Trailer Digest - Terminator Salvation (2009)

Welcome to the Future War...

Now we know that franchises (like cockroaches) can survive a nuclear holocaust. After the pretty definitive end of Terminator 3 (itself a surprisingly worthy follow up) now we have Terminator Salvation. Set in the future after the bombs have fallen, it tells the continuing story of John Connors fight to save humanity from the machines. Perhaps it was inevitable that the series would end up going here but I think the war against the machines was better left as a kind of back story mythology. News that Christian Bale had been cast as Conner seemed like a good choice, but bringing the guy who directed the Charlies Angels films (McG - he doesnt even have a name) and confirming that it was to be a trilogy seemed like monumental mistakes.

The first teaser worked for me. I especially liked the mixing in of the original Terminator theme. Also, considering this debuted in the first few weeks of principal photography, the visible effects work seemed to be of excellent quality.




'Terminator Salvation' Teaser (1080p) from Yggdrasil on Vimeo.


And now we have the first full length trailer. Its a bit of a mess to me - making the possibly fatal mistake of revealing far to much and reaching an unsatisfying crescendo. Bale seems to be channeling his awful gravelly Batman voice and the effects, in some of the longer shots, look only average (am I the only one who sees those Terminator bikes skating?). I also have an awful feeling that this will be a PG-13 Terminator, something which T:3 only just avoided (it was rated R in the States but 12's in Ireland). If you cant portray the power of the metal monsters by showing the frailty of human flesh then the hopelessness of the fight is lost. Check out the trailer anyway and by all means have a look at the HD streaming from Vimeo.




Terminator Salvation: Bande annonce subjective (2) from majestic on Vimeo.



'I have a bad feeling about this...'


Terminator Salvation is out in May 2009.

Trailer Digest - Watchmen 2009

Say what you like about Zack Snyder but he does not make bland comic book films. His visceral take on 300 was a revelation in a world filled with PG rated, child friendly superheroes and he looks to be continuing this run with his next feature - Watchmen.

Based on perhaps the most celebrated Graphic Novel of all time (apparently we cant really call them comics anymore) Watchmen tells the tale of an alternate 20th Century reality where superheroes walk among us and the Cold War is still very much alive. One of the heroes is murdered and it is up to the rest to solve the mystery surrounding his death - hence the line 'Who watches the Watchmen'...

Since the awe-inspiring teaser trailer for 300, Snyder has also had a reputation for creating excellent marketing campaigns for his movies and Watchmen is no different. This first teaser is notable for its music choices - no bog standard trailer music here, instead they use The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning by Smashing Pumpkins. Which works better than anyone could have expected.


Watchmen (trailer 1) from Grimrock on Vimeo.


For the second trailer, the first true theatrical trailer, the song choices were even more niche. Anyone who can take an action filled trailer and put it to music by Philip Glass AND make it work is, frankly, something of a genius. The first piece comes from his mesmerising score for the mostly sucessful experimental movie Koyaanisqatsi while the latter part of the trailer is accompanied by the instantly recognisable Muse - coming from their song 'Take a Bow'. Together they evoke the startling, eerie difference of the world which Snyder is presenting, which also making it clear that this is a very different kind of superhero movie.


NEW Watchmen Trailer from Young Il Lee on Vimeo.


Watchmen has been in the press recently at the centre of a disagreement between 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. over who exactly owns the rights to the source material - a case which has already delayed its release in to 2009. It seems clear now that it is in the interests of neither party to delay the film further, but some kind of profit share agreement may be necessary. From the evidence presented by the trailers, Watchmen looks like an incredibly dark, stylish and indefatigably cool movie and one which should make a real splash when it hits screen around the world in March 2009.

Pride and Glory

I was a good man once...




Pride and Glory overcomes the clichés of the cop drama to emerge as one of the best films of the year. Raw and real, it recalls Narc in its gripping tale of fathers and sons and the insidious creep of corruption. Colin Farrel aquits himself well with a difficult role but Edward Norton steals the show with his best performance in years. Jon Voight also surprises in a role which makes good use of his stature and brings back the memory of the screen presence he once had. It is to the credit of the cast and director that every part seems entirely fleshed out and real, with perhaps the most effecting coming in a minor turn by Jennifer Ehle as the cancer ridden wife of one of the sons.

Technically, the movie makes the most of the natural grit of its location photography. There are a few long, accomplished steadicam shots here but they are unobtrusive - serving the story rather than the ego of the director (Scorsese, I'm looking at you). The music, from the underrated Mark Isham, is also very effective and subtle, becoming fittingly more dramatic as the movie nears its conclusion. Pride and Glory just feels solid - as though the proper time was taken to really work every aspect out properly (a feeling which was wholly absent from Quantum of Solace, for example). It is really refreshing to see every member of the cast and crew give their best to a project and the results speak for themselves.

