For the Love of Trailers - Immortals, Martha Marcy May Marlene and The Future

What to look forward to (or not) as Louise-Afzal Faerkel casts her eye over the trailers for upcoming releases Immortals, Martha Marcy May Marlene and The Future...

IMMORTALS

Directed by Tarsem Singh.
Starring Henry Cavill, Mickey Rourke and John Hurt.

I am not usually one for praise. Well, that is a bit of a lie. Let me rephrase: I enjoy ranting about films (and trailers) that do not fall in my taste and try to explain my way out of simply saying “I just didn’t like it”.

One reason I am so, is that I tend to be quite prejudice against certain types of genres, and thus their marketing and publicity methods. Generally speaking, they tend to totally under-whelm me, to the point of aggression and sadness. So it comes as a surprise that I genuinely enjoyed the trailer for Immortals.

Could it be the unconventionally still and subtle imagery at the beginning? The first 30 seconds are captivating. Yes, there is an annoying voice over – by none other than Mickey Rourke – and you see Freida Pinto dressed as a sexy slave. Yes, the conventions are implemented here, even the old cut to a single beat that provides the soundtrack before exploding into the second part of the trailer.

Could it be that a woman gets beheaded in said introduction? I am not misogynistic, but there is something wonderfully entertaining about violence against women in film. It angers me and upsets me (no tears, I swear): essentially it moves me for whatever reason. The conventions work beautifully and capture the audience's attention instantly.

Could it just be that I am softening up? No, I reckon it could be the quality of what I am watching. The colours and effects of this trailer are pretty epic, in all senses of the word, and there has been genuine effort in the visual effects department.

Could it be the gorgeous, Renaissance-esque extreme slow-motion 38 seconds in, where battling soldiers are flying through the air as slowly and dramatically as a trailer like this one will allow it?

I will admit – it could be another 300. At the risk of losing some of my readers, this was an appalling piece that should never have been made. It looked nice, but it was a disaster: dull, superficial, mocking, filled with terrible acting and lines.

The seed for my fear is planted in my head 40 seconds in when the graphics come up. I am thankful there is no cheesy American voice over, but I cringe at the thought that while this may be a beautiful-looking piece, it may be so abominable in its full length that I would want to retract this review and bury my head in the sand with utter shame.

Oh but look, at 1 minute 9 seconds – it is produced by the 300 gang. How ironic. I have given all hope now that there might be some substance to this film. I'll just indulge in the rest of this trailer and enjoy myself for once. (In a shimmer of hope, the montage as the end is not too much of an eye-fuck, which is a relief).

The editing – I should probably at least mention it – is smooth, well-paced and nicely executed. The slow-motion shots are frequent, distracting from the soundtrack, but they are worth it.

So my prejudice has not exactly changed, but perhaps bent a little. I promise to be more tolerant of the genres I usually dismiss and will try my best to take things for what they are (hmmm…). Let the last words of this long review be: I just frigging like this trailer, okay? 9/10


MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE

Directed by Sean Durkin.
Starring Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson and John Hawkes.

I love talking about movie titles. Many instantly offer the avid film-gawker an idea of what type of flick they are in for. Others are plain silly – this one is both. But enough about the funny title that would make any stutterer puke at the mere sight of it – let's talk trailers.

The slow fade in sets the mood and the tone instantly. We're in for a heavy ride. A gentle musical pace sets the tone and makes the trailer eerie and compelling enough to keep watching. The lack of well-known faces is a plus as the story is incredibly delicate, and told accordingly.

One characteristic which makes the video stand out, is the many fades between shots, tiring the eye and almost distracting away from the beautifully framed clips.

The choice of shots and the delivery of the lines are slow, but not painfully so. It is a retrospective edit (i.e. it starts in the present, jumping back to the past in order to end at the present or just before – a style I have just made up I think, doubt this is the industry term) that makes sense and tells the story as it should. We don't know if the beginning of the trailer is indeed that of the film, but it makes it easy on the viewer to watch and comprehend.

The lines between what is told as past and what is told as present are a little feathered, but this is not an issue: the style lets us delve into the trailer as it is, without really asking questions. It is not one that demands much more than being watched and accepted as it is. It's an easy trailer, not necessarily so for it content, rather for its well-chosen style.

This trailer contains not just one, but three trailers, all as different as you and me.

The fact that the first montage is not exactly at the very end, just before the title card, is in line with the style of an indie trailer. It is steady and followed by a second mini-montage cut to single beats, about half a second each. This is only to end on a third montage, whose slow and delicate pictures end the trailer powerfully and without offering the viewer yet another typical trailer.

The attention of the viewer is thus held and the style is completed. 8/10.


THE FUTURE

Directed by Miranda July.
Starring Miranda July, Hamish Linklater and David Warshofsky.

I have watched this trailer about ten times by now. I honestly do not know what to say. The more I watch it, the fewer words I find to even begin describing it. The worst thing is that this is such a conventional indie-trailer and the shots selected are so wonderful that I honestly cannot write a review. My jaw has hit the floor, big time.

I ought to focus on speaking of the trailer itself, but it’s so well-paced and straight-down-the-line there really is nothing to comment on. I may have failed but I really want everyone to watch it and experience the loveliness of this little gem.

In other words: it is a trailer narrated by a cat. There you go. 10/10.


Louise-Afzal Faerkel

For the Love of Trailers - Hesher, Circumstance and Cinema Verite

What to look forward to (or not) as Louise-Afzal Faerkel casts her eye over the trailers for upcoming releases Hesher, Circumstance and Cinema Verite...

So the royal wedding is over, the celebration of a resurrected Jesus (has he?) has taken place and it is back to work for all of us (bar the students and unemployed). This also means some of you may already have had the pleasure of seeing many of the latest trailers out there. But just in case you have not been so lucky, let me recommend (or disapprove of) a few examples...

HESHER

Directed by Spenser Susser.
Starring Natalie Portman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rainn Wilson, Devin Brochu and Piper Laurie.

Hesher has a good trailer. It does. It is very well put together, it is funny, it is compelling. Why the choice of such a straight and narrow, down-the-line manner of selling a movie? Perhaps this is the style of the film itself, in which case – fair enough. It saddens me a bit though.

