Reel Fanatic

Two sneak peeks

Is it healthy for a grown man to get excited about a teaser-trailer for an animated movie that doesn't even come out until November? Of course not, but I do anyway, especially when it involves Aardman Animation.

Some of the folks that brought us "Wallace & Gromit," though not, apparently, creator Nick Park, are behind the upcoming "Flushed Away." Brace yourselves for some fairly tame fart jokes, parents: This one's about a rat who gets flushed down the toilet and has to survive in the London sewers.

An odd premise, for sure, but it has potential. Hugh Jackman does the voice of our hero, and Kate Winslet is the feisty female companion he meets up with undergound.

Want to know more? Don't take my word for it of course. Link to the site below for a 3-minute-or-so teaser-trailer that features plenty of footage plus interviews with the director and other crew members. Good stuff. Here it is, for Quicktime, Windows media player and Real Player:

http://www.flushedaway.com/flushedaway_sneakpreview.html

Except for the careerbuilder ads with the monkeys and jackasses, the ads at the Super Bowl really blew chunks. Much like the game itself.

One other bright spot, however, was the ad for "V for Vendetta." Flowing from the minds of the wily Wachowski brothers of "Matrix" fame and based on a graphic novel, it's the story of a terrorist freedom fighter (Hugo Weaving) known only as "V" who begins a violent guerilla campaign to destroy those who've succumbed to totalitarianism, and recruits a young woman (Natalie Portman) he's rescued from the secret police to join him.

This wild plot all takes in a futuristic vision of London, which from the preview, is a wonder to behold. Throw in Sir Ian McKellen as the totalitarian leader of this future world, and I'm there. In my mind, at least. We won't be able to see the real thing in theaters until March 17.

If you were raiding the fridge when the ad came on, fear not. You can see it and two other trailers at the link below. The Super Bowl ad, in my opinion, revealed a lot about the story, but if you don't mind spoilers, enjoy. Here's the link to see, in Quicktime, the Super Bowl ad plus two other trailers:

http://vforvendetta.warnerbros.com/trailer_super_bowl.html

Government should fear their people? Amen to that. I can't wait for this one.