Since We're In The Market For A New Car

Hopefully The Movie Is As Good As The Trailer

I gotta say, whoever is cutting the trailers for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button seriously knows what he's doing. There's currently 9 different trailers out there now, but two of the best ones are actually the TV spots (which are usually pretty lame compared to the theatrical trailers). Specifically, spot #3 and #6, which unfortunately Paramount is not letting people embed for blogging, so you'll have to go to YouTube to see them. For real, these are two of the best cut trailers I've seen in a looooong time. From the visual cues to the background music, these things are great, and have got me jonesing to see this during Christmas. Here's the links:

TV Spot #6

TV Spot #3

The story is based of an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story, about a man who grows physically younger with every year and how it affects his life. I'll be surprised if Brad Pitt doesn't walk away with the Oscar for it (unless Heath Ledger gets it for The Dark Knight).

The GreatMoose Reviews Hancock

Well, I promised I'd try to post more movie and DVD reviews, so here I am keeping that promise. Got lots of reviews coming down the pike, as it were. Today's review is for the Will Smith "superhero" movie, Hancock. And let me start by saying that if you think you know anything about this movie (provided you haven't seen it, of course), you don't. It's not at all what I thought it was going to be, and that's both good and bad.

The bad is that I thought it was going to be a satirical look at superheros, like what they would REALLY be like in the real world. Ans the first half-hour of the film is pretty much that. Hancock (his first name is John. Get it? John Hancock?!) is an alcoholic bum, who also happens to be the worlds only superhero. He's a complete douchenozzle to boot. His "help" usually winds up causing far more damage than the original crime would have. One day, he saves a PR rep named Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), who makes it his mission to change Hancock's public image for the better. So he has Hancock go to jail for a while until the city realizes it needs him. It doesn't take long before the skyrocketing crime rates cause the mayor to ask Hancock for help. So, up until this point it looks pretty much like I thought it would be, and executing it fairly well, I might add. Then the movie changes.

I won't spoil the GIANT FARKING PLOT TWIST here, but dang, I did NOT see that coming. The movies completely changes gears, and becomes an extremely effective drama film. Now, a lot of people have given the movie crap for this rather abrupt change, but I think that stems from most people expecting exactly what I was: a funny, satirical, kinds dark look at superheros. That's not what we got, and I, for one am extremely grateful. Although it feels pretty rushed, the second half of the movie is pure gold. The climax is one of the most emotional gut punches I've seen in an action movie in years, maybe EVER.

The music in the film also changes along with the movie, the first half being fun and kind rough, the second half being one of the best scores I've heard in a while. "Hancock's Theme" (or whatever it's called) is especially powerful. I'd like to get the soundtrack for that one song.

If you rent or buy (but don't download it, you sinners!) the movie, get the UNRATED cut, it's got about 10 extra minutes of footage, and REALLY helps pull the movie together and sets up more insight into the rest of the film. So far the movie has made over $620 million worldwide, so here's hoping for a follow-up (it really needs one, I think.)

Anyway, give it a watch and let me know what you think.

The GreatDroppings Score of Glory: