The Trailer Park: World War Z

Max Brooks' World War Z is a modern classic. It's easily one of my favorite books and manages to craft a story of the end of the world through dozens of different perspectives. It never sticks with just one story, but jumps around the globe chronicling the surviving efforts of all sorts of people, at all different times post-apocalypse. Naturally, when I heard a film was on the way, I was incredibly excited, then wondered how it could be adapted with justice. Unfortunately, World War Z, the movie, starring Brad Pitt, is a "loose" (very loose) adaptation of Brooks' novel and I have to say, I am all sorts of disappointed.

World War Z has been a film that's been struggling in production. Rumors of a weak script and bad direction led to many believing the movie is dead (or undead?) on arrival. Well, today the first full-length trailer premiered and I have to say that those rumors may be right. While the footage shown in the trailer isn't necessarily awful, it reeks of generic plot points and has way too much CGI for its own good. I already suffered through a computer generated destruction of another end of the world book, I Am Legend, and I prayed that I wouldn't have to suffer through that again. Unfortunately, it looks like Will Smith was swapped out for Brad Pitt and was given the support of a whole lot of guns. I will certainly be reluctant heading into this (I'll still see it) but I hope that this trailer doesn't show what the film will be all about. God forbid it receives a PG-13 rating.

World War Z hits theaters June 13, 2013. It also stars James Badge Dale, Matthew Fox, Mireille Enos, and David Morse.

The Trailer Park: A Good Day to Die Hard

Oh, John McClane. The many adventures you have shared with us. With kidnappings and terrorists, we've spent a hell of a lot of time with you. We know the relationships getting a little testy, and we know you're getting old, but for some reason we can never find it in ourselves to let you go. The whole it's not you, it's us speech wouldn't work. And simply stop calling and leaving messages would only get you angry. Thus, our relationship shall march forward.

With A Good Day to Die Hard we see McClane return to action (again) and invade Mother Russia with his son, John Jr. Now, I'm not calling this movie a beating of a dead horse, but it's certainly damn close. With Live Free or Die Hard we saw McClane again, older, more worn, and much more tired. But for some reason, he was granted super powers and jet-jumping abilities or something, because quite frankly, it got ridiculous. With another movie coming out in February, I hope that we can see McClane toned down a bit. Funnier. More... every-man? Of course this trailer does nothing to tell me such things will happen and instead decides to break as many glass windows as possible. Even then, I'll still see this.

A Good Day to Die Hard stars the one and only Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Cole Hauser. It hits theaters on Valentines Day, 2013. I really, really wish this was released come Christmas. I miss the Yuletide McClane. 

The Trailer Park: Evil Dead

The Evil Dead is a movie that one would consider untouchable when it comes to being remade. It's unique, it's scary, it's full of so much awesome, and has Bruce Campbell, a legend in his own right. Well, a remake had been announced awhile ago and I continually hoped that it would get canceled or delayed until it died. I was worried that it'd be a generic horror movie with a bit of blood and gore and nowhere near as good as the original. Then Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell came forward with their blessings, stating that the new film is the perfect remake to their horror classic. 

Below is the new trailer (very, very NSFW) and I must say... Holy Motherf**king Shit. In just two minutes alone I am more than completely sold. Evil Dead is now a movie I cannot wait for nor contain my enthusiasm for. I want to throw every penny I have at this flick and watch it over and over. The gore. The blood. The violence. The TONGUE! Hot damn this movie looks to finally introduce the states to the over-the-top gore-porn that makes European and Asian horror movies so damn memorable. Evil Dead has the balls to go places I feel we have not seen before. 

This year's Cabin in the Woods proved that we're wanting a smart horror movie and Evil Dead looks to take that idea and run with it, while pouring buckets of blood over everything. Director Fede Alvarez looks to take on his first full-length feature with all sorts of gory glory and I cannot wait to see what his final product looks like. Starring Jane Levy (Suburgatory), Shiloh Fernandez, and Lou Taylor Pucci (who's amazing in The Music Never Stopped), Evil Dead hits theaters April 12, 2013. 

