For the Love of Trailers - The How-To-Cope-With-It Edition

What to look forward to (or not) as Louise-Afzal Faerkel casts her eye over the trailers for upcoming releases Tiny Furniture, Rabbit Hole and Biutiful...

TINY FURNITURE

I am cynical, sceptical person. The glass is always half empty for me. My reasoning is for thinking like that is in order to surprise myself if I happen to enjoy a movie. I mostly assume the worst about serious pictures. I do get excited about films, but the ones I genuinely look forward to are few and far apart,. They must present something incredibly innovative or be part of a franchise I have respect for me to give a toss. In this context, Tiny Furniture is in a very grey area for me. It looks incredibly wordy and unnecessarily smug. And yet it looks quite the opposite.

It is a very contemporary and relevant picture (especially for someone like self-pitying yours truly, a recent graduate). It is a coming of age story about a young lass in a bit of a post-graduation-life-trauma type of situation. She moves back home, gets a job as a restaurant hostess and falls for a YouTube phenomenon video maker, and then starts getting into the whole video making thing herself. To put it blandly.

The trailer does not present it as wholly self-righteous but it is very much on the edge. For instance with the use of a younger, holier-than-thou sister character. I have always had a problem really believing in the unexplained natural maturity these characters have (especially in indie movies, e.g. (500) Days of Summer most recently). When she belts out phrases like “You were not gonna marry him, he’s like a little spec of granola on a bowl of homemade yoghurt”, I get what she means, but it is a needlessly odd image. It is not cute nor original. It is just weird. Not good weird; unnecessarily-wordy-and-pretentious-weird.

But somehow therein lies the charm of the movie, as far as I can see from the trailer. It tells the truth and sometimes the truth does not make sense. It does not seem like it will be an easy watch for neither cynicists nor idealists (it feels pretty brutal in places) but that does not matter. This film could contain elements that not only exposes our current culture but could be telling the truth about what we cannot perceive to be the reality of things.

The trailer itself is a mishmash of random quotes in an order that kind of makes sense and simultaneously confuses you as to its structure. It dips into the oddity of modern relationships but it does not feel like it will bring anything new to the table.

I cannot make my mind up about this one. Lovely readers, please watch it and help me out here.


RABBIT HOLE

John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Itch, Shortbus) has an uncanny ability to make his characters and actors express themselves physically and verbally. They are just as good at being on their own as they are at being awkward in social situations. They learn to deal with themselves as much as they learn to deal with others around them. Their journeys are interesting, compelling and we are invited (read: lured) into recognisable yet unfamiliar situations (to most of us).

Rabbit Hole deals with life after Becca and Howie (Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart) lose their young son. It is a film about how to make sense of things. Or rather, how to simply move on with life. It is possibly a difficult film to watch, not just for its subject matter but also for its performances.

There is evidence of this from the first scene of the trailer where Nicole Kidman’s character protests the allegation that her co-sufferer’s daughter died because “God needed another angel”. It presents the film as a piece that is not going to be positive or glossy. It will concentrate on performances (given that it is based on a play, it is no surprise).

What I truly like about the structure of the trailer itself was its minimal use of music. More often than not, trailers will contain epic, quirky or dreamy pieces of music throughout their presentation of the film to affect the spectator’s mood. Here, I found the moments of silence to be more efficient (thank you!) and more meaningful. One scene that felt a bit too much, but was needed to attract a global audience was Becca’s speech about how she is not “feeling enough”. It is a bit too dramatic in context. The more subtle the trailer, the more I want to watch the film.

Nonetheless, the trailer is itself so intense, it could potentially work on its own as a short film (with a few adjustments). The music almost having its own life lets the film speak a lot for itself, which is so refreshing. Keeping in line with distinctive approaches to film promotion, there is a lack of intense, high-pace, 3-frame editing, annoying displaying montages (which are only really forgivable for action movies). There is the typical actor name and face montage at the end, but it takes its time and is not self-involved. By not sticking to convention all the way through it is easier to appreciate the work put in the trailer.

Tragic but beautiful. And tipped for the Oscars.


BIUTIFUL

Here is a trailer that is never explicit about anything and does not take the audience of a fool. Here is a trailer that is more or less a two-minute montage of mute clips supported by a soundtrack but is not patronising. And here is a trailer that knows what it is and it is in fact doing what most trailers fail to do: it gives you a minor but powerful taste of what is to come.

Biutiful has already played at Cannes, London Film Festival and a multitude of other festivals around the world. It has won numerous awards and has been hailed as director Alejandro González Iñárritu‘s (21 Grams, Babel, Amores Perros) best film to date. It deals with the story of a man who is in a difficult position in his life. I will not tell you why, you must watch the trailer yourself. Simply telling is tampering with the beauty of this trailer.

For all too often trailers focus on the story so much they reveal everything about the movie, if only audiences pay enough attention and put the pieces together. The trailer for Biutiful is not one that fools you about its narrative, nor does it tell you what it is directly about. It demands work from the audience, and despite being stuffed full of quotes from reviews and the CV of the director, at its core it is simple.

It could be that the structure of the trailer will work against the movie. Either it will repel people from itself or it prove to be too pompous for its own good. Perhaps it has told the entire story in the trailer and is trying to clever (and I am not seeing it). But I am happy to indulge in it because it serves the nature of the film. It brings across the atmosphere it most likely possesses in the picture itself and it feels like it could leads to something extraordinary – or abominable.

I will refrain from saying more. Let me know what you think.


Louise-Afzal Faerkel

Monsters regional tour and 'Monster Making Masterclass' with filmmaker Gareth Edwards

We're still over a month away from the release of British sci-fi flick Monsters but UK audiences can get an early look at the film courtesy of BAFTA with three regional screenings taking place next week in Bristol (Monday 1st at Watershed Cinema), Newcastle (Tuesday 2nd at Tyneside Cinema) and Glasgow (Wednesday 3rd at Glasgow Film Theatre). Each screening is followed by a Q&A with writer-director Gareth Edwards, who makes his feature debut with Monsters after building a name for himself as a visual effects artist.

Meanwhile for those interested in gaining a better insight into the filmmaking process, both the Bristol and Newcastle screenings are preceded by a special free event hosted by Gareth Edwards, "A Master Class in Making Monsters", in which he discusses his experiences of getting his debut feature made and the challenges of creating visually compelling aliens on an incredibly low budget.

To apply for tickets to the screenings / masterclasses, email regions@bafta.org.

"Six years ago NASA discovered the possibility of alien life within our solar system. A probe was launched to collect samples, but crashed upon re-entry over Central America. Soon after, new life forms began to appear there and half of Mexico was quarantined as an INFECTED ZONE. Today, the American and Mexican military still struggle to contain "the creatures". Monsters begins when a US journalist agrees to escort a shaken American tourist through the infected zone in Mexico to the safety of the US border."


Monsters is set for a nationwide release on December 3rd.

Forthcoming Attractions - Desperate Measures

If you're familiar with our regular "Short Film Showcase" you may remember a John Carpenter-inspired slasher by the name of Cold Blood that featured on the site earlier this year. Well, Cold Blood director Steve Looker recently dropped us an email to give us the heads up on his latest project, a feature-length thriller entitled Desperate Measures. Here's the synopsis...

"Ross Hadley has been kidnapped and held on a remote farmhouse. A drink and drug addict, his two captors put him through a brutal regime to get him clean. But when he gets clean, Ross finds out the shocking real reasons behind his incarceration."

Currently in post-production, Desperate Measures stars Stephen Lord (EastEnders), Ricci Harnett (Rise of the Footsoldier) and Max Beesley Snr. (Looking for Eric) and is written and produced by Chris Green. If the trailer is anything to go by this could be one to watch out for when it's released next year. Take a look...


Be sure to head on over to the website for more about the film.

Don't look up... Skyline gets a new UK trailer

A few weeks back Momentum Pictures gave UK fans their first look at the upcoming alien invasion flick Skyline, releasing a short trailer that really didn't give too much away in terms of what to expect (barring of course the obvious). Well, now we can get a much better insight into the film with the latest UK trailer, which is very similar to the North American one released a few days back but does contain the odd piece of alternative footage.

Check it out now...


The second feature from AVPR: Aliens vs Predator - Requiem directors the Brothers Strause (who are also notable for their impressive visual effects work on a host of eye-candy blockbusters such as 2012, 300, Avatar, The Incredible Hulk and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines via their VFX company Hydraulx Studios), Skyline stars Eric Balfour (24), Scottie Thompson (Star Trek), David Zayas (The Expendables), Donald Faison (Scrubs), Brittany Daniel (Club Dread) and Neil Hopkins (Lost).

Skyline is set for release on November 12th. Visit the official site here.

For the Love of Trailers - The Different Edition

What to look forward to (or not) as Louise-Afzal Faerkel casts her eye over the trailers for upcoming releases Marwencol, The Taqwacores and The Tempest...

MARWENCOL

When I was younger, I used to go to my local library to borrow VHS tapes. I would always look for two kinds of movies. The classics (so I could educate myself) and funny, quirky, odd films. Marwencol falls right into the latter category.

Marwencol is a documentary about a village in the USA during World War II inhabited by soldiers. It seems quite normal. The only unusual thing might be that these inhabitants are dolls and their lives are determined by the imagination of Mark Hogancamp. After a brutal attack that left his brain shattered, Hogancamp is trying to resume his life and rebuild his hand-eye coordination by taking pictures of his own creation. These get discovered and a New York gallery wants to show off his collection.

Hogancamp’s dilemma lies in the way he struggles to rebuild his life. A hard enough challenge without some art gallery poking their nose in his business. He seems proud of his creation but what is presented in the trailer is a man who is very aware that this is a therapeutic project – and yet he narrates as if it were a comic book on his life in Marwencol: when does the village take over and Hogancamp stop? He does not sound eccentric, but a bit mad.

This is evidence of the main risk this film may run as it attempts to portray Hogancamp. It could unintentionally brand him as a bit insane. It needs to consistently remind people of the sensitive nature of his condition and they must portray his story accordingly. Every step we are introduced to this fascinating tale, we delve into the sensitive, difficult and heart-felt nature of this unique man. Not only is his village and the work he has put into it admirable, but his struggle to find a normal way of living is truly amazing.

This is an idea of a fantasy world that one can relate to. Fantasy worlds exist. Mark Hogancamp’s one just happens to be very real.


THE TAQWACORES

The Taqwacores is a coming of age story about a group of youths who try to practise their small, private form of Islam as a group of Muslim punks. The film is based on the novel by Michael Muhammad Knight.

Western films focussing on Muslims are not that uncommon anymore. Chris Morris’ Four Lions is about four British Islamic fundamentalists who go to Pakistan to train as terrorists. The Road to Guantanamo follows three imprisoned Muslims in the prison bearing the same name. These films take interest in the question of faith, prejudice and fundamentalism, who they affect and how they are practised.

The Taqwacores is different.

The trailer’s a straightforward presentation of plot and characters, including cutaways of the Taqwacores praying in the day and partying at night. It is great to see another perspective of Islam and not just a typical story of choices and dilemmas. It marries a delicate coming-of-age tale with a twist we are not used to seeing in films from this part of the world. Indeed, it is interesting to see a North American perspective on being Muslim in a Western world that seems to be afraid of - if not full of hate for - them.

Its presentation of characters is somewhat reminiscent of This Is England, Shane Meadows’ film about a group of skinheads in the 1980s. A similar feeling of not fitting in modern society and sticking together is present. The influence they have on innocent protagonist Yusef (Bobby Naderi) is a topic very much worth exploring.

There is not much else to say, to be frank. The trailer does nothing to challenge the viewer and portrays its characters are I imagine them to be in the film. The graphics used to categorise the individuals are not really necessary but they work. They give each character a personality to fit into. They also give the viewers certain expectations, which does not necessarily leave a lot of room for surprises.

It is a film about Muslim punks in today’s USA. Enough said.


THE TEMPEST

I must be honest. I do not know much about this play. I have read some Shakespeare, but this is one tale that has gone past me unnoticed. So I can honestly say I have no real expectations for it as far as accuracy is concerned.

Julie Taymor is the director behind films such as Frida, which was good, and Across The Universe, which was laughable. I have never been completely convinced by her ability to direct films, but given her background in theatre, I think this is one film she could have nailed.

It is a star-studded cast (notably Helen Mirren as Prospera) and it keeps the original text, which is reassuring. The costumes and set design really make this film unique and wonderfully strange. Its modern soundtrack (note the use of rock’n’roll and Sigúr Ròs) is dark, warm and magical. The challenge with modern-day interpretations of plays is that one might forget the story and transform it into a film with lots of pretty costumes and sets. I doubt this is the case with The Tempest but it is hard to tell just from promotional material.

