The Year That Was: 2014 in Film

Check out ALL of the PDC end of year lists!

Review: Ava DuVernay's 'Selma'

Starring David Oyelowo

Review: Rob Marshall's 'Into The Woods'

Starring Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Anna Kendrick

Tim Burton's 'Big Eyes'

Starring Christoph Waltz and Amy Adams

Showing posts with label movie trailer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movie trailer. Show all posts

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart Get Hard in New Trailer (Wait, what?)


Two things I want to get out of the way first. 
1. Sorry for the title....I couldn't resist 
2. If you're looking for a poster or still from this movie, don't Google image search 'Get Hard' without adding 'Movie' to the end of the search, learn from my mistakes people. 

Get Hard feels like the transitioning of the old to new guard of comedy giants in Hollywood. I don't say passing the torch because I don't think Ferrell's quite done yet but certainly Kevin Hart has taken that #1 spot that used to be firmly planted in the pocket of Will Ferrell. Honestly, having the two in the same movie feels like it should collapse the universe with the amount of hilarity it will bring. Visually opposite in every way Ferrell and Hart couldn't be more similar in what they bring to roles, I don't just mean that they're both funny, it's that they both can do the same bit in everything they do and it just doesn't seem to get old. That's what this trailer for Get Hard shows us. You have Hart being the ultimate non-badass little man and Ferrell every bit the middle America goofball, and it works. In a plot setup that's been overly done in the C to D list over the last year (see: Big Stan and Let's Go to Prison) Ferrell and Hart prove the difference between themselves and the likes of Rob Schneider and Dax Shepard as leading funny men. The movie's plot seems pretty simple, sheltered white guy gets sentenced to prison and, thanks to typical rich white guy stereotyping, goes to his black friend to find out how to not become someone's girlfriend. Every second of this trailer goes to the most obvious place you can think of but still I'm sitting here cracking up. Check it out for yourself and tell me you're not laughing as well. 

Get Hard hits theaters March 27th, 2015



Tuesday, December 23, 2014

The Best and Worst Movie Trailers of 2014


+ Note: This post will focus only on trailers for movies released in 2014. So sorry, no love here for The Avengers 2: Age of Ultron trailer, even though it is great. Come back next year for that one.

We love trailers, which is why when I had to see The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies last week, on top of the 150-minute runtime for the film, I also had to sit through 10 – YES, TEN – trailers. That’s an additional 30 minutes of sitting in the theater! And yet a good trailer can be so great – an excellent bonding opportunity for you and the people sitting around – and a bad trailer can build camaraderie, too. The collective groan from myself, the three bros in front of me, and the mom and her son behind me at The Hobbit when we saw the Terminator: Genisys trailer is proof of that.

So what trailers excited me most this year, and which made me want to run out of the movie theater and never come back? Read on for the five best and five worst movie trailers of 2014.

The five best trailers of 2014:

+ VERONICA MARS. You could brush off this movie as fan service, sure, but it’s extremely satisfying fan service. Take this trailer for proof: Look, all of your favorite Veronica Mars characters are back! Look, Veronica and Logan still long for each other! Look, Mac has an amazing new haircut! Look, Weevil is still the shit! Look, Daddy Mars is still doing dad stuff! Dick Casablancas is being, well, a dick! As a promise to fans, the Veronica Mars movie trailer was undeniably well orchestrated. (And so was the movie, too.)



+ GONE GIRL. The creepy vibe of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s score still haunts my dreams, as does Amazing Amy’s equally chilly, “That’s marriage.” Maybe this year’s best movie for grownups, Gone Girl delivered with a trailer that laid out the central question—Did Ben Affleck’s Nick Dunne kill his wife, the beautiful and intelligent and perfect Amy?—while also subtly analyzing the 24-hour news cycle and upending the fake-American-dream promise of suburbia. “Where’s your wife, Nick?!” Yes, where, indeed.


+ GODZILLA. Godzilla underperformed a bit this year, but I agree withfellow PDC-er Julian Lytle that it was actually one of the year’s mostunderappreciated films—a movie that excellently chose when and how to feature Godzilla to build toward the impactful (and thrilling) final action set piece. And this trailer is a perfect microcosm of that approach: Blink and you’ll miss Godzilla, but when he wants to be seen, he’s unforgettable. And Godzilla’s final, discordant scream at the end of this trailer? It’s still giving me goosebumps.


