This Week In Trailers: Mega Time Squad, King Of Thieves, 7 Days Out, Tidying Up With Marie Kondo, Third Eye Spies
Trailers are an under-appreciated art form insofar that many times they're seen as vehicles for showing footage, explaining films away, or showing their hand about what moviegoers can expect. Foreign, domestic, independent, big budget: What better way to hone your skills as a thoughtful moviegoer than by deconstructing these little pieces of advertising?
This week we make our best Michael Caine impression, do some light time traveling, clean out our closets, get a glimpse into what happens days before the zero hour occurs, and then debunk psychics and soothsayers.
Mega Time Squad
I would try and make sense out of director Tim van Dammen's film, but it would probably sound silly if I did. The long and short of this thing is that it's super weird and seriously high concept. However, what makes it such an unbelievable story is that it's such a delight. I don't get where things are going once we establish the initial reason we're all gathered together, but that's alright with me. Time travel, human cloning, poop jokes, it's all here, and all I'm looking for is a good laugh.
King of Thieves
Director James Marsh, Academy Award-winning director of Man on Wire and BAFTA winner for The Theory of Everything, is going lighter with his latest. Packed with talent from the likes of Michael Caine, Jim Broadbent, and Ray Winstone I'm charmed by what is, at heart: a geezer heist flick with a twist. I like how this takes some turns here and there to make it a story worth watching. There's not a whole lot of polish on the trailer, but that's okay when you consider how straight-forward the premise is.
Third Eye Spies
You can't fault director Lance Mungia for making a documentary on something that is indeed without merit or has any grip on reality. ESP, telekinesis, any of that voodoo you used to read about as kids only to see how fake it was, is pretty astounding when you realize how legit interested the US and Soviet governments were in seeing if it was true. I see this documentary as something you would watch on a Tuesday night for a little bit of fun trivia about where our government was spending our tax dollars and maybe a few giggles. Honestly, this is only for the tinfoil hat wearing community.
7 Days Out
One week before a major event. The planning, the discussing, the logistics of pulling something off. It's fascinating to rush towards the end and see how it all does, or does not, go off as planned. This trailer, which ties together nicely so many disparate narratives, contextualizes all these events in a way that is cohesive and stirring.
Tidying Up with Marie Kondo
I've often heard the words "so satisfying" to describe things on the Internet that seem to work well, and this is no exception. Specifically, it reminded me of what I read from Marie Kondo when talking about getting rid of the detritus in your life.
"If you're having a hard time getting rid of something, thank the item for the role it has already played in your life," Kondo advises, recommending you say something to the garment like "Thank you for giving me joy when I bought you" or "Thank you for teaching me what doesn't suit me." Then you're free to "let it go."
Somehow I've never forgotten this, and this trailer seems less Hoarders and more positive self-help. The trailer nicely weaves in positive messaging and, indeed, it feels like a program that wants to have a good influence. I am here for all of it.
Nota bene: If you have any suggestions of trailers for possible inclusion in this column, even have a trailer of your own to pitch, please let me know by sending me a note at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com or look me up via Twitter at @Stipp
In case you missed them, here are the other trailers we covered at /Film this week: