The new red band trailer for the upcoming comedy Adventureland directed by Greg Mottola (Superbad) hit the nets last week, and it just confirms why it's one of the few wide release films coming out during this terrible dead time from January through April that I'm actually interested in seeing.

The trailer itself just highlights the vulgarity and raunchiness that truly makes this a fun R-Rated comedy. If you're unfamiliar with Adventureland, it's "a comedy set in the summer of 1987 and centered around a recent college grad who takes a nowhere job at his local amusement park, only to find it's the perfect course to get him prepared for the real world."

This made a good splash at Sundance, and will certainly be a breath of fresh air when it hits theaters on March 27. Check out the trailer and let us know what you think!

If one thing has been difficult over the past two months it's been getting excited each weekend for new releases. Between January and April is what is considered to be the off-season for films. Most of the releases during this time either aren't stand-out enough/too risky for the summer blockbuster run, or simply not awards contenders. Some of the releases may at one time have been considered for these popular spots, but either were plagued by re-shoots or bad focus group screenings and thus had a release date change.

January only brought one release that was a must-see for me (Liam Neeson's action-packed, Taken which had already seen release in Europe almost a year earlier) and it delivered the goods. February brought the enchanting Coraline (you can check out my review here) and surprised me with a fun slasher flick in Friday the 13th (review also posted).

But now I find myself struggling to remember what movies are coming out each weekend, because there's so much interminable dross out there to distract us (Thanks, Tyler Perry for this weekend's contribution to my list of Movies That Could Kill Me in your increasingly Ernest P. Worrell attempts at film with Madea Goes to Jail). Below are the major releases coming up in March and April that I will be seeing in theaters, and are really the only flicks to have any excitement about (even mild) until summer blockbuster season hits in May. Note: This doesn't include many of the indie or limited release movies since I'm not counting on them being released in our charmingly artistically declined Midwest state.

Watchmen - March 6
Based on the most praised graphic novel of all-time, this Zack Snyder directed picture turns the concept of a superhero team to a darker side for a social commentary on heroism. This one is also going to be released in IMAX and if the trailers are any indication then the visuals alone should make for good theater-going fare. But honestly, if you haven't heard of this film by now, then this movie just isn't for you.

I Love You, Man - March 20
Jason Segel and Paul Rudd team up in this bro-mantic comedy. We profiled the red-band trailer for this film a few weeks back, and it looks to join Forgetting Sarah Marshall as one of my favorite recent comedies. Surely more laughs will be brought in from supporting cast members Andy Samberg (Saturday Night Live), J.K. Simmons (Juno and Spider-Man) and Jon Favreau.

Adventureland - March 27
Superbad director Greg Mottola helms this film that is probably easiest described as Waiting... set in an amusement park (it even has Ryan Reynolds in a similar role as the all-knowing long-time employee). Jesse Eisenberg (Squid and the Whale) and Kristen Stewart (of Twilight pandemonium) are in the roles of romantic leads supported by other park employees including Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig. Check out the trailer here.

Observe and Report - April 10
We've already highlighted the less than stellar poster, and mostly amusing red-band trailer for this upcoming comedy starring Seth Rogen. The trailer wasn't top notch, but I just have a feeling that this one is going to be along the lines of Pineapple Express in turning the action genre on its head with some great 80's nostalgic comedy and action sequences in the form of a rag tag team of mall security guards. Seth Rogen has a career that every comedian should be envious of right now.

The Soloist - April 24
This unfortunately was one of those movies that got plagued by low focus group scores and was pushed back out of awards contention. Way back. The trailer makes the film look very heartwarming and containing great performances from both Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey, Jr. I genuinely laugh everytime Foxx points to the sky and asks Downey, "Are you flying that plane?" And Downey says nonchalantly, "No, I'm right here." Check out the trailer here.

This is a short list, and while it could be made long with the aforementioned indie and limited release films, these are the ones that I'll be able to realistically catch, and therefore am already excited. If you're angry that I didn't put down Fast and Furious or Race to Witch Mountain then sound off below.

After over a week of non-stop updates and news straight out of Park City, Utah, the 2009 Sundance Film Festival has finally concluded. After jealously pouring over Twitter updates from other film bloggers, it looks like the news and conversation flow may finally be getting back to normal. Having said that, I couldn't go without calling some attention to the films that garnered some buzz or simply caught my attention. Without actually being at the fest, we can only speculate as to how good these films might be or read reviews from our fellow film bloggers who you can see linked at the left.

Below are 13 films that I'm most curious to check out in the coming months. But who knows how long before these films get a wider audience. We only recently premiered the poster and trailer for The Great Buck Howard a film that premiered at last year's Sundance. Some other films of note that we're interested in (that we've already covered) include 500 Days of Summer and Mary and Max. Anyway, check out the list below...Plot synopses provided courtesy of Netflix.

