The Big Screen Bulletin 05.19.08: Going the Distance and Going for Speed

Posted by Chad Webb on 05.19.2008

More nightmares with Dolph Lundgren, the box office results, the problem Hollywood agents and stars are facing, the Ian Fleming biopic, the future of "Indiana Jones", new DVD releases, new trailer ratings, the "Speed Racer" quickee, and much more!

Straight to Video Nightmares

Diamond Dogs

Starring: Dolph Lundgren, William Shriver, and Yu Nan
Directed By: Samuel Dolhasca
Written By: Leo St. Pierre
Release Date: April 29, 2008
Running Time: 94 minutes







This is my second nightmare with Dolph Lundgren this year. I chose this to make up for Missionary Man, which I labeled as Direct-to-DVD in a previous edition. That prompted the Dolphamaniacs to email me in droves. Since this had a theatrical premiere, in addition to a theatrical release that has not been recorded to have made any money on any site, they informed me that this was not "Direct-to-DVD." Well guess what? Diamond Dogs, the latest adventure featuring the Big Swede…is beyond the shadow of a doubt, Direct-to-DVD. That being said, I would like to reiterate how much I enjoy Lundgren, his style, and his performances. Unfortunately Diamond Dogs, besides being a poor title, is not all that exciting.

One way a film can make a bad first impression is by concealing its true nature. Diamond Dogs does just that. By glancing at this cover, one would assume that it is an action-packed thrill ride. It isn't. The story commences with wise narration from Lundgren, a.k.a. Xander Rosnon. Of course he has to have a name like Xander, which is never mentioned except for on the back cover. He runs a security company in Mongolia. It is not very successful as he is drowning in debts. In order to help that situation, he becomes involved in fights and small bets. When I saw the fights and the arm wrestling, I was confused that Rambo III and Over the Top had not been pressed together. He is arrested for fighting, and has 4 weeks to pay the debts, a sub-plot which is inconsequential.

Ronson is approached by a bad actor whose character name is Chambers. He is searching for a sacred Buddhist tapestry called the Tangka. He recruits Ronson to be his security for the journey. Briefly he touches upon Ronson's history as a Green Beret, who was both highly skilled, yet caused his troops to all die. Meanwhile, a second clan of thugs try to double Ronson's money in order to obtain the Tangka via sneaky underhanded means. He declines, so they eventually follow. Random dull shootouts ensue. And so it goes. Ronson, Chambers, a history professor, and a chick head into the mountains and scavenge for this tapestry.

Picture National Treasure or Indiana Jones without the fun and cheesy atmosphere, and you have Diamond Dogs. There is nothing terribly wrong with the premise. As a matter of fact, it is fairly straightforward, and the direction from Shimon Dotan employs an authentic, borderline docudrama technique. Dolph is listed on IMDB as a director, but is not given a credit. Hints of his two cents can be observed. Missionary Man possessed a similar grainy camera method with sparse action. The gun battles are lackluster and depressing. People get shot…blah blah blah.

A rule I have when watching movies involving the hunt for some treasured relic is to accentuate that relic and the silly fun of the expedition. Diamond Dogs does not. Instead, it conceals most of the information. Where National Treasure and Indiana Jones highlight the clues and booby traps, this side steps most of that for no logical reason. The acting is atrocious. William Shriver is the only other person who occupies a great deal of screen time, and he is embarrassing. I have always maintained that Dolph is a tremendously talented performer, and he lives up to that as Ronson. The problem is, everyone else around him humiliates themselves with no trouble.

If you have read more than one Straight to Video Nightmare segment, I should not have to say that I can easily dismiss all the predictable flaws of B-movies such as this. The plot is unoriginal, the story can be summed up immediately, and so forth. However, Diamond Dogs is completely forgettable and superfluous. The conclusion restates that as well. This has no nudity, no memorable violence, and barely any one-liners. Ok, it had maybe one: "I'll pay you, and it won't be with bullets." It is difficult for me to become absorbed when the main character is not given an ounce of depth, and when the escapade is monotonous. Someone can feel free to explain the title to me, or the tagline on the case: Soldier. Fighter. Seeker. Legend. Sorry folks, but the Dolphster bombs again.

Final Rating = 4.5/10.0

The News Bulletin

The Prince Takes the Throne
Walt Disney sequel "Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" easily won the weekend box office in grossing an estimated $56 million from 3,929 theaters in a strong, but not spectacular, start. The adventure-fantasy, reteaming Andrew Adamson with the cast of the first film, wasn't able to match the $65.5 million opening of "Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." Family films can start out slow, but have playability. "Caspian," which drew an A CinemaScore, hopes for just that, even with Steven Spielberg's PG-13 "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" opening on May 22. ("Indiana Jones" preemed at the Cannes Film Fest on Sunday.) In its second weekend, Warner Bros.' "Speed Racer" didn't seem to fall in that category of family pics showing muscle. Film, a disappointment, declined a steep 59% in its second frame to an estimated $7.6 million from 3,606 runs for a cume of $29.8 million in its first 10 days, according to Rentrak.

There is no doubt that "Prince Caspian" came in slightly below industry expectations, which had the sequel opening at least as high as the first. Overall, the weekend was down a hefty 27% from the same weekend last year when "Shrek the Third" led with a $121.6 million bow. There are several differences between the two "Narnia" films: The first opened closer to Christmas in early December 2005, and was based on the most well-known book in C.S. Lewis' acclaimed children's book series. "Prince Caspian," promoted for having more action, skewed slightly older. Other franchises have seen sequels post a lower opening number than the original, including "Spider-Man" and "Harry Potter."

Par's "Iron Man" continued to impress, becoming the first film of 2008 to leap the $200 million mark at the domestic box office and coming in No. 2 for the frame. Film declined 39% in its third frame to an estimated $31.2 million from 4,154 runs for a cume of $222.5 million. 20th Century Fox's Cameron Diaz-Ashton Kutcher "What Happens in Vegas" is proving a surprise sleeper, declining just 31% in its second frame to come in No. 3 for the weekend. Comedy grossed an estimated $13.8 million from 3,255 runs for a cume of $40.3 million. On the specialty side, Overture's "The Visitor" made the top 10 list for the first time, grossing an estimated $687,000 from 224 runs for a cume of $3.4 million in its sixth frame.

To no one's shock, Prince Caspian wins the weekend with Iron Man trailing. However, this is certainly not the start anyone was hoping for, and I believe it is being underplayed in the media. The fact that the opening numbers were lower than expected with Indy 4 on the way this week will result in a hefty blow in terms of dipping percentage. What Happens in Vegas… continues to impress with its performance, and I am stumped as to why. Baby Mama, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and Harold and Kumar 2 are also holding strong in the top 10, while Speed Racer remains in the top 5, but has yet to reach $30 mill. Congrats to The Visitor cast and crew for breaking into the list this week. Next week Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will blow the others out of the water.






Damn it Feels Bad to be a Gangster…I Mean Agent
Just hours after his first big studio vehicle, "Speed Racer," sputtered at the box office on its opening weekend, Emile Hirsch dropped his UTA agent Shani Rosenzweig. The move sent shockwaves through agencies all over town, to say the least. After all, it was hard to fault a decision to vault a young indie actor into a branded tentpole steered by "The Matrix" team of Larry and Andy Wachowski and producer Joel Silver. The abrupt departure is the latest in a flurry of agency-hopping taking place across the industry. But unlike past movement in the tenpercentery world, these can't be written off as routine churn. This time, it's becoming apparent that the defections are the fallout from the fact that agencies are fighting over a shrinking pie.

Studios, with slates mostly full through 2010, refuse to hire talent for new production starts until a SAG deal is in place — leaving talent and their reps competing for the few jobs that are out there. The alternative is work cheap in indies or take the summer off. On the TV side, the writers strike destroyed pilot season and resulted in many overall deals being canceled. It's become so hard to make deals that one top agent says taking a straight commission has become more a profitable option than chasing a packaging fee. "The unforeseen ripple-effect of the writers strike and the de facto actors strike is that studios have taken back all the leverage that once belonged to stars and their agents," says one top agent who has moved to the production ranks. "Studios are rolling back and almost everybody is taking pay cuts. That has put a lot of pressure on artists, and that extends down to their representatives. It's a scary time for all of them."

