Do you love singing and laughing and smiles and rainbows? Then this is the week in trailers for you! The biggest surprise smash of 2012, Pitch Perfect, finally has a trailer for the much-anticipated sequel, and it's got everything you could ever want if you're a fan of infectious pop mashups and quip-laden, punny dialogue. Farther on down the line we've got Kenneth Branagh's latest directorial project; it's a little story you may have heard of called Cinderella. Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein have put together a fifth season of Portlandia that looks to be bursting at the seams with talent and eccentricity. And Saul Goodman is getting ever-closer to his unsavory return to our living rooms. Basically, we've got a kooky little collection of coming attractions for you (with one Very Serious Drama), so come for the songs and stay for the laughs. Just leave your smug at the door.
Get your pipes ready, pitches! The rag-tag Barden Bellas are back in action this coming spring in the first feature directorial effort by Elizabeth Banks. (Don't worry: She's reprising her role as Gail the a capella announcer, too). And you want the double great news? Screenwriter Kay Cannon returned to pen the sequel, so if you liked the first Pitch, this second one promises to be the harder, faster, stronger version of everything you saw last time around. So after nationals, what could the Bellas possibly have left to achieve? Why, the World Championships, of course! In the universe where Barden is a real school, no American team has ever taken the globe-spanning singing title. But with the whole gang back together—even some seniors who probably should have graduated by now like Aubrey Posen (Anna Camp), Chloe (Brittany Snow), and Bumper Allen (Adam DeVine)—plus a few newbies like young Emily (Hailee Steinfeld), we're thinking the U-S-of-A has a real shot at it this time. We've missed these awesome nerds.
Pause at: 0:22, 0:34—just Bella stuff. Seventeen-year-old Hailee Steinfeld dwarfing adult Anna Kendrick at 0:40. Well we didn't expect this at 1:01. Just Green Bay linebacker Clay Matthews at 1:10. Classic Amy at 1:54. Classic Benji at 1:55. 2:00, hahahaha!
Song: Anna Kendrick's version of "Cups (When I'm Gone)" and X Ambassadors and Jamie N Commons, "Jungle"
Essential Quote: "Crushed it."—Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson)
You know, you may not think you want a vast and ambitious period piece revolving around a ferry that capsized in 1949 from the director of Face/Off, but do allow yourself to be surprised. (And yeah, we know that movie was forever ago, but still, it's funny to bring up.) This trailer is actually for the first movie in a two-part saga about the "epic love stories of three couples." It's got war, natural disasters, breathtaking art direction, and, taking all those things together, we can also presume to see many panning shots of majestic countryside and human devastation. If you want a Chinese-language companion piece for the upcoming World War II drama Unbroken, this looks like a beautiful option.
Pause at: 0:09 for the ageless Ziyi Zhang. Check off devastation at 0:34 and 0:44. Check off pastoral establishing shots at 1:25 and 1:29.
Essential Quote: "This is destiny."—Zhou (Ziyi Zhang), talking about something that's probably going to come up a lot in this movie
Live action re-imaginings of animated classics are hard. It's a lot easier to sell magic when it comes in the form of digital images and water colors, but if we're going to trust anyone with the reigns of an IRL Disney reboot, it's Kenneth Branagh, the director of this new Cinderella. Another aspect that gives us hope is the casting of Cate Blanchett as Wicked Stepmother, because honestly, could you think of a better idea? It's always fun to see Helena Bonham Carter (seen here as the Fairy Godmother) doing something zany and heavily costumed, and Richard Madden (you know him as Rob Stark in Game of Thrones) certainly has the face for Prince Charming. Here's hoping relative newcomer Lily James can carry the weight of our beloved Cinderella.
Pause at: 0:25 for Cate Blanchett killing that glare. Dashing, much at 0:58? Submitting one pumpkin carriage for your approval at 1:28. OK, that's some magic at 1:36. Feeling good about the shoes at 1:38.
Essential Quote: "She'll merely be your stepmother, and you'll have two lovely sisters to keep you company."—Cinderella's dad, who apparently never met his wife and stepkids before getting married
Even if this one has "predictable" written all over it, we were surprisingly charmed by the trailer for The Duff. Go ahead and write the thing in your head now. You'll probably go at least 10 for 12 just by throwing darts at the Self-Aware High School Ugly Duckling Trope dart board, but thanks to the easy charm and dry wit of Mae Whitman this one looks like a fun matinee show. Whitman plays Bianca, the just-go-with-it high school senior who happens to be the plain counterpart to her hottie best friends. Bianca doesn't care about this until the QB1, Wesley (Robbie Amell), tells her she's a "DUFF," aka "Designated Ugly Fat Friend." Aghast, Bianca decides it's time to cast off her frumpy ways and enlists the help of said hunk to basically make her more datable. It's most likely misogynist and trite, but if everything manages to click into place, maybe it could be one of those John Tucker Must Die or She's The Man diamonds in the rough. And with supporting cast members like Ken Jeong and Allison Janey on board, at least Whitman won't be pulling the weight on her own.
Pause at: Bella Thorne playing the high school's bitch-in-residence, Madison (of course), and looking like an evil Jessica Chastain. Oh makeover alert at 1:15! ALLISON JANEY at 1:19! Suddenly this movie could be genius.
Song: Pharrell Williams feat. Miley Cyrus, "Come Get it Bae" and Natalia Kills, "Problem"
Essential Quote: "I don't want to be anybody's DUFF. I want to be the datable one."—Bianca, being kind of gross, but we're sure her journey of self discovery will guide her to higher truths
This trailer is called "Tingle Fingers," because the only sound we hear before the police cars is that of a vibrating bed in a seedy motel covered with drugs and clothes and no occupants to be found. AMC has announced that *Saul'*s premiere will come in two parts, starting the night of Feb. 8. We would ask "Who you gonna call?" but by now, you should already know.
Pause at: 0:09 + 0:15 + police sirens = 0:22.
Consider these cameos: Vanessa Bayer, Steve Buscemi, Shepard Fairey, Greta Gerwig, Peter Giles, Matt Groening, Anna Gunn, Justin Long, Jane Lynch, Natasha Lyonne, Seth Meyers, Brigitte Nielsen, Parker Posey, Paul Reubens, Paul Simon, Olivia Wilde, and Oscar the Grouch. Jeff Goldblum, Kumail Nanjiani, Ed Begley Jr., and Kyle MacLachlan are all set to return in bit roles as well. This is basically Portlandia: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut. Bring on the normcore!
Pause at: Just basically stop at any second to spot an awesome guest star.
Essential Quote: "Yes. They are weirdos!"—guest star Paul Reubens