The trailer is a tight piece of work. But it took me two viewings and a trip to Wikipedia (yes, I know…) to understand the story. I had no idea what it was about and the edit was quite confusing. All I got out of it was that Mirren was a sorceress and Russell Brand a drunken buffoon (a role of a lifetime for him). It is so speedy and disorientating to someone like yours truly, who has no idea what the story deals with. The supposedly indicative one-word-graphics were fairly useless. Nicely executed but unhelpful. It takes a while to piece everything together, which is the major problem of the trailer.

Nonetheless, it is visually stunning and deeply entertaining. The most impressionable scene in the trailer was the last one, which is reminiscent (to put it mildly) of the final scene of Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal.

It looks like a film for both Shakespeare enthusiasts who don’t mind the strange take on it and filmgoers who enjoy a bit of a twist to Hollywood productions.


Louise-Afzal Faerkel

Forthcoming Attractions - Chronicles of Narnia and Guardians of Ga'Hoole

New trailers for two of the year's big fantasy releases...

As with any good fantasy, you need a colon in the title somewhere and that just happens to be the case with two of this year's upcoming movies, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'hoole, both of which have enjoyed new trailers this past week.

First up is The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the third in the Narnia series and the first to be released by 20th Century Fox after a dispute between production company Walden Media and previous distributors Walt Disney. Set for release worldwide on December 10th (along with a limited 3D release in the UK and US), the film sees younger Pevensies Lucy (Georgie Henley) and Edmond (Skandar Keynes) spending a dreary holiday with their cousin Eustace Clarence Scrub (Son of Rambow's Will Poulter). Drawn into Narnia when a painting of a ship on the wall of Lucy’s room comes to life, the three children fall into the ocean to be rescued be the Dawn Treader, where they are greeted by their friend Caspian (Ben Barnes) who has undertaken a quest to find the seven lost Lords of Narnia, as promised to Aslan (Liam Neeson).

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader trailer:



Hoping to launch a franchise of its own, Kathryn Lasky's Guardians of Ga'Hoole book series makes its way to the big screen courtesy of Watchmen director Zack Snyder, who makes his animated debut with Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, set for a 3D release on September 24th in North America and October 15th here in the UK. Based on the first three books (The Capture, The Journey and The Rescue), The Owl's of Ga'Hoole follows Soren, a young owl enthralled by his father’s epic stories of the Guardians of Ga’ Hoole, a mythic band of winged warriors who had fought a great battle to save all of owlkind from the evil Pure Ones. While Soren dreams of someday joining his heroes, his older brother, Kludd, scoffs at the notion and yearns to hunt, fly and steal his father’s favor from his younger sibling. But Kludd’s jealousy has terrible consequences, causing both owlets to fall from their treetop home and right into the talons of the Pure Ones. Now it is up to Soren to make a daring escape with the help of other brave young owls and find the Great Tree, home of the legendary Guardians — Soren’s only hope of defeating the Pure Ones and saving the owl kingdoms.

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'hoole trailer:


More movie trailers here.

For the Love of Trailers - The Documentary Edition

Louise-Afzal Faerkel on What To Look Forward To... Or Not...

8: THE MORMON PROPOSITION

To anyone who’s been following the news in the last year or so, this movie will come as no surprise. 8 (2010) deals with the Californian proposition on same-sex marriage that was voted for and accepted in the Constitution – only to be taken away from the people in less than a year. This documentary explores why this happened, and it seems to be pointing in one direction: the Mormon Church’s hatred for homosexuals.

The movie is presented in a straightforward, traditional manner: background, subject-matter, plot. It’s a very traditional structure, but it does the job. And how else should they make it? There’s nothing particularly provocative about the subject and thus just exposes itself as what it is: an investigation into the role of the Church of Latter Day Saints’ involvement in the abolition of the right to same-sex marriage.

Anyone who knows anything about the Mormon Church (anything) will not be shocked at the revelation later on in the trailer that the Church’s members allegedly forked out money to convince the Senate to go back on their decision. A shocking decision - granted, but the set-up here does not make me believe I should pay money to see this documentary. Unless you are extremely passionate about the cause.

It looks more like a BBC documentary than anything else. This is all good and well but not sellable. The trailer does not ask you to expect a lot and so why should you bother? It is essentially an open dialogue invitation, not a cry for revolution or to riot the streets. If I dare say so, 8 will probably turn out to be this year’s Michael Mooresque look-I’ve-exposed-the-bad-guys documentary.

Just like with Capitalism: A Love Story (2009), patiently wait for it to pop up on your telly. You’ll appreciate it more.


