Here’s a few quick thoughts on some recently released trailers. Next week, we’ll take a look at what’s coming out in November!
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies – 5 February 2016
https://youtu.be/QWr3mLI8Xl8
Director: Burr Steers
Cast: Lily James, Matt Smith, Lena Headey, Sam Riley, Jack Huston
Genre: Action, Horror
IMDB | Wikipedia
Summary: Jane Austen’s classic tale of the tangled relationships between lovers from different social classes in 19th century England is faced with a new challenge — an army of undead zombies.
Thoughts: The teaser makes Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (PPZ) look like it could be both hilarious and fun. However, I hope they don’t make it go down some Sucker Punch (2011) route. This seems more a movie to rent than really view in theaters but then again, I haven’t read the book.
Hail, Caesar! – 5 February 2016
Director: Ethan Coen and Joel Coen
Cast: Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich, Ralph Fiennes, Jonah Hill, Scarlett Johansson, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and Channing Tatum
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Musical
IMDB | Wikipedia
Summary: Four-time Oscar®-winning filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen (No Country for Old Men, True Grit, Fargo) write and direct Hail, Caesar!, an all-star comedy set during the latter years of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Starring Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich, Ralph Fiennes, Jonah Hill, Scarlett Johansson, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and Channing Tatum, Hail, Caesar! follows a single day in the life of a studio fixer who is presented with plenty of problems to fix.
Thoughts: Joel and Ethan Coen tend to be rather hit or miss (ie. No Country for Old Men and Burn After Reading, respectively). Hail, Caesar! appears to be somewhere in the middle. It could be a quirky comedy about Hollywood or become too quirky like Burn After Reading that it alienates its audience. If the movie succeeds in not being too self-referential to Hollywood, the comedy and Cohen style could make this one of the more prominent movies since True Grit (2010).
The Good Dinosaur – 25 November 2015
Director: Peter Sohn
Voice Cast: Raymond Ochoa, Jack Bright, Anna Paquin, Steven Zahn, Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
IMDB | Wikipedia
Summary: The Good Dinosaur asks the generations-old question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? In theaters November 25, 2015, the film is a humorous and exciting original story about Arlo, a lively Apatosaurus with a big heart. After a traumatic event unsettles Arlo’s family, he sets out on a remarkable journey, gaining an unlikely companion along the way – a human boy. The Good Dinosaur is an extraordinary journey of self-discovery full of thrilling adventure, hilarious characters and poignant heart.
Thoughts: I do have to say, I’m a bit concerned that Disney is trying to force more movies out with Pixar. Already having released Inside Out in June, I rather have quality than quantity. While the relationship between the main dinosaur Arlo and the caveboy Spot looks utterly adorable and endearing, I’ll be interested to see what the reviews are like. The animation style seems a repeated from older projects and feels more like a Disney movie than Pixar. Even if they are under the same umbrella now, there’s definitely a difference in quality and depth.
Triple 9 (2016) – 19 February 2016
Director: John Hillcoat
Cast: Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie, Aaron Paul, Norma Reedus, Woody Harrelson, Kate Winslet
Genre: Crime, Drama
IMDB | Wikipedia
Summary: A gang of criminals and corrupt cops plan the murder of a police officer in order to pull off their biggest heist yet across town.
Thoughts: At the end of the Triple 9 trailer, it felt really disjointed. Other than the cast, the trailer doesn’t give the movie any sort of individuality. Whether or not it’s the plot or the trailer’s fault, it feels more like True Detective season 2 than a worthwhile movie.
Bone Tomahawk – 23 October 2015 (Limited)
Director: S. Craig Zahler
Cast: Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins, David Arquette
Genre: Horror, Western
IMDB | Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes
Summary: When a group of cannibal savages kidnaps settlers from the small town of Bright Hope, an unlikely team of gunslingers, led by Sheriff Franklin Hunt, sets out to bring them home. But their enemy is more ruthless than anyone could have imagined, putting their mission — and survival itself — in serious jeopardy. This is a gritty action-packed thriller chronicling a terrifying rescue mission in the Old West.
Thoughts: On the surface as a horror western, it could have been really appealing, however, the trailer feels lackluster. From those that have already seen Bone Tomahawk, it sounds like it could just be that its darkness and violence can’t be portrayed too much in the “preview for all audiences” trailer. While the idea has peaked my interest, I’m not torn up over the fact that it will only be in limited release for now.
English