http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/ Blog Coverage from Boxoffice.com Movie Trailer Reviews en Copyright 2008 Mon, 21 Jan 2008 03:00:00 -0800 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification I Am Legend or even Cloverfield, which could at least be considered a distant cousin. The trailers for both Legend and Cloverfield used subtlety to bolster curiosity. Neither was too revealing and it paid off big time. Legend brought in $77 million in its opening weekend, and without the benefit of major stars Cloverfield boasted an impressive $41 million take during its opening frame. With that said, a lot of adjectives could be used describe the trailer for Doomsday and subtle is not one of them. It opens with the obnoxiously expository line, “This is the end of the world!” - apparently the folks behind this aren’t believers in showing instead of telling - and it’s all downhill from there. Putting the relatively inexperienced Rhona Mitra in the lead-role doesn’t help Doomsday’s case either. It may be the fact that this material would be hard for a more commanding actress to breathe life into, or it may be that Mitra is just not able to handle a lead role in an action flick. Looking just as uncomfortable in the preview are Bob Hoskins and Malcolm McDowell. Watching these two talented actors sleepwalk their way to a paycheck is painful. The Doomsday preview manages to roll out every end-of-the-world movie cliché in the book: the virus that breaks out and kills everyone, survivors dressed in obnoxious Gothic clothing, etc. And if all that isn’t enough to turn you off, the whole affair becomes a glorified car commercial as it draws to a close. A brief side note from the world of TV spots: I can’t let this week’s column pass by without dishing out some praise for the excellent There Will Be Blood spots that have been running on TV recently. The promotional team behind this film has done a bang-up job so far of helping this wholly deserving work find its audience. The original theatrical trailers worked perfectly and they brought film buffs out in droves when Blood opened in limited release. As the film expands to more theatres, I’m hoping that these TV spots are just as effective in enticing mainstream audiences. They are every bit as atmospheric and well edited as their theatrical counterparts. See for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k2p4iJOSck Doomsday Release Date: March 14th, 2008 Directed By: Neil Marshall Starring: Rhona Mitra, Malcolm McDowell, Bob Hoskins ]]> http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2008/01/trailer-review-doomsday.php http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2008/01/trailer-review-doomsday.php Trailer Review Mon, 21 Jan 2008 03:00:00 -0800 I always approach book-to-screen adaptations with cautious anticipation. I’m well aware that Hollywood’s archives are filled with tons of attempts at translating literary works that turned out to be successes, failures, and everything in between. With that said, I read - and was a huge fan of - both "Bringing Down The House" (which is the basis for 21, due out 3.28.08) and "How To Lose Friends & Alienate People" (the release date is still TBD for the film of the same name) and eagerly anticipated their celluloid adaptations. So when I saw that trailers were released for both, I tried to take them at face value and not let the way I imagined the films playing out influence my opinion. Of course, the key word here is tried. How To Lose Friends & Alienate People Release Date: TBD Directed by: Robert B. Weide Starring: Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Jeff Bridges Link to trailer: http://www.paramountpictures.co.uk/howtolosefriends/ I’m not the first one to say this, and I probably won’t be the last, but How To Lose Friends & Alienate People has the potential to be The Devil Wears Prada for dudes. Its set-up is simple: A brash London journalist is transported to America to work at the stuffy, pretentious offices of Vanity Fair. Mayhem ensues. This first look - which is definitely more of a teaser than a full-blown trailer - left me a little unsatisfied. I’m hoping that the tone of the film itself will be more consistent with the source than this teaser is. The clips on display are way too slap-sticky, and they don’t emphasize any of the books many well-developed gags. Although, from an advertising perspective, I totally understand what Paramount is doing with this teaser. After the success of Hot Fuzz, Simon Pegg has attained a pretty sizable fan base. He’s known for his distinctive off-the-wall humor, which is definitely played up heavily in the teaser. So I’m hoping the plan is: grab the attention of Pegg fans with broad humor and then appeal to fans of the book with a more fleshed out theatrical trailer. 