Blog Series


True Detective (Jan 2014):

This is an HBO Original series. I caught the trailer a few weeks back and thought it looked really good. The trailer itself is really well done, and the two main actors are sure to be solid in in their performance. While I’m a bigger fan of Woody Harrelson, the pairing of these two should offer some great moments. Having just wrapped up Breaking Bad, this is one I’d love to add to my viewing line-up! The trailer cites January 2014, so this is still a few months out, but I’m sure it will be worth the wait. With the possible taglines of “Darkness Becomes You” and/or “The World Needs Bad Men”, how could it not be?

Out of the Furnace (12/6/13):

I picked the second trailer for this movie, because I liked it better and it seemed slightly less spoiler-ridden. Looks like a great cast (again Harrelson is in the mix), but I’m mostly interested in seeing Christian Bale outside of his Batman role. I believe this is his first feature film since doing that trilogy. Whitaker seems to be making a comeback? I hadn’t seen him in much for a long time. His performance in Lee Daniels’ The Butler was excellent, so I’m excited to see him pick up better roles. I’d be very interested in seeing this in the theaters if getting the chance.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (12/25/13):

I’ve seen all of the currently released Jack Ryan films: The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, and The Sum of All Fears. I liked them all, but became most familiar with Harrison Ford’s portrayal of Jack Ryan, which is a character featured in a series of novels — which the movies share the names with — written by Tom Clancy. I just found out he passed away earlier this month. I always thought it was amazing how he had no military training (and supposedly never stepped foot inside a submarine) when writing The Hunt for Red October, which launched his career. I fear what his departure may mean, though, for this movie and following franchise. I believe he was working with this project, but I’ve read it’s only tie-in is the Jack Ryan character and that it isn’t based on any specific Tom Clancy novel. I won’t condemn the movie before seeing it (I like the cast), but I am torn if I will bother seeing it in theaters.

I, Frankenstein (1/24/14):

The first time watching the trailer I thought of Underworld, then I saw it was produced by the same people and that likely explained why. I like the darker tone/style of the Underworld movies, and it is present from what the trailer shows, but something makes me afraid I, Frankenstein will be… I want to say hokey, but that seems wrong. Silly? Gimmicky? Gah! I can’t think of the word. Maybe if it were rated R I’d take it a bit more seriously? Perhaps Van Helsing scarred me too deeply. This movie could surprise me, and be nothing close to the ridiculousness of Van Helsing, but I’m not paying top dollar to find out. Redbox/Netflix it is!

The Invisible Woman (2/7/14):

I don’t have a whole lot of interest in this movie. It looks like a decent period piece based on Charles Dickens. I believe Ralph Fiennes is the only actor I recognize from the cast, and I’m more curious of his directing chops. The only other movie he has directed, to my knowledge, is Coriolanus, which I believe is a modernization of Shakespeare’s play. I never got around to seeing it, though it looked interesting. Beyond that, however, there is no real draw for me here.

The Avengers: Age of Ultron (5/1/15):

This is just a teaser trailer released over the Summer, but this movie isn't out until 2015. I loved The Avengers, and so it goes without saying I’m extremely excited for the sequel. I still have to catch up on Iron Man 3, and see the upcoming Thor and Captain America movies first, as they are all now apart of the same universe. Marvel seems to be doing it right, and perhaps DC will try to follow suit, but we’ll see how that goes. This sequel should be pretty intense — full of the same comedy, drama, and action mixture of the original. I can’t wait for an actual full-length trailer to be released. Perhaps next Summer?

Did any of the highlighted trailers interest you? Do you think you will check out True Detective? Do you have a favorite Jack Ryan movie adaptation and/or actor portrayal? Are you excited for The Avengers: Age of Ultron?

The Art of the Steal (9/11/2013):

This movie was already released, but I hadn’t come across the trailer until last week. It looks to be a Canadian release, so I’m uncertain just when it may show in theaters in the States. I like a good majority of the cast, especially Kurt Russell. Something about that Jay Baruchel guy weirds me out, though. He is so scrawny. That aside, however, I think this looks like a good movie. Nothing really original, but may prove to be entertaining. I’d even chance a theater viewing.

Big Ass Spider (10/18/13):

I couldn’t help but post this. I really like Greg Grunberg (of Alias and Heroes) and I recognized his likeness on the poster before looking up the cast. This looks like an over-the-top, campy movie that you aren’t meant to take seriously and one that even pokes fun at itself. It reminds me of Eight Legged Freaks, which I haven’t seen yet because honestly spiders creep me out! At least this movie only focuses on one Godzilla-sized spider? This is definitely one I will be waiting to see via RB/NF.

Diana (11/1/13):

The first of two movies featuring Naomi Watts. While I’ve never been to drawn to her, I am curious how she does in this role. I know very little about Princess Diana, aside from her tragic final moments, so at first I assumed this was entirely fiction. It is also nice to see Naveen Andrews in a substantial part outside of LOST. As it is, most reviews seem to be fairly negative. Another RB/NF title for me.

A Case of You (11/6/13):

Oddly this movie has conflicting release dates. Supposedly it was released (or was supposed to be) in April 2013. I’m assuming it was pushed out, because the trailer is new. Either way, Justin Long was once in the limelight, but has since drifted to the sidelines. He’s been in a handful of movies recently, but none of them have garnished much attention. This looks like a decently cute, romantic comedy, but I fear it will be cliche. Nothing I’d rush out to see right away. Some of the content within the trailer resonated with me, though, and once it’s out of theaters I wouldn't mind checking it out.

Sunlight Jr. (11/15/13):

Another drama featuring both Naomi Watts and Matt Dillon. There is also the added bonus of Norman Reedus! The performances seem solid across the board and I would definitely like to check it out. Again, once its released on Redbox/Netflix.

Need for Speed (3/14/14):

Finally an entry I’m really excited for! I’ve never really played the Need for Speed video game franchise, but this movie looks badass. Sure, the trailer may just be really well done, but it sells me. Seeing Aaron Paul in the lead role is also exciting. Being a fan of the The Fast and the Furious movies, I’ve already seen people draw comparisons and claim that this rips those off. I think Need for Speed will be different, and the fact is the games were out long before The Fast and the Furious movies. Should be some great cars, racing, and action! I’m highly anticipating this movie and will definitely be seeing it upon release.

Did any of the highlighted movie trailers interest you? Any thoughts about Diane? Ever play any of the Need for Speed games? How do you think the movie adaptation will be?

Not a whole lot to say about this week’s trailers. We have a simple mix of drama, comedy, and animated sequels. There may be some randomness thrown in, as well.

Anyhow, lets get to it…

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 (9/27/13):

I enjoyed the first movie (of this possible trilogy?), which was based on a popular children’s book. But I don’t recall many details of the movie, just liking it. What I do recall thinking right away when seeing the trailer for the sequel, though, is “Why?”. I suppose that question can be asked for the plethora of unneeded sequels the movie industry pumps out year after year, so why should I be surprised? Even kids movies (maybe especially so…) fall victim to this. If I had children I would probably be roped into seeing this in theaters, but as I don’t… Redbox/Netflix.

Metallica: Through the Never (10/4/13):

This is a trailer I wanted to share a few weeks ago, but kept pushing it back. The trailer itself isn’t the best and what’s being presented comes off as clunky to me. The concept seems interesting and maybe it will play out a lot smoother than the trailer. Beyond being a Metallica fan (mostly the old, but some of the new — or now, older new?), I can’t find any reason to rush to the theater to see this. If I rush anywhere for Metallica it would be a live show.

Zero Charisma (10/11/13):

This is a movie for all my gaming geek friends. Nerds? There always seems to be confusion around geek/nerd/dork, but I believe most I know fall into the geek department. Anyway, this seems to have been produced by Nerdist Industries, or The Nerdist, that has plenty of videos up on their Youtube channel. Honestly, I rarely see any of their videos beyond what friends post up on FB, which is seldom. So really, seeing their little logo does nothing for me. The content, though, is one that I’m all too familiar with and I love watching movies (fictional or non-fictional) based on the subject matter. I don’t believe this will be a widespread release, and I’m not even sure it’s not straight to DVD, but I would like to see this once it hits RB/NF.

Kill Your Darlings (10/16/13):

Last week I posted Big Sur. and I wanted to place it together with this movie to keep some kind of loose theme, but decided against it. At some point, I may venture themes a bit more than I do. There’s possibly a resurgence of interest in the Beatnik Generation? I like a handful of the cast featured in this movie, and believe the acting will be above average, but I will wait until available on RB/NF.

Grudge Match (12/25/13):

My first thoughts when viewing this trailer were: It’s kind of weird seeing Stallone in a boxing role outside of Rocky. I’ve only seen about two of the Rocky franchise, but when I saw this movie was about boxing with Stallone I automatically assumed it was of that franchise — sans the title (which I think the last Rocky movie did?). I like both Stallone and De Niro, along with some of the supporting cast. This could be a fairly decent comedy and wouldn’t mind checking it out. Considering all the other movies being released during the holiday seasons, though, I’m afraid this may fall into the sidelines. Or into it’s respective corner, as it were...

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (6/20/14):

Unlike the sequel for Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, I’m actually really excited about this movie. Sure I could ask the “why?” about it too, but whatever. Don’t judge. I really, really hope they don’t mess this one up — I loved the original. Lately it seems some of the sequels for animated (and blockbuster) movies have been lackluster and devoid of the heart existing in the originals. Given the amount of time between this release and the first, I’d like to believe they put a lot of time and effort into doing it’s predecessor justice. I even recall watching some of the “straight to DVD” spin-offs (akin to the Shrek spin-offs). I’d definitely love to see this once it’s released in theaters!

Did any of the highlighted movie trailers interest you? Did you enjoy Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and/or How to Train Your Dragon? Are you excited for any of the upcoming animated sequels? Will your love, passion or interest in Tabletop Gaming, Metallica, the Beatnik Generation, and/or boxing draw you to see any of the respective movies?

XI | TRAILER TUESDAY | XI


Tonight’s movie trailers are a bit on the underwhelming side for me. I may have interest in one or two of the selections, but even then I may wait to watch them via RB/NF. Some may be a bit obscure, and I’d like to think it never hurts to have a little added exposure. Perhaps there will be a hidden gem for someone who may have otherwise never known/heard of the movie before. Sometimes I even find them myself!

The videogame trailers, however, spark a lot more interest. Especially Call of Duty, as I’ve been following along with the franchise for years now.

The Last Days on Mars (9/19/2013):

This movie interests me. I’m not too sure about it’s release date, but it was marked September 19th, 2013. The date, however, was listed as a UK release, so perhaps it will be overseas first and not be in the US for some time. I like Liev Schreiber and haven’t seen him in much lately. I get a “zombies on Mars” vibe from what I see, with the infection and depiction of it’s effects, but who knows. Has this been done already? Ghosts of Mars? It’s been so long I can’t recall what all that movie was about...

Gravity (10/4/2013):

Another space movie coming out — one receiving a ton of advertizing — but despite the cast who I really like, I have almost zero interest in seeing this movie. Sure I will watch it on RB/NF perhaps, but that’s if there aren’t any better selections available. I don’t know. The director has done some movies I’ve liked (Children of Men, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), and maybe my perception of what this movie will be about is off, but I don’t think I can sit through potentially two hours of Sandra Bullock drifting in space. If I get some strong recommendations from friends, perhaps I will give it a shot. Until then, I have no plans on seeing it.

