The Big Screen Bulletin 01.22.07: Back to the Grind
Posted by Chad Webb on 01.22.2007
A nightmare with "Idiocracy", details on "Saw IV", Scorsese's new trilogy, AFI updates their top 100 list, news on "Star Trek XI", quickees, trailers, new DVD releases, and more!
Straight to Video Nightmares
Idiocracy
Starring: Luke Wilson, Maya Rudolph, and Dax Shephard
Directed By: Mike Judge
Running Time 84 minutes
Release Date: January 9, 2007
Rated R for language and sex-related humor.
More often than not, movies have such a brief run in so few theaters that hardly anyone gets a chance to enjoy them. Many quality films have only had around one week to reach an audience, and then we must all wait until the time for DVD release arrives. This year, I will alter the format of "straight to video nightmares" just a bit. From now on, I will not just review Direct-to-DVD releases, but also films that grossed a small amount of money and were in theaters for literally days. This segment in the bulletin should not just bash the awful, but occasionally praise the worthy. I have found that many diamonds can be spotted amongst all the dirt. One particular diamond has surfaced in the form of Idiocracy. Yes, this had a very short limited run in theaters, and grossed approximately $430,000. As I watched Office Space creator Mike Judge's (Beavis & Butthead) newest offering, I was reminded of Grandma's Boy, which was released around the same time last year. Like that comedy, Idiocracy is a satirical romp packed full of hilariously random bits. Personally, I enjoy this type of humor (to a point), but I understand why some scoff at the ridiculousness. I expected to hate this with a burning passion, mainly because of Luke Wilson, who I usually dislike. Wilson plays the ultimate average guy, and that actually fits seeing as how he's nothing more than an average actor.
Since Joe Bowers has no family, friends, or connections whatsoever, he is chosen to be a guinea pig in an army freezing experiment. He is frozen along with Rita, a prostitute with no family or companions besides her pimp Upgrayyedd. Yes, it is spelled that way. The two are told they will be frozen for only one year. During that time however, the army base is shut down, and demolished to the ground. Rita and Joe remain frozen for over 500 years. When they wake up, society had become gradually dumber due to bad decisions and ultra hyper sexuality. Now, Joe finds himself the smartest man on Earth. The spoken language has changed into a form of gibberish, and when Joe talks clearly, everyone thinks he sounds like a "fag." In the years he was frozen, he discovered that the public eventually had no place to put their trash, and that caused the great trash avalanche. The restaurant Fuddruckers kept changing its name as people grew dumber, and is now known as "Buttfu**ers." The Academy Award winning film for Best Picture is entitled "ASS", and is 90 minutes of watching a bare butt pass gas.
He meets Frito, who tells him a time machine exists so he can return home. That becomes his sole priority. Joe finds himself not feeling well after recovering from his lengthy deep freeze. He goes to a hospital, and a talking machine directs him to a specific area, and informs him of what sickness he has. It turns out Joe needs a UPC tattoo in the future as identification, and when he doesn't have one, he refrains from paying his hospital bill, and is forced to run from the police. He is arrested and thrown in jail, but since the guards are stupid, he simply explains to them that it was his day to be released. After he is free, the police figure out what happened, and begin chasing him. He finally tracks down Rita, who is clueless as to the year, and along with Frito, they travel to Costco where the "time machine" is located. In one of the funniest scenes of the film, they enter Costco and observe the greeter, who is an obese man that miserably utters "Welcome to Costco…I Love You" to each customer.
Joe is arrested again before finding the time machine, but his superior intelligence catches the attention of the President of the United States. He is an African American man who wears a large bling necklace and has changed the House of Representatives to the House of Representin'. This is where the film takes a wild tangent into the way way over the top territory. Joe is ordered by the President to solve all the problems in America, or he must serve a punishment for his previous crimes. He must help a nation in crisis or be stuck in the future forever. I will stop there. I do not want to spoil too much. I have left numerous spontaneous sequences of comedy for you to view on your own.
