as the star of a movie.

It doesn't hurt that his new flick is something other than a cheap comedy co-starring Jennifer Aniston, that also has superhero blockbuster level effects, mixed with glorious landscapes of exotic locations, and all set with Of Monsters and Men blaring over the dramatic scenery.

If the job of a preview is to sell a movie, and not give away the entire plot, The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty trailer is staying late at the office and coming in early on Saturdays. It may turn out to only be a magnificent treat of a trailer for a crap-tastic movie, but I really don't care - we'll always have this little snippet of brilliance.




"Have Fun - Dad." Let's go on an adventure!

People are bursting out of pictures like The Purple Rose Of Cairo set in the magazine world, Walter is running into one extreme circumstance after the next, and Shirley MacLaine is there!

How much of his travels will be real, and how much are in his mind? Does he even work at Time Magazine? Will he ever figure out how to send a "wink" to his true love? Either way, this is one of those stories that will make anyone want to quit dreaming and get living.

Even if the plot of this movie turns out to not be as grand as the trailer makes us believe, the rest of the cast will make this a worthwhile endeavor. Stiller (who also directed) pulled together quite the bevy of grand lads and dames - besides MacLaine, there's loveable Adam Scott, the hysterical Kristen Wiig, and that fantastic lady who is in everything, and yet, has never been in anything bad. 

Stiller is at that moment where a comedian decides to throw away the total goofball roles and play a real guy with a heart. We've all seen Steve Carrell, Jim Carrey, Jack Black, and Will Ferrel go through this transition. I loved those actors before, but by going a smidge dramatic, they only increased my adoration. Stiller, this may be your chance.

Look for The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty when it is released on Christmas Day.

Trailer Wars: Dancing Leo

You are in luck if after checking out The Great Gatsby all you ever wanted to do was fawn over Leonardo DiCaprio in another parade of perfectly tailored suits.

The 1990's setting of The Wolf Of Wall Street is a huge step down in class level from the Baz Luhrmann 1920's glitz fest, so we'll have to settle for hideous patterned ties and more of a Zach Morris goes to prom look. However, Martin Scorsese is even making that era look good, and, really, when it comes to Leo, he could own it dressed in a powder blue tuxedo.

Fashion aside, there are more serious matters in this bio-pic weaving the tale of Jordan Belfort, a NYC stock broker, who by my age had banked a mere 49 million dollars. That's just a tad more than I have in my savings account, but I've never really cared much for money.

 
Chimps in an office and amazing carefree dancing skills (please, no one miss this at the 1:34 mark of the above trailer) are the key to showing off how dang successful you are, but even though Belfort was at the top for awhile, we all know that eventually there is only one direction to go.

After making four heavily buzzed about movies together (most recently 2010's, Shutter Island) we can count on DiCaprio and Scorsese to deliver another movie fans will be anticipating as the awards season rush comes closer.

In the past the two have tackled dark material about mental institutions and NYC gangs, but more like DiCaprio's crime caper Catch Me If You Can, The Wolf Of Wall Street will display plenty of criminals living the high life before finding their way to the gutter. DiCaprio probably won't kill anyone or go mentally insane this time, but he will have the chance  to flex both his charming and serious side in the same movie.


Between Wolf and Gatsby, could this be DiCaprio's year to finally charm the Academy voters? Judge for yourself when The Wolf Of Wall Street is released on November 15th.

Happy September 1st everyone. Fall is on the way.

Trailer Wars: Coen Brothers Go Folksy

I often thank my lucky stars for the wide-breadth of movie culture introduced to me as a child.

We definitely stayed age appropriate and watched the heck out of the immense Disney catalog (a must do in the '90s), but having been born into an entire family of lifelong film appreciators meant that from a young age the works of Tim Burton and some Coen Brothers were also playing on the regular in our living room.

