Trail Mix: Docs, Vibrators, and Spies, Oh My
August 20th 2011 22:22
Trail Mix 4: Docs, Vibrators, and Spies, Oh My
As usual, title links to trailer.
Faces in the Crowd
Oh, Milla Jovovich, how I love her despite questionable projects – with this one – the concept is unique and surprising given it’s actually a real neurological condition (the inability to recognize people’s faces, even your own). The trailer, however, was far too disjointed for me and I couldn’t engage. This one will fall into the category of: I’ll wait for the general consensus before seeing.
Rating: C
Hysteria
This is about the invention of the vibrator; a topic I honestly never gave much thought to but confronted with a film on the subject it seems rather intriguing. The trailer has your standard studio ‘let’s try to be overly British’ feel – complete with the obvious musical cues you’d expect, quick cuts, and overtly witty timing. The film will probably be cut much better than the trailer. Regardless of the trailer’s style, it’s definitely an engaging concept.
Rating: B-
Puncture
I am not, by any means, a Chris Evans fan. However, he looks convincing as the lead role in this lawyer-centric drama. The film is being marketed as (you guessed it) a thriller when it is (as the link above will inform you) anything but; this actually makes me more interested in it – I’ll take a solid, character-driven drama over a too serious for it’s own good based-on-real-events melodramatic thriller any day.
Rating: B
Carnage
Roman Polanski’s latest looks darkly comically and while it invokes Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf given its setup and original incarnation as a play, there’s no real reason to overtly compare the two based on the trailer. This looks like it will be sharp, amusing, biting and the cast is fantastic.
Rating: A
Page Eight
I just discovered a few days ago this is the film I’ll be seeing as the Closing Night Gala at the Toronto Film Festival. While this is an extremely short ‘teaser’, it teases absolutely nothing. Its score is piano based and slow like something out of a dinner party scene in a period drama. The entire pace drags and there’s zero excitement. The cast is fantastic and David Hare is one of my personal favorite playwrights/screenwriters but this does nothing to showcase anyone’s talents. Here’s hoping more thought is put into the actual trailer.
Rating: C
Weekend
It’s so rare that a gay-themed film garners the attention of Itunes or even mainstream critics. This is a small British independent film which played at Sundance and stars two unknowns making their debut. It looks to be earnest, realistic, emotional, and a cut above current films in the genre. Very excited for this one.
Rating: A-
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The second trailer is even better than the first. Tightly crafted and suspenseful. This continues to be one of the best casts around and it’s a downright travesty that all they can put before Gary Oldman’s name is ‘BAFTA’ winner. Give the man an Oscar already.
Rating: A
We Need To Talk About Kevin
(International trailer)
I love that this doesn’t reveal much and that it isn’t trying to hit you over the head the way Beautiful Boy kind of did with its trailer. Swinton once again looks magnificent and this is a film I’m greatly anticipating.
Rating: A
Texas Killing Fields
This didn’t thrill me; it felt more like the trailer to an upcoming television crime drama. It was difficult to remain focused for even the short period of the trailer – not really sure why. It’s directed by Michael Mann’s daughter and the cast seems to be giving it their all. Nevertheless, this seems destined to be a video rental and nothing more.
Rating: C
Red State
(Red Band trailer)
I kind of hate the @thatkevinsmith title card and also the Tarantino quote thrown into the middle of the trailer. In fact, Smith seems more about pissing people off lately than anything else and I’m just not sure where his creativity lies anymore. His foray into Horror isn’t overly enticing to me; it simply plays out like ‘Kevin Smith doing a Horror film’ and it’s more self-reflexive than anything else.
Rating: C-
Limelight
Limelight
Some of the effects used in the trailer are rather cheesy but this documentary on New York’s The Limelight and the man who owned seems interesting and worth a viewing.
Rating: B
The Imterrupters
A rather stunning and fascinating concept for a documentary. This tells the story of men and women who attempt to stop the same violence they once delivered, before cleaning up their own lives. Looks to be moving and powerful.
