Welcome to the Weekly Trailer Roundup, where we count down the top five trailers released in the past week, “top” being defined any way we want to at the moment…exciting, ridiculous, best, worst…
These are the trailers that, for one reason or another, you should be paying attention to.
A very strong trailer for Thor: The Dark World (minus Natalie Portman’s two lines of dialogue and the final bit). A romp with the Muppets that looks like a lot of fun. A trailer for Ender’s Game that, significantly, looks pretty bad. The best looking trailer for The Counselor so far. And an excellent trailer for The Monuments Men that’s Ocean’s 11 meets the gravity of a World War II setting. These are the trailers that missed out on this week’s list upon our final cut. So yeah, it’s been a strong week. (Ok, to be fair The Monuments Men was cut because we couldn’t decide between it and Paradise and we already ran story on it today.) Anyhoo, here’s what did make the list:
#5 – Paradise Official Trailer 1
You’ve got to like the pedigree here. Diablo Cody (Juno) wrote and directed the film, which was produced by some of the same people (as the trailer points out) as (500) Days of Summer. Throw in an Oscar winner in Octavia Spencer and an actor (Russell Brand) who, much like Will Ferrell, can be incredibly compelling when he’s not going 100% bat-shit crazy the entire movie (have you seen Stranger Than Fiction, by the way?) The premise is certainly of a film that runs the danger of being trite, but you have to figure that group finds a way to deliver the goods.
#4 – Standing Up Official Trailer 1
With the above in mind, we turn to a movie that very much runs the danger coming off way too on the nose. But this trailer about bullying and friendship (that looks a lot like a younger Kings of Summer) still is worth keeping an eye on. Movies that rely on child actors are very risky propositions, but this one has the potential to just pull it off.
#3 – Enough Said Official Trailer 1
Julia Louis-Dreyfus? Good. The trailer? Good, and with just a unique enough premise to stand out a little in crowded indie-relationship drama scene. James Gandolfini? Both good and incredibly significant. This represents some of the acclaimed actor’s last work.
#2 – Fire in the Blood Official Trailer 1
A microcosm of the week as a whole, there were a number of very compelling documentary trailers this week: One film about Calvin and Hobbes cartoonist Bill Watterson, another about a crew of real-life jewel thieves, a couple about wealth discrepancy in the U.S. But the one that rose above the others to take this spot centers on the fight against AIDS; specifically, on the relationship between AIDS sufferers and the people and corporations who control the manufacture and distribution of medication. Not a new topic, necessarily, but an incredibly complex and compelling one that should be discussed often and with vigor.
#1 – Her Official Trailer 1
In a week of strong competition, this is undoubtedly the high water mark. It’s weird. It’s a little icky. And it’s brilliant. The casting seems perfect. We shouldn’t forget how talented Joaquin Phoenix is, not to mention co-star Scarlett Johansson. If you didn’t watch this trailer when we covered its release earlier this week, watch it now. Yes, now.
The rest of this week’s field:
Riddick Official Trailer – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcklHiZqcjM
Diana Theatrical Trailer – http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/new-diana-trailer-naomi-watts-600219
The Rise Theatrical Trailer – http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=38385
Jobs An American Legend Trailer – http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/jobs-trailer-an-american-legend/
Thor: The Dark World Trailer #2 – http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=38387
CBGB Trailer – http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cbgb-trailer-go-inside-greatest-601919
99% – The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film Theatrical Trailer – http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/99-trailer-occupy-wall-street-601907
Kill Your Darlings Official Teaser #1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgs4o9wjVPE
Winnie Mandela Official US Release Trailer #1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGnc4FP6eII
The Motivation Official Trailer #1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQHftJP11fY
Ender’s Game Official Trailer #2 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UNWLgY-wuo
Muppets Most Wanted Official Teaser #1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9MPGMhmge8
The Counselor Official Trailer #2 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU25WxQksXE
The Monuments Men Official Trailer #1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=felsazClWcI
Captain Phillips Official Trailer #2 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWaQZTxxlmk
Dear Mr. Watterson Official Trailer #1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=copI0cM2e1Q
Mission Park Official Teaser – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qRX8_dzb4c
Grace Unplugged Official Trailer #2 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly7OiIhyR0M
Newlyweds Official Trailer #1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNwxdka5kJM
The Good Son Official Trailer #1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4TsEkw4PJY
Inequality for All Official Trailer #1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCbAyk8aRxI
Devil’s Pass Official Trailer #1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mbq3dR-SEr4
Visitors Teaser Trailer #1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1ZwYJI55Rs
Smash and Grab: The Story of the Pink Panthers – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSpN7ki71SQ
Chasing Fire Official Trailer #1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGTxMUQHK9U
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire International Trailer – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo25Z4CrENM
Philomena Official Trailer #1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6ToSr_LSKU
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