The bottom line is, unless you're the agent making the "Iron Man" sequel deal for Robert Downey Jr., you probably will tell clients that if they want work, it will be for less than their usual rates. "The movement is the result of a weird year we've all been going through," David Gersh says. "Some talent doesn't quite grasp the magnitude of what has taken place. Their frustration is high, but they don't comprehend the impact of one strike and another de facto strike and what that has done to the industry. Some agents have more time on their hands to prey on these frustrations." He adds that with agencies turning to creating independent financing entities for projects, "When some of those deals go south, people get frustrated. "Studios and specialty labels are now making films for budgets and saying, ‘This is what we have to spend for this role,' instead of saying, ‘Let's go hire X actress.' This business has always been about who has the leverage, but I think it will begin to settle down again, hopefully by the fall."

That would mean a dead summer and more client restlessness, as bookings in studio films grind to a halt. Amid fears of an actor walkout, only a handful of studio projects have production schedules that extend beyond June 30, among them "Transformers 2," "Terminator: Salvation" and the Eddie Murphy starrer "A Thousand Words." Only "Nottingham," to be directed by Ridley Scott; Roland Emmerich's "2012"; and "Angels & Demons," to be helmed by Ron Howard, are planning late summer starts, pending a new SAG deal.

"You see so many young agents who lack the historical perspective to know good art, or the understanding that you haunt comedy clubs in the middle of nowhere to find the next comic, or go to obscure play readings to find new voices and actors," says one former dealmaker. "Ed Limato, Kevin Huvane and Bryan Lourd did those things, but the industry didn't run at as fast a pace as now. It has turned into a money business, rather than a career business. "It would be nice if the business got back to building artist careers."

I see no reason why some of these top stars cannot take a pay cut if they really want to work. Movies that everyone expected to be enormous hits are turning out to be slightly to massively disappointing in terms of the box office sales. This new policy of laying out a cemented amount for a role instead of going out and hiring a special someone for whatever paycheck they demand is not going to change if you ask me. The industry is heading in to a new era in light of so many factors, internet sales amongst them. A second strike by the actors would leave an incredible impact on the business. The state of the country right now obviously crosses over into how films are performing, not to mention how many studios are downsizing employees. I mean, New Line was cut to a small group. As my father says, It's time for the artists to buckle down, and show the viewers what they're made of during this time of lower cash intake.






Double O DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way production company has picked up the rights to "Fleming", a biopic about James Bond author Ian Fleming reports The Los Angeles Times. Damian Stevenson's script explores the British journalist and WW2 Naval Commander best remembered for creating the character of James Bond and chronicling his adventures in twelve novels and nine short stories. After studying language in Austria, Munich and Geneva, Fleming became a journalist for Reuters and worked in Moscow for several years. During the Second World War, he became the personal assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence and came up with two ambitious plans including luring Hitler's deputy Rudolf Hess to Scotland, and plans to protect Gibraltar in case of a Spanish defection to the Nazis.

The colorful life served as inspiration for the various characters and backgrounds of Fleming's 007 works, the first being "Casino Royale" published in 1953 when Fleming was 45. The film's events are framed by Fleming's Jamaica wedding in 1952, just before 'Royale' was published. Producer Andrew Lazar ("Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," "Get Smart") says that the film will be quite different from the Bond movies - "There are a lot of different ways to crack biopics, but we're not trying to emulate a Bond movie . . . The idea that this guy's life informed the James Bond character is pretty fascinating." That may not last though as DiCaprio apparently wants to take the script in a different direction with a new writer.

Well this is certainly intriguing, at least to me. I think it is about time for a biopic on the man who is responsible for one of the most lucrative franchises in history. He deserves his own film. Attempting to echo a Bond adventure in any way is a bad idea. The best method is to convey the spirit of the author, and how he crafted this iconic hero. I trust that DiCaprio will decide upon a fine angle for this project. He would not have pursued without a preliminary plan. The title needs some work I'd say. I'm anxious to stay up to date on this one.






