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Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Trailer Roundup: Oscar 2010 Edition #3

Another day, another round of trailers. Yes, I'm a little late on some of these, but forgive me, I've been saving up for a big post.
The Way Back
The Way Back - Trailer Uploaded by ThePlaylist. - Watch feature films and entire TV shows.
I'm really disappointed that this is getting a last-second, one-theater-in-LA-at-the-end-of-the-year Oscar run; honestly, I doubt it will pay off, since voters will choose to reward other films that struck out their claim earlier in the year. That's what happened to Terrence Malick's The New World in 2005, and suspect that, despite the Oscar-friendly material and excellent reviews, this will probably be left out in the cold, with maybe a few technical nominations. Anyway, the trailer presents what looks like a typically-great Peter Weir film, epic in scope while still making sure there are plenty of great character moments. And with a cast that includes Colin Farrell (who's a legitamately good actor now), Ed Harris, Saoirse Ronan and Jim Sturgess (aka the guy from Across the Universe who was going to be a huge star, then wasn't), it's hard not to say this looks good. We'll see next spring, when it finally rolls out to other theaters (ugh).
True Grit
There's a full-length trailer out now, but I prefer the gorgeous, succinct teaser. I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about this film before, since it's a remake of John Wayne's classic Western, now starring Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn and directed by the Coen Brothers. However, the Coens have stated that this is not a remake, but rather a new adaptation of the Charles Portis novel, and a reteaming of Bridges and Coens (The Big Lebowski) sounds incredible. But this trailer convinced me that it's a must-see: between the magnificent cinematography, the assured-looking performance by newcomer Hailee Steinfeld (not to mention the presence of Matt Damon and No Country for Old Men's Josh Brolin), and the haunting music, this could indeed be terrific. If it is great, I think it'll be evidence enough that the Coen Brothers are the unlikely creators of the best modern Westerns.
Blue Valentine
Blue Valentine has had an interesting history up until now. It garnered rave reviews and huge buzz on the festival circuit, starting with Sundance, but ended up with a very limited December 31 release date, just so it can qualify for this year's Oscars. Then, just this past week the MPAA gave it an NC-17 rating, supposedly for an emotionally disturbing scene that has little nudity, language, or violence. But the trailer has arrived, and it looks amazing: Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams are both insanely talented, and this looks like the kind of career-defining film that will justify that talent. Honestly, I can't wait until I get a chance to see this.
Are you looking forward to any of these films? Comment below.

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