[On a formatting note: I'll be posting two matchups per post, with multiple posts each day. Remember there will be TWO polls per post in which to vote.]
6. Jarhead (2005)
Bracing depiction of the action/comedy/drama mix in the film? Check. Tone-setting Kanye song? Check. Killer tagline? Check ("Welcome to the suck"). Shot of Jake Gyllenhaal Santa-hat scene that defined a generation? Check.
Awesome trailer attributes: cool song/score; iconic performance; great tagline



VS.
11. Pirates of the Caribbean (2003)
Do we credit the trailer simply because it's full of scenes from an awesome movie? I suppose not. This trailer earns its notice here for an expert mix of comedy and drama and featuring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and Kiera Knightley in perfect proportion. Bonus points because Knightley's delivery of the "try wearing a corset" line is better here than it is in the actual movie.
Awesome trailer attributes: iconic performance; funny!


8. Sunshine (2006)
This was a brilliant first look at Danny Boyle's movie that turned out to be all promise and no payoff. But that's not the fault of the trailer, which employed unusually great voice-over with the last recorded instance in which Clint Mansell's Requiem for a Dream could be effective. All plus some stark imagery -- particularly that shot of the "sun" turning out to be the spaceship.
Awesome trailer attributes: Cool song/score; teaser


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9. A History of Violence (2005)
There aren't a whole lot of bells and whistles on this trailer. No real innovation. It just does a straight-up trailer pretty much as good as you can do it. Inciting incident + intrigue + antagonist + escalation + lingering question -- it's all there, perfectly teased out without giving away one smidgen more than they have to. Everything's in perfect balance. I always say A History of Violence was a triumph of editing and pacing above everything else -- so's the trailer.
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1 comment:
THIS IS SUCH A GOOD IDEA!
I think we should have a tournament for Jeanne Cooper's greatest fingernail acting moments as well.
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