Cinematical

Usually I have at least one trailer in the bunch that makes me groan, roll my eyes, or -- as happened in one case -- slam my head in a car door. I'm keeping it positive this time. The common thread for the trailers we're looking at this week is that they all gave me something to look forward to.

Death Defying Acts
I haven't seen Guy Pearce in a film since 2000's Memento, but he blew me away in that one, and his presence here caught my attention. This time out he's playing Harry Houdini, and he is offering a reward to anyone who can make contact beyond the grave with his late mother. A Scottish psychic played by Catherine Zeta Jones takes the challenge and enters into a romantic relationship with the great magician. Romance, deceit, intrigue and a cool period setting. What's not to like?

The Tracey Fragments
Last month I posted that The Tracey Fragments starring Ellen Page had scored a U.S. theatrical release. Page plays Tracey Berkowitz, a 15-year-old girl desperately trying to find her little brother who she has hypnotized into thinking he's a dog. The trailer gives a good taste of the film's non-linear style that often uses spit screens, and it's got an intriguing look. Also in the plus column is the fact that it's directed by Bruce McDonald, who was the man behind the punk rock fake documentary Hardcore Logo, and of course Page was terrific in Juno. Erik Davis reviewed the film here, and the movie goes into limited relase on May 9.

Mongol
Mongol was nominated for a best foreign language Oscar this year. The only suggestion I would have for improving the trailer for this tale of Ghengis Khan's rise to power, would be to work in a scene in which we see William Shatner shrieking "KHAAAAAAAAANNN!" This, of course, is why they don't let me make movies. The film covers Khan's life as he rises from slavery to conqueror of half the world. The combat scenes look quite spectacular, and I'm looking forward to this.

Meet Dave
It's been awhile since I found myself looking forward to an Eddie Murphy movie (Norbit? I think not.), but this one seems to have an interesting hint of Men In Black tossed into the mix. Murphy plays a space ship, sort of, housing a crew of teeny tiny extraterrestrials, the captain of which is also played by Murphy. The premise has a lot of potential, Murphy looks to be at his comedic best and God help me the trailer had the song "Staying Alive" stuck in my head for the rest of the day.

Deception
Ewan McGregor channels his inner nerd in this thriller that teams him up with the much suaver Hugh Jackman. The pair strike up a friendship at work and the latter inducts the former into an exclusive sex club, but McGregor's character soon finds himself to be the prime suspect in a woman's disappearance. Jackman is nicely sinister here and the lovely Michelle Williams also stars.

This Week's New Trailers on AOL Moviefone:

• The Strangers: Liv Tyler stars in a story of a horrifying home invasion based on true events. Here's the preview:
  
  
• What Happens in Vegas - Second trailer for the Ashton Kutcher/Cameron Diaz comedy about a mismatched couple that wake up in Vegas hung over and married to each other.
• Speed Racer - Second trailer for the Wachowski's adaptation of the classic anime TV series.
• Mister Foe - A troubled young man seeks the true cause of his mother's death. Here's the trailer:
  
  
• Surfwise - Trailer No. 1
• Wall-E - Trailer No. 2 - Second trailer for the new Pixar film about a cute little robot who tends the giant trash heap the Earth has become in the distant future.
• Water Lilies - French language film about three teenage girls and the art of synchronized swimming.
• Mamma Mia - Trailer No. 2 - Second trailer for the film adaptation of the Broadway hit that features the music of ABBA.
• Redbelt - Trailer No. 2 - Second trailer for this story of a jujitsu master becoming corrupted by the glamor of Hollywood.
• Nim's Island - Trailer No. 2 - When a young girl finds herself alone on a tropical island she writes to her favorite author for assistance.