Positive Experience/Entertaining? HOLY CRAP, no. I don’t think you could pack more lame-ass unoriginal cliches into a trailer than they did.
Technically any good? The stunts and FX look overblown and stupid as hell. When will filmmakers realize that pushing the limits into the realm of science fiction is simply too far? Acting-wise? Love the cast, but puh-leeze. This has “did it for the paycheck” written all over it. Angelina Jolie as the hot “Obi-Wan Kenobi” who “knew” James McAvoy’s “father.” Yes, that’s right, it’s ANOTHER GOD DAMN FATHER-SON MOVIE! FOR CRYING OUT LOUD WE’VE HAD TWO FRAKKING THOUSAND YEARS OF FATHER-SON STORIES! LETS MOVE THE HELL ON!! HOLY CHRIST–LITERALLY! Based on the trailer, this movie looks like it was written by a 13 year-old.
How did it leave me feeling? Like taking Angelina Jolie off my list of movie-crushes. Why does she keep staring in these CRAPFESTS??? PLEASE, Angelina, I’ll write something good for you–or–just be in better movies. Either that, or I’m going to have to stop telling people I think you’re hot and a good actress. Because you could be Hepburn and Bergman rolled into one and THESE CRAPPY MOVIES WILL STILL SUCK.
Final Rating? DNS - Do Not See when it comes out on March 28, 2008. But you can see the Wanted trailer at Yahoo and make up your own mind.
This pre-emptive review is based on the second trailer released for this film.
Positive Experience/Entertaining? Ah, like most action movie trailers, this one does psyched enough to want to see the movie. I’ve found the last couple of Bond films to be a bit forgetable, despite my fondness for Brosnan as Bond. However, I think Daniel Craig is brilliant casting and the trailer just reinforces that sentiment.
Technically any good? I’m concerned that the film will fall into a lot cliches–the trailer is littered with fairly unimaginative stunts and action sequences with just enough interesting morsels to make me think the rest of the film could be as interesting as those morsels. The acting looks spot-on across the board and the premise sounds in line with a classic Bond storyline. One of the stunts featured in the trailer really turned me off, though. Watch it for yourself and see if you can
How did it leave me feeling? As I mentioned earlier PSYCHED to see it. I’m hoping this “Bond reborn” will be a good thing. I still wish they’d just make all Bond movies period pieces and set them in the time period they were original written for–the early 1960s in the heyday of the Cold War. Still, this one could be good.
Final Rating? SIYL - I’m not confident enough to recommend it as a GSN film (”Go See Now”), so I’ll say See If You Like this kind of film. I think it’ll probably entertain us just fine. However, will it break new ground? We’ll have to wait for November 17, 2006 to see for sure.
See the trailer for yourself .
Positive Experience/Entertaining? Well, I am familiar with the director’s previous work, so I know not to let a slick looking trailer convince me Brian DePalma’s latest film will definitely be good. It looks like an interesting story, based on the true story of a brutal murder, but DePalma is to movies what tabloids are to newspapers. His films are often entertaining, but very sensationalized.
Technically any good? As trailers go, it really kept my attention, though I’m tired of all the fast cuts and gimmicky transitions. The movie looks like it could be good. However, I don’t care for Josh Hartnett–he never seems all that alive to me. Not at all dynamic. I’ll see this movie, but only because of the story.
How did it leave me feeling? Enthused to see the film. I hope it’s good DePalma from his earlier days. If you are interested in some Hitchcockian thrills, check out Sisters and/or Body Double.
Final Rating? SIYL - This movie covers a very gruesome murder. I seriously doubt it’ll be everyone’s cup of tea. However, if you can get past the disturbing subject matter and a bit of gore, I bet you’ll enjoy this movie.
The Black Dahlia opens here in the US on September 15, 2006. You can check the trailer out for yourself .
Positive Experience/Entertaining? From the same director as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (which I didn’t care for), this film looks like it captures the same kind of magic and fun that Eternal had, so I’m looking forward to this film.
Technically any good? Acting-wise, it looks well done. The trailer shows off some good actors but how they are directed I couldn’t tell. FX-wise, the movie looks incredible. A mix between stop-motion and CG with incredible sets and costumes for the dream sequences. While it’s not my cup of tea subject-matter-wise, I do hope I can get myself to the theater to see this film–it looks like something you shouldn’t miss on the big screen.
