2005 Calvins: Best Trailer
By Kim Hollis
February 14, 2005
Trailers are always a tricky category when it comes to Calvins voting. Over the course of the year, we see so many that it's sometimes difficult to pick out the most memorable. Frequently, it's the superhero movie previews that capture our fancy, with some of the quirkier-looking films receiving positive notice as well.
Topping our list for 2005 was the stylish, edgy trailer for the Frank Miller/Robert Rodriguez collaboration Sin City. Based on a graphic novel series created by Miller, the previews for the film really do show it to be a comic book come to life. Everything is in very lush black and white, with color occasionally used for emphasis. All of the characters in the film look well cast, and Jessica Alba's strengths are used to maximum effect, as she gyrates around a stripper's pole. Perhaps the greatest praise that I can personally give to the trailer is that it made me immediately seek out the graphic novels. Apparently, I'm not the only one, as it's difficult to find them in stock. Anywhere.
Garden State is our runner-up, and deservedly so. The movie's striking visuals are cascaded before the viewer in a series of shots, all set to the Frou Frou's "Let Go", a song that also appears in the film. We get a strong impression of Zach Braff's character's malaise, and a sense of the various other players, from Natalie Portman's to Peter Sarsgaard's, is evident. Portman's little hip shake in perfect accompaniment to the music is a masterstroke.
For fans of Wes Anderson's work, the trailer for The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou tells them everything they need to know. The traditional attention to detail is there, along with brilliant usage of music to show what the movie is going to be about. The transition from Seu Jorge's Portuguese translation of David Bowie's Starman is an excellent touch. Perhaps the best selling point, though, is Willem Dafoe's delivery of the line, "Thanks. Thanks a lot for not picking me!"
There's no doubt that the preview for Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 was memorable and drove a number of people to the theater. The images from the film are paced quickly, but it's almost certainly President George W. Bush's instruction to reporters to "Watch this drive!" that stands out the most.
The Day After Tomorrow's fifth place finish is proof positive that blowing up U.S. monuments in a movie is a sure way to get audiences into theaters. It worked for Independence Day, and it certainly worked here, even though critical response to The Day After Tomorrow was less than exemplary. From shots of tornadoes to visions of a frozen over New York City, this preview was red hot.
When you remake a beloved horror film, you always tread on dangerous ground. The trailer for Dawn of the Dead gave viewers hope that for once, it had been done right. The visuals were terrifying and in fact, the very knowledge that there might just be a zombie baby was more than enough to entice many a fan of the genre.
Generally, the trailers for Pixar films are underwhelming when compared to the films they ultimately tease. The Incredibles wasn't really an exception, but it still rated highly enough to find a place on our list. "Where is my super suit?" was probably the reason.
People seem to either love or hate the teaser for Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Happily, I fall on the "love it" side, so I can write about it with complete honesty. The film looks dark, disturbing and absolutely insane. It's totally in keeping with the spirit of Roald Dahl's books, which is amusingly the exact thing that many people seem to rail against when complaining about the film's look. Before watching the preview, though, a note of warning. That song will stick with you. For days.
In Good Company gets the "we were smart enough to include a Peter Gabriel song in our preview" vote. The interplay between the leads is emphasized nicely, and the movie is made to appear to have an interesting atmospheric quality. Given the premise, it's almost certain that this well-crafted trailer was responsible for the film's surprising box office performance.
Finally, Constantine does an excellent job of making what is probably an awful film appear palatable. The special effects are heavily emphasized, and the good vs. evil theme is completely evident.
Near misses in the category were Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Team America: World Police, I Heart Huckabees, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events and House of Flying Daggers.
|
Top 10
|
| Position |
Film |
Total Points |
| 1 |
Sin City |
58 |
| 2 |
Garden State |
56 |
| 3 |
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou |
45 |
| 4 |
Fahrenheit 9/11 |
39 |
| 5 |
The Day After Tomorrow |
37 |
| 6 (tie) |
Dawn of the Dead |
35 |
| 6 (tie) |
The Incredibles |
35 |
| 8 |
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory |
30 |
| 9 |
In Good Company |
24 |
| 10 |
Constantine |
21 |
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