After an unveiling that would make the second coming of The Godfather jealous, the trailer for part one of the “Twilight” finale debuts much to the relief of all those giggling tweens, and is our featured trailer for the week (don’t judge us). For those a bit older but looking for a similar amount of schmaltz, Channing Tatum and Rachael McAdams team up for the rom-com The Vow and for those looking for apes-a-plenty, the second clip for The Rise of the Planet of the Apes surfaces in all its poop-flinging glory. Finally, we have the indie coming of age offering Terri starring the talented John C. Reilly. Apes, vampires and werewolves, oh my! It’s Trailer Tracker.
New clips this week:
Twilight: Breaking Dawn - Part 1
The Vow
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Terri
Twilight: Breaking Dawn - Part 1
An ongoing joke as much as it is a worldwide phenomenon, the “Twilight” franchise is either your cup of blood or a proverbial stake to the heart. I am certainly not on the bandwagon of hate simply for the hell of it, or out of some distorted pretentious principle, but am simply of the belief that the adaptations thus far have been weak in many of the basic elements of filmmaking (writing and acting chiefly). Now, as seems to be the case with many mammoth scale finales including “Harry Potter” and The Hobbit, the last of Stephanie Meyer’s novels has been split into two flicks, inciting the delighted shrieks of fans as much as it does grimaces from its detractors. Taking over from director David Slade is Bill Condon, the purveyor of many lavish musicals including Chicago and Dreamgirls, and though his is decidedly new territory for the many, he certainly has an eye for style and atmosphere.
The principle cast including Robert Pattison, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner are of course back, along with many other talented actors all lost in the land of the easy paycheck. This series shows no signs of waning in popularity and, like the aforementioned teen wizard franchise, has kept its core fanbase since it debuted back in 2008. Add in all the merchandising and home video sales and it’s safe to say that distributer Summit Entertainment has been laughing all the way to the blood bank for some time now. Even if the two-part angle dissuades some fans, a massive turnout for the true finale is all but guaranteed notwithstanding some extensive drop in interest between now and next year. At the theatre you will find me not, but curiosity is a cruel mistress and my twisted desire to complete the series will likely win over my common sense once again. Thank goodness in the trailer, for once, Lautner takes off his shirt; that man needs to stop being so conservative.
The Vow
Boasting stars from two
individual adaptations of Nicholas Sparks novels is certainly not a way to get
this writer giddy but Channing Tatum and Rachael McAdams are certainly two
likeable leads. In The Vow, that
pesky plot device amnesia is back following a car accident which leaves
McAdams’ Paige with no recollection of her husband (Tatum), their relationship,
marriage or love. It is then up to the broken Casanova to win back the love of
his life. Set for a Valentine's Day release, this seems to be fitting fare, but
is far from original and the clichés abound in the trailer do not inspire hope
for the material. If anything this will be a good way to make sure that
significant other does not forget the torment you went through for them.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
After a shaky first clip,
this “Apes” reboot looks to have some life in it yet with a new trailer
boasting a Frankensteinian creationist vibe and some stellar special effects. The
treatment of the material in a deadly serious tone may be to the film’s
detriment, especially when the pissed-off, super-intelligent primates go crazy
on humanity, but this seems to have an interesting post-apocalyptic vibe going
for it. Putting Tim Burton’s oddball adaptation behind us is likely for the
best, even if this new offering does not live up to the high concepts the plot
promises. James Franco in the lead, Andy Serkis as Caesar the ape and the
absence of 3D are at least three checkmarks in this film's favor.
Terri
Quirky to the extreme can
be as grating and unwatchable as the loudest, shallowest, big budget blockbuster,
and in recent years these types of coming of age tales have become more and
more prevalent. A Sundance debut, Terri
stars John C. Reilly and Jacob Winsock as a caring principle and an overweight
outcast, respectively, who find a bond when Terri’s life takes a turn for the
worse. Reilly is one of the few actors who can alternate between crass humor
and purely dramatic roles to palatable effect in both. Terri seems no less off the wall than any other Sundance debut, but
decent early reviews and some solid talent could yield better than average results
this time round.