Director:Takashi Shimizu
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Bill Pullman, Clea Duvall, Jason Behr, Kadee Strickland
Release: October 29, 2004
Synopsis:According to Japanese lore, “The Grudge” is the curse of one who dies in the grip of a powerful rage. Those who encounter this murderous supernatural curse are killed and the curse is reborn, passed on like a virus from victim to victim in an endless, growing chain of horror. Karen (Sarah Michelle Gellar), an American nurse living in Tokyo, unknowingly uncovers the source of the curse and must somehow escape the impending fits of rage and madness which will inevitably lead to her demise.

Prognosis: Positive.I can’t believe I actually like something with Sarah Michelle Gellar.

I’m not a Buffy fan and, point of fact, I have never seen an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Teenage melodrama infused with a vampire with a severe blonde dye job and a vampire-with-a-soul who departed the show to hitch his wagon to LA and fight the supernatural was too much of a stretch for me. These comments are also coupled with the fact that Gellar has never made a film of any great importance or resonance (CRUEL INTENTIONS doesn’t count). All these myopic comments being said the trailer for THE GRUDGE looks just as splendid and just as great as the Japanese version currently making the rounds.

What one notices right off the bat for this trailer is that the film is being produced by Sam Raimi. Nice. Sometimes “produced” or “executive produced” can mean a whole lot or it can mean that the guy given screen credit just called it in from his or her cushy air conditioned office. Touches of Raimi exude throughout this thing.

As events unfold, being shown that the story takes place Japan, the scroll on the screen floats ethereally as it says “When Someone Dies in the Grip of a Powerful Rage a Curse is Left Behind.” A near perfect mood is set into motion. There isn’t one note of distracting music and not one voice telling me how spooky things are going to get. It’s wonderful.

We next get a look at the other player in the mix of it all: Bill Pullman. For once I am glad they are going to the mature spectrum of the actor pool as he lends a certain gravitas to the picture that can’t really be expressed in words but things would be detrimentally more different if the producers would’ve added a Matthew Lillard or an Adam Brody into the mix.

The scary stuff in this trailer comes too fast to focus on but if you use Quick Time you can slowly flip through the series of images that compose the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it slide show. It is really spooky crap. We have really pale looking dead people, a dead chick who comes down a flight of stairs on her stomach and then gives a look up to the camera in a way that simply raises the hair on the back of my neck, a dead couple sitting together in a dark place that induces the heebie-jeebies, and then, the piece de resistance, the thing that makes me feel safe, Sarah Michelle in the shower. Whoo-boy. Zombies and a hot blonde in the shower. Not since tequila and Doritos has a more powerful combination ever been assembled. The fact that Sarah has a dead zombie hand coming out of the back of her head before she’s had a chance to apply some of that Pert conditioner is a good indication of where things will be going.

I am in full appreciation of this trailer. I love it and if anyone wants to naysay anything about it for its similar vibe to THE RING, so be it. I liked THE RING and if any movie wants to come correct with a movie full of creepy, let them. So much crap comes down the pike that tries to be effective as a “horror” film that’s usually filled with a half dozen teenagers but this trailer works, visually and tonally. Also, take into account that the man who did the Japanese original decided to helm the American version, so, at least in my book, it couldn’t be in better hands. Count me excited.

Director:Shona Auerbach
Cast:Emily Mortimer, Gerard Butler, Sharon Small, Jack McElhone
Release:October 22, 2004
Synopsis:A young boy’s father has been writing to him for years as he sailed the seven seas. When his ship finally comes in to port, the boy wants to see him, naturally. But now mom’s got to ‘fess up to who really wrote those letters, and why.

Prognosis: Sweet and Endearing. “Dear Dad, we’re moving again.”

The boys from across the pond have created an interesting story idea: what if a deaf kid thinks that the father who has been communicating with him for years through a series of letters sent from all over the world, really written by his mother so the lad wouldn’t feel like a mope without a dad, is finally going to be showing up at his door as his mother scrambles to find a temporary replacement that might be able to pull it all off? Hilarity is sure to ensue, as is deaf jokes, in this gem of a trailer. I would say something here about the endearing nature of the film but this film, if you let it, is really good natured and asks, not demands, for attention.

