5. Joker | Teaser Trailer
The Joker trailer was inescapable this year. And I didn’t mind one bit. Say what you will about the movie, but The Joker trailer high-key slaps. It’s a needle-drop fuelled highlight reel that got a lot of naysayers wondering “dammit what if like Joker?” And damn it if that ain’t worth celebrating.
What it’s selling: A unique, gritty 1970s take on an increasingly predictable genre.
Best moment: When the Jimmy Durante hits.
4. Parasite | Official Trailer
This goes without saying, but if you have not seen Parasite, fix that, then watch the trailer. That out of the way: boy oh boy does Parasite’s trailer slap. Which, if you’ve seen the film, is no surprise. Parasite’s trailer is as funny, tense, and twisting as the film itself, highlighting its humor and horror in equal measure while testifying to the indelible fact of Bong Joon-ho’s genius.
What it’s selling: A masterpiece. Next question.
Best moment: Jessica only child from Illinois, Chicago, I’m a classmate of your cousin.
3. Uncut Gems | Official Trailer
Uncut Gems is the cinematic crown jewel of 2019. It tells of the nerve-wracking spiral of Howard Ratner, a manic idiot you can’t help but love; a debt-riddled, philandering new york city jeweler who is the physical embodiment of Sum 41’s ‘In Too Deep.” The trailer, in due course, unfurls frantically, giving up the goods at a break-neck pace that somehow manages to charm while unsettling. It’s a feature-length anxiety attack, and it’s fun.
What it’s selling: An Oscar for The Sandman.
Best moment: “I disagree.”
2. Godzilla: King of the Monsters | Official Trailer 1
While the film itself left…something to be desired, the trailer for Michael Dougherty’s take on everyone’s favorite kaiju deserves a goddamn oscar. This thing gave me literal goosebumps the first time I watched it. With weaponized Debussy and some absolutely breathtaking shots, Godzilla: King of the Monsters’ trailer blew our goddamn socks off.
What it’s selling: Big visuals; big monsters.
Best moment: Mothra, who is innocent.
1. The Lighthouse | Official Trailer
The best comedy of the year, The Lighthouse, has a trailer you can bounce a seagull off of. It’s got a soundscape that could out-drink, out-dance, and out-fart any other entry on this list. It’s got banana pants visuals that let you know the score without overplaying its narrative hand. And it’s got a goddamn sea chanty. Stoke your pipes and get your wallets out, says I!
What it’s selling: Bromance; lighter fluid chugging contests; spilled beans.
Best moment: “How long have we been on this rock?”
Related Topics: 2019 Rewind
