Watchin' Trailerz with Doug (Dec. 6)

Well, this is interesting. A movie theater in Florida (WHERE ELSE?) accidentally played the Nymphomaniac trailer before the new Disney movie, Frozen. As I'm sure you know, Nymphomaniac is Lars von Trier's upcoming film about sex addiction. If you want to see the NSFW trailer for yourself, here it is (this is a link to Vimeo, as the preview was removed from YouTube last month for having TOO MUCH sexual content and nudity). Be warned: it is VERY graphic.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Release date: May 2, 2014



Is it wrong that I'm more interested in the playful chemistry between Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy than I am in watching poorly constructed CGI cartoon characters zip and flip around a ... power plant, I'm assuming? Yeah, the action sequences in this look pretty much the worst (aside from MAYBE the opening shot of Spidey falling into the city). There's a chance that the filmmakers are still fine-tuning the effects, which is fine, but it's still just NOISE. The videogame-ification of movies is near-complete. Listen/look, I'm no fan of the first movie (still can't believe I passed on the chance to watch a 70mm print of The Master in order to see it), and my relationship with Andrew Garfield's acting is ... evolving (trying to stay positive). Hearing the Inception-esque BWWWAAAHMMs and watching the lead singer of Arcade Fire pretend to be Harry Osborn is too much for me right now. TOO MUCH! FOR ME! RIGHT NOW!

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
Release date: Jan. 17, 2014



Call me an old-fashioned COLD WARRIOR, but I like these kinds of movies. For reasons I can't quite explain, I STILL put on The Hunt for Red October and Patriot Games (thanks to Mike for buying me the Jack Ryan Thriller Set) when I'm in a certain "mood" -- usually in the fall. It's best not to focus on the ridiculousness of the dialogue ("You're not just an analyst anymore [gun placed in hand]; you're operational now"), or the Russian-ness of the accents ("You think this is game, Jack?"). Just enjoy the ride.

Sabotage
Release date: April 11, 2014



Bad name (and bad opening tattoo scene) aside, this is more like it! The movie has a respectable (if not a little self-serious) action pedigree (director David Ayer wrote Training Day, and wrote and directed End of Watch), and Arnold seems like his old self in the role. I am a little tired of the Mexican drug cartel angle, but whatever. I look forward to reading Patrick's #HeavyAction review.

Pompeii
Release date: Feb. 21, 2014



"You Know Nothing, Jon Snow." Or, more specifically, "You Don't Know How to Pick a Script, Jon Snow."

Palo Alto
Release date: TBA



This neo "Coppola Aesthetic" has really won me over these last few years, even if the Coppola behind this film is Gia, the niece of Sophia and Roman, and the granddaughter of Francis Ford. It's all starting to look alike, though, no? And that's OK, I guess, because this movie also has another ace up its sleeve -- it's based on the award-winning(?) short stories of Professor James Franco (who also stars, alongside Emma Roberts and Val Kilmer)!. Dreamy, atmospheric and CRUSHINGLY indie, this probably isn't for everyone, but I dug (GET IT?) the vibe.

Back in the Day
Release date: Jan. 17, 2014



Garden State, Part Deux? Question: is the actual movie for ANY trailer that features cartoonish wipe sounds between scenes, a man pooping in front of another man or the always-classic yearbook font any good? Srsly, I want to know. #dodougsjobforhim