15. “Deadpool 2”
It’s something of a minor miracle that the continuously winky ad campaign for the most meta character in cinematic history didn’t morph into to a deep dive into a vat of acid. The arch, knowing trailers and preview clips for “Deadpool 2” really should have eaten us alive with smirks, eye-rolling one-liners about how chimichangas give the Merc with a Mouth ass gas and, oh my god, I’m already about to throw my laptop out the window. “Deadpool 2” could have curdled our interest in Deadpool and spoiled all the movie’s legitimately funny jokes (and some of the purposeful misdirects in the trailer were clever). But they didn’t. We loved the digs at the DC Universe, some of the jokes at the expense of Thanos and the X-Force stuff, particularly Peter was ace. And even we aren’t immune to the sheer joy of watching Celine Dion verbally flipping Deadpool the bird by casting him aside as “Spider-Man.” Her music video “Ashes” for the film might be the best thing to come out of this sequel, a reaffirmation that her showstoppers still work and that, no matter how annoying Deadpool gets, he somehow never gets old. The sequel could’ve taken a bit of advice from the marketing; stick around just long enough to remind folks just how begrudgingly, brilliantly bonkers this character is in small doses. And the unlikeliest of requests: more Celine Dion, please (yes, this is a bit of a collective marketing thumbs up cheat, deal with it) – CW
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quHJdcsT6UI
14. “BlacKkKlansman”
Once the opening guitar licks set in on The Temptations’ hum-and-rattle classic “Ball of Confusion” Spike Lee sets the stage on his latest tease for his newest film, and he does so with ballsy sass and brass: you know you’re in for a ride. In one of the rare trailers that delivers exactly what it promises, “BlacKkKlansman” rollicks along through the heavy weight of history with those who infiltrated hate and got in a good laugh at its expense. There’s nothing at all funny about the Ku Klux Klan, but it was positively cathartic to see John David Washington’s Ron Stallworth getting in his opening jabs in at the malevolent David Duke in the trailer. Seeing Topher Grace in the role for the first time was a bizarre sight to see in and of itself. The marketing team sequences the trailer with fire and thrill to highlight the conflicts at play, as this was one of the de-facto trailer cuts of 2018. “BlacKkKlansman” was a shot across the bow at re-encroaching tyranny and the reemergence of racism and intolerance in Trump’s America, and in typical Spike fashion, its trailer, much like the film, did so with style, grace and disarming humor. – CW
13. “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”
The trailer for “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” proved just how badly we all needed Mister Rogers, his loving community and brand of tender empathy back into our lives given that we pretty much all broke down in tears when we saw it, reminded that our current hateful hellscape doesn’t have to be our reality. This ad tugs at your heartstrings and evokes your nostalgia for a more compassionate time and that’s exactly the tone Morgan Neville and company hoped for and nailed. The finished product almost served as mini-therapy, or at the very least, a gentle, profound reminder of the self-worth and neighborly care that the affectionate Fred Rogers encouraged. This trailer is a welcome to live in that better world, as irresistible an RSVP as one can get at the movies. Mister Rogers says it best here; this preview truly was “an invitation for somebody to be close to you.” How rare for a movie trailer to make someone feel whole, if only for just a few joyful minutes. – CW
12. “Creed II”
If you were looking for a trailer that’s as adrenaline-pumping as the opening bell of a boxing match, there’s almost no better choice than the heart-stopping trailer for “Creed II.” The sequel finds Michael B. Jordan back in his role as the son of Apollo Creed still grappling with the legacy of his deceased father. Emotional stakes are set early: Adonis has set out to rewrite history, an impossible task, but the real thrill here is a decades-later, belated sequel and grudge match to “Rocky IV.” Victor Drago, the son of Ivan “I Must Break You” Drago, the man who is responsible for Apollo’s death, has his own ax to grind and legacy to repair. All the while, the “Creed II” builds the tension, constructs the hype and crescendos to what promises to be a massively emotional climax. There were plenty of reservations about an extended Rocky Universe, but “Creed” paid homage and found a new way forward. “Creed II” and its trailer got you jacked to see the passing of the torch and a new generation fight to stay on top. – JR
11. “Suspiria”
Honestly, the teaser trailer for Luca Guadagnino’s re-imagining of Dario Argento’s cult classic horror flick “Suspiria” could serve as the perfect counterpart to the trailer for “Hereditary.” Sexually charged imagery, bone-popping body horror, and hand-scrawled, blood-red letters flash across the screen as corroded, decaying synthesizers whirl around in the background, and before you realize it, you’ve melted into the landscape of Guadagino’s arthouse witchcraft epic. Although the pre-chatter likening the film to the works of Stanley Kubrick might still scare off passionate film snobs who haven’t seen the film yet — no shade, just honesty — this teaser from Amazon Studios makes a solid case for comparisons. While many Guadagnino fans were already sold before any footage was released, the trailer emphasizes the creep factor enough to hook in the average horror fan, and although the actual product may not live up to its nightmarish promises, you certainly cannot blame this trailer for trying. – JC
