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Martha Marcy May Marlene: The Best Movie of 2011 So Far Gets a Trailer. And It Stars an Olsen Sister

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Trailers | Comments (13)



martha_marcy_may_marlene.jpg

Man, this movie — which premiered earlier this year at Sundance, and which will open in October — is some kind of haunting. Starring Elizabeth Olsen (younger sister to the Olsen Twins) and the spectacular John Hawkes, Martha Marcy May Marlene will crawl up inside you and stay, for days. It was the best movie that played at Sundance this year, and I’m not even sure there was much competition. As I wrote in the review, “Sean Durkin’s Martha Marcy May Marlene will hurt you deep in the pit of your stomach. It’s a slow burn of a film, immediately engrossing, but meticulous in the way it incrementally lays down alternative tracks of bleak and dread, ratcheting it up minute by minute, scene by scene, threatening to explode on you, but then lingering with the off-key music that will resonate long after the experience has ended.

I’m impressed they managed to make a decent trailer out of a film full of mostly quiet moments of dread — it’s not particularly representative of the film, but if it manages to put some asses in seats, I won’t begrudge the distortion. What it’s really missing is John Hawkes — as a brainwashing cult leader — standing over your shoulder, breathing on your neck, and an overwhelming anxiousness as you wonder whether he’s about to bed you or snap you in two. And that fear lingers long after you’ve escaped from the cult and attempted to acclimate yourself to civilian life again.

Do check out the trailer, but more importantly check out the film when it opens this fall.










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Comments

That's a chilling trailer. I'm in. I just hope the film isn't so small it gets lost in the big prestige battle that starts around then. Quiet little films need time to grow and this will be competing against bloody horrors and big budget epics.

Posted by: Robert at May 5, 2011 10:44 AM

Damn.

Posted by: birdgal at May 5, 2011 11:43 AM

John Hawkes is wonderful. In my dream world, they reunite him with Olyphant and cast him as the new villain for season 3 of Justified.

Also, an Olsen sister who doesn't look like a troll and can act. Who knew?

Posted by: PaddyDog at May 5, 2011 11:50 AM

I approve of the name Martha Marcy May Marlene.

Signed,
M.M.

Posted by: MM at May 5, 2011 12:04 PM

Maybe John Hawkes is becoming some kind of indie film lucky charm and this film will get as much attention as Winter's Bone.

Posted by: Pippa at May 5, 2011 1:22 PM

"I approve of the name Martha Marcy May Marlene.

Signed,
M.M."

I do too.

Posted by: MMMM at May 5, 2011 2:00 PM

When you quote something, you have to put apostrophes at the end, too.

Posted by: Me at May 5, 2011 2:08 PM

John Hawkes might be in danger of getting pigeonholed as that menacing, creepy guy, no? Putting this movie in the mental queue...

Posted by: DarthCorleone at May 5, 2011 2:23 PM

I didn't even aware that the Olsen twins even had a sister.

The trailer totally sucked me in.

Posted by: noonoo at May 5, 2011 2:37 PM

Marsha! Marsha! Marsha!

Posted by: logan at May 5, 2011 3:22 PM

Me wantee.

Posted by: Shane at May 5, 2011 8:18 PM

John Hawkes is wonderful. In my dream world, they reunite him with Olyphant and cast him as the new villain for season 3 of Justified.

Posted by: PaddyDog at May 5, 2011 11:50 AM

You just blew my mind, Paddy. Hawkes would fit right in and OWN that role. I will begin the positive thought exercise now.

Posted by: Uriah Creep at May 5, 2011 8:48 PM

In my dream world, Hawkes is my secret lovah.

I *cannot wait* to see this.

Posted by: Anna von Beav at May 6, 2011 8:26 AM