Is this a perfect movie? Hell no! However, it is another underrated Mike Judge submission. My main complaints are with the President character and his cabinet. They grow to be very annoying, but for the most part, this is a laugh out loud piece of comedy that is well worth a rental. Like Office Space, if Idiocracy obtains any popularity, or a cult following, it will take some time to develop. Luke Wilson is the ideal man to be caught in a position like this. I praise him for this role more so than the majority of the theatrical releases he has contributed to. Likewise, Maya Rudolph and Dax Shephard are pleasantly amusing and suitable as the supporting characters. Despite a plot that seems oblivious and preposterous, Mike Judge has inserted some underlying political arguments that are impossible to ignore. I attribute my approval to the opening voice over dialogue, which locks your eyes to the screen no matter how hard you fight. This is not for those that prefer intelligent jokes, but nonetheless, Idiocracy is the opposite of a nightmare.
Final Rating = 7.0/10.0
The News Bulletin
"Stomp" Triumphs Again
Urban dance drama "Stomp the Yard" narrowly retained the lead at the North American boxoffice on Sunday, while Oscar hopefuls "Pan's Labyrinth" and "The Queen" leaped into the top 10, two days before nominations for Hollywood's highest honors are unveiled. "Stomp" earned an estimated $13.3 million in the three days beginning on Friday, distributor Sony Pictures said. It was followed by former champ "Night at the Museum" with $13 million. The weekend's sole new wide release, the horror remake "The Hitcher," opened at No. 4 with a disappointing $8.2 million, having been viewed by pundits as a contender for the top slot. The Ben Stiller comedy "Night at the Museum" has earned $205.8 million after five weeks, said 20th Century Fox.
I don't know what to say. It makes me wonder what people are smoking that they pay money for movies like this. In other news, Dreamgirls rose to #3, The Pursuit of Happyness dropped to #5, and Pan's Labyrinth landed in the #7 spot. I was kind of startled that The Hitcher didn't perform better, but apparently Stomp the Yard is more appealing. Next week,Smokin' Aces, Epic Movie, and Catch and Release enter the top 10. My bet will be on Epic Movie to come out on top. I am sure it will suck.
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A Scorsese Remake Trilogy?
Robert De Niro might still win his muse back – from Leo - after all. According to MTV, the Raging Bull is in talks with director Martin Scorsese – his director on such classics as "Raging Bull", "Mean Streets" and "Taxi Driver" - to join the cast of an upcoming sequel to "The Departed". "Infernal Affairs", the film that the Golden Globe Award Winning film was based on, spawned two sequels, so it's not at all surprising to hear that Scorsese is considering following up his version. And after the mint the first film has made at the box office, Warner Bros won't be flipping the thumbs upside down to the idea either. Did you know that De Niro was actually offered the role that Martin Sheen ended up playing in the film? True. Bob couldn't do it because of his commitments to "The Good Shepherd". Mark Wahlberg, who will also return for the sequel, said Scorsese also has an idea for a prequel. The actor tells the aforesaid site that it would be a way to "bring back the rest of the guys." (By ‘the rest of the guys', he means the original – now ‘Departed' characters – played by Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Martin Sheen).
I have serious doubts that this news holds even an inkling truth yet, but the key word is yet. I will be purchasing the Infernal Affairs trilogy when it is released along with The Departed, so I can't say how the sequel and prequel compare to the original, but admit it, this sounds intriguing. I am curious as to what direction Scorsese would take with the sequel after the events in his remake. A sequel remake sounds pretty bad, but we are dealing with Scorsese. He would have to pull out all the stops if he wanted to top this one. Imagine how hard it would be to impress the world if The Departed wins Best Picture. Anyway, I am getting excited about this rumor, but I must control myself because it could be a complete lie. I will keep reporting as this news unfolds further.
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An AFI Top 100 Movies 10th Anniversary!
The American Film Institute is set to update its 100 greatest movies of all time list in June of this year. More than 1,500 jurors will be asked to make their choices from a list of 400 American, narrative feature films, including long-standing classics as well as 44 newly eligible films released from 1996-2006. "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" and "Brokeback Mountain" are amongst the newer films mentioned. The results will be presented in a three-hour program, directed by Gary Smith, which will air on CBS. The aim is to assemble a decade-by-decade portrait of changing appreciations of American film. "Citizen Kane," "Casablanca," "The Godfather," "Gone with the Wind" and "Lawrence of Arabia" topped the previous list in 1998.
I did some research and decided to list all the films from 1996-2006 that AFI has placed on their ballots.
