The Lunch Table: The Daily Munchies: Trailer Time

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

The Daily Munchies: Trailer Time

Rusty here. This is something I’ve wanted to squeeze in for a while—here’s a sampling of the best recent trailers to premiere online. I don’t know about you guys, but I love that batch of trailers before every new movie (anyone else miss VHS, where you had to either watch or fast-forward through an even longer smattering of trailers?)—sometimes I even look forward to seeing some new trailer more than the actual movie (I was actually pumped to see “The Day the Earth Stood Still” because it was our first look at “Wolverine”). Trailers are one of my favorite parts of going to the movies—that cool peek at a huge new movie, a chance to watch the audience react to the return of favorite characters, or just seeing a brand-new idea click with the public and enter the pop-culture bubble—hopefully, this column can recreate that experience in a small way. So, before I get to my usual time-wasting, here’s the best of what just premiered…

“Alice in Wonderland” (see it below)—This is a couple of weeks old now, but is no less fantastic—this is my favorite trailer of the bunch. This might also be the easiest sell for me: Tim Burton. Johnny Depp. One of the most bizarre and imaginative children’s stories brought to life by the guy who was born to make it. Easiest recommendation ever. I especially like that the trailer captures Lewis Carrol’s ridiculous, but still charming sense of whimsy. Love the visuals, love Johnny Depp’s accent and off-the-wall look, and I love the fact that Tim Burton’s trying to give us the first real narrative for this world (the movie will work almost like a sequel, with Alice jumping back into the rabbit hole, and helping the Wonderland citizens end the Red Queen’s reign of terror)—most versions of this story just have Alice going from place to place, essentially saying “Oooh, this is weird too.” Keep your eyes out for a longer trailer, which should be coming in the next few months or so. March 9, 2010…can’t wait!

“The Lovely Bones” (see it below)—Luke’s crazy about the book (which is taunting me on my bookshelf, because I still haven’t finished the book I was supposed to read before it), and we’re all crazy about Peter Jackson, here toning down that great, epic visual imagination of his for a more intimate story. Or is it? Tracing the tale of a murdered girl watching her family from heaven, the afterlife visuals look lush and wonderful, and the family drama moments in the trailer hit home perfectly. The cast looks excellent (led by the amazing young Saoirse Ronan, coming off her Oscar nomination for “Atonement”), and I have complete faith that Jackson will deliver another powerful, emotional experience. Look for this to make a big splash come Oscar time (but which point I’ll finish the book—I know it!).

“New York, I Love You” (see it below)—This one surprised me. I love the idea behind the previous anthology in this series, “Paris, Je t’aime,” but I just couldn’t get into it—it just felt too loose and unconnected for me to really get involved (then again, films like that really depend on being in the “right mood”— maybe I’ll try again before this one hits theaters in October). Here, though, the cast is amazing (ranging from living legends like Julie Christie and Eli Wallach to talented up-and-comers like Anton Yelchin and Shia LaBoeuf), and New York (much like Paris, really) lends itself to some great love stories. Even the trailer has a warm, gorgeous feel to it—I don’t know about you guys, but I want to see much more. 10 directors contributed short films—a cool mix of the respected (Shekhar Kapur, Mira Nair, Allen Hughes) and the totally new (Natalie Portman’s behind-the-camera debut)—at the very least, it should be interesting. We’ll see if this holds up come October 16th, but I’m definitely intrigued.

2 comments:

Daniel H. ProutyAugust 12, 2009 at 3:06 PM
Did you forget about Where The Wild Things Are?. I completely forgot that they were making a movie of the beloved children's book, and many people saw it as it premiered with Half-Blood Prince. It looked amazing IMO, and it also looks like they're really taking it seriously, something the predecessors like certain Dr. Seuss adaptations flopped at. Spike Jonez is directing this one, and good use of "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire in the trailer is making me incredibly excited for a movie based on a book that is TEN SENTENCES long.
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The Lunch TableAugust 12, 2009 at 3:19 PM
Completely forgot "Where the Wild Things Are"! Gorgeous trailer, and the use of "Wake Up" sets such a perfect, melancholy mood for the film. I think it'll live up to the hype too--the Comic-Con footage I saw was fantastic, and I don't think Jonze has it in him to do a disposable, stupid kid movie. Good call--I'll spotlight it in the next one of these columns.
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WELCOME to The Lunch Table

Let's take a trip down memory lane. Yea, we said it... just humor us.

So you're back in high school sitting in history class diligently taking notes, but if you're anything like us, you're doodling in the margins. The clock strikes 12 o'clock and... RIIIING!

The lunching hour begins... you look around the cafeteria, lost in the vast array of cliques and crews claiming their own tables. The jocks and cheerleaders immediately mark their territory and gather around three tables; the drama nerds and Goths have their respective corners; and the student council, dressed in their perfect Abercrombie & Fitch polos, cheerfully greet each other with their perfect smiles and share their perfect sacked lunches together ... so where do YOU fit in???

Okay... so maybe you didn't go to that high school, but who cares? Let's fast forward to real life:

Lunch - the highlight of our day, every day. Whether you're working the daily 9-to-5 grind, or still in school, there's nothing like a midday break, when you have time to yourself to eat, relax, take a nap, or enjoy the company of friends and co-workers... and that's basically where our story begins.

The three of us work together. Now, we're not at liberty to say exactly where we work, or what we do (because if we did, we may have to kill you... JUST KIDDING... er... not really), but let's just say that what we do isn't exactly the most exciting line of work (and it's irrelevant to the story... so stop asking!) Like we were saying, we work together and like all friendships, our bond was built subtly and slowly. The first encounters were awkward -- the occasional, "Hey," as we passed each other in the hallways, the uncomfortable silences in the snack room, and then eventually, the customary small talk.

Then one day, one of us got bold. One of us decided to send emails with the simple subject line that read: "LUNCH?"

The first meeting was weird. We were all pensive. What are we gonna talk about? Was it just gonna be an hour of awkward silence? Were we just gonna sit there and stare at each other's lunches, wondering what the hell the other person was eating? (Let's be honest, what does a Russian-Jew, a Mexican-Jewish hybrid, and a Korean have in common?)

The weather - always a reliable conversation starter. "Crazy weather we're having aren't we?"
"Oh yeah." And then silence.

Sports - The default topic of conversation for guys. "So... how 'bout them Lakers?"
Not everyone followed.

"Did you guys see that new Christian Bale movie?..."
And it was like someone opened the floodgates. The rest of the hour was spent chatting about how ridiculous Christian Bale's voice was in that one movie. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Which brings us to today. You've probably figured out by now that our blog has nothing to do with lunch, or food for that matter (And if you didn't -- our blog has nothing to do with lunch or food. Sorry). The reason we're starting this up is simple: we love movies, and consequently, we love to talk about movies. Almost on a daily basis, the only things we spend our lunch hour talking about are movies, but the hour never seems long enough. Granted, we come from different walks of life -- different backgrounds, cultures, tastes, and levels of fanaticism (some of us like to indulge our inner geek more than others), and we sure as hell don't always love the same movies, but that's just part of the fun. And regardless, our friendship is grounded in our shared appreciation for movies. So we're here to bring the spirit of our daily lunches to you, our readers because, like we said, the one hour a day between the three of us just isn't enough! That being said, we'd like to extend to you, the same invitation that was extended to us on that fateful day. So forget about the cliques, the crews, or the exclusive clubs from back in the day, and stop worrying about if you're gonna fit in. It doesn't matter if you're an aspiring filmmaker, an avid fanboy/girl, or just a casual moviegoer, just take a break from the mundane and join us at The Lunch Table.

And on that note, please allow ourselves to introduce... ourselves...

Rusty - "The Crazy Russian"
Of the three of us here at The Lunch Table, I’m the only one not born in the U.S. So, yes, my first exposure to American movies was badly dubbed cartoons, particularly a very Russian Optimus Prime. And I was hooked even then. But love of movies aside, what do I have to contribute that’s so special? Well, simply put, I’m the Analyst—I love to be entertained, but I still crave some substance from my movies. I can dig a good action scene, but what I go for are the details. For me, it’s the characters, the relationships, the emotions that truly make movies work, and that’s exactly what I look for. More so than that, I love digging into a movie, discovering themes, nuances, subtle character traits, and all the like. I was a crazy little Russian watching “Transformeri”. Sure, I’m now older, taller, and lankier …but I’m still that same Crazy Russian, eagerly waiting to dig into a great, new movie.

Luke - "The Mexi-CAN"
I’m the type of guy who is interested in a variety of things. One of my deepest loves, second only to my beautiful future wife Kristin Kreuk, is the wonderful world of cinema. I adore all types of films – as long as they are well-crafted and trigger something meaningful in the audience. While I can enjoy the usual summer blockbusters that involve blowing stuff up, I really look forward to the fall when the true Oscar contenders reach the theaters. Perhaps some people would say I’m into the fine details of cinema, and I guess that is correct. I like reflecting on the camera shots, camera movement, and the deeper meaning of film. I enjoy endless discussions of such masterpieces as Chinatown and 400 Blows to 2001: A Space Odyssey. However, do not get me wrong: I can always watch a raunchy flick like 40-Year-Old-Virgin or the wonderfully sentimental Love, Actually. Of course, I’m not claiming to be the next A.O Scott or God’s gift to cinema. In the end, films are just fiction, but they can capture and inspire the viewer.

Ace - "The Average Asian"
I like to consider myself a simple man who finds enjoyment in the simple things in life—hot girls in bikinis, sports, fast cars, and dudes taking shots to the nuts. So when it comes to movies, my philosophy is this: let’s just keep it simple. I’m not an analyst, or technician by any means, I just like to go to the movies, eat my popcorn, drink my icee and have a good time. Why do I need to pay attention to different camera angles, and subtle nuances? If a movie can get me to laugh out loud, sit on the edge of my seat, or dare I say it... cry, then I think the movie has done its job. Why overcomplicate a perfectly good movie with all that other film jargon? So, think of me as your Everyman, your everyday Average Joe, who just needs to be mildly entertained for, give or take, two hours.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

The Daily Munchies: Trailer Time

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