Say this about the American presidential election: No matter how bad it’s gotten so far, no farm animals have been killed.
Not so in “Our Brand Is Crisis,” the pitch-black comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Billy Bob Thornton as U.S. campaign strategists bringing their brand of cynicism and winning-and-any-costs attitude to an incendiary 2002 Bolivian presidential election.
The new trailer ends with a cigarette-puffing Bullock overseeing a commercial shoot that goes horribly awry when a llama that the candidates says “will lead us to prosperity” runs off and gets hit by a car.
“It’s like he killed himself rather than be in one of our commercials,” Bullock says between puffs.
A fictional take on a documentary by the same name, “Our Brand Is Crisis” opens Halloween weekend.
Their penchant for spontaneously breaking into song first garnered them attention in the 2010 short “Banana,” but the Minions’ musical repertoire extends far beyond simple pop ditties about their favorite fruit. The gibberish-speaking yellow guys have spanned generations paying tribute to everyone from the Village People to Maroon 5.
YouTube is filled with dozens of catchy Minions cover songs, but here are six standouts that will have you singing and dancing along in no time.
1. Village People, “YMCA”: The yellow evil army nails every detail – from Indian headdresses to handlebar mustaches – in this spoof of the ’70s disco anthem.
2. Idina Menzel (“Frozen” soundtrack), “Let It Go”: Millions of little girls may argue otherwise, but this remake of the instant Disney classic will make you shiver with delight.
3. All-4-One, “I Swear”: Flash back to the ’90s with this soulful rendition of the multiplatinum R&B group’s swoon-worthy ballad.
4. Pharrell Williams, “Happy”: The title says it all. Clap along and let the music speak for itself with this animated video from the “Despicable Me 2” soundtrack.
5. Various, “Jingle Bells”: The holidays just got a whole lot merrier thanks to this silly parody of the 1857 Christmas classic.
6. Maroon 5, “Sugar”: Watch your back, Adam Levine. The Minions may just be the voice of a new generation.
With voices provided by Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney, and director Pierre Coffin as the Minions, the animated comedy hit theaters on July 10. Watch the trailer below:
