I’ve been struggling to figure out how best to showcase upcoming films–if I use IMDb’s release schedule, it’s sometimes hard to find the trailers. If I use the trailer sites, it’s sometimes difficult to get correct release dates. Even so, how do I deal with limited release films that may open in NY/LA this week, but not go into general release for months, perhaps? What about festival films? I’m still not decided, but the longer I put it off, the more films pass by without my saying anything. And I want to say stuff, dang it! That is, after all, the whole point of blogging. So the inaugural post in the Trailer Watch series is going to be a relatively innocuous look at what’s opening this week. I’ll probably follow in a few hours with a hodgepodge of films coming later in the year that I’m personally excited about.

(This is also an attempt to have something to post regularly, so that I DO post regularly, about something. Just to get in the habit.)

Trailers and my reactions after the jump.

Shooter

Sniper movie! I like conspiracy thrillers and sniper rifles, but this one doesn’t set itself apart from the pack enough to warrant rushing out to see it in theatres. Definitely a Netflix, though. Opens March 21, 2007.

Reign Over Me

I would like for this to be good on some level. Don Cheadle is always great…Sandler, less so. Him in this role could be inspired, or it could be a train wreck. Personally, he annoys the hell out of me, so even if it is good, I wouldn’t really expect to like it. Opens March 23, 2007.

Pride

Inspirational racial sports movie, this time with speedos! Just kidding. The story of a 1970s teacher who coaches a bunch of black kids into a swim team is a good one, I’m sure, but there are only so many inspirational race sports movies you can see before you’ve seen them all. See the trailer and other stuff at the official site. Opens March 23, 2007.

The Hills Have Eyes 2

Hate grisly horror films, much less sequels to grisly horror films. If you want to see the trailer, it’s here in Quicktime. Opens March 23, 2007.

TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

I missed the heyday of these guys (I remember being amused that they were named after Renaissance painters, but I don’t remember actually really watching the show), and the trailer is failing to get me excited about it. I don’t want to say that it’s because it’s animated, because I’m a huge fan of animation, but I think it really sort of is. I’ve gotten used to finding my favorite actors in the new crop of superhero films, and not having that, I think, is keeping me from being pulled in. Opens March 23, 2007.

The Last Mimzy

Could go either way on this one. There are intriguing elements, but is enough to overcome the growing-tired kids-save-the-world plot? I’ve never heard of the story it’s based on…perhaps I’d be more lenient if I had. Opens in limited release March 23, 2007.

First Snow

Guy Pearce does paranoia pretty well…cf. Memento. He also chooses good projects. Though what the trailer gives us looks fairly routine, I hear that this one’s power is in its mood, which is something that’s hard to get across in a two-minute trailer. I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt and Netflix it. Opens in New York and LA March 23, 2007.

Offside

I have to say, this is one of the worst trailers I’ve ever seen. It’s random, unclear, and rather pointless. But the buzz around the film is a little better than the trailer…it’s an Iranian film, about a group of Iranian girls who dress up as boys to gain access to a sporting event where women are not allowed. It’s really a comedy, though you can’t tell that from the trailer. Opens in New York and LA March 23, 2007.

Color Me Kubrick: A True…ish story

John Malkovick plays a man impersonating filmmaker Stanley Kubrick to gain access to London high society. Well. Could be interesting. Also interesting is the release schedule: Opens in limited theatres and On-Demand HDNET Movies March 23, 2007, and comes to DVD on March 27. Trailer is here.

So this week comes up with pretty much no films I’m running out to see. Bummer of a first Trailer Watch post, actually.