Trailer Round-Up

Since I've been moving the past couple days, I haven't been as quick on the draw with some of the recently-released trailers.  So here are the most notable ones, all together in one easily-digestible package.

First up is Killing Them Softly, which recently got moved back to an October 19 release date as The Master got moved up a month.  Killing Them Softly, based on the novel Cogan's Trade by George V. Higgins, follows a point man who investigates an attempt to heist the mob's assets during a high stakes poker game.  Brad Pitt, Sam Rockwell, Richard Jenkins, and James Gandolfini are among a most impressive cast.  This is just one jewel in The Weinstein Company's incredible line-up for the rest of the year, which also includes Lawless, The Master, and Django Unchained.

Next up is the trailer for Paranormal Activity 4, which has taken up the annual scarefest mantle from Saw.  Unlike that gorefest franchise, however, Paranormal Activity has yet to outstay its welcome, with the third entry, directed by Catfish helmers Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, representing the scariest one yet.  Joost and Schulman return for this fourth chapter, which looks to be a sequel to the second (while the third was a prequel).  The trailer is pretty unspectacular, though the use of webcams is a nice hook for the found footage style.  These directors made me cry with fear with their previous effort, so I'm hoping Paranormal Activity 4 is better than its trailer suggests.

It opens October 19.

Finally, the new international trailer for Sam Mendes' forthcoming Bond flick, Skyfall, looks fantastic.  The trailer has a first look at Ben Whishaw's Q in action, steamy shower sex, lots of action, beautiful cinematography, and Javier Bardem's most disturbing hairdo since No Country For Old Men.   

Skyfall hits theaters November 9, 2012.   (It says October in the trailer for international audiences.)