How did it leave me feeling? Fascinated and somewhat interested in seeing the movie. Again, not my cup of tea, but it looks like a lot of thought-provoking fun.
Final Rating? RTV - just being honest. If there’s nothing else out that I want to see on the big screen, I’ll probably check this movie out, but, I know myself. Odds are, this kind of movie will fall behind the Babels and The Last King of Scotlands.
THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP opens September 22, 2006, is directed by Michel Gondry and stars Gael García Bernal. You can check the trailer out .
Positive Experience/Entertaining? Wow, does this movie look good. I always get so excited when I see a trailer for a movie that deals with politics, culture AND historical events!! It’s a smart movie-goer’s paradise film!!
Technically any good? Based on the life of Idi Amin’s personal physician, it follows the doctor’s introduction to Amin and his eventual genocidal acts in Uganda. The film is shot in digital (I think) so it looks very grainy and “real”. Like a documentary film. Now it co-stars Gillian Anderson (Scully from The X-Files) and she’s really good. I am mad for the acting skillz of Forest Whitaker who I believe is incredible in just about everything I’ve ever seen him in–he plays Amin. SWEET.
How did it leave me feeling? Giddy like a schoolboy. I can’t wait another 24 days to see this film!! SMART MOVIES! WAHOO!!!
THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND opens on September 27, 2006 and you can check out the trailer for yourself .
Positive Experience/Entertaining? It looks great. Like a Syriana.
Technically any good? The movie follows three stories in three different parts of the world and the title suggests that the stories parallel, in some way, the story of the tower of Babel. That’s where mankind was one giant civilization that got punished by God for thinking they could reach heaven without God’s help, via this tower, so he smashed the tower and split everyone up to different corners of the world and made it so they couldn’t understand each other. The trailer makes the film look tightly edited, well acted and very intense.
How did it leave me feeling? Excited to see it. I love smart movies that deal with culture and politics in a realistic manner. Hopefully, people won’t be too scared of that subject matter and will actually see the film.
Final Rating? SOON - See On Opening Night
BABEL Opens in limited release in the US on October 27, 2006 and you check out the trailer for yourself .
Positive Experience/Entertaining? Damn–the trailer was as intriguing as any movie should be. While on IMDB.Com suggested it could be the next Matrix, my instinct is to compare the trailer to the trailer for Dark City. I had no idea what to think about Dark City after that beyond: “I WANNA SEE IT!” That’s what I got from this trailer.
Technically any good? Now, I’ve never seen the director’s last film, Requiem for a Dream (except for some supremely disturbing bits) but I have seen Pi. Between the two films, I’d say Fountain has the potential to get bogged down with too much style and not enough substance. I saw enough of RfaD to know I wouldn’t like the rest of it, but Pi was brilliant.
How did it leave me feeling? Very excited with the hope that this movie could be truly incredible. My cynical side is still screaming at me for being so positive about this film that seems so ambitious it could fail quite easily, but hey, I want it to be good. Don’t worry, if it isn’t, I’ll be sure to let you know.
Final Rating? SIYL - See If You Like trippy tales that span three time periods and don’t mind things not making sense in the end.
This movie opens wide in the USA on November 22, 2006 but if you’re in Austin, TX, you can catch it at Fantastic Fest on September, 28.
Positive Experience/Entertaining? I have to admit my M. Night bias–I hate the guy’s films. Putting that bias aside, based on I’d have to say this movie has an interesting premise but has the potential to be total crap as much as it could be great.
Technically any good? Well, the trailer is cut and sound-mixed to feel just like every other trailer out there for a thriller, so it’s hard to judge how technically good the film will be. I can say that I think Bryce Dallas Howard is a pretty good actor (despite her lineage :D ) and Paul Giamatti is someone I’d bear children for so expect good performances from them if nothing else. Well, this excuses M. Night’s requisite “cameo.” Will someone please tell this guy to take acting lessons before he shows up in anyone’s film? I’d like to see him appear in a film as a pompous film director who is convinced he’s a good actor.
How did it leave me feeling? Ultimately, M. Night movies end up being all glitz and no guts for me. The big “twist” ending of Sixth Sense was not that Bruce Willis was dead all along but that the film maker had been conveniently leaving out a crucial plot point that could and should have been more creatively omitted (see: the 8 episodes of Twilight Zone that did this premise better). The big twist of The Village I worked out before a friend even finished describing the trailer to me (which I had yet to see). In short, I’m not expecting to be thrilled by this film, though I expect the average American moviegoer to not know any better.
