See You at the Movies

Part of the full cinema experience, for me, is the previews. Before watching Across the Universe last weekend, I was treated to some pretty interesting previews for upcoming films including what will definitely be Oscar-buzz films. A film can be totally sold on a memorable trailer, which needs to tease but give you enough intrigue to want more.

The most promising of the bunch is Atonement based on the bestseller by Ian McEwan. It has all the elements that the Academy loves accents, period clothes, exotic locales, longing and love. Keira Knightly and James McAvoy (who was brilliant in The Last King of Scotland) head up the cast. The trailer looks like an outstanding story about love and the repercussions of a falsely accused crime. I will be in the theater for that.

We Own the Night looks like a 2007 version of The Departed. You’ve got father and son cops and another nightclub owner son who is walking that fine line between good and bad. The all-star cast Robert Duvall (Has he ever been bad in a movie?), Mark Wahlberg (Good God! Hell has frozen over. Marky Marky is a credible actor) and Joaquin Phoenix (I love him disheveled hair and sensitive portrayals) almost guarantees perfect.

I’m torn on August Rush. The first time I saw the preview for this tearjerker about a young boy trying to find his parents, I was in tears. The second time I felt a little manipulated. Freddie Highmore is a doll and it’s nice to see Felicity (Kerri Russell) again. The biggest selling point for me is Jonathan Rhys Meyers complete with sleepy eyes and pouty lips. Yummy! However, Robin Williams yucking it up in a cowboy hat and funky beard is troublesome.

The last was Things We Lost in the Fire. Call me a freak of nature but the first clip of the preview shows a close up of an eye. Somehow the Gods of movie magic the intuition to know it was Benicio Del Toro. Freaky. Halle Berry plays a widow who asks her husband’s troubled best friend (Del Toro) to move in and help her family cope with the loss. The jury is still out on this one.

What movies are you looking forward to seeing?