Friday Musings: New Movie Trailers and a... "Black" Doctor Who?

 So...life intervened this week which caused me to get a bit behind on my review schedule. I plan to do a double review next week to catch up. In the meantime, because I feel bad that I only posted on Monday, I figured to share what's been on my mind recently in film. Yup, because if books aren't on my mind, you can bet I'm thinking about movies or tv shows. Remember, my 2nd job is a cashier at a movie store!

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Out of the Furnace

Directed by: Scott Cooper
Starring: Christian Bale, Casey Affleck
Hitting Theaters: November 2013 (Limited), December 2013 (Worldwide)
Synopsis: From Scott Cooper, the critically-acclaimed writer and director of Crazy Heart, comes a gripping and gritty drama about family, fate, circumstance, and justice. Russell Baze (Christian Bale) has a rough life: he works a dead-end blue collar job at the local steel mill by day, and cares for his terminally ill father by night. When Russell's brother Rodney (Casey Affleck) returns home from serving time in Iraq, he gets lured into one of the most ruthless crime rings in the Northeast and mysteriously disappears. The police fail to crack the case, so - with nothing left to lose - Russell takes matters into his own hands, putting his life on the line to seek justice for his brother. The impressive cast of Christian Bale and Casey Affleck are rounded out by Woody Harrelson, Forest Whitaker, Zoe Saldana, Sam Shepard and Willem Dafoe.

Trailer

My Thoughts: I'm a huge Christian Bale fan and we haven't seen him in anything since the epic The Dark Knight Rises last summer. What I love about Bale is the fact that he is so grounded as an actor. One minute he is in a huge blockbuster film, the next we see him in something more low budget and down-to-earth, although no one should expect a less powerful performance. Add in Willem Dafoe, Forrest Whitaker, and Woody Harrelson and I can barely suppress my excitement!

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12 Years a Slave

Directed by: Steve McQueen
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender
Hitting Theaters: October 2013 (Limited)
Synopsis:  Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as Solomon Northup, the New York State citizen who was kidnapped and made to work on a plantation in New Orleans in the 1800s. Steve McQueen (Hunger) directs from a script he co-wrote with John Ridley, based in part by Northup's memoir. Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Sarah Paulson, and Paul Giamatti co-star.

Trailer

My Thoughts: I've been waiting quite awhile for a trailer to be released for this movie and now that it's here....wow. It literally gave me goosebumps. I originally was interested in 12 Years a Slave because Michael Fassbender was attached to it on top of the fact that I enjoy Steve McQueen's films. But I was almost brought to tears by Chiwetel Ejiofor's performance in one of the scenes-- if a 2 minute trailer can evoke that kind of emotion, I can only imagine what it will be like to sit through the whole movie. Oscar buzz begins!

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 Idris Elba...the new Doctor Who?

I don't know what it is about Idris Elba. The man is an amazing actor, has commanding stage presence, and oozes sex appeal. He's one of those actors that can have the smallest part in a movie but somehow has the ability to steal the scene away from the main headliner(s) (such as his parts in Thor, Prometheus, and Pacific Rim).

Recently it has been announced that Matt Smith is retiring from his role as Doctor Who. The internet has been abuzz with who should take on the iconic role. Amidst the rumors, Idris Elba's name was mentioned and I couldn't help but grin like a fool. While I was doing a little research to see how other fans were reacting to this idea, I noticed Elba is also being linked to the Bond franchise. The man just has the "it" factor. While I love watching him take supporting roles since he never fails to light up the screen, he is destined for bigger things. I can actually see him as the next Bond or Doctor Who.

While feedback has been mostly positive so far, there are those that are outraged at the idea of a "black" Doctor Who (and Bond). Does it matter that he is a British actor? Maybe, maybe not. It's sad we live in a society where we still can't get past the color of someone's skin.

In a recent interview, Elba, while flattered with the Bond and Doctor Who rumors, seemed to be more focused on pleasing his loyal Luther fans (hit BBC series) by seeing that his character makes it to the big screen. While I am personally not a Bond or Who fan, I think I would give both a shot if Elba was somehow involved..I guess we will just have to wait and see.

Luther- BBC Series Trailer