A "Yes, No, Maybe So" Quadruple Feature!
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 12:00PM Hollywood is insisting that we move on to the current calendar year (What is this thing called "2012"?) before we're wrapped with the 2011 Oscar Contenders. Boo! Don't they know we prefer things all regimented like? So we've fallen behind. We've no choice but to abbreviate our Yes, No, Maybe So feature to get caught back up. So let's talk about four new trailers that have...
What's that?!? They're not new anymore? Stop rushing me.
None of the movies have opened yet so they're fair game. Care for a nerve-wracking conversation with Sigourney Weaver? Some senior mugging with Diane & Kevin? Think Jeremy Renner can fill Matt Damon's big shoes?
"Help. I'm lost in the thick woods of movie trailers."
Which of these movies are you eager to see, which will you avoid, and which of these first tastes leave you undecided? Four new(ish) trailers after the jump. Discuss! You've been too quiet and are freaking me out.
DARLING COMPANION
Yes Well, so many endearing actors we don't get to see that much in big roles are working this ensemble.
No It looks a little broad, right? Keaton and Kline can be adorable when they aren't being insufferable but it can be a fine line with the born hams.
Maybe So On the other hand, who knows. Why can't the year of the movie dog extend into 2012 and embrace "Freeway".
THE BOURNE LEGACY
Yes Jeremy Renner: Yes! Though I hope he moves away from the franchises soon; Joan Allen: You can't make one of these movies without her. It's the law!; Edward Norton: Franchise penance for past behavior while Mark Ruffalo takes over as The Hulk?; David Strathairn, Albert Finney: Of course; Donna Murphy: Why thank you, casting director. A nice surprise; The point being: it's all about the cast, since the template is already so familiar. (Oscar Isaac is also in this and he's a yes too though I didn't spot him in the trailer)
No The obscuring lines that move across the screen are meant to heighten anticipation but if you're not anticipating they annoy. We've already had three of these films. Are we expected to be just anxious for this to arrive? I don't know if you agree but they need to show me I should be excited rather than spend the time milking my non-existent excitement. Plus when the lines go vertically and separated I am reminded of Dynasty's opening credits because it happened at me in my formative years and now I am as old as Jeremy Renner thinking about Dynasty instead of Jason Bourne or whoever this new guy is. And while we're back in the 1980s this plot seems to be Yoda inspired. 'There is another.'
Maybe So Fine cast. Good director (regardless of what Matt Damon thinks of him). But I'm not excited yet.
SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD
Yes Promising start to the trailer introducing the high concept with economy.
We'll be bringing you your countdown to the End of Days along with all your classic rock favorites."
That's really all you need given that Carell is the star and his whole persona swings with great implicit familiarity on that 'my life is falling apart but this amuses' vine he's swung on to great effect previously. I don't mean this in a bad way. It's not tired shtick yet. And I'm amused that we're getting a comic variation on the plot of Melancholia so quickly. And big bonus points for casting Melanie Lynskey and Patton Oswalt in supporting roles.
No Eh... I could do without the gay panic moment in "Friendsies" when Steve thinks the very very happy host is going to kiss him.
Maybe So With such an unusual concept will the film dare to mine any fresh unusual comic material. Or just the usual sort of middle age crisis yucks and the usual sort of Hollywood-Approved much older man and younger woman romance? (I'm assuming that Keira and Steve fall for each other even if they're searching for lost loves)
COLD LIGHT OF DAY
Caution: This trailer seems to contain the entire plot
Yes Don't you love it when SigWeavie says...
You're scared and scared people holding guns in my face scares me."
...but she sounds as calm as you and I might be whilst dropping off dry cleaning. Nothing scares this badass bitch. Bring it Ripley! At least you have real actors to play off of this time if you know what I mean.
No Well, haven't we just seen the whole movie but for the finale?
Maybe So Henry Cavill's jawline is pretty sweet. Bruce & Sigourney are always fun to watch even in subpar movies but does the movie have any worthwhile setpieces or did they blow their wad with the shot of Cavill jumping off the roof. He can't fly yet. Man of Steel doesn't open until 2013.
YES NO MAYBE SO? Have it in... 4 times in the comments.
Reader Comments (16)
I heard from early test screening that Seeking A Friend’s end is quite depressing and sad and we know Hollywood producers won’t like that. I don’t know if director/writer Lorene Scafaria will change or still stick with the original ending.
No. The cast can't over come a shallow trailer.
Aren't you even a bit older than Jeremy Renner? In any case, I think they should have cast Diane Keaton in Renner's role. She would have been a much better choice for a CIA killer than that badly proportioned baby.
wow, four movies and none of them interest me one bit. i can't even be bothered to ....
