Unbroken and Wild Trailers

As the elusive fall months begin to creep up on us, a barrage of theatrical trailers remind us that Oscar season is right around the corner. Early indicators have placed Angelina Jolie's sophomore directorial effort, Unbroken, as a serious awards contender. The gripping true story tells of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who was captured and held in a Japanese prison during World War II. With a screenplay crafted by the Coen brothers, Unbroken appears to have the potential to be a truly epic feature.





One of 2013's most recognized films was Jean-Marc Vallee's Dallas Buyers Club. The filmmaker returns just one year later with his follow-up feature, Wild, which stars Reese Witherspoon as a woman with a dark past who embarks on an 1,100 mile solo hike to recover from a recent trauma. We clearly know that Vallee has the ability to bring great characters to life and perhaps Wild will give us another unforgettable one. Check out its trailer below.

The Best Coming-of-Age Movies

In honor of Richard Linklater's groundbreaking cinematic achievement, Boyhood, a coming-of-age tale filmed with the same crop of actors over a course of 12 long years, I've decided to dedicate July's Movie List of the Month to the Best Coming-of-Age movies of all-time (you can check out June's list here).

Now, I'm aware at how personal the genre can be to each and every individual, so I asked 9 of my movie-loving friends to choose from a relatively wide range of titles and order their favorite films. Then, each ranking was given a specific point value to create a collective list from all 10 of us. As the creator of the original list to choose from, I'm sorry for fans of The Breakfast Club and other popular options, but I went with my gut and here's what we came up with:

#8. Perks of Being a Wallflower

Chris Bandoian (#3 on his list): "Perks isn't just one of the best coming-of-age stories we've seen, but also one of the best all around movies. What better way is there to ensure a movie stays true to the book than to have to author direct it himself? The script is well-written, the performances are perfect, the score is excellent, and the cinematography is beautiful to the point of being surreal. Chobsky's work is personal and embodies some of the finest aspects of the rest of the movies on the list."

#7. The Outsiders

Gary Dickens (#1 on his list): "The Outsiders went on to show that just because you were from the wrong side of the tracks, it doesn't mean you don't know about family, loyalty and humanity."

#6. Big

Dave Traverso (#3 on his list): "Big is the quintessential example of an unforgettable coming-of-age tale. Through a brilliant performance from one of the greatest actors the world has ever known, Tom Hanks, we're all reminded that there's a beauty nestled inside of each and every stage of life and that there's no need to rush growing up."

 #5. Almost Famous

Greg Rouleau (#1 on his list): "With a fantastic soundtrack and one of the best screenplays ever written, Almost Famous makes you feel like you're floating on a cloud over a rainbow in 'Happy Land' for 120 minutes."

#4. A Bronx Tale

Jason Votta (#2 on his list): "A Bronx Tale is more than just a gangster movie, it's a life lesson on family, friendship, love, and what it means to be a real "tough guy". And the film poses the question, in the end, is it better to be feared or loved?"

#3. The Goonies

Amy Shoffner (#1 on her list): "The Goonies has most of the elements we all wanted (or feared) from our childhood ... a treasure hunt, pirates, befriending a deformed giant, cheerleaders wearing letter jackets, being kidnapped by a family of fugitives, booby traps, kissing your older brother's hot girlfriend, inspirational speeches by a teenager in a wishing well, and a bunch of kids sticking it to the man and saving the Goon Docks."

#2. The Sandlot

Joe "Chunk" Corcoran (#1 on his list): "The Sandlot goes to show you that a film doesn't need violence or death to show character development and growth. Just baseball."

#1. Stand by Me

Mike Sage (#1 on his list): "I picked Stand by Me because we all deal with fears and most of the time we don't face them. This movie inspires us to do just that and to go on our own journey!"

Note: A special thanks to everyone who helped offer their insight and compile this list: Mike Sage, Gary Dickens, Joe "Chunk" Corcoran, Chris Bandoian, Greg Rouleau, Jason Votta, Ryan O'Hara, Amy Shoffner and Ashley Traverso.

Gone Girl (NEW) and Exodus: Gods and Kings Trailers

This week we've been given new glimpses into two potential Oscar potential films. For starters, there's Gone Girl from acclaimed director David Fincher which starts Ben Affleck as Nick Dunne, a husband suspected of killing his wife after she disappears with very little evidence. Based on the Gillian Flynn novel of the same name, Gone Girl's latest trailer solidifies the early hype.





The second feature is Exodus: Gods and Kings from Ridley Scott. Although Scott has struggled to regain his awards season stature of late with recent flops such as The Counselor and Robin Hood, perhaps this biblical tale will get him back on track. Christian Bale stars in Scott's retelling of the story of Moses and how he guided the Israelite slaves from Egypt. The visuals appear impressive and if the interpretation is strong enough, perhaps Ridley Scott and Bale will flourish throughout this winter's award season.

