Four new trailers and two new posters mark this Hump Day. New trailers: A Somewhat Gentle Man, Summer Wars, The Tree of Life and Vanishing on 7th Street; New posters: Fast Five and Rango.

THE TREE OF LIFE

	Plot Summary: A young boy grows into adulthood and examines the advice he received from and relationship he had with his parents. Release Date: May 27, 2011
	Trailer	Poster
	Rating: B+ Commentary: It’s Terrence Malick, so you can’t not like what you see. The images are crisp and vivid, though the film and its promotional material are looking a bit like 2001: A Space Odyssey. Is this Malick-does-Kubrick? Could be similar. We shall see.	Rating: C- Commentary: Really boring and hardly evocative. There are plenty of potential symbolic interpretations, but most people aren’t going to bother trying to figure them out.
	Trailer Link: Apple Trailers Oscar Chances: It has to be considered a major Oscar contender. Malick has a very small oeuvre and a lot of Oscar nominations.

VANISHING ON 7TH STREET

	Plot Summary: When nearly everyone in the world just vanishes, a handful of survivors attempt to stay close to the light where they are safe. Release Date: February 18, 2011
	Trailer	Poster
	Rating: B Commentary: The trailer shows the audience an original concept even if the trailer itself isn’t that original. At first it looks like a post-apocalyptic sci-fi feature and then it switches into horror mode. Could be interesting.	Rating: B- Commentary: The only thing that saves posters sometimes is strong use of color. This is one of those examples. Visually it’s pleasing to look at, but content wise, it’s a bit hackneyed.
	Trailer Link: Apple Trailers Oscar Chances: None.

SUMMER WARS

	Plot Summary: A virtual world comes crashing down around two real life people trying to feel out their relationship in the midst of the crisis. Release Date: December 24, 2010
	Trailer	Poster
	Rating: B- Commentary: Put bluntly, I don’t like anime. Hayao Miyazaki remains the only artist that I can stomach. This doesn’t look too bad, but, like Paprika a couple of years ago, I’m probably not going to get around to it.	Rating: C- Commentary: Chaos without expression. Form without function. It’s a frustrating poster all around.
	Trailer Link: Apple Trailers Oscar Chances: Being on the Animated Feature short list doesn’t help it get a nomination and with room for only three, don’t count on it.

A SOMEWHAT GENTLE MAN

	Plot Summary: Having just gotten out of prison, a killer tries to get back into the swing of things, including taking on new hits. Release Date: January 14, 2011
	Trailer	Poster
	Rating: C+ Commentary: There are some potentially funny elements in the film, but most of the trailer makes this look like the kind of movie that’s trying to be avant garde or revolutionary, but which doesn’t wholly succeed.	Rating: C Commentary: Like the trailer, the poster tries to be humorously edgy, but fails.
	Trailer Link: Apple Trailers Oscar Chances: None.

RANGO, poster #2

	Plot Summary: An animated feature about a chameleon with an identity crisis. Release Date: Coming Soon
	Trailer	Poster
	Previous Preview: Rango	Rating: B- Commentary: Your fairly standard animated feature poster with an array of characters in a modestly interesting background with a foreground that’s not all that exciting.
	Trailer Link: See Previous Preview Oscar Chances: See Previous Preview

FAST FIVE, poster

	Plot Summary: The fifth installment in the Fast & Furious franchise. Release Date: April 29, 2010
	Trailer	Poster
	Previous Preview: Fast Five	Rating: F Commentary: You release a poster with nothing but a title and names, you should be prepared for a failing grade. It would be like turning in a research paper where you just ripped pages out of a telephone book and handed it in.
	Trailer Link: See Previous Preview Oscar Chances: See Previous Preview