Wow, you guys. It was a big week on the Internet for WIRED ones. Not only did we get another Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer, but we got a show called Nerd Court, robots, clones, artificial intelligence, Sherlock Holmes, and Community. When the Geek Gods give, they do indeed give with both hands. And for some garnish, we’ve also got a couple murder mysteries featuring Charlize Theron and model-turned actress Cara Delevingne, aka your future biggest crush in the movie Suicide Squad. Get yourselves some tall glasses of water, nerds. We don’t want you passing out while you take in this week’s best trailers.
The One Everyone is Talking About: Avengers: Age of Ultron (Above)
Now with more Vision!
Pause at: 1:01 for dangerous love. Stop at 1:09 for ass kicking. We’re assuming they aren’t here for brunch at 1:18. Looks like Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are finally declaring sides at 1:39 and 1:40. Annnnd Vision at 2:03!
Essential Quote: “People would look to the sky and see hope. I’ll take that from them first.”—Ultron (James Spader)
The One You Wish Everyone Would Talk About: Ex Machina
We first
posted about Ex Machina last November under the very same heading. And guess what? It’s still the movie we wish everyone would talk about! Since that time we’ve also had a chance to see the movie and it is really, really good. Alicia Vikander, Oscar Isaac, and Domhnall Gleeson are each outstanding in this sci-fi psychological thriller filled with creeping dread. This trailer plays up the more action-oriented elements of Ex Machina, but the movie as a whole is an excellent balance of curiosity, quiet fear, and even some mildly twisted ambient horror. April is coming up quick, everyone, and you don’t want to miss Ex Machina in theaters.
Pause at: 0:54, 1:22, 1:53, and 2:23 for Ava in full effect.
Essential Quote: “It’s strange to have made something that hates you.”—Ava (Vikander) to Nathan (Isaac), her creator
The Based-On-A-True-Story One: The Face of An Angel
The trial of Amanda “Foxy Knoxy” Knox was built for cinematic adaptation: A young, pretty American co-ed studying abroad in Italy first convicted then acquitted for the murder of her roommate—and then convicted again after Italy’s highest court of appeal overturned the acquittal. Though Knoxy is back in America and likely won’t serve any of her 28.5 year sentence, her story is still a playground for filmmakers looking to traffic in the salacious. And no, we aren’t just talking about the lifetime movie Amanda Knox: Murder On Trial in Italy. Director Michael Winterbottom (A Mighty Heart) helms this loose adaptation of Barbie Latza Nadeau’s book Angel Face: Sex, Murder and the Inside Story of Amanda Knox and has turned it into a movie about a fictional murder of a college student—murdered by her roommate—in Siena, Italy. Kate Beckinsale plays a writer, Daniel Brühl plays a filmmaker, and they’re one of many trying to cash in on the tragic crime and subsequent media frenzy. And hey, Cara Delevingne is on hand to play tour guide for Brühl’s character, Thomas. This looks fun enough, but most exciting is perhaps the involvement of Delevingne, who was recently given the Breakthrough Actress honor at Elle magazine’s style awards. Before you guffaw at the accolade, consider that she’s slated to appear in Paper Towns, Pan, and Suicide Squad over the next few years. We’ll be seeing more and more of the model/actress in the future and Angel will give us a glimpse of what’s in store.
Pause at: 0:33—hey, Cara. Stop at 0:46 for some next level Kate Beckinsale bitchface.
Essential Quote: “Do you think you are the only one allowed to make money from this story?”—Edoardo (Valerio Mastandrea, asking the really humane questions)
The Suspenseful One: Dark Places
Just one year after her smash hit novel Gone Girl burned up the box office and nabbed a few Oscar nominations, Gillian Flynn’s second novel, Dark Places, is coming to theaters. This one doesn’t have the David Fincher bonus attached to it, but director Gilles Paquet-Brenner has assembled an interesting cast to tell the story of Libby, a woman who survived the massacre of her family 25 years ago, and who agrees—for a price—to revisit the murders and help unearth previously hidden truths. Charlize Theron stars as Libby, and is supported by Nicholas Hoult, Chloë Grace Moretz, Christina Hendricks, Corey Stoll, Tye Sheridan, and Drea de Matteo. Not bad, right? This likely won’t reach Gone Girl levels of populist appeal and critical praise, but if Theron and company can deliver a tight, satisfying little genre number we’re always in for a good murder mystery.
Pause at: 0:11 for the seeds of trauma. Pretty interested in what’s going on at 0:40.
Essential Quote: “You’re just as imprisoned as I am.”—Ben (Stoll) to his sister, Libby (Theron)
The Sherlock One: Mr. Holmes
Ian McKellen as a late-in-life Sherlock Holmes trying to solve one last unsolved case before his mental faculties are fully diminished by age?! Yes, please, and pass the tissues! Two things we are always up for are Sir Ian and Mr. Holmes, add in Bill Condon as a director and Laura Linney as a co-star and we’re locked in for this summer release.
Pause at: 0:31 for heartbreak.
Essential Quote: “His name is Mr. Sherlock Holmes.” Yeah it is!
The Sci-Fi One: Self/Less
Anyone else loving this “Everyone gets a science fiction movie!” trend? Cause we sure are! Ben Kingsley is a dying man. Correction: A dying very rich man, which means he can afford to put his mind in a new, sexy body. And who’s sexier than Ryan Reynolds? But since this movie can’t just be a 15 minute medical procedure and then Sir Ben goes home happy because he inherited Mr. Reynolds’ body, a lot of bad business is about to go down. And perhaps best of all, we get to see Matthew Goode put his sinister hat on as the doctor who heads up this Trading Places-style procedure. Goode is phenomenal at switching back and forth between dreamy boy next door and dripping evil power monger, and for our money, he’s more fun as the dark mastermind.
Pause at: 0:32 to meet the possible new you! Why they always gotta make consciousness transplants so scary, like at 0:46? There could be worse things than coming back as this guy at 1:06.
Essential Quote: “Immortality has some side effects.”—Albright (Goode)
The Alterna-Screen One: Nerd Court
You guys, it’s called Nerd Court. That pretty much covers all the bases.
Pause at: 0:03, 0:22, 0:24, 0:45 for, well, nerds.
Essential Quote: “I don’t need to see the penis of Sonic the Hedgehog like this.”
The Small Screen Standout: Orphan Black Season 3
Major spoilers here if you haven’t seen Season 2 yet, but as much as things change, they stay the same: clones on clones on clones!
Pause at: Any moment for something ominous and cloney.
Essential Quote: “Recognize me?”—Sarah (Tatiana Maslany), asking a very unfair question
The Other Alterna-Screen Standout: Community Season 6
Stopping at Season 5 probably would have been a good idea for Community, but hell, here we go!
Pause at: 0:38 for … Shirley?
Essential Quote: “I have a brain the size of Jupiter. I’m nobody’s fourth Ghostbuster.”—Elroy Patashnik (well played, Keith David)
The Small Screen Super Standout: Veep Season 4
Everything. This show is everything. Also, Hugh Laurie!
Pause at: 0:38 and 0:40 for Amy faces!
Essential Quote: “I’m your calendar. I’m your Google. I’m your Wilson the volleyball!”—Gary (Tony Hale)
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