10. “Upgrade”
The gloriously schlocky trailer for Leigh Whannell’s criminally underrated B-movie thriller, “Upgrade,” features everything film viewers want and expect of future cult classics. Its combination of letterboxing on the sides of the frame, its generic action movie voiceover, and the constant tracking issues as if it’s playing off an old VHS tape, make for the perfect fondue of cinematic cheese. The trailer makes use of the movie’s limited plot by promising an absurd ’80s inspired tale of a literally broken man out for revenge, featuring a sample of its expertly shot action scenes that were lovingly inspired by the cheap and loud action movies of the time period. Led by the shockingly competent acting of Logan Marshall-Green, the movie doesn’t disappoint, convincing viewers to upgrade their Blu-ray collection with the film ASAP. – Karl Schleider
9. “Avengers: Infinity War”
As seen as recently as the “Captain Marvel” trailer, fandom will find anything and everything to nitpick or blindly celebrate about a trailer when it relates to Marvel or, really, any superhero property. Barring a few standouts (all of the “Black Panther” deserved hype machine) the Marvel promotional tools don’t often live up to their outcome with trailers that show clear signs of unfinished VFX or posters that are hilarious, depressingly standard and hobbled together. While the posters for “Avengers: Infinity War” did that same barf-design of 4,600 characters on one page, the trailer exceeded expectations. From the few glimpses we got to see each character, shrewd decisions of what to show and what not to show, to the clever and confident choice to use “The Avengers” theme slowed to a somber march as the background music, the trailer promised something both exciting for fans who’d waited a decade for this ultimate team up, but didn’t at all spoil the experience (in retrospect, if you consider the movie and everything not in the trailers, they left so much at bay and the folks at Marvel Studios deserve an applause). Plus, like it or not, canny misdirection was deployed (see the Hulk running alongside the team in Wakanda in the “come at me bro” scene that never actually happened in the movie; technically that version is 2017 though, so we’ll include both). As doom and gloomy as it was, ‘Infinity War’ the trailer got you amped for one of the biggest showdowns ever witnessed in cinematic history. – Ally Johnson
8. “A Quiet Place”
Right from the jump, “A Quiet Place” set the tone of dread and malice and more importantly, the movie’s device: if you make a sound, you’re f*cked. The film’s trailer quickly and efficiently set up the idea of devastation around the nation and a harrowing idea: a family (led by John Krasinski and Emily Blunt) are some of the few remaining survivors in the U.S. and there are monsters outside everywhere. “Those who have survived have lived by one rule,” the trailer says ominously as it then details the concept of silence, the softest touch and communicating only through sign language. “Shut the f*ck up or die.” OK, not really, “Never make a sound,” is the real tagline, but it does set up some scary stakes especially for the idea of keeping your loved one safe. There are two stages to the trailer, the deliberate set up of silence and the consequences of breaking these codes and a second half that rips out the earplugs and frantically flashes the horrors to come. “A Quiet Place” was a masterclass at taut, suspenseful tension and harrowing release and it was all right there set up perfectly in the trailer. – CK
7. “Mandy”
For all its ethereal, heavy metal mystery, the trailer for “Mandy” is surprisingly transparent and yet direct: this is revenge movie where a maniacal Nicolas muthaf*cking Cage fights an evil cult baddie with a chainsaw. (Honestly, if the trailer was only 5 seconds long featuring Cage with a chainsaw, a title, and a release date, it might be the #1 entry on this list.) But obviously “Mandy” has a sensual, strange, trippy mood which the trailer captures. Mandy narrates a poetic line from the book she’s reading: “under the crimson primordial sky, the wretched warlock reached into the dark embrace,” and excuse you, audience, you’re about to kiss the sky. From there, the LSD insanity of “Mandy” is off to the races. The psychedelic horror ratchets up with every shot, smattered in symbolism and gorgeous imagery. And you’ve got Nicolas Cage, but the actor is never overused keeping his best insane moments for the film. Overall, it’s a perfect taste of Panos Cosmatos’ outlandish, uncompromising vision. From Cage’s blood-smattered, wildly nuanced expressions to the way Cosmatos paints a nightmarish tapestry of modern fantasy, it all rang with beguiling passion. – Jason Ingolfsland
6. “Cold War”
Pawel Pawlikowski’s lyrical and elegant “Cold War” is a chilly-but-captivating icy cocktail of a love story. Anchored by its resounding, dependable lead performances from Tomasz Kot and Joanna Kulig, it is a romantic historical drama that follows a musical director and a singer who finds love and grief through one another’s company throughout the expanding years. It is intentionally fragmented in its delicate, dutiful cinematic approach from the filmmaker behind the acclaimed “Ida.” How do you draw a modern audience into a carefully crafted black-and-white fable of passion and woe — one that’s told sharply and skillfully, but also slowly and steely? We’ll know Amazon fairs at the box office soon, but regardless, the movie has been served well by its splendidly vivid trailer. Captivating on the film’s warm musicality against its stark visual displays, it is a rich, poignant look at the stylish, brooding film, told with elegance and radiant craft. It may not win over audiences at the multiplex, but it’ll certainly endear to the crowd who likes their movies to be thoughtful, boldly confident and considerately made. “Cold War” is far from being the year’s most uplifting film, but this trailer is gripping. – Will Ashton