21 Release Date: March 28th, 2008 Directed by: Robert Luketic Starring: Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth Link to trailer: http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809834187/video/5031850/20071116/ 151/5031850-1000-wmv-s.49319131-,5031850-100-flash-s.49319132-, 5031850-300- flash-s.49319134-,5031850-100-wmv-s.49319128-, 5031850-300-wmv-s.49319129-,5031850-700-flash-s.49319154-,5031850- 1000-flash-s.49319163-,5031850-700-wmv-s. 49319130-,5031849- 10300-qtv-s.49319213-,5031849-6800-qtv-s.49319196-, 5031849-2700-qtv-s.49319176- My reaction to the first trailer for 21 is similar to the one I had to How To Lose Friends. I totally understand where the people at Columbia are coming from in their approach to selling it, yet something is still off. It may be that based on the footage it looks like Jim Sturgess has infused too much of an “aww-shucks” quality into the protagonist. It seems to me like he’s channeling Tobey Maguire’s mostly annoying performances in the Spiderman trilogy. Bad move. Still, there is a lot that clicked for me. The music choices are pretty solid and even if Kevin Spacey’s character seems to be a drastic re-imagining of his literary equivalent, I like what I see of his performance. ]]> http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2008/01/trailer-review-booktoscreen.php http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2008/01/trailer-review-booktoscreen.php Trailer Review jeff bridges kirsten dunst lose friends & alienate people paramount robert b weide simon pegg Mon, 14 Jan 2008 03:00:00 -0800 Fool’s Gold - a re-teaming of Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson that looks like another mediocre romantic comedy - while awaiting quality cinema such as There Will Be Blood is exactly the kind of agony I have to sustain as studios start to wheel out their barely passable early-in-the-year fair. Yet there is some solace to be had. Every so often a truly good trailer for a promising film is able to squeak through. Here are a few previews that have prevented me from ducking out of the theatre and buying more nachos: Shine a Light (Release Date: April 4th, 2008) Directed By: Martin Scorsese Starring: The Rolling Stones Shine A Light Trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount_vantage/shinealight/large.html Taking a different approach than the one used in his masterful Bob Dylan documentary, No Direction Home, director Martin Scorsese appears on screen in this concert doc and gives us a tongue-in-cheek view of backstage shenanigans. It’s a treat to see the quirky, motor-mouthed director clearly enjoying himself in the preview. Then, of course, there’s the music. Some excellent concert footage is on display here as The Stones set out to prove that they’ve still got it. Mick Jagger in particular seems to be having a blast as defies his age and grinds up against Christina Aguilera, who is young enough to be his granddaughter. Iron Man (Release Date: May 2nd, 2008) Directed By: Jon Favreau Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow Iron Man Trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/ironman/large_trailer.html I don’t think they’ve invented words to describe how happy it makes me that the savagely underappreciated Robert Downey Jr. was given a superhero movie. This first glance at his performance in the preview didn’t let me down. Downey’s dry, sarcastic delivery is the perfect antidote to the kind of self-righteous, overly-serious comic adaptations we are fed on a regular basis. Judging by the trailer, the special effects look great. In particular, I was impressed by the shot of Downey Jr. in full Iron Man gear ripping through the clouds. My only beef is that the song choice at the end of the preview - “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath - is a little too obvious and gimmicky. The Dark Knight (Release Date: July 18th, 2008) Directed By: Christopher Nolan Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine The Dark Knight Trailer: http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809271891/video/ When I first heard that Heath Ledger was taking over the role of the Joker I was more than skeptical. How could he top Jack Nicholson? Simply put, this trailer changed my mind. Ledger is given plenty of screen time in the preview and from the looks of things his performance seems to have a more menacing, unhinged quality to it than Nicholson’s did. It’s a different approach, that’s for sure, and it’s one that had me watching this preview over and over. ]]> http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2008/01/trailer-review-2008-preview.php http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2008/01/trailer-review-2008-preview.php Trailer Review 2008) The Dark Knight (Release Date: July 18th Mon, 07 Jan 2008 03:00:00 -0800 #5 American Gangster Theatrical Trailer This trailer for Ridley Scott’s 1970’s mob drama is a great example of how taking musical cues from a different era can pay off big time. Jay Z’s “Heart Of The City (Ain’t No Love)” came out decades after the real Frank Lucas built his crime empire on the streets of New