Here at TrailerSpy, we mostly review the movie trailers. Sometimes, though, one of us will talk our way into an advance screening, and we’ll get to write a movie review before most reviews are released.
Last week, I was lucky enough to find myself at the premiere of Amazing Grace. As I had already reviewed the trailer, I was anxious to see the finished product. I am happy to tell you that the film is much, much better than the trailer would have you believe.
Amazing Grace is the true story of William Wilberforce, who fought to end slavery in England in the 1790s. In a time when England’s economy was wholly reliant on slave labor, Wilberforce took on the slave trade, which had most of Parliament in its pocket.
Charismatic Ioan Gruffudd plays the lead role, and he is supported by effective turns from Michael Gambon, Rufus Sewell, Benedict Cumberbatch, Youssou N’Dour, Albert Finney, Romola Garai, and Jeremy Swift. At the helm is Michael Apted, who also directed The World Is Not Enough and Nell.
Amazing Grace rides on the charm of its lead actor, Welshman Ioan Gruffudd (pronounced YO-an GRIFF-ith, or as I call him, Yummy Ioan). Gruffudd is in nearly every scene and he carries the film completely on his impassioned performance. He spends much of the movie in powdered wigs and make-up that makes him look sick and tired, but you can never take your eyes off of him. (Or maybe that was just me.)
After the film, I found myself asking why Gruffudd is not a bigger star. You may have seen him in The Fantastic Four or King Arthur, and across the pond he is quite well known for his stint as the title character in the Horatio Hornblower mini-series. Between Amazing Grace and The Fantastic Four sequel, perhaps 2007 will be the year everyone knows how to pronounce Ioan Gruffudd’s name.
The film is a moving biopic that will have you rooting for Wilberforce and his compatriots. At almost two hours, Amazing Grace never feels slow. It would be difficult to watch this movie and not to root for Wilberforce—it’s another retelling of David vs. Goliath.
Amazing Grace trips only when the film tries to connect itself to the song. In one early scene, Wilberforce tries to prove a point about slavery to a bunch of poker players by standing up on the card table and singing Amazing Grace. Even in 1784, I highly doubt this would have happened.
So put Amazing Grace on the rental queue—you’ll be happy you did. (And trust me, guys, this isn’t a chick flick.) Amazing Grace is rated PG and opens nationwide on Friday, February 23. (Official site)
I briefly wrote about The Italian in the Weekend Preview, but I regretted not posting the trailer. I hadn’t heard of this film until researching that weekend’s movies. The Italian is not a movie that will have a marketing budget, so you won’t see commercials for it.
Six-year-old Ivan is an orphan in Russia. He has a chance to be adopted by an Italian couple, but instead he runs away to find his birth mother. You can’t help but root for this kid. The trailer is stark and simple, and a great example of how music can be used effectively.
Also known as Italianetz, The Italian was made in Russia in 2005, and it has now been picked up by Sony Pictures Classics. Like I said before, foreign films that make it stateside are often the best of the best. The Italian is only playing in two cinemas in New York, so I am going to RENT IT.
The Italian is rated PG-13 and is playing in a few theatres in the US. (Official site)
January means good news and bad news for moviegoers. The bad news is that studios typically release nothing but drivel in January. The good news is that the studios released their best films in December in time for Oscar consideration, and now those films are opening in more theatres.
The Hitcher: Don’t pick up strangers, people. SKIP IT. (Official site)
The Last King of Scotland: Want to win your Oscar pool? Pick Forest Whitaker to win Best Actor. SEE IT. Full review is below.
The Italian: A six-year-old Russian orphan has the chance to be adopted by an Italian couple, but instead he goes off on his own to find his mother. Foreign films that make it to US shores are usually the cream of the crop, and The Italian looks like no exception. This will probably only play in a handful of theatres, so I will definitely RENT IT. (Official site)
The Good German: George Clooney and Cate Blanchett are two of my favorite actors, but I could not get into this trailer. Reviews have not been good. SKIP IT. (Official site)
As we saw with Freedom Writers, sometimes trailers do not do justice to the movies they are promoting. Unfortunately, the same appears to be true with Amazing Grace. I haven’t seen Amazing Grace yet, but I have a pretty strong suspicion that the final film is better than it looks from the preview.
Amazing Grace has some good things going for it. The movie tells a true story of an underdog fighting for what is right. Everybody knows the namesake song, but nobody knows where it came from. This looks like an interesting PG film, which is hard to find nowadays. The yummy Ioan Gruffudd stars with a great cast: Albert Finney, Michael Gambon, Romola Garai, and newcomer Youssou N’Dour.
I just wish the trailer could be a little better. Why does it starts off with a saccharine-sappy version of the song, when there are a myriad of beautiful versions? Only toward the end of the trailer do we get to hear a moving example of the song. Halfway through the trailer, I really started to notice the voiceover, which is not something that should stand out. I see a movie about abolishing the slave trade; I don’t see a movie about one of the world’s best known songs.
Still, I am intrigued enough by Amazing Grace that I am going to RENT IT. Would you change the trailer?
Amazing Grace is rated PG and opens nationwide on February 23. (Official Site)
I’m having a really hard time being open minded about Ocean’s Thirteen. Steven Soderbergh’s remake of Ocean’s Eleven is one of my top ten favorite movies (and no, I haven’t seen the original with Frank Sinatra). The movie was such a slick, clever heist, and it owed much of its success to Ted Griffin‘s taut script.
My expectations were high for Ocean’s Twelve, but the movie couldn’t live up to its predecessor. Even though it was only ten minutes longer, Twelve seemed to drag. Ted Griffin didn’t return to write the sequel and the difference was notable. There was none of the “aha!” element that made the first movie so great. I left the theatre wishing I could get those two hours back.
I am still bitter about Ocean’s Twelve, and that bitterness is carrying over to Ocean’s Thirteen. Sometimes, sequels are not a good idea. Could you imagine a sequel to Pulp Fiction or When Harry Met Sally? Those movies are not going to be improved upon, and their producers were wise to leave well enough alone. Ocean’s Twelve and Thirteen were made simply because they are part of a successful franchise.
There is nothing compelling about the Ocean’s Thirteen trailer, with the possible exception of Al Pacino. Then again, this is still a movie that stars George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, and the rest of the gang. Steven Soderbergh is back, though Ted Griffin is not. My expectations are low, but I will eventually see Ocean’s Thirteen. This time I’ll save my money and RENT IT.
Ocean’s Thirteen is not yet rated and opens on June 8. (Official site)
The Last Kiss is a coming of age movie that hits close to home. Zach Braff, who seems to be the new go-to guy for coming of age movies, plays a guy who is staring down the barrel of 30 and is frightened by what he sees. Michael has great friends, a pretty girlfriend (Jacinda Barrett), and a seemingly perfect life. Then he meets a beautiful girl (Rachel Bilson) who makes him question whether his predictable
life is what he really wants. Growing up is scary, dude. My unsolicited advice? Travel the world for a few months, and then be an adult.
Since I may have another quarter-life crisis while seeing The Last Kiss, but I still want to see it, I am going to Rent It.
Trust the Man is the new comedy from Bart Freundlich, better known as Mr. Julianne Moore. Fortunately for all of us, the director’s luminous movie star wife is along for the ride, along with David Duchovny, Billy Crudup, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Eva Mendes, and Garry Shandling. Duchovny and Crudup are either longtime friends or brothers, and both are struggling with the commitments of their long-term relationships. The trailer opens with the men discussing porn, dispelling any notions that Trust the Man is going to be another typical chick flick. Everyone can relate to the issues the couples are grappling with: staying faithful and keeping a relationship exciting. The script definitely is written from the point of view of the two male leads, but it’s a relationship comedy, which naturally women will find more interesting. Trust the Man has a great cast (including Moore and Freundlich’s 4-year-old daughter), a soulful soundtrack, and a plot with which many of us will identify. It looks mildly entertaining, so therefore I say Rent It. Trust the Man opens in select cities on August 18 and then nationwide on September 8.