With such a film, you would ideally like to be thrown in the deep end and be shocked, not chaperoned into the edit. The depiction of the narrative is straight down the line with no twists. The opening 30 seconds are very good; extremely well-crafted, tight, expository but not in a patronising way and it brings us gently into the movie.

I guess it takes a certain type of film to pull off this type of trailer making; a film that can bear it without making it boring: a film for which that style will make sense.

Indeed, the particular use of lines and images chosen make for its originality. Those very particular moments, whether they be the best ones in the film or not, genuinely work. It is very structured, nicely cut and thoroughly entertaining because although its form is perhaps predictable, the content really is not.

The one bizarre thing about this trailer (yup, there is one!) is the mood switch around 1 min 45secs in. It is peculiar but not unjustified. The film makers and distributors seem to want to reach as wide an audience as possible, hence the mood change to attract more people. I applaud this approach as it is not used enough.

All in all, there is something about this trailer that makes you forgive its lack of ingenuity. I was entertained throughout and thus am satisfied, yet a little disappointed. I guess I should not always demand too much of the trailers I watch. 7/10


CIRCUMSTANCE

Directed by Maryam Keshavarz.
Starring Nikohl Boosheri, Sarah Kazemy and Reza Sixo Safai.

And when I don’t, when I have no expectations, no idea what I am about to delve into: this is when I truly feel I find the real gems. Circumstance genuinely took me by surprise. For this simple trailer needs no form of originality in order to get the message across.

The excellent and grasping opening line catches the viewer’s attention instantly and the rest of the trailer holds it there, through a steady and not overtly rushed pace. It manages to explain the story without even hinting at the film’s final resolution and creates a dramatic, tight and intense trailer. It is engaging and it works. Nothing special, but presents it as something different and special, something you must see!

There are no hurried montages, no epic soundtracks. It takes its time all the way through, and when you were most expecting a montage towards the end, there is none and gives space and presents the movie, rather than sell it.

I will admit – on the outside, this is the type of film and thus trailer that will mainly attract avid film fans, women and people interested in homosexuality and foreign cultures. It is hardly going to compel your average 15-year-old Playstation-loving young man (unless they are up for watching a bit of woman on woman action. Oh God, is this Black Swan all over again?).

Nonetheless, the trailer does as much for it as it can: despite the unusual plot, the trailer (fairly) neutrally presents and shows the film as it is, without attempting to draw in particular people. 7/10


CINEMA VERITE

Directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini.
Starring Diane Lane, Tim Robbins, James Gandolfini, Thomas Dekker and Kathleen Quinlan.

Mistake no. 1 of trailer making: do not choose music too easily recognised from other films. Your audience will associate it with something else and it will diminish your chance of getting people to buy your product. I am not thinking of arias from La Bohème, Jingle Bells or the like. I am talking about actual music composed for other TV shows or films. Like in this instance the soundtrack to American Beauty (among others).

Your audience will not be able to dissociate themselves from the original product so you have already compromised your chances. This is the first issue with the trailer for Cinéma Vérité.

Issue no. 2: the cut is lazy and the scenes are too long. Yes, it is for a TV film (a HBO production, might I add!) but promo-making still needs to be poignant and on the money. This is not. The lines are weak (perhaps this just reflects the quality of the film itself?) and badly chosen (e.g. Diane Lane in her “I don’t wanna give you the wrong impression” bedroom scene). It makes for a dull edit, with nothing else really winning over the audience.

It is however a solid and interesting subject matter, which (more or less transparently) relates to today’s reality TV. In all honestly, I think it is probably good that it does not get released on the silver screen. It is not a strong enough script, as far as I can tell from the trailer.

This trailer has not managed to entice or tease the audience: it has merely condensed 2 hours of television drama into one 2-minute presentation. The only really nice thing about it is the graphics that appear at random and sparsely. 4/10


Louise-Afzal Faerkel

For the Love of Trailers - Melancholia, Daydream Nation and Heartbeats

What to look forward to (or not) as Louise-Afzal Faerkel casts her eye over the trailers for upcoming releases Melancholia, Daydream Nation and Heartbeats...

MELANCHOLIA

Directed by Lars von Trier.
Starring Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlotte Rampling, John Hurt, Alexander Skarsgård and Stellan Skarsgård.

Lars. Von. Trier. Need I say more? Not a fan? Oh well. Then this trailer will most likely not convince you otherwise, even if I try my hardest. Apologies.

So here is a story about a family, an unusual subject for the Dane. Family always exists to a certain extent in his films (Dogville, Antichrist and The Idiots all contain families in their own way), however a traditional family structure does not. Not in this sense anyway. Indeed, a family unit is shown, yet little is given away and this makes the whole scenario less off-putting and in keeping with the director's style. The viewer is already fishing for more.

The progression of the trailer is hectic, messy but an interesting way of showing off a piece of (perhaps) abstract work. And although it is rambling and unclear; it captivates, in essence because the audience only gets time to think about what they just saw after the trailer. The pace is so disconnected that there is little if no time for pausing, consuming or reflecting.

Further unusual is the conscious choice to let so many voices glide over unmatching pictures, providing nonetheless crucial soundbites. Somehow, this creates a fuller, if not still messy, video that gives more and less at the same time. It can appear confusing, but is really just so for a sense of style and to let the audience return to it again, to make sure nothing was missed in the initial viewing.

All in all, the choice of using fragments rather than a clear explanation sets Von Trier's latest piece in perspective. It provides the viewer with constant surprise and the last (unexpected) line (“I am afraid that the planet will hit us anyway”) is the only transparent indication of the apocalyptic plot in this film.

It is a trailer for those who know of Trier's work, but then again - he is possibly the most self-indulgent movie-maker on this planet. A nice 8/10.


DAYDREAM NATION

Directed by Michael Goldbach.
Starring Kat Dennings, Reece Thompson, Josh Lucas, Rachel Blanchard and Andie MacDowell.

It is a shame that some trailers have a lengthy first half that demands a lot of work from the audience before it ultimately gets good.