Really nothing was off the table; from Edward Scissorhand to Raising Arizona, and other classics like All About Eve, Harold and Maude, and Sixteen Candles. Typically, all of these titles were not the same old stuff my friends were watching, and only now do I appreciate getting a kick start on appreciating that deep cannon of pop culture. If you don't start early, how does anyone ever catch up? I've spent at least 20 years actively absorbing it all like a sponge and I still feel behind.

In the end, being exposed to more "high brow" entertainment didn't automatically earn me a beret to be perched permanently atop my head as I exclusively watched classy foreign films (that came MUCH later), as I still spent the Friday's of my childhood obsessed with Full House and the regular T.G.I.F lineup. 

Aside from occasionally being a typical kid and giving in to the draw of Mary Kate and Ashley, that early emphasis on those critically exclaimed, quintessential films, had especially set the stage for a lifetime of finding Tim Burton films uniquely charming (not weird) and dearly awaiting the next Coen Brothers production.

Margie the pregnant Minnesota cop is solidly one of the most memorably endearing characters and inspired many a family laugh while mimicking her accent. We too spent plenty of time joking about the extended police chase, involving Nic Cage stealing a package of Huggies while wearing pantyhose as a mask. As a family tradition, any Joel and Ethan project will always be treasured with an extra special affinity.


Due to their pedigree producing quality entertainment for over 20 years, just the hint of a new movie  elevates any cinephile's pulse. It also doesn't hurt that their latest flick has been building postive buzz since May, when Inside Llewyn Davis was nominated for the Palme D'Or and won The Grand Jury Prize at Cannes.

With a limited release date scheduled for December 6th, that's a whole four more months before a general audience will be able to even catch a snippet - the suspense is unnerving!

Never the types to be pigeonholed to a certain type of movie, Llewyn Davis seems to be their most variant film yet, even though some comparisons to their past could be drawn.

Based on the trailer, with the setting being the world of 1960's folk music, we can string together that it will be channeling a lot more O Brother, Where Art Thou? and less Miller's Crossing. At first it seemed like there wouldn't even be a single criminal character (that would be a first?), although, after a second look, I am suspicious of John Goodman. 

In more recent years, as the family members who taught me have gotten older, I've been the one doing the recommending, and exclaiming, "but you gotta see this!" The love for their films were passed down to me, so even with time I'll continue the tradition and never stop buzzing about the Coen Brothers.

Look for Inside Llewyn Davis when it is released in December. Now that is just perfect timing for the Oscars, isn't it!

(Relevant Side Note: They are making a Fargo TV series! I hope this is still happening.)

Trailer Wars: Let's Get Classy & Trashy

Searching for Wuthering Heights on IMDB reveals 15 different movie versions of Emily Brontë's tale.

Since 1939 actors like Juliette Binoche and Laurence Olivier have taken on the timeless roles of Catherine and Heathcliffe, which leave us all to wonder if releasing any other version on the big screen is ever necessary. 

In 2012 we have an answer. Yes, future movie versions of classic tales are definitely worth it when they turn out looking like this: 


Wuthering Heights and I didn't click. My whole life I had heard it referred to as the greatest love story of all time, so in high school I couldn't have been more jazzed to finally get the opportunity to read it for class. 

Maybe it was due to the novel being required reading over the summer, when I would have rather been lounging in the sun pouring over issues of Teen Vogue and Interview and not stuck reading about the damp England moors, because I can still remember those tough days struggling through the story. 

I was seventeen then, and have always meant to read it now so I can give it a second chance. 

Nothing has made me want to grab a copy of Brontë's story more than catching this movie trailer a couple days ago. With a visual style reminiscent of recent movies that blew me away, like Bright Star and Jane Eyre, here comes another that captures such realistic and crisp beauty. All of these movies are such a great example of low budget productions taking on dark stories and making them so stylistically gorgeous that you wish you could stare at the screen for hours.

Not everyone's cup of tea, but this is definitely one I will be obsessing about until I can check out this latest version of the tragic tale for myself.   