York, yet it perfectly captures the spirit of the movie. Want concrete proof of its effectiveness? Look no further than Gangster’s $43.6 million opening weekend. #4 Once (Trailer A) Two of this year’s most potent original songs - “Falling Slowly” and “When Your Mind’s Made Up” by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová - set in motion a well-chosen, finely edited set of clips that captures the spirit of this endearing little indie flick. As a preview, this one is all about tone and moods and it conveys both without being too revealing. #3 The Darjeeling Limited (Trailer B) From the trademark fonts to the music of The Kinks, this trailer feels right in line with Wes Anderson’s idiosyncratic style. It also features a perfect selection of the kind of dry, sarcastic one-liners that the much lauded writer/director specializes in. This preview didn’t help bring in many new fans, but it certainly boosted the interest of Anderson die-hards. Plus, it deserves some kudos for providing just the right amount of info about the film’s setup without spoiling any of the key emotional payoffs. #2 There Will Be Blood (Domestic Trailer 1) I was totally blown away by this trailer for Paul Thomas Anderson’s turn-of-the-century oil saga. The excellent use of Jonny Greenwood’s score combined with striking visuals and powerful excerpts of Daniel Day Lewis chewing scenery like a pro made me more excited about the movie than I was already. #1 The Diving Bell and the Butterfly Theatrical Trailer I don’t think I’ve watched any 2007 trailer more than this one and it’s mostly because it has the best musical selections. The three songs - “Chains Of Love” by The Dirtbombs, “Don’t Kiss Me Goodbye” by Ultra Orange and Emmanuelle, and “Your Hand In Mine” by Explosions In Sky - mesh together brilliantly and they allow the preview to capture the emotional undercurrent of the film without using any major spoilers or a stilted, manipulative voice-over. View the Trailers Used for this Critique #5, American Gangster http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/americangangster/large.html #4, Once http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox_searchlight/once/trailera/ #3, The Darjeeling Limited: http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox_searchlight/thedarjeelinglimited/trailerb/ #2, There Will Be Blood: http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount_vantage/therewillbeblood/domestictrailer1/ #1, The Diving Bell and The Butterfly: http://www.apple.com/trailers/miramax/thedivingbellandthebutterfly/trailer/ ]]> http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2007/12/trailer-review-best-trailers-o.php http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2007/12/trailer-review-best-trailers-o.php Trailer Review american gangster best 2007 trailers darjeeling limited diving bell & butterfly once there will be blood Mon, 31 Dec 2007 03:00:00 -0800 The Dark Knight, and I’ve looked past my hunch that based on its trailer, the Adam Sandler-starring You Don’t Mess With The Zohan may bring Judd Apatow’s hot streak to a screeching halt… Ok, so, about that reflection. I was able to dig up trailers for National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation as well as It’s A Wonderful Life. They are two drastically different - yet equally important - pieces of work in the glorious holiday film canon. Everybody has a movie that they use to kick off the holidays, and for me that’s always been Christmas Vacation. Looking back at the trailer, I realize how even a few choice clips are more than enough to get me into the holiday spirit. I’m also well aware that it may give away just a little too many jokes during its 2:18 run time. Yet, being the obsessive fan that I am, I’m of the opinion that you can’t spoil all of the great jokes because there are plenty jam packed into every minute. I’m sure a lot of trailer editors wish they had the “problem” of too many jokes to choose from more often. The greatest pleasure to come out of looking back at the Christmas Vacation trailer is by far the inclusion of some extra Uncle Lewis. You’ll surely remember him as Clark Griswold’s gloriously crotchety, cigar-chomping, bad-toupee wearing uncle. Uncle Lewis has me on the floor every time I watch the movie, and to see him deliver a line in the trailer that wasn’t included in the film was a pleasant surprise. Usually I’m not a fan of clips in the trailer not being included in the final film, especially when they are used as major selling points. In this case, it is truly a holiday blessing. Looking back at the trailer for It’s A Wonderful Life, I realize how far the form has come since 1946. This is both bad and good. Title cards today thankfully do not end with corny exclamation points at the end of every sentence. Yet they also don’t have the discipline to leave at least some of the plot to the imagination. I wish modern trailers could take some notes from the Wonderful Life trailer and others