The first reaction I had to the trailer was that the voice over, although not dominating and ever-present, is still incredibly unnatural (not to say unnecessary, one of my favourite words). The trailer would have survived perfectly fine without and it begs the question: will this element be present in the movie as well? For it would be a cuter (sorry) trailer without it – let's be honest.

As the video progresses, in a bizarre pace to a lot of seemingly untidy clips, it reveals itself as an apparently mature high school movie, compared to most (think Thirteen but less self-harm and fewer mother-daughter problems), which makes it seem unrealistic. Something just does not click. This creates a distance that unfortunately never really mends the more it is watched. If the film-makers are attempting to create a surreal, detached world of their own; I am not sure they have succeeded.

Another question I automatically thought this trailer would answer: can Kat Dennings bear a feature film on her own, minus a geeky side-kick (referring back to Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist)? No chemistry between her and anyone else exists, particularly her male counterparts. Perhaps the film and Dennings' talent is misrepresented here; it feels like a let-down.

This could also partly be the script's/editing's fault. Whatever scenes have been selected for presentation here are totally void of fiery drama, and difficult to live yourself in to.

Nonetheless! There is light at the end of our bleak tunnel. From 1 min 20 secs onwards something quite extraordinary happens: a montage – and it works. Loathing montages as much as I do, it really hit home here. Perfect timing, accurate structure and great soundtrack really make up for the mess the audience witness thus far. This partly works because of its timely position, partly (or especially?) because the chosen clips are slowed down, creating an atmosphere that the previous shots did not.

The trailer for Daydream Nation is pretty ceremonial in its portrayal of the film, but very nicely sown together with the music and the last section really makes watching the first bit worthwhile. Let's give it a 6/10 for its efforts.


HEARTBEATS

Directed by Xavier Dolan.
Starring Monia Chokri, Niels Schneider and Xavier Dolan.

Was I the only one who thought of Y Tu Mamà Tambièn when viewing this? Like, seriously?

This took me out of the trailer as soon as it began, which I have not experienced that often before. Immediately, a distance between audience and movie reigns during the entire 60 secs this trailer lasts. And thank god (or whoever made the executive decision on this one) that it is not longer.

I am sure it is a very pretty film – that is what the editing and the sense created over the course of the trailer suggest anyway– but the atmosphere conveyed through the trailer is alienating and unoriginal, undramatic and too abstract. This is made worse by the fact that the viewer can really feel like there is some kind of meat to this story, there is something to hang on to. But it is so pretentiously presented that is becomes hard for the audience to really look away from that and see it for what potential lies beneath the superficial and empty prettiness.

The editing style is like flipping through Wonderland or V magazine, i.e. a series of unconnected shots, that yet somehow seems bound by style and concept. Not to mention that the last shot is just as out of place and bizarre as possible.

Having said all this, there is yet something memorable about this trailer – despite the distracting music. It is not one to forget so soon. 4/10.


Louise-Afzal Faerkel

For the Love of Trailers - Beautiful Boy, Exporting Raymond and Super

What to look forward to (or not) as Louise-Afzal Faerkel casts her eye over the trailers for upcoming releases Beautiful Boy, Exporting Raymond and Super...

BEAUTIFUL BOY

Directed by Shawn Ku.
Starring Michael Sheen, Maria Bello, Alan Tudyk, Moon Bloodgood, Kyle Gallner and Meat Loaf.

It’s slim pickings out there, trailer-wise. So I must resort to yet again a tormenting, uninteresting trailer to review. Apologies.

The subject-matter of Beautiful Boy is interesting enough in itself (how parents of a college student who shot his classmates cope after his death – put very awkwardly), that’s not the issue. It’s this tiring, shockingly over-used type of trailer making that yet again makes me roll my eyes, thinking “What’s the point of it all?”.

Certain formulas just work for certain audiences, but I wish distribution companies would sometimes take a few more risks, like in this instance. Perhaps they are really representing the movie as it is: terribly Hallmark-esque made-for-TV type film. Snore.

The only efficient element of the trailer, to an extent, is the unexpected twist that makes the story (i.e. this is not a movie about parents losing a child, but also how to deal with essentially being the parent of a killer). That is all. The build-up works, but from then on it’s a yawn-inspiring tearjerker-wannabe, which condenses an entire movie (including its ending, I suspect) to a mere, predictable two minutes, rather than give the spectator a hint of what to expect.

It is lazy, unchallenging trailer-making. The crescendo in the music as the video moves along makes it feel like a music video. I would not even bother watching the trailer if I were you. 4 outta 10, people.


EXPORTING RAYMOND

Directed by Philip Rosenthal.

Now, how can we keep promoting a terrible sitcom after it has finished airing? Why, we make a documentary about its maker and his most recent explorations, don’t you know!

So is this a tale of arrogant, better-knowing (or so they think) Americans and their lack of understanding differences between cultures? An eye-opening, awe-inspiring documentary about accepting each other as we are? Not so much, actually. There is only so much room for cynicism in this trailer.

Firstly, it spends 30 seconds presenting award-winning US sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, only to reveal how its creator is still making comedy. So far, so uninteresting.

Then it reveals its true plot, which could be either very well explored or naively mocked: how does an American bring his comedy series to Russia? Complex stuff indeed.

It is not a dreadful piece of editing, or a bad trailer. But it is one that relies too much on its newspaper quotes: there is no room for the viewer to genuinely take in all the information the actual movie clips give us because we are being bombarded with too much external and biased influence. Time and time again I have stressed how this works in selling the film – but not here.

The graphics work in the trailer’s advantage, nonetheless: they are nicely made, innovative, funny and more efficient than most. The structure of the trailer is flawless and works completely.

I will say this though. Exporting Raymond looks funnier than ELR ever did. 6/10.


SUPER

Directed by James Gunn.
Starring Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon and Michael Rooker.

“Shut up crime!” is the best tagline in a long time. It is not cheesy, clichéd or baffling. It is efficient , easy to remember and funny.

Super is here marketed as a fun, easy piece of film and it looks damn entertaining. It is a trailer that really gives a hint of what to expect, rather than boiling the premise down to substantially telling you the denouement. Winner!

The structure and graphics work, it is enjoyable to watch and a quirky, different piece to all the other indie alternatives that can all too often take themselves too seriously.

