Little Monsters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlKnp52moe4
Haley: If you want to hear the eerie version of the childhood tune “If You’re Happy and You Know It” while watching zombies eat people, this is the movie for you. Although I’ve never seen the hype towards zombies, I am attracted to this one as it appears more comical than most. There is Josh Gad (the voice of Frozen’s Olaf) whose sarcastic humor counteracts perfectly with the innocent children at his farm. Of course, my favorite part of this trailer was seeing girl boss, Lupita Nyong’o, effortlessly charge towards a group of zombies while still acting professional around her students. Certainly, this film will be bizarre and make you question whether or not the director was on drugs. However, if you’re into comedy, zombie movies, and cute little kids with British accents, this may be the film for you.
Lucy: Right from the get-go Little Monsters is delightfully self-aware of its overused subject matter. As one character groans, “It’s zombies…again”. Luckily, this time they’re the slow moving variety, so those who are still recovering from the terror of World War Z have less to fear. I am personally not a fan of zombie movies at all but to my surprise, Little Monsters seems oddly convincing as a zombie-comedy (zomedy?). Josh Gad’s cynical humor contrasts well with the oblivious school children. Lupita Nyong’o is as charming as ever and I’m excited to see how she will perform in a comedic role. Zombies have been done in just about as many ways as I can think of and while Little Monsters may be adding something new to the table in the form of little kids unwittingly facing the apocalypse, I still won’t be clambering to see it unless it gets some stellar reviews.
Orly: As someone that has never sat through an entire viewing of a zombie film but has seen her fair share of zombie trailers, I will say that this looks… tentatively promising. (Though to be fair, if you throw in the love of my life Lupita Nyong’o I will be interested) I appreciate that this film is trying to subvert the expectations of the action genre, but I can’t shake the feeling that in doing that, it falls into some cliches of modern comedies. Maybe it’s the trailer editing and not representative of the film, but the number of times I’ve heard the music cut out to make some only slightly funny joke in a comedy trailer… it’s getting old. Frustrations aside, I do feel like this movie could turn out to be unexpectedly entertaining, and some of the editing choices I really appreciate. Look, the trailer did pluck its first 30 seconds of music choices out of the iMovie library, but hey, for a movie that’s attempting to comment on the overused conventions of the genre, I’ll give it a pass on overlaying some cliche dramatic action music with sarcastic dialogue. Solid joke.
The Lighthouse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42_UHhpq530
Haley: Seeing that this was an A24 film, my expectations were already high. The trailer, only a minute and 26 seconds, does not provide much, if any, information as to the plot. Right away, the trailer produces Alfred Hitchcock vibes with the creepy music, black and white film, and unique camera angles. I was surprised to see Robert Pattinson away from his role as Twilight’s Edward starring opposite Oscar nominee, Willem Dafoe. I am not sure if this is my type of movie but then again, I can’t say this movie is garnering to any specific audience. If this movie receives good reviews, I may have to check it out.
Lucy: This trailer is a work of art in itself. The monochrome, the dramatic lighting and angles, and the eerie repetition of the word “what” that plays through the middle half of the trailer remind me of a New England Gothic (though it’s not clear where the film is set). I love the tension between the legendary Willem Dafoe and Robert “Hates Twilight More Than All Of Us” Pattinson as well as the almost Lovecraftian hint of a tentacled creature that reflects the maritime myths that The Lighthouse seems to evoke. I can already see this film becoming a hit on the Awards circuit and I hope it lives up to its trailer!
Orly: Okay wow. I’m not going to pretend like I’m some cultured movie viewer, but I don’t think I’ve seen a trailer this unique and innovative in a very long time. First of all, I absolutely LOVE that it’s not in widescreen; the whole boxy thing really plays into the old 1930s black and white film vibes that the rest of the trailer is already giving off. Also, it seems like the cast is only two people? I really hope that’s the case because I’m a real sucker for stories that confine a couple of people in a space and explore their relationship (I guess that’s the theater nerd in me but hey). Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe is… an interesting pairing, but you know what, I’m here for it! This trailer definitely provides a distinctive experience, and guess what, I’m sold.
Villains: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-Lc_uHVyE0
Haley: I am…confused. This trailer took me in all different directions, none of which I was expecting. First, Bill Skarsgård, the villain from It, back in another creepy role as a robber. But then there is a weird couple with a child that bites people! From there, I’m not exactly sure what is going on. Trippy effects, weird sexual acts, and the overwhelming sense that something really bad is going on. For those into off-brand horror movies, this film may be perfect. Yet, I think I’ll pass on this one as just after watching the trailer, I am already very disturbed.
Lucy: Alright, I’d like to start by expressing how much horror movies make me want to never go outside (let alone to the countryside) ever again. That being said, this looks like one of the most entertaining horror movies in recent memory. I particularly liked the bit with the rubber pigeon mask. It looks like it has the jumpscares and creepy children that mark many horror films, but Bill Skarsgård also brings a sharp wit and humor to the screen. The bright colors and lighting similarly contrast the generic horror theme. Though I will likely be skipping it for my own sanity, Villains seems like a good option for horror and thriller lovers who want something a little different.
Orly: To be completely honest, I am not entirely sure what I just watched… but hey, it definitely caught my attention! The rock music was certainly an atypical choice for a horror movie, but I feel like it worked to inject some energy into the trailer whose first minute, other than the wildly disturbing jump cut to the pigeon mask robbery, was pretty standard creepy living room dialogue. Combining the soundtrack with the bright colors of the title cards and dry humor, I’m getting some Thor: Ragnarok type vibes from the editing choices (or maybe that’s just me wanting to make a Marvel reference). I’m not positive this movie really offers anything new to the horror genre, but I have hope that it will be an interesting twist on convention rather than a disjointed piece of trash. Either way, this trailer was thoroughly entertaining and I will 100% be seeing this movie.