The kid, initially, comes off as a bit of a sad moppet. He begins his introduction to us by missing a goal while playing a game of football, or soccer to you Yankees, and is constantly putting small red pins into a world map that chart the course of his fake dad’s boat as indicated by said mom. You can tell that the relationship between him and his mother is a very close one so right away it is apparent that what his mother has been doing has been done out of love. So, what is even more interesting is that when the kid gets wind that his father’s proverbial ship has come in his mother, a single Scottish MILF looking for a man without scruples who can con her son into believing he is his dad, goes out trolling the local pubs in search for temporary help; what she comes up with amazes even me. The man for the job that she chooses, or hires, if you want to get technical, is nice looking, has a genuine charisma, an amiable attitude, and speaks well, which is all odd as I never knew the Scottish to be anything more than redheaded cheap scoundrels itching for fights; I’ve seen TRAINSPOTTING so don’t try and dissuade me on this point.

What I like about this trailer is its ability to be able to set up a story and then go through the process of revealing small bits of it in nice, easy, digestible bits. This doesn’t look like a film that will win any awards as the movie looks to be tugging at the melodramatic heart strings as the fill-in dad is shown sharing a sundae with the lad, teaches him to block that goal he missed in the beginning of the trailer, and then gets all sweet on the boy’s mum as they have a moment where they dance together. If The Edge were to score a film’s soundtrack that’s exactly the sound you would hear as this trailer winds its way down; it works perfectly. Even though I could tell you exactly where this film will be going by the time this trailer is finished (all beginning, middle and end is laid out there to see) I don’t rightly care to analyze it. It’s nice to have a movie like this not helmed by a Julia or a J-Lo or a Kate Hudson. I appreciate a good, fluffy, high-calorie, not-good-for-me slice of romantic comedy every once in a while; it helps to round out the diet, but this one looks a little bit better about making this a well-balanced meal if the trailer is any indication. Plus, you, if so inclined, can get extra Global Studies credit with the ladies by saying it’s a foreign film. It’s either this or the newest incarnation from Penny Marshall. I think the choice is obvious.

Director: Abigail Honor
Cast: Vincent Maniscalco, Edward DeBonis, Frank Maniscalo, Olga Debonis, Father Charles McCarron
Release: June 18, 2004 (New York)
Synopsis: After living together for seven years in a seemingly accepting community in New York City, Edward DeBonis and Vincent Maniscalco decide to get married. But unlike many other gay couples who formalize their relationship in a domestic union, Vincent and Edward, both devout Catholics, will settle for nothing short of the “Holy Sacrament of Marriage.” As America stands on the verge of legal acceptance of gay and lesbian unions, “Saints and Sinners” explores the social, political and religious aspects of same-sex marriage and examines its effect on American society.

Prognosis: Positive. I love a good documentary.

Right now is a great time to be a lover of the genre as films like RIDING GIANTS, MICHAEL MOORE HATES AMERICA, FAHRENHEIT 9/11, WORD WARS, etc… are all making great inroads into the cineplexes all over the country. Are there more being made, a function of our current binging in American society on anything smacking of “reality” or is it because after the hubbub of BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE studios see the power they can command at the box office when they can be made for a fraction of the cost of an actor-led production? Whatever the case, it’s wonderful to see a movie like SAINTS AND SINNERS get made and get out there to the public at large.

The trailer is guided, sensationally, by churchy hymnal music. It’s relaxing as it evokes churchly images of piousness and quietude. As we get an overhead shot of New York City one doesn’t know quite what the hell is going on until we get the faint visage of the gay pride flag comes into focus and that’s the first volley in this commentary war on society.

