Previews — i luv cinema

Trailer of the Day: Haywire (2011/2)

December 12, 2011 By iluvcinema 3 Comments

As I conclude my trailer rounds for this past weekend, I came across this film Haywire, directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring … well a whole bunch of people. I defer to the IMDB for those details.

What caught my attention about the trailer and movie were two things: 1) This film looks nuts and 2) Its US release date is set for January 2012. What? A Soderbergh film released in the ‘dumping ground’ season, what’s that all about? Add to that the fact that the film seems to have sat on a shelf at some point; makes me wonder …

While I ponder what this could mean for the film, let me know what you think? Will you be seeing this film?

[... okay I am done thinking about it. I will probably wait for this one on video, if I hear nothing else]. This does not bode well for my 2012 HFL pick of Michael Fassbender, but maybe I will be pleasantly surprised.

Filed Under: Previews, Trailer Tagged With: action, Haywire, MMA, Steven Soderbergh

What to Expect When You’re Expecting (2012): The Trailer

December 10, 2011 By iluvcinema 10 Comments

Earlier this week fellow blogger, Castor of Anomalous Material shared with us the trailer for the upcoming Three Stooges movie. The optimist in me hopes that this is a ruse and in fact, the film is a masterpiece to rival the best of Hollywood slapstick [tongue firmly plated in cheek].

Well today, I see his Stooges and raise him the following:

The logline for this film is: Five couples experience the pleasure and pain of preparing for parenthood.

Based on the trailer, I would think the audience will experience very little of the pleasure and a whole of the pain.

The film is “based on” or “inspired by” the best-selling book of the same name. As you may have guessed by now, the book is a veritable ‘bible’ of sorts for many expectant moms and the film is attempting to bring the text to life with a slight comedic slant.

The cast includes Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks, Anna Kendrick, Matthew Morrison, Dennis Quaid, Chris Rock, and the list goes on … definitely getting the He’s Just Not that Into You/Valentine’s Day/New Year’s Eve vibe to it. I guess the idea behind this ‘everything and the kitchen sink’ approach to casting is that if they put enough people in it, they can get the widest audience – “someone out there must like at least a couple of these actors.”

Alas for me this is not enough and this will not be on my “must see in 2012″ list.

What to Expect… is scheduled to be released on May 11, 2012.

What do you think? Comment below.

Filed Under: Previews, Trailer Tagged With: trailer, what to expect when you are expecting

Shame Posters

November 12, 2011 By iluvcinema 6 Comments

I love movie posters – especially when they are done well. Here are a trio of posters for the upcoming (12/2) Steve McQueen picture, Shame starring two of my personal faves – Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan.

All three posters play on the obvious theme, but visually I find the coolness and muted tones of the second and the third posters to be quite evocative. But then again I was sold on this film from jump, so I am hardly an impartial observer here.

Let me know what you think.

Filed Under: Previews Tagged With: carey mulligan, michael fassbender, movie poster, movie posters, shame posters, steve mcqueen

Michael Fassbender Talks About “Shame” (NY Times Interview)

October 7, 2011 By iluvcinema 2 Comments

Since it is a Friday, I will make this right simple — after watching the video what do you think?

Filed Under: Previews Tagged With: carey mulligan, michael fassbender, shame, steve mcqueen

Movie Trailer: Anonymous

September 30, 2011 By iluvcinema 2 Comments

Check out this trailer:

Personally, I am a quite intrigued. While I am a fan of many works of Shakespeare, I do not proclaim to be a Shakespearean expert. The scholastic merit of the argument posited in the movie is something that I am only vaguely familiar with – in so much as I have read theories concerning the authentic authorship of Shakespeare’s work.

As for the specific structure of the plot, I defer to the film’s official site. For those in a non-navgating mood, here is an amended version of the plot, as summed up by Wikipedia:

In Elizabethan England, political intrigue abounds between the Tudors and the Cecils for the successor to Queen Elizabeth I (portrayed by Vanessa Redgrave). The film, Anonymous, follows the involvement of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford (Rhys Ifans), as not only the incestuous lover of Queen Elizabeth, but also as the true author of the works of William Shakespeare (Rafe Spall).

As you can see, this film features a stellar cast. Rhys Ifans is almost unrecognizable in this trailer.

At the head of this project is Roland Emmerich, who is more recognized for big-budget summer films such as Independence Day, 2012 and The Day After Tomorrow. So it will be interesting to see what he is able to achieve with a story that does not require booms and crashes to keep its audience engaged.

Tell me what you think about this film? Are you a Shakespeare fan?

Anonymous comes to theaters on October 28th.

Filed Under: Trailer Tagged With: anonymous, fraud, play, william shakespeare

I am Getting Quite Happy About This …

July 9, 2011 By iluvcinema 5 Comments

With the Harry Potter saga winding, as I have mentioned in this space, I will be shifting gears and journeying to Middle Earth.

So you can imagine the level of contentment I reached when I saw these images pop up this week, giving fans all over the world a sneak peek at what the dwarves and Bilbo Baggins look like in full costume and makeup (all Images are property of Warner Brothers/New Line Cinema):

Dwarves aside (have previously written about them), this preview sets in stone that Martin Freeman was placed on this planet to be Bilbo Baggins.

What do you think? Are you excited?

