TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM Review

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is something we, especially myself and my millennial brethren, have seen done multiple times before, but this time it’s possibly been done the best we've ever seen it. Having been born three years after the first TMNT comics were released and the same year the more brightly-colored animated series debuted the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been a part of my life my entire life and hold a special place in my own sewer of nostalgia. The nineties movies (yes, even the third one) are a cornerstone of my childhood and yet, Mutant Mayhem might just surpass them on the sheer charisma of the cast and genuine camaraderie of our heroes. Not that those live-action features didn't have well-defined characters with interesting arcs, but they couldn't help but to feel a little stiff whereas here things are as natural and effortless as could be if not more so given we're talking about "turtle mutant karate teens". 

Effortless is maybe the key word here as everything in this latest animated incarnation - from the music to the execution of the age-old ideas and of course the animation style itself - feels effortlessly cool and surprisingly fresh. Director Jeff Rowe (The Mitchells vs the Machines) seemingly utilizes every tool at his disposal to emphasize the unrefined quality of our heroes and push that mentality to the forefront of the film. The style of animation will undoubtedly be compared to the Spider-Verse films, but in all honesty they each convey a different energy as Mutant Mayhem’s “rough around the edges” approach simultaneously lends the tone a bit more of an edge while still maintaining a child-like wonder as the turtles long to be part of a world that fears them. We can see the sketch marks, the incomplete outlines, and not only this, but the way the city, the sewers, as well as the people and/or mutants are depicted is far more raw - almost ugly - in a way we haven’t seen before. It’s not that the film itself is revolutionary, but what does feel so is how unconventional and hip they've managed to make a piece of IP and furthermore, the coming-of-age story it’s telling. Like, another TMNT movie could have very well felt played out and tired, but instead this feels very much akin to a "cool kid club" you'll want to be in on. A real statement on how much execution truly elevates.

X-MEN: APOCALYPSE Review

At this point in the sixteen year-old X-Men franchise the only thing the film that followed the ultimate team-up/culmination of fourteen years of X-Men movies had to be was a good next adventure. Going from the high that was Days of Future Past featuring both old and new cast members with a time hopping plot that saw everything torn apart only to be put back together on a new timeline there was never going to be a way to compete, so why not just give audiences what they really wanted in a proper follow-up to First Class? Where the younger versions of the mutants we've all grown to love go on an adventure together and further solidify themselves as the X-Men? Maybe that would have been too easy. Maybe that would have been looked at as taking the road more traveled, but in following up the popular comics storyline of Days of Future Past it was immediately obvious director Bryan Singer and screenwriter Simon Kinberg thought they needed to do the same with the sequel and so they opted to adapt another popular storyline from the comics that included one of the X-Men universe's biggest bads: Apocalypse. This was a fine idea in theory and certainly had fans of the series excited for a showdown between Professor X's mutant team and the very first mutant, but seeing as how Kinberg and Singer have chosen to execute that story on the big screen it feels less like a step in the right direction and more like a recycled collection of comic book movie clichés. The whole affair feels tired, rushed, and nowhere near as layered or nuanced as the two previous films that were all in all pretty stellar. That this latest trilogy of X-Men films featuring the incredible core cast of Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, and James McAvoy goes out on such a generic note is rather disappointing, but more than that it is frustrating. It is so abundantly clear not only how much talent this cast has that is being wasted, but also how much potential this film had to be a really solid super hero flick with the same story even, but conveyed in different and more interesting ways. Fans of the genre will always be indebted to the X-Men films for jump starting the current domination of movies based on comic books, but while their counterparts at Marvel are flourishing it can't help but feel as if the X-Men are currently somewhat stunted.

NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING Review

Two summers ago we were introduced to Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) Miller, a couple who'd just welcomed their first child into the world and purchased their first home in what were natural steps towards adulthood. That seemingly smooth transition was abruptly interrupted when they learned they were actually living next door to a fraternity. Led by incorrigible party guy Teddy Sanders (Zac Efron) the two households went head to head with one another in a war of wits and schemes that once again conveyed the age old lesson of Seth Rogen comedies in that there comes a time in every young man's life when it's time to become a confused man-child. While this interesting, albeit somewhat contrived premise worked wonders the first time proving fertile ground for consistent and interesting comedy, it was such a singular type of event that to make a sequel would seem to automatically cheapen the effect of the first film. Lucky for us, director Nicolas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) along with Rogen and longtime writing partner Evan Goldberg as well as Brendan O'Brien and Andrew Jay Cohen have crafted a screenplay that not only allows for this same premise to work again, but also uses this set-up to make legitimate social commentary. Executing comedy successfully is difficult enough, but to on top of that endeavor to actually say something substantial in between your weed and dildo jokes is admirable, at the very least. What this comes down to is placing a fledgling sorority (led by the likes of Chloë Grace Moretz, Dope's Kiersey Clemons, and Beanie Feldstein) in the house where Teddy's Delta Psi once resided. In doing this, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is able to transform itself from simply giving the Miller's another challenge in sleep deprivation to a film that analyzes the inherent double standards of society by exposing how our system has more or less been cultivated to give males the advantage in the majority of circumstances. The issue of being able to party may be a trivial one, but this is obviously an in to a bigger means and that Neighbors 2 makes you contemplate anything at all is rather impressive.

First Trailer for NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING

While I wasn't lucky enough to be surprised by the 10 Cloverfield Lane trailer last night in front of my 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi screening I did catch the first trailer for the sequel to the Seth Rogen/Zac Efron hit Neighbors in front of Ride Along 2. If you recall, in 2014 Rogen and Efron kicked off the summer movie season with a rather inspired piece of convoluted yet still natural comedy that placed a boy who was really trying to mature into a man next to a house full of his younger selves. Rogen and his writing partner Evan Goldberg have always been interested in scavenging their own psyches to try and crack just what it is about the male brain that puts off maturing for as long as possible and with Neighbors (as directed by Forgetting Sarah Marshall helmer Nicholas Stoller) they found both a hilarious and somewhat weighty way into the topic by having a man unsure of if he was ready for the responsibility he'd already committed to face down multiple versions of himself. When it became a huge hit ($270 million worldwide on an $18m budget) the idea of a sequel was inevitable and thus here we are. While I was skeptical as to how they would craft a similar situation to the first while still keeping this one different enough it seems they've found a way back into the conceit without being any more convoluted than the first time around while also finding good reason to bring Efron's character back as well. I laughed out loud multiple times during this trailer and so while we definitely didn't need a sequel to Neighbors I'm kind of glad we're getting one. Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising also stars Chloë Grace Moretz, Rose Byrne, Selena Gomez, Dave Franco, Ike Barinholtz, Kiersey Clemons, Lisa Kudrow, Carla Gallo, Billy Eichner, and opens on May 20th, 2016.

SPY Review

Ladies and gentleman, Melissa McCarthy has brought us her version of Austin Powers and while it more or less diverts the James Bond tropes through a slew of supporting characters this is very much a breaking the mold kind of movie that not only puts a woman in the lead where a man typically reigns supreme, but a woman that looks like McCarthy who, per usual, recognizes where she fits into the Holywood lexicon and more or less takes a big ole dump on those expectations. Being unwilling to yield to anyone's pre-determined set of guidelines for what it takes to be an actress, a comedian or now, an action star, has made McCarthy one of the hottest properties around and with Spy she delivers a kind of definitive comedy that will seemingly launch her into the stratosphere of commanding her own franchise. Much like Mike Myers in 1997 McCarthy has used the same popular and well-known template of the spy thriller to lampoon any and all of the typical beats that Ian Fleming's most famous spy and his many imitators have acted out over the years. Opening with the more dashing version of Bond in Jude Law's Bradley Fine as he infiltrates a high class party to commandeer a nuclear bomb that has somehow managed to end up in the wrong persons hands we are taken through the scenario as expected until Fine comes face to face with Tihomir Boyanov (Raad Rawi) and the first of those many expectations are turned on its head and given a certain freshness that not only makes an audience member excited to see what the film will do with each scenario to come, but keeps us consistently laughing as both the sight gags and the one-liners the film delivers are expertly set-up and executed so as to get the biggest pay off. Needless to say, both McCarthy and frequent collaborator Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, The Heat) know what they're doing at this point and they use their assumed short-hand to create not only a solid, credible comedy in a world of sub-par and sloppily put-together comedies, but they so clearly know how to draw on the strengths of each cast members talent as well as the archetypes of the genre so that it all seems to effortlessly pull together to create a hugely funny and entertaining time.

