The Yellow Handkerchief Trailer

Kristen Stewart Throws Bella Down the Stairs, Starts Acting for Real

By TK | Posted Under Trailers | Comments (35)

There’s so much about this trailer that aggravates me. Phrases like “a love struggling for a future,” clear attempts to play at heartstrings, cloyingly sentimental messages, plucky young girls teaching life lessons, blah blah fucking blah.

And yet … I gaurantee I’ll see Udayan Prasad’s The Yellow Handkerchief, for a few reasons:

1) William Hurt looks like he’s probably acting his ass off, and if you’ve seen films like Kiss of the Spider Woman, you know that that is some serious talent. Throw in Maria Bello, and can I get a hell yeah?

2) The cinematography looks gorgeous.

3) I dig the understated music.

4) Kristen Stewart. Yes, Bella Swan herself. I firmly believe that Stewart is actually a very good actress — I got my first inkling when I watched her in Adventureland, and she looks like she’s breaking out even more here. It’s good to see that she’s not being completely overwhelmed with the Twilight saga and is squeezing in other movies, because if Twilight was all she had, she’d be fucked in terms of garnering any respect. But this, and her Joan Jett biopic, should put get her some quality post-Twilight projects.

Anyway, just shut up and watch the trailer:

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Comments

I hate that Eddie actor... fucked up The Good Shepard for me and always plays a wuss... Even in Elizabeth too. What is it w/ Brits always playing our hicks for us?

Posted by: Ted at November 12, 2009 9:58 AM

Kristen Stewart? A good actress? Someone please explain this to me because I don't see it. Hair tugging and peering out from underneath your eyebrows is not good acting. It's compensating for shitty charisma and lack of character understanding.

Posted by: Kballs at November 12, 2009 9:58 AM

Since I'm studying historic preservation, I really dig all the buildings and "cultural landscapes" in that cinematography. Oh man that run down church, I love it.

The plot doesn't seem like anything special, though. Still, I might see it for the K Stew performance.

Posted by: Empress of All the Russias at November 12, 2009 10:02 AM

K-Stew was actually very good in Speak, the adaptation of the novel.

Posted by: Anna von Beaverpuppet at November 12, 2009 10:03 AM

Throw in Maria Bello, and can I get a hell yeah?

Hell yeah!

Posted by: Forbiddendonut at November 12, 2009 10:05 AM

William Hurt runs this rap shit.

Posted by: TSF at November 12, 2009 10:05 AM

She is not a GOOD actress in Twilight. She's got one facial feature: angry circa confused and the most annoying sounds she makes when she's supposed to be acting scared, amazed or in lust: her shallow to deep breath noise.

Watch the movie again to review your opinion.

Posted by: Jean at November 12, 2009 10:07 AM

I dunno...I've always sorta loved Kristen Stewart. It just sucks that her breakout role had to be in such a godawful movie, but once you get past that, she seems charming and endearing and klutzy in interviews. Fuck off, she's grown on me.

Posted by: Jeremy Feist at November 12, 2009 10:09 AM

I'm with points one through three, but Stewart's repeated lower lip biting and assorted tics just bug me to no end. I'm still very curious how the Joan Jett biopic will turn out.

Posted by: branded at November 12, 2009 10:20 AM

I think what people need to realize is that the only acting anyone needs to do in Twilight is trying their hardest to not look embarrassed as hell to be in those movies. And that takes a lot of skill, dammit, as does not cracking up at the moronic dialogue and situations. Give the girl some credit.

Posted by: figgy at November 12, 2009 10:21 AM

The trailer didn't do much for me, but I'll watch for William Hurt.

Posted by: Cindy at November 12, 2009 10:23 AM

Posted by: figgy at November 12, 2009 10:21 AM

This.

We all saw what horrible dialogue, directing, etc. can do to otherwise good-to-decent actors during the whole Star Wars prequels disaster.

Posted by: Forbiddendonut at November 12, 2009 10:25 AM

I figured out that Stewart had potential in The Messengers. She was solid in a tricky little horror film that built itself on subtlety and unstated family dynamics more so than jump scares and big flashes.

Except for those fucking CGI crows. How I loathe them. I'm willing to bet the Pang Brothers did not want them but the studio insisted. They're practical effects filmmakers, not cheap CGI, damn it. They're also great at pulling out strong performances from inexperienced actors.

Posted by: Robert at November 12, 2009 10:38 AM

I really like Kristen Stewart so sue me. She seems to pick roles that will stratch her range rather than just living of the coattails Twishites popularity. I remember her dad was asked why she wasnt going to present an award at the oscars or golden globes and he replied 'she will present when its a good movie not a popular movie' Im paraphrasing here, but when I read that I sort of loved her more and her family. They get that twishites crap but popular so shes just going to use it to get her foot in the door and look for other better roles on the side yet will still do her best with whats given. Seems smart if you ask me.

Posted by: nieve at November 12, 2009 10:43 AM

You know, I'll give Kristen Stewart a little credit too. She's kinda pretty but certainly not drop-dead gorgeous, she doesn't show her ass in everything she does, but she keeps getting decent roles against good actors, like William Hurt, who isn't very pretty either but can act a storm. I figure a girl can have a long and worthwhile career like that.

All of which is by way of saying:

Maria Bello. Yum.

I'll wait for the review, but for now let's call this a tentative "maybe."

Posted by: , (TCFKAB) at November 12, 2009 11:03 AM

Nieve needs a spell checker.

