Trailers are an under-appreciated art form insofar that many times they’re seen as vehicles for showing footage, explaining films away, or showing their hand about what moviegoers can expect. Foreign, domestic, independent, big budget: What better way to hone your skills as a thoughtful moviegoer than by deconstructing these little pieces of advertising? This week we support some homicidal cats, stand aghast as we see what chaos Amber Tamblyn has wrought, see how well things are going in the middle east, get the skinny on Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine with a very fat documentary, catch a movie in reverse, give props to a trailer maker of the highest order and feel fuzzy that indie films still shine bright.

Paint it Black Trailer

Look, I tried. Getting through director Amber Tamblyn’s inaugural feature film might be a breeze for those who see the whole thing but this trailer is all over the road. It’s narrative is a little shaky, the melodrama is at an 11, and the acting is over the top. Try as I might I could not escape the two minutes without feeling like this is destined for an existence of obscurity.

We R Animals Trailer

Director Thobias Hoffmén is probably not likely to make his Kickstarter goal but this is the kind of movie I can get behind. I don’t quite comprehend what’s afoot with this but the trailer is just nuts enough that it makes me laugh.

The Defiant Ones: Cut to the Chase Trailer

A four-part series? I can see a four-part series being done on a lot of important topics but when it comes to Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine I can’t imagine the mileage that’s needed to get to the point. Director Allen Hughes seems to think that this is the kind of event that needs some room to breathe but I’m not sure he’s making the point on why it needs to be so long. It’s interesting, to be sure, but overkill comes to mind as I watch this.

Shimmer Lake Trailer

I get it, we already covered it on the main site but I can’t let director Oren Uziel’s ode to something akin to Fargo go unnoticed. Even if you don’t get the hint that this movie is being told in reverse time there’s the satisfaction that this trailer delivers on establishing what it is and why you need to pay attention. I’m all kinds of primed to consume this one and see how it stacks up against Netflix’s attempt to keep you trapped in its ecosystem.

Hounds of Love UK Trailer

Some of you have your favorite poster artists, comic book artists, writers, directors, et al., but my heroes have always been trailer savants.

I realize this is super niche but the people who “get” the trailers and make it part of their livelihood to shape these little film nuggets are the kinds of people who I admire in this business. One such talent is Nathan Coetzee and his interpretation of the Hounds of Love trailer is brutal as well as being beautiful. The flow of this thing is incredible and even though some of the same content here are scenes we’ve already been exposed to it’s nonetheless above and beyond what’s come before. I always love to be impressed by the work these unsung creatives filter through their visual points of view.

City of Ghosts Trailer

OK, I’m officially depressed.

It’s not that documentary filmmaker Matthew Heineman has anything to say about the situation he’s capturing but to watch this unfold and try to understand the senselessness of a world where this kind of chaos reigns is a little taxing. Although, to be fair, these are the stories that need telling and need to be put out there.

La Deuxième Trailer

Last time we checked in with director Jelle Stroo it was three years ago and we were seeing what a movie made for 1,500 euros looked like. I’m delighted that the bug to keep creating independent films is strong with Stroo as this one looks just as off-beat and out of the way as the last effort. Sometimes a movie like this can be a palette cleanser but I’m more of an appreciator of the drive and hunger to keep putting content out there. Keep working, keep grinding, as this trailer shows once again there’s talent still yet uncovered.

Nota bene: If you have any suggestions of trailers to possibly be included in this column, even have a trailer of your own to pitch, please let me know by sending me a note at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com or look me up via Twitter at @Stipp