Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Pillar of Salt

Salt Poster

Well hello again, Action Angie. The poster and trailer for Angelina Jolie’s new spy thriller “Salt” are out. And they both make no mistake in telling us who is the star here. (Though, they make her look a little like a genetically-engineered mash-up of Milla Jovovich and Megan Fox.) Of course, it’s hardly news that Angelina is a mega movie star. But what I like about this film in particular is that it was originally meant as a star vehicle for Tom Cruise. But when he turned it down Angelina stepped seamlessly in instead. The last film I can think of where a woman stepped in for a man was Jodie Foster’s 2005 thriller “Flight Plan.” The trailer shows us plenty of heroic running and jumping and kicking butt – all things we’ve seen from Angelina before. But what I like, both in the trailer and poster, is the suggestion of something more dangerous. Is she a good patriotic American or is she an evil Russian spy sent to destroy us all? Also, since when are the Russians our movie bad guys again? Take a look for yourself.

Now, I like my Angie with a little edge. In her best roles like “Girl, Interrupted” and “Gia” she unleashes something wild, almost primal. The popcorn crowd has certainly let it be known which Angie they prefer: Action Angie – big box office, Drama Angie – not so much. Of course, I do worry that things could get repetitive. I mean, how many times can we watch Angie jump onto a moving vehicle and head butt a guy? Oh, OK – just this once more. So, what do you think? Will you give “Salt” a try, or are you more into Pepper? Hey, don’t groan. You know I couldn’t resist. Commend me for holding out this long.

p.s. Am I the only one who is having a serious OCD issue with her being slightly off center on the poster? No? Just me? Fine, I’ve got to go scrub the bathroom tiles with a toothbrush anyway.

28 comments:

heidi said...

damn it! i didn't really look at the poster closely the first time through, but now i'm seriously bugged by it.

i'd be annoyed with you for pointing that out if you didn't make me giggle so often.

all i need to know i learned from monica: if it's not a right angle it's a wrong angle!

;) babs said...

I dont know if I will watch SALT, but you are not alone ms. snarker, the off center picture on the poster hurts my graphic designer eyes!

;) babs

Unknown said...

I like it being off center but then many people think I'm a bit off center.

EMS said...

Fun fact (at least for me)! Many of the road action scenes were filmed in Albany, NY, which is near where I live. It's fun to boast about, but I always hate it when they film a big budget picture up here. They tend to take over huge areas and make it hard to commute. Angie was up here due to her need to film as many of her own stunts as possible.
It always amazes me how tiny these people are in real life.
Anyway, I probably won't see Salt until I can netflix it. Action movies just aren't my thing. Also I'm gonna put in that the poster is driving me nuts!

Norma Desmond said...

No no, the off-centeredness was bugging me, too. Am I the only lesbian on the planet you DOESN'T like Angie? Yeah? Well, I'll just go turn in my card, then...

Courtney said...

Norma, you are not alone! I don't see her appeal, at all. Although, I've only ever seen her in "Gone in 60 Seconds" so maybe that's why.

Anonymous said...

I definitely didn't notice the off-center thing at first, but now it's really irking me. Sorry, but whoever designed that poster...come on!

P.S. I'll see anything with Angelina in it.

Amanda said...

Mm well I think she's gorgeous and a hot mess.

Win

Amanda

Carol said...

"..they make her look a little like a genetically-engineered mash-up of Milla Jovovich and Megan Fox"

Um, to be fair, Angie came first. (Maybe) Milla and (certainly) Megan try to be cheap, second hand Angies, at times, IMO. LOL

And off center images can give an unconscious sense of discomfort and unease. It could be intentional (and it seems to be working! Well, maybe less unconsciously so...And maybe just annoyance and not unease, but, ya know...)

Anyway, I miss edgy Action!Angie and am a sucker for that Retro Cold War vibe, so I'll check it out.

kim said...

No Norma..you count me in as another "doesn't get the appeal of Angelina at all", lesbian too.

There's just something slithery and slimy about her. She's hiding what she is behind those darling kids and take my word for it, it'll come out of it's skin eventually...

Dawn said...

I agree with Carol's comment above. Completely.

Vikki said...

I love Action Angie - loved Mr. and Mrs. Smith because I liked watching her get the best of Brad Pitt. When she smacks him and says, "Who's your daddy now?" Priceless.

As for the poster, I am so averse to off-center things that I mentally corrected it by automatically lopping off the right side. Thank you quirky brain.

Julie said...

I used to love Angie (Gia, Foxfire, Hackers, Girl Interrupted). I liked Mr & Mrs Smith... But I don't buy this new movie.

She's a stick figure now. Way too skinny. She looks unhealthy. And in the trailer, when she jumps onto a moving truck or gets tossed around, you know that in real life, she'd be shattered to bits.

The off-centeredness of the poster doesn't bother me. I think it was designed like that on purpose.

00 said...

The off-centerness is driving me CRAZY.

test said...

if she was looking ever so slightly to our right, i could handle the off centre-ness. sadly, she is not.
also, your comparisons made me suddenly think, Milla, Angie, action movie, together! :D hollywood?? make it happen.

N!k!t@ said...

I'm one of the shallow one that prefer Action Angie. It's just sooo hot. I'll def see the movie when it premieres here in Portugal. BTW, I assume it's not news to you, but the trailer for Date Night is out and it's AWSOME! Action Tina will be fun to watch for sure...

triplestripe said...

what's the point of being obsessive if you can't be complulsive... bugs me too.

Summer said...

Maybe it's off center on purpose, because Salt is on her own side...or something... ;-)

plasticcalifornia said...

LOVE Angie. For all the Angie haters out there, first turn in your card, then go watch Gia and if you still think she wasn't worth the hour and a half, hopefully Elizabeth Mitchel made up for it. Then we'll chalk it up to difference of opinion and you can get your card back.

I MUCH prefer Angie w/ dark hair, but I will watch anything she's in, even the animated stuff. My in theater record is for Mr. and Mrs. Smith, I saw that 8 times.

onelisa said...

They must have a reason for the off center.... they must

Angie and Milla --- wooohooo @adrik, make it happen indeed

Becky said...

Say no to unsupported Assymetry. I'm a design lecturer (professor in the USA) and there seems to be no reason for the image to be the only element off-centre.

Bad typeface selection and bad layout/composition in general. As a former art director for Record / DVD label, I reckon this one was designed "by committee"...

And I don't get Ange either...

Unknown said...

Definitely action Angie. I love her although for a while I called her "hubby stealer"... Poor jennifer! I love her again.

Daniela said...

Love Angie and will definitely watch Salt

Anonymous said...

not you're not the only one

Angie doesn't look like angie, and the poster ain't aligned.

that aside, I'm so watching the show. :)

Unknown said...

That's so funny, that's what I was thinking. Actually, I thought did they cut the poster like that or did you crop badly, but yeah OCD.

Get Set.Go said...

The poster could be as off center as the leaning tower of pisa and I will still love look at it all day!

Anonymous said...

Jodie Foster's character in "The Brave One" (2007) was also originally written for an A-list male star...

buy kamagra said...

Excellent thriller thanks sharing it with all Angelina's fans, Actually I've heard that this movie will be so perfect and makes us vibrate.