Rating: A-
As usual, title links to trailer.
Faces in the Crowd
Oh, Milla Jovovich, how I love her despite questionable projects – with this one – the concept is unique and surprising given it’s actually a real neurological condition (the inability to recognize people’s faces, even your own). The trailer, however, was far too disjointed for me and I couldn’t engage. This one will fall into the category of: I’ll wait for the general consensus before seeing.
Rating: C
Hysteria
This is about the invention of the vibrator; a topic I honestly never gave much thought to but confronted with a film on the subject it seems rather intriguing. The trailer has your standard studio ‘let’s try to be overly British’ feel – complete with the obvious musical cues you’d expect, quick cuts, and overtly witty timing. The film will probably be cut much better than the trailer. Regardless of the trailer’s style, it’s definitely an engaging concept.
Rating: B-
Puncture
I am not, by any means, a Chris Evans fan. However, he looks convincing as the lead role in this lawyer-centric drama. The film is being marketed as (you guessed it) a thriller when it is (as the link above will inform you) anything but; this actually makes me more interested in it – I’ll take a solid, character-driven drama over a too serious for it’s own good based-on-real-events melodramatic thriller any day.
Rating: B
Carnage
Roman Polanski’s latest looks darkly comically and while it invokes Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf given its setup and original incarnation as a play, there’s no real reason to overtly compare the two based on the trailer. This looks like it will be sharp, amusing, biting and the cast is fantastic.
Rating: A
Page Eight
I just discovered a few days ago this is the film I’ll be seeing as the Closing Night Gala at the Toronto Film Festival. While this is an extremely short ‘teaser’, it teases absolutely nothing. Its score is piano based and slow like something out of a dinner party scene in a period drama. The entire pace drags and there’s zero excitement. The cast is fantastic and David Hare is one of my personal favorite playwrights/screenwriters but this does nothing to showcase anyone’s talents. Here’s hoping more thought is put into the actual trailer.
Rating: C
Weekend
It’s so rare that a gay-themed film garners the attention of Itunes or even mainstream critics. This is a small British independent film which played at Sundance and stars two unknowns making their debut. It looks to be earnest, realistic, emotional, and a cut above current films in the genre. Very excited for this one.
Rating: A-
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The second trailer is even better than the first. Tightly crafted and suspenseful. This continues to be one of the best casts around and it’s a downright travesty that all they can put before Gary Oldman’s name is ‘BAFTA’ winner. Give the man an Oscar already.
Rating: A
We Need To Talk About Kevin
(International trailer)
I love that this doesn’t reveal much and that it isn’t trying to hit you over the head the way Beautiful Boy kind of did with its trailer. Swinton once again looks magnificent and this is a film I’m greatly anticipating.
Rating: A
Texas Killing Fields
This didn’t thrill me; it felt more like the trailer to an upcoming television crime drama. It was difficult to remain focused for even the short period of the trailer – not really sure why. It’s directed by Michael Mann’s daughter and the cast seems to be giving it their all. Nevertheless, this seems destined to be a video rental and nothing more.
Rating: C
Red State
(Red Band trailer)
I kind of hate the @thatkevinsmith title card and also the Tarantino quote thrown into the middle of the trailer. In fact, Smith seems more about pissing people off lately than anything else and I’m just not sure where his creativity lies anymore. His foray into Horror isn’t overly enticing to me; it simply plays out like ‘Kevin Smith doing a Horror film’ and it’s more self-reflexive than anything else.
Rating: C-
Limelight
Limelight
Some of the effects used in the trailer are rather cheesy but this documentary on New York’s The Limelight and the man who owned seems interesting and worth a viewing.
Rating: B
The Imterrupters
A rather stunning and fascinating concept for a documentary. This tells the story of men and women who attempt to stop the same violence they once delivered, before cleaning up their own lives. Looks to be moving and powerful.
Rating: A-
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