I want to start this post off with a warning (although it may be too late): If you’re like me and you’re going to watch the next Guy Ritchie film no matter how good the preview is, please do not watch this trailer. It gives away far too much about the movie, and I really wish that I could rewind time and unwatch it.

That said, this trailer does prove that Guy Ritchie is finally back to form. After the atrocity known as Swept Away, it looks like Guy Ritchie has finally learned a very valuable lesson: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Let’s face it. Guy Ritchie only knows how to make one kind of movie, as he proved by following Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels with Snatch, which was essentially the same film but with the addition of a gibberish-talking Brad Pitt.

But the truth is that although Guy Ritchie may be just a one-trick pony, he is certainly a very talented pony, and his one-trick is pretty damn impressive. And any movie Guy Ritchie makes that doesn’t star his wife will always be a SEE IT for me.

Now if only his marketing guys had as much faith in him as I do…maybe then they wouldn’t feel the need to show me the whole damn movie to try and convince me that it’s worth my 11 bucks.

Revolver is rated R and opens December 7 (although it opened in Europe two years ago…that’s probably a bad sign, but oh well).

After I graduated from college, I did a short stint as a valet parking attendant in Los Angeles. It really wasn’t that bad of a gig. I got to drive some really nice cars that I’ll never be able to afford, and I got to see some really famous movie stars up close. Plus, it allowed me to survive in L.A. for a year, while I figured out that screenwriting wasn’t for me.

But I’ll never forget my first day on the job. It was a big Hollywood party at some producer’s house. The whole night, I was crossing my fingers that I’d get a movie star’s car, but it just wasn’t happening. And as the party dwindled down, another attendant handed me a set of keys that I knew would be my last of the night. Which is why I was so disappointed when I saw that the keys belonged to a PT-Cruiser…certainly no movie star would be caught dead driving a PT-Cruiser. But as I pulled the car up to the door and stepped out, there he was, Mr. Two-Time Academy Award-Winner himself, Tom Hanks, waiting for his car. I stared at him like an idiot, completely star-struck, and continued staring as he took the keys out of my hand, open the door for his wife Rita and then drove away.

Looking back, though, I wonder if I would be nearly as star struck if the same thing were to happen today. That was in 2001, mind you, soon after Philadelphia and Forrest Gump, and long before The Terminal and The Da Vinci Code. If I handed Tom Hanks his keys today, I’m not sure it would have had the same effect on me. Nowadays, Tom Hanks is just another movie star, but back then he was the best movie star around.

I’m not saying this to put Tom Hanks down. The guy is beyond talented; he’s proven that beyond a shadow of a doubt. But it just seems like he’s been playing it safe lately. A few too many animated films and not nearly enough Oscar contenders. I guess that’s why this trailer for Charlie Wilson’s War got me a bit exciting. It’s obvious that this is a meatier movie than Hanks has been doing recently. It’s still no Forrest Gump, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction. And though he probably won’t be winning his third Academy Award for this one, I do think he’ll be a lot more entertaining than he was in The Ladykillers.

Charlie Wilson’s War is definitely a SEE IT for me. And not only because of Tom Hanks. It’s also directed by Mike Nichols and written by Aaron Sorkin, two guys who can do no wrong in my book.

Charlie Wilson’s War is not yet rated and opens December 25th. (Official Site)

As a movie fan, I’ve noticed that I often give up my own free will at random times. For example, when I come across one of my favorite movies on television, I have no choice but to watch it, even though I’ve seen the movie a million times before. Also, even though I despise celebrity gossip, I find that I have no choice but to pay attention to it, if only to hear what’s being said about my favorite actors. But probably the clearest example of me giving up my free will is when one of my favorite directors makes a new movie, giving me absolutely no choice but to go and see it in the theater.

For example, when Francis Ford Coppola comes out of hiding to direct his first movie in 10 years (yes, 10!), I don’t even try to fight it. In these situations, I find it’s best to just go limp and give complete control to the power of the Coppola…just tell me when and where, Francis…I am at your command.

For those of you who didn’t know that Francis Ford Coppola was working on a new movie (his first since 1997’s The Rainmaker), well, now you know. Unfortunately, this teaser trailer doesn’t show much, but it delivers the message it’s supposed to: Francis Ford Coppola has a new movie. Youth Without Youthis based on the book by Mircea Eliade, and it stars Tim Roth. Apparently, Coppola shot the movie on an extremely low budget, and unfortunately, the word on the street is that the movie is good, but not necessarily the most entertaining thing to sit through.

But screw it, I’m still going to SEE IT as soon as I can. After all, who knows when the director of The Godfather is going to direct another film again (unless of course you believe IMDB, which says that he’s working on another one as we speak).

Youth Without Youth is rated R and opens in limited release on December 14. (Official Site)

So this trailer hit the internet a few days ago, and it immediately caught my interest. I love both Jack Black and Mos Def, and the idea of seeing those two together just brings a smile to my face. I also think Michel Gondry is a great director, although he can sometimes be a little too indulgent for his own good. And yet, for some reason, this movie isn’t a see it for me.

I suppose the main reason for this is the premise. It’s an interesting idea for sure. After accidentally erasing all of the movies in their video store, Jack Black and Mos Def decide to recreate all of the classic movies themselves…and the hilarity supposedly ensues.

This premise is as unique as they come, which I definitely admire. And it certainly has the potential to be a brilliant film. If they are able to match the tone of UHF (which I think is what they’re going for), I could see myself laughing my ass off at all of the ridiculous movie remakes. However, Be Kind, Rewind also has the potential to just be stupid and absurd. If it isn’t done right, it could be a painful experience watch these guys make arses out of themselves for an hour and a half. I just wish I knew which one it was.