Indiana LaBeouf and the Dumb Idea for Extending the Series
George Lucas tells Fox News he and director Steven Spielberg have left the door open for a fifth "Indiana Jones movie. "I haven't even told Steven or Harrison this. But I have an idea to make Shia [LaBeouf] the lead character next time and have Harrison [Ford] come back like Sean Connery did in the last movie. I can see it working out." Meanwhile, "Zodiac" screenwriter James Vanderbilt has apparently turned in a working draft for "Spider-Man 4" to Sony Pictures reports Cinematical. Most interesting is that the script is said to use a story spread out over two films, which opens up the possibility that the studio might shoot the next two films back-to-back.

Maybe I missed the part where Shia proved he could carry an entire franchise. Actually Leonard Hayhurst spoke to me about this news, and said that Lucas wants LaBeouf to be the star in multiple more sequels. Spielberg might have something to say about that. For starters, if he is the lead, what would the title be? You can't just leave Indiana Jones, and without that, who would care? LaBeouf's name is Mutt Williams in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Would it be "Mutt Williams and the …" or Indiana Jones Jr. and the …" Both are lame. Bad idea, plain and simple. As for Spider-Man 4, fourth installments are a mixed bag in Hollywood. Rocky IV and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home are exceptions, but let's face it, usually this spells disaster, and after Spider-Man 3, how much better can it get with returning cast and crew members up in the air?






Daniel Day-Lewis Carries a Tune
Daniel Day-Lewis is in talks to star in "Nine," the musical Rob Marshall is directing for the Weinstein Co, says Variety. Day-Lewis would play the role of Guido Contini, replacing Javier Bardem, who dropped out of a planned fall start, stating he was exhausted from work and awards season. The role is a famous film director who experiences personal and creative crisis while trying to balance all the women in his life. Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Sophia Loren, Nicole Kidman and Judi Dench will play the women.

Aside from Nicole Kidman, this cast looks fabulous. Daniel Day-Lewis joining Marion Cotillard in a musical. That is an easy winner. Throw in Penelope Cruz, Sophia Loren, and Judi Dench, and my ticket is already bought. Penelope Cruz had a singing scene in Volver, though it was horrendously dubbed. Rob Marshall has shown the world his abilities with Chicago, and he could use a bouncing back after Memoirs of a Geisha. Nine has all the signs of a terrific film.

The 20 Second Sermon

Mark Ruffalo and Amy Adams are set for Director Noah Baumbach's next flick, Greenburg. Baumbach and Adams is like a match made in movie Heaven if you ask me. Denzel Washington and Tom Cruise are preparing to appear in Philip Noyce's 28th Amendment. Noyce's last effort, Catch a Fire, was hugely underrated. I dislike Cruise, but he is a good actor and Noyce is a suitable fit for him. J.J. Abrams is apparently not too enthusiastic on a Cloverfield sequel. You won't hear me say this too often, but that is a big mistake. This film was built as if a sequel would be released, answering more questions. I enjoyed the movie, but without at least one sequel, it will not age well years down the road. Brian Levant has signed on to helm a TV movie prequel for the live-action Scooby-Doo franchise. A nationwide casting call is out for the main characters. The script must really blow for this to already be shoved onto television. Michael Moore has denied reports that his next documentary is a sequel to Fahrenheit 9/11. He says he'll do it no matter who the President is because "we have a big mess that needs to be cleaned up." I'm sorry, but Moore approaches his projects with a pompous attitude that makes me want to hit him.

What's Coming to DVD….Buy or Avoid?

DVD Headline of the Week



George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead - This is displayed in most of the new advertisements as coming out, but Amazon does not have it available. Anyway, this was a solid zombie film with cool kills and plenty of humor. Buyable

National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets (Two-Disc Collector‘s Edition) - This was certainly not as competently fun as the first, but it was pretty neat in its own way, and if you're a completest like me, you'll want this. A single disc will be available as well. Buy it Used

WWE: Wrestle Mania 24 - I didn't see this, but that is insignificant because it is Wrestle Mania and all wrestling fans watch it. This might be the first time I'd recommend a Blu-Ray over the standard. I'm anxious to see how it looks.