Even so, it is a trailer (and film?) that might alienate certain potential audiences, due to its structure and kooky presentation of the (kooky) film. And perhaps this is the kind of trailer that includes too many good lines in a short amount of time. It left me thinking how much of the movie is actually in the trailer. Could it be clever or a terrible mistake to make this sort of trailer?

Lastly, I want to know how Ellen Page's character knows Rainn Wilson's: this is the main flaw of the trailer. Their friendship appears out of the blue and the viewer is left feeling they might have missed something out, that you blinked too many times or something.

I will not know until I watch the movie, though. And I am watching this movie. Won’t you join me? 7/10.


Louise-Afzal Faerkel

For the Love of Trailers - Miral, American Animal and Another Harvest Moon

What to look forward to (or not) as Louise-Afzal Faerkel casts her eye over the trailers for upcoming releases Miral, American Animal and Another Harvest Moon...

MIRAL

Directed by Julian Schnabel.
Starring Hiam Abbass, Freida Pinto, Yasmine Al Massri, Willem Dafoe and Vanessa Redgrave.

This could be glorious. It could be immense. It could be small, but powerful. It could be entertaining and nothing more. It could be an Oscar-contender. Based on the trailer, it could be anything – and that’s a problem.

The trailer for Miral has no definable mood or setting to it and the actors’ performances are lost in the waffle that is the story-telling in this chronological structure (is it really, though?). It took me three viewings to grasp the content of the trailer to the fullest and I am still left somewhat numb, if I am honest.

Freida Pinto’s screen presence is damn-near insignificant as she swoops in an out of the frame. An alright actor though she is, she evokes no emotion in the viewer: there is no connection. Why? Because the editing does not bring forward her best moments? Or is she simply not very good? Why could Julian Schnabel not have cast an unknown (Palestinian) actress instead? Pinto leaves no mark on the spectator and this is the first and essential failure of the trailer.

Furthermore, I have a hard time getting my head around the editing style. After the first half, it gets messy, leaving the viewer unsure of how the story unfolds. The more I watch the trailer, the less I understand how it has been edited. It is not at clear as it could have been, nor is it captivating or creating atmosphere. If anything, the background orchestra are alone in setting the mood.

I still want to watch the film, but more so for its subject matter, not because of the trailer. It is not as moving as it could be. Perhaps their mistake is in being too understated? It is a fine line between over-dramatic and underwhelming and cutting trailers is a true art.

But this is a trailer that completely fails to capture its audience and keep them motivated to watch more, thus making it hard for the audience to care. I can barely identify with Miral as a woman. She’s got no personality and is, as it looks here, misrepresented. An unfortunate 5/10.


AMERICAN ANIMAL

Directed by Matt D'Elia.
Starring Matt D'Elia, Brendan Fletcher, Mircea Monroe and Angela Sarafyan.

I have a huge soft spot for American independents made by young inexperienced people like myself. Perhaps because this is exactly the type of movie I would love to make.

However, trailers for these films always end up in one of the other extreme: truly brilliant (and occasionally better than the film itself) or utterly shit. For the first time, I think I may have stumbled upon something so middle-of-the-road-esque, that it am left scratching my head, thinking “How am I going to write this review?”

Let me start with the negatives. Not the best choice of music. In fact, the music sounds like it has been chosen because the film makers needed something with a crescendo. But it feels so half-hearted...

The use of filler clips rarely works. It makes the trailer inconsistent and messes with the viewer’s emotional response to it. A smoother approach could consistent of a series of scene grabs - done! That is the type of style usually reserved for this type of trailer and is efficient enough.

On the other hand, one of the strengths of the trailer is that it represents the film as one that really knows the identity of its target audience. It could either back-flip and perhaps prove to be too narrow and alienating to other audiences, or be right on target. The trailer leaves this question unanswered, making the film even more attractive.

Another question is whether or not there is too much dialogue? Mumblecore is pretty much dead, move on. Or is this perhaps an attempt at keeping mumblecore alive. Sometimes the dialogue is spot on (like the section where they explain how they have created their own world) and sometimes it’s annoying (Not Blonde Angela’s dialogue in the smoking scene has left scars on my inner scriptwriter’s soul).

It’s hard to make one’s mind up about a lot of things based purely on this trailer and it functions nicely in this way. It’s merely a taste of what is to come in the film and entices the viewer to really sit down and watch it before making up their mind.

It may be perceived as a slow trailer, but is intense nonetheless – mainly due to Jimmy’s character, who dominates the screen fully and makes it worthwhile. It also defines the style of the movie (and the trailer) as an actor’s movie and an intriguing character piece. Excellent representation, but with flaws that drag it down to a 6/10.


ANOTHER HARVEST MOON

Directed by Greg Swartz.
Starring Ernest Borgnine, Piper Laurie, Anne Meara, Doris Roberts, Richard Schiff, Amber Benson and Cybill Shepherd.

Movies about old people are just awesome. There’s something incredibly touching about their performance, their personalities, the stories and the whole idea – which is produced all too infrequently – of giving older actors significant roles (let alone make an entire feature film around them!).

There is an innate sympathy in humans, I think, to sympathise with older people. But all too often also, older actors are patronised or used merely for comic effect (e.g. Betty White in, like, everything of the past 10 + years). Older actors can be funny, but they have so much more potential still and it is far too rarely untapped. This trailer shows us a movie where they and their characters are taken seriously and is a touching, clever trailer, from the choice of clips downright to the graphics.

Indeed, the latter contribute subtly yet efficiently to the build-up of the edit. Their function is obvious, but not annoying or redundant.

This trailer works marvellously, as the viewer is touched from the first line when Ernest Borgnine slowly, but not painfully, gets off his chair. The genuine effort he puts into the action (or at least an effort that feels real) inspires sympathy and admiration. That’s how you grip an audience!

It is what I would call a sectioned structure as opposed to a chronological one, because the edit makes you understand what the story is about as opposed to spelling it out, like it would be so easy to do otherwise. In fact, it evokes emotion by selecting small (the best?) snippets of the film rather than attempt to narrow down the narrative to 2½ minutes of blah. It assembles lines and actions from the film to create a sense of character and why we should care about them. Yes, this sounds like a somewhat primitive approach. Nonetheless, it is one that is necessary in this case, so as to pay respects to the film.

