Yes, No, Maybe So: Rudderless & Revenge of the Green Dragons

Deborah here, with a double-entry of Yes, No, Maybe So. First up, Rudderless from actor turned director William H Macy. (He's up for an Emmy Monday night for Shameless)

Yes

• Directorial debut of William H. Macy. I'm a fan.
• He's using his wife, the awesome Felicity Huffman. Also Billy Crudup.
• There's a sweet naturalism to the trailer.
• It looks like Begin Again, except with more death and less money. I loved Begin Again.

No

• It looks like Begin Again, except with more death and less money. How about a new movie?

More after the jump including the trailers themselves...

• Bechdel fail: There appear to be two women: A grieving mother and a grieving girlfriend. Clearly there are no female musicians. In the world.
• THANK GOD someone is filming the story of a middle-aged white guy. Thank. God.

Maybe So

• The IMDb lists more women. Maybe the trailer is misleading.
• Fishburne. He sways me.

Trailer for Rudderless on TrailerAddict.

I'm a "Maybe So" -- my Yeses and Nos are fighting each other.

Next up: Revenge of the Green Dragons.

Yes

• OMG it's not a movie about middle-aged white guys. Or young white guys coming of age.
• Chinese immigration in the 1980s: A really unique plot, which piques the interest.
• The trailer is intriguing without giving away the store.

No

• Obligatory first serious role by an actor known for comedy (Harry Shum, Jr.) might be a warning sign.

Maybe So

• ... but he's following it up with the sequel to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, so who knows...
• Produced by Martin Scorcese is no guarantee, but it is something.
• Co-Director Andrew Loo is an unknown quantity.
• Potential Bechdel fail: I see a lot of women's faces flashing by in the trailer, but the focus seems to be on the men. I mean, sexist is not okay with me, but testosterone-fueled is, and I see plenty of Bechdel fails anyway (see: Guardians of the Galaxy).

Trailer for Revenge of the Green Dragons on TrailerAddict.

I'm a Yes on this one.

How about you? And which are you more likely to see?
 

Comments

[par]

i'll take middle aged man dealing with his emotions over another gun ridden american dream cash grab

[Roark]

Anton yelchin as a manic hipster sidekick is an automatic disqualifier on the first one, but even without that it would be a no for me.

Revenge of the green dragon looks fun. I'm there with bells on.

[Mike in Canada]

Roark: But Anton Yelchin as a manic hipster sidekick was a total asset to Only Lovers Left Alive!

[F]

I'm all in for Revenge of the Green Dragons. I'm hoping that the Orange is the New Black principle holds true here, provided that the writing, direction and acting are up to par.

I like Felicity Huffman's flinty, Joan-Allen-esque presence, and with Desperate Housewives long gone, I hope she makes a return to movies in vital character parts.

[Roark]

Mike - very true! but if I'm going to deal with Anton Yelchin in that mode, I feel way more comfortable doing so in a Jim Jarmusch movie!