James Stewart: The Western Collection - A set of six films, many of which are described as film noir westerns. Winchester 73 is a goodie. The others I am not as familiar with, but Stewart rules. That is all. Buyable

The Air I Breathe - One of those movies with a huge popular cast that stayed in limited release for about 2 weeks. I am curious, but I doubt it is anything extraordinary.

What Did You Do In the War Daddy? - This stars James Coburn and Dick Shawn from 1966. I haven't a clue how good or bad this is, but the cover caught my eye.

Tom Selleck Western Collection - That's right, Magnum has his own western box set. This has Monte Walsh, and two other movies not worth mentioning. The price tag is low, so I say give old Tom your cash.

Night of the Living Dead - Lord only knows how many times Romero has dipped this on DVD. I own the Millenium Collection version, which is fine with me. Apparently this has new extras and is remastered. You be the judge. If you do not have it, by all means get this one. Buyable

Flock - This Richard Gere/Claire Danes S&M thriller appeared at the Palm Beach Film Festival, but is going Direct-to-DVD. Those two make an intriguing combo, but I doubt I'll remember to see this.

Eclipse Series 9 - The Delirious Fictions of William Klein: Criterion Collection - I've actually seen a few selections from these various Eclipse box sets, and they're worth checking out if you enjoy overlooked and artful cinema.

Strange Wilderness - Sometimes random stupid comedy can be fun and a guilty pleasure, like in Grandma's Boy, but in this case, the result is lame and totally idiotic. Steve Zahn returns to his normal behavior in this dud. Forgettable

Lost Colony - This movie that no one will give a crap about stars Adrian Paul, yet it is $25 on Amazon. Who would pay that much? Not me.

The New Maverick - In case you wanted to know anything about the "Maverick" universe, listen to our pod cast because Mr. Hayhurst gives the entire rundown.

Hamburger Hill (20th Anniversary) - Honestly, I've only seen parts of this one, but I do know Don Cheadle was only a background character, yet he receives top billing, and Steven Weber's name appears nowhere. WTF?!

Movie Dictionary: Word of the Week

Wuxia - Wuxia or Wǔxiá, literally meaning "martial (arts) heroes", is a distinct quasi-fantasy sub-genre of the martial arts genre in literature, television and cinema. Wǔxiá has figured prominently in the popular culture of Chinese-speaking areas since ancient times to the present, and the most important writers have devoted followings. The wǔxiá genre is a blend of the philosophy of xiá ("honor code", "an ethical person", "knight-errant"), and China's long history in wǔshù ("kung fu" or "martial arts"). A male martial artist who follows the code of xiá is called a swordsman, or xiákè . Japan's samurai bushidō traditions, Western Europe's knight chivalry traditions, and America's gunslinger Western traditions all share some aspects with China's swordsman xiá traditions. The swordsmen in wǔxiá need not serve a lord or hold any military power and they are not required to be from an aristocratic class, although some are.

The earliest wǔxiá films date back to the 1920s. Films created by King Hu and Shaw Studio featured sophisticated action choreography using wire and trampoline assisted acrobatics combined with sped up camera techniques. The storylines in the early films were loosely adapted from existing literature. Cheng Pei-Pei and Jimmy Wang-Yu were two of the biggest stars in the days of Shaw Studio and King Hu. Cantonese screen idol Connie Chan Po-chu grew up starring in wǔxiá films and was famous for her male roles. Jet Li is a more recent star of wǔxiá films, having appeared in the "Swordsman" series and Hero amongst others. Yuen Woo Ping was a choreographer who achieved fame by crafting stunning action-sequences in films of the genre. Mainland Chinese director Zhang Yimou's foray into wǔxiá films was distinguished by the imaginative use of vivid colours and breathtaking background settings.

Wǔxiá was introduced to the Hollywood studios in 2000 by Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." Following Ang Lee's footsteps, Zhang Yimou made "Hero", targeted for the international market, in 2003, and "House of Flying Daggers" in 2004. American audiences are also being introduced to wǔxiá through Asian-television stations in larger cities, which feature well-produced miniseries such as "Warriors of the Yang Clan" and "Paradise", often with English subtitles. With complex, almost soap-opera storylines, lavish sets and costumes, and veteran actors in pivotal roles, these tales can appeal to a variety of audiences.

