Before you go anything further, if you look up NSFW in the encyclopedia, you would find this trailer. Okay, so encyclopedias don’t have video files yet, but give them time. Point is, this is really not safe for the work space, especially if it happens to be located in the sexually repressed America.
Anyway, CHOKE – based on FIGHT CLUB author Chuck Palahniuk’s novel – seems to feature a role that Sam Rockwell was born to play. That may not be a compliment to the guy, given the sex-addicted jerk he plays in this film, but there’s no denying he may have found the role of a life time (outside of CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND). As for the movie itself, there’s something to be said about seeing something this gleeful rude, crude, sex-filled and reveling in its anti-hero’s shenanigans. Even if it involves a lost ass-bead or two.
If you’re going to create a teaser trailer for the upcoming conceptual reboot of TERMINATOR that nobody really asked for, and few seem excited about, wouldn’t it be wise amidst the grainy, staticty, jolty images that amount to little (and make even less of an impression), to – you know – actually show a Terminator? This trailer (and projects) elicits a big resounding “Meh.” They’re going to have to do a lot better than this to get me excited for this.
What about your thoughts? Am I being too harsh, and you’re actually stoked to have your Terminator desiring heart flamed with these teasing, tantalizing images? Or is it all frustratingly elusive and dull?
Vikings vs. aliens! If ever there was an idea that was so ridiculously outlandish that it veers into ridiculously awesome territory, it would be that one, and someone actually made a movie out of it. Not just that, it’s a movie starring James Caviezel, Sophia Myles, Ron Pearlman, and John Hurt. That’s nuts. Then again, if they are anything like me, as soon as I would have heard “Vikings vs. aliens” I would have gone all bug-eyed and yelled “I’m in!” or just gargled “Yeah!!!” or “This… is… VIKING!” in the most guttural Viking like yell I could muster. So basically, I cannot wait to see this film, even if there’s a pretty decent chance it will be just plain bad, instead of so bad it’s amazing or maybe even somewhat good.
If it’s successful though, think of the sequels! Aliens versus pirates! Aliens versus ninjas! Then a film where things go to hell and you have a THUNDERDOME like fight of aliens versus pirates, Vikings, AND ninjas. Hm. Me thinks I should start working on a script…
Though in some ways I felt a little under whelmed by this trailer for the upcoming Mark Wahlberg actioneer, the one thing I have to give it credit for is nailing the feel of the video game I played through more times than I cared to imagine. The visual style, the darkness, the trenchcoat, the gruff narration that sounds like someone took a film noir voice over and ran it through a meat grinder… it’s all perfect. It makes me hope that maybe this could turn out okay, even if the action and story seem to be a bit too much “been there, done that” so far. Then again, if films like WANTED can prove anything, it’s that style can make up for a lot.
Alex Proyas has earned himself years of respect for his hidden science fiction gem DARK CITY. Though I ROBOT got a lot of flack, I thought it was a genuinely fun action science flick. That’s why I’m still very much looking forward to his next fantasy/science fiction projected THE KNOWING. Though the trailer doesn’t feature anything uber-exciting (aside from that plane), I find the idea more than interesting and it has me already wondering all sort of things like where did those prescient numbers come from? And if somebody wrote them down to warn people, why the heck would they put it in a time capsule? (Guess they weren’t so clairvoyant after all).
Thanks to the good folks over at First Showing, I’ve now been made aware of this wicked looking film directed by Pierre Morel (DISTRICT B13), written by Robert Mark Kamsen (THE TRANSPORTER) and Luc Besson. Though revenge/”find my kidnapped family member” films are nothing new, it seems we get a slightly different spin on the story where a not-so-good guy, Liam Neeson, is the one tracking down other not-so-good-guys. It obviously looks exciting and action packed, but the biggest selling point for me is Liam Neeson’s monologue on the phone. Damn, if that doesn’t just send shivers down my spine.
The first installment of the now steady TRANSPORTER franchise remains one of my favorite action films of the last few years, and the one that gloriously introduced me to Jason Statham, the best action stars who hasn’t broken out yet. I was let down a bit by the sequel which I thought was a bit too silly, but if this wicked French teaser trailer for TRANSPORTER 3 is any indication then it looks like the series is returning to its more down-and-dirty, strictly car related roots.
However fine a dramatic actor Brad Pitt can be, I’ve always enjoyed him most when he’s being manic, flippant, and fun. He looks absolutely hilarious in this, whether working out on a treadmill, or even taking a punch (check out his expression when it happens!) I’m really looking forward to this despite the fact that generally I prefer the Coens when they’re being serious. Yet even I have to concede this looks like it could be one of their best – and funniest – films yet, and actually a pretty perfect and light follow-up to the overwhelmingly bleak NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. Besides with directors like that directing that kind of cast? Forget about it.
ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO
By Kevin Smith’s own design, this teaser trailer is meant to literally tease. So you won’t find any actual footage here that will be in the film, let alone a hint of the plot. But then again, it’s pretty much in the title now isn’t it? Anyway, I don’t find this teaser really that funny. In fact the spiel gets old fast. So maybe it’s a good thing this isn’t actually in the film.
I know, I know. Didn’t we just have a trailer round-up last week? Well, that’s the thing about the summer season starting to rev up. The internet pretty much explodes with visually stimulating previews meant to entice you into forgoing all social interactions for some time in a darkened theatre. Or, depending on the film, convincing you to stay home instead.
TROPIC THUNDER – Red Band (NSFW)
I want to like Ben Stiller. He’s done enough good here and there that I want to like him (“Nobody makes me bleed my own blood”), but he just makes it hard by playing the same character over-and-over again and relying on the same comedic shtick (it goes something like this – just in French). It seems with TROPIC THUNDER he’s hit on something though. Not only does the film seem genuinely funny, it seems like it’s a dead on satire of war films and their productions, and impressively (and surprisingly) has more than a little bite, mocking action stars wanting to go dramatic, method actors, and … well, Eddie Murphy. On another note, I noticed in the credits that Ethan Coen helped write this script? How did I not know this till now? That’s amazing!
CITY OF EMBERS
I hadn’t even heard of this film till last week when a poster was revealed, and now this week its trailer. What impresses me most is that it feels like an amalgam of various genres I love. You get the post-apocalyptic feel of an underground city, yet the apocalyptic tension of it dying out on account of a power crisis. In a weird way it’s a prison break movie, but also a NATIONAL TREASURE like scavenger hunt for clues to actually escape. Finally, it’s got a fun, adventure-filled family film tone, but with the dark, industrial look of a film like Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN. Also you can’t help but look fowrad to Bill Murray, who is so awesome, I’m going to go ahead and consider him a genre.
THE PROMOTION
I find myself anticipating this film very much, despite the pretty worn out plot about two people going to ridiculous competitive lengths to try and get a job they’re both gunning for. The reason I’m still excited? A) John C. Reilly, B) I’ve always found that given the right role, Sean William Scott can do pretty well, and it looks like he might be playing the straight man for once here, and C) pretty much every single film blog that I admire and whose opinion sync up with mine have been declaring this one of their favorite films of the year. Which also brings us to …
THE WACKNESS
… this film, which is being equally heralded by everyone who has seen it as an incredibly good and relatable film about, well, growing up and love, and all of those good things.
NOISE
This film about a man who decides to declare war against car alarms in New York City, eventually becomes a pseudo-vigilante superhero (The Rectifier), and then gets the interest of the mayor, seems like a pretty fun little flick, aided by a seemingly good Tim Robbins performance. Also of interest is the fact that it’s directed by Henry Bean, who we haven’t seen since the compelling Ryan Gosling drama THE BELIEVER.
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