Watch Out- Theatrical Trailers

WATCH OUT

New Movie Alert!

For those of you who loved Shortbus (and all things edgy and risque), here comes a new film for you!  

Press Release:

Based on the controversial best-selling novel by Dr. Joseph Suglia, WATCH OUT stars dreamy MySpacer Matt Riddlehoover as Jonathan Barrows, and co-stars Peter Stickles (SHORTBUS, HERE! TV'S THE LAIR) and Jillian Lauren (MARGARET CHO'S THE SENSUOUS WOMAN), among others.

WATCH OUT is the story of Jonathan Barrows, a man who falls in love with himself, literally. He is attracted to his own body, carries out an erotic relationship with a blow-up doll that resembles him, and takes pleasure in rejecting the advances of his many admirers. He descends into a world of carnivorous priests and Prozac-popping Polish prostitutes and eventually assassinates the world's most popular pop-diva. "You strange creatures," Barrows declares, "you are nothing more to Me than a meal at the fast-food restaurant of life." But who will end up being devoured?

Filmed in an eye-popping style that will shock the most jaded of viewers, WATCH OUT is based on the best-selling novel by Dr. Joseph Suglia and is destined to become a cult classic.

Here are two versions of trailers for the film!

Trailer 1: 

Trailer 2:

It looks absolutely brilliant and bizarre!  I can not wait for it to be released.  I will keep you up to date, so continue to check back!  You can also visit the film's official website for more details: http://www.watchoutfilm.com

Watch Out- Theatrical Trailers

NEW MOVIE REVIEW

WANTED (James McAvoy. Preferably shirtless.)

RELEASED: June 27, 2008

Jenna Avery-Lawyer

WANTED has all the qualifications needed to produce a popcorn chomping, edge of your seat, thrill ride. Is it fast paced? Yes. Violent? Affirmative. Sexy? Absolutely. Completely ludicrous? You betcha. All the positives appear to be right on target (pun intended). I would dub this action packed flick to be inventively cliché. This cliché, however, was given a heavy dose of amphetamines by director, Timur Bekmambetov. Its pounding pulse reflected those of the audience.

During this film, it was not uncommon for me to scoff at some ridiculous bit of dialogue, and not two seconds later find myself completely absorbed. While I’ve seen this plot before, I’ve never seen it done quite so dramatically. Depicted is the age old tale of an average Joe, James McAvoy, stuck in a perpetual state of banality, only to discover he has latent spectacular abilities.  McAvoy’s character, Wesley Gibson, is nothing special. He’s depressed, has anxiety, and hates his life. Suddenly, he’s thrown into an ancient society of assassins, with the ability to “bend the bullet”, and he’s never been happier. Who knew killing people was an anti-depressant?

Angelina Jolie, exquisitely emaciated as usual, smoldered her way through the film. She proved that even dead on the inside, tough as nails assassins can still apply flawless eye makeup. I don’t think her character, Fox (I know), managed to say more than 20 words. When she wasn’t busy standing around not speaking, she was blazing through the city, proving to be an expert killing machine. I found it difficult to concentrate though, because I was so worried her frail arms would snap under the weight of her fancy pants revolver. Regardless, she was perfect as the cold assassin doing only what was demanded of her, devoted to the very end.

James McAvoy was a delight on screen. I found him irresistibly adorable, in a deadly, torture-soul sort of way. I was instantly won over by his portrayal of the office worker that desires more in life. His obvious abhorrence for his 9 to 5 job and apparent vehement hatred for his boss brought Fight Club Edward Norton to mind, albeit, a slightly less disturbed version.

The action and special effects were grandiose to say the least. I’ve never seen a car flipped that many times, on purpose. It was Matrix-like in its ability to surprise the audience with plenty of innovative stunt choreography. Spectacular stunts aside, there were a couple things that caused me to shake with suppressed laughter; one of these things being the “loom of fate”. What on earth could that be, you say? Well, it’s a loom that delves out death warrants in its stitching, and the secrets are written in binary code. The sight of the loom was enough to make me shake my head in amazement-- amazement that something so ridiculous was being taken so seriously.

If I allow myself to forget about the “loom of fate” for a few moments, I can honestly say that I would see this again. The plot is not as transparent as some may believe. It twists and turns as much as James McAvoy’s bullets. The action is creative, the people are beautiful, and every stunt looks like a finely crafted work of art. See it expecting to be entertained, not moved.

The Official Movie Trailer for WANTED:

Knock Knock... Who's there? SHEER TERROR.

NEW MOVIE REVIEW
The Strangers

RELEASED: May 30, 2008
Jenna Avery-Lawyer

My heart was not able to relax throughout this entire film, nor was my sphincter. I'm just saying I was tense, extremely so, and was also scared shitless.

I'd begun to lose hope in horror flicks. They all seem so uniform, and tend to lean towards a boring mediocrity that appears to have become the norm for scary movies these days. The Strangers does not fall into this category. Instead of lumping it with recent films such as One Missed Call or Boogeyman, which fit the genre of boring and predictable horror, I would instead compare it to Rob Zombie's films House of a 1000 Corpses and Devil's Rejects. It is brutality at its best. There is nothing scarier than real people destroying real people, especially, when they wear eerie white masks.