--from Wikipedia.org

The Critic's Quickee

Speed Racer - Ok, I have already gone into detail about this on the podcast, but I might as well list some thoughts here too. First and foremost, this is primarily a kids film, and yes, I'm taking into account the swearing scenes, the violence, and the corporation lingo. The swearing and corporation mumbo jumbo should resonate fine with young boys. It's not like television is always appropriate. Secondly, this is a live-action anime picture, and you either like that or you don't. The performances are exaggerated, but accepting the live-action cartoon statement, that should be expected. The marketers behind this film did a poor job to say the least. By displaying the line "From the Creators of the Matrix Trilogy", it gives the impression that this is intended for those viewers, plus that line puts all the memories of that franchise back in people's heads. A lot of moviegoers will never forgive the Wachowski's for the conclusion to that series, so of course many will want to hate whatever they do next. That is beside the point. Is this a perfect film? Hell no. It has several problems, the biggest of which is Spritle and the monkey. They are increasingly annoying. The scrolling commentator faces become a bit excessive as well. However, on the positive side, the over the top acting did not bother me because I felt it meshed well with the conveyed universe. The visuals were incredible. The vast array of colors and lights were invigorating and inventive. The race sequences were also thrilling and awesome. Because the Wachowski's prefer to deliver material that is bigger and bolder, many will embellish the faults of this film, and if you ask me, that is exactly what is happening now. The running time was a tad long. I think it could have been trimmed to 2 hours. At the same time, not all kids' movies need to stop at 90 minutes. I will understand why some leave the theater disappointed. It is definitely not for all audiences. If you did not care for the animated series, chances are you will feel the same way with the movie. On a side note, I'm getting sick of people telling me that the trailer looked atrocious. Yes, it was bad, but that does not mean the movie must then be just as weak. The cast appeared to be having fun, although Emile Hirsch was a bit too serious on occasion. I'm going to be generous because of the special effects and the fact that I was entertained for the entire experience. Final Rating = 7.5/10.0

Redbelt - Here I am delaying this quickee again because I really want to do a review. The problem is I need to make time. Look for it this week.

What Happens in Vegas… - I decided to avoid this and Made of Honor. I am toying with just caving in and seeing how bad they both are. We'll see what I choose by next week's Bulletin.

Based on the Trailer…

Newest Trailers

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor - Months ago when this premise was announced, I laughed at it. Now that the trailer is finally out, it still looks bad. I like Brendan Fraser, but not this new approach with following the son character. I'll see this only out of curiosity. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0

City of Ember - Here is a film that could end up being pretty neat. The cast alone is worth the price of admission. You have Bill Murray, Saoirse Ronan, and Tim Robbins, among others. Gil Kenan is a decent director and the plot is creative, so I'm in. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0

Postal - It is a movie from Uwe Boll. At least it's not a video game adaptation, but it still looks abominable. (I have learned the previous sentence was false. This is a video game adaptation. I guess it never ends.) Sometimes I need to see these just to see how low Boll can go. Trailer Rating = 3.0/10.0

The X-Files: I Want to Believe - I really need to revisit this series. From what I read, a list of episodes are related to this film. Either way, the trailer looks average to me. I like what Duchovny has been doing lately, so I'll see this no matter what. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0

May Releases

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Hey, it Indy, our favorite history professor, and he has returned. This preview was wonderful. The action looks fantastic. I am so there. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2) - I thought this wasn't nearly as inspiring as the first trailer, and gave away too much information. Of course this matters not since I will be seeing it on opening day for sure. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

Sex and the City (2) - The teaser was fine, and that should have been it, but this new trailer spoils the end of the series, and most of the plot in the film. Why bother seeing it now? This is one of the worst kind of previews. Trailer Rating = 2.5/10.0

Midnight Meat Train - You watch this preview, and it strikes you as a riveting thriller, then the title comes up, and you can't help but chuckle. It seems to take itself way too seriously for a bizarre title like that. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0

War, Inc. - A satire about war with a really intriguing and hilarious cast led by John Cusack. I'm anxious to see this. It looks funny and entertaining at the same time. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

The Tracey Fragments - For all those who question the abilities of Ellen Page, watch this preview. This looks outstanding. The plot seems different, and the cast looks good. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