Here's the very R-rated red band trailer:

The Trailer Park: Holy Motors

I have heard plenty of things about the French flick, Holy Motors, much of which were only positive. Below is the trailer to this "lunatic odyssey" that tells the story of a man who plays all sorts of characters throughout a day. For what reason, I cannot tell. The trailer in itself is a work of art and is bizarre enough to grab my immediate attention. Even if it all seems a bit too strange.

The movie has danced around the festival circuit lately, but it wasn't until a couple of days ago that a U.S trailer popped up online. While the majority of the footage is in French, you can still get a great idea of the visual splendor Holy Motors has in store as well as a taste of the crazy that's sure to come with it. 

Starring Denis Lavant, Edith Scob, Eva Mendes, and Kylie Minogue, Holy Motors has yet to have a solid limited release date. Keep an eye out for this though, as I feel it's going to be the unusual surprise hit of the year. 

Below is the trailer and as always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this crazy looking film. 

The Trailer Park: Iron Man 3 (Again)

So here it is folks, the official trailer for Iron Man 3. Just yesterday I posted the teaser for this teaser (because we can't be teased enough) and today we have the full-length (still a teaser) bad boy to take a gander at. And it looks really depressing. Apparently everything that could go wrong with Tony Stark does and it seems to be that he's at risk of losing everything and everyone around him. 

Seemingly depressed after the events of The Avengers, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) seems to have lost both inspiration and determination. The evil Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) looks to destroy Stark, both as Iron Man as well as personally. We see an interesting sequence of Stark's mansion being blown to bits and see both Stark and Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow) flown through the air. Yes, I think that these sequences look great, but I can't help but wonder if Marvel is trying to one-up The Avengers in this standalone, single-hero followup. The Avengers was about a TEAM of heroes coming together to save the world, thus the scale had to be massive in order to be as convincing. With Iron Man 3, I'm hoping that in the big effects and super explosions, the story and central focus on Stark is not lost. 

But, enough talk, you came here to see the trailer. Here it is and as always, I'd love it if you let me know what you think below. 

Iron Man 3 hits theaters May 3, 2013. Directed by Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) the film stars Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Guy Pearce, Ben Kingsley, Jon Favreau, James Badge Dale, Don Cheadle, and Rebecca Hall. 

The Trailer Park: Iron Man 3

Below is a teaser for a teaser trailer. Yes, you read that right, Marvel decided to throw this 18 second trailer online to pump up the anticipation for Tuesday's full-length trailer of the "hotly" anticipated Iron Man 3. I really have very little to say concerning the actual footage as it's kind of a joke that it's even online in the first place. But, feel free to take a look at it below and let me know what you think. I am sure we'll have plenty to talk about come Tuesday, but in the mean time, I'm completely okay waiting. 

Iron Man 3 hits theaters May 3, 2013. Directed by Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang), the film stars Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, James Badge Dale, Rebecca Hall, Ben Kingsley, and Jon Favreau. 

The Trailer Park: Tai Chi Zero

Tai Chi Zero looks to be the most insane, hilarious, awesome kung fu movie since Kung Fu Hustle. Blending all sorts of steam-punk  martial arts, and even Street Fighter and Dragon Ball, the film looks to deliver plenty of sequences we've never seen before and giving fanboys plenty to smile about. Sure, the story looks ridiculous and most certainly probably the weakest part of the film, but the action looks terrific. I'm a sucker for films that mix the absurd with action. Plus, whenever someone calls something "the hyperactive love child of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Kung Fu Hustle", I have to see it immediately.

I can really tell you nothing of the plot, as the trailer doesn't really give much away other than the fact that if you hit this kid, he gets pissed and starts breaking shit and owning any individual who challenges him. Thus, here's what IMDB says- "Yang travels to Chen Village to learn a powerful form of Tai Chi. Though villagers are forbidden from teaching outsiders, Yang becomes their best hope for survival when a man arrives with a plan to build a railroad through the village.". So, yeah, that sounds fun?