LIVING IN EMERGENCY: STORIES OF DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS

Living In Emergency (2008) follows the daily struggles of the Doctors Without Borders and their work in Africa.

The workers of the organisation do great work, but this trailer doesn’t exactly do wonders to further promote them. It doesn’t focus on a number of main characters, anyone one or two events. It is simply a mess. The traditional red line is missing from the trailer, which is a shame, and turns the trailer into a shambles.

Having said this, the more I ponder on what I just watched, the mission of this film seems to be less about structure and a beautifully made documentary; and more about delivering to the common people pictures of a reality far from their own, and expose the organisation’s work further through a medium most people enjoy in order to promote or even just celebrate their efforts.

You expect the trailer to show a lot more shocking images, but it’s all glimpses of poverty, death, guns and medical equipment. Not impressed. Except by the choice of music, which is surprisingly different. No use of strings to make you cry, no horns to represent the epic proportion of the doctors’ work or xylophone moments to represent a sense of urgency. A gloomy, creepy, dark soundtrack enhances the sad, disturbing, hopeless atmosphere represented in the film.

Other than that, I am not sure how to make sense of it. Let’s hope the film will be a success. Otherwise, let’s wait for Doctors Without Borders: The Movie (starring Josh Hartnett, Eva Mendes and Harrison Ford, directed by Steven Spielberg – any takers?).


RESTREPO

Fans of anti-war films, I salute you! Restrepo (2010), winner of this year’s Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize, depicts honestly and hands-on a year in the life of American soldiers at work in Afghanistan.

Now, you may think “Oh God, another one of those”. I’m not one for lying to my readers, so yes. It’s another one of those. But it looks like a good one of those. It takes on look at how it is to be so close to an enemy you instinctively want to kill, but shouldn’t. It investigates how one is mentally unprepared for the many surprises ahead. It infiltrates itself into the lives of the soldiers and we’re lucky (?) enough to even catch a good glimpse at the Afghans, which increases our desire to watch the film itself – or at least my desire.

As one of the soldiers says, you “hope for the best”, for both the locals and the GIs. Although it basically looks like a Jarhead (2005) with unprofessional actors set in Afghanistan, it manages to entice you with its use of direct interviews entwined in the real-life footage. This may sound like a lot of unnecessary talking heads, but in fact works to its advantage, giving it a more accomplished look, not unlike the style of American news magazine 60 Minutes.

The only risk I can see so far, not having read any interviews with the crew or reviews of any kind, is that it might lack a steady storyline. The trailer presents the film as a series of action-packed shots of soldiers in battlefield, negotiating with the Afghans and the interviews. I don’t think it will be a problem for those spectators who know what they’re getting into, but it might require a lot of concentration and hard work from the average viewer.

Let’s see what happens.


AFTER THE CUP: SONS OF SAKHSIN UNITED

This misleading title hides a most likely brilliant sport documentary. After The Cup (2009) deals with the problems of Bnei Sakhsin football team – a team of Arab players in the state of Israel. Once a successful football team, they are now trying to simply survive the trouble that comes with being outcasts in a state where war and mayhem are part of daily life.

For once a sports film everyone can relate to. Tackling a subject as human as football players combined with a fight for coexistence brings it down to a level the majority of people can comprehend. Thus the filmmakers manage to bring out in the light a subject as delicate as this one without taking sides or being judgemental. Being a sports film that goes beyond the beauty of the sport itself is a breath of fresh air.

Watching the trailer filled me with exactly what I expected: a sense of optimism and hope. Subjects like this one are made to uplift and enlighten us and if they don’t do that at the trailer stage, they’ve failed.

There’s something incredibly moving about the struggle of these athletes. Not only are they pushing themselves physically to get to places most of us can only dream of, but they are dealing with being a minority in a country torn by war since God remembers when. But still, there is the belief that through sport, peace is obtainable- and is that not what sports are about anyway?
Even if this is merely a fantasy, it’s a pleasant one, and an illusion we don’t mind taking with us.

This film could prove that the bridge between Israelis and Arabs is ready to be mended.


Louise-Afzal Faerkel

Kick-Ass superhero contest and international trailer

Be your own hero! Win big with Kick-Ass...