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
As Good As it Gets
Boogie Nights
Good Will Hunting
L.A. Confidential
Titanic
Rushmore
Saving Private Ryan
Shakespeare in Love
American Beauty
Being John Malkovich
Fight Club
The Insider
The Matrix
The Sixth Sense
There's Something About Mary
Three Kings
Erin Brockovich
Gladiator
Requiem for a Dream
Traffic
A Beautiful Mind
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Memento
Moulin Rouge
Shrek
Chicago
The Hours
Finding Nemo
Lost in Translation
Mystic River
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
The Aviator
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Million Dollar Baby
Ray
Sideways
Spiderman 2
Brokeback Mountain
Crash
Good Night, and Good Luck
Hotel Rwanda
A lot of the internet favorites are listed on this list, but the AFI lists are always bizarre when they are announced so don't have your hopes high that Spiderman 2 or each one of The Lord of the Rings movies will be in the top 10 like on the imdb.com top 250. I can see Crash and Million Dollar Baby making the cut, along with The Matrix and Titanic. Otherwise, I can't see the list of movies changing all that much. I am still hoping that The Shawshank Redemption finds a spot. As I said, I have had some issues with their current top 100, but maybe it's just me.
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Could John Carter Finally Hit the Big Screen?
The big-screen version of Edgar Rice Burroughs' sci-fi literary hero "John Carter of Mars" has been mired in Hollywood development hell for years. Paramount had most recently been developing the project, with directors such as Robert Rodriguez, Kerry Conran and Jon Favreau attached at different points. Then Paramount put "Carter" into turnaround because it was reportedly hedging its bets on a different sci-fi franchise, "Star Trek." Now TMZ.com claims that "the estate of Edgar Rice Burroughs is in negotiations with Walt Disney Pictures to turn the eleven volume "John Carter of Mars" series of books into a motion picture franchise." Fox and Walden Media were also said to have been in talks to acquire the screen rights at one point, but a deal could not be reached. TMZ adds that the project's previous producers -- Sean Daniel, Jim Jacks and Harry Knowles -- are no longer involved with it.
When I read this, I thought it was too good to be true. I would love to see these series of books finally made into films. As the article says this was supposed to be made at least three times in the past. The one we all wish we could have seen was when Walt Disney was going to make it an animated film before Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The original title was going to be A Princess of Mars, which is actually a title of one of Burrough's books in the Barsoom series. The history of this being adapted to film is a long and complicated one. If Walt Disney accomplishes this and creates this franchise with Pixar, it could be unbelievable. I am so glad to see so many of "The Greatest Movies Never Made" possibly becoming realities again.
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New "Star Trek XI" News!
Most non-casual "Star Trek" buffs know that Capt. Kirk wasn't the first man to command the bridge of the first USS Enterprise. In the original, rejected pilot episode of "The Original Series", the legendary ship's captain was Christopher Pike. The captainship became the domain of William Shatner's character for the pilot remake and the rest of the series, but the Pike character was revived in the episode "The Menagerie", establishing Pike was the "Enterprise's" first captain. Actually, the hardcore fans doubtlessly remember that the animated "Star Trek" series of the '70s named a predecessor of Pike's, Robert April. However, that character, and the animated series in general, are not considered "Star Trek" canon.
This sort of background history becomes important now that a pre-TOS film is on the way. "Star Trek XI" will reveal the early days of the Enterprise crew: Kirk, Spock, Scottie — and Pike, according to IESB.net, whose editor has apparently been shown a few pages from the movie script. It makes sense to include the character; Spock would have served under Pike for several years, and to avoid that character might mean making unacceptable changes to "Star Trek "continuity. Will Pike be a main character in the film, or just a minor character kept in for "historical" accuracy? Additionally, the plot of the film is reported to be non-linear, time-wise. That jibes with comments William Shatner recently made in an interview with IGN TV: "They seem to be going in the direction of putting in [Leonard] Nimoy and myself [into "Star Trek XI"]. But in order to do that, it's a difficult story to write. …I'm not sure what they're going to do. But in order to entice Leonard and myself into the movie, it has to be meaningful in some way, so I don't know what they're gonna do."
At this point, the aim seems to be to work in the older characters of Spock and Kirk in some way — one hopes with flashbacks (or flash-forwards), and not more time travel. The character of Spock lived well into the "Next Generation" era, so there's no problem there. Kirk, however, died in "Star Trek: Generations", and Shatner himself has aged somewhat since then. Will the writers produce a story that takes place before his death, and use de-aging CG technology like what was done in X-Men 3 for the early scenes with Xavier and Magneto? It's interesting to speculate, but that's all we can do for now. The decision to use an older Kirk and Spock is probably not set in stone yet. A finished draft of the script was apparently submitted three weeks ago, and is now being "polished up."