Tai Chi Zero stars Yuan Xiaochao, Daniel Wu, and someone named Angelababy (?). The trailer says it's to be release October 19th but God knows when us average folks can get a glimpse at the film. In the mean time, check out the trailer below. 

The Trailer Park: Jack Reacher

I've stated plenty of times before that while I may not be the biggest fan of Tom Cruise and his personal life, I love the living daylights out of all of his films. The guy is a true action star and doesn't seem to age, giving us high-paced action movies every year. Cruise's Christmas gift to us all this year is Jack Reacher, the film adaptation of Lee Child's popular book series. We had a teaser for the movie a couple months ago, but we now get a better look at the film's plot and action with this full-length trailer. And I have to admit, it looks all sorts of awesome. 

Jack Reacher follows Cruise in the titular role, a former US Military Police Major who now makes a living as a homicidal investigator, trying to prove the innocence of other former military men. After a man is accused of murdering five people, Reacher is called into prove his innocence. Of course, as everything would go, he finds himself uncovering more than he bargained for and finds himself and a beautiful lawyer (Rosamund Pike) in danger. The film also stars Richard Jenkins, Werner Herzog (I love when he acts), Robert Duvall, and Michael Raymond-James. 

While some people complain that Cruise doesn't fit the build for the title character, as he's apparently a brute of a man in the books, Jack Reacher still looks like a lot of fun. I'm hoping that it delivers on the action and has just the right amount of humor that Cruise is known for. From what I've read about the source material, the story sounds to be much smarter than your usual action flick and I hope that the twists and turns we see along the way are more unexpected than predictable. Jack Reacher hits theaters December 21. 

The Trailer Park: Stand Up Guys

Stand Up Guys is a movie I really, really, really want to see. When I first heard about the film, I figured it would be a throwaway kind of movie with the way Pacino's career has been going. Now, with a trailer, I have to say I am very impressed and even more excited. Pacino is embracing the fact he's an old gangster who has run out of luck and he looks to be having fun with it. Throw in Christopher Walken (who's having one hell of a year) and Alan Arkin, and you can't help but love this trailer. 

The film follows Pacino's character, right after he is released from jail. His former partner in crime, Christopher Walken, is there to greet him. Unfortunately Pacino knows a hit is on him, and he knows its a matter of time before he's killed. For conflict, Walken's blackmailed to kill him and he struggles with the fact that he may have to take out his best friend. Arkin is pulled out of a retirement home for the night and the three hit the town, trying to have the night of their lives one last time before they're separated again. 

The trailer is great. Director Fisher Stevens seems to have great control over the story, never having it really escalate to the bizarre or trying too hard to be funny and looks to create a genuine story, as opposed to a throw-away idea you'll easily forget. It also looks incredibly sad and even if you can guess the ending, it's still something you really don't want to see happen. I love the music used in the trailer and I hope that the songs (or similar songs) will be used throughout the movie. Bon Jovi is also contributing a couple of original songs to the soundtrack, which is awesome, but I really hope the old-school style of music will also still stick. 

Besides the three leads, Stand Up Guys also stars Julianna Margulies, Vanessa Ferlito, and Rick Gomez. The film hits theaters January 11, 2013 but expect to see limited runs to qualify for the Oscars. 

The Trailer Park: Carrie

So here's the teaser for the "hotly anticipated" remake of Carrie, starring Chloe Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore. Directed by Kimberly Peirce, this re-telling of the Stephen King classic book looks to be more of a new adaptation, as opposed to a direct remake. 

The trailer really doesn't give much away. Sure, there's some voice-overs talking about the troubled girl and her home life, but none of it may not even be in the final product. I really feel the trailer is entirely separate from the film and that the trailer is just a look at the style and feel Peirce and Co. are going for. It has the vibe that it was made JUST to be a teaser and I highly doubt any of the footage will be what we will see come next Spring. 

