The Half Dozen: 6 Most Interesting Looking Trailers For October 2012
Summer, or what we had of it in this country, has now begun to turn to autumn, and what better time to sit in a nice warm, cosy cinema and take in the latest releases? Since I started making regular trips to the Cambridge Film Festival, though, it’s been more of an issue for me. For those who don’t regular take in film festivals, let me both encourage you to change that as soon as possible, and also to explain that you’ll typically see a mixture of classic films restored and re-released, themed strands of the likes of world cinema or other variations, and a sprinkling of upcoming and new releases. What this meant for me last year was that I saw 27 films during the festival, and then one film in the subsequent three weeks as I’d seen all of the new releases.
Somehow, I’ve managed to avoid the same problem this year, having racked up ten films since the festival ended already. Some of that was playing catch up, and seeing some of the films I’d missed before or during the festival, and I’ve also made three trips to the London Film Festival for the first time (more on that another day). These extra visits have thrown up some great films, including Joe Wright’s Anna Karenina – although I would admit I seem to love Joe Wright’s films more than anyone else I know – and the last film on last month’s trailer countdown, Berberian Sound Studio, but also the unexpectedly fresh and moving The Perks Of Being A Wallflower.
It’s been a great October so far, but there’s still more to come in the last couple of weeks. Here’s my picks of the most interesting trailers still to come.
Frankenweenie
It seems that children’s animation is now only capable of one genre, as in the last month we’ve had Hotel Transylvania and ParaNorman. I remember the days when you’d just get two similar films coming along at once. Sigh. Anyway, now we have the latest from the once great mind of Tim Burton and I can only hope that this presents a return to form, as ParaNorman has just taken up the place as my favourite animation in a rather mediocre year for animation so far. If Frankenweenie can help to erase the rather unpleasant memory of Dark Shadows earlier this year, I’d be very grateful.
Paranormal Activity 4
When does a franchise know when to quit? The previous incumbent of the annual Hallowe’en horror franchise got as far as seven before it ran out of steam; I’ll bet no one Saw that coming. (Sorry.) But seven isn’t a huge number in the hall of fame of mainstream horror, the likes of Freddy or Jason having clocked up more appearances than Jigsaw, and Katie Featherston and friends are mere infants in the genre at four. After two prequels, the makers must have realised they had nowhere to go except Super 8 or paper flick books, so we’ve come back to the present for this make or break entry in the franchise.
Beasts Of The Southern Wild
Yes, it’s that time of year again, when everyone’s thoughts about Oscar get more intense, and I’m not talking about a Sesame Street marathon. It’s difficult to find a news story that doesn’t in some way mention the shiny bald gold men, but this could be hamstrung by the fact that its two lead actors are both ineligible for the Screen Actors Guild awards, a key barometer for the awards season. That’s no bar to Oscar success if the buzz can maintain, and as the reason they were excluded – not being actual paid actors – might even give them more kudos. (And is it just me, or do Quvenzhané Wallis’ parents strike you as being big fans of Scrabble?)
Skyfall
It’s finally here. After nearly two years of (trying to) watch a Bond film a month for BlogalongaBond, the Bond franchise reaches number 23 with Sam Mendes’ take on the nation’s least secret secret agent. I’ll be having a Bond week next week, where I’ll be wrapping up my journey through the legacy of 23 Bond films, ranking them all in order, and hopefully reviewing the film itself. I also currently have a playlist composed solely of Bond themes – with one, Madonna-size, exception – on my phone on a perpetual loop, as Adele’s caterwauling chorus worms its way even further into my ears. Expect to see me walking around local streets with my fingers formed into the shape of a gun singing the theme tune around this time next week.
Room 237
Potential double bill time coming up, as not only is The Shining heading back to cinemas for Hallowe’en, but this documentary on what it all means is also getting a release. With the new version of The Shining clocking in at close to two and a half hours, this is effectively four hours of Kubrickian goodness and analysis that you can satisfy yourself with. Here, most certainly, is Johnny.
Sister
All right, I’ve left it a bit late this month, and all I’ve got left is this film with Lea Seydoux. You know, Lea Seydoux?
Oh well, never mind. We’ve got Rust And Bone, The Master, Argo, Amour, Sightseers and Nativity 2: Danger In The Manger to look forward to next month. I know which one I’m most excited about.
The Movie Evangelist 