It is an acting piece and this trailer fully shows this. More trailers like this please! 7/10


Louise-Afzal Faerkel

For the Love of Trailers - Trust, The Double Hour and Apollo 18

What to look forward to (or not) as Louise-Afzal Faerkel casts her eye over the trailers for upcoming releases Trust, The Double Hour and Apollo 18...

TRUST

- or how to make a boring trailer for a probably boring film.

The trailer for Trust presents a film that comes way too late in the game. This is the kind of film that should have been released 10 years ago, when the topic was still hot. Today, it is outdated. I am sure situations like this still occur, but it’s not news anymore, it’s not worth making a movie about at this stage. Rather than a “oh-my-daughter-what-have-they-done-to-you-I-must-avenge-you” bullshit Hollywood production, they could have made a serious movie out of it.

The graphics in the beginning advertise it as a social media study on the consequences of modern technology in our everyday lives. But the trailer develops into a thriller style edit. The set-up is a chronological, fast-paced, cheesy, dull display of emotion and crammed with irritating pseudo-symbolism, which makes me want to declare the thriller genre dead. No, really. This is pathetic and far from insightful. The snippet of Clive Owen contemplating guns is one of those shots in an edit that is overdone, ridiculous and self-indulgent as hell.

It is a piece full of distractions, jumbled and badly put together. It blends genres for no apparent reason, the edit is poor in style and content, it leaves the viewer numb and you are never really clear about what is going on. The only thing that looks remotely genuine and intriguing is Catherine Keener. Yes, she presents an over-dramatic display of emotion in this trailer, but Keener rarely disappoints, so there is light at the end of this boring tunnel. I hope…

Trust is not shown here as a movie that makes sense. And bad gets worse with the piano soundtrack and its appalling title. Christ. Catchy does not equal anything.

It just plain blows. 0/10


THE DOUBLE HOUR

The strength of this trailer lies in its ability to fool the audience.

For the first minute, the viewers find themselves bored by a seemingly dull, although elegantly executed, love story between two grown people. Nothing else. It just looks like a film of talking heads, exchanges of gazes, speeches about the meaning of love and all that other non-sense that makes for a lot of bad indie movies.

However, the last 50 seconds, partly through the use of graphics, completely turn around what has been shown so far. Story lines are put in perspective and turned upside down, the pace quickens and this makes for a great change of style that hits home. It is a trailer that genuinely teases the audience and provides them with an unusual experience of trailer watching, which entices and seduces more efficiently than any other edit would.

This surprising turn really work in combination with its beginning, despite the drastic differences between the styles of cutting. The camera work is also very nice and suave, providing for captivating pictures and a sense that there are more and perhaps even better moments captured in the film itself, not just the trailer.

The only thing I would reproach the trailer of is using music by 30 Seconds To Mars. The intention is good: it is avoiding classical music, which is a bonus, as it has been seen too many times before. But the track in question is not hard-hitting enough and does not quite deliver. In fact, it is border-line off-putting. Nonetheless, this is something we can forgive the distributor /editor for, seeing as the rest of the trailer works so well.

The structure and execution of the trailer creates an overall nice mood, especially with the ultimate tag-line, the last spoken line (perfectly summing up the movie) and the whole atmosphere of the trailer: everything works wonderfully.

All elements are tied up really nicely and the trailer really says everything without saying anything. It demonstrates the effect of the power of suggestion and clever cutting. 8/10


APOLLO 18

Viewing this trailer for the first time, I was not sure what to make of it. It is bizarre and disturbing. It presents the film as an odd budding masterpiece of sci-fi horror. It uses conventional editing and tension build-ups cleverly and, without being outrageously original, it really works.

The old faked footage bit is no stranger to the horror trailer, and in this instance it is not something that particularly disturbs or unsettles me. It is not original; it is merely a gimmick to set the story in motion and create style with substance (or is it the other way around?). However, the more of the contents I watch, the more I am lured into the story and it is strangely efficient.

I believe this is one of the reasons that the trailer is so strong: it does not take itself as phenomenally seriously as other trailers of its kind. Another reason is the minimal use of music to support the footage, which I am personally grateful for, as it avoids distracting me from the story.

This is another good example this week of a trailer that really teases. It uses the images and dialogue of the film well, albeit a bit constructed, a bit too set up. The trailer's structure could stand a bit of loosening up, in order for more audiences to be intrigued. For so far, it only amuses those who are already quite likely to watch the film anyway. By loosening its structure ever so slightly, it could attract an atypical and wider audience.

Sound design is key in this kind of film and it sounds marvellous. The editing creates a mood that escalates, not into an action movie type of montage, but rather a crescendo of emotion drawn from the viewer by using crucial and basic tools of editing. Hence why this is a solid, good trailer. 7/10


Louise-Afzal Faerkel

Movie Review - My Kidnapper (2010)

My Kidnapper, 2010.



Directed by Mark Henderson and Kate Horne.





SYNOPSIS:



Mark Henderson was one four tourists kidnapped in Colombia in 2003 by members of the National Liberation Army, ELN. A year after his release, his kidnappers contacted him via email. My Kidnapper is the story of director Henderson and his four co-kidnappees’ return to the place where they were detained for months to meet with their kidnappers and get closure.





The greatest struggle in this film is to understand Mark's relationship with the kidnappers. He questions it himself but never seems to dig much further into it. Rather, he makes an exposé of what the life of a captive is during and after the kidnapping and while the struggle is being presented as one of the film's focus points, it is an issue that never really gets fully addressed. It is an eyebrow-raising discovery to hear how the kidnappers invited Reini and Mark to their wedding, but with no further research into what the relationship could be classified as or to make sense of this action.



Is it a case of Stockholm syndrome? It is hard to tell as Mark and his co-kidnappees never really provide an answer. Nor do they seem to worry about the audience finding out. This is the major problem of the movie and what makes it a (sadly) poor documentary.