My hope is that, with Black, Gondry, and Mos Def behind the wheel, they’ll steer it in the right direction. However, I’m just not confident enough to warrant me paying the $11. If friends tell me that it’s a good film, there’s a chance I’ll catch it in the theaters, but otherwise, I’m probably going to RENT IT.

Be Kind, Rewind is rated PG-13 and opens January 25.

There’s no denying that Judd Apatow has had an amazing year with the successes of Knocked Up and Superbad. And it looks like he’s poised to finish off the year on another high note with Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, which Apatow co-wrote and produced. Walk Hard is a spoof on the big musician biopics like Ray and Walk the Line, telling the story of the rise and fall of the great (and fictional) Dewey Cox.

Cox is played by John C. Reilly, whose comedic skills are often underused and underestimated, so I’m thrilled to see him in a movie like this. And as he proved in Chicago, he can sing, so the many hits of Dewey Cox will be ably performed. The rest of the cast is rounded out with some impressive comedic talents, such as SNL’s Kristen Wiig as Cox’s shrill shrew of a wife who just doesn’t “get” his need to perform and The Office’s Jenna Fisher as a June Carter-like character who catches Cox’s eye. Then there’s the plethora of cameos, ranging from the White Stripe’s Jack White as Elvis, to Apatow regular Paul Rudd as John Lennon, to Frankie Muniz as Buddy Holly.

I’m wavering between seeing it and renting it, and right now I’m more likely to RENT IT. That way I can juvenilely snicker at all the tongue-in-cheek uses of the word “Cox” from the privacy of my own home.

Walk Hard is not yet rated and opens December 21. (Official site)

For me, National Treasure was a pleasant surprise. Despite my reservations that it would be two hours of Nicolas Cage’s typical shlock, one night it was the best choice at our local cinema, so I saw it. National Treasure was total brain candy: action with a good dose of comedy. I loved every second of it.

Disney smells a franchise. Ed Harris and Helen Mirren join Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, and Harvey Keitel for the sequel. (This is Mirren’s first post-Oscar role, and why not? At this point in her career, she can do whatever she wants.) The stakes are greater this time around; Cage must clear allegations that his ancestor was involved in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. My only gripe about this trailer is that it doesn’t show enough of the hilarious one-liners that made the first movie so enjoyable. Still, I am going to SEE IT with a big bucket of popcorn.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets is not yet rated and opens on December 21. (official site)

This trailer just dropped today, and the first thought that came to my mind was “Why?!”

Are there really people out there that are just dying to see Alvin and the Chipmunks up on the big screen? And I get it that this is a kid’s movie, but Alvin and the Chipmunks have been absent from the television screen for decades. Plus, did you see these little CGI chipmunks? They’re not cute; they’re creepy. And Alvin eats a turd, for christ sake. How is that funny?

I am definitely going to SKIP IT, so I guess it doesn’t matter. I’m just wondering what Jason Lee is thinking. This is how he leverages his My Name is Earl success? He’s on top right now. Why is he competing with Cuba Gooding Jr. for movie roles?

Alvin and the Chipmunks is not yet rated but I’m assuming it’ll be rated G. And it opens on Christmas. (Official Site)

I probably shouldn’t say this, because it’s brought us a butt-load of traffic, but I’m kind of over all this Cloverfield mayhem. I’m all for mystery and anticipation, but the one thing that’s been missing from the site this past week is a sense of humor.

Which is why I was delighted to see that the first full trailer for Fred Claus has just hit the internet. If there’s one person who can give me a much needed kick in the funny bone, it’s Vince Vaughn. Remember EdTV? Well my dream would be VinceTV. I swear I could watch this guy fold his laundry and be totally entertained.

Fred Claus looks like a funny film, but I am minorly concerned about one thing: does Vince Vaughn really belong in what is, essentially, a “family film?” Fortunately, there are a lot of other bright spots to ease my worries. For one, this film is directed by David Dobkin, the same guy who directed Wedding Crashers. Secondly, Paul Giamatti plays Santa Claus. And most importantly, it is still Vince Vaughn. And if I can enjoy watching Vince fold his laundry, I’m sure I’ll enjoy watching him play around with some midgets (sorry, elves).

If you haven’t guessed yet, Fred Claus is definitely a SEE IT for me. If I have to be inundated with Christmas movies again this year, I’d much rather see Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti take a stab at it than have to sit through Tim Allen doing another sequel of The Santa Claus.

Fred Claus is not yet rated and opens on Christmas. (Official Site)

I can’t lie. I think Will Smith is a genius. His movie career started because directors wanted to take advantage of his obvious charisma, but his last few movies were all him. Ever since he started his own production company, he’s chosen to make films that are not only exciting and entertaining, but also really smart and interesting. A lot of people didn’t like I, Robot, but I knew it was the beginning of a really interesting career path. And after The Pursuit of Happyness, I’m hooked.

Even though I Am Legend looks suspiciously familiar, I’m definitely gonna SEE IT. I have a feeling this will be a lot smarter and a lot more interesting than all of the other post-apocalyptic films we’ve seen recently. I’m glad Will Smith keeps churning these things out, because he’s making the exact kind of movies that I love to watch.

I Am Legend is not yet rated and opens December 14. (Official Site)

Ya know, I suppose I might have been interested in this movie, but the trailer totally turned me off. Mostly, it was the blatent, pathetic attempt to leech off the success of Lord of the Rings. That kind of ploy only makes me think that this movie isn’t strong enough to hold up on its own. I’m personally going to SKIP IT.

The Golden Compass is not yet rated and doesn’t open until December 7. (Official Site)