I am intrigued by Shatner's interview statements. He says it would be hard to work those characters into a story, and he is correct, but he has not outright refused to take part in this film. I have no clue as to what they would do with Spock and Kirk in this, but it does remind me of another great movie never made entitled Star Trek VI: Starfleet Academy, which was going to show Kirk waiting to be accepted into the Academy, and then Kirk, Spock, and McCoy on their first mission. Will Abrams and company be attempting to revive that unmade movie? I certainly think it would be a grand idea. Director of the upcoming film, J.J. Abrams has stated he prefers that new fans obtain a liking to the franchise. He has stated that he is making this sequel or prequel with the intention of not requiring any prior Star Trek knowledge. I can't wait for this!
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Saw IV Rumors Start To Surface
With his latest horror flick, "Dead Silence", set to hit theaters on March 23, writer/director James Wan is setting his sights back on the franchise that burst him onto the scene nearly three years ago — "Saw." Aside from news that a fourth installment is expected to unspool in time for Halloween '07(as has become a yearly tradition with the series), little else is known about the project. So when IGN Movies recently caught up with the filmmaker, we had to inquire into the film's status. "We have someone in mind [to direct]," revealed Wan coyly. "We have someone in mind. And we're working on the script right now. That's pretty much where things are at. "Saw IV" is a tricky one for me to talk about because everyone wants to know about it, but it's just at such an early stage."
Fair enough. But with "Saw III's" rather "definitive" ending, one can't help but wonder whether the next film will follow the prequel route. "That's kind of a weird one to answer only because pretty much all of the "Saw" films take place in so many different timelines," explained Wan. "Sometimes the film touches here, but then it goes all the way forward but then it goes all the way backward again. It does touch on so many different time frames. Is ["Saw IV"] a prequel or sequel? It's kind of all intermixed. We jump everywhere, and "Saw III" did setup a lot of elements where "Saw IV" may end up going."
As for the next project from Wan and his "Saw" partner, Leigh Whannell, expect a decidedly different kind of project. "At this stage, Leigh and I are very keen on getting back together and working again and one of the subject matters that we love a lot… we want to do a noir sci-fi film," said Wan. "We're big fans of noir films, so we want to see what happens there. We're working on it."
I don't know how they would do a prequel, but I am certainly more open to that than I am from the crew starting Saw IV off where the third left off. That would make in a ridiculously stupid and unnecessary sequel in my opinion. I don't want to spoil anything, but without a certain character in Saw IV, it would be quite dumb. Obviously, Mr. Wan is keeping a tight lid on the plot details, but it is only a matter of time before the secrets slip out. I don't think I like the idea of this duo doing a noir/sci-fi combination film. That scares me to be honest. They will most likely continue until Saw 19 is released in 2023.
The 20 Second Sermon
The hot news is that Angelina Jolie is out of Sin City 2 and Rachel Weisz could be in. This makes me happy actually. Rachel will sizzle and shake a lot better. Also, two news Direct-to-DVD releases are on their way. They are New Jack City 2 and Lost Boys 2. Unfortunately, this is serious. Apparently, Courtney Love favors Ewen McGregor for the role of Kurt Cobain is that upcoming biopic. That could work I suppose. In a sad news bit, Spike Lee has shot down Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx for the role of James Brown in his new biopic. Sigourney Weaver re-teaming with James Cameron for Avatar should be cool also. The Magnum P.I. casting rumors are as follows: McConaughey as Magnum, Tyrese Gibson as T.C., William H. Macy as Higgins, and Steve Zahn as Magnum's friend Rick. Is it too early to declare this the worst movie ever?!
What's Coming to DVD….Buy or Avoid?
The Guardian - Costner is pretty good here, and the water rescue sequences are well done, but the rest is clichéd and predictable sludge. Avoid
Saw III (Unrated) - I actually didn't mind this sequel that much. This was one of the gorier films I've ever seen. It had nice twists, but was a bit depressing. Buy
Yojimbo & Sanjuro – Two Films by Akira Kurosawa - These needed to be re-released from Criterion. This is Kurosawa at his best. This is well worth the steep price tag. These are also released separately for $30 each, but this is a more logical purchase. Buy
Sherrybaby - It has been a good year for Gyllenhaal, and this performance got the most buzz. I didn't see it yet.
Jesus Camp - Thankfully some of the documentaries I missed are being released now so I can rent them. This one got better than average reviews.
This Film is Not Yet Rated - I want to see this just out of sheer curiosity as to what the filmmakers unearthed for us. It looked fascinating.
Fiddler on the Roof (2 Disc Collector's Edition) - I'd rather just save my money and buy this in the cheap three pack. If you're a hardcore fan, this has more special features for you. This was decent for a musical. Buy
Brokeback Mountain (2 Disc Collector's Edition) - A better DVD edition of the film that should have won best picture in 2005 finally comes out. If you don't have it yet, buy this version. Buy
Robert Mitchum – The Signature Collection - This is not the very best Mitchum collection one could compile, but it still has some stellar forgotten films like The Yakuza and Macao. Buy
The Critic's Quickee
Alpha Dog - It is unfortunate that this quality film did poorly at the box office. Read my full review by clicking here and go see it.
Stomp the Yard - This is an early frontrunner for worst film of 2007. It is simply an insult to screenwriters and directors who strive to be inventive. To no one's surprise, the dance moves are not exciting or entertaining. They are boring. This storyline utilizes every cliché in the book, and then some. It is about two rival fraternities who compete in a dance competition every year. One kid joins the college after his brother is gunned down after a dance battle. He pledges to the losing fraternity. Yes, that's right; people get shot because of dancing. This movie is so bad that I wanted to leave a half hour into it. I had been thinking about doing a review, but now I feel I must do one because the critics who have given this atrocity two stars are being way too generous. Look for my review soon.
Primeval - I would love to have a quickee for you, but the theater I went to was experiencing complications with the projector, so I didn't see it, and had no other time to go back. Stupid employees!
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer - How does one film the ecstasy of scents? It goes without saying that the audience is unable smell anything but nachos and buttered popcorn during a movie. The task of conveying a scent properly enough so that viewers connect with storyline seems insurmountable, but Perfume: The Story of a Murderer has achieved that feat brilliantly to result in a masterful work of pure paradise and genius. As Jean Baptise-Grenouille, the main character, newcomer Ben Wishaw will likely receive little credit for his performance, but he is haunting and mesmerizing in this depiction. In the supporting roles, Dustin Hoffman is simply spectacular as Baldini, and Alan Rickman is captivating as a father who wants nothing more than to protect his daughter from the serial killer. After multiple legendary filmmakers thought of molding this novel to the big screen, Run Lola Run director Tom Tykwer took the gamble, and it paid off supremely well. His vision is unparalleled from the first drop of perfume to each blow of Grenouille's club. I am still amazed at the shocking conclusion, which left a lasting impression. This is a masterpiece, and even though I would have given a higher rating, read Trevor Snyder's review. It is a shame that superb achievements such as this went unnoticed during the busy December month. Final Rating = 10.0/10.0
Movie Dictionary: Word of the Week
Film Producer - A film producer creates the conditions for making movies. The producer initiates, coordinates, supervises and controls matters such as raising funding, hiring key personnel, and arranging for distributors. The producer is involved throughout all phases of the filmmaking process from development to completion of a project.
In the early 20th century, the producer also tended to wield ultimate creative control on a film project. With the demise of Hollywood's studio system in the 1950s, creative control began to shift into the hands of the director.
Changes in movie distribution and marketing in the 1970s and '80s gave rise to the modern-day phenomenon of the Hollywood blockbuster, which tended to bring power back into the hands of the producer. While marketing and advertising for films accentuates the role of the director, apart from a few well-known film makers it is usually the producer who has the greatest degree of control in the American film industry.
Traditionally, the producer is considered the chief of staff while the director is in charge of the line. This "staff and line" organization mirrors that of most large corporations and the military. Under this arrangement, the producer has overall control of the project and can terminate the director, but the director actually makes the film. The "line producer" is thus a producer who assists with day-to-day financial and production concerns "on the line" as the film is being made.
Types of producers
--Executive producer: In major productions, usually a representative, if not the CEO, of a motion picture production company that is producing a film, although the title may be given as an honorarium to a major investor. Often oversees the financial, administrative, and creative aspects of production, though not technical aspects. In smaller companies or independent projects, may be synonymous with Creator/Writer.
