The Road Goes Ever On . . .

Here it is, dear readers: the first trailer for "The Hobbit". I just finished reading the book for the first time last week, and I am terribly excited for this film. Enjoy;)

Erm . . . .

So . . . the first trailing for Tarsem Singh's "Mirror, Mirror" came out today, and, well . . .

I really want to like this movie. "The Cell" is still one of my favorite films (of all time), and "The Fall" was stunning. Eiko Ishioka is an amazing costume designer. The visuals in this trailer, from costumes to sets to cinematography, are impressive. But . . .

I think the thing I really hate is Julia Roberts, which shocks the hell out of me, because I LOVE Julia Roberts. In everything. I have never seen her give a poor performance. But here? Maybe it's the shots they chose, or the way it's edited, but she seems to be giving the same line-reading each time, the same throaty, bored intonation. There is no spark anywhere, no energy. And, a few of the sceneas look downright embarrassing. I feel really bad for Armie Hammer right now; the entire film seems designed to denigrate and humiliate him as the Prince. Lily Collins looked pretty. That's about the best I can say about her.

I never thought I would live in a world where I could say that a Kristen Stewart film looks better, but, unfortunately, right now "Snow White and the Huntsman", for all its obvious steals from LOTR, looks miles better than this infantile mess.

I really, REALLY hope the actual film proves me wrong. That red peacock dress alone is almost worth seeing it for.

Black Swan . . .

Those who know me, know that when I was a girl I wanted nothing more than to be a ballerina. I yearned to buy used toe shoes and dance around my kitchen; I would lace my shoes in a criss-cross up my legs, and watch captivated anytime dancers came on TV. I loved ballet.

The closest I ever got to a dance studio was one day when I was seven or eight: we went into a studio near my school, and I sat and watched a class of girls even younger than me at the barre. My mom discussed the class fees with the teacher, and we promptly left. Nothing more was ever said of it; I understood that with seven people and no money, dance classes were a luxury we couldn't afford. So, I dreamed wistfully of dancing. By the time I started doing musical theatre, my brain seemed hardwired for clumsiness. I stumbled through choreography, learning steps slower than everyone else in a sort of antithesis to the dancer I had always wanted to be. I gave up the idea of ever being one of those graceful, willowy creatures I had always admired.

Still, there is a part of me that still yearns for that world, and anytime a ballet film comes out, I feel a draw. Natalie Portman does much of her own dancing for Black Swan: she spent close to a year preparing for the role in everything from workouts to dance training to diet. She lived the life of a ballerina to truly become one onscreen. Whether the film is wonderful or terrible, I think I will have to see it. No matter what my body says, ballet lives in my heart.

Cowboys and Aliens . . .

I'm not gonna lie: this might be awesome. As someone who happens to like the idea of cowboys and aliens inhabiting the same story, I'm intrigued.

The Tourist . . .

This is all I need from a movie: Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, and Paul Bettany. I don't even care what it's about.

Tron: Legacy

The new Tron Legacy Trailer premiered at Comic-Con today. It's amazing that we can now make Jeff Bridges look 30 again with CGI . . . and kinda creepy.

Summer Movie Preview 5: The Karate Kid

The last preview is: The Karate Kid

It is perhaps a sign of the times that 4 of the 5 movies I'm looking forward to are either remakes or adaptions or sequels. I know it seems Hollywood is running out of ideas these days, but I feel that is a remake is done well, it is not just a tribute to the original, but introduces a whole new generation to something their parents loved as children. I certainly hope this is the case with Karate Kid, though if the previews are anhthing to go by, it looks like a lot of fun!

Opening: June 11th (today!)

Summer Movie Preview 4: Inception

Today's Preview: Inception

Christopher Nolan, hands down, is one of the most interesting directors working today. His Batman films are not just great superhero films, or great comic book films, but great films. Now, Inception promises to be a mind-bending work of cinematic awesomeness, and I am looking forward to it;)

Opening: July 16th

Summer Movie Preview 3: Toy Story 3

Today's Trailer: Toy Story 3

I remember when a little company called Pixar released something called Toy Story, and the world was unprepared for this surprisingly sophisticated, funny, moving film. Then, Toy Story 2 came out, and broke the rule that says that sequels are always a little worse than the original. Now, I cannot wait to see what they do with Toy Story 3!

Opening: June 18th

Summer Movie Preview 2: The A-Team

Next up in my Summer Movie Preview Week: A-Team!

If you're a child of the '80's (like me), you probably remember watching this show at least once or twice (if you're my sister, you watched it every week!). I remember playing with my Mr. T doll, who constantly pitied fools for a number of things, and wondering why we couldn't leap out of the back of our van the way they did, into some exciting adventure.

This movie looks like pure fun, and I can't wait to see it!

Opening: June 11th

Summer Movie Preview Week!

As temperatures begin to reach the 80's and 90's (finally!), Hollywood starts to crank out the popcorn movies. This year is no exception, and this week, I'm featuring a different preview everyday for movies I can't wait to see;)

First up: The Last Airbender

Yes, it's directed by M. Night Shyamalan, which makes me a little twitchy given that his last three films were total duds. Yes, I LOVE the cartoon this film is based on, and will be super-critical of this adaption. However, I have rarely seen anything that deserved to be adapted more than Avatar, so I'm still pretty excited;)

Opening: July 2nd

Iron Man 2 Trailer (new)

The next trailer for Iron Man 2 just came out, and it does nothing to diminish my feeling that this movie will be awesome. Cannot wait until May.

The Last Airbender . . .

As some of you may know, there's another Avatar movie coming out this year, this one based on the very popular Nickelodeon cartoon. I've blogged about its fabulousness before, and now I'm waiting (with trepidation) for the release of the film. Why? It's M. Night Shyamalan. It could suck, or it could be brilliant. Watch the trailer; we'll have to wait for July to decide for ourselves.

There is no Plan B . . .

Hoo, hoo, hoo;)

Yes, this trailer makes me a little excited. I remember watching this as a kid, and when I saw this trailer, just released, and saw the van, the cigars, and the mohawk, I was pretty pleased. Liam Neeson? Bradley Cooper? Sharlto Copley? Yeah, pretty excited.

If you have trouble viewing the embedded video, go here.

Iron Man 2 Trailer

In case you've been living under a rock, Apple just released the first trailer for Iron Man 2, due out in May. Holy shitskies, it looks awesome. I am onboard with both feet.

Looks like Tony is dealing appropriately with his newfound celebrity;)

More hijinks with Pepper, and some witty repartee.

And definite badassery.

Oh, and did I mention War Machine? And check out the classic triangle reactor window on Tony's suit. Very Golden Age. Booyah.

So excited. That is all.

Holy $h@*. New Harry Potter trailer. That is all.

This. Looks. Awesome. And, truly, Half-Blood Prince was not my favorite of the books, so that's saying something. I cannot wait until July 15th.