To promote the release of upcoming comedy Kick-Ass, Universal are asking you to create your own superhero with the chance of winning a unique full-sized movie poster of your character, along with a host of other prizes. Simply think of a name, make a costume and upload a video of yourself in character to the film's Youtube page (10 random subscribers to the channel will also bag a FCUK Kick-Ass t-shirt). Competition closes on April 9th.

Directed by Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake, Stardust) and based on Mark Millar's comic book series, Kick-Ass tells the story of average teenager Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson), a comic-book fanboy who decides to take his obsession as inspiration to become a real-life superhero. As any good superhero would, he chooses a new name -- Kick-Ass -- assembles a suit and mask to wear, and gets to work fighting crime. There's only one problem standing in his way: Kick-Ass has absolutely no superpowers.

His life is forever changed as he inspires a subculture of copy cats, is hunted by assorted violent and unpleasant characters, and meets up with a pair of crazed vigilantes, including an 11-year-old sword-wielding dynamo, Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz) and her father, Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) - and forges a friendship with another fledging super hero, Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse). But thanks to the scheming of a local mob boss Frank D'Amico (Mark Strong), that new alliance will be put to the test.

Kick-Ass international trailer:


Kick-Ass is released in UK cinemas on March 26th 2010. Visit the offical site for more info.

Toy Story 3 - new UK trailer released

Disney-Pixar have released a new UK trailer for their upcoming sequel Toy Story 3 that reveals a little about the plot and provides a look at some of the new characters including Ken (Michael Keaton) and Lotso (Ned Beatty).

Toy Story 1 and 2 editor Lee Unkrich takes over the director's chair vacated by Pixar founder and current Disney CCO John Lasseter for this third installment, which sees Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen) and company accidentally donated to the Sunnyside Daycare Center when Andy goes to college.

Offered the chance of a new start by the current residents (including the aforementioned Ken and Lotso, along with others voiced by Whoopi Goldberg, Timothy Dalton, Bonnie Hunt and Jeff Garlin), it soon becomes clear that the new acquaintances are not as friendly as they first appear after the gang decide to escape and reunite with their owner.


Judging by this latest trailer, Toy Story 3 is a cert to continue Pixar's incredible run when it opens in Disney Digital 3D this summer.

For more on Pixar, check out Trevor Hogg's comprehensive profile on the animation studio here.

Forthcoming Attractions: 44 Inch Chest

Trailer released for new Brit gangster movie...

From the writers of Sexy Beast (Louis Mellis and David Scinto) comes 44 Inch Chest, a powerful and explosive drama of retribution and featuring a stellar British cast that includes Ray Winstone, Ian McShane, John Hurt, Tom Wilkinson, Stephen Dillane and Joanne Whalley.

The feature film debut of renowned photographer and commercial director Malcolm Venville, 44 Inch Chest centres on Colin Diamond (Winstone), a man shattered by his wife's (Whalley) infidelity with a young French waiter, Loverboy (Melvil Poupaud). With the aid of his crew - Old Man Peanut (Hurt), Meredith (Lovejo- sorry, McShane), Archie (Wilkinson) and Mal (Dillane), Colin assembles a kangaroo court to restore his manhood with revenge.

44 Inch Chest trailer:


44 Inch Chest is released in UK cinemas on 15th January 2010.

Toy Story 3 Teaser Trailer!

Pixar release the first official teaser from Toy Story 3. View it here!

Hot on the heels of the latest talk from DreamWorks Animation about their upcoming projects, CGI rivals and genre-leaders Pixar have released the first official trailer from Toy Story 3... what are you waiting for?? Check it out here:


The third installment in the series reunites all the old favourites including Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Rex, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head et.al., and once again features the voice talents of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen. Michael Keaton is also rumoured to be lending his voice to Ken (of Barbie fame).

Toy Story 3 is set for release July 23rd, 2010 in the U.K., while our American cousins will get to see the film a month earlier on June 18th.

Sherlock Holmes Theatrical Trailer released!

Check out the trailer for Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law...

Yahoo Movies have released the official theatrical trailer for director Guy Ritchie's latest crime caper Sherlock Holmes, a reimagining of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic works featuring featuring Robert Downey Jr. as the titular master sleuth and Jude Law as side-kick Watson.

Sherlock Holmes is produced by Warner Bros. and is scheduled for release on December 25th 2009. In the movie Holmes and Watson must unravel a conspiracy to destroy Britian led by Satanist Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), and the big budget adaptation also features Rachel McAdams as Holmes' love interest, Irene Adler.