The second shot comes in the form of our leading men, Edward and Vincent, holding hands at what I can only assume is their wedding. We pause, briefly, for a quote from a reviewer over at Film Threat letting us know what he thought and it’s nice to see that the snippet they chose to use does more for the film than just tell me what a thrill ride it’s going to be. It’s appropriate and says a lot for the film as a whole. “This is the person who I am meant to be with and who I will be with.” We get a friend of the newlyweds who mentions that Edward and Vincent are unlike other wedded couples as they will not be able to partake of the 1,049 legal rights other heterosexual couples enjoy when they say “I do.” I haven’t been able to confirm these rights, one of them obviously doesn’t spell out that I’m in charge of the TiVo, but there are more comments from those partaking in the interview process of this documentary that range from shock, “we were thrown out of our church”; to indignation, “homosexuality is a disorder,” and back to a sobering comment from a father about his child, “you don’t want your son to be gay.”

The mood then changes from being informational to becoming emotionally resonant as you see Edward and Vincent outside of the church taking photos, enjoying their wedding day, and there is a little girl in pink that stands against a wall of black suits and ties. Visually, it’s over in a flash but it works very well to encapsulate what is happening within the walls of this documentary. If things ended here it would be fine but we get one of the guys featured in this film who mentions, right before the screen goes black, that the people who feel righteously compelled to condemn him for his lifestyle, and they are shown standing outside the church chanting and commenting about the sanctity heterosexual marriage, “are the antitheists of being Christian.” That line comes out of nowhere that socks you like a pillow case full of metal Tonka trucks.

The gauntlet is laid down and I am excited to see if this turns out better than an episode of MTV’s True Life but I am already sure what’s contained in the film will be infinitely more evocative than the slickly produced series and not tempered by a sense of making things palpable for possible advertisers or customers looking to shill a product to the masses.

Director: Marc Forster
Cast: Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie, Radha Mitchell, Dustin Hoffman
Release: October 22, 2004
Synopsis: Director Marc Forster’s follow-up to MONSTER’S BALL is FINDING NEVERLAND (previously known as J.M. BARRIE’S NEVERLAND), a tale of magic and fantasy inspired by the life of James Barrie, the real-life author of the children’s classic Peter Pan. Set in London in 1904, the film follows Barrie’s creative journey to bring Peter Pan to life, from his first inspiration for the story up until the play’s premiere at the Duke of York’s Theatre – a night that will change not only Barrie’s own life, but the lives of everyone close to him.

Prognosis: Positive. A period piece that includes kids, Johnny Depp, Dustin Hoffman, Kate Winslet, and has a premise that doesn’t suck is a very good thing.

What you have here, essentially, is a movie about the genesis of Peter Pan. Someone did write a novelization of it before Disney sunk its colorful talons into it and this appears to be one of the better period pieces set near the beginning of the 1900’s. What is amazing about this trailer, apart from the intriguing story, is the value placed on showcasing the kids that prompted J.M. Barrie to write the perennial children’s classic and I believe this is the best reason why one would want to see this when compared to so many other productions that only try to capture adults being adults. How many Masterpiece Theater’s do you know dwell on the lives of young adults? I have yet to get a Degrassi Junior High set in Liverpool circa 1830 but I always think there’s hope.

What is also especially nice about this trailer is the opening. We get nice piano music in the background that doesn’t annoy or distract and it has Depp meeting Winslet along with her many brood in tow. It doesn’t seem like much, I know, but the extended scene is wonderful to watch and it sets up that Depp is an author without that information being slammed on top of our heads; it comes out slowly and in brief hints. Depp is shown as a friend, really, of the young youths who Winslet is attempting to raise by herself and at the moment when you have one of the kids say “you’re not my father” it is clear where the real tension of this film will be coming from.

It’s a simple, but effective, touch to have it briefly stated that this movie is based on true events and, again, not linger on it as the movie’s sole selling point. The direction the movie heads towards, more of a film about a man finding inspiration through a group of kids, opens the door for representations of childhood fantasy and imagination as evidenced by Depp’s storytelling in real life and having cartoonish representations come alive on the screen. There is even more tension heaped up on the whole shebang as people around Depp start questioning him about his motives, sincerity and even his own childish behavior.

