I’d almost (but not quite) forgotten about this flick because it hasn’t has a dozen or thirty trailers and teasers that have been plastered all over the internet like clockwork. But here you go and it does look pretty insane. I’d bet Michael Bay is going to be seeing this one a few times, although Del Toro is sometimes known for endings that aren’t quite as cool as the effects he uses. That said, I’m not even going to pass an actual judgment on this giant robots versus giant monsters flick until I see it. Hopefully, the studio lets the director have final cut and doesn’t try to chop this down to something that makes you buy or rent the home video version just to see the stuff you should ave gotten when you bought that ticket. Well, as long as one of those sea creatures doesn’t bust out a giant can opener at some point, this one should be a winner…
Tag Archives: Movie Trailers
Random FIlm of the Week: Love and Death
Probably the most amusing thing about Woody Allen’s 1975 film Love and Death is how well it works despite practically hitting you over the head with how literate you need to be to get some of the best (and funniest) jokes. On the other hand, you don’t need to be a student of Russian literature or philosophy at all to nearly die laughing when Woody’s character, Boris, is trapped inside a gigantic lit cannon that rolls downhill during the big battle scene and fires him into a tent full of French officers, making him a temporary war hero of sorts.
There are a few other big laughs as well, but the bulk of the film’s humor springs from the one-two punch of Allen’s writing and flawless direction as he captures the moods of his put-upon characters as they go through their dramatically (and intentionally) dreary lives in 19th Century Russia. As bleak as that last sentence sounds, it’s one of Allen’s best comedies because it skewers its subject matter (and subjects) so well that you can’t help but laugh even when the worst is happening…
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Random Film of the Week(end): The Devil Within Her
Bad horror movies come in all types, but 1975’s The Devil Within Her (or I Don’t Want to Be Born) gets its own special place in film history for a few reasons. As you’re watching it and being completely baffled, amused and probably annoyed at what’s onscreen, you’ll probably wonder just what the hell got some very talented actors to commit to such an incredibly dumb movie. Just get a good look at that poster to the left and yes, your brain is popping already, right?
Then again, trying to make sense of this complete and utter mess is nothing but futile, as the movie does possibly the worst job at explaining its craziness in the first place. A “possessed” baby with super strength, a killer dwarf (or is it the baby?), a few bizarre murders (some of which are hilarious and/or unexpected), strippers, an exorcism and plenty of baffling dialog make this one an instant classic (provided you’ve got a good sense of humor)…
Fast & Furious 6 (!) Trailer: Wishing For A “Thelma & Louise” Finale (Please)…
Yeesh. I still can’t believe this crash cow franchise has run this damn long, but hey – I’m not the one buying up all those tickets. The last thing I heard, the “crew” split a big fat multimillion dollar payoff, which would in the real world, make ME disappear forever to some nice country that’s not sinking under riots and bad government with my stupidly large game collection so I can finally finish a bunch of games and reviews. “Fatima, peel me a grape!” and all that. Anyway, here we go again and yep, it’ll rake in another mint no matter what the critics say. Oh well, I guess it’s better than seeing a TV series popping up and becoming a big “hit” on cable or whatever. Then I’d need to write something snarky every seven days or so and burn out from all the bad car puns I’d need to come up with. Oh well… I guess one more go-round for this franchise is a good thing after all…
Random Film of the Week(end): The Palm Beach Story
You’ll probably need to watch Preston Sturges’ The Palm Beach Story at least twice if you’ve never seen it before. The second time will be to catch some of the rapid-fire dialog you missed the first time out from laughing so hard as your brain attempts to keep up with the wild setups and payoffs the movie hits you with. Sturges’ gift for well-timed comedy direction comes through excellently in yet another gem he also wrote and you have to give the man major credit for letting his actors fly through scenes (and sometimes the scenery) as if they were tossed around sets by small cyclones. Of course, having some great actors throwing those lines around helps quite a bit… Continue reading
Iron Man 3 TV Spot 7: Getting Closer To That Heavy Metal Madness…
I haven’t followed any of the early reviews and in fact, I don’t even know if there are any out there yet. OK, I did hear about a few today, but I didn’t even bother to peek at one. Yeah, I’m THAT disinterested in some parts of pop culture because (dammit) I really like to be surprised (dammit!). That said, it would be pretty hilarious is this film was really bad when all is said and done. Hey, I’m NOT wishing that on this flick at all, folks. I was at the library today and some kids were having a rather animated conversation about that very thing for some reason and although I wanted to beat them all with a heavy book for yapping so loudly, they made me laugh as well AND get an idea for a post. So, yeah, kids are good for something after all (hee hee)… Continue reading
Pain & Gain: Reality Bites Harder Than In Bay’s Gaudy Live Action Cartoon…
Hollywood revisionism isn’t anything new, but I’d say a few films over the last few years including this one have stood out for being more vile than most when going for the funny when they needed to go somewhere else. Did you see 30 Minutes or Less and leave that theater laughing? Well, that “comedy” was “inspired” by an actual series of events in 2003 that led to the death of one man and the arrest and trial of those who planned the crime. Paramount’s Pain & Gain is actually a tad more disturbing when you follow the even weirder and horrifying true story the film is based on. It’s a pretty compelling read, that’s for sure and may have made for a better (and yes, harder to watch) documentary than a heavily re-scripted popcorn flick with some mega-stars chewing the scenery up.
Of course, I’d bet you a wooden nickel that anyone seeing this film won’t give a hoot in hell at all and sure, you can rattle off a whole list of films that bleach out the awful truth and mine the results for comic gold. Eh, perhaps I’m complaining too much here… on the other hand, too many people seem to get their truth solely from these “based on a true story” flicks and yep, that’s a damn dangerously dumb person to try and hold a conversation with…
Iron Man 3 Updates: Clip Joint, World Premiere, And Wait… A New Game, Too?
Hmmm… you know, “Roll out the Barrel” should be playing right about now, what with Marvel in full non-stealth mode dropping all these Iron Man 3 videos. of course, they’re just doing what they need to to get fans excited (well, more excited) and non-fans reaching for the remote or finding a new site to poke around that doesn’t have ads for the film all over it. Good luck with that or even better, just embrace the madness that is marketing. Hell, it’s not as if Marvel is going to send people to your home in order to drag you to that theater…
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Do We REALLY Need A Ratchet & Clank Movie? I Guess We Do. Maybe.
OK, I know I’ll get beat up by the more cranky fans of this franchise, but I’d much really rather see whatever money that’s going into this otherwise SPECTACULAR looking new film (set for a 2015 release, mind you) go into a new game (or games) instead starring these characters. Or even better, a game that combines this look (which the PS4 can handle with no trouble, I’d bet) in a game that’s packing movie-quality looks and gameplay flawlessly. Sure, this will absolutely rake in the megabucks as soon as it hits theaters, but I know that there’s an audience for CG animation that automatically shows up and buys into that first weekend or two just because it looks cool. I know that if the film references the older games too much, most of those jokes will soar over the heads of that non-gamer crowd while those who DO know what’s being talked about will be falling into their buckets of popcorn laughing.
On the other hand, this COULD be the best thing since sliced hamcheesebread if this is some sort of trial balloon for a future animated series or new game tie in. THAT said, it’s going to be interesting to see if this video game series that got its start on the PlayStation 2 eleven years ago is still relevant two years from now. I’d like to think Insomniac Games would want to move onto better and brighter things, but try and tell that to the rabid fans who want them to churn out the same types of games endlessly and gripe if they want to do something different. Then again… it’s kind of hard to pass up on making more money from something so cool if there’s enough of a demand for it. Ah, the eternal cycle continues, I suppose…
Star Trek: Into Darkness Clips: A Lesson In Undressin’…
Hmmm… you know, Paramount… there’s such a thing as TOO much exposure when it comes to some reveals. Now, I love a good tease once in a while, but I say take a lesson from the late, great Sally Rand and not show it all off all at once. Some things are worth waiting for, so a little anticipation goes a longer way than just whipping everything off all at once. Of course, I’m also wanting to see more, so your little ploy has worked out quite well…
That said, it IS a J.J. Abrams flick, so the template is there and easy to pinpoint. That bodes well for the movie, but also makes it a wee bit too predictable to some longtime fans or those who can catch the telegraphing of plot points a few star systems away as the film hits its thematic notes in their proper order. Granted, THAT part is up to the editing team as well as the director’s skills… but I’m not too worried about either.
On the other hand… if Into Darkness gets too formulaic, it means there’s room for improvement and a writing team (or hell, ONE writer) who can deliver the goods fans of the different Trek franchises can approve of. It’s hard to please so many generations of people who grew up watching or have caught the Star Trek bug over time, but the minute that magic moment happens, the person behind that particular wheel will become an intergalactic treasure of sorts…
