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I know it has been a while, my apologies. I am trying to get a Master degree so please understand that sometimes I am too busy. But lots of love and here is the new contribution!

Dope

Am I the only one who thinks this poster looks a bit like one of those carnival wooden walls where you can stick your head into for a picture moment? The background looks like it’s painted, and the bodies of the characters look a lot more grainy than their faces. You can see it a lot more clearer on the girl’s face, her lighting is way off. 

From what I get from the trailer (okay and maybe one review) the boy on the left is Malcom, self proclaimed geek. He is a ‘90′s hiphop fan and dresses to show for it. But I get the feeling the rest of the film is a lot like the ‘90′s (early 2000′s, (I am getting old)) high school/coming of age films as well. So I like the poster’s feel, but would have liked it more if their faces blended a bit better into it.   

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Leading female character, check. Needs her gun to survive, check. Something pictured on her back/skin that relates to what she has to deal with, check. Colombiana did it better? CHECK.

Everly

Salma Hayek plays an escort girl who gets into trouble with her gangster boss after she decided to snitch on him. He then sends different henchmen after her and she fights for survival. So she's an escort girl...and you decide your log line is: enter if you dare? Dirty devils. Also, what is up with her arm...it looks bulgy. I understand that it is to cover any sideboob, but then give the woman something to wear! The poster for Colombinana makes it look like she is praying to her gun, but the gun in Everly's hand doesn't do anything. She looks soft to the left, like someone is entering the room behind her, but she doesn't hold the gun as if she is going to use it any time soon. 

If you going to rip off another poster, do it BETTER.

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I guess I am done.

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Playing it Cool

The film is about a writer (Chris Evans) who falls in love with a woman who already has a relationship with someone else. They agree to just be friends, but his feelings grow stronger and he triest to win her over via friendship. I'm not sure how the filmposter matches that. I think it might be his visions of how their love story would have gone if he would write it? There is only a hint of that in the trailer, but it would explain the weird outfits, but then again it might be a fake poster made with pictures of completely different projects of Chris Evans. Because I can't explain why he would imagine himself as an old astronaut in a love story. 

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The Maze Runner

These conceptual film posters are quite popular these days, and I don't understand why we don't get to see them in our public domain more often. They are aesthetically appealing, the grab your attention, they make you wonder about the film/story and (unlike in this version) still leaves room to give the needed credits and technical information like a showing date. Plus they often hit the mark way better than character posters. 

The Maze Runner is a trilogy based of the James Dashner's novel about young boys who find themselves, without any memories, in the centre of a maze. They have to get out through the maze, but if they get stuck in the maze they'll be killed by roaming predators that are inside. 

So a film about a boy, running through a maze, and the only way to get out is to go inside. Just like the poster is telling you it's going to be. 

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Draft Day

It is not uncommon for countries to have different posters. In the case of Draft Day there is a Portuguese version where Jennifer Garner was added. 'Wait, is that Jennifer Garner?' you ask, yes that is her. She plays the wife of Kevin Costner who is a general manager of a NFL team. He gets the opportunity to make the first draft, some people question his decisions and that is about it. She helps him stick to what he believes to be a good team, and other than that, I believe she doesn't play that big of a role in the film. So why pretend the film is about a power couple, when it is more about just one man. And why distort her face like that?

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So....yeah.

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Man of Tai Chi

Well, his is a bunch of ugly. Both actors' actions don't have any power behind it. Keanu Reeves looks bloated and old and Tiger Chen's action just doesn't work for a film poster that says 'no mercy, no rules, just fighting'. Also, the depth is off. Keanu seems bigger and his arm is weirdly placed in front of Tiger, which would not be possible. 

I do like that there is a little bit more when you focus on the sides. The Asian and American 'scenery', but it is stereotypical and doesn't reflect the business and spectatorship that is present in the film. 

And finally, it seems weird how they present Keanu Reeves as one of the fighters, or at least as taking part in the action, when all you see in the trailer is him wearing sharp suits and sitting behind the control panel. 

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Gravity

Probably every kid, at one point in their lives, thought about becoming an astronaut. But the accident depicted in this poster is what made me get over that really quickly. What if you have drifted away from your shuttle? How will you get back, can you even get back? 

I like the poster, it gives a good representation of that fear. But I am not feeling the 'Don't Let Go' logline. It is not a matter of not letting go, it is a matter of don't drift off. And even then, it is a matter of 'watch out for exploding parts from the satellite that will make you drift off". 