from its period because with trailers, less is usually more. Trailer for: Christmas Vacation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egsThjVrQjo Trailer for: It's A Wonderful Life: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJfZaT8ncYk&feature=related ]]> http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2007/12/the-holidays-are-a-time.php http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2007/12/the-holidays-are-a-time.php Trailer Review Mon, 24 Dec 2007 03:00:00 -0800 The Matrix Revolutions and the result is a live-action adaptation of the popular 1960’s cartoon Speed Racer. This initial trailer for the film is frenetically paced and it offers up stunning visuals, some of which really jump off the screen. Unfortunately, a decent chunk of the clips also seem a little too CGI-based which gives them the feel of a glamorized video game. It looks as though all of the technical experimenting led the film off-track (no pun intended) more than a few times. I’m getting a strong impression that the Wachowski’s chose to take the Racer material seriously for the most part and by doing so they avoided an overdose of camp. While watching this trailer, I was reminded at least a little bit of the way Warren Beatty approached his adaptation of Dick Tracy, which was with a straight face and a knowing wink toward the source. With any film version of a comic or cartoon there is bound to be a kind of over-the-top sensibility that can turn the movie into one bad joke. Similar adaptations - such as Inspector Gadget - have proven it’s far too easy to lapse into that kind of lazy, self-referential mode which exists more as a parody than an adaptation. So from the looks of things, the Wachowski’s deserve some credit for not taking that route. With a movie like Racer it’s hard to gauge performances considering the source is a cartoon. With that in mind, it was kind of jarring at first to see Emile Hirsch - as the main character, Speed - in such a computer-effects filled world after his rough jaunt through nature in Into The Wild. Racer is an interesting career choice for the young actor and it seems as though he may have struck a suitable note between a cartoon character and a flesh-and-blood cinematic creation. Unfortunately, John Goodman and Susan Sarandon - who play Speed’s parents - do not come off as well. From what I see in the trailer, it looks as though Goodman crossed over from inspired goofiness (see Al Pacino in Dick Tracy or Johnny Depp in the POTC movies) to an over-the-top, annoying caricature. As for Sarandon, she comes off as too grounded. It doesn’t seem like she had enough fun with her role. The key to Speed Racer’s success is whether or not younger audiences will get enough of a “gee-wiz” jolt out of this preview. My guess is they will, considering most pre-teens don’t concern themselves with the effectiveness of performances as much as they do cool car races. Younger audiences will also be crucial considering that the whole nostalgia factor may not bring in the kind of bank needed to justify what must have been a hefty budget. View the Speed Racer Trailer http://movies.aol.com/movie/speed-racer-2008/28066/video/trailer-no-1/2033773 Speed Racer Release Date: May 9th, 2008 Starring: Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, Matthew Fox Directed By: Larry & Andy Wachowski ]]> http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2007/12/trailer-review-speed-racer.php http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2007/12/trailer-review-speed-racer.php Trailer Review The Wachowski Brothers return to the helm with a highly-stylized nostalgia trip Mon, 17 Dec 2007 03:00:00 -0800 The Other Boleyn Girl - a period piece about sisters fighting for the love of King Henry VIII - just doesn’t work. Regardless of time period, a movie about a love triangle needs to crackle with sexual tension. Judging by this trailer, it seems like Boleyn Girl has barely managed to fizzle. If any feelings of passion between Eric Bana and his co-stars Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson managed to find their way into the film then they aren’t on display here. The whole preview reeks of made-for-TV quality and it’s got only slightly more vigor than an average BBC melodrama. To make such an un-enticing trailer for a movie that features two of the most beautiful young actresses working today must have been difficult. While Portman comes off as at least passable, Johansson’s performance plays as painfully restrained. It seems as though director Justin Chadwick told her to tone down the sexual-icon image she is slowly cultivating to the point of making her totally bland. This is a miscalculation considering Johansson has played the quiet girl full of muted sexual longing before to great effect in Lost in Translation. Unfortunately, Bana doesn’t come off much better. The combination of banal lines and a distracting assortment of feathered caps are more than enough to compromise his