A Case of You trailer review

[TWO STARS]

Usually, when a movie is named after a song I go: “Bleh.” But this film is named after a very good Joni Mitchell song, so that’s less of a Bleh. But hold on—A Case of You isn’t completely blehless. No, not by a long shot. The bleh of this film comes from the plot itself.

Justin Long plays a hapless, romantically confused young writer who falls in love with a girl. And wouldn’t you know it (and God bless the digital age!) he finds her Facebook profile, learns all about what she likes, and then sculpts himself into her ideal man. Sound familiar? Yea, that’s because this is approximately 75% of rom coms. Person A wants Person B so Person A changes himself into Person C but when Person B finds out Person C is actually Person A there’s drama and then it turns out Person B really liked Person A better all along. It’s sweet really. A “be yourself” sort of message.

That it’s been done a million times aside, my main problem with these kinds of stories is: would Person B ever have given Person A the time of day if Person A hadn’t been Person C? Probably not. So the subtext is that there truly is a reason to not be who you are—it gets you in the door. Is that actually good message? I dunno. I suppose in some sense it’s realistic. But all that aside, this plot has been done so many fucking times I don’t even care about this movie.

A Case of You gets two stars. And I’m only being this generous because I really like Joni Mitchell. Also because Peter Dinklage is in it.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug [trailer 2] trailer review

[TWO STARS]

With the second trailer for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, most fans are looking for one thing: Smaug the Dragon. Yes, we all want to see the terrible creature for whom this film is named. So that’s where I’ll begin.

Admittedly we don’t get to see a lot of Smaug here, because they’re obviously saving him for the film. But we do get one novel experience: hearing Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of Smaug for the first time. As expected, Cumberbatch is perfect. His voice is commanding and chilly, fitting for a giant, winged reptile. If there is one reason to see this movie, it may simply be Cumberbatch.

Because otherwise, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug looks like more of the same: Hobbits and elves and dwarves and wizards all going places, doing things. Frankly, I have no idea what 85% of this sure-to-be-three-hour plot is going to be—and I’ve read The Hobbit! Further, I’m not sure I care what the plot is going to be! I know who lives and dies already because of LOTR.

I’ve railed against this Hobbit trilogy many times, and my argument remains the same. This story should have been one movie. Two movies would’ve been a stretch. And three is absolutely absurd. The audience is going to be so damn bored by the third installation.

I give this film two stars and a half stars. And the reason it’s getting those stars is mainly because of Benedict Cumberbatch.

The Railway Man trailer review

[FOUR STARS]

In short, here’s why The Railway Man is going to be nominated for best picture 2013: it’s a story of love, revenge and war—the long-standing trifecta of best picture winners. Additionally the film will be powerful, tragic and redemptive, with a side of fucked up.

So I won’t deny it. By the end of this trailer, I was sold. The Railway Man looks like a great film. The cast is stunning: Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman, Stellan Skarsgard, all with weighty dialogue like “War leaves a mark…” and “I have suffered much, but I know you’ve suffered too, and you mean everything to me,” and “Sometimes the hating has to stop.” In the wrong hands, lines like these could be overwrought, but somehow with the delicate deliveries of the actors, (not to mention their accents) these lines resonate with authenticity and emotion.

The only reservation I might mention is that this film’s format will be structured around flashbacks. It’s a tried and true method, but sometimes can make a story muddled or incoherent. Director Jonathan Teplitzky hasn’t directed much else, so really, it’s anyone’s guess as to whether he understands the proper pacing and transitions such stories require.

Ultimately though, I’m putting reservations aside, and giving The Railway Man four stars. When a trailer makes me feel such an array of emotions, as this one did, I want nothing more than to see the film right away.

Under the Skin trailer review

[TWO STARS]

Ok. Alright. Where to begin with this one? Honestly, I don’t know. The first trailer for Under the Skin raises way more questions than it answers. In fact, the trailer is so baffling I had to go to imdb to read the synopsis—something I rarely do when reviewing trailers. Here’s imdb’s description:

“An alien in human form is on a journey through Scotland.”

So with that synopsis in mind, what do I deduce from this trailer? For one, Scarlett Johansson is probably the alien in human form. For two, it appears that director Jonathan Glazer is trying to emulate what it might be like for an alien to experience a planet like earth. Usually alien movies are seen from the POV of someone who already lives on earth and is familiar with its ways. But since this movie is from the perspective of an alien experiencing earth for the first time, it must be all like WTF to her. That’s at least what I think Glazer’s going for.

