5 Film & TV Trailer Explanations From This Week: #7
The Lion King, Once Upon a Deadpool, They Shall Not Grow Old, and more.
I’m not sure if you can tell, but I love animated films.
I usually include at least one trailer each week that focuses on the newest Disney/Pixar/Laika/Illumination release. Of course, I’m also aware that not everyone is a fan (why not, though?), so there’s a mix of serious dramas and light comedies as well.
This week, let’s start with the biggest news:
1. The Lion King (2019)
What is this movie about?
I mentioned a few weeks back that Disney is slowly rebooting all their classic animated films, and this reboot of The Lion King is one that’s highly anticipated.
Directed by Jon Favreau, who helmed the 2016 Jungle Book remake, this is a photorealistic CGI remake of their 1994 movie, and was ordered after the previous remakes was financially successful for the company.
The cast includes *takes a deep breath* Donald Glover (as Simba!), Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Billy Eichner, John Oliver, Keegan-Michael Key, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, and James Earl Jones!
What’s the trailer saying, if I can’t be bothered to watch it?
It’s basically a shot-for-shot remake of the opening scene from the original 1994 movie; we see the rising sun, the Circle of Life starts playing, all the animals look up.
James Earl Jones, who reprises his role as Mufasa, also talks about ‘everything the sun touches’, and then Rafiki presents an adorable baby Simba to the adoring crowd.
Why the hell should you care about this?
Because it’s pretty freaking beautiful to see. I mean, how can you say no to this:
2. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
What is this movie about?
It’s the sequel to the 2014 surprise hit, The Lego Movie, and exists in the same universe as the spin-offs, The Lego Batman Movie and The Lego Ninjago Movie.
Instead of directing this time, though, original creators Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have decided to stick to writing and producing this sequel, passing the reins to Mike Mitchell (Trolls).
What’s the trailer saying, if I can’t be bothered to watch it?
It starts off parodying dystopian fantasies, with Lucy (Elizabeth Banks) looking out over a desert, while her voiceover speaks about how life has changed for the worse since Taco Tuesday (i.e. the events of the first film).
If you thought that The Lego Movie stopped being the self-aware comedy it was, though, you’re quickly proven wrong, when Emmet (Chris Pratt) pops up and starts being his optimistic, happy self.
The trailer then zips to Lucy being kidnapped by new character General Sweet Mayhem, who chooses Lucy because she’s the strong leader of the group (in an obvious twist from the usual damsel-in-distress). Other recurring characters Batman, Princess Unikitty, and more are also taken, and the film then moves towards Emmet trying to save them.
Why the hell should you care about this?
This has always been the film that propelled Chris Pratt to movie stardom (it was released right before Guardians of the Galaxy), and his voice is so perfectly suited to Emmet that it helps to make everything, well, awesome (instead of ridiculous).
There’s also a bunch of meta-jokes, as Pratt also voices a new character, Rex Dangervest, who is an amalgamation of Pratt’s other famous movie characters, wrestling with raptors and more.
3. They Shall Not Grow Old (2018)
What is this movie about?
This is a documentary film produced and directed by Peter Jackson (yes, that Peter Jackson), focusing on the soldiers from World War I.
It’s pretty spectacular, as it uses BBC archival audio and footage from the Imperial War Museum, painstakingly colourised to look just like any other reenactment, except, this time, it’s real.
What’s the trailer saying, if I can’t be bothered to watch it?
It shows how we view black-and-white footage as ancient and distant, and colour film as ‘real’. The trailer opens with black and white, then shifts to colour as we are told that these audio clips and footage are real, actual memories of the soldiers in World War I.
Why the hell should you care about this?
To be honest, it didn’t sound that interesting when I heard about it, but the trailer literally made World War I come alive.
It was so intriguing (and creepy) to just stare at the faces in the footage, to see how they actually were in real life, even as they were trudging through trenches and getting hurt.
4. Once Upon A Deadpool (2018)
What is this movie about?
You know Deadpool 2?
Yeah, this is the same film, just filtered for kids.
..Yup.
So basically, they’re releasing a ‘limited edition’ Christmas version that’s edited for PG-13 audiences, and donating part of the proceeds to charity.
What’s the trailer saying, if I can’t be bothered to watch it?
The trailer explains the framing device: here, Deadpool is telling a story to Fred Savage, à la the premise of The Princess Bride.
Of course, Fred Savage is a grown-up now, so…Deadpool has tied him to a bed and is forcing him to listen. As it goes, there’s small cuts, Christmas songs, and Fred Savage unleashing some truly savage (sorry) lines about Marvel and Fox.
Why the hell should you care about this?
It’s an obvious cash grab for the kids (since the original R-rated version excluded this target audience), but in the vein of Deadpool, who’s sure to mention that at some point.
And…I kinda want to hear those jokes.
5. Stan & Ollie (2018)
What is this movie about?
Steve Coogan (Philomena) and John C. Reilly (Chicago) star in this biography of famed comedy duo Laurel & Hardy’s rise and fall in cinema.
It’s a comedy-drama, offering us the behind the scenes look at classic black-and-white films and the people who acted in them, as well as the audiences’ taste at the time.
What’s the trailer saying, if I can’t be bothered to watch it?
It shows Laurel (Coogan) and Hardy (Reilly) working through some issues, as they deal with directors, audiences, and Hardy’s failing health towards the end of their careers.
The physical resemblance is uncanny; Reilly, in particular, has transformed in the towering Hardy, and his on-screen presence is magnetic.
Why the hell should you care about this?
It debuted at the BFI London Film Festival last month and received rave reviews and a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes!
It might not be as exciting as Bohemian Rhapsody, which focused on Queen and their music, but Bohemian Rhapsody only has a 62% approval rating, so…maybe check this one out?
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