Kiddie Sized Trailer Review – Fury

Posted: June 25, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Action, Adventure, Drama | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

I have been waiting for a war movie focused on tanks.  Seriously.  I find that environment to be fascinating due to its close quarters (similar to a submarine).  It has a wonderful ability to exemplify teamwork, strife, leadership, emotions and intense pressure.  How do people persevere?  How come they don’t?  Too many questions to list here, but you get what I am saying.  The good news is that this film has tanks, Brad Pitt and Michael Pena.  The bad news is that it also has Shia LaBeouf.  I am just not that big a fan of his acting.  I think he is a bit overrated.  Maybe the trailer folks understood that because he is not shown that much.  The setup of the film appears to take the viewers on this journey through the eyes of a newbie tank member.  A very time tested and effective way for the viewers to be fed everything they need to stay alert and informed during this film.  I am very much interested at what new ways this film will be shot for purposes of exploring the tank battles.  What new visuals will turn up that can help bring the chaos and emotion of war from this enclosed steel box.  Also, David Ayer is at the helm.  Someone that has been in the writing and direction of gritty street crime and police action dramas.  Certainly, based on the way the trailer looks as well as Brad Pitt’s character stating the words killing and dieing numerous times, gritty will be making an appearance over in this film.  The pinnacle of this trailer is the question of whether this crew and its tank will survive its greatest challenge of succeeding against insurmountable odds which as viewers leaves you something to ponder and wanting more.

Verdict: Call the babysitter. Going to the theater.

 

Kiddie Sized Trailer Review – The Judge

Posted: June 25, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Drama | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

So, a quick recess from blogging but back at again.  So, here is the classic trailer where you here a lot of one-liners, but they are one-liners delivered by a couple of acting heavy weights.  Despite, the humorous introduction (which was great since most people would expect Robert Downey Jr. to play some type of smart-ass), this role appears to have more emotional conflict and introspective for Downey Jr.  For my money, who doesn’t want to see Robert Duvall act in anything.  It will be really interesting to see how serious this film plays out as I only know the director, David Dobkin, from his comedy films (notably Wedding Crashers) which do have some emotional introspection but the weight is very very little compared to the rest of the film.  I didn’t like Vera Farmiga in this trailer because though it looks as if she is helping and doling out good advice to Downey Jr.’s character I feel as if the role might be trivialized which sucks as Farmiga is seemingly the only female in this film.  And, please, someone help me if there is any romantic connection between the two characters in this film.  I will just scream.  OK, well, you probably just watched this trailer.  What did you think?  Don’t trust my wacky opinions and interpretations.  You be the judge.

Verdict: Kids are asleep. Watching it on VOD.

 

Kiddie Sized Trailer Review – The Good Lie

Posted: June 20, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Drama | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

I couldn’t tell with this trailer if I would be watching some different form documentary or some higher quality cable movie production, and I am not talking about paid cable channels like HBO.  This film does have a unique perspective that the four Sudanese actors are actually from Sudan, and some had the terrible experience of being children of war.  The concern there is that they “over-act” in the sense that they play their roles too Hollywood like and not authentic enough.  It must be a difficult role to play to have to relive some terrible experience like the ones focused in the film.  I didn’t particularly enjoy Reese Witherspoon in the trailer scenes.  For some reason, the whole time I am waiting for Sandra Bullock or Julia Roberts to open the door, and say “I’ll take it from here Reese”.  Anyway, I also didn’t enjoy the way the trailer played out with all the words and singing.  I wanted to feel more emotional weight, and get absorbed into this story, but I felt like I just couldn’t get comfortable.  I thought I was watching the trailer to “Million Dollar Arm”.  My first impression in watching this trailer is “The Visitor” starring Richard Jenkins which I thought was an amazing movie with tons of emotional weight, and maybe this film does too, but this trailer is sapping its energy.  Get the marketing folks back on the line to fix this! Well, maybe I have to just take a leap of faith here, so I can watch something that will spotlight a serious issue that I know very little about.  What all trailers are suppose to do best is sell their audience that you can’t miss this film, or as I like to call it, the good lie.

Verdict: Having a tea party now. Watch later if it’s on cable.

