Three Misleading Film Trailers

When some trailers are released, they often look like they would appeal to a specific audience, when often, this isn't the audience the film is going to appeal to at all. Here are some examples.

Pan's Labyrinth
Alice in Wonderland meets Coraline... isn't it? No! Pan's Labyrinth is an extremely popular foreign film. Originally released back in 2006, to critical acclaim, holding an impressive 8.3/10 rating on IMDb. The trailer itself shows our main character Ofelia come across a fantasy world with mystical creatures and wide, daunting lands. It all seems very epic and adventurous but what the trailer glosses over is the fascist movement in Spain in 1944, something that features heavily in the film. Ofelia's father, an army officer/dictator, is a chilling, disturbing and cold-blooded character who kills innocent civilians on-screen. Do we see this in the trailer? Perhaps for a split-second!  This film is visually stunning but its marketing is completely wrong. Would a gigantic fantasy epic with terrifying creatures appeal to most… yes! Would a film about fascism, death and depression have as much of an audience… probably not.

My Girl

My Girl is a sweet tale of a boy and girl, who meet and become the best of friends… is there anything less depressing? Well, the trailer seems to suggest all is fine here, yet the young girl, played by Anna Chlumsky, is obsessed with death and constantly runs to the Doctor’s, claiming she has the latest break through illness. While it’s incredibly funny and uplifting in parts, it is also terribly upsetting and disturbing. The trailer seems to touch on all the typical moments of growing up but the film is far, far deeper than that. This is also a very good watch; very entertaining but awfully difficult to watch towards the end.

Bridge to Terabithia

A backdrop of fantastical creatures and adventures in the forest, such as being chased by dark, mysterious creatures and being thrown into the hands of giant trolls – all of which are no doubt a typical, children’s fantasy film. The trailer attempts to add an element of ‘epic’ to its marketing campaign which it pulls off pretty well. Meanwhile, expecting a rollercoaster ride is certainly what you receive with this film. However, it’s an emotionalrollercoaster instead of an action-packed one. Without giving too much away, Bridge to Terabithia deals with some terribly dark subject matter but there is no sign of these things in the trailer.There is a terrible yet effective twist in the plot for the audience. Definitely a must-see, yet be warned!

Film Review: Salmon Fishing In The Yemen

DVD: Salmon Fishing In The Yemen   6/10
Director: Lasse Hallstrom
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Amr Waked
Plot: a consultant is eager to bring the sport of fly-fishing to the desert, and asks a fisheries expert for his help.

You would have thought that a film consisting of bringing fish to the Yemen alongside the director of 2010s abysmal, dull and unoriginal Dear John would be disastrous. Well, luckily, it isn’t! Hallstrom’s latest comedy outing is surprisingly entertaining and is unlike any British dramedy for a while. McGregor and Blunt are the best part of the film; whilst the plot does surprise, its two leads hold the film up throughout, being fantastic during both the emotional and comical scenes. Kristin Scott Thomas, the Prime Minister’s assistant, is also a nice addition to the film, the funniest and most memorable of scenes are helmed by Thomas, who returns throughout for some hilarious one-liners.

Of course, as you’d expect, the cinematography and sightseeing the film presents is brilliant. The amount of time spent examining the Yemen both over water and land adds an entirely different layer to the film, turning it from a ‘dramedy’ to an Attenborough-esque documentary.

Perhaps the films largest downfall is its attempt to become a thriller; as you’d expect, bringing fish to the Yemen is frowned upon by many of the surrounding villagers, but the films attempt at introducing gun fire and life-threatening circumstances is far-fetched and cannot be taken seriously.

In Conclusion: perhaps a disappointment if you had paid full price at the cinema, but an enjoyable, warm and light-hearted film with an array of British acting talents which will give you a carefree evening at home.

Film Review: Coraline

DVD: Coraline  9/10 
Director: Henry Selick

Starring: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, John Hodgman

Plot: a young girl called Coraline stumbles across a fantasy world in her new home, soon confusing it with reality.

Stop-motion animation is by far my favourite way of presenting a film compared to computer animation. Coraline is one of those films which achieves wonderful visuals as well as a fascinating, enchanting storyline which grasps its audience and doesn’t let go until the very end, something both children and adults alike would enjoy. Coraline has an array of voiceover talents; Dakota Fanning plays the title character superbly. Teri Hatcher as Coraline’s mother is a stand-out in the picture, turning from a tired catalogue writer to Coraline’s ‘other’ mother, which becomes a chilling and frightening transition. Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders make a surprising and hilarious appearance to the screen, giving way for some much-needed comic relief amongst the dark themes and harrowing ghosts.

The film is, even for adults, terribly frightening. The thought of sewing buttons into eyes in a children’s film is not only strange but disturbing – a huge bonus on the films part as it doesn’t fail to take risks. Without the terror of Coraline’s ‘other’ mother, the quest that is taken would be meaningless and flat. The darkness of the film gives it a haunting feel throughout (through to the end) yet keeps itself at a child’s level by having its relatable and well-developed characters (particularly Coraline’s on-screen friend Wybie).

In Conclusion: Coraline, at 100 minutes in length, is one of, if not the most, captivating animated feature film to have been made; its storyline is chilling, its characters superb and its animation timeless (see if you can spot the gravy train!) Coraline sustains a basic storyline yet its explosive characters and unforgettable finale make it one hell of a ride!

Film Review: Snow White and the Huntsman

Cinema: Snow White and the Huntsman   5/10
Director: Rupert Sanders
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron
Plot: a darker take on the classic fairytale sees a Huntsman end up protecting Snow White after being ordered to kill her, leading to a quest to destroy the evil Queen Ravenna.

Over the years there have been numerous takes on the Snow White tale, many of which have failed to surpass the quality and magic Disney first created with the 1937 film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. 2012 seems to have been the year for Snow White; several TV films have been created along with April’s Mirror Mirror, which was a rather forgettable and meaningless take on the classic tale. Snow White and the Huntsman, a film I have anticipated for months, never quite succeeds in reaching its aims either.

Firstly, Kristen Stewart as Snow White is a controversial and risky choice to have made, which sadly, doesn’t pull off in the end. Stewart’s British accent is too over-the-top and many of her facial expressions remind myself of her Twilight character Bella Swan. The poor take on Snow White produces no originality in the character, leaving the original Disney animation to succeed in this area. Chris Hemsworth is also slightly tedious; his role as the Huntsman and the character doesn’t seem to be any different to that of his superhero role as Thor, once again sparking little if no interest in the character at all. Charlize Theron, as the Evil Queen is the star of the entire show; her acting abilities shine through and she ends up becoming a chilling ‘woman’ with no human attributes at all, becoming perhaps the best villain to have appeared in any Snow White adaptation.

The films script seems to have the wrong focus, spending large amounts of time with Snow White and the Huntsman arguing whilst the key aspects of the original tale such as the poisoned apple are skimmed through without little meaning. The eight dwarfs, funnily enough, could easily have been cut from the film entirely, proving to be completely useless and try too hard to become loveable, funny characters which in the end, comes across as desperate.

Where the film succeeds however is in its visual effects. The large set pieces of the Queen’s castle seem completely real and come across as colossal even in the 2D format. The creatures too are animated perfectly; the little pixies, butterflies and fantasy animals are enchanting, something which Sanders as a director succeeds in doing, creating a world audience wish to explore.

In Conclusion : despite anticipating the film for a long time, its script comes across as  bland as well as its two titled characters. Charlize Theron presents a stunning performance as the Evil Queen and should receive notable awards for doing so. The films visual splendour and battle scenes are all executed beautifully yet in the end, the films ending screams sequel alert, yet I’m struggling to see where this tale could go.