Trailer Tracker: Harold & Kumar Christmas, Coriolanus and more

New clips this week:
A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas
Coriolanus
Puncture
The Woman in Black
The Smell of Success

A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas

From greasy burgers to a dingy prison cell, stoners Harold Lee and Kumar Patel have likely been through more adventures on their first two “quests” than the sum of the average person’s entire life. Now, the holiday season is upon us with the third entry in the cult franchise as a now-estranged duo eventually unites after Kumar burns down Harold’s family Christmas tree. From there it’s off to find an apt replacement (no doubt with a few bumps along the way). The first “Kumar” flick was a surprise to audiences and critics alike; bringing a new light (pun intended) to the genre and again in 2008, the average Joe found a lot to like in the follow-up comedy. After the fun that was the first two, I have a feeling that third time will not be the charm for this franchise but who can be a total pessimist around the holidays? 

The trailer seems very teaser-like as none of the central plot is touched upon, but who really cares about a proper ramp-up concerning a film like this. Before his resurgence thanks to How I Met Your Mother, hosting gigs, Emmy wins and TV guest appearances, Neil Patrick Harris was a highlight of these movies' setup as a foul-mouthed, womanizing version of himself to great effect. Despite his shift in stature (and possibly fatal encounter at a brothel), the man is back for a third helping of Christmas brownies (the movie would not have been the same without him). “Harold 3” oddly hits theatres Nov. 4.

Coriolanus

From Schindler’s List to playing the evil wizard Voldemort in the unstoppably popular “Harry Potter” series, Ralph Fiennes is a man of many talents and an all round superb thespian. He stretches said skill set with Coriolanus, his directorial debut, which is a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s play of the same name, where a war hero (Fiennes) is banished from Rome (the city he once protected) and ultimately turns to an enemy (played by Gerard Butler) to help enact his revenge. The trailer screams a fantastically unique blend of a classic tragedy with a fiery war epic, all with a modern twist. Early reviews have been glowing since its release at the 61st Berlin Film Festival, so chalk up one for Fiennes and his daring project. 

Puncture

Now getting some buzz following the success of Captain America: The First Avenger, Chris Evans next stars in Puncture, where he plays a functioning drug addict and atypical defense attorney at a small firm who takes a case far out of his league. Supposedly based on a true story, Puncture will debut at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival and in addition to that and Evans’ rising starpower, this could be a good time to push this film after the surprise sleeper success that was The Lincoln Lawyer made the courthouse drama interesting again. From the trailer alone, Evans seems to be have a good time in the role of quirky dude blindsided and has proven to be a charismatic individual when given the right role. This combo of action and intrigue could be a solid follow-up project for the man.

The Woman in Black

The haunted house movie is in full swing this year after the indie smash that was Insidious and with Paranormal Activity 3, Dream House and Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark still to come. The Woman in Black, starring Daniel Radcliffe, scores the crown of by far the creepiest and most effective trailer, using old-school tactics which include a ominous poem read by a little girl over the clips duration. “The Woman” very much evokes The Others from 2001, especially with the period look, haunted house motif and cerebral, bloodless frights. I was always interested in this project but it has now rocketed to the upper heights of upcoming films. See the "Harry Potter" alumnus star this ghostly endeavour Feb. 10.

The Smell of Success

Success smells like shit to me. That's because in The Smell of Success, Billy Bob Thorton plays a manure salesman forced to work with the uptight heiress of his former boss played by Tea Leoni. Having been shelved since way back in 2009, I nevertheless think this project looks interesting, with its 1960s setting, odd 300-like color-wash tone and supporting characters including the wonderful Ed Helms. “Smell” is directed and scripted by Michael Polish who led such works as Twin Falls Idaho and The Astronaut Famer, so if those were your cup of crap, keep an eye out for what is sure to be an upcoming limited release.