Musings on trailer of Crimson Peak

Guillermo del Toro's Crimson Peak is one of my most anticipated films of 2015. Few days ago, it's first trailer premiered introducing main characters and general plot of the film. Amazingly, it all looked perfect: from Tom Hiddlestone to production design.

Synopsis: Set in Cumbria, in a crumbling mansion in a largely rural and mountainous region of northern England in the 19th century, young author Edith Cushing (Wasikowska) discovers that her charming new husband Sir Thomas Sharpe (Hiddleston) is not who he appears to be.
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Top 10 Trailers of 2014

Trailers are one of my most favorite movie experiences. They can create a huge buzz before the movie is out - they can either make you watch or not watch the film. Every year, I watch more trailers than actual films and I find it extremely entertaining. For me, a good trailer is the one giving interesting hints about film, with some outstanding music and good scenes. However, it is always important that it did not give any major spoilers regarding the plot twists in film. 

From my personal experience, some of my top trailers turn into my favorite movies of the corresponding year. The same applies this year and after I conduct my Top Ten Films, you'll see how similar they can be. 

I also believe that making a good trailer is not as easy work as it sounds. Because, here a director should choose very specific and limited number of scenes to make future viewers interested. And this is exactly how I chose my Top 10 Trailers of 2014, those who made my really want to watch a specific film. So, here they are:

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Audiomachine: making trailers more epic since 2005

Since the beginning of sound era, music is no less important than dialogues to make moviegoing experience more impressive. Even more, it can double, triple the emotions that come from acting or witty chat lines. A good music is half job well done. For me, liking a movie starts with liking the trailer, because today when there are hundreds of different films per year, with quite busy life schedule, I have to carefully select those couple of hundred movies I wanna watch. Trailer, that can make me watch any specific movie, should also have some qualitative soundtrack. And Audiomachine is one of those few companies that produce the most epic music for trailers.

Based in LA, California, Audiomachine is a production music company founded in 2005 by Paul Dinletir and Carol Sovinski. Music is basically composed by  Paul Dinletir and Kevin Rix. In the beginning, they started to create music only for professional uses in Hollywood aka as film trailer soundtracks. However, since 2012 they record albums for general public [and thanks for that]. The long list of such movies include: Avatar,  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Hancock, The Express, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Beowulf, Tree of Life and most recently trailers of Noah and How To Train Your Dragon 2.

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For Your Oscar Consideration: The Judge [2014] Trailer

I think I've seen a poster
like this before

Director David Dobkin has brought an amazing cast together for something, that looks quite cliche on the paper. The Judge is a story of very successful lawyer Henry Palmer [Robert Downey Jr.] who goes back to his hometown for his mother's funeral. However, soon he founds out that his estranged father town's Judge Joseph Palmer [Robert Duvall]  is convicted for her murder. Henry has to defend him in court. However this is not a battle against state prosecutor Dwight Dickham [Billy Bob Thornton], but he also has to settle differences with his own father.

The cast also includes Oscar nominee Vera Farmiga, Leighton Meester and Vincent D'Onofrio [Full Metal Jacket/Men in Black]. 

I labeled this film as Oscar consideration picture, because Robert Duvall can be a major contender in supporting actor race. I predict him to be nominated this year for portraying a troubled, stubborn and convicted father, who constantly refuses to rebond with his son.

As for random thoughts after first look:

There are a lot shots like this and it makes me think Henry Palmer's character is going to be one of those cliche, cool lawyers who tend to win ALL cases, just like Harvey Specter [Suits]. But in reality those people do not exist and I hate characters like this.

This is a look of kid-hating guy, who is not married and is not a father to anyone, but enjoys insulting nieces and nephews. I don't like it.

But later it gets more interesting. This father and son relationship complicates everything and redefines Downey Jr.'s character for me. Robert Duvall seems to be quite good to play a man who is justice to whole city and now has to defend himself.

As a verdict, I am not sure whether it's going to be a huge hit, however it can easily be one of those small, good movies that bring a late year nominations to its oldest cast member, for making a heartwarming, bad father portrait. Other than that, it first trailer does not suggest much to predict. It can still surprise in a good way, you know?!

Here you can watch trailer itself:

So, what do you think of it?

For Your Oscar Consideration: Birdman [2014] teaser

Two times Oscar nominee director Alejandro González Iñárritu returns with intrigue and well-casted movie Birdman. Yesterday, Fox Searchlight released its first teaser trailer.

Michael Keaton [pictured above] stars as Riggan Thomson - famous for portraying an iconic superhero. But it's been in past and now he struggles with himself, nonfunctional family and career, trying to recover his lost name by playing on Broadway. 

Rounding out the cast are Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Zach Galifianakis. The film is based off of the Raymond Carver short story What We Talk About When We Talk About Love.

I personally, did not like teaser very much. It did not make me wow, but I'm pretty intrigued, because I really want to know what's going on there. I expect more from first official trailer, it is supposed to tell more about the story. 

So, what do you think about its Oscar chances?

Check out my Academy Award predictions for Birdman.

Showtime New Series "Penny Dreadful" Teaser

Showtime released a teaser trailer of its new horror series "Penny Dreadful", created by three times Oscar nominee John Logan. Logan, who picked respective writing nominations for Hugo, The Aviator and Gladiator, brought literature's most terrifying characters including Dr. Frankestein, Dorian Gray and characters from Dracula. 

TV-Series has some impressive cast members like Timothy Dalton, Eva Green, Josh Hartnett and Rory Kinnear. Showtime does not specifically say story-line of Penny Dreadful but teaser still looks dreadful enough to be intrigued. Series is planned to air in 2014.

Check the teaser out here:

Top 10 Trailers of 2013

Last year, I named To Ten trailers of 2012, choosing Les Miserable's epic trailer as a winner, with close runner up Cloud Atlas. Later it turned out that those two movies were two my top films of 2012 (being Cloud Atlas slightly more favorite than Miserables). As for now, I've seen only few of those films and I truly wonder whether movie and trailer choices still match. We'll see.

I believe that trailers are very important to promote and make people want to watch the movie. A good trailer shall deliver the spirit, importance, messages of film without spoiling anything. Making a good movie does not mean making a good trailer and vice versa. The trailers I choose have some important characteristics to me: a good shots and moments from plot, music and some emotional connections. So, here they are:

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Trailer: August: Osage County [2013] #2

The Weinstein Company released second trailer of its most anticipated family drama/comedy August: Osage County, a movie that boosted Oscar chances for Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts, who might fight for top prize in the same or separate categories. As Weinstein already clarified, Streep will be campaigned for lead and Roberts for supporting, however the Academy is itself eligible to vote them in any category they want.

Second trailer looks even better exploring main characters and their acting. It gives more juicy material for further discussions whether both Meryl and Julia make final top five at awards, or not, or maybe someone (for instance, Margo Martindale) can also get more chances. It also give more time of dinner scene, which probably shows best award worthy  moments in the whole movie. 

Here you can have a look at the trailer:

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Trailer: The Counselor [2013]

Director Ridley Scott comes back with a huge cast of Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Cameron Diaz and Natalie Dormer. The Counselor tells a story of lawyer who finds himself involved in drug trafficking. Trailer looks really intrigue and beautifully crafted and whatever the story comes,  the cast of this caliber can make everything brilliant. We'll see, but before that, have a look at it:

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Trailer: Thor: The Dark World [2013]

Thor: The Dark World international trailer was released today. Sequel to the epic movie Thor will premiere in early November, bringing a huge cast on the screen - Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba and many others. The original one claimed a great love from fans and raving revews of critics. And I wanna tell you, the second one looks even more stunning in any sense. At least trailers are getting better and better.

Movie continues the big-screen adventures of Thor, the Mighty Avenger, as he battles to save Earth and all the Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that predates the universe itself.