Be sure to check out the embed below, or head over to Trailer Addict for an HD version.

It's a Wrap - Sarah Connor and Frank Drebin have The Touch again?

It’s a Wrap – Naked Gun, Terminator, G.I. Joe, Transformers…It’s the 1980’s all over again this week, with a little Inglourious Basterds and Expendables thrown in for good measure.

This week AICN delivered a glowing script report for The Naked Gun: What 4? The Rhythm of Evil, and it immediately perked my interest. The originals are classic examples of the spoof genre and Leslie Nielson’s Sergeant Frank Drebin, Detective Lieutenant Police Squad, is amongst my favourite comedy performances of all time. However, the genre is in a decrepit state at the moment after a string of poor efforts and I would hate for this straight-to-video release to tarnish the Naked Gun legacy.

The story sounds quite promising as Police Squad are reactivated in a desperate attempt to end rampant corruption plaguing the city, and reads as a kind of reboot with Nielson serving as a mentor to a newly assembled team. It will play on movies such as Training Day, The Departed and Internal Affairs, and is written by Alan Spencer, (who has previous experience in the genre with the TV series Sledge Hammer!). Unfortunately, no Zucker, Abrahams, Zucker, or Proft, but I’ll likely check this out, albeit with the expectation of Cop Movie over Naked Gun.

The website for upcoming Quentin Tarantino World War II blood-fest Inglourious Basterds went live this week. There's little more than the trailer so far, which you can also check out below.

On the subject of men-on-a-mission war movies, the cast of Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables are starting to live up to the film's title. First came the news that Forest Whitaker had withdrawn due to scheduling conflicts and would be replaced by rapper 50 Cent, only for Stallone to later announce that Fiddy was out and Terry Crews (of Everybody Hates Chris fame) was in.

Studio Lionsgate has set a release date of April 23rd, 2010 for the The Expendables, which also stars Jet Li, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke, and Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Looking at this summer's upcoming blockbusters, IGN were treated (if that's the right word) to a five-minute sneak-peak of the Stephen Sommers-directed G.I. Joe:Rise of Cobra, and their report contains a few spoilers and plot details about the movie. Indications point to a visually-impressive, over-the-top thrill ride, but I'm not holding my breathe on this one. Meanwhile Hasbro's other hot property, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, is rumoured to be ressurecting the Stan Bush classic, "The Touch", which of course was integral to the original animated movie. I wonder if this means we could be in for a change of leadership somewhere along the line? Hmm...

On the subject of Transformers, Paramount announced that July 1st, 2011 would see the release of the third movie, only for director Michael Bay to announce on his blog that he is looking towards a 2012 opening and wants to take a year off before starting any work on a third outing for the Autobots. No doubt the studio will back down to his demands once Revenge of the Fallen sets the box-office alight this June.

IGN also got their hands on some new posters and from Terminator Salvation this week, which you can view by clicking the image to the right.

The McG-directed sequel is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated movies of the summer, and a source from Chud.com has confirmed that Sarah Connor does provide a voice-over during the film, with Linda Hamilton reprising her iconic role.

You can also view the Terminator Salvation trailer right here at FlickeringMyth.com.

It's a Wrap - Marvel Movings, Expendables Expandings, and G.I. Joe Oh-Nos!

It's a Wrap - Marvel happenings, Expendables casting, Drag Me To Hell trailer, and new pictures from Alice in Wonderland and G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra.


Marvel are looking to capitalise on the current boom in superhero pictures with an upcoming slate that's starting to mirror their print publication schedule. Samuel L. Jackson recently signed up to reprise his role as super-spy Nick Fury in a nine-picture deal (including Iron Man II, Thor, Captain America, and The Avengers), while they also have a hand in the fourth instalment of the Spider-Man series, which has been given a release date of May 6th, 2011.

This week Marvel announced delays to a number of their in-house properties, pushing Thor back to June 2011, The First Avenger: Captain America to July 2011, and superhero ensemble The Avengers to May 2012.

A spy report from AICN revealed some interesting titbits about Marvel’s upcoming projects. Apparently, Alexander Skargard and Josh Hartnett are favourites to appear as Thor and his villainous brother Loki in Kenneth Branagh’s hammer-wielding Norse god epic, while director Jon Favreau is hotly tipped to helm The Avengers. Favreau is about to start photography on Iron Man II - with Mickey Rourke finally confirmed as Russian baddie Whiplash, alongside Robert Downey Jr. who reprises his role as billionaire industrialist Tony Stark - and he has often spoke of his desire to direct the big-screen team-up.