For those of you unfamiliar with the story, Carrie follows a girl (Moretz) who's that awkward loner we all know in high school. She keeps to herself when at school and at home is abused by her over zealous-religious mother (Moore). After her classmates pull a prank on her at prom, she loses her shit and taps into telekinetic powers she never knew she had and burns everything and everyone. Carrie hits theaters March 15, 2013. 

The Trailer Park: The Impossible

In 2010, a little movie called Hereafter hit theaters. Directed by Clint Eastwood, the movie told multiple stories surrounding three people, each coming together in a very emotional way. One of the stories was about a woman, who lost her family in a tsunami in Asia. The film had its moments came nowhere near emotionally epic. This year, The Impossible tries to do such a thing, telling a story of a family torn apart during the tsunami that devastated the world. 

Directed by J.A Bayona (The Orphanage), The Impossible follows Henry (Ewan McGregor) and Maria (Naomi Watts), a married couple vacationing with their two young boys. After a tsunami destroys their hotel and kills hundreds of people, Henry and his youngest son are separated from Maria and their eldest. As both parts of the family struggle to survive and find rescue, they also must face the possibility that they may never see the other half again. 

Personally, I think The Impossible looks decent, but could easily fall into the category of "over-dramatic", similar to what happened with Hereafter. I just think that the tsunami may never be the easiest tragedy to turn into a film because of the special effects as well as the fact that in such a huge catastrophe, focusing on just one family feels a little... understated. Either way, the fact the film stars McGregor says a lot and I may find myself catching it in theaters. The film has opened in festivals around the world to really good reviews, but I'll wait for a domestic release and more reactions before putting this on my must watch list. 

Here's the international trailer:

The Trailer Park: Zero Dark Thirty

Zero Dark Thirty is a movie that's been hiding in the shadows. What we know is that it's a fictionalized account of man-hunt of Osama Bin Laden and it's all directed by Kathryn Bigelow, whose 2008 film, The Hurt Locker won all sorts of awards include Academy Awards for both Best Picture and Best Director. Zero Dark Thirty looks to continue Bigelow's journey into war going on in the Middle East and the trailer below finally gives us more of a look at the film (the earlier teaser was just that... it teased). 

The film stars Joel Edgerton, Jessica Chastain, Kyle Chandler, and Chris Pratt, as well as a handful of other names you'll surely recognize. While the trailer doesn't show a lot about the movie, it still shows a lot more than the first one and makes me want to see more almost immediately. Zero Dark Thirty seems to be a nice blend of both political and action elements and could easily go head to head with this week's Argo as the best "historical" drama of the year. 

I'd also like to mention that I pray to God this film does to Joel Edgerton's career that The Hurt Locker did for Jeremy Renner. After last year's Warrior, I was sure that Edgerton would break out and be a star but the underwhelming performance of the film put the guy back on the bench. I'm also excited to see a more dramatic turn for Chris Pratt who I love in everything. Can he do more than just make us laugh? He showed some acting chops in Moneyball. 

Here's the trailer. Let me know what you think. Could it be a Best Picture contender with the talent involved? What are your initial thoughts?

The Trailer Park: Django Unchained

Awhile ago, Quentin Tarantino released the first trailer for his Western/Revenge flick due out this Christmas. Yes, it's great but it didn't really reek of Tarantino. Well, here's the new trailer for Django Unchained and it puts any fears or worries you had six feet under. Rich with QT's signature humor and style, this trailer features plenty of new footage. 

Django Unchained tells the story of Django (Jamie Foxx), a slave who's "borrowed" by Dr. Schultz (Christoph Waltz) in order to hunt down a bunch of criminal brothers that have large bounties on their heads. Django teams up with Schultz on the promise that once the brothers are dead, he'll be reunited with his wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) who's locked up in a plantation owned by Calvin Candie (Leonard DiCaprio). The film also stars Samuel L. Jackson, Don Johnson, and Jonah Hill. Django Unchained bursts into theaters Christmas Day. 

What are your thoughts? If you weren't sold before are you now? Will you be racing into theaters after opening up your presents to see the most non-Christmas Christmas movie ever?

The Trailer Park: Hitchcock

It's taken a long time for us to get an Alfred Hitchcock biopic. Yet, 2012 sees two of them hitting theaters, The Girl, starring Toby Jones, and Hitchcock, starring Anthony Hopkins. Hitchcock follows the famed director as he struggles to make Psycho, his biggest hit. Directed by Sacha Gervasi, Hitchcock dissects the life of the man behind the camera (and every so often, popping up in front of it), dramatizing his personal relationship with his wife, Alma (Helen Mirren) and his interactions with his Psycho stars. 

Below is the first trailer for the film and it looks splendid. Hopkins looks like he's having a blast in the role and the supporting actors look just as impressive. Even though we all know the story of Psycho and its effect on pop culture as well as the thriller genre, not many of us know the behind-the-scenes story of how it was made. Hitchcock looks very interesting and I can't wait to see it. We definitely know it's going to be heavily talked about come Oscar season. The film also stars Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Biel, Michael Stuhlbarg, James D'Arcy, and Danny Huston. Hitchcock hits theaters November 23. 

What are your thoughts on the trailer? Do you think Hopkins can pull off Hitchcock? 

Trailer Park: Stoker, McClane, Cavemen, and More

Stoker, Directed by: Chan-wook Park, March 1, 2013

So the first trailer for Stoker raped my face off in all of its awesome, but this international trailer takes it to an entirely new level. This movie looks downright gorgeous with a lot of creep thrown in the mix. Of course, that's what you would expect from Chan-wook Park, the director of Oldboy. It's also rather curious that Wentworth Miller (yes, from Prison Break) wrote the script, which can be either horrible or "oh my god he can write better than he can act!". Oh, and the movie also features Mia Wasikowska, who I'm beginning to wnat to watch in everything she's in, Nicole Kidman, and the incredible underrated Matthew Goode.

A Good Day to Die Hard, Directed by: John Moore, Feb 14, 2013

While I wish the Die Hard movies would go back to a smaller scale like the first one, with a villian on par with Hans Gruber, I'll still watch John McClane in anything. This sweet little teaser for the franchise's fifth installment is just that.. a teaser. Explosions, laughs, a McClane grin, and plenty of action in a little under a minute, A Good Day to Die Hard has already filled up your schedule on a post-apocalyptic Valentine's Day. 

Broken City, Directed by: Allen Hughes, Jan 18, 2013

How many times does that Kanye West song have to sleazeball itself into trailers? Looking at the trailer itself though, it looks very generic. Broken City almost screams direct-to-DVD but with a cast as packed as it is, it apparently warrants a theatrical run. I do have to admit seeing an orange and tanned Russell Crowe sporting a New York accent looks too much fun to pass up, but the story honestly appears to be rather terrible. Call me underwhelmed. Oh, and it's a January release, a time where movies go to die. 

The Croods, Directed by: Kirk De Micco & Chris Sanders, March 23, 2013

This movie screams awesome and it screams terrible. On one hand, it's directed by the guy who gave us How to Train Your Dragon, on the other, it's directed by another guy who gave us Space Chimps. The trailer looks great (visual wise), yes, but with such two complete opposites sharing the helm, The Croods could swing either way. I'm hoping it'll be more like Dragon. Nicolas Cage also provides the voice of the caveman patriarch, which is awesome on all different levels. Seeing him as a caveman sounds like something I'd die to see in a live-action movie though...

Five Word Trailers:

Parker, Directed by: Taylor Hackford, Jan 23, 2013

Statham in a cowboy hat. 

The Lone Ranger, Directed by: Gore Verbinski, July 3, 2013

F**k you Johnny Deppp. Hard.

The Guilt Trip, Directed by: Anne Fletcher, Dec 25, 2012

A Jewish road-trip. With Mom.   

Movie 43, Directed by: Everyone, Jan 25, 2013

Famous people repaying favors. Poop. 