Filed Under: Previews Tagged With: bilbo baggins, dwarves, hobbit, peter jackson

Trailer for “The Unleashed”

June 4, 2011 By iluvcinema Leave a Comment

One of the great pleasures I have by working on this blog is that, on occasion, I receive information from film companies about movies currently in production or ready for release. More often than not, these are smaller, independent ventures that are looking to use internet “word of mouth” to promote their films. I get excited because this gives me an opportunity to take a look at some films that for obvious reasons I may not have otherwise been exposed to. In addition, it is really exciting because it makes me realize that, indeed there is a vibrant and active film industry out there.

Here is a recent trailer I have received for a forthcoming film entitled “The Unleashed” (read the synopsis below):

SYNOPSIS:

Madison Kennard, a troubled woman dealing with her dark past, must venture home after an 8 year absence following her mother’s death. Almost instantly after her return, Madison must cope with the haunting memories of a childhood best forgotten. Lindsay, a childhood friend of Madison’s with an adventurous past, hears of Madison’s arrival and has every intention of reconnecting a friendship once had. Bizarre and unexplainable events occur within the house after old friends come together and dabble with the infamous Ouija board. With the help of Andrew Porter, a renowned writer and expert on paranormal phenomena whom she met by chance, Madison soon discovers that there is more to the board than she realized and must uncover truths of her family’s past to contain what had been unleashed.

Here is a little more about the film’s distributor, Dark House Films (from their website):

Dark House Films Inc. of Toronto, Canada is a motion picture company founded in 2010, with the desire to produce quality feature films that hold up to the Hollywood standard. From initial conception to the final delivery, D.H.F. takes pride in every aspect of our films. From the quality of our cameras, the ability to devise characters that engage, enrage, enlighten and entertain, the precision of our sound, and the finesse of our special effects, we thrive to reinvent and transform the notion of what Canadian Film is capable of.

This is a Canadian production, and according to the website, it does not look like there are any immediate plans to release the film in the States. As a result, I am relying on any of my friends to the North to let me know their reaction to the final and complete product.

“The Unleashed” premieres in Toronto on June 25, 2011

Filed Under: Trailer Tagged With: horror, the unleashed

Attack the Block (UK, 2011)

April 4, 2011 By iluvcinema 1 Comment

Take a moment to view this trailer:

Yes it is low budget and the acting from the “hoodies” may ultimately leave a bit desired for many of you, but for me, the sheer originality and just ludicrousness of it all looks like a fun night out at the movies.

It even has Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) attached as one of the Executive Producers.

After watching the trailer, let me know what you think!

UPDATE: Screen Gems has picked up the US distribution rights to Attack the Block.

Filed Under: Trailer Tagged With: alien invasion movie, attack the block, edgar wright, hoodies, nick frost, sci-fi, south london

Casting News (or This week in Casting – it’s only TUESDAY)!

March 29, 2011 By iluvcinema Leave a Comment

Every week news comes out of Hollywood about someone or other being cast in XYZ’s movie. Not saying that I do not pay much attention to the news, but usually it passes over me and is duly noted for reference later on. However this week (and as the title of my post says – it is only Tuesday), my head has been swirling with all of the news – three items in particular – that have crossed my path.

I will have read the articles related to the news but will not pretend to have fully reflected upon what I have read. For this I will rely on you, my readership, for any insight you may have.

1. Hey, We Got a Lois …

After much speculation, the role of Lois Lane in the Christopher Nolan/Zack Snyder Superman: Man of Steel has been given to multiple Oscar-nominee Amy Adams. In general, I think that she is an good choice. She is after all a very talented actress who has the ability to take on whatever comes her way. As I stated on Anomalous Material, my main reservation with this selection is whether or not she and Henry Cavill (Kent/Superman) will work well on the screen together. In the end I guess that is why we go to the movies!

2. Speaking of Superman …

This week, another big (Oscar-nominated) name was brought up in connection with Man of Steel – Viggo Mortensen (cannot believe he is 52). Anyway, after reports (thanks again for reporting, Anomalous Material) circulated that he dropped out of Snow White and the Huntsman, the internet started buzzing about his possible involvement in the Superman project as a possible villain. This potential casting leaves me a bit perplexed; like I said on the blog, he must be getting a shed-load of moolah for this; based on his recent successes, I assume he is in a position where he can be very selective with respect to movie roles. Maybe upon further reflection, I will come around and see that this could very easily work; that is if the rumors are substatiated. Like I said above, this will be a “watch and see.”

One thing is for certain, a whole lot of talent in being thrown at this “Christopher Nolan-is-involved” production.

3. And Finally …

In the most far afield casting news I have heard, Jennifer Garner has been hired as Miss Marple. Of course this is being posited as a re-imaging of what has traditionally be an aged and prim Agatha Christie sleuth. According to TotalFilm.com, with casting Garner in the title role, Disney is hoping to provide a modern take on the much loved (and frequently adapted if only for television) mystery franchise. It is early days but I have so many questions out of the gate – Will she be British? Will her name still be Marple? What other modern “touches” can we expect?

That’s me, now it is your turn; let me know what you think.

Filed Under: Previews Tagged With: agatha christie, amy adams, casting, jennifer garner, miss marple, superman: man of steel, viggo mortensen