First Trailer for Paul Feig's SPY

Director Paul Feig may currently be casting an all-female version of Ghostbusters, but before he gets around to promoting women in film to a greater extent with that re-imagining of the classic eighties property he will be pairing with Melissa McCarthy again for a rift on the spy genre that looks like nothing short of another massive hit. I have always enjoyed McCarthy's comedy, even in lackluster films like Identity Thief and the truly awful Tammy. Despite the projects themselves being close to unwatchable at times there is always an empathy McCarthy is able to pull from her characters besides the fact she is exceedingly talented at physical comedy and finding the perfect inflection for the perfect moment. When she teams with Feig we get to meet the likes of Megan in Bridesmaids and see the duo of McCarthy and Sandra Bullock in Heat, both of which worked to their advantage and proved to be breakout hits in the vein of largely female casts in broad comedies. While McCarthy will have a little more support from some heavy-hitting male leads here in the form of Jude Law and Jason Statham it will also be nice to see her back on screen and going head to head with Rose Byrne who she didn't get to share enough screen time with on Bridesmaids. While the overall tone of this trailer implies something similar to that of the Steve Carell Get Smart it is nice to know Feig and McCarthy won't be shying away from their R-ratings as 20th Century Fox has released both a green and red band trailer that you can check out below. SPY also stars Bobby Cannavale, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Peter Serafinowicz, Miranda Hart, Allison Janney, Morena Baccarin and opens on May 22nd.

ANNIE Review

To set the stage: I've never seen any version of Annie other than the one I'm about to discuss here. I don't know that I would consider it essential viewing and by some off chance I never saw or read the stage play going through the public school system. Sure, I know a few of the famous songs that were spawned from the original production and I know the basic premise of what is going on, but anything more than that consider me in the dark. Having said that, I feel I can safely assume this latest version is a far cry from what the original had to offer, but that isn't the reason this modern day take on the story doesn't work. I was always somewhat hesitant to even be interested in the film as I am clearly not the target audience, but when the first trailer premiered I admit I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of careless fun that seemed to be brightly packaged with the pure pop confection giving the impression it would likely be a big holiday hit with the kiddos. These positive vibes were only reinforced when, upon doing a little further reading, I found out that Will Gluck would be at the helm of the project. Gluck, who has made three solid comedies since 2009 seems to direct what most have so much trouble doing with ease. There is a simplicity to his comedy that oozes naturally out of the characters he has at play and his pacing always compliments the rapid dialogue at which it is exchanged and thus at which the plot is advanced. Easy A is easily one of my favorite comedies of the last ten years as I've watched it more times than I can count and maybe one of the great high school comedies of all time. Needless to say, despite not being familiar with the material and despite knowing this wasn't going to be for me I was still excited to see Gluck work in a slightly different genre as well as what he might have to offer in terms of crafting a children's film that was both highly entertaining and insightful given the obvious emotion at the core of the given story. Unfortunately, this new Annie is anything but fun as it loses its energy and momentum soon after the opening number and is never able to regain that feeling for the remainder of the nearly two hour run time.

THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU Review

Director Shawn Levy's This is Where I Leave You is a film elevated wholly by the talent of the cast involved and the stock they decide to put in their characters. To that point it would seem that the material is the weak point here, but that isn't apparent until the last act of the film when the amount of drama and issues incorporated into one family becomes too much to the point of inauthentic. We can only buy into so much drama before it all seems to become a little too convenient to make certain points. That said, this is a film nowhere near as hokey (in both its sentimentality and contrivances) as it made itself out to be in the trailers. Levy is a more than capable filmmaker who has shown time and time again he has an aptitude for crafting features the entire family can easily enjoy (junk food movies to a certain extent) so why not turn the tables on himself and make an honest, R-rated movie about those he so often entertains? I don't know if that was the directors intent or if he just loved the Jonathan Tropper novel this is based on, but either way he has put together something that both older family members will likely enjoy and be able to relate to. This is Where I Leave You is a film that is at least willing to find the comedy in every situation, the laughs that would naturally be thought of as inappropriate are appreciated thus making the family at the center all the more endearing despite the mountain of baggage each member brings to the table. It is a film made more fun and more enjoyable by those you share in the experience with as I'm sure it is more affecting when seen with siblings or parents than it would be with a group of friends. There is little in the way of outside influence sans significant others as this is a story fully focused on the family unit and how the dynamics between different individuals of different status within that unit relate to one another and mean a certain extent to one another depending on the situation. It brings to the surface not just the comedy of "the friends you can't choose" scenario, but also the intricacies of how these relationships differ which is interesting. While not being a completely genuine or necessarily heartfelt piece, it is a melodrama of the more credible degree mostly because we like the people playing the people we're watching.

NEIGHBORS Review

Neighbors feels natural. For all its contrived plot set-ups that for no seemingly apparent reason allow a large, stereotypical fraternity to move off campus and into a typical suburban neighborhood where children play and senior citizens work in their gardens, it still feels completely natural. There is an honesty, an authenticity to the way in which the characters interact with one another and go about developing relationships with those around them and their changing worlds that make what is essentially an extended investigation into a premise rather than a full-fledged story work as well as it does. I'm a lover of comedy, whether that springs from a longing to not let go of adolescence (a theme explored in Neighbors) or simply because I've always felt a more inherently deep connection with those that make you laugh rather than those that deliver strong drama I am always excited to see what people (actors, directors, writers) have to offer in the comedic genre and while this genre will no doubt always be the most subjective it has retained somewhat of a reliability factor due to the specific groups of actors working within it over the past decade or so now. There were a few years between 2008's Pineapple Express and last summers This Is The End where it seemed Seth Rogen had seen his career pinnacle come and go, that he'd had his good run in Knocked Up, Superbad and Express while his next few broad efforts (Zack and Miri, Observe and Report, Funny People) were all somewhat underwhelming either critically or commercially which only caused him to reassess and go in a different direction, some of which worked (50/50) and some of which didn't (The Green Hornet). With his resurgence not only as a comedic actor, but as the writer and director of last years summer hit he has seemed to hit a comfortable stride that has allowed him to surround himself with the right people (new and old friends) and to make the kind of strong, raunchy comedies he was always meant to while continuously diversifying the types of stories he is telling and the kind of comedy he is conveying. I may be getting a little ahead of myself as this is his first effort since This is The End, but that is how confident I feel about Neighbors.