This makes me wonder if I have misinterpreted the movie's purpose. Mark does get some sort of closure, but the lingering question of why the kidnappers emailed him, began a friendship with him, the fact that he bothered to answer and how on earth they got hold of Mark's email address in the first place makes it a difficult documentary to watch. The viewer feels good for Mark to receive a sort of closure, despite the fury that our own questions at the beginning of the film never truly get a response.



We expect from the outset to have a viewer-character relationship with the director. The most interesting person however, turns out not to be Mark Henderson - it is rather his German co-captive Reini. She asks the right questions and has the most compelling views on her situation of all four detainees. Her retrospective comments on the kidnapping provide the deepest and most thought-over perspectives of the film. She states how she felt that she was there to complete a task, how she cannot go back to who she was prior to the kidnapping and how she was planning to make her kidnapper fall in love with her, in order to get out of her situation. This is closest we come to actually storytelling.



Of course this movie is not about storytelling, although it gives a sense of knowing the person on the screen. We sympathise with her. This kind of snippet makes the film work. She – dare I say – makes the documentary human.



Nonetheless, we still find ourselves wondering why she accepts Camila as a friend on Facebook after her ordeal? Is she desperate for closure or is there a sick fantasy to be fulfilled somewhere? This kind of action prompts the audience to think about whether this is an alienating or befriending relationship: do you keep your friends close, but your enemies closer?



Mark’s vision of the kidnapping is different and harder to understand. He explains how he progressively started feeling respect for the ELN after hearing Antonio's ideology. This is another element that leaves the viewer baffled. It is hard to comprehend, and I wish we could see his nearest and dearest react to this. The audience is always left to feel like they are wrong in not accepting and perceiving the events the way the kidnappees do. We are left alone; we yearn for similar reactions from others in the documentary: there is a link missing between spectator and film-maker.



Another weak point, I am sad to say, is the bizarre structure of the film. Ten minutes in to the narrative and we are already back in the Colombian hut: is this movie going too fast already? It turns out it is not. While we expect a smooth, bump-free ride, the script is unfocused, jumping between several narrative structures. An odd presentation of a most serious and important subject-matter.



It is a very personal film, an element which certainly shines through. Perhaps because of this, it is not a film that has received the right guidance. It does not flow well and impairs the viewer to understand the style of the director.



A quite questionable choice was the set-up when Reini and Mark meet Antonio and Camila again. The lighting, grading, editing make it look like a glossy ad for life insurance and just makes no sense. You are thrown out of the movie and find yourself smiling at the unsuccessful attempt at creating atmosphere (the worst is this happens several times in the film).



And the considerable amount of talking heads, especially heads reading out diaries passages, gives the film a television style inappropriate for theatrical releases. Cutting to static and white noise between archive and news footage is disturbing and not stylish. It makes the film lumpy and annoying. It makes it fit for Channel 4, but not necessarily something for the Odeon, I am sorry to say. Put simply, it is not a style that is easy to understand and perhaps a wrong choice for the movie.



I have great respect for Mark Henderson's documentary. It is a very difficult subject to approach. Unfortunately, it lacks some crucial answers or at least a confession from the director that there are no answers he can give us, no conclusion to come to – some indication that we have not been sitting waiting in vain. His style is not cinematic, but it could work if remodelled for television. It is a hard documentary to sympathise with and live yourself into. The audience understands but we still require answers.

My Kidnapper will be released in UK cinemas on 11th February and will be screened on Channel 4 (More4) on 22nd February.



Louise-Afzal Faerkel



Movie Review Archive

For the Love of Trailers - Perfect Sense, Burning Palms and Carbon Nation

What to look forward to (or not) as Louise-Afzal Faerkel casts her eye over the trailers for upcoming releases Perfect Sense, Burning Palms and Carbon Nation...

PERFECT SENSE

As much as I dread voice-overs in movie trailers, sometimes they can be necessary. They can still be pathetic but otherwise the trailer might not make sense, or be as enticing as they could be. Particularly when said trailer is edited rather unorthodoxly. Instead of cutting around the plot, the trailer has been cut around the characters. This makes for a more diverse form of editing, a different way of luring the audience into taking interest in the movie.

However, before the viewer realises the style of editing, the first minute it is a pure cheese-fest. Eva Green’s fatigued voice rolls over dull images of what could be a badly put together romantic drama. Thus making the film seem unimportant and unoriginal. Then something happens.

The editing gets more complicated and the voice over fleshes out, intensifying the trailer. We are offered glimpses of a reality we do not necessarily know as our own, but one we can most definitely still relate to – even though little, if nothing, of the actual plot (if there indeed is one?) – is exposed.

All this time, the viewer never gets a full image of what this film is like. General moods are created and hints are dropped, but the public is never directly told what to expect. Herein lies the absolute strength of the trailer. And the voice over is half of the reason why. It is very hit-and-miss but the bits that work do so extremely well.

With a great cast like that, it is not necessary to sell the movie through them. It kinda sells itself. Thankfully, the publicity crew had the wisdom to create an appealing trailer that sells itself, not its stars. Yet the main actors’ names are displayed from the start of the trailer till its end. This ironically works in its advantage, making for a structure that is untraditional and that intrigues the avid cinema-goers (read: trailer gawkers). As for the non-film geeks, they should easily be seduced – again, not just by the cast – but by the mystery surrounding the film’s plot.

The music works like a charm and underlines the obscure atmosphere and unclear plot superbly. The strength of the film lies in its fine balance between not knowing what is really going on and keeping mystery exciting, not odd or alienating. A good 7/10.



BURNING PALMS

Here is a great example of when a trailer cut to music really works.

Other than that the trailer is your standard quirky, graphics-based presentation of a cute indie movie. You know, typical stuff. A presentation of characters, making for a structure where plots are not the most interesting: it’s about character studies. This works within context, but is not note-worthy and I won’t linger on it longer.

But do take note of the music chosen. God forgive me, I do not recall what it is. I have it on the tip of my tongue and its killing me…

Be that as it may, it is one of the rare times an over-used, über recognisable tune has been used wisely. The trailer revolves its structure around the anticipation of the music’s climax and the story, as it were, lends itself well to such an edit. This would be a great template to anyone who wants to learn to cut to music. It is not too over-powering and the story is not neglected.

