Raja Sen in Mumbai
Poster-making is an art. We all have our favourite posters and each year the people who make movies toss us more to gape at and applaud.
Here are some of my favourite 2011 posters so far:
The Mechanic
What could be more badass than a gun made up of guns? The words 'Jason Statham' right above it.
The title of the film might sound like it has more to do with spanners, but all those bright orange guns and the tagline make it clear that this is a handyman who can do more than most.
Rango
A wide eyed green lizard, Johnny Depp's name as big as the name of the film, and a bright plastic fish right in the middle of the protagonist's arms.
There's no word as to what the film is about, but the poster is clutterbreaking enough to have us interested right from the word go. (Or the word Ran-go, as it were.)
There's no word as to what the film is about, but the poster is clutterbreaking enough to have us interested right from the word go. (Or the word Ran-go, as it were.)
The Adjustment Bureau
We really like Matt Damon, we can't get enough of Emily Blunt, and both look dressed for a gala while scampering across this anachronistically sinister backdrop.
Several shadows of a man in a hat suggest that they're being watched and that they're surrounded, and the overall look is just killer.
Several shadows of a man in a hat suggest that they're being watched and that they're surrounded, and the overall look is just killer.
Paul
Reading more like a bumper sticker than a poster, this bright yellow sticker for alien-comedy Paul plays up the character, a risky move considering the film's stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost could have made for a bigger draw.
But it is Paul's film, and big ups to the makers for sticking with him.
But it is Paul's film, and big ups to the makers for sticking with him.
Thor
It's one of the oldest tricks in the sexy-poster handbook, to desaturate an image -- strip it off its colours -- and then colour in just one element, usually the red one.
But here, highlighting Thor's cloak as opposed to his gargantuan hammer makes us look at the hammer even more. Consider us teased, poster.
But here, highlighting Thor's cloak as opposed to his gargantuan hammer makes us look at the hammer even more. Consider us teased, poster.
Like Crazy
Some films are fortunate enough to strike gold with the very title, and this Sundance sensation is one of them.
And while the title says it all, the keywords above it -- want, need, love, with 'miss' almost faded out -- hint at the story of this obviously warm romance.
And while the title says it all, the keywords above it -- want, need, love, with 'miss' almost faded out -- hint at the story of this obviously warm romance.
Midnight In Paris
One of the most gorgeous posters in recent memory, this one features Owen Wilson not just walking down Paris, the dreamiest of cities, but actually walking down Paris that lies beneath Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night.
The overall effect makes you ache both for the city and for the film.
The overall effect makes you ache both for the city and for the film.
Restless
A young boy and a young girl lying down, looking at each other in that way young lovers do when they can't tear themselves away... but around them are chalk outlines, suggesting death, corpses, murder.
Then comes the tag-line, which asks 'who do you live for?' Perfect, really.
Then comes the tag-line, which asks 'who do you live for?' Perfect, really.
Bad Teacher
We can call a a woman a Bad Teacher, but this poster -- which makes very good use of Cameron Diaz's insanely ogle-worthy legs -- completely shows off the character's attitude, from the apple screaming 'eat me' to Diaz dozing behind her desk in implied nudity.
Where can we sign up for class? Or, better still, detention?
Where can we sign up for class? Or, better still, detention?
Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark
And we wrap things up with a classically creepy horror poster. The glassy-eyed little girl, the half-ajar door, the scarlet background that her dress melts into, and those shadowy hands reaching at her from the top.
Besides the film's artfully scribbled name and URL, the only other words on the poster point to filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro. Which means we should, while being thrilled, also completely disobey the film's title.
Besides the film's artfully scribbled name and URL, the only other words on the poster point to filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro. Which means we should, while being thrilled, also completely disobey the film's title.
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