First Trailer for ANNIE

I've never been familiar with the story of Annie and have never seen any version of the stage play nor the 1982 film that I assume most would look toward as a point of reference, but it is hard to ignore the noise this one is making. I appreciate Will and Jada Smith as well as Jay-Z (we've always known he had an affinity for the musical) want to give young Quvenzhané Wallis a real shot at this movie star thing and not make her simply a flash in the pan that became the youngest Oscar nominated actress ever only to go on to not find her real acting chops until her mid-20's. I get it and I can appreciate that and the fact all of their friends like Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz were willing to jump in and help establish the young girls name by playing roles in a re-make that maybe don't suit their personas, but their names fill the bill and will no doubt have families butts in the seats come Christmas 2014 and this is the obvious choice because nothing screams the holiday season like a musical. The big question hanging over this one though is will anyone really care about it in the film community? No, is the definitive answer to that question and it is clear the film has not been made for the purposes of higher art, but simply to exist as a fun piece of entertainment that will keep kids occupied and their parents up to date on the latest trends as they can see what has been updated from the version they know and how the modernization makes this feel all the cooler to their kids, but will no doubt be just as dated as the previous versions in less time. I hold no prejudice against this new or any version of Annie, but that is only because I'm not familiar with them and so I will see this new adaptation because I enjoy the people partaking and director Will Gluck is a reliable source for solid comedy and so I hold nothing but optimism for this project, albeit cautious. Annie also stars Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, David Zayas and opens on December 19th.

INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2 Review

Would it be farcical to say I found the second chapter of James Wan's Insidious films to be more frightening than his runaway summer hit, The Conjuring? Most people seem to have found that film to be the breakout horror flick they've been waiting for to rejuvenate the genre, but while it was a nice exercise in the standard set-ups of haunted house flicks Wan and his creative team have found a way to make a film that both legitimately continues the story from the first film while providing authentic scares that are hard to come by these days with Insidious: Chapter 2. It is important to know that I very much enjoyed the first film, but was somewhat disappointed in what direction it decided to go. I thought the first half was well staged and set up an interesting dynamic between Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne's husband and wife that had them going down a path they never saw their lives taking after their oldest son, Dalton (Ty Simpkins), slips into a coma for no apparent reason. That these fears and unexpected turns were amplified by the fact there was clearly something creepy going on with their made for an eloquent yet horrific family haunting. The scares were blunt and startling, but they never took over the sense of care we developed for the family at least until the last half hour of the film when it went into overdrive and just piled on the people in mountains of make-up and gothic costumes to the point it was more humorous than scary. I didn't buy into the strangeness of "the further" as it seemed too great a tonal shift from the quieter, grey-hued family study I thought we were getting that would elicit fear from the presented scenario. With all of that in mind I went into this second chapter with none too high expectations, but a good amount of interest as at least the first film gave us a cliffhanger of an ending that we could hold out hope for something to justify the weirdness that the latter half of the first film introduced. For me, Chapter 2 did more than justify the need for explanation as it delivers both plenty of new elements while cleverly revealing reasoning for some of the questions left over from the first one. Not to mention being one of, if not the scariest theater experiences I've had in a long time.

First Trailer for NEIGHBORS

Though 2012's The Five-Year Engagement wasn't exactly what everyone expected following director Nicholas Stoller's one-two punch of Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek, apparently no one expected anything because hardly anyone showed up for that film and despite its many flaws there was some heart in there and Jason Segel is always a welcome persona in my books. Stoller has seemingly moved on and decided to approach his comedy from a fresh perspective that doesn't completely focus on the comedy of examining the relationships between men and women, but does so while adding a broad concept to it. This will no doubt be more akin to Greek in most ways, but simply from the teaser trailer it is easy to see a new layer of perspective to the his style. Stoller has broken apart from his partner actors such as Segel and Jonah Hill and has instead enlisted their friend Seth Rogen to head up what is now being called Neighbors. Originally titled Townies the film tells the story of a thirty-something couple (Rogen and Rose Byrne) who have just had a child and move unknowingly next door to a fraternity. Zac Efron and Dave Franco lead the pack of fraternity brothers who soon begin a war of pranks and outlandish activities with their neighbors who seem to want nothing more than peace and quiet. The trailer offers plenty of hilarious sight gags and the broad concept is certainly intriguing as is the casting of Efron in the more villainous role. I've enjoyed all of Stoller's films to some degree though and so I doubt this one will be any different, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I have pretty high hopes. The film also stars Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jake Johnson, Ike Barinholtz, Jason Mantozoukas, and Lisa Kudrow. Neighbors opens in theaters on May 9, 2014.  

