God damn, god damn there were a lot of trailers. A Couple of coming of age stories, some for the kids and some for the horror fans. Sit back and cool off in front of the fan as these previews let you forget, or remind you that summer is here.
Let Me Make You a Martyr
I was immediately drawn in by this trailer. Having been a Sons of Anarchy fan, part of it has to do with seeing three members from that series cast in this film. There is also no doubt that Marilyn Manson has a mysterious air about him on the big screen. Which brings me to my next, and most important point. The trailer has a dark dialogue and almost mad quality to its content. And I mean the sinister-type mad.
The story is about an adoptive brother, Drew Glass (Nicotera) and sister, June Glass (Quartin) who are abused by their father, Larry Glass (Boone Jr.). They seek revenge from Native American hitman, Pope (Manson). There are flashes of an innocent looking girl which is obviously someone’s fond memory, talk about suicide, and questions of whether God can really help. All of this, followed by an almost maniacal laughter. This film will be released sometime this year at a film festival. I can’t wait to see how it rates. -Kelsey Mejiarodarte
All Eyez on Me
The 2Pac biopic we’ve waiting for is almost here. The teaser for the film gives us a quick glimpse into the rapper/poet’s life, from childhood to his rise to fame. Danai Gurira, who plays Afeni Shakur, gives a small speech to what is believed to be a young Tupac about the dangers of being a young black man in America, and a rising star in Hip-Hop. Only as the trailer comes closer towards the end, do we get a full look at Demetrius Shipp Jr. as he portrays the legendary rapper. Director Benny Boom has a few low budget films and videos under his belt, and I hope he’s up for task of telling the story of the man who has influenced so many past and present hip-hop stars, and who is sure to continue to influence future aspiring artists as well. -Mark Salcido
The Mind’s Eye
I need to see the whole thing right away, but its release date is in August. Bummer. No one is making horror films like this anymore. Being set in the 80’s, it has a refreshingly retro feel about it that many try, and fail, to evoke. It has everything, from the synth horror music of that era to the black, blue, and red colors of violence and devastation. Even the camerawork and costume style adds value, and not on a cheesy way.
Dr. Michael Slovak (Speredakos) is a scientist obsessed with the untapped abilities of the mind. Specifically, psychokinesis. He has finally found proof of its existence, and upon interviewing someone he has finally found with the coveted gift, realizes that there are more than one person with it. And he wants it badly. So he sets out on a mission to harness its power for himself, hunting down teenagers Zack Connors (Skipper) and Rachael Meadows (Carter) and leaving a path of bloody devastation in his wake. It seems to build to an unbelievable climax, and I want to be first in line to see its conclusion when this comes out. -Kelsey Mejiarodarte
Life, Animated
Oh god. Get ready for the water works. ‘Life, Animated’ is a documentary that follows the story of Owen Suskind. At a young age, Owen was diagnosed with autism and was unable to express himself through conventional means. It wasn’t until his family discovered that by using the Disney animated movies Owen loved, they were able to help Owen communicate and overcome this difficult challenge in their lives. The documentary takes you on a journey through some clever animation to tell the story of Owen as he comes of age, and gives you a sense of hope for this family and the road ahead. -Mark Salcido
Pete’s Dragon
Is it just me, or is the boy who grew up in the woods storyline played out? And it’s Disney, to boot. AND it’s a remake of the 1977 film of the same name. They’ve cranked out so many great movies in the last couple of years. I am not sure adding a dragon to that storyline makes it any more different than the next film with that type of content. Plus, didn’t they just do The Jungle Book? In case you’re interested, I’ll go a little more into detail with how the trailer plays out.
Pete (Fegley) is an orphan that lives in the woods. Grace (Howard) is a forest ranger that grew up with stories her father, Mr. Meachum (Redford) told her as a little girl about a dragon that lives in the forest. She finds the boy and, with the help of an 11-year-old girl named Natalie (Laurence), tries to find out where he’s really from and how he came to be in the forest. She finds out he has a dragon named Elliot as a companion and realizes the stories her father told her growing up were true. Soon, she finds herself protecting the boy and the dragon from Natalie’s father and uncle. My kids would like this, I’m sure. I am just not too excited to see yet another “boy of the wild” movie. -Kelsey Mejiarodarte
Morris from America
Craig Robinson is a father who moves himself and his son Morris to the land of Germany. There, Morris meets Katrin and the sparks fly for Morris. This coming of age story mixes with the trope of fish out of water to a degree that seems to work. Morris aspires to be a hip-hop star and puts his life experiences into his music in order to make sense of this new world he’s been dropped into. The soundtrack makes the movie pop in sync with the comedy that could be fun and enjoyable to watch and might make it stand out from the typical coming of age story. -Mark Salcido
Moana
This film looks fun and sweet. Great timing for the summer since it’s about a Hawaiian girl, Princess Moana Waialiki (Cravalho), who sets off in search of lands thought of as a myth. She comes from a long line of navigators, so traveling and adventure is in her blood. She meets Maui (Johnson), who is a demi-god, which is a grand idea of who he is and how he should be perceived, but is much more likeable and approachable than he thinks of himself. They come together in their mission to find these lands. I would love to take my kids to this. -Kelsey Mejiarodarte
The Night Of
HBO has got another original thriller on their hands with the limited series ‘The Night Of’. The trailer keeps the show shrouded in mystery as we only get tidbits of what’s going on. Riz Ahmeed plays Nasir Khan, a Pakistani client of attorney Jack Stone played by John Turturro. Khan is accused of murdering a girl on the Upper West Side and that’s where the mystery begins to unfold. Everyone, from the lawyers and the detectives, to others involved in the case, tries to find out what happened that night when lives were turned upside down. HBO might have another hit on their hands that gives off that ‘True Detective’ season one vibe. Let’s hope they can catch lightning in the bottle again. -Mark Salcido
What did you think of the trailers? Tell us below!