I don't have a lot of respect for this genre. It's just too superficial most of the time, but I got to admit, this featurette is promising. The movie looks like it might deliver cinematically and in the story department. Plus, it really looks like these actors enjoyed working with Roland Emmerich -- that will show on screen and audiences will respond.
'White House Down' could be satisfying both as a visceral action flick and on the character level. Should score.
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Showing posts with label Roland Emmerich. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roland Emmerich. Show all posts
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
'White House Down' Trailer/Poster -- Best Thing You'll See Today (Yeah, Really)
Was not hoping for much from 'White House Down' but I'll give them this -- damn good trailer. I mean, effing hell, that's a good teaser. It may end up being the best thing about the movie but I'll take it.
Wow
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Monday, March 25, 2013
'White House Down' Off To A Good Start...Sort Of
I like this poster. Ominous, more subtle than the burning flags and destruction of the 'Olympus Has Fallen' posters. Creates a strong sense of foreboding and suspense. Works nicely as a teaser.
This being a Roland Emmerich effort it's sure to have lots of CGI. I hope the boys in Compositing do a more conscientious job than the guys at Marketing.
This person's shadow goes the wrong (in point of fact, opposite) way. Perhaps she's from another planet.
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Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Kinda Product-y, But...
It's got a hook, I'll give it that. Antoine Fuqua directing is a very good thing...for a product-y movie. The guy has that down pat.
With Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Aaron Eckhart, Gerard Butler. Sure, sure. Good, good.
The story:
Oh, wait. Sorry. That's the logline for 'White House Down'. My bad. Well...doesn't matter -- same thing, same story. Really.
Just for clarity here's the spiel for 'Olympus Has Fallen':
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With Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Aaron Eckhart, Gerard Butler. Sure, sure. Good, good.
The story:
- A Secret Service agent is tasked with saving the life of the U.S. President after the White House is overtaken by a paramilitary group.
Oh, wait. Sorry. That's the logline for 'White House Down'. My bad. Well...doesn't matter -- same thing, same story. Really.
Just for clarity here's the spiel for 'Olympus Has Fallen':
- A former Secret Service agent works to prevent a terrorist attack on the White House.
Toldja. Same.
Thing is, OHF opens first, April 5, while WHD rolls out on the much hotter (in every respect) June 28 and is directed by the much higher-profile (at least for movies like this) Roland Emmerich. WHD also benefits, at least in appearance, from being written by James Vanderbilt who penned 'The Amazing Spider-Man', 'Zodiac', and 'Robocop'. OHF is written by two first-timers.
'White House Down' even gets the nod for the better title. Sorry, but 'Olympus Has Fallen'? Wha? Still, I'm thinking OHF will win when it comes to drama/story. WHD gets everything else: Box office, rental, TV/Cable, word-of-mouth. Everything. That ain't bad, really.
Sure, sure. Good, good.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
New(ish) Poster, New Clips, and an English Language Trailer for Roland Emmerich Produced 'Hell'
Remember this poster from August last year? Here's the new one (from April).
Here are the new clips.
Here's the trailer
Here's one with subtitles that gives a better idea of what's going on.
I can see why they're not bothering with a theatrical release in this country -- just wouldn't play -- but looks like a great rental. Must-see for fans of the genre.
Should be available VOD 8/9 and on DVD 8/21.
Here's the new(est) version with narration in English
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Friday, August 05, 2011
New Trailer for Roland Emmerich's 'Anonymous'
Okay, this has rolled out in the last few hours or so. It's okay, but a bit talky and melodramatic. Yeah, I know...it's a melodrama, but having a trailer that plays melodramatic isn't a good thing.
At 1:17, "He came to me, Ben. He came to me." This is an exchange between Shakespeare and Ben Jonson, who was rumored to be a major rival. Here it seems Shakespeare (Rafe Spall) is pretty full of himself and Jonson (Sebastian Armesto) looks fairly shattered. I'm sure the writer, John Orloff (love that name), conjured up some devilish interplay between the two that will seem historically accurate in context but, really, is all smoke and mirrors.
The problem with this trailer is, while the central conflict is made clear, how it relates to all the characters that flash by is hard to grasp. This tense moment between competing playwrights, for instance, is nice but it's not clear how it fits. Story details are flecked throughout the trailer, but there's never quite enough to grab onto, not in the moment at least. There's no sense of throughline and it's difficult to know who's who and what their agenda is.
