Teaser Trailer for FIFTY SHADES DARKER

I didn't see Fifty Shades of Grey. I don't have much of a desire to. My wife didn't read the books and I didn't read the books. My wife had no interest in seeing the movie and I certainly wasn't going into this one by myself and so whatever it is about this series that seems to capture supposedly off-limits sexual subjects and entice so many females will likely forever remain a mystery to me. All of this is to say the sequel to the 2015 franchise starter finally received a trailer today as the promotional campaign officially kicked off yesterday with a glimpse at the poster and clip from the teaser trailer. Fifty Shades Darker chronicles the continuing and presumed developing relationship between Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) and Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) as Christian wrestles with his inner demons and Anastasia confronts the anger and envy of the women who came before her. While I admittedly don't know much about the story contained in the pages of E.L. James's best-selling series this first look at the sequel certainly seems to keep in step tonally with Sam-Taylor Johnson's first film who won't be returning for the remainder of the series. Rather, both Darker and Fifty Shades Freed will be helmed by James Foley, the now sixty-three year old man who made Glengarry Glen Ross and At Close Range, but whose last feature film was the out and out 2007 bomb Perfect Stranger that starred Bruce Willis and Halle Berry. How this might effect not just the tone of the movie overall, but the way the series handles the extremely sexual subject matter could be interesting and is what I would look for if I were to ever make it around to seeing these things. Add to this the fact writer Niall Leonard, who has done strictly serialized television work, is taking over for the more inexperienced Kelly Marcel and adapting both the second and third novels for film and there might be some interesting layers to look for as the series progresses. Still, it is somewhat alarming that in light of Taylor-Johnson walking away from the franchise that Universal would immediately hand it over to men to take control of. Fifty Shades Darker also stars Kim Basinger, Tyler Hoechlin, Bella Heathcote, Hugh Dancy, Max Martini, Marcia Gay Harden, Luke Grimes, Rita Ora, and opens on February 10th, 2017.

THE NEON DEMON Review

Though Nicolas Winding Refn is hardly a household name his films have come to feel like certain kinds of events. It is in the aura he has created around himself and his ambitions that his movies now feel like these mythic, untouchable experiences that take us into a usually weird and demented world that is largely metaphorical for the one the rest of us exist in. With what is his tenth feature film the director has made his first film with a female lead as he's chosen to explore his inner sixteen year-old girl. In his mind, if he were a girl that is, Refn would seem to want to exist in the world of high fashion and be a fashion model as The Neon Demon takes us through the age old tale of the young, pretty southern girl who travels to Los Angeles to make her dreams of becoming a star come true. This is an interesting choice as Refn adopts a rather straightforward narrative for this film while still remaining experimental through the visual design and the way he integrates interesting visual approaches to convey many of the tropes of such a story. Set in this world of supermodels, pretentious designers, and even more pretentious photographers everything about the film feels elitist-the world should belong to the beautiful. The substance matters little if the surface isn't beautiful enough to stop you in the first place. Ruled over by the few chosen gatekeepers of taste we willingly follow our protagonist despite knowing, that in Refn's hands, there is no way this ends well. What Refn is actually attempting to say (if anything) with the film is anyone's guess as it's clear he means for his works to elicit multiple interpretations, but given the more linear structure and straightforward fashion in which the film has been edited it would appear Refn wants us to believe he is discussing one thing while slyly delivering something else. These intentions don't really come forward until the third act though, when the sleight of hand turns into full on spectacle with the film simultaneously becoming less effective as a result. The slow paced, meditative quality of the first two acts that analyzes the ins and outs of the modeling and fashion industries through the innocent eyes of sixteen year-old Jesse (Elle Fanning) is abruptly disposed of in favor of slasher movie conventions thus making the strong build-up and examination of such a world feel short-changed by the abrupt action that concludes the film. Refn somehow still manages slight poignancy, but with not as unique a perception as he initially sets up.

First Trailers for Nicolas Winding Refn‘s THE NEON DEMON

Nicolas Winding Refn is an interesting filmmaker, he's a guy who doesn't fit into any genre or category and yet he fits perfectly into the niche he's carved for himself. Drive catapulted the guy from general obscurity to the hero of many a film school wannabe's. Though he's made Bronson with an unknown Tom Hardy (you should check it out if you haven't) and Valhalla Rising with Mads Mikkelsen (I should probably check that out) prior, it wasn't until Drive with Ryan Gosling that his name was on the map. Follwing up that wild success with a completely bewildering work like Only God Forgives the director let us all know just how far he was willing to go to capture what he imagined in the purest form possible. I still don't know that I understand what he was going for with that film and I've admittedly had no desire whatsoever to return to it, but the fact he has crafted a new piece of cinema is reason to be excited enough. With The Neon Demon Refn replaces his typical male lead with that of Elle Fanning who plays an aspiring model who moves to Los Angeles, her youth and vitality eventually devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will take any means necessary to get what she has. If that sounds right up Refn's alley you'd seemingly be correct as the visuals presented in this quick, 90-second clip compliment that story and world with a very specific tone and style. I'm on the edge of how much I should necessarily anticipate this given my reaction to Only God Forgives, but like I said before, it's a Refn film and for that I will certainly be viewing the movie regardless of its critical/commercial reception. The Neon Demon also stars Christina Hendricks, Jena Malone, Bella Heathcote, Keanu Reeves, and opens in June.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES Review

Say what you will, but I've never read Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. That said, I've clearly become familiar with the story over the years and have seen some of the many adaptations namely Joe Wright's 2005 film starring Kiera Knightley. Say what you will, but I did read Seth Grahame-Smith's 2010 novel Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and kind of loved it, but the 2012 movie adaptation was less than satisfying. Given I knew Grahame-Smith's debut novel would also get the movie treatment I decided not to give it a look with the fact I'd never read Austen's original text also weighing on my decision. And so, going into Pride and Prejudice and Zombies I looked forward to seeing if a film version of one of Grahame-Smith's parody/mashup novels could be turned into an entertaining movie or if it would still be little more than a good idea even without knowing the depth of the original text. Of course, much of Grahame-Smith's novel from which this film is based is apparently text taken directly from the Austen classic only with elements of modern zombie fiction inserted throughout. So, one could say if you know Pride and Prejudice it isn't hard to imagine what Pride and Prejudice and Zombies might be. That's true. It isn't. Strangely enough though, it isn't the fact the story doesn't have to be outrageously creative in order to weave the zombie narrative through it, but more simply how much the movie embraces that aspect. Director Burr Steers (Igby Goes Down, 17 Again) has crafted a film with its tongue planted firmly in its cheek, but does so without ever going too far. Sure, the movie is aware of what it is, but it never becomes a parody of itself in that it goes to certain lengths to highlight its unique premise while never giving cause to laugh at it. In short, the film is cool enough to laugh with us at its absurdities and for that it packs a fun enough punch as far as action/adventure movies go. All in all though, the film is simply decent. While it exudes style at certain points and embraces itself fully that still doesn't necessarily mean it executes itself well and when it comes to following through on the promise of the premise with such spectacle this film version falls short and unfortunately feels rather fatigued by the time we cross the finish line.

Teaser Trailer for PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES

While I read Seth Grahame-Smith's Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and enjoyed it I was of course less ecstatic about the 2012 feature film adaptation. What I haven't read is Grahame-Smith's 2009 novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, the one that put him on the map and made his whole "thing" the mashing together of classic literature and historical fiction with staples of the horror genre. It's a pretty ingenious idea and it clearly worked as the books seemed to be well received, but having not read the new version of Jane Austen's novel (who Grahame-Smith credits as a co-author) I'm curious to see if this film turns out any better than that other Grahame-Smith adaptation. The story essentially follows the plot of Pride and Prejudice, but places the novel in an alternate universe version of Regency era England where zombies roam the English countryside. While the trailer is merely a teaser and more or less is a compilation of quick action shots it certainly gets it's tone across by opening as if little more than another Austen adaptation before switching things up. This is an expected twist if you know what's coming, but one I'd think many will find a fair amount of fun in if they're seeing it for the first time in a movie theater and are unaware of what trailer might play next. The look of the film seems to be top-notch and given I really enjoyed Lily James in this years live-action Cinderella film I'm anxious to see what she does with a role that's completely opposite the sweet and innocent Disney princess facade. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies also stars Ellie Bamber, Millie Brady, Bella Heathcote, Suki Waterhouse, Sam Riley, Jack Huston, Douglas Booth, Matt Smith, Lena Headey, Charles Dance and opens on February 5th, 2016.