Welcome to the Movie Media column - trailers, posters, and clips for upcoming films. Some are nice and fresh, some aren't. However, they all have something in common - they caught my attention, for better or worse. If there is a poster or trailer you think I should check out, be sure to let me know, and I will see what I can do.
This week's goodies include media for a new musical, a war film with mixed early word, a new one from Judd Apatow, an awful looking adaptation of an '80s toon, a couple of upcoming television titles, and one that takes you back to the dawn of man.
Sweeney Todd - Poster, Trailer
This Christmas Tim Burton will unleash his latest creation upon an unsuspecting world. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street looks good, real good. Burton looks to be in full gothic horror mode, and with a cast that features Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, and Borat... um, Sacha Baron Cohen, how can you go wrong? The production looks gorgeous, I cannot wait to see this in higher definition. The trailer does seem to disguise the fact that it is a musical, though Depp does sing a couple of lines. Anyway, I am really looking forward to seeing this. There is also another poster out on the market.
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story - Poster, Trailer
Judd Apatow goes for the trifecta. First he wrote and directed Knocked Up (brilliant), then he championed Superbad (again, brilliant). Now he returns to Talladega Nights territory with Walk Hard. I don't think this will be up to the level of the earlier two, but there is something about this trailer that looks like a winner. Sure, it looks dumb, but in a smart way. Sometimes you can watch a trailer and you can sense something about it; this is one of those trailers. John C. Reilly stars as Dewey, a Johnny Cash-like rock star, and Walk Hard chronicles his career a la Walk the Line. I have a good feeling about this. Below is a poster and the trailer.
Alvin and the Chipmunks - Poster, Trailer
I am not one to openly bash remakes or adaptations, but every once in a while a project rears its ugly head which deserves a thrashing. Granted, I have only seen a pair of posters and a teaser trailer, but Alvin and the Chipmunks deserves to be thrashed. This looks absolutely horrid. This coming from a guy who enjoyed the Chipmunks cartoons and owned a couple of their LPs. (Yes, vinyl. Remember Urban Chipmunk?) Well, the poster looks lousy and the teaser even worse. Worse than that, Jason Lee looks to be awful in this. Lee is generally very good, or at least entertaining in whatever he does, but I think he took this for the paycheck. Maybe I'm wrong and he will breathe some life into the flick, but I'm not holding my breathe.
Article comments
1 - NancyGail
How was Sweeney Todd made without a single person who sings in the cast? Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is a major musical we're talking about. The Baraber and The twisted Old Woman (Angela Lansbury's part) require singing abilities.
2 - Chris Beaumont
Yes it is a musical (though you can hardly tell by the trailer). It was likely made the same way many other big screen musicals with non-singers in the cast were made like Moulin Rouge, Chicago, Producers, Across the Universe. Sure, some among those casts can sing, but not the entire casts. Vocal/singing coaches can work wondwers with those willing to try. I am sure it will be fine. Rather, I hope it will be fine, I like the trailer and love Burton flicks.