THE INTERNSHIP Review

Going into a movie like The Internship you already know what you're going to get and if you have convinced yourself of what this will be and have set your expectations to a certain level then this PG-13 comedy of misfits will have you more impressed than those initial standards might have inclined you to believe. I personally am a big fan of the people involved here and would have welcomed a Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson reunion much sooner after their 2005 runaway hit Wedding Crashers, but instead of going for the easy way out and continuing to team up with one another these guys ultimately decided to stray from their core comedy group altogether. Sure, Vaughn made a few with his little crew of friends that include Jason Bateman, Peter Billingsly, and Jon Favreau, but he also made one too many Christmas-themed movies and didn't fully take advantage of the opportunity that Wedding Crashers ultimately afforded him. Wilson has had similar troubles as of late not starring as a leading man in a genuine hit since 2008's Marley & Me. He has gained more credibility after the success of Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, but his mainstream efforts like Hall Pass and The Big Year didn't do much to keep his name strong in the genre he became most notable for. Granted we are no longer in the first five years of the new millennium and efforts like Old School, Zoolander, Starsky & Hutch, and Dodgeball are now relegated to a time long past, but nonetheless I've always enjoyed watching these guys individually and the one time they teamed up prior will forever be a point of nostalgia, so I was more than open and willing to give The Internship a fair shot. Maybe it was because the trailers weren't too impressive, maybe because I expected it to receive a lukewarm reception, or maybe because I finally admitted to myself these guys are getting older and a time will come when they no longer make broad comedies and that this may in fact be the nail in the coffin, but whatever it was I came out more pleased with the film than I ever expected. Maybe these guys have a little more to give after all.      

First Trailer for INSIDIOUS CHAPTER 2

I was, for lack of a better word, pissed when they quickly announced a sequel to the surprise hit Insidious in 2011. It was a great little horror film that didn't necessarily need a sequel and the purpose of making one was clearly only for the reason of making a profit. Since, we haven't heard much about the sequel and I was generally surprised to see that director James Wan was able to return as quick as the studios wanted him to have this one out due to the fact he also made July's much-raved about The Conjuring (though that film was supposed come out in January, but was pushed back to the middle of summer due to great early reception). With the premiere of the first trailer it was also nice to find out that there was a reason for the use of "chapter" in the title as this second film picks up right where the first left off and is an actual continuation of the same story and that the entire cast is back for this sequel. While the trailer seems to bring back all the aspects that made the first film a genuinely frightening theater experience it doesn't give off the creepy vibe that accompanied the first trailer for The Conjuring. Wan seems intent to keep the same atmosphere in place around this film and make it very much a companion piece to the first film which is promising to those of us who have doubts the film should even exist, but it is comforting to know that besides a likely larger budget the production seems to have followed the path of the first film (they shot this film in 26 days and the first in 21) but my concern lies with how quick the script was completed. If the story was as rushed then we may see some issues. Wan has also said though that he always had another storyline for the Lambert family if the first film did well and I just hope he and his team were able to pick up from the already high stakes the end of the first film left us with and run with them. The film stars Ty Simpkins, Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey, and Lin Shaye. Insidious: Chapter 2 opens on September 13th. Hit the jump to check out the trailer and a few stills.

THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES Review

From its extended opening shot that is captured in one take it is clear The Place Beyond the Pines is looking for something extra, something more than what most films shoot for. As the follow-up to Derek Cianfrance's 2010 critical success, Blue Valentine, this film also serves as a very serious, very woeful piece that expands on the world around the people involved in the story rather than being as focused as his previous film. This is still an examination of human relationships in many ways, but instead of being purely based around the singular subject of a relationship and how something as personal as that falls apart when placed on the shoulders of a particular couple The Place Beyond the Pines is a sprawling epic, a generational story that touches on the legacy you leave and ultimately have limited control over. I was a fan of Blue Valentine and the way Cianfrance allowed his characters to take the story wherever felt natural, but I've become an even bigger fan with this film as the director shows a consistency in his style and ability to tell a powerful story while being diverse enough to approach it from a different angle. I knew I was looking forward to this film simply due to the fact it was Cianfrance's follow-up and he would likely get a little more support in making the film, but also because he was re-teaming with Ryan Gosling while enlisting the only other actor that could equal Gosling's stature at the moment with Bradley Cooper. There is a fantastic supporting cast here as well, but to see two popular poster boy actors with the ability and talent to pull off what they have done here gives a refreshing sense of optimism about where the movies are heading. The Place Beyond the Pines is a dour, brooding piece of work that will hit you in the gut and keep you yearning for more. It is close to a masterwork, but falls just short one time too many.

First Trailer for THE INTERNSHIP

I'm a big fan of comedy, I'm a big fan of The Frat Pack and in their prime they unleashed Wedding Crashers. Coming out the summer after my senior year of high school Wedding Crashers will always be one of those movies that reminds me of a certain period of time, a certain point in life. I understand that and I understand that this is no longer 2004-05 when big name comedians ruled the box office. Last year wasn't dominated by Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller; Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, and Steve Carell each had flops yet Mark Wahlberg and a CGI teddy bear came out on top. I don't know if it is simply peoples tastes that are changing or have folks truly grown tired of these once dependable "stars"? If there is any way to test modern audiences it would be to re-unite Vaughn and Crasher co-star Owen Wilson and thus we have The Internship. I've been anxious to see how this Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum, Date Night, Real Steel) directed vehicle based on an idea from Vaughn would turn out and now that we have the first trailer I'm getting bad feelings for it already. I think Carell will have a strong year, look at Burt Wonderstone as well as the fact he's reprising Brick for Anchorman 2 late this year. Both Rogen and Segel will likely hit a home run this summer with This is the End and Ben Stiller will deliver a directorial effort later this year that always tend to be a higher level of comedy than something he simply participates in for the paycheck. This is the first of two films for both Vaughn and Wilson this year though this is naturally the more anticipated one and I only hope this first glimpse is holding out because it will eventually receive an R-rating and is unable to show the best parts in the trailer. I have hope and no matter what, I will give it a shot come June 7. The Internship also stars Max Minghella, Rose Byrne, Dylan O’Brien, and Jessica Szohr. Hit the jump to watch the trailer.

First Trailer for THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES

Going the absolute opposite route of the movie you might expect to see two marquee names such as Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper star, The Place Beyond the Pines focuses on two fathers and their quest to provide for their sons. One, Gosling, is a pro motorcycle rider and bank robber while the other, Cooper, is a rookie cop who has big aspirations. Each has a significant other in Eva Mendes and Rose Byrne and their sons naturally become the center of their lives and their respective legacies. The film is from the same director behind Gosling's Blue Valentine and this looks to carry the same intensity. Like Derek Cianfrance’s previous film this is a study of a basic human emotion and the cards life deals us and how certain people respond to them and/or turn them around. The trailer is chilling and sets a wonderful tone for what we should expect from the film. I was a fan of Blue Valentine but it was certainly a bleak film and brought out a ton of questions that make the audience think on their own lives and apply those same questions to their own situations. While that film was about a more universal emotion such as love this seems to focus on that same element while at the same time going into much deeper themes. This trailer displays the intensity and the raw feel you expect the film to have but it also presents the dilemma there will be no clear cut lines between what we would automatically assume to be right and what is clearly meant to illustrate the wrong. The performances look great and it is simply refreshing to see young, admired actors doing work such as this rather than taking what would likely have been a much bigger paycheck for half the work that went into developing these characters and making this film. The film also stars Ben Mendelson, Ray Liotta and opens March 29, 2013.