"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" Trailer

In case the trailer doesn't manage to blow that news, "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" is no awards play. It's a collection of four of the best British performers (and Dev Patel) taking a bit of a breather in less dicey waters. This isn't something I'll be waiting for in heated anticipation. It's nothing to get excited about. It's not supposed to be. This is the film they release in March to alleviate the dour post-festival season, much like "Win Win" did this year. This looks kinda humorous. Not ecstatically so in any way. It looks, simply, fine.

For Your Anticipation: Good. That's Good.

Can we assume that this is more of an obligatory post than one I wish to write? We are at that point where the wheels are turning on more interesting things than the flock from the dog days of summer. "The Debt" does seem to be a little more than just that, and it's worth noting for being yet another film in Jessica Chastain's freshman year. I have to say, when actors like Helen Mirren and Tom Wilkinson are overshadowed by a relative newbie, it's worth at least mention. This is probably the most interesting thing out there this weekend. It also releases on Wednesday, for whatever reason I can't quite comprehend.

"Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" Teaser Trailer

Really, of all the ways they could've gone, they put Eminem as the musical backdrop of this trailer? More than a tad unorthodox, but I expect the marketing is trying to lure in the Transformers crowd that will be seeing it before Dark of the Moon. Yes, they vault a car in the air that Tom Cruise just barely misses, and he does, once again, vault off the side of a building, but how can you not expect that from a Mission Impossible film? Honestly, Ghost Protocol looks to be an exciting sort of film, but the teaser obviously wouldn't show that. It's a showcase of the action on display in the film. Don't pass judgment just yet. And honestly, when Tom Wilkinson surprisingly shows up in your film, how can you complain?

For Your Anticipation: Control the Prosecution

James McAvoy is in a most interesting position in his career at present. The man is a terrific actor, as very few would deny, but he has not been given a role that really pushes him to the level of fame he deserves. The Conspirator will not be part of that rise, nor do I expect it to do especially well in terms of critical reception or rewards. It will be good, and good enough, but not much more than that. If McAvoy makes a breakthrough this year, it'll probably be in X-Men: First Class. It's still too soon to tell.

Theatrical Trailer: The Conspirator

Somewhere during the Telluride, Venice, and Toronto Film Festivals, Robert Redford was shopping off his historical courtroom drama, The Conspirator. It has the long tread over surroundings of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, so I entered into the trailer largely hesitant. It's edited in a rather rushed fashion, so I had to go over it twice in order to get the actual plot of it. It stars so many people that you wanted to see in a film together, such as James McAvoy, Tom Wilkinson, and apparently Johnathon Groff. It's an odd bunch, and the music heard in this trailer has been heard a million times before. Still, I might see The Conspirator for the solid cast.

Three Years Ago Today: Michael Clayton

When I first saw Michael Clayton nearly three years ago, I didn't really understand it at all. I have to be honest in saying that I couldn't successfully put it all together. It's a very complex film, and I wasn't able to fully comprehend it until the night after I first saw The Dark Knight. It was a "point of clarity" for me, when the threshold that had been keeping me back from truly understanding what the Academy saw in the films they nominated was torn down. The greatest films require attention and devotion, not just from the cast and crew behind it, but from the audience in the theaters.

I always appreciated Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson, and George Clooney's performances, but only because of the reputations they carry around with them. It's amazing how different the film feels, now that I can look deeper into their characters. Tony Gilroy puts multiple devices at work here to advance the quality of his film. Is it as good as the frontrunners from that year? Of course not, but it holds up perfectly in repeat viewings, unlike a great deal of films that grow less seasoned with time.

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