Wow, what an insanely diverse year. I couldn’t be more excited for these selections, especially because they’re attached to wildly different films. Needless to say, it was hard to spot any pervasive trends this year because, as you can see, almost none of these posters are alike. There’s some amazing typography going on, some slick photography and more illustration than ever. We’ve got a lot to pour over, so let’s dive in. Keep in mind, these are in no particular order:
The Favorite: To no surprise, a Yorgos Lanthimos’ film still hasn’t failed to land my best posters list. Lanthimos’ films have had a consistent aesthetic throughout, placing characters amongst blank backgrounds but always finding ways to sell what the film is about. Just like the film, this poster signals a period setting, but doesn’t feel tied down to it. We get a very simple but strong representation of the film’s power struggles through a very elegant solution. MY FULL REVIEW
Cam: Probably one of the most important films about social media this year, Cam is a sex-positive story that dissects the horrors of our real selves vs our online avatars. This solution is a nice play off of a classic theme, but in a modern, glitched out way. It looks like a classic monster movie, but one in which the digital facsimile of the internet has perverted our true self. MY FULL REVIEW
Climax: A fitting poster for one of the year’s most nightmarish films. I love that the composition sets a scene, trapping us and its characters within the elongated frame. The type also looks very confining, blocking off each clique and confining some within its bold borders. MY FULL REVIEW
Burning: More than most films, Burning is more a feeling than anything else. It’s about an idea that lingers in the back of our mind, one that we can’t ever describe. This poster captures one of the film’s most haunting moments. It beautifully presents it with the appropriate amount of atmosphere and a font that evokes the illusive nature of the movie’s ideas. MY FULL REVIEW
BlacKKKlansman: This is the absolute best poster that could’ve been made for the film. In one fell swoop, cheeky, clever portraiture captures the farce that occurred and perfectly contrasts the two forces at play. MY FULL REVIEW
First Reformed: Sometimes you just have to go classy and refined. There really is no way to illustrate Paul Schrader’s psychological angst in an obvious way, but this does it with elegance. For a poster with its star’s face front and center, there’s still a lot of nuance and restraint here. This is the big poster face done right. MY FULL REVIEW
The Predator: Ah, this is from when we still had really high hopes for the film. I love that the wash of orange goes strictly against what we associate with Predator, but is still incredibly striking. The illustration is also slick, and I love that in this day and age, a big studio went with something like this.
The House That Jack Built: I can’t help but be in awe of this poster’s boldness. Itself a remake of Delacroix’s The Baroque of Dante, the image plays a key role in decoding Von Trier’s latest. This is the cheeky sort of abandon we’ve come to expect from Von Trier’s art, and it’s a true stunner on every level.
Shirkers: I came to Shirkers late, but wow, this is the perfect poster of it. Though the film about a film is rather dark at times, director Sandi Tan’s view of what transpired and how it lived on carries a certain amount of whimsy and innocence that can’t be denied. That is what is on full display here, and artist Tomer Hanuka doesn’t waste a single element or inch of space in the deliberate composition.
Luz: My final screening of Beyond Fest also proved to be one of the most mind-melting experiences of the year. With this film, Tilman Singer has delivered a masterful dissection of narrative via possession, and this poster nails that perfectly. There’s a very old-school vibe to the film that’s mimicked here, and wow, each element is just so perfectly placed. MY FULL REVIEW
November: This might be one of the year’s most underrated films. An Estonian import, Rainer Sarnet’s film is full of magic, wonder, horror and is oh so weird. I can’t get enough of the stark imagery here, and especially how the title intersects. Just like the film’s black-and-white photography, this poster instantly stands out and locks us in with its gaze. MY FULL REVIEW
Like Me: Another horror film about the way that modern internet celebrity has rewired our brains, this poster only hints at what the film is actually about. Rather than get too deep, the artist has honed in on the film’s atmosphere and neon aesthetic. Like the film, the poster uses all this flash to lull us into a false sense of intriguing security. MY FULL REVIEW
Roma: Cuaron’s latest masterpiece is HUGE. There’s no other way to put it. This is a film about how the smaller moments paint a bigger picture. This scene actually happens early on in the film, but it sticks with us and makes for a wonderful image that speaks volumes. MY FULL REVIEW
Happy As Lazzaro: This film really swept me off my feet. Alice Rohrwacher’s post modern fairy tale is a consuming flame that really forces us to confront the nature of good in a world that has gone so bad. This poster beautifully captures Lazzaro’s blinding innocence via storybook aesthetic. MY FULL REVIEW
Her Smell: Alex Ross Perry’s Her Smell is certainly one of the most harrowing films of the year, with conversations spilling in and out of backstage venues, clubs and more. It’s a loud, brash film that offers no escape. In fitting form, this poster mimics the old gig posters of yesteryear. It’s a perfect, noisy solution for such a punk rock movie. MY FULL REVIEW
Police Story and Glass: Seems unfair to group these, but I love the illustrations and the use of broken glass for two very different solutions. Glass is done by legend Alex Ross, giving Shayamalan’s comic book film a poster that feels like a cover. Police Story is a slick portrait that captures Chan’s antics in a bold, vibrant way. Both are beautiful, using similar elements and a layout in their own way.
SG
