Amazon Studios has released a new Wonderstruck trailer. Based on The Invention of Hugo Cabret author Brian Selznick’s critically acclaimed novel, the film traverses two different time periods and follows two young children—a boy in 1977 and a girl in 1927—who make curious discoveries that set them on paths to unfold their mysteries in dazzling symmetry.
I run hot and cold on Todd Haynes’ movies, but I’m intrigued by what he’s doing here, and while the film doesn’t seem to be making any traction in the awards race despite being received warmly at Cannes, that doesn’t mean it’s not worth seeing. I’m intrigued by the dual-timeline stories, and by Haynes making a family film. This is a charming trailer, and I’m eager to get a look at this movie.
In case you missed it, here’s an excerpt from Gregory Ellwood’s review of the film from Cannes:
Haynes smartly uses Selznick’s script as a roadmap for unique cinematic and unexpected flourishes even when it might not have dictated it. Early on we join Rose in a silent movie theater as she takes in one of her mother’s melodramas, a film that finds Moore channeling silent era heroines such as Lillian Gish. When Ben arrives in Manhattan he explores a Port Authority Bus depot and the seedy underbelly of 42nd Street diligently recreated thanks to the exemplary detail of Haynes, production designer Mark Friedberg, cinematographer Ed Lachman and costume designer Sandy Powell. Their efforts bring 1920’s Manhattan to life with the same remarkable flair. Every extra walking down a sidewalk, every street corner and every building feels like it was plucked from a ‘20’s newsreel or ‘70s news report, but with Haynes’ deft eye to make it seem like you’re looking out your own window into another time.
Check out the new Wonderstruck trailer below. The film opens October 20th and stars Julianne Moore, Oakes Fegley, Michelle Williams, Jaden Michael and Millicent Simmonds.
Here’s the official synopsis for Wonderstruck:
Based on Brian Selznick’s critically acclaimed novel Ben and Rose are children from two different eras who secretly wish their lives were different. Ben longs for the father he has never known, while Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his home and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out on quests to find what they are missing that unfold with mesmerizing symmetry.
