127 Hours

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Release Date: November 5

Plot Summary: Based on a true story, mountain biker Aron Ralston falls into a crevasse, getting his arm trapped between a wall and a boulder. He's trapped for (you guessed it) 127 hours and has two options: death or self-amputation. What would you do?

To be honest, this trailer doesn't really do it for me. Don't get me wrong - I do want to see this for a number of reasons, but as far as trailers go... it's not really that good. What immediately turned me off were the flashbacks to Boyle's previous film, Slumdog Millionaire. And while I did love Slumdog, it feels awfully gimmicky to use it as an incentive to get people to see this. Even the best directors are susceptible to shitty movies (Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? Jack? The Lovely Bones?). I'll admit it does a nice job of setting up the premise, but I still would've liked at least a glimpse of what happens after his arm gets trapped - I already knew that was going to happen before I even watched the trailer.

It does make me a little nervous about the movie itself, but I have a lot of faith in Danny Boyle as a director despite the fact he ruined my favorite book, The Beach. And even though The Beach was flat out awful, it's still got some great scenery shots of Phuket. Besides, it's hard to hate the man that gave us Trainspotting. The cinematography in 127 Hours looks stunning, and there's no shortage of great scenery in Moab, Utah. He's definitely got a vision and his own flair for directing, which makes his movies exciting for me. Boyle is also a very passionate director and it often shows in his movies.

James Franco stars as Aron, and there's certainly a lot of pressure on him to pull this off. After all, the main focus of the movie is his helplessness from being trapped. From what I gather, the scenes from the trailer are pulled from only the first half hour or so. The majority of the movie takes place in the crevasse in a very claustrophobic atmosphere. Supposedly, medics were called for two audience members at two separate screenings in Telluride. While my obvious reaction is a giant eye roll, I do know that watching small spaces for some can trigger panic attacks.

I'm a little on the fence with Mr. Franco - he was great in Milk and Pineapple Express, but I still feel like he needs to prove himself in order to get away from the whole teen heartthrob thing. I'm pulling for him though, and I really hope he'll nail this. There's been some Oscar buzz around it, but honestly, which fall film doesn't have Oscar buzz at this stage in the game? Franco and Boyle are enough to get my butt in the seat on this one, but then there's the addition of Lizzy Caplan of Mean Girls and True Blood fame. She's the icing on the cake - I just wish they showed more of her.

While I don't think I'm ruining anything that's not common knowledge, I'll slap a little spoiler warning on here just in case... did you skip to the verdict yet? I suggest you do because I'm not giving you any more chances to after this... Okay, here we go... I can't wait to see how they handle the amputation scene - I'm sure it's going to be pretty intense. I keep wondering if I were ever in that position, would I be able to cut off my own arm to save my life? I honestly don't know if my body could physically be capable of doing such a thing, but then again I'm sure we're all capable of anything in the face of death. Just thinking about it makes me want to see the movie even more!

The Verdict: In the theater

Black Swan

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Release Date: December 1, 2010

Plot Summary: Competition at its best: two ballerina's fight for the lead role in Swan Lake. Nina would have the role locked up if it weren't for impressive newcomer Lily. As they fight to win over the director, a strange friendship develops. The pressure appears too much for Nina as she dives into a dark place.

Black Swan is the newest film from Darren Aronofsky. As the director of one of my favorite films, Requiem for a Dream, whenever I hear about a new movie of his, I'm instantly intrigued. He's a master of intensity, and ballet makes for a perfect subject. While I'm not a huge ballet fan, I have a great deal of respect for the amount of hours and training ballerinas put into their craft. It seems like it's very easy for anyone to crack under that kind of pressure and it looks like that's where Nina's headed. What I like so much about Darren is that he really wants us to feel what his characters feel and in doing so is able to tap deep into our emotions. Hence why I can only seldom watch Requiem since it's too much to just casually watch.

It can't be left up to the director though to deliver on emotion though, he needs good actors. Lucky for us, we get Natalie Portman in the role of Nina. I know some people love her and some people hate her, but I fall squarely in the "Love Her" category. She really cares about the characters she plays and of the things I've seen her in, I never got the feeling she phoned it in - even in the Star Wars prequels. Her performance in this looks beautifully deranged as she falls victim to the dark side (sorry, couldn't resist). Plus it seems she has a Carrie-like crazy mother who assists in her psychological deterioration. At least I hope that's how it goes - I like me some crazy women.

Speaking of crazy women, as I was watching this trailer, I was surprised to hear the voice of Meg Griffin. I honestly don't think I've ever seen Mila Kunis in anything other than That 70's Show and Family Guy. She has a very recognizable voice, and whenever I hear it all I can think of is Meg Griffin. I'm hoping this will change that. Plus, she shares a steamy make-out sesh with Nats.

All in all, I think this looks promising. I don't know if I'll make it out to see it in the theater, but I would definitely be interested in seeing this. Of course, if it gets stellar reviews like the Wrestler did, you can bet your bottom I'll be there. The part that really made me raise an eyebrow was in the last seconds of the trailer. I have no idea what she pulled out of her back or why her eyes are so red, but I want to know more. Good job, trailer editors!

The Verdict: In the theater

The Town

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Release Date: September 17, 2010

Plot Summary: Set in Boston, this classic love story involves a boy who meets a girl while he's robbing the bank she works at. The masked boy kidnaps the girl in order to get away, then lets her go. Boy later falls in love with girl, but girl doesn't realize who the boy is. All the while, the FBI is hot on the boy's trail as he wrestles with the decison to leave his life of crime.

I'm a sucker for any movie set in Boston. I know it's cheesy, but I love recognizing certain locations. The novelty wore off a long time ago for people living in NYC or LA, I'm sure. I'm also very critical of movies set in Boston since I love listening to actors butcher the accent. There's a certain flair behind it that goes beyond just dropping your R's. Luckily, Ben Affleck grew up in Cambridge, so he's familiar with these kinds of nuances. Already, I'm a bit peeved at the bad rep Charlestown is receiving. First, I haven't heard of 300 bank robberies occuring in Boston per year. Second, Charlestown rocks. Yes, it was a pretty rough neighborhood maybe 15 years ago, but thanks to gentrification, it's a really pretty neighborhood with a lot going on. Yeah, there are still a couple projects, but what urban area doesn't have at least one or two? Third, "bank robbery capital of the world"... really? Really?? I find that a bit hard to believe.

Ben Affleck movies are a bit hit or miss with me. Of course, we all know "Affleck was the BOMB in Phantoms, yo" and almost everything he made in the 90's is golden... except for Forces of Nature. But then he let me down in the zeroes with mostly bad to mediocre films. I did like Boiler Room though. I do hope this ends up being one of his better ones though. After all, the last time he put on a Boston accent, we got Good Will Hunting. Interestingly enough, he is also the director of The Town. I haven't seen the other movie he directed, Gone Baby Gone, but I heard some good things about it. He's still a new-ish director, but I'm curious to see what he can pull off. We all know he can write well. Hell, he has the Oscar to prove it. He is listed as a contributing writer, so we'll see.

Then we have Jem, played by Jeremy Renner, who's pretty much a certified badass thanks to The Hurt Locker. He was great in that film, and I'm really interested to see what he can do here. His character's name makes me giggle since the 80's cartoon of the same name ruined it forever. Someone else who caught my eye in the trailer was Blake Lively. Gossip Girl is a guilty pleasure of mine and I'm curious to see Serena Van der Woodsen in a more adult role. I hope it turns out she actually has some decent acting chops and makes me forget about her being an Upper East Side socialite.

The problem with this trailer is that I'm afraid it gave too much of the movie away. We already saw characters engaged in police shootouts, professing their love for one another, and talking with the FBI in an interrogation room. What else could there possibly be besides just the ending? I also can't help but get the sense that this is The Departed-lite. Either way, I won't rush to the theater to see this, but if it gets decent enough reviews, I'll certainly be checking it out.

The Verdict: In the theater

Machete

"I took a vow of peace, and now you want me to help you kill all these men?"


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Plot Summary: Machete, Federale extraordinaire, has been hired by some men of questionable character to assassinate a senator. As with most people who hire others to kill, they are not to be trusted and Machete soon realizes he's been set up. What does he do? What any sensible person would do in his position - exact revenge on those who've spurned him, enlisting the help of some friends... one of whom is a priest.

