Trailer Thursday .. with Transformers!

OK, this first one isn't a trailer so much as a guerilla video from the set of "Transformers."

I'm always nervous when Michael Bay's name is attached to anything, but in the last few days I've managed to let my inner 8-year-old take over and just get excited for this one. Besides, as more rational people might point out, the movie doesn't come out until almost a year from now (though that's never stopped me from getting excited before, and hopefully never will.) Independence week next summer should just be pure fun, with Pixar's "Ratatouille" (yippee!), yet another "Diehard" and "Transformers" all coming out within a few days of each other.

Anyways, the footage up at TMZ.com features about a minute or so of filming, in which two autobots apparently make an appearance in vehicle form. The funniest thing about it to me was the accompanying audio track in which our intrepid filmmaker blurts out "there's one" and "there's another one!" in true geek glee.

Click here to enjoy, and let me know what you think. Are you jazzed for "Transformers"?

"Curse of the Golden Flower"

When asked what movies I'm excited about for the rest of this year, I've invariably been mentioning "The Black Dahlia" and "The Departed" at the top of my list, with honorable mention for "Dreamgirls." I owe a sincere apology, therefore, to the great Zhang Yimou.

The director of "House of Flying Daggers" and many other great, epic movies, has a Christmas present in store for us that I had forgotten all about. As far as I can tell, his newest, "Curse of the Golden Flower," will be a tale of Chinese palace intrigue, with sons battling to see who will take the throne after their parents. Due out at the end of the year, it will star Chow Yun Fat and Gong Li (double yippee!)

In case you need any more incentive than that to get geeked up for this one, Sony Pictures Classics has just posted a trailer. What strikes me first, of course, is the look of this picture, which Yimou has as usual rendered in meticulous detail. It reminds me (and yes, I realize these are Japanese!) of Kurosawa's "Ran" and "Throne of Blood."

Click here to see it for yourself, and please feel free to sound off.

Perrineau joins "28 Weeks"

Though I can't count myself as a fan of "Lost" (I missed out on the beginning, and just haven't managed to get into it yet, for shame), you can count me as a big fan of Harold Perrineau, almost all on the strength of one movie.

Taking time off from the island, Mr. Perrineau will apparently be joining the cast of "28 Weeks Later" as an upbeat American Special Forces pilot who leads to safety the families returning to London after the viral outbreak. I've raised my concerns about the Americanization of this British zombie classic, but for now I wish Mr. Perrineau only the best.

So, what movie was it that planted him firmly in my mind as one to watch? It was the 1995 Wayne Wang movie "Smoke," centered around a smoke shop in Brooklyn, if I remember correctly. Though I've long ago since stopped smoking, this great little flick starring Harvey Keitel, William Hurt, Stockard Channing, Forest Whittaker and Mr. Perrineau always makes me want to light one up as it celebrates the joy of good old-fashioned storytelling. It's well worth adding to your Netflix queue if this little gem has passed you by.