Previews: The Man Who Invented Christmas Trailer, More!

Plenty in this week’s preview of coming attractions, including The Man Who Invented Christmas trailer, Phantom Thread, Daddy’s Home 2 and more…

The Man Who Invented Christmas Trailer

Here is the first The Man Who Invented Christmas trailer. The film stars Dan Stevens as Charles Dickens, and tells the story behind the classic A Christmas Carol. Directed by Bharat Nalluri, the film also stars Christopher Plummer, Jonathan Pryce, and Miriam Margolyes. The Man Who Invented Christmas hits UK screens on 1st December 2017.

Winchester: The House That Ghosts Built Trailer

This looks suitably chilling. Winchester: The House That Ghosts Built is inspired by true events, and is about Winchester fortune heiress, who keeps construction going on her house for decades. The film stars Helen Mirren, Jason Clarke, and Sarah Snook. Winchester: The House That Ghosts Built is set for release in UK cinemas on 2nd March 2018.

Daddy’s Home 2 Clip

Here is a clip from upcoming comedy sequel Daddy’s Home 2. A follow-up to 2015’s Daddy’s Home, the film sees the return of Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg’s characters as they celebrate Christmas. This time, they are joined by their own dads, played by John Lithgow and Mel Gibson. Daddy’s Home 2 is out in UK cinemas on 22nd November 2017, with previews on 18th and 19th November.

Darkest Hour Poster

Here is one of the latest posters for Darkest Hour. Directed by Joe Wright (Pan, Anna Karenina), the film is about the lead up to Britain entering World War II. Gary Oldman is unrecognisable as Winston Churchill. He is joined by Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, and Ben Mendelsohn. Darkest Hour hits UK screens on 12th January 2018.

Phantom Thread Trailer

Here is the trailer for the eagerly anticipated Phantom Thread. The film is the second collaboration between writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson and actor Daniel Day-Lewis. The film is about a fashion designer who falls in love with a young woman, who becomes his  muse. The film also stars Lesley Manville and Vicky Krieps. Phantom Thread is out in UK cinemas on 2nd February 2018.

Journey’s End Trailer

Journey’s End is based on the play and novel of the same name. The film is about a company on the front-line trenches in France during World War I. Journey’s End stars Sam Claflin (My Cousin Rachel), Asa Butterfield, and Toby Jones. The film is set for release on 2nd February 2018.

Previews: Annihilation Trailer, Darkest Hour, More!

Plenty in this week’s preview of coming attractions, including the Annihilation trailer, Darkest Hour, Isle of Dogs and more…

Annihilation Trailer

Above is the new Annihilation trailer. The film is based on the best-selling Southern Reach trilogy, and is directed by Alex Garland. The film features an all-star cast, including Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Tessa Thompson. Annihilation is set for release on 23rd February 2018.

Darkest Hour Trailer

Here is the latest trailer for Churchill biopic Darkest Hour. The film focuses on the period just after Winston Churchill becomes prime minister, as Britain is on the cusp of entering World War II. Starring Gary Oldman and directed by Joe Wright (Anna Karenina), Darkest Hour is out in UK cinemas on 12th January 2018.

Father Figures Trailer

Father Figures is a new comedy about two adult brothers who only find out their father is still alive many years after they thought he had died. The film stars Owen Wilson, Ed Helms, Glenn Close, and J.K. Simmons. Father Figures is scheduled for release on 16th February 2018.

Happy Death Day Poster

Happy Death Day is a new thriller about a college student who relives the day of her murder until she finds out the identity of her killer. The film stars Jessica Rothe, and is produced by Blumhouse, the company responsible for Whiplash and Get Out. Happy Death Day will hit UK screens on 20th October 2017.

Isle of Dogs Trailer

Isle of Dogs looks joyful. Wes Anderson’s new film is about a young boy who goes to rescue his dog after all dogs are exiled to a rubbish dump island. The film features a stellar voice cast, including Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, and Tilda Swinton. Isle of Dogs is set for release on 30th March 2018.

Film Review: Anna Karenina

Joe Wright’s adaptation of Anna Karenina is an interesting experiment, but not an entirely successful one. The film has some strong attributes, but not enough to make it a truly great adaptation of a literary classic.

Anna Karenina is a married aristocrat who travels to Moscow in order to help her adulterous brother to try to repair his marriage. Meanwhile, Levin is determined to propose to the beautiful young Kitty, although she has eyes for Count Vronsky. When Anna and Vronsky meet, however, it is the start of a tumultuous affair…

What makes Joe Wright’s adaptation of Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina different to previous versions is the decision to stage it in a theatre. In is not performed as a play, as the camera is fluid. Rather, the majority of the action takes place in an actual theatre, on stage and backstage, with areas designed to look like particular locations. The staging makes it difficult to get fully involved or emotionally invested, however. It takes a siginificant amount of time to get used to the set up and to stop noticing the theatrics.

The staging perhaps would have worked better as an opening rather than a device to maintain throughout. There are some nice touches, but the opening sequence is a little too disorientating. The film’s downfall is that it does not fully engage viewers. The backstage scenes in particular pulls the audience out of the action. The outside scenes are a stark contrast from the interior staging. But perhaps Wright wished to make a noticeable divergence between the country and the city.

The costuming is excellent in Anna Karenina. The score, likewise, feels a good fit for the film. Wright’s film boasts a great cast and some good performances from the supporting players. Jude Law elicits sympathy as Alexei Karenin, while Matthew Macfadyen is well cast as Oblonsky. Keira Knightley is less impressive, although her performance is by no means awful.

Anna Karenina feels a little overlong in the final third, but is wonderful to look at. Wright’s decision to stage the film in this way is certainly bold, although a tragedy such as Tolstoy’s story should evoke a more emotional response.