Initially shown at last years Sundance Film Festival, the film is currently in a limited release. Try looking for Wuthering Heights in a theater near you. 


Entirely switching gears, we move on to the "trashy" bits. This is something that is not connected to anything discussed above, but I couldn't resist leaving without posting a video that nearly killed me (from laughter) earlier this afternoon. Everyone needs a good laugh in their day after all.

Presented without any further comment, Christopher Walken reads "Honey Boo Boo". You're Welcome. (I don't condone the interviewer in this video. He actually calls people "Newbs".)

Trailer Wars: Asylum

Nearing the end of August, everything swirling around is giving me the feeling that Fall is almost here: those crappy movies that studios held off on all summer are hitting the theaters and even Jo-ann's already has their Halloween display out, where cackling witches can be heard in the aisles as some obnoxious person (cough. me) presses the buttons on various Halloween toys. It's all happening too soon! I'm not ready.

Separation anxiety from the sun will hit full swing when my case of the SAD's kicks in during the endless days of cloud cover, but there can be some magic things about Fall, one being the beauty of Cable television.

On October 14th, zombies will once again slowly wander the streets of America on The Walking Dead, but eyes should also widen in excitement about that shows deranged cousin, where Walkers are exchanged for ghosts, demon babies, and a dude in a leather ensemble; October also brings Season 2 of the outrageously creepy American Horror Story.


Short perfectly crafted teaser trailers have become the more brilliant way to build anticipation for a new movie or TV show, and the several done for American Horror Story are definitely doing their job - I probably won't sleep later.

Are those legs! Is she feeding something! Or is it a scary version of Hansel and Gretel's bread crumb trail!

The haunted L.A. mansion is out, and the insane asylum is in, paving the way for all new characters, but still holding on to many of the players from the original season. Most importantly, Jessica Lange is back this season to stir up some more crazy and Chloë Sevigny will be playing a patient trapped behind the walls of the asylum. Those two ladies are going to kill it (acting wise, and probably literally as well), but casting Adam Levine on top of that is a ginormous question mark.

If Ryan Murphy is trying to top last season, expect that anything, seriously anything, can and will happen. He has always had a hard time maintaining a solid TV show for longer than one or two seasons, but he may have found his niche by creating an over the top, insane, yet must see show that can reinvent itself every thirteen episodes.

Halloween TV has never looked scarier. 

Trailer Wars: Baz and Leo Back At It

Roaring 20's indeed!

One of the great American novel's, and a very memorable, yet, required read in high school, has finally been given the treatment it deserves, created by the magnetic eye of Baz Luhrmann.

The Great Gatsby shows off the epitome of American wealth, with swanky parties, glamorous digs, and extravagant clothing. Luhrmann has definitely not shied away from all the opulence and it appears he has made it more glorious than could have been imagined by any fifteen-year-old scanning the pages of the book.

With a cast lead by Leo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, and Carey Mulligan, and the already fantastic source material, this was one of the most anticipated films of 2012. Even though it is slightly worrisome about the addition of 3D, Luhrmann does lean toward the bigger is better angle, and always makes gorgeous looking films.

No disappointments can be found today, this trailer only made my excitement boil over.

In the meantime lets all circle around and have a much needed re-watch of 90's Leo and Baz's first production together (coincidentially another required read from those school days); Romeo + Juliet.

 Look for The Great Gatsby when it is released Christmas Day 2012.

Still so far away...

Trailer Wars: You Had Me At Zoo

(did I mention: I LOVE the zoo)

One American movie director, the man behind numerous classics, will have something to please you and your family this holiday season; yes, Cameron Crowe is back and he is making PG movies. 

I want to travel around with a band on bus and have John Cusack hold a boom-box outside of my window, so yeah, I would say that I adore Mr. Crowe and his movies (he is also a Seattleite. Heyo!)

This time, instead of inspiring my life, he has ripped a dream right out from underneath me. Since I was a kid it seemed crucial that I work with animals in some way, but own a zoo? Why not!

For all our sakes his old muse (Tom Cruise) is no where in site, and filling those shoes is Matt Damon. We Bought A Zoo , based on the book and too good to be true story, follows Damon and his family as they...buy a zoo seems like. Check it out for yourself: 





After several years of missing Cameron Crowe, I have high hopes for his latest. Which includes, the expectation of a rockin' soundtrack (Sigur Rós at the end of the trailer is a glorious sign).

Even though the presence of Scarlett Johansson is worrisome, the rest of the cast with Damon (including, Elle Fanning and the former "Enemy", Patrick Fugit) seem to perfectly create a story about family, loss, life, and love; all are ideas which we know Crowe has mastered in his twenty years of writing and directing.

In the next couple months the cinema plex is going to be flush with Christmas movies and the ever-so serious Oscar Contenders. We Bought A Zoo seems like it will fill out the variety, and be just enjoyable.

Look for We Bought A Zoo, December 23rd.

Trailer Wars: Silence Is Golden

Overwhelmed: the word that has been swirling around in my head for the last couple of weeks. 

In order to bounce back from my slightly moody, non-motivated experience, I wanted to do a little post about a classy upcoming release.

Anything classy immediately lifts this gals spirits, so I say, "Treat Yo Self" to a fantastic movie trailer. It may not be fine leather goods, but could be even better.

With all the fall movie festivals, and build up to the Oscars, there are a ton of flicks I am anxious to see in the months to come, but my choice for today is unique, special, and something I have been meaning to talk about for a while.

Sailing with critical success and awards from one movie festival to the next, The Artist will be ushering the movie viewers of 2011 into the age of Chaplin and Keaton; in those days, silent movies were all the rage and, really, all that was possible.







In a world where 3D is the new norm, it is really inspired to see the old standard of silent film making made modern.

Our beloved tradition of movies began where it was possible for an entire story to be understood by a single look or embrace. Now the ability to hear the talking is nice, but going back to where it all began feels like a perfect tribute to the history of film.

All the bells and whistles may bring home more box office dough, but they are not always necessary. (However, do not hold back in anyway on Alvin and The Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked. That mess definitely needs to be in 3D.)



Look For The Artist, playing at a theater near you starting November 23rd.

Trailer Wars: It's Contagious!

No one is immune TO FEAR, according to the trailer for the latest production from Steven Soderbergh.

Previously he has brought audiences a frolic in Vegas with Brad Pitt and George Clooney (lets all pretend that Oceans 12 and 13  are tied to an anchor in a far off sea, and never saw the light of day), and then some strange movies which peaked my interests, but soon became films I actively avoided (specifically that creepy movie about a doll factory, Bubble). Still, this guy has serious street cred from the film community.

Which is why it is disconcerting that Contagion is already being toted as Outbreak 2.0. Although, there is a monkey! Marcel is that you, still getting work?

I'm not too quick to designate this thriller as "just another" disaster-esq movie. Judging from the more recent collection of his films, Soderbergh seems to be trying to take films in unexpected places. Plus, this kind of cast (Winslet. Damon. Cranston. Paltrow. Cottilard.), many coming from the Oscar pedigree, would never sign up for that kind of mess.

For me, it's all laid out in the trailer; there isn't even going to be a virus-it will all be in our minds!

Will the film simply be some statement on how we all have become crazed maniacs as the media continually perpetuates fear? Possibly. Spooky or some M Night Shyamalan trick? Either way, all this predicting is only making this film more enticing.

By the by, if I'm totally barking up the wrong tree (which happens when making life or death statements about the plots of films), I'll give anyone who's anger about my wrongness causes them to turn green and get all muscly, a crisp one-dollar bill. Yes, I really know how to take risks.

Check out Contagion, in theaters October 21.