We have heard your complaints about not featuring the Room trailer just yet. It was not from lack of love for Brie Larson (who improves every single movie she's in) as you'll remember we were among her greatest cheerleaders for a Best Actress bid for Short Term 12. It was merely lack of time. But do you think she'll get closer to the Best Actress lineup this year?
The Room trailer follows this poster along with our Yes No Maybe So commentary. That plus the new Tom McCarthy film Spotlight, and its all-star cast, which is also tipped as 'Oscar bound' or at least testing very very well...
ROOM
yes - Beautiful implies a daringly sustained mood of both creepy menace and loving emotional bonds. The inside/outside hallucinatory-ness of it looks compelling. The way Brie says "room" sets such a stage. Plus there's Brie Larson with a child actor and she already proved in Short Term 12 that she was absolutely great with them.
no - Is this trailer showing us the ending? Not necessary.
maybe so -though it's based on a novel it looks visual enough to be a cinematic experience that stands on its on (which is quite a trick to pull off if you've got mostly just one small set. But if you've read the book, speak up. I'd love to hear what you thought of it.
SPOTLIGHT
I know there are things you cannot tell me. But also know there's a story here."
yes - that opening line is kinda perfect for introducing a movie story, true or otherwise, no? Quick flashes to so many good actors: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Brian D'Arcy James, Billy Crudup, Rachel McAdams, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci, Jamey Sheridan, Len Cariou, and... very nice to see Liev Schrieber get a chance to do something outside of Ray Donovan mode. McCarthy's past filmography (Win Win, The Station Agent, The Visitor) mostly suggests that every film of his is worth seeing.
no - ...but then there was The Cobbler which was absolutely eviscerated by those who saw it. Can he recover quickly from that Adam Sandler stumble?
Confession: I'm actually not a big fan of Mark Ruffalo in shouting crusader mode onscreen. Offscreen I like him like that just fine. Stop the frakking! But onscreen it seems to coarsen his performances are bit. His best work is always with more intimate quiet characters (his two best performances: The Kids Are All Right and You Can Count On Me)
maybe so - however exciting the story could be scene for scene, exposé stories about horrific behavior don't have room for a lot of nuance since they're Good vs. Evil so they risk feeling cookie-cutter coddling. Feel Good in the Sense that you can cheer on the good guys and hiss at the villains and then never think about the movie again. But that rarely makes for great movies outside of more stylized genres that can have playful fun with "types" like Action films and such. So the actors will really need to bring every bit of nuance and charisma and chemistry to make it impactful.
THREE QUESTIONS TO GO:
- When they do one of these title cards are you always sad for the people who don't get the awards stamps by their names? (Also: How does Billy Crudup not even warrant billing on this card? Has his star fallen that hard?)
- How pissed are you that Michael Keaton doesn't get "WINNER" by his name and has to settle for "NOMINEE"
- Are you a Yes No or Maybe So on these two pictures?