As a movie trailer addict, I assume that everyone is caught up on the latest movie trailers. However, I’ve had to realize that most of you have lives and interests outside of new movies and you may not see movie previews unless they precede the movies you pay to see on the big screen. Here is a handful of the latest previews (with my useless commentary as well).
The Judge
Robert Downey Jr. hasn’t dabbled into serious drama since The Soloist in 2009. The quick wit of RDJ seems tailor-made for courtroom drama. Based on this trailer, it looks like he ditches the know-it-all Tony Stark behavior for some saccharine and the movie should be better for it. If he doesn’t cut it back, he’ll basically turn into a stagnant actor like Johnny Depp. The Judge seems to have a healthy dose of Schmaltz and sentimentality. The last good drama from director David Dobkin was Clay Pigeons back in the late ’90s. He’s better known for Wedding Crashers and Shanghai Knights. So basically, I don’t expect a great movie. This family drama is being released on October 10, 2014.
The Wedding Ringer
The successful career of, my own personal version of nails on a chalkboard, Josh Gad continues somehow. The Wedding Ringer will be a hit because of one factor, Kevin Hart. Hart is now officially an A-lister. He may be starring in approximately 9 movies in a year, but his presence almost guarantees a number one spot at the box office. This trailer looks like nothing new. It will do well for a week and then quickly disappear. I think its producers are trying to take advantage of the current status of Hart, as this trailer is very early. The Wedding Ringer doesn’t come out till January 2015
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
This third and final trailer for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes gives us more of the actual story of the sequel to the surprise hit of 2011. I love seeing the division of the apes already. It’s very reminiscent of the different tribes in the older movies. I’m hoping this is a hit because Jason Clarke deserves a star-making role. Gary Oldman adds credibility to any project, no matter how ridiculous it is. He’s basically a younger version of Sir Ben Kingsley. Somebody give knighthood to Oldman already. This PG-13 movie will be a far darker movie than “Rise,” but it should be the first major blockbuster in July when it releases on the 11th.
About Alex
About Alex knows exactly what it is. One of the lines from the trailer says “It’s like one of those ’80s movies.” Based on the long weekend cabin setting, there won’t be much happening in terms of story. Though, it should be a great character piece. The cast is made up of some great rising talent: Max Greenfield, Maggie Grace, Jason Ritter and Aubrey Plaza. Let’s hope it doesn’t turn out like Jane Levy’s last excursion to a cabin in the woods (ala The Evil Dead). This movie is made for hipsters who have enlightened conversations and make intellectual observations. There will be a lot of sexual tension to the comedy mixed with an appropriate level of feel-good moments. About Alex is rated R and releases August 8, 2014.
The Expendables 3
The Expendables crew found their legs in the second movie. The Expendables 3 turns the excitement up to an ridiculous amount. This is an excellent trailer showcasing the only two things that the audience ares about, the action and the aging stars. Joining the cast this time around is Harrison Ford, Antonio Banderas and Wesley Snipes. This movie looks similar to the second movie by highlighting big, dumb, brainless fun. It’s actually refreshing to see Mel Gibson get another shot. He looks like a great scenery-chewing villain. I just hope the movie doesn’t get bogged down by the eventual comparisons of the original Expendables and the kid Expendables they appear to be saving. This is the first Expendables movie to be rated PG-13 and it releases August 15, 2014.
Video Games: The Movie
This documentary is attempting to tell the expansive story of the history of video games in 104 minutes. I applaud any wide recognition of the console world, but I’m not entirely sold on the trailer. If they took their time and made three different documentaries about this topic, they wouldn’t have to be so rushed. This documentary is being narrated by Sean Astin and is produced by Zach Braff. Video Game: The Movie releases on July 15th in cinemas, but you’ll most likely catch it on Netflix in a few months.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Wait a minute…Whoopi Goldberg has a theatrical career again? Good for her, I guess. Though, I can’t imagine any dynamic scenes of note when she shares the screen with Will Arnett and Megan Fox.
I must say that this trailer sells me on the movie more than the previous one. While it’s a little spoilery (i.e. Splinter incapacitated), it does give a sense of the story and adventure. I’m still not a fan of the giant turtles’ look. And tell me this, Donatello gets roided up due to ooze (or whatever the origin is in this version), but it also gives him poor eyesight? I know he’s supposed to be the smart one, but I feel like the addition of glasses is strictly for the purpose of making his merchandising and toy line look different to the rest. This trailer works because it feels similar to the silliness of the ’90s cartoon. As long as director Jonathan Liebesman doesn’t take too much script advice from producer Michael Bay, we should be able to avoid immature and racist dialogue.
Also, Shredder is shown quite a bit in the trailer. The costume is ridiculous, yet it always kind of was. My expectations are set low. This will be a monumentally stupid movie, but I’m hoping for a little bit of fun. The Ninja Turtles come out on August 8th and the movie is PG-13 (Basically eliminating a large share of its target market).
Boyhood
This trailer was released almost two months ago, but I think that everyone needs to see it. It describes director Richard Linklater’s method of filming this 12 year long project. I love that he took the time and thought to start filming the same boy and fictional family and revisit the story as they naturally age.
Yes, music-based trailers are very manipulative, but this movie just looks sweet, heartbreaking and sincere. I missed this at Sundance and have been kicking myself since. It’s currently at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. I am going in with high expectations and it could only disappoint me from here. I know it’s wrong, but I’m expecting greatness. Boyhood is finally being released on July 18th, 2014 and is rated R.