Leaves the viewer with both too much information and too little at the same time. A strange, if noteworthy, accomplishment.
I do like what comes at :52 -- "In my world one does not write plays. William Shakespeare, people like you do." Who is the speaker? That's Edward de Vere, the Earl of Oxford, played by Rhys Ifans. Would it have been looked down upon for a member of that caste to pen fiction? Quite a conceit: The Earl of Oxford has his most fanciful notions ghost-written by a schlub named Shakespeare, and that was what William was in Ben's face about. He, Shakespeare, had been chosen to sign his name to the Earl of Oxford's writing, not Jonson.
Okay, that's a lot of fun. Cool stuff. But, the trailer just doesn't click. Who can get all that from watching it once? They have to fix that. If they can, the movie will stand a much better chance of scoring at the box office.
I'm not feeling a lot of warmth for this flick at this point. This new trailer makes it seem more like an intellectual exercise than a dramatic feature. Not like the first trailer, which brought a lot more sizzle, albeit at the cost of details.
Here it is. Heavy with intrigue, drama. I think this is far more effective.
That's atmospheric, edgy, and pretty sharp. Easy to enjoy simply because plot details are, largely, withheld. The snippets are enticing not confusing. Makes you want to see the movie.
They need to try again. We need the storyline more plainly laid out. We have to be able to recognize who's doing the talking. That's the only way the we're going to be able to care about the posturing of the various characters.
At any rate, 'Anonymous' is a must-see as it's something of a curiosity coming from the Master of Disaster Roland Emmerich. Movie buffs will pick up on that but perhaps not the average moviegoer despite the obvious production quality. Right now, after this second trailer, I'm not seeing too many regular folk lining up for a theatrical release.
At 1:17, "He came to me, Ben. He came to me." This is an exchange between Shakespeare and Ben Jonson, who was rumored to be a major rival. Here it seems Shakespeare (Rafe Spall) is pretty full of himself and Jonson (Sebastian Armesto) looks fairly shattered. I'm sure the writer, John Orloff (love that name), conjured up some devilish interplay between the two that will seem historically accurate in context but, really, is all smoke and mirrors.
The problem with this trailer is, while the central conflict is made clear, how it relates to all the characters that flash by is hard to grasp. This tense moment between competing playwrights, for instance, is nice but it's not clear how it fits. Story details are flecked throughout the trailer, but there's never quite enough to grab onto, not in the moment at least. There's no sense of throughline and it's difficult to know who's who and what their agenda is.
Leaves the viewer with both too much information and too little at the same time. A strange, if noteworthy, accomplishment.
I do like what comes at :52 -- "In my world one does not write plays. William Shakespeare, people like you do." Who is the speaker? That's Edward de Vere, the Earl of Oxford, played by Rhys Ifans. Would it have been looked down upon for a member of that caste to pen fiction? Quite a conceit: The Earl of Oxford has his most fanciful notions ghost-written by a schlub named Shakespeare, and that was what William was in Ben's face about. He, Shakespeare, had been chosen to sign his name to the Earl of Oxford's writing, not Jonson.
Okay, that's a lot of fun. Cool stuff. But, the trailer just doesn't click. Who can get all that from watching it once? They have to fix that. If they can, the movie will stand a much better chance of scoring at the box office.
I'm not feeling a lot of warmth for this flick at this point. This new trailer makes it seem more like an intellectual exercise than a dramatic feature. Not like the first trailer, which brought a lot more sizzle, albeit at the cost of details.
Here it is. Heavy with intrigue, drama. I think this is far more effective.
That's atmospheric, edgy, and pretty sharp. Easy to enjoy simply because plot details are, largely, withheld. The snippets are enticing not confusing. Makes you want to see the movie.
They need to try again. We need the storyline more plainly laid out. We have to be able to recognize who's doing the talking. That's the only way the we're going to be able to care about the posturing of the various characters.
At any rate, 'Anonymous' is a must-see as it's something of a curiosity coming from the Master of Disaster Roland Emmerich. Movie buffs will pick up on that but perhaps not the average moviegoer despite the obvious production quality. Right now, after this second trailer, I'm not seeing too many regular folk lining up for a theatrical release.
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Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Poster for 'Anonymous'
Well... Don't like this too much, but love the idea and trailer.
Strangely, that it's from the master of disaster Roland Emmerich makes this more appealing. I just think the guy not only can handle character-driven stuff I think he relished the opportunity and it'll show in the finished product.
Arriving September
Thursday, April 07, 2011
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
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