This movie sounds like an amusing romp full of old-fashioned, over the top violence and lots of gratuitous nudity - all things I'm a big fan of. Machete is the full-length version of the fake trailer which was shown in between the Grindhouse movies Planet Terror and Death Proof. This was arguably the best "trailer" out of the bunch (which also included Don't, Werewolf Women of the SS, and Thanksgiving) and I had been hoping they were going to make it into a full-length feature. Looks like I got my wish!

I figure this is either going to be so bad it's awesome, or so bad it's BAD. Hopefully, director Robert Rodriguez didn't take himself too seriously and had a lot of fun with the content, allowing me 90-minutes brain radio silence and letting my 16-year-old inner child come out to play. That's all I'm asking for, really. I'm not looking for anything revolutionary. Not expecting this to win any awards. I just want it to be a badass homage to grindhouse movies of the 1970's a la Planet Terror and Death Proof.

There's quite the interesting cast of characters, too. First we have Danny Trejo, who finally has the perfect vehicle for a starring role. You've most likely seen him before... he's in roughly 220,348 movies a year. Kinda like William H. Macy in the 90's. Then we have Cheech Marin, who plays a priest enlisted to help Machete with his vendetta. We have bombshells Jessica Alba and Michelle Rodriguez in the roles of Eye Candy #1 and Eye Candy #2 (not really). There's also America's favorite train wreck Lindsay Lohan playing... wait for it... a NUN... with a gun!! That's so crazy it could actually work.

I can't forget Robert de Niro, who plays the senator Machete was contracted to kill. Nor can I leave out Steven Seagal. Yes, that's right - THE Steven Seagal. Can't stand him normally, but this guy's so cheesy and bad, this is the perfect movie for him! My final shout-out goes to Don Johnson, for whom I can't think of anything to say...

I'm also a big fan of Robert Rodriguez. Sin City is one of my favorite movies, Planet Terror was the better Grindhouse movie (sorry, QT!) and The Faculty is extremely underrated. He's got a knack for cult hits, so I hope this falls in line.

In order for this movie to work, it really needs to be over the top. And with a gun attached to the hood of a car, and a machine gun shooting off rounds on the handlebars of a motorcycle while Machete flies through the air against an explosive background, I'm hopeful it will. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't, but I'll still be looking forward to this when it comes out.

The Verdict: In the theater

Get Low

"A thousand years ago, he was the most interesting man I'd ever met."



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Plot Summary: Set in 1930's Tennessee, a crazy recluse comes into town for the first time in 4 years to plan a good ol' par-tay. But this ain't any ol' par-tay - this is a funeral par-tay. But this ain't any ol' funeral par-tay either - this is his funeral par-tay. And he wants to have it while he's still alive. And he wants people to come who have a craaaaaazy story to tell about him. He'll cap off the evening by sharing his own reasons for being sooooo crazy and running off to be a hermit in the woods.

The plot alone was enough to hook me. But Bill Murray in another quirky, serious role seals the deal. I know he's supposedly a total ass in real life, but honestly I don't care when it comes to him. It's not like he's in the public eye being a douche or saying things like "The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world" (I'm looking at you, Mel). Bill is just a cocky, arrogant, jerk - but as long as he keeps giving us performances like the ones in Broken Flowers, Lost in Translation, or The Royal Tenenbaums, then he can be that way all he wants and I'll still buy tickets to his movies. Mel, not so much...

Bill's done a great thing with his career. He's established that he can do mainstream comedy brilliantly starting as early as Saturday Night Live in the 70s. But what he's done over the last 15 or so years is choosing (mostly) smart and risky characters in quirky, independent films. He's unleashed this vulnerable side, absent from earlier work, breathing life into the characters he portrays. I hope that trend continues with Get Low.

There are other great actors as well, of course. Sissy Spacek, crazy or not, is still a great actress. And then there's the Robert Duvall, who's been in everything from Bullit to the Godfather to even [shudder] Four Christmases. I'm excited to see them all.

The whole set-up sounds intriguing, and the trailer definitely leaves me wanting to know what he's going to say to the attending crowd or how it's all going to go down. I'm also on this 1930's nostalgia kick. I have no idea why, but early 20th century America is just so fascinating to me. The country was on the verge of a major cultural shift leading up to WWII.

