THE BEST

Synopsis: Four college girls who land in jail after robbing a restaurant in order to fund their spring break vacation find themselves bailed out by a drug and arms dealer who wants them to do some dirty work.

Every once in a while a movie comes along that looks so insane that it might just work. This looks like one of those movies. The 90s was all about MTV and while when we look back we wonder why we cared that much about such a popular culture piece of garbage (and I’m sure we’ll say the same about a lot of what is popular culture now two decades after the fact), one of those big pop culture things (very related to MTV) was Spring Break. The lifestyle and party that is spring break seems to be beautifully encapsulated in this film along with a character that can rival his in Pineapple Express played by James Franco where he gets four young ladies, who’re armed robbers, to join up with him for his drug/party enterprise. It looks so good.

Synopsis: Two teenage boys encounter a fugitive and form a pact to help him evade the bounty hunters on his trailer and to reunite him with his true love.

While I can’t say that I was the ideal fan of Take Shelter (Nichols last film) it did intrigue me, and that’s what this film does as well. Throw in a touch of Matthew McConaughey and a sprinkling of Michael Shannon and you’ve got a winner. It reminds me of films like Stand By Me where there’s a big child perspective element to it which can make it seem fable-like but at the same time with a little perspective we can add a sinister undertone.

Synopsis: As the Japanese surrender at the end of WWII, Gen. Fellers is tasked with deciding if Emperor Hirohito will be hanged as a war criminal. Influencing his ruling is his quest to find Aya, an exchange student he met years earlier in the U.S.

If there was one thing Lincoln taught me it was not to doubt Tommy Lee Jones. No matter how big or small a role we put him (can I count Josh Brolin in Men in Black III as being played by TLJ?) he gives us something special to enjoy. I’m down for whatever performance he’s willing to give me at this point. So when I find a film which tells the story of the US General battling with what verdict to bestow upon the ruler of a nation that the General is currently occupying all wrapped around the ending of WWII I’m down.

THE INTERESTING

Synopsis: When a couple discovers that a brass teapot makes them money whenever they hurt themselves, they must come to terms with how far they are willing to go.

Remember when I talked about movies which look crazy enough they might just work, this is another one of those. The difference between this and the aforementioned Spring Breakers is that as a story (and a trailer) it gives off the feeling that it has a great crazy idea, but runs out of things to do with that towards the later half. Regardless I heard a lot of great things from people who saw it at TIFF last year and back then it was a film shrouded in mystery (as they didn’t really want to say what it was about) and now I can see how this movie would give off that kind of feeling. It does look massively interesting though.

THE AVERAGE

Synopsis: Frank Moses and his motley crew of retired assassins return for a second outing.

When Helen Mirren has a sniper rifle pointed at you, you tend to do as she says. While RED wasn’t the greatest action comedy of 2010 it was an enjoyable ride. So when they return (with crabby John Malkovich begging to be let out of the cage) and a lot of new characters, including having Byung-hun Lee (the badass from The Man From Nowhere and the child from Mother) enter as the main bad guy this time around it seems like the ridiculous may have been ramped up to the correct level. I don’t expect this to be The Raid awesome, but if I get the same level of enjoyment that I got when I first saw RED I’ll be content.

Other Trailers: At Any Price, End of Love, The Call

What looks good to you?

THE BEST

Synopsis: After visiting Mont Saint-Michel, Marina and Neil come to Oklahoma, where problems arise. Marina meets a priest and fellow exile, who is struggling with his vocation, while Neil renews his ties with a childhood friend, Jane.

I’ve actually seen this film. So if you’re curious of what the end result is go read my review from TIFF here.

As it pertains to this trailer however, it’s pretty fantastic. It promises everything any Terrence Malick fan ever wanted from one of his films: lots of dazzling cinematography and a voice over that just makes me think that the film is VERY important.

Synopsis: A motorcycle stunt rider considers committing a crime in order to provide for his wife and child, an act that puts him on a collision course with a cop-turned-politician.

Guess what guys… this is the movie. The movie I saw at TIFF which floored me. I can’t wait for y’all to see it. I would recommend NOT watching the trailer because I feel going in with as little knowledge as possible will help ease you into how odd a movie this really is.

The trailer doesn’t do the film any service because the film is presented in a very odd structure that will pick you out of the theatre, slap you in the face and then ask you to love it again as you sit back down. Regardless though it’s a pretty great trailer putting all the key points on the movie on display to get people exciting. See the tear drop tattoo???

Synopsis: A trio of bodybuilders in Florida get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong.

