Previews: The Grinch Trailer, Tully, More!

Lots of film-related goodness in this week’s preview of coming attractions, including The Grinch trailer, The Strangers: Prey at Night, Tully and more…

The Grinch Trailer

Here is the new The Grinch trailer. The upcoming animation is the latest adaptation of the Dr Seuss’ classic. The 2000 live-action film How The Grinch Stole Christmas was one of the highest grossing movies of its year, so it will be interesting to see how this new version fares. Featuring the voice of Benedict Cumberbatch, The Grinch will be released in UK cinemas on 9th November 2018.

The Strangers: Prey at Night Trailer

This trailer for The Strangers: Prey at Night reveals little about the plot but a lot of the genre. The film is about a family holiday that goes wrong with the arrival of some strangers. The horror movie stars Christina Hendricks and Martin Henderson. The Strangers: Prey at Night will hit UK screens on 4th May 2018.

Tully Trailer

Above is the second trailer for Tully. The film sees director Jason Reitman and writer Diablo Cody reunite with star Charlize Theron, following 2011’s brilliant Young Adult. The film is about a mother of three young children who is gifted a night nanny by her brother. Also starring Mackenzie Davis and Mark Duplass, Tully will be released on 20th April 2018.

Truth or Dare Trailer

The latest film from producer Jason Blum is based on that time-honoured party game. Truth or Dare is about a group of friends who must play the game, with horrendous consequences. The film stars Lucy Hale and Tyler Posey. Truth or Dare is set for release in UK cinemas on 13th April 2018.

Love, Simon Clip

Above is a clip from the upcoming Love, Simon. It gives a pretty succinct introduction to the title character in the film, which is based on the novel of the same name. The film stars Nick Robinson, Jennifer Garner, and Josh Duhamel. Love, Simon is out at UK cinemas on 6th April 2018.

DogWatch 2012: Part 1

Following the mild success of last year’s Dogs on Film, as well as my growing obsession with cinematic canines, I have decided to regularly feature film dogs on the site. This is a round up of the notable dogs that have appeared in films out in the first two months of 2012…

Dolce

Dolce, played by Pomeranian Hummer, appears in the marvellous Young Adult as protagonist Mavis’ pet. Although Dolce has a small role in the film, there is an amusing scene where Mavis tries to hide him in her bag as she checks in at a hotel. Fluffy and cute, Dolce is enough of a draw to feature on Young Adult posters.

Young Adult is out in cinemas Friday 3rd February. See more images of Hummer and his photoshoot.

Red Dog

Red Dog, in the film of the same name, is played by the adorable Koko. As the title suggests, Red Dog is the key player in the film, with humans taking a secondary role as companions and friends. Red Dog’s origins are a bit of a mystery, but the film aims to detail his time in the small town of Dampier, Western Australia.

Red Dog is released in UK cinemas on Friday 24th February.

Lady and the Tramp

To celebrate the release of Lady and the Tramp on Blu-Ray for the first time, dogs were invited to a special screening of the film. From the looks of it, they all seem to be enjoying the film. I am particularly amused by the small dog in the second row on the left, who has to sit on a box. Give him/her a seat in the front row! Being quite short myself, maybe I should start taking a booster seat to screenings…

Lady and the Tramp is available on DVD and Blu-Ray now.

Film Review: Young Adult

With superlative writing, directing and performances, Young Adult is one of the best comedy dramas in recent years. Jason Reitman’s film is a must see.

Mavis Gary is an author of young adult literature living in Minneapolis. Following her recent divorce, Mavis decides to return to her small hometown in Minnesota to try to rekindle the flame with her high school boyfriend. He is, however, married with a newborn baby…

It is the erudite combination of skilful directing, magnificent writing and an astonishing central performance that makes Young Adult such a fantastic movie. Not only is Mavis such a well written character, but she is depicted with the upmost authenticity. Despite some rather unsavoury traits, Mavis still resonates with audiences because she is so believable. Thus, viewers will side with her precisely because she is a flawed character.

Young Adult is an acutely affecting film, thanks to this brilliant depiction. Even those who find it difficult to relate to Mavis’ actions should find the film resonant. This is due to the fact that the themes are depicted so convincingly. The return to a glorious past, an isolated life, depression and an uncertain future are all ideas that should resound with viewers both younger and older than the protagonist.

Diablo Cody’s screenplay is fantastic, and definitely her best work to date. The dialogue is great, expeically the conversations between Mavis and Matt. These scenes combine humour with refreshing honesty. Young Adult’s pacing is also good. The film never feels rushed or dragged out.

Jason Reitman’s directing is both stylish and subtle. Reitman seems to have his own style, one that is not glaringly obvious, but one that differentiates him from other contemporary directors of comedy drama. After the critical and commercial success of his previous efforts, it is a real shame that Young Adult has not received the recognition it deserves during the award season.

Charlize Theron is superb as Mavis Gary. It is a testament to Theron’s versatility that she is able to play the character so authentically. Patton Oswalt provides excellent support as Matt, while Patrick Wilson is well cast as Buddy.

Young Adult may not please those looking for a stereotypical Hollywood comedy drama. Everyone else should find it captivating. Young Adult is a fine piece of filmmaking.

Young Adult Clip

Charlize Theron plays a fiction writer who returns to her hometown in Young Adult. In what I have heard about it so far, Theron’s character is similar to Cameron Diaz’s in Bad Teacher. Young Adult is directed by Jason Reitman and written by Diablo Cody, which gives certain expectations. I have also heard a rumour that Young Adult features a fluffy dog, which elevates it to must-see level. In the above clip, Mavis meets her ex-boyfriend’s baby for the first time. I’m not going to lie, sometimes I act just as awkwardly when people present me with their offspring. Young Adult reaches UK cinemas on 3rd February 2012.