--Producer: the "classic" definition of producer who typically has the greatest involvement and oversight among a film's various producers. In smaller companies or independent projects, may be the equivalent of the Executive Producer.
--Co-Producer: A producer who generally reports to the (Executive) Producer and is more involved in the day-to-day production. In independent projects, the title connotes an involvement in the inception of the production.
--Associate Producer: Usually acts as a representative of the Producer, who may share financial, creative, or administrative responsibilities, delegated from that producer. Often, a title granted as a courtesy or to one who made a major financial or creative contribution to the production.
--Production Director: A representative of the motion picture production company assigned to the set and given the authority to act in behalf of the senior production team members.
--Line Producer: Oversees a film's budget and day-to-day activities
--Production supervisor : Usually performs managerial duties on one aspect of the production.
--Production manager
Based on the Trailer…
Blood and Chocolate - This must be this years equivalent to The Covenant. The title is beyond absurd. Trailer Rating = 3.0/10.0
Transformers - This is the newer trailer, and I think this could actually be decent. I have good feelings about it. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Black Snake Moan - More snakes for Samuel L. This movie looks great in my opinion. I can't wait for it. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
Disturbia - This looks like a cheesy teeny bopper rip off of Rear Window, one of the best films ever made. Trailer Rating = 5.0/1.0
Because I Said So - It seems lie on of these all girl/family films comes out every year. This trailer was ok. The film looks kind of funny and touching. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Epic Movie - Another crappy parody that had no thought, time, or effort go into it. This will be dreadful, and you know it. Trailer Rating = 2.0/10.0
Smokin' Aces - The cast intrigues me the most here, especially Alicia Keys. I hope this is as good of a time as it looks. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Catch & Release - I saw this preview a year ago, and it looks somewhat humorous due to Kevin Smith, but otherwise it looks average at best. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0
Seraphim Falls - A western with Pierce Brosnan and Liam Neeson. It looks terrific. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Oceans 13 - This looks wonderfully slick and edgy. I can't wait for it. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Shrek the Third - This will make so much money, and rightfully so. It looks fantastic. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Live Free or Die Hard - This third sequel to the successful franchise does not look overly terrible. Maybe it will be shockingly good. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Hannibal Rising - The text is in German, but the movie looks damn promising from this and the images I've seen. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
Breach - Ryan Phillippe and Chris Cooper might make a good combination in this thriller. It looks like it has potential. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
The Astronaut Farmer - A movie where Billy Bob Thornton builds a spaceship. The title sucks, and the movie looks average. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Zodiac - David Fincher's new thriller with Jake Gyllenhaal looks outstanding. I cannot wait for this. Fincher is a genius. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
The Simpsons Movie - I am not the biggest Simpsons fan, but this trailer is hilarious. Maybe this movie won't be all that terrible. Trailer Rating = 8.0/1.0
Bridge to Terabithia - I realize this was a popular book, and I don't care which one came first, but this is so close to Chronicles of Narnia. I see no originality. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0
Hostel: Part II - If you have read my material for the past 10 months, you know how I feel about this. The first one sucked, and this one will also. Trailer Rating = 3.0/10.0
Reno 911: Miami - I have never really watched the show, but this looks very funny. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Evan Almighty - This sequel doesn't have strong plot. Evan is told to build and ark. Dumb, but Carrell is still funny. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
Hot Fuzz - This is the new film from the Shaun of the Dead group. It looks very funny. I'm looking forward to it. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Grindhouse - The unique offering from Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez will most likely rock, but the trailer makes it look quite bizarre. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
300 - This is a new film inspired based on another Frank Miller graphic novel. It catches my interest, but perhaps a bit too much CGI. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Norbit - Another movie where Eddie Murphy plays a zillion roles. Don't care. It's not funny anymore. Trailer Rating = 3.0/10.0
TMNT - Since I grew up watching these guys, I will go see this movie no matter what. The trailer is average. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Spiderman 3 - Despite my dislike of the second one, this newer trailer is friggin awesome. I'll admit, I'm looking forward to this greatly. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Transformers - My initial reaction to this teaser was laughter, not like I thought it looked bad, but because it was totally unexpected. A little early to tell, but so far so good. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Ghost Rider - This looks decent to me. The special effects might be a downfall, but all in all I'm looking forward to Cage in this role. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
