Join us every week for a trip into the weird and wonderful world of trailers. Whether it’s the first teaser for the latest instalment in your favourite franchise, an obscure preview for a strange indie darling, whether it’s good, bad, ugly or just plain weird – your favourite pop culture baristas are there to tell you what they think.
Sam: There’s something strangely fascinating about this big budget international movie production with big has-been star names (i.e. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jackie Chan) and an all-encompassing title (i.e. Iron Mask) to cover up a botched Russian/Chinese/American attempt at a successful action adventure. Seeing action icons like Schwarzenegger and Chan paired up again certainly seems like good fun, but the atrocious-looking special effects and the mishmash of 18th century context, Game of Thrones fantasy and Pirates of the Caribbean comedy seems almost too desperate for global success. But who knows: a brainless action fest might just be what we need for Christmas Season 2020!
Julie: With unbridled access to archival footage from the family trust, Zappa explores the life of the musical renaissance man Frank Zappa. Alex Winter – yes, he is a documentary filmmaker too – shines a light on the iconoclast from the cradle to the grave. Not just for people who know everything, or even anything, about the prolific musician, it is a thorough exploration of a revolutionary life.
Eric: Let’s take a step back and ignore the slicing and dicing and general wanton mutilation of childhood memories for a second. And never mind the nightmarish mix of live action and pseudo-3D animated style here, along with the obnoxious casting and saccharine-dipped malice. Did you know that the voice of Tom from the ’40s/’50s Tom & Jerry shorts came from William Hanna himself? By ‘voice’ I mean, of course, every single scream and yell ringing out when violence was inflicted upon him. So recognisable and unique were they, that even when Chuck Jones took up the T&J mantle in the 60s, Hanna’s screams remained. This is relevant because while I was watching this trailer, I heard what I thought was something new: the loudest and longest cry of pain that had ever issued from Tom’s throat — until I realised that it was coming from me.
Matt: Just when you thought you were out… There’s always been some worthwhile material in The Godfather Part III, but even without Sofia Coppola it’s never been anything other than a deeply unnecessary continuation of a story that came to its perfect end with Part II. Will a thirty-years-after-the-fact re-edit be able to change this? Or will we all wish we hadn’t been pulled back in?
A Damn Fine Cup of Culture 