Cinematic Moments: Into the Woods (12/25/14)

For several months I've been (here and there) incorporating "Read of the Town" posts that basically discuss books before they are released. They may be highly anticipated or books that I'm personally looking forward to reading. I write them to get a conversation started amongst readers like myself, and maybe to share something new with someone who may be on the fence about that particular author or book. Ever since I started doing "Read of the Town" posts I've wanted to do the same kind of posts for movies. Not just movies coming out but classic movies as well (doesn't matter the decade). And not until the (small yet significant) buzz about Into the Woods did I finally figure out how to do it. So, allow me to elaborate further, and please do look for more "Cinematic Moments" to come.


Every movie that comes out now gets its momentum from the cast involved, the trailer, and lastly the actual storyline. Sadly enough it's usually in the order. I like to think it wasn't always that way. I like to think that back when movies were in black and white and there wasn't so many ways of advertising, a movie had its storyline and its actors to rely on to get people to go to the cinema. But I digress.

This Christmas there are at least 8 movies I know I want to see. The one at the top of my list, and probably on many others, is Into the Woods. For many it'll be because of Meryl Streep (has she EVER done a bad movie??) but for me I'll have to admit it's Johnny Depp (I love everything he does). Also, I'm a fan of the play which I saw with Bernadette Peters playing the role now taken over by Meryl. I wonder if there's a reason why they went with Meryl instead of Bernadette? I'd like to think she was asked and declined as opposed to not been asked at all. If you know don't tell me! lol

So, there was a bit of drama with the opening teaser trailer. Not sure why since the fact that it's supposed to be a TEASE should signal why it didn't give much away, but people wanted to know "where's the singing?" I'll admit I was kinda asking the same thing. Now there's a longer trailer where the actors talk with praise about the whole experience (see below) and we get singing, but there is still some apprehension that it might not be what we expect?? Uhm, have you SEEN the Broadway play? If you have then I can't imagine where you'd be disappointed.

1st Official Trailer

The Story Featurette

Or maybe the problem is how Johnny Depp's character of The Wolf looks? As revealed on one of four Entertainment Weekly covers for the movie: (all 4 covers below)

Will you be going to see Into the Woods this Christmas? Do you give much stock to critics or even to trailers when determining if a movie is worth going to the cinema? Let me know!