Tuesday
Jan152013
Yes No Maybe So: Trance
Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at 4:57PM 
It's only been two years since Danny Boyle had James Franco sawing his own arm off (I just felt a collective shudder as we all remembered that nerve scene) for an oscar nomination in 127 Hours, but somehow it seems longer. I suppose two years of watching James Franco posture every which way art-wise translates into an eternity in relative time. So I find myself missing Danny Boyle. He's been too busy staging a battle between an army of Mary Poppinses and Lord Voldemort at the Olympics to make movies... until now!
The trailer for his latest flick Trance popped online last week, and we're feeling enthusiastic about it. Enthusiastic enough to give it the ol' "Yes No Maybe So" treatment. Here goes.
YES
- Well Danny Boyle, obviously... (more after the jump)
After really loving 127 Hours I'm willing to take Slumdog Millionaire as merely one little side-step in the wrong direction for a film-maker I've otherwise very much enjoyed. Granted this so-called "side-step in the wrong direction" won him a pile of gold things and legions of new fans; I'm nothing if not drowning against the current on that one. - That's a really great cast! James McAvoy and Vincent Cassel are always welcome, and I'm a huge fan of Rosario Dawson whose super glad to see her in a big part again. Feels like she's sort of been wandering in the wilderness since Death Proof. (Nobody say an unkind word about Death Proof - I love Death Proof.)
- The band Underworld is doing the score!
- It also appears that, in terms of sexiness, Danny Boyle is also a big fan of this cast, because they're all glimpsed nearly to totally naked in the trailer. Looking at pretty people in all their physical prettiness is one of the numerous pleasures of cinema.
- The script is from John Hodge, who also wrote Trainspotting and Shallow Grave for Mr. Boyle.
- You can tell from the trailer alone that this will be a very pretty film. Then you see that Anthony Dodd Mantle shot it, and you're even more sure of that.
NO
- I'm a little frustrated that the "It took her dating the director to get a big part!" narrative exists, with regards to Rosario Dawson. I want her to succeed on her own entirely merit-worthy merits!
- I like James McAvoy a lot, but this almost starred Michael Fassbender, and Michael Fassbender always wins (see: X-Men: First Class)
- John Hodge also wrote The Beach and A Life Less Ordinary. Ennnghhhh...
- It's an art-thief movie and we never get to see James McAvoy wearing a black leotard weaving his way through laser beams? Fail.
MAYBE SO
- Well I really am not a fan of Slumdog Millionaire, so it will take two good movies in a row for me to totally get past that. That was a really annoying Oscar season for me. Like, turned me off the Oscars for an entire season annoying. (Don't worry, I'm back now.)
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So what are your thoughts?
Trance hits the UK in March, and eventually outwards after that.
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Reader Comments (17)
Boyle + possibly naked McAvoy = YES YES YES!
And also... "I like James McAvoy a lot, but this almost starred Michael Fassbender, and Michael Fassbender always wins (see: X-Men: First Class)"...
Now, while I still praise Fassbender for anything and everything he does, I think McAvoy is severely under-appreciated most especially with his Professor X. It's easy enough to shine playing the great pathos of Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto, but it's a bit more challenging to make Professor X as charming, flirty, and interesting that McAvoy was able to exude. And while that film had some problems, the chemistry between the two actors was not one of them. It takes two to tango!
::polishes James McAvoy Fan for Life button::
I don't disagree with you Ryan, I thought James was terrific as Prof. X, and his performance was underrated. BUT FASSY STILL WINS. ;) My Fassy For Life button shines proud!
Michael Fassbender was actually going to play the Cassel part, no? That's what I understood.
Oh maybe you're right, Will; maybe I got that confused. Well the point about Fassy winning still stands! Although I really shouldn't be so definitive about this - i think we all need to see him and McAvoy and Cassel wrestle it out and then we'll make our judgements.
Preferably without any clothes on. I think that's a GREAT idea. Where can I buy tickets to that?
Wait, we were talking about an upcoming movie, right?
Bless you for disliking "Slumdog Millionaire." I hate that movie with an intensity that frightens even me!
Death Proof is THE SHIT.
i dislike danny Boyle's directing,this video clip and why the french actor is always a baddie
This suddenly explains why Rosario Dawson was introducing The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel on Globe night. The Dev Patel / Danny Boyle connection. P.S. I think it's INSANE that she doesn't have a bigger career too. Being as how she's insanely hot and a pretty good actress to boot.
is it horrible that I kind of forgot about James McAvoy. Sorry Jimmy!
Danny Boyle + McAvoy = I'm there.
In other news, I visited McAvoy's IMDB page and saw that he has 5 movies this year.
- Trance
- Welcome to the Punch
- Filth
- Then the double Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby films with Chastain
That is a lot of dose of McAvoy this year.
Totally there - there's something almost incantory about the colour and framing. I like the fact that Boyle seems to revisiting some sci-fi territory after the underrated Sunshine.
McAvoy really should be bigger, but I suspect it's his own choices that contribute. Nathaniel, you nominated him in 2006 (along with Craig, Jackman, Whitaker and Gosling), and you forgot him? Harumph.
Love Slumdog Millionaire.
I thought i was the only one to dislike slumdog. Thanks guys.
Rosario is awesome.
The cinematography is going to PISS. ME. OFF. Jesus.
Add me to the list of "Slumdog Millionaire" detractors. People would look at me cross eyed when I told them that even "28 Days Later" is a superior movie in his filmography.
Great actors, director, plot. Should be fun.
Fassbender who?..
The text was quite good until "Fassbender always wins".
NO.
I'll take the über talent and the incredibly vivid personality and handsomeness of Mr. McAvoy over Mr. "Girlfriend beater" Fassbender, thank you very much.
It's really a shame, this new trend of disparaging a wonderful talent like McAvoy just to put one of the most overrated actors in recent memory in some kind of pedestal. Why do they have to be compared to begin with?
Plus Fassbender was NEVER going to play McAvoy's role, he would probably play Cassel's role. And Cassel always wins in my book.
"Fassbender who" indeed.