AICN’s report also claims that reboots to Daredevil and Fantastic Four are currently under consideration. Fox needs to keep making installments in these franchises to avoid the rights reverting back to Marvel, and while I could see the potential in a Daredevil reboot I think that, in the case of Fantastic Four, a new director could take the series forward without having to ignore the established continuity (okay, minus Galactus).

Looking at Marvel's upcoming slate it’s likely that Iron Man II, Captain America, The Avengers and Spider-Man 4 will all be sure-fire box-office hits, although I can’t imagine Thor breaking too many records. In any rate, given their substantial investment Marvel will be hoping that the comic-book-to-screen bubble doesn’t burst any time soon.

Meanwhile, Sam Raimi (director of the Evil Dead and Spider-Man trilogies) has debuted the new trailer for his return to the horror genre, Drag Me To Hell. It'll be interesting to see how this stands out in the current remake-centred horror marketplace, and the trailer certainly looks promising. Raimi himself is currently attached as producer on the mooted remake of his own classic The Evil Dead, after fulfilling similar duties on the American version of The Grudge.

Check out the Drag Me To Hell trailer:



Sylvester Stallone’s next film, the testosterone-fuelled, balls-to-the-wall actioner The Expendables, continues to gather a solid ensemble cast that reads like a ‘who’s who’ of action stars. In addition to Stallone (who also serves as writer and director), the film will also feature Mickey Rourke, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Forest Whitaker, Eric Roberts, Danny Trejo and UFC legend Randy Couture, along with a cameo appearance by Arnold Schwarzenegger. This week Variety confirmed that former WWE star ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin has been added to the cast, along with Charisma Carpenter who will – presumably - need rescuing on more than one occasion.

Finally, some interesting images have cropped up online this week. Tim Burton fans will be excited to see the first image of the title character from Alice in Wonderland (along with some nice concept art) courtesy of The Tim Burton Collective...


...while Topless Robot provided the first look at the masked version of Destro from G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra.


Ouch. Let’s hope they’re still working on that.

Forthcoming Attractions - Pixar's latest, Up

New trailer for the latest Disney/Pixar animated 3D release, Up.


Set for release in October, Up tells the story of Carl Fredrickson, a 78 year old who attaches thousands of balloons to his house in order to 'sail' to South America, fulfilling a promise to his late wife.

Carl soon discovers that a young stowaway, Russell, has joined him on the expedition, and the two embark on a series of adventures in the wilderness, meeting a host of characters such as Dug, a talking dog.

Up is the first Pixar film to see a release in 3D and the studio will be hoping it can emulate the success of their previous titles, which have picked up four of the last six Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature.

Disney/Pixar are yet to release a movie that has grossed less than $350m world-wide (only Toy Story and A Bug's Life have grossed less than $450m) and I would firmly expect Up to continue that trend.

Forthcoming Attractions – New trailers for Wolverine, Star Trek and Harry Potter!

Watch newly released trailers for three of this summer’s biggest movies – X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Star Trek.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Released 29th April 2009)

Directed by Gavin Hood
Starring Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, and Ryan Reynolds



Star Trek (Released 8th May 2009)

Directed by J.J. Abrams
Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, and Eric Bana


Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Released 17th July 2009)

Directed by David Yates
Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint



There have been some pretty impressive trailers released in the last few weeks and - with the marketing machine hitting full swing - the blockbuster season seems to be shaping up nicely.

If you haven't already, be sure to check out this week's Terminator Salvation trailer.

Forthcoming Attractions - New Terminator Salvation movie trailer

New Terminator Salvation trailer hits the net. Check it out here!

A new trailer for the McG-directed Terminator Salvation has hit the web courtesy of Yahoo Movies and is embedded below.

Terminator Salvation features Christian Bale as John Connor, leader of the resistance and the last hope for mankind in the fight against the machines. The film also stars Sam Worthington as Marcus Wright, Bryce Dallas Howard as Kate Connor, and Anton Yelchin as Kyle Reese. It's also rumoured that a CGI-enhanced Arnie is in talks to reprise his iconic role for a cameo appearance.


I've got to admit that despite my initial reservations about the project, the recent trailers (and Christian Bale's rant) have me excited for the June release. Although I am a tad concerned about those rumoured spoilers (beware!).