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The Redemption of General Butt Naked 

If the title did not bring you here, I do not know what could. Perhaps the poster, which is pretty decent too. The Redemption of General Butt Naked is a documentary about a former warlord who led an army of troubled youngster, who would do their fighting naked. Earning them the title of the Butt Naked Brigade. Now the former warlord is trying to make amends for the horrors he is responsible for. He has joined and preaches at a church, visits the victims of his crimes and tries to help the youths he used to use in battle. And I believe it comes somewhat across in the poster. The way he looks up into the light – finding his religion, seeing the wrongness of his doings – combined with the former army attire he is wearing, brings across the two-sidedness of the man. I might have chosen just the first part of the title 'Redemption of a General', but I can understand that the title would help bring in a crowd that is just curious why he is called Butt Naked. That would just get them over the edge to see the trailer and watch the film. I am a bit confused about the prison-cell he is in though. Because from what I get from the trailer, he never seemed to be convicted for his crimes. 

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Luv

This film has two posters in circulation that I have seen. With two different taglines as well: 'follow your hero or become your own man' and 'sometimes you only have a day to become a man'. Of the two, I find this one the strongest. Mostly because the other has a front shot of Common and his facial expressions don't seem to have a lot of range. I also like the 'follow in his footsteps' type of look that this poster has. 

The film is about a young boy who spends a day with his uncle, who is recently released from prison and takes him along on different shady deals. The tagline of this poster seems to suit more with the story. It's not about becoming a man, it's about choosing who to follow. 

Minor disadvantage is the floating head in the background, but then again, I do like the colour pallete. 

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The Rift

I'm not quite sure what we are looking at here. The tagline says 'they are watching us' but I can't make out an eye of some sort. Is it our sky? Because it has a weird colour blue for that.

After watching the trailer it seems that 'they' are a phenomenon discovered by a Russian physicist who mysteriously vanished. This phenomenon shows up in the form of a gremlin gone bad and it is not quite clear if they're from space or have been on earth all along. Yet it does seem from the poster that they are watching us from the sky. 

I feel confused. 

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Such Great Hights

When I was looking at different film posters, this one just sprung out.

The film is a documentary about Jon Fitch and his preparations for a big MMA fight, in the meantime we see the different interviews, fights and struggles of the fellow members of his kick-boxing academy.

The poster doesn't necessarily say much about the story, the responses to it (which is usually the case when it comes to documentaries) or anyone starring in it, that would make it recognisable to certain fans of these MMA fighters. Which is odd because there is definitely a fanbase tied to that sport that would grant you an audience in theaters.

Despite the odd choice for promoting the film, it did caught my eye in the numerous filmposters out there. Unlike Snow on tha bluff, the centre character isn't looking at us, we do not see him in the middle of a fight, or any other activities that would be easily recognisable. The lighting is different than many posters and the water gives it a little surreal touch that gets your attention. Nice to see something different once in a while.

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Despicable me

This. Is. Smart. The best part of the movie were these yellow creatures, so sell your best points. And I am already looking forward to the sequel by looking at this poster. I am not expecting a lot, but I already know that I am going to enjoy it as long as those little buggers are in it. Now we only have to wait till 2013....

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Chronicle

I do not like this. I liked it with the other poster when it was more or less original, but seeing it next to each other...why? There could have been other angles, they could have chosen to not include a car, or not to have the same city background. This was just too lazy. What also annoys me is that Push is about a guy who has telekinesis powers, so he can move stuff with his mind, in Chronicle the boys have telekinesis powers...same powers, same posters.

They have made other posters for this film. Others who are not great either but they had something going that was far more original than this one. I just don't get it. People will notice dear designers, people will notice.

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The dark knight rises

This seems ominous...especially because of the widespread rumours that Nolan is going to kill Batman to make sure the franchise stops with him. It does not change the fact that Oh My God it is THE DARK KNIGHT RISES!! The one we have all been waiting for. No matter what poster they are making, I am going to watch it. But still I appreciate the effort they made on this one. Of course his mask is an iconic image that says it all. And to see it shattered like that.... :'(

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Snow on tha Bluff

So just to let you know, this is what was written in the caption on Youtube underneath the official movie trailer:

My name is Curtis Snow. This is my mutha fuckin movie! It's bout my goddam life, and all tha robbin, shootin, and wild ass shit that happens in my neighborhood, Tha Bluff. That stands for Better Leave You Fucking Fool. And in case y'all are thankin about it, yeah this shit is real! And no, I don't give a fuck about tha fuck ass Police or tha Feds!

But he does have a Facebook, Myspace and Twitter account for the film, makes you wonder how real that shit really is. I have my doubts. Mostly because of the poster. It is too clean, too posed, too directed for a film that is supposedly filmed by a hand-held camera he stole.

The poster on its own is a very strong picture. His face really captured my attention. The harshness of the bad neighbourhood, the intent look in his eyes that tells you he is going to pull that trigger. I like it. It just doesn't sell the film the way the makers are trying to on Youtube. Shame.