Trailer Hitch
By Eric Hughes
November 11, 2009
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Fix – Opens November 20th
If Fix really is a drama, it's certainly hidden from its trailer. The indie pic, shot over 18 days in summer 2007 in Los Angeles, concerns the efforts of two documentary filmmakers (played by Olivia Wilde and Tao Ruspoli) who race across L.A. to get Ruspoli's brother, Leo (Shawn Andrews), into drug rehab before 8 p.m. If they don't meet the deadline, Leo heads back to prison for three years.
With just a day to get Leo from Beverly Hills to Watts (and raise the necessary $5,000 for the clinic, among other pressing issues), you'd suspect the race to be on the speedy side. Sadly, this isn't the case. Instead, the three seem to loaf around, bouncing jokes off passersby and taking their good ol' time cruising around L.A. county (comparable to, say, a team on The Amazing Race who don't have an avid interest in actually winning the competition, let alone finishing).
Maybe the flick, which earned a positive review from Variety and is comparable to Arrested Development according to Indie Wire, takes itself less seriously than I'm imagining. But it's the subject matter, along with its claims of being a drama, that I find troubling. Consider me confused.
I do want to note that Fix is framed like it's a documentary, which works for a movie like this. The three are on an adventure to land one of their own in rehab, so why not document the day – if, by chance, they actually make it there? Solid decision-making on the filmmakers' part.
Grade: C+
A Single Man – Opens December 11th
Even though dialogue is totally absent from A Single Man's trailer, the movie, based on Christopher Isherwood's novel of the same name, looks extremely solid and engaging. This is probably due to my personal struggle to piece together what the movie is really about. (Believe me, it's a tall order when you know little to nothing about the project). Only afterwards did I find out that Colin Firth's character isn't contemplating offing his wife (or something equally disturbing) for committing adultery with a younger lover. Instead, Firth's character, who is gay, lost his partner due to a sudden, unexpected death and merely tries going about a normal day in Los Angeles.
Beyond the beautiful cinematography that's on full display in the preview, the project excites me for a number of reasons. First, both Firth and Julianne Moore, who likely plays a friend of Firth's character, are receiving a lot of positive press for their respective roles. Of course, news like this is welcomed anytime, but it's greeted so warmly here due to 2009's lack of buzz-worthy performances (in my opinion). Second, A Single Man's production design comes from the same team who did Mad Men, which is fitting since both projects are set in the 1960s. Finally, the movie marks the film debut of writer-director Tom Ford, an American fashion designer who's most known for turning around Gucci as the company's creative director from 1994-2004.
Grade: A
The Yellow Handkerchief – Opens February 12th, 2010
The trailer to The Yellow Handkerchief doesn't waste any time in delivering what people have more or less come to expect from one Kristen Stewart. She appears in just a few frames at the beginning of the trailer, and what does she do? She bites her lip!! Gah, the woman is the queen of lip-biting. (Kindly consult this, please). Good lord. Even better? She gives us a second round of teeth-on-lip action at the very end. You know, in the unfortunate event you missed it the first time.
Of course, The Yellow Handkerchief really has nothing to do with what K-Stew likes to do with her face. Rather, it's a William Hurt character study on whether or not he should return to the woman (Maria Bello) who used to make him happy. K-Stew and Eddie Redmayne play friendly lovers who pick up Hurt in their car after they discover him wandering along the side of the road. Clearly they forget the gruesome truths we were supposed to take aware from There's Something About Mary.
The Yellow Handkerchief looks decent, but mundane. I can't imagine too many folks wanting to line up to see it, strictly because Hurt seems to walk around so mopey for most, if not all of the movie. I get the feeling Handkerchief's story makes for a better rental.
Grade: B-
Despicable Me – Opens July 9th, 2010
For reasons unknown, there's a huge disparity between what Despicable Me is supposed to be about, and what we're treated to in its first official trailer. (I'd consider the piece that preceded Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in July more an extended tease. You know, the one with the fake, bouncy pyramids). Though the trailer sells the idea of one of the world's great supervillains, Gru (Steve Carell), going toe-to-toe with another great supervillain, Despicable Me is apparently really about Gru's attempt to steal... the moon? (Think Dr. Evil; but instead of merely creating a base there, Gru's just going to take the whole thing). And, that the moon heist is potentially foiled by three orphan girls who'd like to call Gru their dad? Yep.
My guess is Universal found they would have an easier time marketing an epic battle between two dangerous men, but what does that say about the product we're actually getting? We're now two trailers deep in this animated project, and still no sign of the moon nor orphaned children.
As for the trailer, I wouldn't consider it funny by any means – I blame the lack of dialogue – but it is enjoyable. The bit where Gru creates a balloon animal for a kid, gives it to him, then pops it with a needle inches from his face is particularly memorable. In just a few seconds, we learn so much about his character.
Grade: B