Seeking a Friend... really interests me. Looks very offbeat for a studio comedy, and it's been almost eight years since Knightley was in anything like this (and her part in Love Actually wasn't really that comedic, so really it's been ten years since Bend It Like Beckham).
I'm not going to pretend I'm a nice guy:
Take "Did You Hear About the Morgans?", make it pretend it's serious and you have Darling Companion. OK. I guess they probably are not that similar but you get my point.
Take Saoirse Ronan from Hanna, make her a grown man and you have Bourne blahblah.
Take Blanchett form Hanna, make her Weaver and you have that Henry-Cavill-un-shirtless movie. Why. would. I. be. interested? Un-shirtless? Really??
SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD seems like it could be could and Keira might be pretty interesting in it.
I think I speak for everyone in asking "Why can't Dianne Wiest just be treated like the A-grade actress that she is?" Like maybe by giving her Meryl's part in August Osage County? Just a thought. We all love Meryl, but....come on. Give someone else a chance.
I wish Wiest had a more glamorous project than Darling Companion. Kasden should be avoided like the plague.
What is weaver doing taking these hack parts in dodgy stallone 90's thriller knock offs.
Darling Companion: Seems histrionic, but wow the cast, but dogs, but Lawrence Kasdan. So, I'm a maybe.
Bourne: I'm over it, but I dunno. Maybe for a date.
Seeking a Friend: The trailer 100% charms me. I'm a yes.
Cold Light of Day: Yeah, well, cast, action, scary CIA undercover blah blah, I'm usually all in on those. Tentative yes.
When was the gay panic moment? I though Carell freaked out in that scene because something grabbed him under the table. Maybe I missed something.
It looks interesting though. I'm really liking the idea of Knightley in a comedy. And its been ages since she's done a Hollywood film as its mostly been European fare.
Nathan made a point about Weaver at least getting theatrically released work after the whole lets make the dark haired one a star for that Twlight kid movie she was in.
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If Viola Davis loses to Meryl Streep I will go back to hating Mery Streep. I will now be in the pro-Frances camp for my birth year best actress win -- and although I have very strong positive feelings about Silkwood I'll try like hell to forget I ever saw the movie. I will remind myself she was really supporting for Ironweed and forget how good she was as Julia Child -- everything else of hers is overrated by the world or absolutely doesn't do a thing for me. He son's hot but his music sucks.
I'm here for all the actresses of the world not named Meryl Streep. My heart truly aches thinking that Almodovar is wasting his first and maybe only english language feature film for Streep and Winslet. Come on Pedro, use Emma Thompson, or friend of Kate's Kathy Bates!
3rtfull: WHAT??? Is Pedro making an english language feature film with Streep and Winslet??
Sounds good to me but there are tons of other very talented actress like Rampling, Scott Thomas, Close, Huppert, Bassett, Sarandon,....etc
It's all about the cast, indeed.
Darling Companion - yes because of the cast.
The Bourne thing - I was not interested at all until I read about the cast in this very post. Changed it to a maybe.
Seeking a friend - the trailer made me interested in it. And I also really like Keira, and as others have mentioned above, it would be interesting to see her in this.
Cold light... - no
Diane Keaton AND Dianne Wiest?! I'M THERE no matter what.
Darling Companion -No.(And I love Jenkins and Weist so it pains me to say that.) I do think that there needs to be more movies featuring mature couples, but - a dog changes everyone's life and reminds the workaholic husband of what really matters? Really? (BTW - it's his workaholic habits and career that have gotten his family the cabin in the woods, the nice house, the cars etc, in an era when the cost of living has been rising, so - everyone in these movies want the workaholic to "relax" but nobody wants to really give up the privileges that go with it.)
Borne Legacy - Just NO.
Seeking a Friend - maybe for some of the reasons you mention, Nat. It does look like something really different and, yes, *lol* to borrowing Melancholia's concept and putting it in a different genre(and that great line on the radio). I hate the age-inappropriate couple (plus nebbishy guy + gorgeous girl) - haven't we seen that 1000x? But I first experienced Kiera Knightly in Beckham, so I'm curious how she does in comedy, since she hasn't been exercising those particular chops. Nice to see her take a break from the period dramas.
The other one - whatever it was called. NO, but weirdly enough I was thinking about Bruce Willis just yesterday and wondering "what the heck happened to his career"? He's not a great actor but better than he's often given credit for (and he was terrifically low-key in one of my favorite movies, the Sixth Sense) and I appreciated his presence here.
No, no, maybe so bordering on yes, maybe so.