Before I begin this edition of The Trailer Park, I would like to discuss some news from another trailer park altogether. If you haven't heard by now, Britney and K-Fed are calling it quits. As such, I will never again review a romantic comedy because it just won't measure up. If those two crazy kids can't make it, I'm not sure anybody can in Hollywood or in real life. However, life must go on, so here are some fun movies to lighten the mood in these dark times.
"Bee Movie" DreamWorks SKG Now playing
Jerry Seinfeld lends his voice to a recently graduated and disillusioned bee in this animated feature from DreamWorks. Seems the bee has discovered that humans eat honey, and now it wants to sue us.
Seinfeld turns the notion of the animated feature film on its head with this trailer, demonstrating just how foolish it would be if big-name stars did this type of movie as live-action. Dressed in a giant bee costume and taking direction from Eddie Izzard, Seinfeld and company get sprayed with hoses and blown all over the giant windshield set on which they are filming. The ludicrousness of the situation is enough to pique my interest and with a follow-up trailer on the way in February, I have high hopes for this film.
"Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" DreamWorks SKG Jan. 7, 2007
Okay, so this movie isn't light and happy, which was probably apparent based on the subtitle, but I had to include it for the sheer bizarro factor.
It starts out charmingly enough with a man who has an incredible sense of smell and desires to create the perfect perfume. He discovers an intoxicating aroma in the form of a girl, decides that he must preserve that scent forever, and thus begins a killing spree, attacking women and distilling the scents from their corpses.
Freaky, right? After the trailer finished playing, I could see everyone in the theatre look around with the same expression on their faces: "WTF?"
However, it's from the director of "Run, Lola, Run" and it looks beautifully shot. Combine that with the fact that the marvelous Alan Rickman is in it, and I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt.
"Smokin' Aces" Universal Studios Jan. 26, 2007
This just goes to show that all the complex plotting and deep acting in the world cannot always replace a straight-up action comedy.
Joe Carnahan, the director of the surprisingly good "Narc," pits a plethora of hitmen against the FBI as they attempt to protect former stage magician Buddy "Aces" Israel (Jeremy Piven). Israel has decided to turn state's evidence against a Las Vegas mobster, and the mob won't have it. Ben Affleck, Ryan Reynolds and Ray Liotta star.
From the look of the two teasers, everyone gets to let loose here. Expect to revel in copious amounts of violence, explosions, ridiculous action sequences and hilarious dialogue as each hitman and hitwoman tries to put a bullet in Buddy. Opening a week and a half into the spring semester, this is the perfect procrastination tool for those who can't quite bring themselves to go to class on a wintery day, but don't want to be bogged down by the dramas swamping theatres around the same time.
"Balls of Fury" Rogue Pictures April 2007
One word for you: Walken. That's all you need to know about this movie for its April release.
What, you want more than that? Try this on for size: Christopher Walken plays the villainous Mr. Feng, the ringleader of an underground, unsanctioned ping-pong tournament where the winner takes all and the losers die. In order to take him down, the FBI pulls former ping-pong champion Randy Daytona (Tony-winning Dan Fogler, if he means anything to anybody) out of retirement and enters him into the deadly tournament.
This trailer is laughable for both the genius and absurdity of it all. They had me the second Walken showed up, although a close second is James "Lo Pan" Hong as Daytona's blind trainer. Everything else is just icing on the cake. Don't miss this one in the spring.
"Evan Almighty" Universal Pictures June 22, 2007
This follow up to "Bruce Almighty" focuses on Evan Baxter, former newsman and now happy U.S. Congressman (apparently he got out of the news business after Jim Carrey was such a jackass to him when he had God's powers).
Steve Carell, who has been on a mighty roll with every one of his projects and who stole every scene of "Bruce" that he appeared in, has come back- this time with the task of building an ark in preparation for another flood. Not too much can be gleaned from the trailer, but with Carell in the lead and John Goodman in a supporting role, this film won't be far off the mark. No matter what, there is one certainty- this will be better than its predecessor. A lot better.