Big Sur (11/1/2013):

 There seems to be a surplus of movies this past year or two highlighting famous authors and their lives. Not exactly sure any of them are accurate, but some seem pretty good. This is one I feel looks decent. I have to admit, I know close to nothing about Jack Kerouac and while these films coming out portraying his life may not be the best option to learn, it may inspire me to look more closely at him and/or his work.

Homefront (11/27/2013):

I’m pretty hit or miss with Jason Statham. Loved Snatch, but could barely get through half of The Transporter. I guess the scale leans ever so slightly to the positive end of the spectrum. Now James Franco? Definitely like the majority of the movies he’s been in! Not exactly sure that will be enough to draw me to theaters, because beyond him being among the cast it looks like a staple Statham movie.

*     *     *

Grand Theft Auto V (9/17/2013):

Grand Theft Auto V was just released today. I’ve only briefly played any of the GTA games. My brother is a huge fan of the franchise, so I would play now and again when he would be. I never much got pulled into the game like he did, but this was a good five or more years ago. This probably isn’t a good sign, but as I’ve aged I have played more games similar to it and find them quite fun and absurdly hilarious. Considering many of my friends and brothers like the franchise, this will likely be the first in the series I buy and actually play.

Call of Duty: Ghosts (11/5/2013):

Now this franchise I’ve followed along with for years. I missed out on some of the very first installments, but once I got a taste I was pretty much sold. There are two divisions of Call of Duty games and I think each have their own pros and cons. Each year they change things up (like game mechanics/game modes) a bit, but in general it’s the same game over and over. Over time they have shifted away from the constant WWII setting. This has helped, but various changes like Dynamic Maps and Character Customization should be a real breath of fresh air for the franchise. I’m skeptical about the new Canine Companion. It could be really cool or really annoying. Time will tell I suppose...

Did any of the highlighted movie trailers interest you? Does the trailer for Gravity intrigue you enough to go see it? Do you have a favorite Jason Statham movie? Are you a fan of the Grand Theft Auto and/or Call of Duty franchises? If so, will you be picking up the new release for either?

X | TRAILER TUESDAY | X


We have hit the 10 week mark for Trailer Tuesday! While I contemplated doing something special for this entry, I decided it best to not stress over it and stick to keeping it simple. Perhaps when I hit entry 25? We will see.

The holiday season is approaching and we will likely see new trailers being released for the big budget pictures that studios are placing their bets on. Ender’s Game, The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire to name a few. I will be keeping an eye out (some already have new trailers out) and try to compile them as we get closer to their release dates. For now, I will share some trailers that I have been waiting to highlight, slipped by, and/or recently discovered.

Insidious: Chapter 2 (9/13/2013):

Horror is really hit or miss for me. I love scary, but am not a huge fan of gore, which I feel many horror movies default to. Displays of just how sick and twisted people can kill one another and all that jazz. Then again, as much as I avoided the movie Saw, I ended up falling in love with it when finally giving it a chance. It’s true that as the series went on it became bloodier and gorier, but it was too late — I was already hooked.

Insidious (with the same creators of Saw behind the helm) seemed to follow suit of that first movie of the franchise. Letting your imagination do a bit more of the work to freak yourself out. I never... saw... the first of this series, however. I honestly didn’t expect it to be a movie to produce sequels. I’ve heard good things about the original, like some of the cast (mainly Patrick Wilson), and so now I’m curious about them both.

12 Years a Slave (10/18/13):

October is going to be a busy month for seeing movies. While Stallone and Schwarzenegger plot their Escape Plan, Chloë Grace Moretz rages in the Carrie remake, and Cumberbatch gives us his portrayal of one of the founders of WikiLeaks in The Fifth Estate, this film is also being released. It looks really good, has a great cast (also including Cumberbatch), and is based on a true story.