+ X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST. “We need you to hope again.” Sporting the most self-indulgent-and-yet-totally-successful cast of the year was X-Men: Days of Future Past, and this trailer forced you to acknowledge how great they all are. Patrick Stewart! Ian McKellen! Michael Fassbender! James McAvoy! The internet’s best friend Jennifer Lawrence! The internet’s best friend’s ex-boyfriend Nicholas Hoult! Tyrion Lannister! Jean Valjean! And on and on and on. Regardless of whether Days of Future Past had your favorite X-Men character or your favorite X-Men actor, that was the point: they were all in there. (Well, except for Anna Paquin, but that is a complaint for another day.) The cohesiveness of the cast did wonders for the timeline-mind-fuck of a story, and brought the contrasting movie worlds together in a way that keeps the storyline moving forward. How could you not get excited?


+ INTERSTELLAR. One of my most disappointing movies of the year still had one of the year’s best trailers, a perfect distillation of the things Christopher Nolan does well: cajole excellent performances from A-list male actors who play aching, ambitious widowers (here it’s Matthew McConaughey; see Leonardo DiCaprio in Inception or Hugh Jackman in The Prestige for further proof); present smoothly envisioned, sleekly impressive visual effects; and get Michael Caine to say something wise and sad, because that is basically all Michael Caine does in Christopher Nolan movies. It was such a formula, but oh, it was effective. If only the full version of Interstellar had been this airtight.



The five worst trailers of 2014:

+ TRANSCENDENCE. Oh look, Johnny Depp’s brain got uploaded into a computer because it’s super easy to do that. How could such an interesting idea seem so generic from even the first trailer? Pass. (Also, you’re going to have Cillian Murphy in your movie, but not even mention him in your trailer? For shame.)


+ THE OTHER WOMAN. Putting feminism back a century or two.


+ TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES. Stop giving Michael Bay enough money to destroy all our childhood dreams. Stop it! And stop pretending Megan Fox can act. Seriously, stop it.


+ DUMB AND DUMBER TO. When I saw 22 Jump Street this summer, more people laughed at this supremely awful trailer than they did during the entire length of 22 Jump Street. Because for some reason a senior citizen forcing Jim Carrey to pleasure her vagina full of dust is more amusing than the amazing meta-ness of Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill. (I hate people.)


+ EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS. Noooope.

Monday, December 22, 2014

Hemsworth Takes to the Open Ocean In the Second Trailer for 'In The Heart Of The Sea'



I know that RDJ is everyone's favorite Avenger, and truly the comeback kid of the group but it's really starting to look like Chris Hemsworth will be the superstar career to come out of the Marvel epics. His latest film, In the Heart of the Sea has him taking the lead role in a book adaptation that explorers the true story that inspired Moby Dick. Hemsworth has everything a major Hollywood player needs and has proven time and again that he is much more than a pretty face and the son of Odin. Now, working with Ron Howard, he's set to really launch his career outside of Marvel. 

Jaws never scared me. I mean, if I was in the water and say a shark I'd definitely need a new pair of underwear but the idea of a shark? Nah, wasn't keeping me up at night. While not a horror movie, this trailer had me terrified. Obviously there's the fear of a colossal creature under the water while you're in a tiny (comparatively) ship in the middle of the ocean, but that's not what really got me shaking. It's the genius that is Ron Howard who decides to pull the camera WAYYY back in the long shots. That's the real fear factor in sea based movies that's never really hammered home, just how impossibly alone you are. The first few shots of the trailer pull back a curtain and make very apparent that these early seafarers were basically the ballsiest bunch the world has ever known, heading out into a vast nothingness with little more than a few planks of wood. Maybe this has been obvious to everyone else but I never fully appreciated the scope of it until watching this. I tend to overblow things but check it out for yourselves and tell me you'd have the gusto to scream "All aboard!" and head out to sea. 

Side note: These guys are whalers...back then that meant killing a whale with a spear that you through from nothing more than the power of your arm. Marinate on that. 



Sunday, July 27, 2014

*UPDATE* Comic-Con: 'Mad Max: Fury Road' Trailer and Character Posters


The Hall H program isn't over at Comic-Con, but the question still remains: Who owns the day so far? Warner Bros. kicked the show off right with Batman v Superman, but ask some others and they might tell you the day belongs to the mad, as in Mad Max: Fury Road.