Brutality without a visible motive, and torture with no apparent escape, create the scariest feeling of all; Hopelessness. I was reminded of a movie released a few months ago, Funny Games. That movie showcased pointless violence, with no resolution in sight. Ironically enough, that supposedly pointless movie was made with the intent to make a point. People like violence. They like to watch it. They like to pretend to look away as they cringe at the inhumanity of it all. Even though these movies featured similar plots, the outcome was completely different. While Funny Games amused and intrigued me, The Strangers successfully made me uncomfortable with fear.

There is a rather long set up between the brutalized couple, played by Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman, that may stretch just a bit too long. However, the lengthy set up between the two only helps build tension, and it made me even more anxious knowing that they had relationship problems.

Slowly, very slowly, it builds until that initial knock on the door. I never knew a knock on a door could be so horrifying. The couple is toyed with for about 60 minutes by the three masked assailants (it felt longer though). It got to the point where I felt like I was submitting myself to voluntary torture. I was willingly making myself uncomfortable by watching this movie.

Now the question arises: Was it good? I think I have sufficiently stated that the film was indeed horrifying, but was it good? I would have to say yes, it was. The quality of acting was fine, and the camera work didn't go unnoticed. It was like the camera itself was a character, following these poor people, but unable to help them.

I suggest seeing The Strangers in theaters. Those masked figures might not seem as terrifying on a TV. Plus, the audience adds personality to the room that becomes infectious. I don't think I'd watch it again. Not because it was bad, but because once is definitely enough.

Here is the official trailer:

Knock Knock... Who's there? SHEER TERROR.

Who needs a man made of steel, when you can have one made of Iron?

NEW MOVIE REVIEW

IRON MAN

Released: May 2, 2008

Jenna Avery-Lawyer

I'm sorry, all I can say is... "It was money, baby!" 

Come on! It was directed by Jon Favreau! I had to get my one allotted Swingers reference in. But damn, he was firing off all cylinders when he brought this sparkling gem to theaters. Something definitely went right.

I have waited for this delicious tray of eye candy for months. As soon as I heard the words, I was bouncing on my heels with excitement. The words, of course, were "Robert Downey Jr." He is one of my absolute favourites. I did not doubt him as Iron Man for one second. His beauty, his wit, his muscles, his… Where was I? Oh right. He was quite possibly put on this earth to play Tony Stark.

Terrence Howard, also seen in the award winning film, Crash, does a fantastic job of playing Rhodey, Tony Stark's best friend. Expect to see him suiting up for the sequel as Iron Man's partner, War Machine. 

Gwyneth Paltrow adds to this amazing cast with her quiet-cool. Well, more like quiet awkwardness, but I loved her all the more for it. She plays the role of Pepper Potts, the highly professional and devout personal assistant to weapons mogul, Tony Stark. The sexual tension between Ms. Potts and Mr. Stark absolutely crackles against the screen! Half the time I expect to see embers shooting off of them as during their many tension filled silences. If their chemistry had a sound effect, it would most likely resemble the sizzle of a frying pan. Spicey!

It's not all fun and sexual tension, though. The first portion of this film is a very dark and tense 25 minutes. It adds so many layers to the blossoming characters, paving the way for a deeper connection. No spoiler alert here. I won't divulge any further.

I was pleased to see that Favreau did not pull a Spider-Man 3. I'm sorry Spidey, I love you, but I had to say it. Unlike the third, and far overdone, installment of Spiderman, this film does an excellent job of developing the characters into people we can feel for. It's done at a leisurely pace, so the audience doesn't feel rushed. Some have said that Iron Man is just an introductory tail. I agree, and it makes me impatient for more. This beginning contains plenty of action, comedy, and drama; A spectacular blending of genres. If the full cast can be gathered for the sequel, we can certainly expect another box office smash!

Here is the official theatrical trailer:

Who needs a man made of steel, when you can have one made of Iron?

Indiana Jones...or Indiana Drone?

NEW MOVIE REVIEW:

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Released: May 22, 2008

Jenna Avery-Lawyer

Yesterday, I went to see Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, or as I like to call it, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of what the hell is going on? Oh look, there's Shia, maybe I'll just hit mute."  Too wordy for a title? Hmm. No wonder they never called me back.

I have to say, albeit begrudgingly, it was a bit of a disappointment. I am extremely biased towards the "Indiana Jones" movies, so that's saying something. It just seemed too little, too late. Putting the plot aside, I'd like to focus on the acting chops of Harrison Ford, which I'm sorry to say, were severely lacking. Maybe it's his age. Is he just too old and tired to put forth the effort into his work anymore?  His half assed delivered lines could have been the result of the lines themselves, which sounded tired and cliché, much like Mr. Ford himself. I'm being a hard ass, but only because I expected something monumental. I guess high expectations always make the fall harder and faster. I'm depressed that I feel such things for an Indiana Jones movie.

On the bright side, it wasn't all bad. I would even see it again. The shining star of the film, Shia Lebouf, made that movie possible. His charismatic presence, along with his newly developed and much appreciated biceps, kept me alert. I can see him following an acting career much like Will Smith's. He's already a great action star with the skills for drama, and the comedic timing of a pro. Kate Blanchett, too, did not disappoint. She took her role as the deadly and obsessive Ukrainian, to heart. I found her disturbing and amusing.

The re-appearance of old characters, and occasional amusing references to old "Indiana" movies, were a nice treat to die hard fans, but felt forced. It made the film seem kitchy, and not in a good way. Since I don't do spoilers, I won't delve into the subtext of the film. I will say that it could have been better, but it will do. As I said before, I'd see it again, but not in theaters.

Feel free to check out the trailer:

Indiana Jones...or Indiana Drone?