And then Dustin Hoffman shows up.

It is after Hoffman’s appearance where everything about Peter Pan begins to become reality: the sets become representations of J.M. Barrie’s vision; the music behind it all is pitch perfect; and even that one of those very same boys of Winslet was named as the book’s titular character is a welcomed way to end everything in this film.

I don’t normally like period pieces due to their stuffiness but this one looks absolutely enveloping and deserves a look into when it gets released later this year.

Director: Christian Johnston
Cast: George Calil, Wali Razaqi
Release:August 2004
Synopsis: One year after 9/11, an American journalist travels to Afghanistan in an effort to learn the truth about the search for Osama bin Laden.

Prognosis: Positive. Perfect trailer.

For having a no name cast, the same for the director, a limited budget, and having a very indie sheen over everything, this trailer does what other studios wish they could do: generate interest.

Piggybacking on the BLAIR WITCH PROJECT concept, people getting lost, having footage found after their disappearance, this is their story, etc… this film looks to take the next step in cinema verite/fictional filmmaking.

“My name is Don Larson, I am a documentary filmmaker here in Afghanistan.”

It starts off with green night vision. Flickers of gunfire and bright light fill the screen as the effect of hazy video distorts the image. Our director introduces himself, scraggly, itchy beard growth around his face, short hair, and leads us to see the populated streets of Afghanistan where this story takes place. It feels very real. There is an honesty here that doesn’t feel forced or manipulative; it works. The camera then chooses to linger on a passerby who talks to our young director and reminds him this isn’t America and there is no telling what might happen to him. Even though that was a brick of foreshadowing tossed at my head, it is easily forgiven as we slink deeper into this story. We get a brief glimpse of guns and the sight of some people being led away with them and that’s when we get a piece of the timeline.

We’re told Don went to Afghanistan to document the hunt and capture of the world’s most dangerous and wanted man. I’m hooked at this point. The music is slow and haunting, the camera shot as we go down a blackened road, only lit by more night vision, gives me real reason to feel sympathetic for the man.

For a moment Osama Bin Laden appears briefly on the screen as we get back into Don’s story. We get some information that he’s going to be meeting a bounty hunter, they cut to a scene of a struggle in a room full of weaponry, and then we get another “beware” message from one of Don’s travel companions that just cry out, “Danger, Will Robinson!” And just before you think you know what’s going to happen, it does. We get masked gunman on the screen, not unlike those who have chillingly been part of our real lives through the deeds of terrorists in the past couple of weeks, yelling and screaming with their guns at the ready.

Things go black.

The next thing to appear on screen is a shot of Don, through night vision, as words on the screen let us know that Larson and his crew disappear without a trace. Things go quiet until, bam, gunfire rings out.

We get Don handling a Kalashnikov like some mad pimp daddy in a drive-by, we get him running away, we see him using the butt of his gun to hit something, tracer bullets crisscross the night sky, the sounds of battle sound too real, I even think I see a man on a camel spray gunfire in Don’s general direction, and then the first RPG hits. Crap is flying everywhere, it’s chaotic, there are screams from every direction, and there is even another RPG that smacks into a car as Don and his team try to a get away from his aggressors that impress the hell out of me for its realism. It’s here where we’re informed that it’s not until weeks later after these skirmishes Larson’s video tapes and voice recorder are found in an Al Qaeda cave. The screen is hushed with Don’s voice saying he knows he’s doing the right thing by being there. And just when you think it’s over, another RPG rears its ugly face as it careens into the side of a building.

I love the premise, I think the filmmakers saw what could be possible if you stuffed a pseudo-documentary full of realism and then ratcheted up the tension and have made an indie flick that I am screaming out to see. It’s not enough to say this film has some relevance in this day and age but it looks like a film that looks fun, will initially have people asking if it’s real or not, and will blur the line between fantasy and reality.

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