Sterling performances aside, Pride and Glorys script (co written by Narc writer/director Joe Carnahan) is also extremely effective, slowly unfurling a dense and dark tale of power, greed and the dramatic effects which come from being a family of cops. This is not a mystery, the truth of what has happened is revealed very early on but a dozen shades of grey make determining the real villains of the piece a far more difficult task for the audience. Pride and Glory is one of the tightest scripts in recent memory, with each element coming together in a way that recalls the symmetry of greek tradgedy, if not its frankly distracting excesses. The pace and power wanes a little towards the end as the whole thing spirals towards lumpen melodrama but the resolution, when it comes, is fitting and manages to sidestep cliche at the last moment.

After several years in development hell and a further delay in releasing to theatres, Pride and Glory seemed to come and go in a flash. We can only hope it finds its deserving audience on DVD.

Highly Recommended.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno

"Hi, can I have a coffee?... Black?
Can't you see we talking?... White?"



Kevin Smith is a talented writer and no doubt an intelligent man but his latest so called comedy is an exercise in overcomplicated cliche which dodges any possible entertainment value in its premise to deliver a tired, meandering love story.

Seth Rogen continues his one man quest to drown considered and witty comedy in an excess of improvisation. Improv implies mental and verbal dexterity - responding to situations with speed and verve. Here Rogen is just making stuff up as he goes along. This kind of interplay is annoying in films like the Pineapple Express (listen to the last conversation in the diner - three actors say nothing of consequence for almost 10 minutes) but in a Kevin Smith film, it is a travesty. Smith may be overrated as a director but his writing - in particular his one liners - are always clever and often inspired. Ben Affleck works in a Kevin Smith film because he does what he is told and the script makes him hilarious. By the same token, Rogen ruins Zack and Miri by neutering Smiths zingy dialogue with constant attempts at his own hilarity.

Zack and Miri is all the more disappointing because there are whispers of a better film here. Justin Long's cameo is inspired, recalling Val Kilmer in Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang and Jason Mewes steps out of his Jay and Silent Bob persona enough to show he is capable of real screen presence. The supporting cast are generally excellent and Elizabeth Banks does well with her difficult role as Miri. For me, the real problem remains Rogen and, by extension, the Judd Apatow baggage he brings along with him. Apatows films are carefully plotted, often with very simple central stories, which gives the actors space for improvisation. In this environment, actors like Steve Carrell (and to a lesser extent Rogen) flourish. By contrast, Smiths best films are dense ensembles with a vaguely connected series of events requiring very strict focus by the actors to maintain any semblance of order. When Smith takes on a premise like Zack and Miri and peoples it with Apatow alumni like Rogen and Craig Robinson it loses all semblance of form and effectiveness.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno has courted controversy with its sex scenes (which are few and by no means explicit) and title but will be more remembered as the moment when Smiths sentimentality overcame his talent. The film lies in a no mans land between the View Askew universe and Judd Apatow territory but doesnt measure up to the weakest offering from either. Finally, Zack and Miri Make a Porno just isnt very funny and that, given the pedigree involved, is the most disappointing thing of all.


[AND some of the best lines in the trailer didnt even make it into the finished film...]


Zack and Miri make a porno from Auston Bunsen on Vimeo.

GAME.IE

As well as working on the first issue of Click Magazine I have also been writing for Game.ie - working on game reviews as well as articles and news pieces. The site has been a little neglected of late (mainly because everyone who works on it was also working on Click) but it should get some much needed TLC over the coming weeks.

So check out www.game.ie - we even have some good competitions for games that I want almost as much as you do!

:)

Click Magazine - Issue One...

I am now a professional, published journalist. How odd...

Click, Ireland's premier (and only!) Movies, Games and Technology Magazine landed on shelves countrywide on Friday the 5th of December. After an extremely sucessful launch party, there seems to be a really positive buzz in the industry and Click could well fill a significant niche in the Irish market.

I came on as a contibutor for the games section and somehow managed to become the editor of the movie section, as well as reviewing games. All things considered, the magazine turned out extremely well and I hope we manage to make it to a second issue because we all learned a lot from this first experiment.

So pick up a copy if you see it and give us a chance to give Ireland the Click Magazine it deserves.

Price is 4.95 from most newsagents and a mere 3.95 in Tescos (introductory price)

And remember...

WE KNOW WHAT MAKES YOU CLICK!


Click Magazine - Issue One from Daniel Anderson on Vimeo.