DVD Outlook: July 2014

July has officially arrived and we're entrenched in the dog days of summer. And as far as the DVD prospects landing on shelves this month, there aren't any groundbreaking titles like I mentioned June, but there are definitely a few enjoyable selections. Here are the top three DVD releases for the month of July:




Cuban Fury - 3 stars out of 4 - (Read my full review here)

Although leading star Nick Frost's re-tweet of my review immediately boosted Cuban Fury to the most visited post of the year on my site, I give you my word that there is no bias to this selection. Cuban Fury is a legitimate laugh out loud comedy backed by stellar performances and a hilariously penned screenplay. After the arrival of their attractive new female boss (played by Rashida Jones), co-workers Bruce (Frost) and the overly confident Drew (Chris O'Dowd) compete for her affection through salsa dancing. With affable characters and a breakthrough supporting turn from Kayvan Novak that spews non-stop hilarity, Cuban Fury is an entertaining comedy that begins and ends without a hiccup. (July 29th)




Blue Ruin - 3 stars out of 4 - (Read my full review here)

Having missed an opportunity to catch Jeremy Saulnier's Blue Ruin at the 2013 Philadelphia Film Festival, I pounced on the opportunity at Sundance in January. Macon Blair stars as Dwight, a homeless recluse who re-opens a dark past when he seeks vengeance on a recently paroled man. Gripping, tense and well-shot, Blue Ruin dishes out all the essential ingredients to a successful revenge movie. Elements of gore and violence are tastefully used throughout this well-paced and slow burning thriller. It surely isn't a film intended for all types of audiences, but fans of the genre will consider Macon Blair's fine performance and the entire feature as a welcome addition. (July 22nd)




Noah - 2 and a half stars out of 4 - (Read my full review here)

Please allow me to preface my recommendation by clearing up the fact that Darren Aronofsky's Noah is a completely off-kilter and bizarre interpretation of the biblical tale. In many ways this story of Noah incorporates a surprising amount of fantasy reminiscent of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. It's peculiar and odd as well as unique and imaginative. After a good-hearted and honest man named Noah (Russell Crowe) receives visions of a flood meant to destroy the evils of mankind, he and his family begin to build an ark in hopes of surviving the storm and preserving life on earth. I found the film to be a bit divisive and almost a combination of two separate movies. While the first half breeds a strange vision of the age-old story, the second half of the feature explores what happens after the flood, a captivating journey into the psyche of these few survivors. Darren Aronofsky's Noah is worth a try if you're open to an unpredictable twist on the well-known biblical tale. (July 29th)


Honorable Mention: Other titles arriving to DVD this month include a few that I haven't seen but look forward to viewing, such as Jonathan Glazer's sci-fi mystery Under the Skin (7/15) starring Scarlett Johansson, Richard Shepard's crime comedy Dom Hemingway (7/22) starring Jude Law, and even the critically panned directorial debut from Wally Pfister Transcendence (7/22) with Johnny Depp. Action junkies will be thrilled to hear that The Raid 2 hits shelves on 7/8, and a few mediocre titles that were enjoyed by others include Jason Bateman's spelling bee comedy Bad Words (7/8) and the chick-flick The Other Woman (7/29) with Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann.

Foxcatcher (NEW) and Horrible Bosses 2 Trailers

I'm thrilled that during this temporary movie drought in the summer blockbuster season we're at least being given some anticipated trailers to enjoy. Although I've been dying to see Bennett Miller's Foxcatcher for almost two years now, thankfully the latest theatre trailer demonstrates just how intense the drama will be. Foxcatcher tells the real life story of multi-millionaire John du Pont (played by Steve Carell) and his obsessive relationship with Olympic wrestler Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) that ended in tragedy. Early word out of the Cannes Festival is Foxcatcher will be a serious Oscar contender for Best Picture and its latest trailer shows why that is.





On the completely opposite end of the spectrum, fans of the comedy Horrible Bosses finally have their first look into the sequel. The trio of friends return and attempt to start their own business, but things don't go as planned when an investor gets in their way and prompts them to get down and dirty again. Slated for a late November release, check out the debut trailer for Horrible Bosses 2.

The Skeleton Twins and Life After Beth Trailers

I'm excited to announce the recent release of theatrical trailers for a pair of Sundance Film Festival selections that I had a chance to catch earlier this year. First up is the comedy/drama The Skeleton Twins starring Saturday Night Live standouts Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader. After 10 years apart from one another, twins Maggie and Milo are forced to reconnect and discover where exactly their lives went wrong. There's plenty of laughs and certainly enough drama for both Hader and Wiig to put on fine acting displays. Feel free to read my review for The Skeleton Twins and check out the debut trailer for the September release.





The second debut trailer comes from the raved about zombie comedy, Life After Beth. Following the tragic death of his high school girlfriend, Zach (played by Dane DeHaan) struggles to overcome countless regrets and move forward with his life. Then, Beth (Aubrey Plaza) miraculously emerges from the dead and it gives Zach an opportunity to do and say everything he missed out on before. But one issue remains, Beth slowly transforms into a flesh-eating monster and it creates an awkward dynamic to their young romance. While you can read a brief description from my Sundance Recap on why I wasn't a huge fan of Life After Beth, catch the trailer and decide for yourself if it's something you may enjoy.