Final Rating? RTV (Rent The Video)
This film opens July 21, 2006
Positive Experience/Entertaining? It looks like the same kind of fictional movie as A Perfect Storm. I also think it’s too soon for a big screen movie about 911.
Technically any good? Paul Greengrass is a solid director. While I thought Bourne Supremacy was a supreme disappointment, Bloody Sunday was brilliant. Well shot, well cut, well acted, well everything. Still, I’m concerned that it will end up being a ra-ra, America-is-great kind of movie that can’t possibly hope to be the true story of Flight 93 since no one knows what really happened since there are no survivors.
How did it leave me feeling? The trailer left me feeling like I felt after A Perfect Storm. There is so much conjecture that had to be done for that film, you could have easily had said aliens abducted George Clooney and friends and no one could prove the film wrong. This film suffers from similar limitations. Sure, we have the cell phone calls and the blackbox recording, but short of having a survivor consulting, there are just too many gaps to fill in to make this an accurate movie.
Final Rating? RTV (Rent the Video - I just don’t know how this could be a movie of any depth.)
Please click over to for more of my take on this movie.
Positive Experience/Entertaining? The trailer made me want to see this movie ASAP.
Technically any good? Well, George Clooney really hasn’t made a bad movie since that Batman mess he made, so I’m going to assume that most things about this movie are going to be solid. The trailer makes it look like a cross between Traffic (in tone) and Clear and Present Danger (in tone and style).
How did it leave me feeling? Like I said, like I needed to see this movie ASAP. Not only is this the kind of subject matter I wish made it into more films, this movie looks like the intelligent fare that American moviegoers are invertedly begging for when they don’t see crapfests like Doom or Waiting.
Final Rating? GSN (smart, topical, deals with oil and world capitalism–KICK ASS!)
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Positive Experience/Entertaining? Hm, hard to say. I always think it’s positive when films explore other cultures, but (and I’m no expert on this) isn’t it odd that they cast Chinese actresses as geisha? Again, I’m no cultural expert, but usually geisha are Japanese women, not Chinese.
Technically any good? It looks like a sequel to The Last Samurai and, with a white man directing, seems to have about as many qualifications to be a statement about growing up a Japanese geisha as Samurai did (in other words, none). I’m sure the acting will be great, but script? Story? Historical accuracy? I dout it.
How did it leave me feeling? Nervous. I’m a Japanophile, but I hate when Americans direct movies about Japan. Let the Japanese tell Japanese stories. How many movies will white men direct? A lot more than Japanese men will. I’ll probably see this movie, but I don’t expect it will be good.
Final Rating? RTV (I expect it to be worth even less than the price of a rental–although that poster is AWESOME)
Positive Experience/Entertaining? Looks silly/fun in a bad b-movie kind of way–like the first one. Plus there’s Kate Beckinsale in a tight black outfit again. That alone will tempt me to the theater.
Technically any good? Well, this movie looks just as flat and boring as the first one. “Lycans” and vampires waring for centuries despite the fact that we humans never see it–yeah, right. Beyond that, it’s just going to be a great excuse to see Beckinsale kick ass and look HOT.
How did it leave me feeling? Happy that Kate Beckinsale is going to be dressed in a tight black outfit for the length of a feature film again. ;) But seriously, I’m always happy to see strong female leads in action movies. I just which these types of films could be better.
Final Rating? SIYL (unrated as of this writing, but it had better be “R” if it’s worth its salt as a horror/action movie)
Positive Experience/Entertaining?? Looks like more of the same “insisting” type of film making director Michael Bay likes to do. Like Armageddon was an important movie or something.
Technically any good? FX look fine, Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson are both good actors (and easy on the eyes!) but all of the scripts Bay usually go with are general, shallow and not terribly original. The trailer for this movie looks like it’s just more of the same.
How did it leave me feeling? I enjoy the premise of cloning, but this really just looks like a remake of the MST3K “classic” Parts: The Clonus Horror. When will Hollywood tire of making movies that are shallow, stupid, “important” films that move me about as far as I can budge George Bush’s foreign policy?
Check out the trailer for yourself.
