10. “Elvis”
Much of the talent of Baz Luhrmann comes from the way the director and world builder manages to lure whatever story he’s telling into this visual empire of his that already exists. Sure, the bejeweled and bedazzled posters for the glittering biopic “Elvis” fit the character, a man obsessed with style before stylists were really a thing, but what it’s saying before saying it’s a film about the king of rock’n’roll is that it is a film from Baz Luhrmann. But it’s worth mentioning Luhrmann’s always-essential collaborator, his wife, costume designer, and production designer Catherine Martin who has always brought impossible detail to these colorful, maximalist worlds. These posters walk a fine line: it shines, it sparkles, but none of it really tarnishes. We’re talking Bazamatazz opulence that is earned, shimmering jewels worth paying for.
9. “Blonde”
Marilyn Monroe was scrutinized her entire life for her beauty – and, to an extent, Ana De Armas has already had a taste of that too. It was a match made in heaven, visually at least, for “Blonde,” and director Andrew Dominik fully leans into the doppelganger effect for much of the film and all related visuals. The poster zooms right in on De Armas’ similarities to Monroe, literally, as Leroy & Rose boldly build the whole thing around this woman’s skin. Just a small part of her face, the inimitable red lipstick and beauty mark, as well as just one lock of blonde hair. Everybody knows who it is, who it’s supposed to be. This woman, whichever one you see, is enough.
8. “X”
While Ti West’s apparent multiverse of mega-porno-horror seems to keep expanding, one alt poster from the first installment, “X,” does exemplify the filmmaker’s sensibilities and pays a fine homage to the era of rough-and-ready movie-making it’s trying to honor. A problem many filmmakers have encountered since time immemorial is the over-sexualization of female characters, so often objectified in horror – MOCEAN’s poster just about avoids this, spotlighting a pair of women’s legs carefully eyeing up the film’s creepy house in question. They’re just suggestive enough to tease the film’s adult content without veering into exploitative (both in a genre sense and a basic human one) territory. It leaves plenty to the imagination but catches the eye: red is used as both a tool for seduction and terror while keeping full suspense about the total body count to come out of this one. Expect the unexpected.
7. “Fresh”
“Fresh” neatly toys with conventions and expectations of heterosexual meet-cutes and subsequent rom-coms in quite a brutal way but maintains a playfulness throughout. Concept Arts got the memo on this one, leaning into one of the most literally shocking quirks of the film and packaging it into something neat and alluring. A feminine-looking hand with immaculate nail polish sits in a pristine polystyrene tray, saran-wrapped for, well, freshness, in unnerving ways that tease the film’s most sickening twists while maintaining a sense of fun. It’s a bold move to keep stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan out of this one, but it pays off.
6. “Everything Everywhere all at Once”
Any one of the three main posters for Daniels’ maximalist, existential romp “Everything Everywhere All At Once” could feature on this list. Still, of course, it’s the valentine to multiverse living courtesy of AV Print and artist James Jean that takes the gold. There are so many easter eggs, from hot dog fingers to googly eyes, while keeping a striking sense of artistry in the circular design, emphasis on action and heritage, and giving Michelle Yeoh the kind of epic scale that, at this point in her career, she beyond deserves. It’s literalizing a title that could raise a lot of eyebrows for its vagueness, creating something beautiful and confusing, and overwhelming, just like the film itself.
