It was a fairly light week in the trailer market, but we still unearthed some treasures, particularly this week's headline clip: Turbo Kid. Though not the biggest story to come out of Sundance this year, for our money, Kid was the most feel-good one. If you love B-level action movies in the 1980s and Paul Verhoeven-style gore and Michael Ironside, it's really not to be missed. There's also the return of ass-kicking Emily Blunt, a look at what your pets do when you leave the house, the post-apocalyptic wasteland of 1997, Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life and more! You probably saw Jurassic World last weekend, so cool your heels now with these smaller scale affairs.
We loved Turbo Kid so much after seeing it at Sundance we wrote a whole article about it! The trio of filmmakers responsible for Kid are the big happy family known as Roadkill Superstars. They're excited and optimistic and so, so happy that you can watch their movie. So find Turbo Kid in a theater near you as soon as you get the chance. It's a head-exploding, blood-gushing, synth-rocking good time.
Pause at: Honestly, anywhere is cool.
Essential Quote: "Around here we like to do things with a little more joie de vivre."—Zeus (Michael Ironside)
When Emily Blunt made her first serious waves with The Devil Wears Prada, I don't any among us would have forecast her very convincing career turn as a badass woman of action. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen was great and all (probably), but what we really want more of is The Angel of Verdun! Give us that Edge of Tomorrow Emily Blunt! So seeing her as an FBI agent mired in the war on drugs feels so right. Josh Brolin is playing a CIA operative and Benicio del Toro seems to be some sort of weird south of the border fixer/consultant. Will watch.
Pause at: 0:25 for all kinds of bad. Stop at 1:22 for BLUNT FORCE EMILY.
Essential Quote: "You saw things you shouldn't have seen."—Matt (Brolin)
Well that was an unexpectedly heart-melting watch! It's your pets, and what they do when you're not there—complete with asshole cats, eager dogs, adventurous birds and death-metal loving poodles! The only question left is: How did Pixar not make this movie first? Like, first ever, before even Toy Story? One of our great human mysteries is finally being unraveled.
Pause at: Anywhere you see a cute animated animal. So, everywhere.
Song: Basement Jaxx, "Do Your Thing" and System of a Down, "Bounce"
Essential Quote: "Big, big stuff today, Gidget. I got big plans. I'm gonna sit here and I'm gonna wait for Katie to come back."—Max the dog (Louis CK)
So this one is interesting. The description is: "Based on a miraculous true story that drew the attention of the entire nation is the dramatic, thrilling, and spiritual journey of Ashley Smith and Brian Nichols. After being taken hostage by Brian in her own apartment, Ashley turns to Rick Warren's inspirational book, The Purpose Driven Life, for guidance. In reading from the book, Ashley not only finds purpose in her own life, but helps Brian find a more peaceful resolution to a harrowing situation." So it's definitely a spirituality focused story. And the trailer certainly puts that across honestly. That may be a deterrent for some, but Kate Mara and David Oyelowo are no joke actors and we feel safe with a dramatic thriller resting in their hands. Consider us very interested in how this one turns out.
Pause at: 0:17 for make-under-Mara. These sisters do make-under really well. Stop at 0:54 for Omar, aka Michael K. Williams.
Song: Hillsong United, "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)"
Essential Quote: "The greatest tragedy is not death, but a life without purpose.—Ashley Smith (Mara)
And now comes the point in the career of Jamaine Clement where he plays the good-natured, tousled father doing his best. Mark Ruffalo is currently doing the same thing with the 2014 Sundance alum, Infinitely Polar Bear. Clement and Jessica Williams were two of our 2015 Festival heroes thanks to their performances in People, Places, and provided we're not talking about Ben Stiller, it's always fun to watch a comic actor go earnest. Clement plays Henry, a graphic novelist and professor trying to get it together a year after his wife has left him for "an off-Broadway monologist." Ouch. Williams and Clement apparently got to go off book from time to time and improve with each other, so you should be excited for that reason alone. Clement can also currently be heard as the voice of the horse in those commercials with the hot girl and the horse. (The adds are DirecTV, the girl is model Hannah Davis.)
Pause at: 1:21 and 1:33 for tousled dad.
Essential Quote: "I'm a sassy little Hobbit."—Henry (Clement)
Look, everyone loves some broad comedy, and few are more willing to put their ass and dignity on the line over and over again more than Will Ferrell who, in this movie, plays Brad, a super try-hard and good-hearted stepfather to two kids that belong to Dusty (Mark Wahlberg). In every superficial category, Dusty is superior to Mark (because who cares about accountability and being a real adult?!), and that means the two need to engage in some one-upping Olympics to win the hearts of the children. It's coming out at Christmas, so go have some fun with your parents at the movies.
Pause at: 1:30 for Brad's treehouse and 1:43 for Dusty's. When competing dads fight, kids win at 1:45. Not Will Ferrell at 1:52 and 2:05.
Song: N.E.R.D., "Lapdance" and AC/DC, "Highway to Hell"
Essential Quote: "There is no doubt this man is your better in every way."
