Trailer Takes: Sonic the Hedgehog, Seberg, Bad Boys For Life

Trailer 1 — Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

Anna: I am always here for movies that mix animated characters with real actors and actresses (Detective Pikachu (2019))! That being said, I think I would have enjoyed this trailer more if I had better understood the story behind Sonic the Hedgehog. I am, quite unfortunately, not very familiar with Sonic and therefore was slightly confused for much of the trailer. The upbeat music in the background is definitely appealing…if you are 5-10 years old. Not sure if I would go to see this cinematic masterpiece unless I were trying to entertain a gaggle of 5 year olds. 

Sam: Having seen previous trailers for Sonic, I have to applaud the new character design. It’s a huge improvement that reflects the wishes of the target audience. I don’t know if it’s because I am no longer repulsed by Sonic but the trailer also seemed a lot funnier to me. Though if I had to guess, I would say Sonic the Hedgehog will be one of those movies where what you see in the trailer is pretty much all you get. The draws for this film are humor and nostalgia, and while I’m sure it could do well with the fans, for most people it will probably fall flat. For these reasons, I doubt I’ll see this movie in theaters unless one of my younger siblings drags me along. Though admittedly, if this makes its way to a streaming service after its debut I will probably cave during a streak of boredom and give it a watch. 

Juliana: Credit where credit is due, I truly appreciate the fact that the animators for Sonic the Hedgehog were OK with completely redesigning him after the first trailer’s backlash. Animation and CGI take up a lot of time and money, and it still baffles me that they agreed to re-do the whole thing. However, does this mean that I will now buy a movie ticket to go watch Sonic? Unfortunately, I still have to say no. Sorry to Sonic fans out there, but there doesn’t seem to be much happening on this film plot-wise, aside from your typical alien-meets-human storyline where they have to run away and hide from the government. The only exception is that this time the government is replaced by the supervillain Dr. Robotnik, played by Jim Carrey, who seems to be having the time of his life. Honestly, I would compare this to Detective Pikachu, but at least that film bothered to introduce other pokémon aside from its titular character. Maybe when Sonic introduces Tails I’ll go watch this. 

Trailer 2 — Seberg (2019)

Anna: This might be one of the most climactic, thought provoking, entertaining trailers I have ever reviewed for Trailer Takes. Let’s start by talking about Kristen Stewert. Not only do I love her pixie cut in this film, but her acting is supreme. She has come a long way since her Twilight days and I am not mad about it. I am super interested in seeing her dynamic with Anthony Mackie’s character. The two seem to have on screen chemistry in this trailer and could really make this film worth a trip to the theaters. Honestly, I am not completely familiar with the historical events that inspired this film, but this trailer has me curious. I think I might just stop in to the theaters to take a look at this one.

Sam: Completely disregarding what the movie is actually about, this is a well put-together trailer. Slowly escalating the danger, flashing between scenes that give the viewer just a hint of what the movie will be like, it captured my attention instantly. I love a good thriller, particularly one based on true events, and this trailer has me very intrigued. Kristen Stewart seems like a brilliant fit for the role, and the story is unlike anything I’ve seen. I don’t know much about Seberg’s story, but I can already tell that it will translate well to film. The movie promises to be thrilling and engaging while also covering some very relevant topics. 

Juliana: First of all, Kristen Stewart? Anthony Mackie? Zazie Beetz? How dare this trailer contain these amazing people and NOT expect me to have a heart attack? As for the storyline, I am totally living for this. I love a good thriller, and I love a good true story. This seems like a pretty great story: the kind that will have you on the edge of your seat even if you already know Seberg’s biography. Also, the line about trying to get rid of the girl from the Midwest her whole life? Iconic. As someone who lives in Ohio and whose parents have already mentioned snow, I could not agree more. It’s kind of obvious by now that I will most definitely be watching this, as I’m completely sold on it. I’m just extra glad that they’re releasing it on a streaming service instead of in theaters because the tight editing and suspenseful music are bound to have me pausing the screen every five minutes to have a mini-freak out session over this film.

Trailer 3 — Bad Boys For Life (2020)

Anna: Nothing like a trailer that starts with a 5 second, action packed sequence. I can tell this movie is going to basically be a bunch of fight scenes with a little bit of dialogue in between. I am not completely familiar with the Bad Boys movies, but I am usually a fan of Will Smith. However, this trailer exudes gaudy-violence-film and is not quite up my ally. While there is definitely a hint of Smith’s classic snarky remarks and charm, I am not sure if this movie is really worth a visit to the theater. If fast cars, lots of guns, and random explosions are your thing, for sure check this movie out. Personally, I’d rather stay home. 

Sam: I have nothing against this movie, it looks like it could be very good. However, it also doesn’t stand out enough to make me want to watch it. If a bunch of my friends told me it was the movie of the year I could easily be persuaded to see it. From what I can tell, Bad Boys For Life is just another action flick. The trailer promises some funny one-liners that will probably take the film from serious action movie to comedy with explosions and car chases, which is marginally better, but still not for me. I have no problems with the film and I’m sure many people will enjoy it when it comes to theaters in January, but I personally will not be among them. 

Juliana: This one is tough because I honestly don’t have a lot of thoughts on it? If you are a fan of fast-paced action films like the Fast and Furious franchise, this may be your thing. The car-chase scenes on this trailer looked like a stunt-production nightmare, and, if the film has any more of those, it may be worth the movie ticket. Personally, this isn’t my jam. For me, the trailer peaked when Will Smith compared the team to a high school musical/boy band with guns, and then the camera showed Vanessa Hudgens (who was literally in the High School Musical movies) and Charles Melton (who is in Riverdale, where they have a musical episode every single season). This isn’t exactly one of my most anticipated movies for 2020, but I wouldn’t be completely opposed to watching it if these witty quips remain throughout the film.