George Miller, who directed the original movies some 30 years ago and is back for the sequel, was on hand to present the first footage from the film, which naturally showcases Tom Hardy in the role made famous by Mel Gibson. The connection to those movies was made early and often in a highlight reel that led directly into the contemporary version. While the clip probably won't hit the web for awhile yet, Warner Bros. has released four new character posters that capture some moments from today's footage.

UPDATE: And now the trailer is here! Check it out below. The trailer really captures that Fury Road will basically just be a long chase movie, for better or for worse, but the overall design is certainly interesting. That dubstep-influenced score, though ... not so much.

Check out the trailer and character posters below. Also starring Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, and Zoe Kravitz, Mad Max: Fury Road opens May 15th 2015.




Thursday, July 24, 2014

Comic-Con: Red Band Trailer for 'Hot Tub Time Machine 2' Goes Into the Future


When Hot Tub Time Machine debuted a couple of years ago it had a lot more buzz than it actually lived up to. The concept was solid, with a group of friends traveling back in time to cause some hijinks, and the cast of John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Clark Duke, and Craig Robinson promised a lot of laughs. But laughs were apparently out of fashion or something because the film wasn't that funny and only made about $60M, which admittedly was more than it cost although not by that much. Basically, a sequel was hardly being clamored for, and yet Hot Tub Time Machine 2 is here, and the first red band trailer has debuted at Comic-Con of all places.

Yep, it was here during the Paramount Pictures panel the trailer made its big premiere, and unfortunately nobody asked why Cusack decided he wanted no part of the film. John Cusack, choosey? Since when? Did you see The Bag Man? Anyway, the rest of the cast is intact, including Chevy Chase, with new additions Adam Scott and Gillian Jacobs. Returned from the past, the gang have used their knowledge of the future for personal gain, only to have it come back and bite Lou (Corddry) in the rear end. In a desperate bid to save his life, they attempt to go back in time but only succeed in going further into the future and must fix things if there is any hope of return. While Terminator gets referenced the film actually looks more like Bill & Ted than anything else, which is a very good thing. Whether it turns out to be half as funny we'll have to wait and find out but so far this is a promising start. Oh, and it's red band for a reason so don't watch at work.

Steve Pink returns to direct Hot Tub Time Machine 2 which opens on Christmas Day.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Pierce Brosnan stars in new trailer for 'The November Man'


You know, if Liam Neeson can continue being an action star into senior citizenhood, why not Pierce Brosnan? The man is 61 years old, but he can still run, jump, fire guns, and chase after young women half his age with the best of them. To white men! And now you can see him do all those things in this new trailer for the spy thriller The November Man.

Starring Brosnan, the film is an adaptation of the novel There Are No Spies by Bill Granger; Brosnan will play an ex-CIA operative who has to face off against one of his mentees to protect a woman. The mentee is played by Luke Bracey, who was in Monte Carlo with Selena Gomez (ahahahha) and will also star in the future Point Break remake (also, ahahahhaa). I guess they'll beat each other up and then blow things up, which you know, I'm not averse to watching Pierce Brosnan do.

The November Man comes out on August 27, 2014. Watch Pierce Brosnan do stuff senior citizens probably shouldn't do in the trailer below.


New trailer drops for 'Hector and the Search For Happiness,' starring Rosamund Pike and Simon Pegg


What makes people happy? That's the question at hand in Hector and the Search for Happiness, the adaptation of the best-selling novel by French psychiatrist François Lelord, who used his own experiences to inform his work. Starring Simon Pegg as a psychiatrist and Rosamund Pike as his wife, the film from director Peter Chelsom (most recently of the Hannah Montana movie, ugh) looks to strike at the heart of that question - while incorporating Pegg's normal comedic stylings, of course.

But ... does anyone else feel a strong The Secret Life of Walter Mitty vibe here? Because that flop from Ben Stiller last winter was also about a middle-aged white guy traveling to foreign places to learn about happiness. Walter went to Afghanistan; Hector in this trailer goes to China and Africa. Colonial guilt equals middle-aged self-satisfaction? Maybe.

Anyway, Hector and the Search for Happiness comes out September 19. Check out the trailer below and judge the latent fetishization of the Other for yourself.

Chloe Moretz Fights to Survive in New 'If I Stay' Trailer


Haven't quite had enough of movies with teens in hospital beds and lots of people crying around them? Good for you, sicko, because there's another such film on the way in If I Stay, an adaptation of Gayle Forman's novel that's sure to have the aisles soaked in tears.