The Strangers - They actually showed this preview before Baby Mama and the audience erupted in laughter. This looks incredibly dumb, and what was Liv Tyler thinking doing a clumsy horror flick? Trailer Rating = 4.0/10.0

June Releases
You Don't Mess With the Zohan - What a shame that Adam Sandler's films seem to be getting worse. I have no interest in seeing this, and I did not laugh once during this trailer. Same old song and dance from him. Trailer Rating = 4.0/10.0

Kung Fu Panda - This could be funny. Jack Black has solid voice for CGI, and the premise is intriguing. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

Get Smart - I need to catch a few episodes of the original show before seeing the film. The trailer is funny, which means it should be somewhat fun. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

The Love Guru - I usually enjoy Mike Myers, but this new character might not be as popular as Austin Powers or Wayne Campbell. I laughed a few times, but this has not really jumped out as all that spectacular. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0

The Incredible Hulk - I love Edward Norton, but I fail to see how this will right all the wrongs of Ang Lee's version. Is the origin story the biggest demand from fans? This just looks ok so far, and the CGI appears sloppy. It is a long ways away, but I'm not impressed. Trailer Rating = 5.5/10.0

The Incredible Hulk (2) - This second trailer is a bit better than the first, but not by a lot. It shows part of the transformation and more of William Hurt, which was neat, but the CGI still looks bad to me. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

Wanted (2) - This movie does look extremely cool, but I still se a lot of Matrix elements. Oh well, Angelina Jolie is sexy, Morgan Freeman is playing his customary wise instructor role, and the special effects look neat. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

Wall-E - Another Pixar classic is under our belt, and I can't wait for the next one. This robotic adventure should be great, and easily superior to Robots. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0

Wall-E (2) - The second trailer for Pixar's upcoming film makes me want to see it even more. I'm sorry, but this company is doing wondrous things right now. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0

Wall-E (3) - How can some people not be lovers of Pixar? This movie looks wonderful, and I'm pleased this trailer revealed some added characters. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0

The Happening - While many have lost all faith in Shyamalan, I think he can still supply riveting thrillers if he puts his mind to it. I actually see this as a vast improvement from Lady in the Water. Here's hoping anyway. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

Kitt Kittredge: An American Girl - The new Abigail Breslin vehicle. I'll bet this blows as it looks similar to Nancy Drew, which was horrendous by itself. I'll be passing on this one. Trailer Rating = 3.0/10.0

July Releases

Hancock - Will Smith plays one of the most extraordinary looking super heroes in history. I'm actually excited to see this. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0

Hancock (2) - This is the superhero movie that is top on my list. Unfortunately this 3 minute trailer gives away basically the whole storyline. These previews anger me. The movie looks cool, but this trailer is not. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0

The Wackness - This little indy was a hit at Sundance, and definitely looks funny and creative by the teaser trailer. I'll be giving it a chance for sure. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

Meet Dave - Just when you think Eddie Murphy will only dove lower for his comedies, this to me, actually looks kind of funny. I'm having trouble admitting that after Norbit, but this seems original. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

Mamma Mia! - I have never seen this musical on Broadway, but I suppose I'll have to see this film, featuring music from Abba…ugh. It doesn't look terrible, but it's not my type of thing. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0

Hellboy II: The Golden Army - I loved the first film, and am greatly anticipating the sequel. It looks to have kept the same sense of visual excitement and adventure. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

The Dark Knight (2) - I have to admit, despite the endless news bits about this film, the trailer is marvelous and could not have been handled better. This will rock. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0

The Dark Knight (3) - I'll be honest. I was getting sick of everyone talking about this movie, that is until I saw this trailer. It is amazing, and Heath Ledger's performance looks to go down as one of the best in term so of comic book adaptations. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0

Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D - This will most likely be cheesy and preposterous, but hey, it's in 3D, and it has Brendan Fraser, so it should be semi-enjoyable. This should be fun in the theater, but not much else. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0

Step Brothers - Now this is a Will Ferrell comedy I can't wait to see. The premise is unusual, and the jokes in this preview are hilarious. Plus, it's directed by Adam McKay, who knows his stuff. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