 

Kiddie Sized Trailer Review – If I Stay

Posted: June 13, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Drama | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

So, we have another film based on a best-selling novel that I have never heard of.  I guess I have to broaden my reading world to more than just parenting books.  Since I am extremely ignorant with these types of books, my first impression of this film is of course any Nicholas Sparks book turned into a film.  That is completely unfair, but since my world is so small with this teenage drama tragedy genre, that’s what happens.   By the way, from what I understand that teenage drama is not what Sparks’ books are about! That’s just how this trailer makes me feel like I am watching. Also, what is going with all this teenage drama by the way.  Oh man.  Kids growing up too fast.  Intense subject matters of death and loss being exposed too soon?  I don’t know.  I’m probably just fretting over having to discuss these important issues with my kids sooner rather than later.  OK. So, I had no idea about this book turned movie.  My only interest in watching this trailer was I knew Hit Girl was in it.  I mean Chloë Grace Moretz.  I did enjoy the layout of the trailer.  The initial internal monologue which then changed after the accident scene was a good transition marking the before an after. The music was great (“Say Something” by A Great Big World), and suited the tone of the trailer well. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Moretz and her love interest.  Seemed believable in the trailer.  So, why not go out watch this film then? I can’t tell if it’s the genre (probably) or that the book to film translation always seems to grossly miss something.  Nothing’s better than the original, right? Maybe this film just makes me think of all the questions and crying when I have to bring my girls’ to theater since I am sure they would be interested in something like this. Hopefully, the wife can bring them. It will just be better for everyone if I stayed home. They can go to the theater with the box of tissues. I’ll just tell them home is good for me. How about if I stay?

Verdict: Having a tea party now. Watch later if it’s on cable.

 

Kiddie Sized Trailer Review – Frontera

Posted: June 11, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Drama | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Here we have a trailer that lays everything out (for the most part save for some type of twist ending maybe?) for its viewers which is a double-edged sword for this film.  As the audience, we know, again for the most part, what to expect.  However, as the audience we know, again for the most part, what to expect.  First impressions for me, I couldn’t stop thinking about the film Traffic and the television shows Weeds and Breaking Bad.  All three involve the drug traffic between the US and Mexico.  This film is trying to tackle immigration (along with gun ownership?).  I am sure there is some other more recent film out there, that is escaping me, which deals with US illegal immigration crossings that does not involve Arnold Schwarzenegger as a small town sheriff.  I appreciate the filmmakers addressing this subject matter, and reading the synopsis intrigued me.  I like the casting of Michael Pena (why is he not more front and center in films), Ed Harris and Amy Madigan.  One thing that made me cringe a little with the trailer were the overly dramatic words being thrown on the screen (and I’m not talking about the subtitles).  Seemed very cheesy and too self important.  It felt like it was forcing me to see this film.  As a viewer, I don’t like that as it feels almost desperate.  Regardless, I am looking forward to this film because I do feel like it’s going to give me some better perspective on the other side of the immigration issue that might not be as addressed as much as other commercial US distributed films.  The side of the immigrant crossing over and making sacrifices where many of us (myself included) don’t think about enough or have more empathy.  Sometimes to get better perspective and make more informed opinions on any issue, we need to see the whole picture from all angles.  Basically, we need to understand what’s on the other side of the frontera.

Verdict: Kids are asleep. Watching it on VOD.

 

 

Kiddie Sized Trailer Review – Are You Here

Posted: June 9, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Comedy, Drama | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Underwhelmed.  That’s my first impression of this trailer.  Not so much that this film will be terrible, but given the “star power” there was just not enough here to make me excited about wanting to see this film, and frankly, this looks to be a a very forgettable film.  Not something you want to convey with the trailer.  This obviously will have a lot of comedy, but it does appear to be putting more weight on the drama.  That’s fine.  I am all for that, but again, this trailer just didn’t do it for me.  Lots of images of weird looks and smiles and gestures along with the overly dramatic one-liners.  Also, Zach Galifianakis does the whole mentally and emotionally clueless thing extremely well.  He looks and acts very believable, but I just want to him do something else.  I probably feel that way in this instance more than any other because of this trailer.  The Owen Wilson meteorologist part in the beginning of the trailer was funny, but so disjointed from the rest of the trailer in terms of tone.  I did appreciate the Amy Poehler parts especially when she exclaimed the line about the squeaky wheel.  That’s something my wife always says about people when they want something.  So, that was a personal chuckle nothing that would translate to many others.  So, I guess I am just ranting over the same comments here about this trailer.  Underwhelmed, uninspiring and forgettable.  Just like this blog! Just kidding.  I love do this thing.  Practicing creative energy for all of you. Hello? Hello? Is anybody there reading this?  Where are you? Are you here?

Verdict: I have diapers to change. Not wasting my time.

 

 

Kiddie Sized Trailer Review – Very Good Girls

Posted: June 5, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Drama | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It was exciting to see a coming of age film where we have the females in the lead, the reverse of The Spectacular Now, and what two amazing young leads we have in this film to pave that path for its audiences.  Honestly, I thought Dakota Fanning and Elizabeth Olsen were sisters for half this trailer.  The other half I was trying to decipher who was who.  They looked the same!  The basic plot appears to be nothing dramatic, but it’s what these two leads can do that will breath life into this “normal” summer of fun before they enter into their next chapter of life.  Tack on an amazing supporting cast (including Clark Gregg who plays great parent roles), and this appears to be an exciting movie to check out.  However exciting it was to watch a great group of actresses and actors in this trailer, this subject matter scares the crap out of me.  As a father of two very young girls, I am clearly not even remotely close to emotionally dealing with this stage of life, and I guess what parent is, right?  I had to re-watch this trailer because I was letting my thoughts and worries about my own kids getting to this age get away from me!  This stuff makes nervous.  You just want to protect your kid, but still let them go discover things on their own.  But, it seems to be an impossible balancing act.  I am happy that I still have plenty of time (denial!) to worry later.  In the end, I just want them to grow up to be very good girls.

Verdict: Kids are asleep. Watching it on VOD.

 

Kiddie Sized Trailer Review – What If

Posted: June 2, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Comedy, Drama, Romance | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Though this seems very plain vanilla, I actually like this trailer a lot.  I have no real idea.  I am not a fan of Harry Potter (only saw the very first film), so I have no exposure to Daniel Radcliffe acting.  I only know of Adam Driver because of Star Wars. There is the cheesy scene where the best friend makes “the speech” at the wedding.  How many times have we seen that?  And, most likely, we have seen this enitre film via its three minute trailer (that’s a short film there!).  So, why is this still catching my attention.  It might be that I could be discovering Radcliffe much later in his career for the first time that is intriguing me, but probably most likely is that I genuinely feel that Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan have some chemistry.  If not, then the trailer did its job of convincing me.  I want to see these characters grow a friendship and grow a love, and see what happens (probably the usual stuff but maybe she really isn’t in love with him and does want it to be completely platonic).  Anyway, this film has definitely been working the festival circuit for some time, and has been looking for a home.  I am here to say my door is open.  Because this could actually be an entertaining 100 minutes of your time.  Take a chance.  Sometimes you just got to ask yourself ,what if.

Verdict: Kids are asleep. Watching it on VOD.

 

Kiddie Sized Trailer Review – This is Where I Leave You

Posted: May 30, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Comedy, Drama | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hahaha.  Oh, that last few seconds of the trailer really got me.  “The circle of life.”  From what’s shown in the trailer, basic plot line here of family member dies which brings the family together and the family’s dirty laundry and other secrets are revealed for the whole family to deal with and everyone is stronger for it.  I did chuckle a few times here in this trailer.  This is Jason Bateman’s wheelhouse here in being present within a dysfunctional family though this does not appear to be as quirky as Arrested Development.  I have to say that I really liked all the scenes of Tina Fey.  This family drama/comedy appears  to be more grounded in reality than hyinx, and I am really looking forward to that especially with Bateman and Fey.  I feel as if they could use a turn at exposing more drama in their work rather than just a scene or two within a larger comedy backdrop.  Though, we do have a scene where the characters sit on a rooftop.  Really, when is this happening in real life.  C’mon.  Hollywood please scrap these scenes.  Also, Rose Bryne homing in on her comedic timing chops.  She really is a great actress.  I don’t watch girls, so I am curious of Adam Driver’s acting before he gets absorbed into the Star Wars universe.  Anyway, I will certainly check this out, but it is totally a stay-at-home viewing.

Verdict: Kids are asleep. Watching it on VOD.

 

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