First Trailer for CRYSTAL FAIRY Starring Michael Cera

First Trailer for FREE BIRDS Featuring the Voices of Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson, and Amy Poehler

First Trailer and Poster for THE SPECTACULAR NOW Starring Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley

New Trailer for ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES Features Racial Humor, Journey, Baxter, Dolphins and Brick’s Awkward Lady Friend

Teaser Trailer and Poster for THE LEGO MOVIE Featuring the Voices of Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Liam Neeson, and Morgan Freeman

Trailer for I GIVE IT A YEAR Starring Rose Byrne, Rafe Spall, Simon Baker, and Anna Faris

In This Is The End, the second Rapture comedy of the season (the middling Rapture Palooza, which also stars Craig Robinson,  was first) only four of the left behind make it to heaven– the rest are stuck in the hell on earth known as James Franco’s house.  The Christian right can rest assured that when the Rapture comes the left behind Hollywood not sucked into hell holes will bicker, disbelieve and scream and act like little girls when the demons start coming.   The fact that heaven can wait mainly means that heaven ain’t funny enough.  Too add an extra semblance of reality to the anti-religious festivities every one plays themselves: Seth Rogen the common dude and stoner goofus, James Franco the stoner philosopher and man of arts, Craig Robinson the stoner black hipster, Jay Baruchel the non-stoner anxiety pot, Jonah Hill the stoner new age pacifier and Danny McBride the stoner scabrous cretin.  If it looks sketchy and slightly improvised that’s because it is– this is the Apocalypse dude!  All hell is suppose to break loose– and most of it is wickedly and obscenely funny.   Michael Cera playing his meta self– a coked up and sex crazed addict who does blow is blown and blows blow on every face that strays by and Emma Watson, carrying an ax and defending herself from the very thought of manly violation, are the standouts who don’t get to stay in Franco’s place after the party is over.  This Is the End gets a B+.

First Trailer for Frozen Finds a Little Ice Age Scrat

In Man of Steel Superman gets the Christopher Nolan Dark Knight treatment and his soul, moral compass and optimistic good heart live to see another sunshine day defending truth, justice and the American way.   The script by David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan  defines the battle as between Kal-El/Clark Kent Superman the good God-like immortal protector of humanity  (Jesus parallels are liberally sprinkled in the back story that is delivered in flashbacks during action set-pieces and moments of moral crisis) and General Zod the Nietzsche-like Superman, misanthrope and destroying avenger.  Superman must battle-test and earn his joy, optimism and benevolent moral compass, proving himself worthy of the Codex (the gene map of all the people of Krypton) imbedded in his every cell.   Lois Lane has a Pulitzer and the smarts that makes her more the Man of Steel’s sidekick (Robin to continue the Dark Knight echoes)  for the first two-thirds until love falls from the sky and demands the first kiss, making Amy Adams the only earthly choice and acting talent that can credibly pull this Lane off.   Cavill, a British thesp, does a fine job with the Super lead  as does Michael Shannon (probably pissed off that another Brit is playing an American icon) as Zod and the rest of the cast.  The effects and action are appropriately super-sized even though the battles start getting homogenized after the third go round.   Man of Steel gets an A-.