Chloe Grace Moretz stars as a gifted cello prodigy who seems to have found it all when she meets the perfect boy. But just as she's considering leaving music behind, a car crash puts her in a coma where she has an out-of-body experience and must choose between life or death. Fun stuff. Mireille Enos, Josh Leonard, Jamie Blackley, and Stacy Keach co-star with R.J Cutler directing.

If I Stay opens August 22nd. Watch the trailer below with some tissue on hand.


Thursday, June 12, 2014

Check Out 'Paddington' In the First Full Length Trailer!


I'm not sure if it's a generational thing or not but Paddington Bear was one of the first stories read to kids since 1958 when it was first published. The well mannered, sharp dressed teddy bear come to life sat just next to Curious George on countless children's bookshelves. With that in mind I suppose it was kind of a given that there would be a big-screen adaptation, actually I'm kind of surprised it took this long. The film, which comes out December 12th, stars Colin Firth and, of course, that sharp dressed little ball of fur. The thing is, and I may be fuzzy in my recollections of Mr. Bear, this movie doesn't resemble at all the Paddington Bear I remember. First, he's an actual bear...I could be wrong but I always assumed he was a teddy bear. Second, there's no sign of his signature blue jacket anywhere, obviously this could come in later. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, he doesn't appear to talk, at least not in the trailer. Just a series of grunts and silly situations...you can't have Paddington without his overly polite British accesnt. Still, I'm sure they have their ducks in a row and all of these qualms will undoubtedly be cleared up in the next trailer. At a minimum we can surely expect a harmless family romp. 



Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Check Out The First Trailer for 'The Penguins of Madagascar'!


I'm a sucker for kid's movies. Always have been. I'll just start this intro by saying I find it completely refreshing when I see a kids movie nowadays that has...well...kid's jokes in it. I can appreciate the smarter humor aimed at the adults in the new style but sometimes I just want to see something silly. The Penguins of Madagascar does just that. I'd be lying if I didn't say I giggled through the entire thing. 

Also, movie trailer makers of the world, if you want me to immediately go all in on your movie all you need to do is work in a nice use of Kenny Loggins' Danger Zone. Just sayin' 

The Penguins of Madagascar opens in theaters everywhere on November 26th, 2014



Friday, May 16, 2014

Official Trailer for 'The Hornet's Nest' PLUS Your Chance to See It Early!

The War on Terror may be a somewhat unpopular war at this point, but there are some major differences between this and the Vietnam War. The two most outwardly noticeable difference to the average American have been that no matter how unpopular things may be at any given time, the American people have kept the utmost reverence for our troops overseas. The second is the unprecedented level of on the ground coverage. The Hornet's Nest combines the two in what looks like the most up close look at daily combat life in Afghanistan since Restrepo. Here's the official synopsis: 
The Hornet's Nest Film follows Mike and Carlos Boettcher's struggle to reconnect, after years of separation, they become the only father and son journalist team to embed with American Troops on the front lines in Afghanistan. These heart pounding missions soon become a fight for survival for Father, Son, the Soldiers, and Marines in the mountains and deserts of Afghanistan in The Hornet’s Nest - a ground breaking feature film "which is unlike any other". 
Armed only with their cameras, Peabody and Emmy winning war correspondent, Mike Boettcher, and his son, Carlos, spend over a year covering the most violent era of the Afghanistan war. With cameras rolling, they are side by side with American forces in some of the conflict’s toughest battles.  Their story is "Lone Survivor" meets "Blackhawk Down" except 100% REAL, as Mike and Carlos discover that the family bond they seek is right in front of them – displayed daily in the actions of the Soldiers and Marines who sacrifice everything to save the lives of their brothers.
A true story captured as it happened on Afghanistan’s battlefields, The Hornet’s Nest is the definitive film of America's longest war.

 Below is the trailer, and your chance to enter to see the film before anyone else!

 
The advanced screening will take place at the Navy Memorial Heritage Theater in Washington, DC on Wednesday May 21st at 7PM. We have 25 admit two passes to give. Winners will be chosen at random. All you need to do is send me and email with your full name to punchdrunkcritics@gmail.com along with what you think was the best film so far about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Good luck!

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

New Trailer for Nick Frost's New Comedy 'Cuban Fury'!