And I need a little more than hair flipping and scowling to consider someone a good actress.

Posted by: Eva at November 12, 2009 11:14 AM

Is it just me or is she always rocking jean shorts in every movie I've seen her in?

Posted by: D-Day at November 12, 2009 11:19 AM

She is a good actor the way toothpaste is a good meal. Sure, you can get it in your mouth and it tastes good, but you need to rinse and spit pretty quick if you want to avoid getting poisoned.

Posted by: superasente at November 12, 2009 11:32 AM

I finally got roped in to seeing Twilight on Halloween. Maybe it is just that y'all had poisoned my impressionable little mind against it, maybe it was because I know the people who designed and built the modern Vamp house in the movie and I HATE them (fucking thundercunt bitch I have to deal with at the stables... Don't get me started) so I was busy seething about that, but:
I Don't get it.
That movie was one long 'meaningful' glance. I saw very little actressin' going on anywhere. This girl may well be a fine thespian, but I have seen no evidence as yet to support it.

Posted by: Lindsey with an 'e' at November 12, 2009 12:03 PM

I thought Stewart was really great in The Safety of Objects I was really excited about what she was going to do in the future. Maybe she'll finally follow through on that potential.

Posted by: king at November 12, 2009 12:16 PM

See, the thing is, I'm a firm believer in personal responsibility. When applied where Ms. Stewart is concerned, it means that if she was such a paycheck whore that she WILLINGLY, VOLUNTARILY, lowered her standards to appear in the Twilight Glowy Pseudo- Vampire Adventures then she, as far as I'm concerned, need not be considered or given credit for anything else.

I don't care if she turns into the second coming of Betty Davis.

PS: She's ugly too.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at November 12, 2009 12:20 PM

This movie looks BOR-ING. I think I'm the odd man out here but I don't want to watch someone sulk over "love lost" for 2 hours and at the same time try to believe that K-Stew is anything more than a southern Bella Swan.

Posted by: Danna at November 12, 2009 12:24 PM

PS: She's ugly too.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at November 12, 2009 12:20 PM

Oh, now that is just mean.

Posted by: Lindsey with an 'e' at November 12, 2009 12:34 PM

Slim, if you're going to judge actors because they did shitty paycheck movies, you're not going to have any actors left to like. For example: Ewan MacGregor, Liam Neeson, Natalie Portman (Star Wars), George Clooney (Batman), Dustin Hoffman (meet the Parents), Kevin Spacey (K-Pax), Sam Jackson (a million things), Meryl Streep (She-Devil), and so on and so on and so on.

Posted by: Skewicide Blonde at November 12, 2009 1:05 PM

"actors because they did shitty paycheck movies..."

Twilight goes WAAAAAAY beyond your standard shitty movie.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at November 12, 2009 1:12 PM

Yeah, nice try bud. But you're full of shit.

Posted by: Skewicide Blonde at November 12, 2009 1:14 PM

It's not a try it's DONE, I specifically wrote Twilight, dude.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at November 12, 2009 1:22 PM

I would add to K-Pax anything that Kevin Spacey has been in since... The Usual Suspects? Swimming with Sharks, maybe? The man hasn't been in a good movie in a decade. So, yes, I'm going to judge him for K-Pax, but also for 21, Pay It Forward, Beyond the Sea.

Posted by: Brenton at November 12, 2009 1:30 PM

For being "movie" people there's a lot if miss information. When Kstew signed on to Twilight, NOBODY knew what it was going to become. She thought it was going to be a Catherine Hardwicke indie (i.e. Lords of Dogtown, and Thirteen), not the next pop cultural phenom. That's why they had no budget.

And yah she's not great like Meryl Streep, she doesn't get lost in her roles, but she's still very watchable in good roles. I liked her in Speak, Into the Wild, and the Land of Women. As far as kid actors go, she was very good.

I enjoyed her in Adventureland too. And she was good in the Cake Eaters since she played a handicap person she had to give up all her usual mannerisms. I'd like to see her take on a real bitch roll, be the mean girl for a change.

Next up she's playing a teen runaway stripper in Welcome to the Riley's - maybe they will give her an award - Hollywood likes to award stripper/hooker roles.

It will be interesting to see if she can transition to adult roles. I see her as more like Jennifer Connelly.

Posted by: midfan at November 12, 2009 1:52 PM

Okay, I get that this is a remake of Kalifornia, so I just wanna know when the killing starts.

"You're mean Early!"

Posted by: AM at November 12, 2009 4:09 PM

Hmmmm it looks ok. Could be barely seen or could go the way of Little Miss Sunshine. That boy is adorable, I know I've seen him somewhere else.

Posted by: grace b at November 12, 2009 4:51 PM

I highly agree with Anna, she was kick ass in that movie and girl was only 14 or something. she just didn't put any effort in a piece of shit of a movie. sue her. like you wouldn't do the same.

Posted by: rio at November 12, 2009 4:58 PM

and duh, the movie I was referring to is "Speak". the christmas morning opening the presents scene broke my heart.

Posted by: rio at November 12, 2009 5:02 PM

"Kristen Stewart throws Bella down the stairs"

She wouldn't have to - the clumsy bint would fall down the stairs by herself! That was almost her only character trait, after all...

Posted by: tarn at November 13, 2009 11:36 AM

Eva needs to get laid

Posted by: nieve at November 14, 2009 11:55 AM

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Kristen Stewart Throws Bella Down the Stairs, Starts Acting for Real

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