Aaron Sorkin’s directorial debut, Peter Dinklage’s star turn, and more: Trailer Tuesday

This week we get a sneak peek at prolific writer Aaron Sorkin’s turn as a director, a potential star turn for Peter Dinklage, and a heartfelt look at childhood in The Florida Project.

As summer winds down, the season of flashy blockbusters is starting to fade away as buzz surrounding the more refined award-seeking fare grows in its place. This week, people are talking about three fall films that will ask us to consider some familiar faces in a new light. And based on these trailers, there’s plenty worth talking about — and if the movies end up being as good as their trailers suggest, there will be plenty worth talking about when the Oscars roll around. Let’s take a look, shall we?

Molly’s Game

Release date: Nov. 22, 2017

Jessica Chastain looks like she’ll be commanding the screen in this adaptation of real life “Poker Princess” Molly Bloom’s tell-all memoir Molly’s Game. Aaron Sorkin, who’s written everything from The West Wing to The Newsroom to The Social Network, is trying his hand at directing here, and judging by the star power and adrenaline coursing through this teaser, we’re hopeful his first try was a success. It’s also encouraging to see a Sorkin project headed by a strong female lead, as the writer/director has been criticized in the past for his treatment of female characters. (Of course, just because Jessica Chastain looks like a badass in the trailer doesn’t necessarily mean she’ll avoid the potential misogyny.)

As you can see from the trailer, the story is about Bloom’s unlikely evolution from waitress to underground gambling queenpin. And we’re betting it’s going to be pretty entertaining.

Rememory

Release date: Aug. 24, 2017 on Google Play, Sept. 8, 2017 in theaters

HOW IS PETER DINKLAGE NOT AN ACTION MOVIE STAR YET? Everyone (including Emmy voters) knows Dinklage acts circles around several people as the chronically underestimated Tyrion Lannister on Game of Thrones, and the fact that he isn’t yet a household name in the cinematic drama or thriller category is, frankly, a crime.  So, saying we’re excited to see this likely star turn for the actor is an understatement.

The movie follows Dinklage’s character as he tries to put together what happened to a scientific visionary who invented a machine that extracts and plays people’s memories. After the man winds up dead, Dinklage swipes the machine and uses it to help solve the mystery. I honestly can’t think of anything I’d want to see Peter Dinklage star in more.

The trailer has Dinklage’s emotional range on full display and even feels a little Game of Thronesy in that Dinklage’s character uses a tabletop map with little figurines to help crack the case (very Dany’s war council-style). Let’s just say, we’ll have a hard time waiting for this one to drop (which it will, twice: first on Google Play in August, then in theaters in September).

The Florida Project

Release date: Oct. 6, 2017

This movie looks, in a word, delightful. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May and currently has an impressive 96 percent on Rotten Tomatoes (of course, that may change when it’s actually released and graduates from its critical darling stage). But just watching the trailer, it’s striking how emotionally poignant this film appears to be. Mostly, that emotion seems to be shining out of newcomer Brooklynn Prince, who infuses this entire trailer with an authentic, if precocious, energy. In an era of snarky Disney Channel stars and YouTube personalities, seeing a real kid talk and act like a real kid is always refreshing. Juxtaposed against the drama of the adult world, the innocence this movie seems to capture is undeniable. And we’re doubly impressed that Willem Dafoe actually seems to play an endearing character here, not his signature total creepazoid.

Next: Leonardo DiCaprio set to play another historical figure: da Vinci

What do you think about this week’s trailer offerings? Tell us in the comments.