I will be the first to admit, when I first read the synopsis for Nick Frost's new flick Cuban Fury all I could think of was Balls of Fury (which I actually dug, please hold the tomato throwing until the end of the post). Still, something told me to reserve judgement, this was Nick Frost after all, Simon Pegg gets the credit but he was the heart of the Cornetto trilogy. He plays the down on his luck loser who anyone can root for with perfection. This domestic trailer only confirms my suspicions. Frost plays Bruce Garrett, a child prodigy at competitive salsa dancing that has since let himself go. When his new boss, played by the extremely delectable Rashida Jones, shows an interest in men who dance salsa Bruce decides to dust off his dancing shoes and salsa his way into her heart. Chris O'Dowd plays his co-worker and romantic opponent Drew which, if the trailer is to be believed, will be the source of a large percentage of the funny. I suppose you could say that this could go either way, but you would be wrong, Nick Frost has it in him to carry a film based on his charms alone...I think this is going to be that film. Check it out below!



Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Brand New Clip for Captain America 2 "In Pursuit"



I. Can't. Stop! Everything inside me says to stop watching clips for Captain America: The Winter Soldier but like an old drunk passing a bar at happy hour I just keep saddling up for another round. At least I can say I have yet to be disappointed, but I am starting to see signs of future things to come...but you can probably chalk that up to me looking to far into things. Still, seeing the Winter Soldier throw Cap's shield back at him makes you wonder if he'll be holding the shield one day.  

The clip shows an extended look at a scene we've only seen bits of, Cap's initial rooftop chase (or through an office chase) in pursuit of the Winter Soldier. While it's still pretty mesmerizing to see the W.S. catch Cap's shield and launch it right back at him, the coolest part of this is seeing Cap tearing through an office building, barreling through doors and windows to get his man. It's the little touches that make this seem like more than just another superhero movie, like when Rodgers loses his balance and almost goes through a wall, it really humanizes the world's only super soldier. Check out the clip below!



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Check Out the Second Trailer for 'Noah' Now With More Emma Watson!


The last trailer we got for Noah was, in a word, amazing, yet I couldn't help but to feel like it was missing something. I now know what that missing element was, copious amounts of Emma Watson! This second trailer highlights the personal sacrifices that will be made by Noah's family with shots of, what we can assume is, Noah's children being made to leave their significant others behind. Russell Crowe delivers yet another epic line to his son, you'll just have to watch to see what it is! The best thing about this trailer? Well, it's introduced by Ms. Watson herself who proves even further that she is worth pining over with an adorable outtake reel to her trying to intro the trailer. Check it out below and let us know what you think!

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Trailer drops for 'Better Living Through Chemistry,' starring Sam Rockwell and Olivia Wilde


The thing about March 14, 2014, is that - and don't be too shocked about this - the Veronica Mars movie is NOT the only movie coming out that day. I know, it's ghastly. Clearly that should be the only thing released so that everyone can go out and experience the wonder and perfection and greatness that is our favorite teen detective, all grown up. But if you were in the mood for something a bit kookier, a bit more black comedy, with some Sam Rockwell dancing thrown in, then maybe you should check out the trailer for Better Living Through Chemistry.

The film stars Rockwell as a frustrated-with-life pharmacist, emasculated in his marriage to Michelle Monaghan's spin instructor. He then begins an affair with rich and bored Olivia Wilde, which leads to recreational drug use and extramarital sex aplenty! There's also a plot to fake a death, maybe, and a supporting role for Ben Schwartz, so at least that's something.

Otherwise, the trailer is somewhat underwhelming. Maybe because Wilde still isn't interesting - stop trying to make her happen, Hollywood, goddammit! - and this plot (man finds himself through an affair? that's never been done before) seems a bit cliched.

But watch for yourself, and then decide what to do on March 14. Me? I'm voting for Veronica Mars. But Better Living Through Chemistry will be another option for that day, if you're so inclined.


Tuesday, January 21, 2014

New U.S. Trailer for 'The Raid 2' Before Its World Premiere


So far the Sundance experience has had its ups and down, with some of the most buzzed about movies living up to the hype (Whiplash, The Skeleton Twins), and others falling short (lookin' at you, Dear White People). But there's one film that has expectations soaring higher than the mountains here in Park City, and that is The Raid 2, Gareth Evans' furious sequel to instant classic, The Raid: Redemption.

