Trailer Hitch
By Zach Kolkin
June 20, 2005
Welcome to Trailer Hitch, your weekly look at the latest movie trailers to hit the internet. With the summer movie season finally in full swing, we shift our attention to some of the smaller late-summer releases that are finally getting their first looks, as well as some pictures due to come out in the fall. We also have a review of the most recent clip from this year’s big comic book flick, Fantastic Four. Keep reading to see what we’ve chosen as Trailer of the Week.
Who ever thought this was a good idea for a movie?
In Her Shoes
This week’s winner of the dull and formulaic chick flick booby prize – no pun intended – is In Her Shoes, an adaptation of an equally dry chick lit novel by Jennifer Weiner. The film is directed by Curtis Hanson, who, as the trailer’s tagline advertises, previously directed LA Confidential and 8 Mile. Does anyone even think about these things before they stick them into an ad? Whenever I see a “From the producers of…” or “From the writer of…” tagline in a trailer, I understand it to mean “If you liked X, surely you’ll like this film too.” Consequently, it makes absolutely no sense to me why someone who liked LA Confidential or 8 Mile would find this film similarly appealing. Films along the lines of In Her Shoes come out once every couple months, and I see no reason to get any more excited for this one than I would for any other.
Can you ever just be, like, whelmed?
Fantastic Four (Trailer 3)
I reviewed the last F4 trailer several weeks ago, and as I mentioned then, I thought it did a very nice job of balancing an introduction of the story with some nice action scenes, as well as a decent amount of humor. This trailer is, first of all, not really that new; there was very little footage in it that I didn’t recognize from either one of the earlier theatrical trailers or one of the TV spots currently airing. I also felt that this latest preview seems to take itself far more seriously than earlier ones. The music has changed from fast-paced techno to a dramatic choral piece, and several of the more lighthearted moments involving Johnny Storm have been removed. Such changes are a mistake, in my opinion: comic book movies that take themselves seriously (Exhibit A: Hulk) are, for the most part, not nearly as entertaining as those that are a bit more silly. That is not to say that Fantastic Four won’t be as lighthearted as comic-book blockbusters like Spider-Man or X2; rather, I simply think that this clip doesn’t do nearly as good a job of selling the film as the earlier trailer did.
The Bad News Bears (Trailer 2)
Following in the footsteps of Kicking & Screaming and Rebound (and that’s just in the past couple months), we have the remake of The Bad News Bears, supporting example #782 in the ongoing argument, “Hollywood has completely run out of ideas.” My overwhelming reaction upon viewing this trailer is to sigh and say, “Again?” It’s too bad, too, because the clip actually looks kind of funny. Billy Bob Thornton is great at playing the perpetually-pissed off grouchy middle-aged man, as he did in Bad Santa, and thankfully, the kids here don’t seem nearly as obnoxious as they often are in films like this. Still, I can’t help but wonder why I should see a movie that ostensibly follows a plotline that has become so common and formulaic that it is literally popping up once a month.
OK, I'm intrigued
The 40 Year-Old Virgin
Earlier this year, The New York Times printed an article about the posse of actors and directors – including Will Ferrell, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Ben Stiller, Todd Phillips, and Judd Apatow – that seems to have gained a fairly sizeable amount of control over many of the big comedy releases in Hollywood these days. I like to think of these guys more like one of the old WWF stables: a group of actors that simultaneously showcases some of the top draws in the game, as well as simultaneously developing the big-time stars of the future. If Wedding Crashers is this summer’s main event, featuring some of the group’s biggest names and most well-established talent, The 40 Year-Old Virgin is one of the undercard matches, featuring newer names and developing talent. This film stars Steve Carell and Paul Rudd (both supporting characters in Anchorman, now getting their chance as the leads – I swear I’m onto something here), with the former playing the title role, a man undertaking the noble quest of trying to get laid. The trailer features a number of funny moments, most notably Carrel trying to pick up a girl in a bookstore by responding to every question she asks him with a question of his own. In many ways, the film looks like a slightly tamer version of Deuce Bigalow, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The 40 Year-Old Virgin certainly looks like it might be a refreshingly fun movie amongst the typically dry theatrical releases of August.
The Constant Gardener
This spy thriller, starring Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz, looks like the latest attempt to capitalize on the success of the slightly more intellectual and low-key tone of The Bourne Identity. One of the most intriguing aspects of this film is the fact that it is the first English film by Fernando Meirelles, the Brazilian director of the highly acclaimed City of God. This movie seems like an interesting choice for Meirelles, and suggests, at least superficially, that The Constant Gardener will not be another formulaic spy thriller, but rather an intriguing and substantive picture. For a while, it seemed like Ralph Fiennes was in everything; however, this is his first major film since 2002, and it appears to be the perfect type of role for his quiet demeanor. The film has an unquestionably bright pedigree, and this trailer suggests a good story – hopefully, the movie itself will live up to expectations.
The Brothers Grimm
I have to admit, this preview is entirely different than what I was expecting from Terry Gilliam’s latest film. While I had imagined The Brothers Grimm to be dark and somber in tone, the movie actually appears to be extraordinarily lighthearted, to the point of looking silly. In that regard, it almost looks like an Eastern European version of Pirates of the Caribbean. Matt Damon gets a number of good lines in the clip, and overall, the film looks quite fun – again, much in the vein of Pirates of the Caribbean. It seems a little odd that the picture is only now getting a trailer; there has been surprisingly little promotion for this film as of yet, given the potential drawing power of its two stars. Its late-August release date does not seem to bode well for the film’s potential quality or financial success, and thus, even though this does look like a highly enjoyable movie, I’m still a bit skeptical.
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Though quite lengthy, this clip is actually little more than a teaser for the first full-lengh feature film release in the ongoing Wallace & Gromit series. There is very little exposition as to the movie’s storyline (not that that’s necessarily all that important), and instead the focus is predominantly on introducing the characters of Wallace, the wacky scientist, and Gromit, his faithful canine companion, to audiences that may not have seen any of the previous work of creator Nick Park other than the surprisingly successful Chicken Run. Those that are familiar with the earlier Wallace & Gromit shorts will presumably just be happy to see these beloved characters back on screen. There are a number of funny moments in the preview, particularly those involving Gromit, and I’d imagine that this clip will screen in front of a number of the big kid’s releases this summer, allowing a healthy amount of buzz to build before the pictures is released in the fall. Unlike the entirely unnecessary ad for Open Season, reviewed last week, this is the type of teaser that should generate significant anticipation in audiences.
I'm already counting down the days
The New World (Trailer of the Week)
Colin Farrell moves from one famed director’s historical epic to another’s in The New World, the latest picture from the widely-respected Terrence Malick. The story is that of Captain John Smith and Pocahontas, though presumably told in a far more adult fashion than the 1995 Disney flick. After the immense disappointment of Alexander, many moviegoers might have a tough time buying Farrell in another historical narrative, but if that is the case, it certainly won’t be on account of this trailer. The film appears to be beautifully shot, and the brief interaction we see between Smith and his Native American paramour certainly looks nowhere near as off-putting as the romance in Alexander. Christian Bale makes only a brief appearance in this first trailer, but should Batman Begins prove to be a big hit, I would expect his presence to be felt far more strongly in later advertising for the film. For a first look, this ad does a nice job of setting up the movie’s premise and its characters, and I look forward to seeing more in-depth previews as we get closer to the film’s November release date. In a somewhat drab week, this clip is still a solid pick as Trailer of the Week.
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