talents. In all fairness, Bana’s subtle acting style feels out of place here. His role seems much more suited towards scene-chewing British actors like Jeremy Irons. Bana is a talented actor, but after the disappointing Hulk and Lucky You it seems he picked another project that just doesn’t suit him. Boleyn Girl’s lame footage isn’t helped much by a stilted voice-over that begins with the clichéd opening line “In an age when…” and goes downhill from there. Also serving to further detract from an already un-compelling set of clips is a labored editing pace. The trailer awkwardly treks along, trying in vain to hit compelling story beats as a derivative score swells in the background struggling to compensate. Boleyn Girl may have already been fighting an uphill battle without the detriment of a weak trailer. 2006’s Marie Antoinette, which starred Kirsten Dunst, proved that younger, more-appealing stars won’t necessarily bring in big audiences for historically-based flicks. Yet at least Antoinette’s trailer had a spark of creativity to it, which is more than can be said about The Other Boleyn Girl. LINK TO TRAILER USED IN THIS REVIEW: http://movies.aol.com/movie/the-other-boleyn-girl/26713/video/trailer-no-1/2023586 The Other Boleyn Girl Release Date: February 29th, 2008 Starring: Eric Bana, Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson Directed By: Justin Chadwick ]]> http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2007/12/trailer-review-the-other-boley.php http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2007/12/trailer-review-the-other-boley.php Mon, 10 Dec 2007 03:00:00 -0800 Funny Games could easily be seen as a conventional thriller. It certainly has the basic set-up of one: A family arrives at an idyllic vacation house, two threatening men invade said house and hold them hostage. Mayhem ensues. Yet with this trailer, which is easily one of the best I’ve seen all year, the film is excellently portrayed as something much more. It has its thrills, sure, but there is also a high-end sensibility on display here. This is the type of preview that can entice snootier film fans while also engaging the kind of filmgoer that sees movies for sheer visceral thrills. Using a classical score to introduce us to the family (Tim Roth, Naomi Watts and Devon Gearhart) as they peacefully drive to their destination conveys a distinct foreboding tone. I was immediately reminded of the similarly eerie opening to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. This is no coincidence considering Kubrick’s style is evoked again later in the trailer. The preview allows the basic gist of the plot to be shared in a manner that is creepy yet not too revealing. That’s usually a good thing, especially for a thriller. And after we are given a sense of where things are headed, a montage sets in composed of quick, violent cuts which conveys the idea that terrible acts will be taking place (shades of the groundbreaking trailer for Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange can be found here). Again, very little of the plot is actually revealed. While Watts and Roth come off well in the trailer it’s Michael Pitt, playing one of the two invaders, who really shines. Pitt has paid his dues in plenty of indie films, and from what we see here this could be a break-out role for him. His performance seems to have a gleefully psychopathic attitude to it - think Christian Bale in American Psycho - and this looks like the kind of scene-chewing role a talented actor such as Pitt can really sink his teeth into. Ultimately, what works so well about this trailer is that it strongly conveys its tone by showing more than telling. The editors behind it were obviously aware that giving away too many plot points can be disastrous, especially for a movie where a sense of dread and uncertainty is essential. From the looks of things, Funny Games has a solid shot at becoming a financial success. Considering it’s a remake - writer/director Michael Haneke is re-imagining his own 1997 foreign-language version of the same name - a curious group of die-hard fans is bound to show up and see what has changed. Plus, the Kubrick references will bring in artsy crowds, while the thrills reminiscent of other successful family-in-peril flicks such as Martin Scorsese’s remake of Cape Fear and David Fincher’s Panic Room will draw main-stream audiences. Funny Games: http://www.apple.com/trailers/warner_independent_pictures/funnygames/trailer1/ A Clockwork Orange: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtSo-NtiGFE Funny Games Release Date: February 15th, 2008 (limited) Starring: Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Michael Pitt, Devon Gearhart Directed by: Michael Haneke ]]> http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2007/12/funny-games-trailer-review-490.php http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2007/12/funny-games-trailer-review-490.php Trailer Review clockwork orange michael pitt naomi