Trailer Park

What better way to kick off our already server-crashing popular feature than to hitch up the Coen Brothers' upcoming Oscar bait, True Grit. This wasn't available for our now legendary Autumn Movie Preview and, honestly, I don't know that much more about it after seeing the preview. What is obvious is how much is depending on the performance of an untested little girl (Hailee Steinfeld).




Another trailer we didn't have at press time for the AMP was Clint Eastwood's The Hereafter. I had this ranked at #5, a number I feel comfortable with after seeing this clip. It looks like a visual departure for Eastwood, with some sci-fi SFX in the mix. My main concern is that it could get too introspective and, well, slow. When Clint's on the right side of that line, his films are as good as anyone's.




Speaking of science fiction, where did Skyline come from? From what we see here it look more like a summer tent pole than late fall filler. Directed by the Brothers Strause, who I just looked up to learn are FX experts, and with a no-name cast, I don't know what to do with my expectations. It's about an alien invasion--yeah, yeah, I know--and from the looks of it, the aliens better end up winning because, really, how could they possibly not? Puny humans. (Does Hawking get a cut?)



Switching gears, which is not an Emily Blunt related euphemism, is Wild Target, one of those usually fun British caper comedies. Oh, Emily Blunt. Get this: in real life, she's married to Jim from "The Office" (whatever) who plays the role made famous in the BBC original by Martin Freeman who is in...Wild Target. Also of note, is Rupert Grint, stepping out of the huge Harry Potter shadow. I think he has the makings of a solid character actor.



Finally, taking yet another hop, skip, and a genre jump, we have Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, Guillermo del Toro's remake of a 1973 TV movie that most people haven't seen but was the scariest movie I saw as a kid. Del Toro is just producing, handing over directing duties to newcomer Troy Nixey, but his touch is evident. The cast? Guy Pearce, always a plus, and Katie Holmes, who I don't even know what to make of as a person anymore much less an actress. Warning: this trailer is pretty scary. I only hope it doesn't go too CGI on us. Too often filmmakers feel they have to justify all the computer work and overuse their creations, losing one of their greatest tools in the process: subtlety.