by Nathaniel R
Movie posters aren't everything. In fact, it's arguable that they do little to change whether or not someone wants to see a movie, at least not half as much as a trailer, commercial, or recommendation might. Still, there's a certain thrill in looking at them if you love movies. Reactions can vary all the way from amping up excitement about a movie you're already interested in, to puzzlement and pondering over how anyone in Hollywood marketing departments keeps their jobs. Every reaction inbetween those two poles happens, too.
So let's look at new posters for Wonder Wheel and Tomb Raider after the jump with unedited thoughts as they come. (Please to do the same in the comments!)
WONDER WHEEL
• Something about how the title is both behind Kate, diegetically, and in front of her non-diegetically is really working for me. Especially with the orange neon / sky blue compliments.
• This is the single best Woody Allen poster since Match Point (2005)... maybe even the best since Hannah and Her Sisters (1986). Not that poster beauty determines film quality but one can hope.
• This design almost evokes religion. With the dim light but saturated color it's like our Holy Actress as centerpiece of a stained glass window. Yet it also skews dark rundown drama in an evocative way. The size of the bed also screams star vehicle and something about Winslet's love life. In short: LOVE it.
• The NYFF blurb for this movie went nuts for this film's cinematography by three time Oscar winner Vittorio Storaro (this is his second Woody picture since he also lensed Cafe Society). Trivia note: Only one Woody Allen film has ever been nominated in that category. That was Gordon Willis's black and white work on Zelig (1983). Damnit, now we have to get specific. MORE OSCAR / WOODY TRIVIA...
The only regular Oscar categories that have only nominated a Woody Allen film once
- Editing: Hannah and Her Sisters
- Cinematography: Zelig
The only regular Oscar categories no Woody Allen film has ever been nominated for:
- Adapted Screenplay (they're always originals), Sound, Sound Editing, Visual FX, Makeup, and of course Original Song and Original Score since he uses song standards for his soundtracks.
TOMB RAIDER
• Something is very wrong with Alicia Vikander's neck. Like Death Becomes Her "you pushed me down the stairs!" wrong with it.
• I still dont get casting Alicia for this. I love her acting in general but she's a "face" actress. You don't immediately think "physicality!" when you think of her, do you? It's always curious when Hollywood thinks those things are interchangeable.
• What is that thing she's holding?
• The arrow shaped disfiguration of the title logo is a cool design touch.
• I wasn't the only one (or even a minority of ones) to immediately be like "what's happening with her neck?". Of the many complaints this one is my favorite
• The pose is very "look at my biceps" which is hilarious for a film starring the delicate doll like beauty of Alicia Vikander. When you think "lady biceps" who do you think of first? I'll tell you my answer in the comments.
• When I was typing up this post I accidentally hit the space bar too early and typed TOM BRAIDER. And then I noticed -- NO ICONIC LARA CROFT BRAID?!? But then it appears at the end of the new trailer so... false alarm.