Trailer for 'Be Kind Rewind' is a must-see

Posted Friday, August 10, 2007 at 12:19 PM Central

by Tim Briscoe

New Line has released the trailer for writer-director Michel Gondry's Be Kind Rewind. Let me just say that I cannot wait to see this movie.

It stars Jack Black and Mos Def has two video store employees. When they accidentally erase all the VHS tapes (remember those?) in the store, they decide to reenact the movies themselves to avoid being fired. The simple concept is funny enough but it is transcended when the duo become something of local celebrities known for their "art form."

The brilliance of the concept is that it echoes the appeal of short-form, user-supplied video sites like YouTube. I imagine this movie will play out like a series of great YouTube videos strung together with a compelling story line. (Ironically, the trailer below is from YouTube.)

Everyone knows that given the room to perform -- like in School of Rock -- Jack Black is capable of some great stuff. Plus, having Mos Def -- one of the most underrated young actors today -- as the straight man will help make for a winning formula.

The icing on the cake is Michel Gondry. Many people already consider him a genius for his work on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep. I can't wait to see what he does here.

Be Kind Rewind will be in theaters on Dec. 21 Jan. 25.

In case the above video is pulled from YouTube, you can also find it on Slash Film and in HD on Yahoo Movies.