watts tim roth Mon, 03 Dec 2007 03:00:00 -0800 Rambo preview. Especially since we’re in the midst of the big movie season and studios are rolling out all their prestige films (read: films that are nothing like Rambo). Yet in more ways than one this is a gloriously unapologetic film trailer and therefore a perfect note to start on. It embraces, and even thrives off of, cliché. As a preview, it’s the equivalent of Buffalo wings and beer and its refusal to put on airs almost makes it good. Invigorated by the success of Rocky Balboa, Sylvester Stallone has resurrected another of his popular screen personas and added a chapter to the Rambo saga. Depending on your cinematic tastes that’s either a blessing or a sign of the apocalypse. Going down the checklist, this trailer brings to the table everything audiences expect from such brainless action extravaganzas. It combines fights, explosions, and one-liners about war with an overly-dramatic voice over and title cards surrounded by fire into a bombastic cinematic rush that will have fans of the series drooling. For everyone else, it will amount to nothing more than a gigantic punch line. The Rambo series represents everything that was gloriously campy about ‘80s action flicks and Stallone is obviously well aware of that. From the looks of things he hasn’t tried to bring John Rambo too far into our decade or even take him too seriously. Thankfully, Stallone has not sent Rambo into Iraq or Afghanistan to wax philosophical about the war on terror. In keeping with the ‘80s aesthetic, the production as a whole feels like a small step up from straight-to-video. The score used in the trailer is nothing special to speak of and the supporting performances seem painfully generic. In fact, going by what’s on display, if this wasn’t part of an already established franchise then it would end up being the kind of movie that audiences continually pass-up while it collects dust in video stores. I can’t decide whether Stallone looks more out of place back in the jungle with a bow and arrow or back inside the boxing ring during Balboa. Either way, his trademark droopy face seems to be hanging a little lower than usual in this preview (not entirely from aging) as if he’s saying to himself, “Is this really what my career has come to?” It’s unfortunate that Stallone wasn’t able to stage a comeback in smaller, awards-caliber movies because he has delivered some solid performances and deserves better than this. Regardless of how serious the film is taken, it will probably be met with a more energetic reception than the recent crop of somber war-themed films has received. Make of that what you will, but escapism has always been a big part of what going to the movies is about. View the trailer here. (requires Quicktime) Rambo Release Date: January 25th, 2008 Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Julie Benz, Matthew Marsden Directed by: Sylvester Stallone ]]> http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2007/11/trailer-review-rambo.php http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2007/11/trailer-review-rambo.php Mon, 26 Nov 2007 03:00:00 -0800 There Will Be Blood, is just getting warmed up. Blood’s domestic trailer goes a long way towards justifying that hype. Considering there are plenty of spoilers to be found on the internet, this trailer takes the high road and doesn’t give away too much. It successfully conveys an eerie, foreboding tone by utilizing strong visuals and choosing its words carefully. The effectiveness of this preview is due in large part to the stirring score by Radiohead’s Johnny Greenwood. Choosing a modern-rock guitarist to set the musical tone for a turn-of-the-century oil saga was an inspired choice on Anderson’s part and it seems to have paid off. From what we hear in this trailer, Greenwood’s work sounds like he took a classically-composed epic score and tossed it into a blender with more modern, experimental influences. The result is a moody jumble of strings and percussion that paints masterfully outside the lines of traditional composing. While Anderson chose to experiment with music, he was wise to stick with the same cinematographer, Robert Elswit, who has shot each of his four feature films. Though the time period of Blood is drastically different from the contemporary settings Anderson usually works within, keeping Elswit on board has established a familiarity in the way Blood looks. From the first frame of this trailer it’s obvious that this is an Anderson film, and Elswit is largely responsible for that. While Anderson, Greenwood, and Elswit are worthy of kudos, Daniel Day-Lewis is the true dominating presence once again. His performance, as seen in the trailer, is nothing short of commanding. Though commanding as it may be, it’s impossible not to find similarities between his Blood performance and his Oscar-nominated turn as Bill “The Butcher” Cutting in Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York. Those familiar