Big Fan
Parking attendant and New York Giants fanatic Paul Aufiero (Patton Oswalt) must reexamine his life after he's beaten up by his favorite player in this comedy written and directed by Robert D. Siegel, a former editor-in-chief of "fake news" paper The Onion. Also starring Kevin Corrigan as Sal, Michael Rapaport as Philadelphia Phil and Marcia Jean Kurtz as Theresa, the film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.

Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
Grad student Sara Quinn (Julianne Nicholson) is perplexed by her endless string of romantic failures. Combining work on an anthropological dissertation with her quest for personal answers, Sara embarks on a series of interviews with many different types of men, whose confessions range from banal to bizarre. Writer-director John Krasinski's romantic comedy is based on a collection of short stories from author David Foster Wallace.

Cold Souls
Paul Giamatti stars as himself, an actor in the throes of anxiety over an upcoming performance -- until he gives his soul to a mysterious company that promises to freeze and store it until he wants it again, along with his anxieties. But when his soul goes missing, Giamatti embarks on a journey to track it down. Along the way he learns a thing or two about engaging every human emotion, however difficult. Sophie Barthes directs.

Humpday
During a getaway at a sex-positive commune, best pals Andrew (Joshua Leonard) and Ben (Mark Duplass) find their friendship tested in strange new ways when a dare leads them to contemplate filming a live sex scene for an amateur porn festival. As the shoot date looms, our heroes must contend with two major logistical difficulties: Ben's wife, Anna (Alycia Delmore); and their heterosexuality. The indie comedy screened at the Sundance Film Festival.

It Might Get Loud
Davis Guggenheim, creator of the Oscar-winning An Inconvenient Truth, directs this fascinating profile of three contemporary guitarists: Jimmy Paige of Led Zeppelin, U2's The Edge and Jack White of the White Stripes. Each talks about their creative process, technique and influences as cameras follow them to key locations in their own music history. A jam session featuring all three musicians is woven into their discussions.

Lymelife
Set in 1970s suburbia, this coming-of-age tale revolves around the exploits of a pair of Long Island families grappling with complex relationships, financial woes and an outbreak of lyme disease that's "terrorizing" their community. Brothers Derick Martini and Steven Martini helmed this quirky dramedy that features a stellar cast, including Alec Baldwin, Rory Culkin, Kieran Culkin, and Cynthia Nixon.

Mystery Team
At age 7, pint-sized sleuths Jason, Duncan and Charlie solved all manner of kiddie mysteries in Oakdale. Now, at 18, the Mystery Team is about to leave their Encyclopedia Brown-style tactics in the dust with their latest case: a real murder. High jinks ensue in this goofy, fast-paced caper comedy written by and starring Donald Glover, D.C. Pierson and Dominic Dierkes. The film premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.

Rudo y Cursi
Stuck working on a banana ranch, two super competitive soccer-playing brothers dream of getting off the farm and finding stardom: Beto (Diego Luna) as a pro goalie and Toto (Gael García Bernal) as a singer -- but it might break them. When a professional soccer team ignores Beto's goalie skills in favor of Toto's fancy footwork, Beto signs on to a rival team, and the battle between brothers is on. Carlos Cuarón brother of Alfonso Cuarón directs this comedy.

Shrink
In the wake of a personal tragedy, Hollywood's psychiatrist to the stars (Kevin Spacey) devolves into a slovenly pothead and worries he's become incapable of helping his patients in this sharp indie drama that premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. The film also stars Saffron Burrows, Robin Williams, Robert Loggia, Dallas Roberts, and others as the shrink's diverse brood of showbiz clientele.

World's Greatest Dad
After his son (Daryl Sabara) dies in an awkward freak accident, high school poetry teacher Lance (Robin Williams) ghostwrites a suicide note to spare the family embarrassment. But when the note becomes an unexpected hit, Lance sees a chance to resurrect his writing career. In a bid for literary fame, Lance writes his son's journal and passes it off as his own. Written and directed by Bob Goldthwait.

I Love You Phillip Morris
When upstanding Texas cop Steven Russell (Jim Carrey) realizes he's gay, he changes his entire life and pulls a series of bold con jobs that lands him jail -- where he meets his one true love, cellmate Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor). When Morris is transferred to another prison, lovesick Russell mounts a series of jailbreaks just to be with his beloved soul mate. Glenn Ficarra directs this comedy based on a true story.

Adventureland
Unable to afford the European vacation he'd dreamed of, recent college grad James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) reluctantly takes a gig at a local amusement park, only to learn that the dead-end job is, in fact, excellent preparation for the real world. Writer-director Greg Mottola's semi-autobiographical comedy-drama, filmed in Pittsburgh's Kennywood Park, also stars Ryan Reynolds and Kristen Stewart.

Grace
When an accident takes the life of the unborn, 8-month-old fetus inside her, Madeline Matheson (Jordan Ladd) insists on delivering the stillborn child -- only to discover that the baby is alive and heinously hungry. Before long, voracious baby Grace spurns milk and forces Madeline to slake her insatiable appetite for blood. Paul Solet directs this masterful horror movie, while Gabrielle Rose and Stephen Park co-star.

Which Sundance Films are you looking forward to?