August, TBD, and Beyond Releases

Righteous Kill - The new crime thriller with Pacino and De Niro! This looks average at the moment, but it should be fantastic with the two of them as a duo on screen for most of the film. The supporting cast looks excellent as well. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

Blindness - This is a movie that proves how I have changed. It stars Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo. It involves an infection. That sounds rather bland right? Well, it's directed by Fernando Meirelles, a brilliant filmmaker, so I'm in, even though it doesn't sound outstanding. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

The Rocker - Rainn Wilson from The Office finally gets to star in a comedy of his own…with some Jonah Hill wannabe guy. This actually looks really funny, mainly because I enjoy Rock ‘n Roll and Rainn Wilson. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

Madagascar: The Crate Escape - This is some sort of weird DVD trailer, but we see the basic layout of the plot, and it is not very funny or interesting. I could care less about this one. Trailer Rating = 4.5/10.0

Lost Boys: The Tribe - I stumbled upon this trailer for the Direct-to-DVD sequel starring Corey Felmdman. For a B-movie, it doesn't look half bad, though Feldman is not the actor he once was. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0

Bangkok Dangerous - Nicolas Cage continues his "Next" phase with this assassin story. Ehh, Cage is starting to piss me off. He's such a talented actor, and he does this junk. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0

The Accidental Husband - How many ways can we package a typical romantic comedy? This doesn't fool me. It is the same old song and dance we get every year, only this time with Uma Thurman and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0

Quarantine - I suppose this wants to be the Cloverfield of "infected" movies. I say this will suck big time. Trailer Rating = 4.0/10.0

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - It might be Star Wars, but this movie looks goofy to me. It starts out with an excessive amount of Yodaness which made me chuckle. The animation looks nice, but isn't this a bit of overkill? Ehhh. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0

Igor - The concept has potential, but I can't see this being anything more than a couple laughs. John Cusack does not sink into the character well. I'll see this for Steve Buscemi‘s contribution, but I'm not all that impressed. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0

The Duchess - This is a goofy trailer. You wonder who could be introduced, and then the title "The Duchess" comes up, and you wonder why all the hassle of building it up. Knightley is to period pieces as Seagal is to B-movie action. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 - I generally hate the term "chick flick", but really what else applies here. Never saw the first one, won't see this one, and this trailer is not up my alley. That is all. Trailer Rating = 4.5/10.0

The Escapist - A British prison break film starring Brian Cox. This is my favorite genre, so I can't wait for this, but in order for this to make a splash, it will have to be something special. The critic quotes being from random guys worries me. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

Star Trek XI - The teaser was superbly placed before Cloverfield, and this causes me to be amped for the next installment despite my doubts about the cast. I hope it's as good as we deserve. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

Lakeview Terrace - Patrick Wilson and Samuel L. Jackson star in this thriller about an insane neighbor who is also a cop. This seems sort of like Cape Fearto me, but not nearly as good. Ehhh. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0

Hamlet 2 - I heard a lot of positive things about this comedy, plus I'm a huge fan of Steve Coogan, who is the star. Catherine Keener and Amy Poehler also star. It is about a high school drama teacher who writes a musical called "Hamlet 2." Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

Tropic Thunder - I am liking the plot to this film, and the trailer is pretty funny. Hopefully this is a Ben Still flick I don't hate. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

The Pineapple Express - This is the red band trailer by the way. I Haven't laughed this hard at a trailer in awhile. This is going to be great. The cast is fantastic, and James Franco is being put to good use. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0

Defiance - This new Edward Zwick film looks outstanding with Daniel Craig leading the cast in World War II story. This gave me chills. I can't wait. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

The Spirit - This is the new adaptation from Frank Miller. I'm anxious to see this, but from this teaser, it looks a bit too similar to Sin City. Oh well. I loved that film, so maybe this will be just as entertaining. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

Other Stuff to Read

The Best Movies of the Alphabet
411 May Roundtable - This month Owain J. Brimfield takes the reigns and compiled the thoughts of the movie zone staff on the summer releases for May!
The MeeThinks Friday FreeThinks - Thanks again to John Meehan for providing my banner here, and for the Alphabet feature.



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