The Trailer Park: Zombies, Witches, Sean Penn, and A Lot of Old People

I apologize that it's been awhile since I've done any non-review feature. I'm wanting to work on it so I do at least one edition of The Trailer Park and Pick Six once a week. So here's to (hopefully) a new commitment and a better variety of things on The Cinematic Katzenjammer. 

The Bay, directed by Barry Levinson Nov. 2

I hate found footage films. Or, at least what they've become. This year's Chronicle showed the 'gimmick' could work, when done right, and I'm now sure there will be plenty of movies on the way that try to do the same. With The Bay, the found footage idea is used to tell the story of a viral outbreak that turns people into zombies. The catch? It's directed by Barry Levinson, who's known for his political satires, like Wag the Dog, Man of the Year, and yes, even Good Morning, Vietnam. This trailer has me sold and if the film is as good as this 2 minute bit, I'll be one of the first people in line. It genuinely looks terrifying and I can't wait to hear more about it. 

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, directed by: Tommy Wirkola, Jan. 11

There's not a lot to say about this as it looks... interesting. I really can't tell by the trailer how bad this flick's going to be or if it in fact, is just campy enough to channel The Evil Dead. I'm hoping that this flick gets a hard R-rating, otherwise I don't think this will be worth anyone's time. The plus? It's directed by the guy who made Dead Snow, a movie about Nazi zombies looking for Nazi gold. If he can replicate what he did with that film, with Hansel and Gretel, I'm in. Let's hope this film isn't the beginning of the end of Jeremy Renner's career. 

This Must Be the Place, directed by: Paolo Sorrentino, Nov. 2

This is one bizarre looking flick. Sean Penn channels his inner drugged-out rocker/granny/drag-queen in what looks to be a very unconventional road-trip movie. Penn is picky with his roles, so he must have seen something special about the script and I'm hoping that it plays out well on screen. Parts of the trailer look really funny but parts of it just kind of scare me. Either way, it's sparked my curiosity. 

The Company You Keep, directed by: Robert Redford, release date unknown

Hipster-Journalist Shia LaBeouf, with every actor currently carrying an AARP card. Directed by Robert Redford. That is all. Oh, and I f**king loathe Ordinary People. Just saying. 

Dredd, directed by: Pete Travis, Sept. 21

Yes, this movie comes out in a little over two weeks but I had to revisit the trailer. I figured that this movie would just fly under the radar and be swept under the rug to rot away in oblivion but I was pleasantly surprised at early review of the film. From what I've read, the film is over-the-top, packed with violence and glorious action and it does incredible justice to an iconic character. The trailer doesn't really do much to sell you on the movie, but with this epic reviews rolling in, I'm very excited for it. 

The Trailer Park- Part Bana, Part Butter, With a Little Bit of Cage and A Whole Lot of Ahnuld

I apologize for the lack of features that aren't reviews lately, just been a little too busy to write other things. This edition of The Trailer Park features probably the weirdest combination of trailers so there's plenty to be enjoyed by all kinds of fans. 

Stolen, directed by Simon West, Sept. 14

What's the best way to start a feature? Nic Cage, of course. Cage's newest film, Stolen, follows a ridiculously generic plot and has the production value of something straight to DVD. It also features a crazy looking Josh Lucas who looks to be either absolutely awesome as the villain or just bat-shit crazy stupid. On the plus side, the trailer gives the film gives you a little taste of Taken (but with The Cage!) and is directed by Simon West (The Expendables 2), so you know the action will deliver. 

Deadfall, directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky Sept. 14

There is so much to like about this trailer. Eric Bana (who as I've stated needs to be in everything), Olivia Wilde, and Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy). I have a feeling that this trailer doesn't quite sell the film but with that cast alone I'm on board for watching it. It's always hard to see a movie set in snow and not compare it to Fargo, but here's hoping that Deadfall isn't all heavy drama and actually has a little bit of humor. 

Butter directed by Jim Field Smith Oct. 4

It's just a coincidence that this is another film featuring Olivia Wilde but she does look a lot more... "interesting" in Butter than she does in Deadfall. The film also features Jennifer Garner, Ty Burrell, Alicia Silverstone and Rob Corddry, who from early screenings of the film (as well as the trailer) apparently provides the most laughs in the film. I think this film has potential on being a little gem and while I hope that the style is similar to say, Waiting for Guffman or Best in Show, I'm still hesitant on saying it could be amazing. 

