Frozen II: https://www.youtube.com/user/disneyanimation
Juliana: OK, I can’t be the only one who saw Elsa (Idina Menzel) running towards the ocean and was like, “Ah, great, we’re getting a Frozen/Moana crossover.” Although there’s no Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) in sight, Elsa is back to remind me that she is one of the most badass Disney princesses, even though I have no idea why she is throwing herself at the ocean. Maybe it’s something to do with her parents? Anyways, there are lots of things about this trailer that look cool and have the potential to be interesting, but it’s too soon to know what exactly is going on. Like why is Anna (Kristen Bell) looking dramatically at those weird floating diamonds? Why is Elsa surrounded by fire? Is it even fire? Where are they? There aren’t a lot of answers in this teaser, but it might be fun to find out more. Even though Disney sequels tend to disappoint, Frozen II (2018) is looking good so far. Catch me in theatres with my 5-year-old sister, who will insist that she is Elsa even though she is clearly the younger one.
Katie: Frozen (2013) turns… dark??? Like much of the rest of the world, I have been awaiting the Frozen sequel ever since the hugely successful first film preached all about girl power, letting it go, and true love between sisters was released in 2013. (although, for real, the power to throw magic ice at my siblings growing up makes the bitter, petty, tortured middle child within me tingle) This teaser, released last week, is quite unexpected. The beginning’s dark music and lighting stands in stark contrast to the first film’s primarily white (with touches of white, white, and the occasional ice blue) color palette, and it sets an interesting tone for the rest of the trailer as well as contributes to the hype and speculation around the upcoming film. Also, our favorite friendly Scandinavian princess Anna (Kristen Bell) turns battle angel on us? The majestic human reindeer king Kristoff (Scott Foster) lives out my dream of leading a pack of charging, angry caribou atop his trusty steed Sven? This trailer is all over the place, but the only thing I do know is that it a) looks like the Arendelle squad are now stuck in Autumn, and b) no matter how much I try to be a cool, responsible adult, I will be seeing this movie as soon as possible, because it is Frozen II (2019) and I am a citizen of the world. See you at the theatre folks.
John: Let me preface this by saying I hate sequels to Disney princess movies. Mulan II (2004), Pocahontas II (1998), and Cinderella II (2002) were all offensively horrible, especially compared to their respective originals. Although I am hopeful that Disney will do a great job with the new Frozen (2013) sequel, I would be lying if I said my expectations were high. Firstly, Frozen–—although a big commercial success–—was not even in the same category as my favorite childhood Disney princess movies. I felt like the movie was more of a promo for “Let It Go” than a real Disney princess classic. What were the themes? If your daughter is different, lock her up and pretend like she doesn’t exist? All that aside, this trailer is very confusing. Where is Elsa (Idina Menzel) going? Why can’t she just build an ice bridge over the waves? Is Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) making a cameo? The trailer felt more like an animation flex that refused to sacrifice any potential plot points that the movie will actually be about. It felt reminiscent of Brave (2012), where the trailers were full of a red-headed girl shooting a bow and arrow and then the movie was all about the girl turning her mom into a bear? If I’m being honest I’m still going to see Frozen II (2019), but I’m prepared to be disappointed.
Long Shot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5jiaHvx-kY
Juliana: I got into this trailer when it told me that Bob Odenkirk from the TV show Better Call Saul was the President of the United States because that is hilarious. And then it told me that Charlize Theron was going to be the next President, which was great, but also weird because her hair is weirdly similar to Claire Underwood’s (Robin Wright) in House of Cards. References to other shows aside, the film looks to be funny enough, although it probably won’t escape many of your typical and tired rom-com tropes. Watch it if you’re in dire need of some easy laughs or of finding out how Seth Rogen is Julia Roberts. Since I’m 99% sure I already know the ending, I’ll be skipping this one.
Katie: Sigh. Another powerful woman, who is superhumanly attractive, who can’t find love because she’s too busy until the right one comes along. This trailer shows a movie that fits a stereotype by trying to break all of the other stereotypes. The cast –— Charlize Theron, Seth Rogen, etc. –— is solid, but to be honest I just do not want to sit through another rom-com about the tortured, loveless, badass, career-driven woman who is “taught” to let go and relax by some guy who comes along, especially one she used to babysit. I’m sorry, but as a babysitter speaking for babysitters please stop, its creepy. Who knows, this movie could be great, the rest of the trailer looks entertaining enough, but I am just bored by this genre. Charlize deserves better! Also, I just am not a fan of body/beauty shaming in films –— we know at this point (I hope) to not do it to women, so let’s not do it to men either. The film looks fairly charming, but I am just not into it enough to go see it. Best part of this trailer was a cameo by Asian Jim from The Office (also known as Randall Park, but poor guy he will forever be known by the majority of the United States as Asian Jim).
John: Okay, maybe I’m just a sucker for Charlize Theron, but I didn’t hate this trailer at all. Yes, it is very reminiscent of every Hallmark Christmas movie ever made where the uptight businesswoman learns the “true meaning of Christmas” or whatever, but at least she’s running for President! This movie has been done many times before and I probably won’t ever watch it unless it’s the only decent option on a plane, yet I didn’t actively hate it. The opening with Bob Odenkirk had me laughing, and so did June Diane Raphael (a queen!). The only thing I hated about it was Seth Rogen, just because he plays the exact same character in every movie he’s in. Miraculously, I somehow enjoyed the trailer(probably because Charlize is so gorgeous and came off as very funny in the trailer, but perhaps only because she was playing opposite Seth Rogen).
Yesterday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0irKUtaCaU
Juliana: I’m kind of digging this concept? I’m really glad that they found an alternative way of honoring a popular rock band that wasn’t, you know, giving us all a “band biopic” that really focuses on one person and will inexplicably be nominated for multiple Oscars (I’m looking at you, Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)). Also, Himesh Patel is killing it in this struggling-musician-turned-rockstar role, so, again, really glad they didn’t take the biopic route. Similar to the previous trailer, I also spent 30 seconds post-trailer thinking of all the amazing people in this cast. I mean, they got Kate McKinnon? Kate freaking McKinnon! And Lily James, who I can’t recognize as a brunette, but who is definitely there? And Ed Sheeran? What?! I’ll probably try dragging my roommate to watch this one with me: she is a massive Beatles fan, and I’ll fangirl about Ed Sheeran in all of his cameos (probably will be like 5 minutes tops, but still totally worth it).
Katie: A world without the Beatles is a fascinating concept, but honestly who would make a movie about it? I’m more than a little confused. Does it look good? Yes, because the Beatles’ music is bomb, as is the cast (a god bless to Lily James, who has been killing the game recently), but the concept? Objectively a little weird. I’m thinking this film will be a fitting celebration of the legacy of a band rather than a fulfilling story, a-la Bohemian Rhapsody (2018), but I think I’ll give it a chance. Here’s to hoping that this Ed Sheeran cameo goes better than his unfortunate crashing of a Game of Thrones episode. Don’t mess up my shows, Ed. Okay, now I’m going to let it be and shuffle some of the Beatles’ greatest hits because this trailer achieved its goal of making me nostalgic until we all come together to watch this film. I’m so sorry, I need help! Ok I’m done now. Yay Beatles’ music!!
John: Honestly, I kind of hated this trailer. Yes, it’s great that a South Asian actor is playing the lead, but why is every single other person in the cast white? Yes, we stan Kate McKinnon and Lily James, but we also stan diversity and we’ve seen them countless times by now. Maybe it’s the college anarchist in me, but I’m so over the Beatles’ music. I feel like it might be that I’m too young to fully appreciate it, or it may just be that it’s so overhyped and overplayed in my mind. I also hate movies that use one “supernatural” event to drive the entire plot of the movie without giving any type of explanation as to why or how that happened; it feels like a writer’s cop out. Also, I’m sick of these moral dilemma movies where the main character debates whether or not they should be doing what they know is wrong and the whole movie pivots on them either inevitably being caught or coming clean. I already know the arch of this entire movie! The only part of the trailer that I enjoyed was when he was explaining how “Yesterday” is one of the best songs ever written, and his friend responds, “well, it’s not Coldplay.”