As to whether it will be successful or not, I don’t know. I’ve never seen a Glazer film before. I think I’d feel more comfortable with this trailer and this storyline if it were in the hands of say, Lars Von Trier. And in fact, it looks as though Glazer is going for a Von Trier kind of vibe here.

Well, all that said, I’m going to give the Under the Skin two stars. I can’t have faith in a story that I don’t know anything about. Johansson is very talented and may well save this film, but as for right now, there’s no evidence of such a thing happening.

Red Obsession trailer review

[THREE STARS]

At first, with a title like Red Obsession, I thought this was a movie about communists. Then I discovered it was a movie about wine. But then I discovered it was actually about communists. Ok, that’s unfair. It’s actually about Chinese post-communism capitalists who really like their Bordeaux wine. So much so, they are dominating the market, driving costs up and up and up to the point where Europeans and Americans can’t afford the luxurious wine anymore.

But can you blame them really? I witnessed Francis Ford Coppolla, in this very trailer, confess that Bordeaux is close to a miracle. And when Coppolla says something is a miracle, I tend to believe him.

Anyways, apparently Bordeaux has always been a status symbol in the Western world, but now China has latched on to the notion, and suddenly vintners are finding their bottles going on sale at auction for $1.5 million. I can only hope the bottle is that good.

Overall, this looks like an interesting (if not a little too narrowly focused) film. I might prefer to see a movie about the state of the wine industry as a whole. I know next to nothing about the business, but films like Bottle Shock make me want to learn more.

Who knows though, Red Obsession might be a good place to start. I give this film three stars.

Her trailer review

[FOUR STARS]

If any of us had taken a moment to think about it, we would’ve seen a movie like Her coming. Even so, it’s surely the oddest, most original plotline for a love story since Lars and the Real Girl and amazingly, it looks like it has some real potential.

So what is Her about? Simply put, it’s about a man who falls in love with his phone. And by love I don’t mean attached to or addicted to—I mean love, as in sexual love. Obviously, this movie takes place in the near-flung future when natural language user interfaces (like Apple’s Siri) have become eerily close to real personalities. The whole premise is very interesting, slightly Asimov-ish, and perhaps not all too unrealistic.

Further, let me say, I am so so so very thankful this is a Spike Jonze film. This same plot could have been taken in so many directions. Imagine say, if the Farrelly brothers had made this one. It could easily descend into raunchy or ridiculous territory. But in the masterful hands of Spike Jonze, who specializes in idiosyncratic stories, Her looks like a genuine and moving exploration of what technology can mean to us.

I give Her four stars. This trailer really made me feel for both Joaquin Pheonix’s character and also the phone. It was a weird experience but nice. I’d expect no less from a Jonze film.

Also, can you imagine the various endings this movie could have? What if it ends tragically because Joaquin Pheonix drops Her in a glass of water? Can you imagine?

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty trailer review

[THREE AND 1/2 STARS]

So Mr. Stiller, getting away from slapstick comedies, are we? Delving into the world of Oscar-friendly art films? The Secret Life of Walter Mitty sure looks like it. This is Ben Stiller’s latest film in which he directs and stars, following a series of really good comedies that include Tropic Thunder and Zoolander. But as stated before, Walter Mitty looks to be a departure for Stiller.

A few things I learned from this trailer:

1)    It looks like a beautiful film.

2)    Kristen Wiig looks just as good as a brunette.

3)    If Sean Penn eerily beckoned to me from a photograph I would not respond.

So yea, it looks like Ben Stiller plays Walter Mitty, an average joe who works at Life Magazine. His life isn’t superb. He wants a girl (Wiig) but he’s shy. And then—fantasy sequences! Fantasy sequences take him far and wide, adventuring and exploring, presumably giving him the confidence and intrigue he needs to get said girl. And that’s pretty much all you can deduce from the trailer.

Now, as stated before, this film looks gorgeously, beautifully shot (you can tell Stiller is taking cues from Wes Anderson) but often times with a film that’s centered around elaborate fantasy sequences, there’s an empty core at the heart of the story. The human side gets lost or preempted by the chaos of the fantasy. I’m thinking of films ranging from The Science of Sleep to Sucker Punch. Of course, there’s an exception to every rule. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a roaring success of a fantasy film.