The Last Stand directed by Jee-woon Kim Jan 18

I don't care what anyone says about this trailer, I cannot wait for this movie to come out. Directed Jee-woon Kim is one of the best directors working today and this is actually his American film debut, so there's a lot to wonder about. All I can say is that I have absolute faith in the man and you can expect to see me come opening weekend. Plus, it's a January release, nothing else good comes out during that month so go watch this mindless piece of awesome. 

Seven Psychopaths directed by Martin McDonaugh Oct. 12

Because I can't talk about this movie enough, here's the trailer again. Enjoy.

I've always wondered about crossing the boundary between film and TV on this blog. I figured if I ever did such a thing, it would have to be for something I love the hell out of, thus the trailer for the new season of Doctor Who, premiering September 1. Stay Calm and Trust the Doctor. 

The Trailer Park

This edition of The Trailer Park has a lot of awesome and a lot of crap. There are a couple flicks in here I cannot wait to see and a couple that I absolutely (already) loathe the existence of. Watch, enjoy, get excited?

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey directed by Peter Jackson, Dec. 14

While a version of this trailer debuted a long time ago, this newer version has a couple tweaks and additions. Either way, it continues to impress and I cannot wait for this film. Howard Shore's score from The Lord of the Rings trilogy used throughout the trailer brings back such sweet memories and I highly anticipate the return to Middle Earth. 

The Big Wedding directed by Justin Zackham, Oct. 26

My God, is there so much to hate in this trailer. I have completely lost faith in the career of Robert De Niro and am ashamed for him to be in such crap. Just because people thought you were "funny" in Analyze This and Meet the Parents, it doesn't mean you need to keep making comedies. This is one of those movies I already loathe the existence of and am entirely too pissed off that this even made it past the pitch. Why Robby D.... WHY!? And as I have stated before, f**k you Katherine Heigl. 

Zero Dark Thirty directed by Katherine Bigelow, Dec. 19

I love The Hurt Locker. It's incredibly intense and shows a side to the war going on that very few people can see. Zero Dark Thirty is Katherine Bigelow's follow-up and boy does it look interesting. This is just a teaser trailer and while it gives very little information about the plot or characters, it's a nice introduction to a film we will probably be talking a lot about come Oscar time. Oh, it also stars Joel Edgerton, who I talked about in my Warrior review as a man looking for a breakout. Could this role be similar to Jeremy Renner's breakout in The Hurt Locker? I hope so.

Paranormal Activity 4 directed by Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman, Oct. 19

F**k this movie and the franchise. We just wrapped up the never-ending Saw series and now every Halloween it looks like we're going to have to suffer through another Paranormal Activity. 3D may be a gimmick that's plaguing Hollywood, but this damn "found footage" jump-out-and-scare bit is going way too far. As for the film, it clearly looks like a step down from the 3rd installment (which I thought was impossible) and the franchise is turning into what looks like a series of fan-made movies uploaded to the internet. Of course this piece of crap is going to make $100 million. I might as well go write myself a damn ghost story and film it with my smartphone. 

Robot & Frank directed by Jack Schreier, Aug. 24

There's so much I love about this trailer I can't even put it all into words. What an original idea! Frank Langella is a phenomenal actor and the idea of pairing him up with a talking-walking robot is genius. The film also packs quite a supporting cast, with Susan Sarandon, James Marsden, and Liv Tyler adding their talent to the film. This will certainly be a limited release, so finding this in theaters will be difficult, but I can only imagine it'll be worth the effort. Robot & Frank has the potential to be this year's little indie gem (a la Little Miss Sunshine, Juno) and is definitely worth keeping an eye out for. 

The Trailer Park

This is my second edition of Trailer Park. However, I think that this time around I'm not going to go into any depth discussing the trailers as much as I will let the trailers speak for themselves, as a few of these are very powerful on their own. Enjoy.