So Michael Bay is making a movie without Transformers, and stars Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Mackie and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson as bodybuilders who rip off some rich dude with multiple hijinks ensuing. It looks like a blast of a movie, and I can’t believe I’m saying that about a Bay film at this point. I think that The Rock is a great actor, especially when given that pinch of comedy to play with, because he knows how to make it completely serious in character to help glow a bright shinging light on how ridiculous it all is.

THE INTERESTING

Synopsis: While attending a party at James Franco’s house, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and many other celebrities are faced with the apocalypse.

I think this is a project that the Rogen, Baruschel and the rest of that Knocked Up and all Judd Apatow run around team (sans Apatow) has been thinking about doing for a while. I honestly find everyone who’s a part of this movie to be really funny people and make really funny movies, however at the same time when I look at this trailer I can’t help but be reminded of the very not-so-funny Hot Tub Time Machine which was a melody of jokes that were on and off. Here I expect the same and hope for more.

THE BAD

Synopsis: After breaking up with his longtime stage partner, a famous but jaded Vegas magician fights for relevance when a new, “hip” street magician appears on the scene.

It looks bad. I mean anything short of having Will Arnett reprise his role as Gob Bluth doing some really bad magic I can’t see how this can be anywhere near interesting. It is kind of nice to see Carrey back to being silly and in movies again, where has that guy been?

What looks good to you?

I already posted about the upcoming Zack Snyder Man of Steel film earlier this week, so that was exempt from this roundup, but would’ve been in the PHENOMENAL section.
 

THE BEST

Synopsis: A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May, 2011.

I was pretty negative when the first trailer for this film was released a few months back on TUMP, but somehow between the recent flurry of reviews as well as a more focused viewpoint through this trailer I’m starting to warm up to this film. Somehow with it paying more attention to the Jessica Chastain character it comes off more as an episode of Homeland (a show I love dearly) and I’m up for some of that.
 

Synopsis: The G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra; they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence.

This was one of my most anticipated films of summer 2012, then the film was held back more than six months so that more scenes could be shot and it would be post converted to 3D, which I worry about. Regardless the trailer here offers me just as much balls to the wall fun action that it can pack into two and a half minutes and I’m ready to partake.

Who doesn’t want a movie with The Rock and Bruce Willis together? Really?
 

THE INTERESTING

Ken Watanabe stars in a Japanese remake of the American classic film of the same title that starred Clint Eastwood about a retired gunman being asked to do one last job as a hired gun.

I don’t get a chance to discuss it as often as I would like to here but I love westerns and I also love Japanese cinema. Taking these two facts together and hearing this idea I’m ready to enjoy. The internet, including myself from time to time, complain bitterly of the Hollywood system and their constant looking back to find what they can remake, reboot, prequel or sequel as opposed to produced fresh content, but the truth of the matter they’re not the only ones falling into this trap. Regardless, this film on paper looks like it could be an interesting adaptation and I can’t wait to have that thought shown true next year.
 

THE AVERAGE

Synopsis: Native American spirit warrior Tonto recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid, a man of the law, into a legend of justice.

Did we need this movie? I’m one of the biggest defenders of The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, but even I’ll admit the wheels were starting to fall of towards the end of Verbinski‘s time there. With this film I’m just seeing another bombastic action adventure rollercoaster that Disney is putting out in hopes that hits big so that they have the POTC-esque franchise to cash in on for the next decade (would Depp be into doing another of these for a decade though?). Also, how much of what’s shown to us actually exists from the original property? I feel like they’re playing a bit too much with the sandbox here.

THE BAD

Synopsis: When an alien attack threatens the Earth’s existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace.

I like Guillermo Del Toro. Even if I don’t discuss his films, whenever I get the chance to see a video of him discussing his love for film it’s obvious that he’s a bigger fan than an employee of the world of cinema which makes him the kind of director that the internet loves to champion because in some way we connect with him and see ourselves in him and his imperfect projects. Here, we see him playing in the land that sits adjacent Michael Bay and Shawn Lecy territory, but somehow because it’s Del Toro the internet is giving him a pass.

This trailer is without a doubt the worst to hit the internet this week past. It promises insane robots on a mega sized scale and the fighting system is something that you’d see in some of the worst animes you’ve ever seen from the 90s. I’m not biting.

Some other trailers released this week: After Earth and Oblivion

What’s your favourite trailer this past week?

Synopsis: An alien infant is raised on Earth, and grows up with superhuman abilities. He sets out to use these abilities to guard his adopted world.

Synopsis: An adaptation of the successful stage musical based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel set in 19th-century France, in which a paroled prisoner named Jean Valjean seeks redemption.