Silver Linings Playbook
This is about all I could hope for from a Limitless sequel. After going through NZT withdrawal, it’s obvious that Bradley Cooper’s character would lose his mind a little. Moving home makes sense, and it’s nice to see that Robert De Niro’s character is taking more of a fatherly role and acting like more of a mentor. That’s a nice progression. It also seems that Cooper is still suffering residual effects from NZT, given his reaction to Hemingway at 4 in the morning. I also like that they are expanding the universe and introducing Jennifer Lawrence, a fellow NZT survivor. She obviously has had her own problems with the drug, and it appears that Tommy’s death was the result of her actions in that time. It’ll be interesting to examine their budding romance as they both come to groups with just how profoundly that drug changed them. Beyond that, it’ll be nice to see her playing a character who is creating the conflict, as opposed to living in a world where the conflict encompasses her (Winter’s Bone, The Hunger Games, probably The Bill Engvall Show). Cooper is good in this trailer, but she is absolutely fantastic. I’m not sure I can rave about her performance enough. Everything she says is perfectly on point. I’m excited to hear more.
(Wait, what’s that? This isn’t a sequel, it’s a standalone film? Well, ummm … it still looks great?)
The Man With The Iron Fists
This is the most stylized trailer I’ve ever seen. It has something to do with sex and power, but I don’t know what. Russell Crowe is occasionally present, as are Lucy Liu and Jamie Chung. I have no idea how they interact though. It opens with a pointless soliloquy about forging knives and then shows hundreds of blades in the trailer. Nothing makes sense to me. The tagline is, “They put the F-U in Kung Fu.” Who are “they?” Who are “they” fighting? Why? I’m going to need to hear more, because I don’t know what’s going on.
Alex Cross
This is the classic intrepid detective vs. insane serial killer (aren’t they all?) story, but I’m still intrigued. For one, I buy both of the leads in their respective roles. Matthew Fox fits almost too easily into the MMA fighter/ FBI troller/tattooed creeper role. I’m having trouble reconciling that with Dr. Jack Shephard. It doesn’t make sense that they could be played by the same guy. Well done, Matthew Fox. Meanwhile, Tyler Perry has stepped away from his usual goofy nonsense to do some acting in someone else’s movie. It’s not a virtuoso performance, but he certainly seems good. I believe he could be an FBI profiler, and he has enough charisma in this trailer that he should be able to carry himself through tougher parts of the film. Also, at the beginning of the trailer his lady friend asks him, “How are you going to convince me to leave Detroit?” While his response is funny, the appropriate response is, “By offering you a place to live in literally any other city in the country.” DETROIT IS DYING. If I had to guess, I would say that this movie will do reasonably well with critics, have a modest opening weekend, and then go away forever. It’ll probably be solid, but that’s it.
Dan Spritz / Cherry On Top / @DanSpritz