Unfortunately, I don't think Get Low be getting a wide release and might wind up just playing in smaller theaters. That's just the way it goes with these movies sometimes, unless it's called Little Miss Sunshine or Juno. Luckily, there's an incredible theater a couple miles down the street called Kendall Square Cinema, which will most likely be playing this. Sadly, I don't get to go so often even though I'm just as big a fan of these small, quirky kinds of movies as I am huge popcorn blockbusters like Transformers. There's a certain mindset you have to go in to them with in order to be fully appreciative. Hopefully I'll get a chance to see it in the theater.

The Verdict: In the theater

The Expendables

"In 10 seconds you won't believe what's gonna happen"


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Plot Summary: A rag-tag gang of mercenaries take a trip to the tropical South American island paradise of Vilena (warning: do NOT google this word...) and meet up with a hot babe. But now's not the time for frolicking on the hot, sunny beaches because this babe called them down there to overthrow the country's genocidal dictator. Begin mayhem.

Expendables looks to be the testosterone fueled he-man action movie to end all testosterone fueled he-man action movies. With a cast that includes Sly Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Steve Austin, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis and Ahnuld Schwarzenegger, I'd say they're off to a damn good start.

I'm a bit on the fence about action movies like this. On the one hand, I do love a good ass-kicking, but on the other, I gotta say most of these macho action movies are pretty bad. But I do very much hope this one succeeds. If it fails, it would be a waste of so much amazing ass-kicking talent it would be criminal. Lionsgate better deliver, otherwise they're going to have a lot of pissed off action heroes to answer to. I mean, have they seen Rocky 4??

Thankfully, the Governator was able to take some time off from trying to solve California's massive budget crisis to make a cameo - I don't think this movie could be made without his leathered face in it. Seriously.

The cast alone has garnered enough buzz that I'm pretty sure it'll be successful no matter what. Add to that the fact that not too many R-rated adult action movies are coming out this summer and it's pretty much guaranteed. My money is mostly likely contributing to the gross.

Unfortunately, as I watched this trailer all I could hear was "...with club sauce" in my head after everything the announcer said. And while, it made me laugh, it was a bit distracting. Am I right that it sounds like Gob Bluth is reading that copy??

The movie does look very promising. Fights, explosions, hot girls, guys who wear their balls on their sleeves, "down with America" dictators that audiences can rally against... it's got everything you could possibly need. I just hope it doesn't disappoint like so many before it. I have a really hard time imagining how this could possibly be bad. It looks totally badass and I'm pretty excited. I won't be the first in line... but maybe like 50th or 51st.

Verdict: In the theater

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

"If we're going to date, you may have to defeat my seven evil exes."

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Plot Summary: Socially awkward hipster band geek has a major crush on too-cool-for-school hipster girl. But in order to be with her, he must first defeat her seven evil exes. One by one he knocks them down... until? Well, I don't know if he wins or loses or even loses but still wins the girl or what.

Whichever way, I'm hoping this movie turns out to be as fun as it looks. I haven't read the comic it's based off of, but I looked it up on wikipedia when I saw the teaser a little while back, and apparently it's an Americanized anime that has a significant cult following. I'm not a huge anime fan, but there are certain ones I do like, such as anything Miyazaki has ever done and I do have a soft spot for Bleach and FLCL on adult swim, so this could be up my alley.

I figured it could go a couple ways; it could either be really good or really dumb and over worked. But after seeing that trailer, I'm leaning toward the really good side just because it looks pretty cool. This is what I would expect a good live-action version of an anime to look like: a bit of campy, over-dramatic, cheese based in reality.

The whole premise just seems like a lot of fun - "defeat my seven evil exes." That's some good stuff right there. I want to see this, but I might not rush to the theater... unless it gets like 100% on rotten tomatoes or something.

Besides, I'd give anything for any semblance of an Arrested Development reunion - "her?" - and since the actual movie is never. going. to happen (it breaks my heart), casting George Michael and Annabell - you know, because she's shaped like a... never mind - together will just have to do. And Bland as a lesbian "ex" is pretty progressive for a comic geared toward teens. Even Scott's roommate is gay (at least in the comic). Take that, establishment!

I really hope I'm not wrong about this one, because while Michael Cera has been in some awesome movies (Nick & Norah) and some awesomer ones (Superbad), he's also been in some huge disappointments (Year One).

Verdict: In the theater (unless I hear it sucks)