Dann in reel life: Another shock spoiled

“The Roommate” triumphed at the box office last weekend, but that was before anyone knew how boring and ridiculous this tale of a psycho college roommate was.

Even worse, the movie's one good shockeroo moment (involving a woman tied to a bed) is revealed in the trailers and TV commercials.

So, let's give some warm and sarcastic applause to the marketing geniuses at Screen Gems for ruining the movie's only scary payoff. Good thing Screen Gems didn't create the trailers for “The Crying Game.”

More trailer trashing?

I know nothing about the upcoming movies “Red Riding Hood” (March 11) or “Unknown” (Feb. 18) other than what I've seen in trailers. Based strictly on the trailer content, I am guessing that Gary Oldman turns out to be the werewolf in “Red Riding Hood,” and that Liam Neeson turns out to be an amnesiac secret agent who confuses his undercover identity with his real one in “Unknown.” We shall see.

If I'm right, then it proves that when it comes to Hollywood teaser trailers, less is usually better.

Dann, Raymond, Oscar

Join me and 007 novelist/film historian Raymond Benson as Dann and Raymond's Movie Club handicaps the Academy Awards at a special Oscars presentation at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Vernon Area Public Library, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. Clips from all 10 of the best picture nominees and acting nominees will be shown. Free admission! Go to vapld.info or call (847) 634-3650.

Away you can go ...

The Northwest suburban Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festival presents a screening of “Away We Go” (2009) at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Cutting Hall Performing Arts Center, 100 E. Wood St., Palatine. $8 in advance; $10 at the door. John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph star in this “Odyssey”-inspired tale of a pregnant couple searching for home while their friends and relatives serve as the harpies and other monstrous obstacles.

BTW, if you purchase advance tickets, you're automatically entered into a raffle for two free tickets to “Red State” March 8. Go to bwiff.com or call (847) 202-5222.

‘Break Up Date' back

For the second consecutive year, Arlington Heights native Colin Souter's romance documentary “Break Up Date” can be viewed for free during February at imdb.com/video/wab/vi2451479065/.

Maybe it'll become the “It's a Wonderful Life” of Valentine's Day.

Sing it again, Sam!

Chicago's annual Valentine's Day 35 mm print showing of “Casablanca” will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave. Before that starts, host Joe Savino and organist Dennis Scott will lead the wild romantic revelers in a singalong featuring such standards as “You are My Sunshine” and “Bicycle Built for Two.” What? No rap? (773) 871-6604.

More snowy movies

Daily Herald readers can't get enough of snowy movies! Here's what they had to say:

• I started reading your list of top 10 snow job films and couldn't wait to turn the page to see numbers 8 through 1. I was very disappointed that you had not included four of my all-time favorite snowy films!

4. “White Christmas.” The title says it all. Sentimental favorite for me.

3. “Fargo.” Would never want to live there and would hate to be pregnant investigating murders there.

2. “Cliffhanger.” My family was on vacation in Phoenix when we saw this at the multiplex. I froze in the air-conditioned theater as I empathized with Sylvester Stallone, and then we walked outside to 110 degrees!

1. “Dr. Zhivago.” I was a teenager when I saw this, but I can't forget the love that drove a man to trek across Siberia to find Lara. I watched through tears. — Ann Wilkerson

• You forgot “Fargo”! That should be No. 1. You must have had snow blindness. — Guy DeFalco

• I have a gem you overlooked. “Jeremiah Johnson” with Robert Redford. It is one of Redford's best, showing the isolation and danger the mountain men found themselves in. Every time I find myself complaining about the cold, I think of this movie and then I realize that we don't have it so bad. — Brian E. Skol

• Two snow movies that came to mind immediately for me: “The Shining” and “Dr. Zhivago.” — Brad Burker

• Being a Pete Sellers buff, the movie “Pink Panther” came to mind as I read your article on snow scenes in the movies. Much of the movie is set in the Alps and skiing is featured in a number of scenes. — Ken Kitzing

• I'd have to add “March of the Penguins” to the list. All those penguins trying to huddle together in whiteout conditions with sub-subzero temps makes me cold just thinking about it! — Peter Grass

• Dann, two that I would add to your list are “Die Hard 2” and “Fargo.” I do love “Airport,” though. — Ronald Voigt

• Sir Dann: “Death Hunt” with Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson about Mounties hunting a criminal in snow. “Battle Cry” with Van Johnson, a great World War II film. “A Midnight Clear,” another World War II film about a Christmas truce during a big snowstorm. “McCabe and Mrs. Miller” with Warren Beatty and Julie Christie about a hustler and prostitute in a snowy Colorado gold town. Your list was way too short. — Tom the Beast From the Street

And thanks for not going into the gutter with Disney's “Snowball Express” starring Dean Jones.

• Dann, No. 11 on your list should be “Dr. Zhivago.” Remember the ice palace and the howling wolves? Brr! and grrr! No. 12 on your list should be “Misery” with Kathy Bates. What a chiller! — Mary Murray

My Wonderful Daily Herald readers: Thanks so much for the wintry film suggestions. I would have liked to have included all these, along with the divinely inspired blizzard in “Groundhog Day,” plus “The Man From Snowy River,” “Lost Horizon,” “Nanook of the North” and a zillion others. I had to pick 10. — Dann

‘Nanny' turns kids on?

Is anyone else besides me weirded out by the TV commercials for “Nanny McPhee Returns” when Sting sings “Everything she do just turns me on”? What home video marketing genius thought this was appropriate for a kids movie? Hey, it's Nanny McPhee!

Oscar's best pix fest

AMC Theatres will show all 10 best-picture Oscar nominees Feb. 19 and 26 at the Naperville Showcase, the South Barrington and the Yorktown 17, plus other theaters around the nation. Go to amctheatres.com/BPS for details and tickets.

• Daily Herald Film Critic Dann Gire's column appears Fridays in Time out!