Regardless, it looks as though Stiller is reaching to expand his artistic repertoire and that’s commendable. Does he have the chops to pull it off? My guess is probably. His past directorial efforts have been hugely successful. This film is a risk, but probably one worth taking.

I give The Secret Life of Walter Mitty three and a half stars. I like to applaud ambition whenever I can.

Gravity [trailer 2]: trailer review

The film Gravity can be summed up in one word:

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!”

Well, I gave a good review to the first trailer for Gravity and my feelings are relatively unchanged. This looks scary and awe-inspiring. Seeing Sandra Bullock hurtle toward the beautiful, ominous earth below her—my word. It’s breath taking.

Of course, there are some concerns. This is clearly a CGI-fest, which is a thing I’m usually not too hot on. But a film like this requires it. To make this movie sans-CGI would be to make a very different film. So I suppose my concern is really just that the CGI won’t be good enough. There were a few moments of footage that made me think, “That’s a CGI astronaut with Sandra Bullock’s face pasted on.”

The other concern is that this is a feature length film. Can we really just have George Clooney and Sandra Bullock shooting around space like pinballs for an hour and a half? There has to be more substance here; more backstory. Because if that backstory ain’t good, well, the incredible action sequences aren’t going to mean squat.

But those are just concerns. Nothing I hang my hat on. I still have an overriding suspicion this will be like no film we’ve seen before.

I give Gravity four stars. I reiterate: “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!”

The Fifth Estate trailer review

[THREE AND 1/2 STARS]

Let’s face facts: if there is one undoubtedly true opinion about Julian Assange, it’s that his life story is worthy of a film. The founder and editor in chief of Wikileaks is a complex and mysterious public figure who is perhaps responsible for more debate about the digital world and its impact on our civilization than any other person. I applaude the making of The Fifth Estate.

Hollywood may be slow on the uptake in making movies addressing important historical events like civil and gay rights, but it has not been slow making movies about the Internet. Just look at examples like 2010’s The Social Network or 1995’s The Net. Something about the Internet and its undeniable influence on the way we live just asks to be made into movies.

So, The Fifth Estate. An exploration of Julian Assange and the founding of Wikileaks. Well, first of all, could there be a better actor to portray Assange than Benedict Cumberbatch? I think not. Secondly, this film looks as though it’ll be setting a dead-glare upon Assange, both his more inspiring philosophies and his grittier realities. I don’t think you could make a good movie about Wikileaks without questioning the transparency movement. Nor could you make a good movie without applauding some of the journalistic notions that come with transparency.

Frankly, The Fifth Estate looks like a good ol’ fashion romp through the morays of today. It’ll be fascinating to see their final take on Assange. It’ll be even more fascinating to see if Cumberbatch can pull it off. If he does, I smell an Oscar nod in his near future.

I give The Fifth Estate three and a half stars. This is a bold film. I’m curious to see which roads it walks down.

Metallica Through the Never trailer review

[ONE AND 1/2 STARS]

The refrain of “Enter Sand Man,” one of Metallica’s quintessential songs, is this:

Exit light

Enter light

Take my hand

Off to Never Never Land.

Now imagine you take those few lines and think, “Hey, what if we made a movie about those lyrics?” and then you actually make that movie. You’d probably wind up with something very close to Metallica Through the Never, a film that, like so many rock films before it, looks like an hour and a half long music video.

The plot is that some young Metallica roadie is sent on a mission to get something for the band. But when he heads out into the world he finds an apocalyptic hellscape, obviously inspired by the dark world-view Metallica wants you to think it has. Incidentally, during the apocalypse, there’s a Metallica concert going on, and whenever Metallica plays one of their big hits, it corresponds to a moment of intense action or drama in the young roadie’s quest. Perfect!

Now, if you’re like me, you’re thinking, “I dunno, this plot sounds kind of thin,” — never fear! Metallica Through the Never is in 3D and the trailer promises that “This fall 3D has never felt so heavy.”

Actually, on second thought, that sounds horrible. I hate carrying heavy 3D.

I give Metallica Through the Never one and a half stars. I actually have a soft spot for the band, but I get the overwhelming sense that this particular film will do nothing for me except give me a headache and make me wish I was watching a Woody Allen film.