Even though I despise montages, I think it would be impossible to cut this trailer any differently without the inclusion of one. Indeed montages can work, when done with ingenuity and wit, not because it’s a sure winner with the audience.

In fact, the montage creates and sets the mood for the story, which – if cut differently - could have been clumsily. You might be overwhelmed by it all, possibly unsure of what everything means or how it relates to each other, but it works. It evokes excitement and grabs the full attention of the viewer – and not just because it’s a loud piece of instrumental music.

This movie sells itself well through this approach. It is presented as quirky, unpretentious and does not try too hard to impress. It lacks the usual atrocious series of one-liners one normally witnesses in trailers for this sort of movie and it is a brilliant breath of fresh air.

Its choice of structure is not an unfamiliar one, but the edit is so neat and poignant that it really hits home. Do yourself a favour and watch it: 8/10.


CARBON NATION

Documentary trailers have a certain structure to them. I have pointed this out before and this promo is another one cut traditionally that goes straight to the point. Done.

Trailer for documentaries work best when they don’t try to create a mood like for fiction pieces. This allows an unbiased, honest piece, this time about the environment and how one can deal with climate change.

The physical edit is traditional (talking heads, etc.) but the concept does try to deviate from the usual. The absence of a patronising voice over is much appreciated. The choice of music is refreshing. The graphics make sense and tell the story, rather than contain lots of quotes from various magazines and newspapers or what awards the movie has been awarded. The whole promo has gone 180 degrees the opposite way from the standard edit and it goes well with the idea that this is a movie about climate change “that doesn’t even care if you believe in [it]”.

This is a documentary that wants to sell itself, not boast to the public what it has achieved. Sure, this tends to win over people who would otherwise not bother with documentaries, but it still works, if people are given a chance to watch it.

It is a simple concept, which makes for an easy trailer. A nice 7/10.


Louise-Afzal Faerkel

For the Love of Trailers - The Two-and-a-Half Reviews Edition

What to look forward to (or not) as Louise-Afzal Faerkel casts her eye over the trailers for upcoming releases The Off Hours, Carancho and Dressed...

THE OFF HOURS

I think I might be able to call this the most bizarre trailer I have seen in a while. A very odd introduction to a film, mainly because it does not sell the film at all. Not to your Average Joe anyway.

Average Joe does not care about how much fun the cast and crew had on set, how ingenious the up-and-coming director might be. Perhaps making an actual trailer instead of a behind-the-scene featurette type thing would have helped?

Instead of a condensed explanation of the plot, this promotional piece starts out with clips of the film, featuring voice over snippets from the cast and crew. So far so good, it might even be an enjoyable trailer. But not 30 seconds in and we cut rudely to the director, producers and lead actors chatting away about the process of making this movie. This is stuff no one wants to know when they are trying to get a sense of what the movie is like and whether it is worth watching it.

This may be an efficient method to persuade the movie geek or industry professional, but for someone who just got curious and looked up the trailer or that someone is stuck with the commercial on a DVD where they can’t skip the chapters featuring the commercials (I really fucking hate people who release DVDs like that), then what? You really reckon that is a good pitch? Come on.

Inserting a clip of characters Ty and Francine makes even less sense in this edit. It’s random, misplaced and uninformative. The lines they utter are banal and flat. The edit is generally confused and the viewer has no idea where it is going. Perhaps it is down to the use of incorrect industry lingo on Youtube - in which case, I apologise for wasting your time.

Cut me a new trailer and I might bother writing a real review. Nil outta 10 y’all.


CARANCHO

I am not sure what this film is about. Nor do I think I care.

The opening conversation in this trailer is interesting and enticing. It is revealing and gives you the feeling this is something worth watching more of. It feeds the audience just enough information not to be too exposing or too mysterious and off-putting. Even the title card following the scene gives the audience a sense that this could be an entertaining film.

But from there on, the viewer is thrown in to a maelstrom of unconnected clips and an annoying soundtrack and lack of significant dialogue. The song adds little if nothing at all to the edit. The jerky unorganised clips have practically nothing to tell you of the premise. The snippets of scenes are thrown at you in a sad attempt at being clever and convey some sort of emotion I am still not sure of what is. Just playing with music for the sake of it is a childish effort at materialising the vision of a trailer and subtracts any kind of interesting feeling the viewer might have had towards the film.

But even if this is more than disappointing, at least they might have attempted something original, you would think. They have not. I would like to be able to answer the question “what’s original about this set-up?” with excitement.

The more I watch the trailer, the less I care about the movie. I am not sure what I have been watching and I am left numb and indifferent.

Meh. I’ll give it 1/10.


DRESSED

I have not much to say about this trailer other that it has worked in making me want to see a movie I might have been put off from had I just read a quick description of it on imdb.

The first scene makes you think: “Oh GOD is this Project Runway: The Movie?” But as it unfolds, the trailer unveils a much different story, one that deserves the typical, informative documentary-style edit, so as to make the most of the film.

Talking heads, voice overs, apparently random images of people and places: it all works exactly as it should. And even if it is not particularly inventive, it really does a good job at surprising the viewer and explaining the plot to them. It simply works.

A nice little 9/10.


Louise-Afzal Faerkel

For the Love of Trailers - The First of the Year Edition

What to look forward to (or not) as Louise-Afzal Faerkel casts her eye over the trailers for upcoming releases The Tree of Life, The Beaver and The Fighter...

THE TREE OF LIFE

Film-maker Terrence Malick has made his first film in six years, entitled The Tree of Life. It tells the story of a man growing up in the 1950's, from newborn to grown-up – not that it matters in the trailer at all.

This trailer sweeps you away gently, with the utmost delicacy, but not for the sake of pretentiousness or a desperate desire to be taken seriously. It projects the piece quite ceremonially and has been treated with respect and sincerity. It is not harsh or condescending. It tries to be a bit mystical, quite strongly leaning on silly to be honest, but due to the subject-matter (and with no important regard to the actual development of the plot, as it is quite insignificant here) it creates a stable yet possibly a bit dangerous environment that the audience can live themselves into.

Technically, the trailer is stunning. The editing is very controlled and the shots go together very well to create little packets of joy for our enticement. The introduction of the trailer is a generic looking montage, which is generally a yawn-provoker. However, the sync line that comes in right before the first graphic becomes the montage's punchline and the whole scenario becomes both short and tight. The rest of the trailer offers no harsh transitions and takes its time to present the film to audience, giving them opportunity to digest it. Adding to this fine mixture is the music. It surrounds the viewer and provokes a sense of awe and excitement, even nostalgia.

In essence, it presents Malick's serious and meaningful style, not forgetting giving the audience a taste of the magnificent long, slow shots he is so good at creating (cf. shot of lonely boy walking on a long road with his back against the camera). It creates a sense that the film is about individuals and about the condition of being human. The many close-ups and snapshots of Jessica Chastain and Brad Pitt also bring to the table the dilemma of woman versus man, the difference between genders, the understanding of each gender's identity. And the trailer lets you assume this is what you are in for. A well-done promotion indeed.

Verdict? It is a strong 8/10.


THE BEAVER

Ah, Mel Gibson! As I recall, you have done no decent acting since We Were Soldiers (which was still average) and directed no decent films since Apocalypto. Instead, you have turned yourself into a Jew-hating, racist schmuck of a fool, who has no control over his life. Or at least how it gets publicised. Don't get me wrong! This is by no means an attack on Mel. Merely an observation (an opinionated one, granted). This is Mel Gibson in potentially his last (good?) film; is this the best goodbye? Or is it a little weak?

Judging from the trailer, I would say weak.

If I have to hear another unnecessary, vile, unchallenging, uninformative, patronising voice over again, I might have to kill someone. An intriguing and quite serious subject-matter such as this one (man gets depressed after separation, finds toy beaver to deal with his emotions and speak for him – okay, it may sound a little funny when written, but it is not meant to be) should be interpreted and understood by the viewers themselves, not some dude who is reading dryly from a script some runner churned out a second ago.

And for the love of god, is this trailer just a series of gasps? A gasp-fest some might say (i.e. me)? This trailer has nothing new, original, interesting, or remotely compelling to offer and on that basis it fails. It bombs. It is practically catastrophic (yeah, I am exaggerating). The whole thing is a predictable, chronological structure that leads no where and if it lucky, might convince some middle-aged women to see it, purely for its sappiness.

No one but Mel seems to be trying to act (sorry Jodie, still love you). But could this really be the role that sees Mad Max, William Wallace, Martin Riggs fade out? It is worth a shot but I am not convinced, as per the trailer. Nothing is well presented in the edit and it really bugs me.

Verdict? Now take this 2/10 and suck on it.


THE FIGHTER

Boxing movies are awesome. Fact. They are cool. Why? Because they just are. Sometimes though, they leave a lot to be desired.

The trailer for The Fighter starts with two adult brothers (Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale) running about, being big boys, play-fighting, being common Joes, etc., etc. I had to stop the trailer. This is stinks of typical Hollywood. There is nothing wrong with it, just that I have seen it all before in so many places. And it wears me out. The rest of this unstimulating promotion displays the film as one with potential for good performances, but not much in terms of new storytelling or subject-matter.

One thing that particularly puzzled me was why this is an “incredible true story”. What is so incredible about it? It's a guy fighting for his right, for his family, for himself, for his self-discovery – obviously no other film has done that as blandly as this one before. Sheesh. The brother’s character seems far more interesting, make a movie about him instead. There is a loser I would love to know more about. The loveable character Mark Wahlberg plays is neither cute nor worth cheering for. Because who cares?

It is possibly good entertainment, but so average it bores me a bit, and the trailer does nothing to save it from itself and sell it to the audience. It is standard.

Verdict? A clear 3/10.


Louise-Afzal Faerkel

For the Love of Trailers - The Half-Political-Half-Humanitarian Issue

What to look forward to (or not) as Louise-Afzal Faerkel casts her eye over the trailers for upcoming releases Five Minarets in New York and Winnie...

FIVE MINARETS IN NEW YORK

Five Minarets in New York is the story of two Turkish anti-terrorist agents sent to New York to capture Islamic terrorists. An interesting subject worth exploring from various angles, giving the filmmakers the opportunity to be unbiased.

It is a touchy subject that could go really wrong or really right. It could be a subtle, independent production aiming for an exploration of characters and chain of events – or a Hollywood, action-filled, gun-slinging, naive piece of crap. The trailer is quite confused as to what it is really presenting. Is the movie sympathetic with Islamic fundamentalists? Is it favouring an American way of life? I am genuinely confused.

Hiring Danny Glover as an imam is either really stupid or quite clever. Perhaps it will attract a greater audience; perhaps it will alienate those audiences who do not want to see Murtaugh kick it with Islam. The whole concept feels like it would work better with unknown actors, seeing as Glover’s presence surprises and as a result, takes the viewer’s focus away from the story itself.

The film should be dealt with delicacy, but every now and again elements appear – such as Robert Patrick’s character, big explosions, lines that belong in a Sylvester Stallone flick - making it hard to understand the direction the trailer and film are going in.

The Americans are presented as ass-holes and it is really not beneficiary to the movie (cf. the scene where Patrick interrupts the prayer in the mosque). The film tries to depict the arrogance and incompetence of American justice and does not come across the right way.

And did I really see the Statue of liberty crying?

The film has potential but the efforts have been put in wrong places. Less is more.


WINNIE

Winnie is a biopic of Nelson Mandela’s first wife. A woman who fought against apartheid and on behalf of her husband. Sounds like the perfect subject for a magnificent film. Yet it stinks.

Firstly, Terrence Howard needs to tone it down. Particularly when he says nonsense such as “The purpose for you to be made, was for you to be free”. Seriously, who wrote this?

Secondly, the trailer is a clichéd, chronological, biased biopic made of light, insignificant dialogue, appalling, unchallenging editing; thus spawning a boring, long-winded trailer. The film clearly does not take into consideration all the wrongs Winnie did while her husband was locked up. They have put her on a pedestal and it gives an untrue account of her life. There is only one word for it: biased.

And who on earth thought Elias Koteas could pull that role off? Who imagined Howard and Jennifer Hudson would have chemistry? What an insignificant, dull, unimportant film this trailer puts forward.


Louise-Afzal Faerkel