Chances are I will give this a viewing at the theaters, much like The Butler, but I still get a bit wary when they claim it’s based on a true story and being uncertain how much is embellished.

Delivery Man (11/22/13):

This trailer is one I saw a few weeks ago, and oddly it was around the same time I saw the trailer for the original foreign movie it’s based off of. There seems to be some changes, but that is to be expected when Hollywood remakes a movie. Just depends on how far they stray from the source material. I’ve never seen the original Starbuck, but I don’t like the idea of remakes being done within a two to three year timeframe of the original.

I hope I never have this main character’s issue >.> *cough*

I have liked Vince Vaughn since Swingers and this seems like it could be a cute, touching movie. Since I haven’t seen the original, I feel I won’t be as judgmental about this remake (unlike The Departed). With all the other movies released during the holidays, though, I may wait for a RB/NF viewing. This was a trailer featured when seeing This is the End which reminded me to share it.

Seventh Son (1/17/14):

I stumbled across this trailer last week just after I posted Trailer Tuesday IX. That was kind of a bummer, but I suppose I already had a full roster. I made note to remember to include it this week and voila! I know absolutely nothing about this movie or the series it’s supposedly based off of, but it looks like my kind of movie! Warriors, magic, dragons (wyverns?), swordplay — What’s not to like? Okay, I may be biased towards fantasy…

I’m a fan of Jeff Bridges and I may have missed R.I.P.D., but really hope to see this on the big screen. The movie is "inspired" by a series, which makes me worry they stray quite a bit from the written word. It may not be so bad if seeing the movie first and then delving into books afterwards.

RoboCop (2/7/14):

A friend beat me to the punch on seeing this trailer. I’ve been waiting for months! The only released footage was a teaser trailer almost a year ago? The movie itself was pushed back from this August to next February. The studio opted the slot for Elysium and since then rumors have been rampant. Generally, I become concerned when a movie is pushed back — especially so far out — as it’s usually an indication of many issues with the film. This may be akin to the rumors swirling around World War Z’s delays and reshoots (I’ve heard many were displeased with that adaptation, but I still hope to check it out soon).

RoboCop is a classic. I’m not exactly sure what qualifies a movie as a “classic”, but this one is for me. Some old school actors like Peter Weller, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith (That 70’s Show), and Miguel Ferrer are some you may not recognize by name, but surely by face. When a movie becomes embedded as a favorite in your memory, the talk of a remake of that material can seem like a threat. This is no different for me.

From the trailer they seem to hold true to many of the fundamental themes of the original, and they did well with filling out the cast with some well-known actors. The major actor I’m unfamiliar with is in the lead role (Joel Kinnaman). Kinnaman is of The Killing fame. A TV series I’ve had a friend urging me to watch, but I’ve yet to check out. I love the supporting cast of this remake and they are all more than able to give solid performances, but my main concern is the lead. Perhaps after watching some of The Killing I will be more at ease. My friend seems to be stoked about the actor receiving the role… I still have to verify it for myself, though.

I hope they stick to the silver suit, but as seen in the trailer (at least for part of the movie) they opt for a new sleeker black suit. The traditional look is still featured throughout most of the trailer so I remain faithful… sort of… Regardless, I would like to see this in the theater (and review it) when released.

Neighbors (5/19/14):

Fair warning, this is a Red-Band trailer. I avoided posting it last week, but considering I just saw This is the End I wanted to place it up. I love Seth Rogen and this seems to be more of the same. Thankfully, I like the majority of his movies and this film seems to feature a handful of the supporting cast from other movies he’s been in. To be honest, I’m curious to see Zac Efron in this role, because he seems to be constantly cast as a loving heartthrob. I’m sure this movie will be hilarious!

Did any of the highlighted movie trailers interest you? Have you seen Insidious and, if so, do you plan to see the second installment? Are you familiar with the series Seventh Son is based on? Are you a fan of the original RoboCop? Do you plan to see and/or have any opinions about the remake?

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