ticks are bound to give viewers a case of déjà vu, which can be good or bad depending on their opinion of Gangs. It’ll be interesting to see whether Anderson, who has always been championed by film enthusiasts more than main-stream audiences, can gain a larger following with this film. While effectively made, this trailer may be too vague and “artsy” to accomplish that goal. And as a period piece, Blood seems to have more in common with The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford, which has recently failed to catch fire at the box office, than it does the more main-stream, commercially successful 3:10 To Yuma. From the looks of things There Will Be Blood will probably face an uphill battle towards large box office receipts and a much easier trek towards Awards-season gold. View the trailer here. (Quicktime required) There Will Be Blood Release Date: December 26th, 2007 (limited) Starring: Daniel Day Lewis, Paul Dano, Ciaran Hinds Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson ]]> http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2007/11/trailer-review-there-will-be-b.php http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2007/11/trailer-review-there-will-be-b.php Mon, 19 Nov 2007 18:40:44 -0800 Charlie Wilson’s War will stand out thanks to the playfully satirical tone it conveys. The film deals with a Texas politician who raises money for Afghanistan to aid in their fight against Russian communists, and unlike the more somber previews for two other Afghanistan-themed flicks, Lions for Lambs and The Kite Runner, it mixes a little laughter with the serious political themes. Any movie starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman is bound to have more than its share of “Look at me, Oscar” style clips to choose from, and each actor is given their chance to shine in the trailer. In particular, the footage of Hanks (playing against type as a drinking womanizer) is especially well chosen. It conveys his trademark charm and commanding screen presence while also painting in a couple shades of moral ambiguity. The only major fault of the trailer is its musical selections. American Pie by Don McLean and Jimi Hendrix’s version of “All Along the Watchtower” come off as a little clichéd, especially in a preview for a new film by the director who revolutionized soundtracks with The Graduate. While the combo of 60’s tunes and Tom Hanks will jog memories of Forrest Gump for main-stream audiences. More serious film buffs may be disappointed by the lack of creative musical choices. Verdict: With a killer cast and a legendary director as well as a mix of humor and social commentary, this is definitely worth checking out in theatres. View the trailer here (requires Quicktime). Charlie Wilson’s War Release Date: December 25, 2007 Starring: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman Directed By: Mike Nichols ]]> http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2007/11/trailer-review-charlie-wilsons.php http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2007/11/trailer-review-charlie-wilsons.php Mon, 12 Nov 2007 01:00:22 -0800 The American President -- Alex and Emma, The Story of Us, and Rumor Has It... all fizzled at the box office -- his prospects for success are definitely looking better after a glance at his latest, The Bucket List. The film stars top box office draws Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as two cancer patients who set out into the world with a list of things to do before they die. There’s a genuine sense of fun and adventure that comes through in this trailer and it’s mixed in well with deeper, sadder undertones. This makes for a solid representation of a film that will probably have audiences laughing one minute and crying the next. Since Oscar season is gearing up, it's impossible not to place Bucket among the contenders. From the trailer, it's obvious that both leading men seem to be doing what they do best. Nicholson sports his trademark Cheshire cat grin and commanding sense of humor. Freeman gives a heartfelt speech about life lessons, ala The Shawshank Redemption. While hearing either of these two legendary actors' names called during Awards season will come as no shocker, some audiences may get a “been there, done that” vibe from this footage which may cause them to pass on the film in theaters and wait until DVD time. Verdict: While Reiner hasn’t been up to snuff as of late, the combo of Nicholson and Freeman, along with a premise primed for comedy and drama, is reason enough to give The Bucket List a chance in theatres. The Bucket List Release Date: December 25th, 2007 Starring: Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes, Beverly Todd Directed by: Rob Reiner]]> http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2007/11/trailer-review-the-bucket-list.php http://boxoffice.com/blogs/phil-contrino/2007/11/trailer-review-the-bucket-list.php Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:25:27 -0800