Trailer Hitch
By Eric Hughes
December 23, 2009
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Daybreakers – Opens January 8, 2010
I know, I know. Even I - a fan of True Blood, Let the Right One In and the story (but certainly not Stephenie Meyer's style) of the Twilight saga - agree that this whole vampire business is getting out of hand. It's been everywhere, from the sources just mentioned, as well as The Vampire's Assistant and The CW's Vampire Chronicles. But hear me out when I say that Daybreakers looks freakin' awesome, even if it's yet another story that involves, you guessed it, vampires.
In a twist on what we've come to expect from bloodsuckers in recent years, the vampires in Daybreakers are having a bit of trouble co-existing with humans. In fact, humans are on the brink of extinction thanks to the vampires, who both outnumber mankind and have feasted on their blood so rapidly that within 30 days, the human race could very well be gone. Enter Ethan Hawke (who I adore), a vampire researcher who takes it upon himself to perfect a blood substitute that might sustain vampire thirst - did he miss the TruBlood memo? - and keep alive the few humans who are still living.
Beyond the story, which intrigues me, I'm impressed by the movie's visual style, which preys upon darkness and blue hues. And a preview of the contraptions that harvest human blood and force its captives to remain hanging there are reminiscent of the ones used to maintain control of the prisoner humans in The Matrix.
Grade: B+
Frozen – Opens February 5, 2010
My problem with Frozen comes down to sustainability, and whether or not it has enough story to tell when the characters are few and the setting is a chairlift hanging X amount of feet above the ground. Frozen is the terror-thriller story of a skiing/snowboarding weekend gone wrong when a group of friends get abandoned on a lift and must figure out a way to grin and bear it if they hope to still be among the living when the park reopens the following weekend. The villains in this case are extreme weather conditions and a chairlift that, as exposed in the trailer, appears to be on the more rickety side of the sturdy wagon.
Quelling my fear that Frozen turns out to be repetitive and lacking in substance are its early reviews, which seem to reside on the positive side. Dudes like AICN's Harry Knowles appear to be pretty obsessed with Frozen, and have said it's pretty terrifying.
Grade: C+
Hot Tub Time Machine – Opens March, 19, 2010
Hot Tub Time Machine is about exactly that: A hot tub that enables its users to time travel. For guys like John Cusack and The Office's Craig Robinson, this means heading back to 1986. Or, as the trailer makes clear, a time when no one knew Twitter, Michael Jackson was black (and, well, alive) and all you could do to a new acquaintance is "find them" - no texting, Facebook or IM, kids.
Think of Hot Tub Time Machine as The Hangover on steroids. Instead of four friends spending the weekend trying to figure out what happened the night before, it's four friends trying to figure out how they've reversed aged about 25 years. (And, while there, undo things they have come to regret).
Rounding out the foursome are Rob Corddry and Clark Duke, who jumpstarted his career with 2008's Sex Drive. Of the few bones I have to pick with Hot Tub Time Machine, it's Clark and his inability to convince me he could buddy buddy comfortably with men 15-20 years his senior. I wonder if he was always first choice, or if casting deals fell through, making him next in line.
Grade: B-
The Back-Up Plan – Opens April 16, 2010
Previously known as Plan B, The Back-Up Plan stars Jennifer Lopez as a woman who we're supposed to believe is still single. More than that, a woman who'd like to finally have her first child. Her back-up plan – get it?! – is to have a baby through artificial insemination. While finally pregnant, Lopez meets the guy who she thinks may be the one (Alex O'Loughlin). Blame bad timing.
Though good to see J-Lo in movies again (and her bread and butter genre to boot), it's a pity it's in a movie that looks as useless as Gigli. The trailer tries selling the project as cutesy – boasting music from Kelly Clarkson and that catchy Michael Franti song, "Say Hey." But like J-Lo midway through the preview, I kinda lost my lunch.
I actually think I'm more interested in another artificial insemination comedy to debut in 2010 called The Baster. That one stars the consistently funny Jason Bateman, who finds out his best friend (Jennifer Aniston) wants to have a baby and replaces the donor's semen with his own. Funnily enough, both projects filmed at the same time. Instead of copying 2009's mall cops comedy theme, we're now setting ‘em in doctor's offices.
Grade: D+
Iron Man 2 – Opens May 7, 2010
The stage is set. It's Robert Downey Jr. vs. Mickey Rourke in Rourke's first significant battle since The Wrestler. Given how much I liked Iron Man, the sequel – of a planned trilogy – certainly has a lot to live up to. And I feel like the first trailer to what will likely light up the box office next summer did the trick. Tony Stark's snark is still just as good as a guy like Hank Moody, and the stakes appear to have increased since 2007.
Beyond Rourke, other newbies to the hit franchise include Don Cheadle, who replaces Terrence Howard as Rhodey/War Machine, Samuel L. Jackson, Sam Rockwell and Scarlett Johansson. Interest. Is. Piqued.
Grade: A-