Life of Pi directed by Ang Lee, Nov 21, 2012

This trailer looks gorgeous and the source material is incredible. With Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) at the helm, this film screams Oscar. 

Man of Steel directed by Zach Snyder, June 13, 2013

I was unsure about this trailer at first, but the more I watch it, the more I can't wait to see Man of Steel. Very gritty, very visceral, and although it's been pointed out on other sites, the trailer is reminiscent of The Tree of Life (which has the best trailer of all time). 

The Master directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, Sept 21, 2012

Oscars. Oscars everywhere. Made by the man who gave us There Will Be Blood, featuring Phillip Seymour Hoffman as a "cult" leader and Joaquin Phoenix in a glorious return to acting has this film on my "Must Watch the Second It's Released" list. 

Cloud Atlas directed by Tom Twyker and the Wachowski's, Oct 26, 2012

Cloud Atlas was on my radar the moment I read the cast list. However, after watching the trailer I cannot begin to explain how badly I want to see this movie. This is why I love movies. 

The Trailer Park

What do you know, another new feature here at Cinematic Katzenjammer. Now, what's the first thing you usually see when it comes to a movie? The trailer of course. Sure, a lot of times those little two or three minute previews can give away far too much of the film's plot, sometimes even the ending, but trailers also build excitement, give you chills, and certainly tease the hell out of you. Here are some of my favorite ones of the past week. 

Sleepwalk With Me

Mike Birbiglia is a comedian more people need to know about. The guy is genuinely funny and his look on life is awkward, yet optimistic. His humor is real, his jokes are real, and everything about Bribiglia is relatable. Sleepwalk With Me is not only Bribiglia's film debut, but also his first time directing and writing. The film is actually based loosely on his own life and his struggles of becoming a comic, falling in love, and running into plenty of walls as a chronic sleepwalker. Personally, I cannot wait for this film as I have followed Bribiglia for years, waiting for the day he'd break out into film. While most stand-up comedians find themselves being cast in supporting roles or even forgettable cameos, Bribiglia's made his own movie and I can't be more excited or more happy for him. 

Oz: The Great and the Powerful

Call me pessimistic, but Oz: The Great and the Powerful really doesn't look that great. Sure, the visuals seem nice, but I can't help but wonder how tailor-made the movie is going to be for the 3D audience. And, have we not learned that terrific directors teaming up with Disney does not have the greatest track record lately? (Alice in Wonderland, Prince of Persia, Pirates of the Caribbean). Also, there are a lot of characters and names that come to mind when I think of James Franco, and powerful wizard is certainly not one I think of. It's even more disappointing knowing that the role was originally given to Robert Downey Jr., but he had to drop out due to scheduling issues. Even then, I do not think that Oz will be as great as this debut trailer makes it out to be, but don't think I'm going to be getting all excited about seeing it. Hell, I can only imagine I would look like a fool in a pair of ruby red slippers, and if that's the only way for me to get home after this adventure, I'll cancel my vacation in Kansas. 

Gangster Squad

Yes, this trailer premiered over a month ago, but it's deserving of every bit of attention. Once in a while, a film comes along that just reeks of cool and Gangster Squad is one of them. I think the trailer alone speaks for how damn good this movie's going to be, and when it throws in that stellar cast and the director of Zombieland, I can't help but get a little giddy. Not to mention, I'll watch any damn thing in the world featuring Emma Stone. And, because I am not afraid to admit it (we all know it's a stone cold truth), Ryan Gosling is one hell of a stud. After Drive, I can't wait to see him take names and kick a whole lot of ass in 1940s Los Angeles. 

Dirty Laundry

Dirty Laundry isn't a trailer as much as it is a short film. It premiered last week at Comic-Con as a fan made film for a character that hasn't quite found his niche in movies, even though his history and background provide incredible source material. I don't want to say too much without giving the clip away, but keep in mind it is rather violent. Be patient with it, as the ending is the best part.