Have a look at trailer here:

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Trailer: Diana [2013]

After release of a teaser trailer here comes the first official international trailer of Diana - a movie telling a story of world's most well-known, popular and favorite woman of all time. Director Oliver Hirschbiegel tells a hidden story beneath the surface, showing a real face, aspirations and feelings of woman who has been princes not only to United Kingdom but to the whole world. Film follows last two years of Princes Diana's life, her campaign against land miners and relationship with surgeon Dr. Hansal Khan.

Have a look at trailer here:

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Trailer: American Hustle [2013]

At last, the first trailer of David O. Russell's American Hustle has arrived. After last year's great success, with directing, best picture and four acting nominations, he brings another movie with lead co-stars Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro, adding some Amy Adams, Louis C.K., Christian Bale and Jeremy Renner.

The trailer and each actor look amazing, and especially Amy Adams, who can be once more major contender for any acting nomination. But before that, you may have look at it:

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Trailer: The Fifth Estate [2013]

Plot Summary:

Through the eyes of Daniel Domscheit-Berg (Daniel Brühl), an early supporter and eventual colleague of Julian Assange (Benedict Cumberbatch), the film follows the heady, early days of Wikileaks to its abrupt end after a series of controversial and history changing info leaks. The website's overnight success brought instant fame to its principal architects, but as their power expanded across the globe, Daniel grew increasingly disillusioned with Julian's questionable tactics and ethics. The rift between the two friends became irreparable and their ideological differences tore them apart, but not before they revolutionized, for better and worse, the flow of information to news media and the world at large. - Dreamworks Studios

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Trailer: How To Train Your Dragon 2 [2014]

Here is a look at the sequel to Oscar nominated animated feature How To Train You Dragon which is planned to premiere in  June of 2014.

Five years past since Hiccup and Toothless successfully united dragons and vikings on the island of Berk. They accidentally discover an ice cave - a home of many different types of dragons who threaten everything Hiccup believes in. For this reason, he starts a battle against new enemies defending his own people.

Trailer looks amazing, very beautiful and dynamic. If sequel is as amazing, original and inspiring as first part, we can see HTTYD 2 among major animated Oscar contenders. 

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Trailer: 12 Years a Slave [2013]

Director Steve McQueen tells more award-oriented story with Michael Fassbender and Sarah Paulson about a free black man Solomon Northup, who was sold as a slave in late XIX century. The cast includes Brad Pitt, Paul Giamatti, Benedict Cumberbatch, and new star Chiwetel Ejiofor (Solomon). 

Here is a firs look:

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Trailer: Saving Mr. Banks [2013]

Saving Mr. Banks in a real story based movie about making Marry Poppins. Starring Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers - the author of book Marry Poppins it explores the story behind the one of most extraordinary films of all time. 

Trailer looks pretty good. Giving a huge buzz to both actors, especially to Emma who stays involved in Oscar Best Actress race by giving one of the finest performances so far. Tom Hanks is already in top candidates of Best Actor nominees and I am sure he makes his places more shoo-in for portraying a legend.

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Trailer: The Wolf of Wall Street [2013]

Martin Scorsese's new film The Wolf of Wall Street is this year's most anticipated one, since it MUST bring Leonardo DiCaprio long waited Oscar. Today first trailer was released bringing premiere date to November 15 of 2013.

Frankly speaking, the trailer does not look like what I expected. The movie is labeled as biography drama, instead it seems to be comedy type film, with lots of weirdly funny moments (one of them captured above) and despite the great talent of Leo, he's not having a Oscar worthy performance as Jordan Belfort. As for now, The Great Gatsby has more chances to get lead actor nod then this one. But everything can happen...

You may have a look at first trailer:

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Trailer: Diana [2013]

Naomi Watts is princess Diana - worlds most famous woman of all time. An Academy Award nominee actress portraits a person who has been loved by millions of people. Today, a teaser trailer of movie Diana has been released, you may have a look at it.

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Zero Dark Thirty Trailer (2012)

Another brilliant performance by Jessica Chanstain and directing work by Academy Award winner Kathryn Bigelow.

International Premiere on December 19, 2012