Opening in Dallas, Weekend of 08/11
by Brian
World Trade Center (trailer): Will check it out tonight. The obvious thing to say about this is that “it doesn’t look like an Oliver Stone movie,” which may be true, but good for him. I think we all know what the “Oliver Stone” version of 9/11 would look like, and after Any Given Sunday and Alexander, I’m not sure that he has the discipline to make that film work. I’ll post a review tomorrow, time and inclination providing.
Little Miss Sunshine (trailer): There’s something about this that looks good, and I’m not sure what it is. The trailer is OK, but not great. The cast is pretty good, but of a fairly typical caliber for an indie ensemble. The directors are famous for their music videos, always a warning sign. But I’m instinctively curious, and the strong reviews so far are encouraging.
Brothers of the Head (trailer): Fake documentary about a pair of conjoined-twin rock stars. I’m sick of the trailer, but otherwise I don’t really have any thoughts on this one.
The OH in Ohio (trailer): Unquestionably the ugliest poster of the year (click the trailer link to see it). That’s strike one. It’s about (from IMDb) “a woman who has never had an orgasm, and seeks counsel from a quirky sex therapist,” played by, of all people, Liza Minnelli. That’s strike two. And Danny DeVito is also in it, playing a pool salesman who seduces Mischa Barton. Or something. Strike three!
Pulse (trailer): Yet another reason to wonder how the Weinsteins were ever serious movie people.
Step Up (trailer): Disney bravely explores the effects of ballroom dance on troubled teens, material that has been criminally neglected for a whole four months now.
Zoom (trailer): And I ask, again, why does Columbia hate us so?
Little Miss Sunshine (trailer): There’s something about this that looks good, and I’m not sure what it is. The trailer is OK, but not great. The cast is pretty good, but of a fairly typical caliber for an indie ensemble. The directors are famous for their music videos, always a warning sign. But I’m instinctively curious, and the strong reviews so far are encouraging.
Brothers of the Head (trailer): Fake documentary about a pair of conjoined-twin rock stars. I’m sick of the trailer, but otherwise I don’t really have any thoughts on this one.
The OH in Ohio (trailer): Unquestionably the ugliest poster of the year (click the trailer link to see it). That’s strike one. It’s about (from IMDb) “a woman who has never had an orgasm, and seeks counsel from a quirky sex therapist,” played by, of all people, Liza Minnelli. That’s strike two. And Danny DeVito is also in it, playing a pool salesman who seduces Mischa Barton. Or something. Strike three!
Pulse (trailer): Yet another reason to wonder how the Weinsteins were ever serious movie people.
Step Up (trailer): Disney bravely explores the effects of ballroom dance on troubled teens, material that has been criminally neglected for a whole four months now.
Zoom (trailer): And I ask, again, why does Columbia hate us so?
|Link|3:04 PM
3 Comments:
I saw that first trailer for Pulse so long ago that I forgot the name of the movie and wondered if I'd missed it. There's some creepy imagery there that gets under my skin. I predict it will be like The Ring and The Grudge and have a great setup but then let me down in the end. Which reminds me--yes, oh yes, it is a remake of a Japanese movie, Kairo. Those remakes all definitely have a look.
The crashing plane in the trailers changes in the later ones. Is there more than one plane, or did they just redo it as the effects work progressed? Hmmm....
In terms of Pulse, I consider the original to be the best horror film of this decade. The remake does look to have some interesting visuals and (for Hollywood) a fairly bleak climax.
However, it's clear from the numerous shots of muscle-bound zombie killing machines smashing through walls and glass that the subtlety/tone of the original is no where to be found.
Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Kairo's director) made it clear that he was not thrilled with the remake when he was asked about it at Yale back in February. He's not opposed to remakes per se, but I think he was fairly offended that he was not even consulted by anyone involved with the production once Wes Craven left the project. Bad form on the Weinstein's part.
>>The crashing plane in the trailers changes in the later ones. Is there more than one plane, or did they just redo it as the effects work progressed? Hmmm....
Well, the shot in the teaser was lifted directly from 2001 film. I'm assuming that they've filmed their own version by now, since they've inserted footage of Bell and Sommerhalder reacting in subsequent spots.
Anyway, I'll probably still see it. The upside is that some who enjoy the film will seek out the original.
Well, the shot in the teaser was lifted directly from 2001 film.
Okay, it took me a moment to realize that you meant Kairo and not Kubrick or something else. ;-) The one in the first trailer was a C-130, and I thought the propellers added to the eeriness. The new one looks to be a 707 or DC-8 jet, and it reminds me of a nightmare I once had that involved a flaming B-58 going by low.... (Probably some repressed memory of Fail-Safe.)
You know, I haven't seen the Japanese originals of any of these films I've mentioned here. I should probably rectify that.
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