With the world premiere happening later on today, a new U.S. trailer has been released, and it's basically a tornado of fists, feet, and future medical bills. Iko Uwais is back in the lead role, again tasked with rooting out corruption by any means necessary, which means bashing in a few skulls. Hyped? Yeah, you bet I am.

Fortunately, those who can't be here won't have to wait long as The Raid 2 opens on March 28th.

Monday, January 20, 2014

'300: Rise of an Empire' gets another blood-soaked trailer


Want some insane racism and cultural and historical inaccuracy in your schedule for March? Then maybe you'll be introduced in this new blood-soaked trailer for 300: Rise of an Empire, the sequel to the film adaptation of Frank Miller's comic book 300. Because the first wasn't propaganda enough!

In the second film, Eva Green (I'm disappointed in you, Eva) stars as a female Persian warrior leading her naval fleet against the Greeks, who are looking to avenge the death of Leonidas (no, Gerard Butler is not coming back for this) and his 300 men. Other people are back, though: Lena Headey as Leonidas's grieving, vengeful widow, and Rodrigo Santaro as the most revolting depiction of Persian emperor Xerxes ever. Oh look, he's taking a bath in - what is that, liquid gold? - as Persians bow before him. I must have missed that in all those Persian history and culture classics I took in college.

Please, share in my rage by watching this trailer. Or, if for some reason you are into this garbage, re-evaluate your life.

300: Rise of an Empire pollutes movie theaters on March 7, 2014.


Wednesday, January 8, 2014

New Japanese Trailer for 'Snowpiercer' Debuts New Footage


Snowpiercer has been a long time in the making for director Joon-ho Bong. It's Bong's first English-speaking film and a couple of trailers have already been released for the film, including a new Japanese trailer. The movie is set to hit theaters in Japan on February 7, but it's yet unknown when the U.S. and UK are going to be seeing what looks to be a fantastic science fiction thriller. The trailer is pretty intense and action-packed, giving us glimpses of new scenes that weren't shown in previous trailers. 

The film stars Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, John Hurt, Ed Harris, and Alison Pill. The movie was first released in South Korea in August of 2013. 

Plot: In a future where a failed global-warming experiment kills off most life on the planet, a class system evolves aboard the Snowpiercer, a train that travels around the globe via a perpetual-motion engine.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Green Band Trailer for '22 Jump Street' Hits the Quad


AWWWW YEAAAHHH! Yesterday we were able to bring you the red-band trailer for 22 Jump Street, the obvious follow up to the remake no one thought would work, 21 Jump Street. Oh, but it did work, and thanks to the movie gods we get this follow up to the surprisingly hilarious aforementioned remake. Seriously, who would have thought that Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill would become the best comedy duo this side of Will Ferrall and John C. Reily? This time around we follow the boys onto a college campus where all of those previous rules they had to follow (but didn't actually ever follow) are thrown out the window. I unabashadely love everything about this trailer, hell, even the Ron Swanson dialogue that serves as a thinly veiled view about the real world thoughts on the first flick and the fact that they quantify the new name by stating that the Koreans bought back their old church headquarters so they had to move across the street to 22 Jump Street. 

I'm in. 

Monday, December 9, 2013

Jason Bateman's directorial debut 'Bad Words' gets a trailer


Well, it was bound to happen eventually, right? Jason Bateman, after years of doing his thing in front of the camera with "Arrested Development," "Horrible Bosses," and "Identity Thief," is taking his career resurgence behind it. His directorial debut, "Bad Words," got picked up by Focus Features (for $7 million in Toronto in September), and should come out next year. And if all you ever wanted was to watch Bateman curse up a storm, hang out with a prostitute named Marzipan, piss off suburban parents, and befriend an ethnic child who is precocious and adorable, then you're in luck! Because "Bad Words" looks like a crazy mish-mash of all those things.

So the general gist is here that Bateman's character is a middle school dropout who never passed eighth grade, allowing him to compete in a national spelling bee with kids - who then, along with their parents, hate when Bateman ends up beating them. But then Bateman forms a friendship with a lonely competitor Chaitainya (played by Rohan Chand) and decides to teach him about life, meaning that all women have nipples and all men want to touch them. ... Helpful, I guess?

I don't know; this trailer seems all over the place to me, and as much as I enjoy Bateman's specific kind of half-smug, half-aloof snark, I can't see this movie being anything but grating. What do you guys think?


Bad Words by Teaser-Trailer.com