What makes a trailer great? It’s like asking “what makes a movie great?” The fact is that there is no one answer, nor is there a list of ingredients. The magic is simply in the alchemy.
I consider myself a movie trailer addict, and the best trailers I saw this year represented a wide range of movies, from huge blockbusters to forgotten indies and award-winning documentaries. Almost every trailer on this list featured good music, a good hook, a strong cast and well-chosen beauty quotes from critics. Quotes are actually an underrated tool in a trailer’s arsenal, as they can be quite effective when properly deployed, as seen in trailers forSound of Metal,Jungleland,MinariandThe Killing of Two Lovers.
While Warner Bros. took the top two spots on this list, you won’t find any of theTenetorWonder Woman 1984trailers on here, as the studio never quite found a way to sell either film beyond pure spectacle.Tenetboasted one of the year’s best scores fromLudwig Goransson, but hey, he doesn’t have 35 million Instagram followers likeTravis Scott, whose song “The Plan” was a truly terrible fit over the film’s final trailer, indicating that Warners' already-departed marketing department was simply grasping at straws. Likewise, where’s the emotional hook in theWW84trailer? We got a lot of ’80s jokes about parachute pants and some terrible-looking CGI courtesy ofKristen Wiig’s Cheetah, but there wasn’t enough of that awesome theme fromHans Zimmer.
Meanwhile, a bunch of strong trailers for 2021 movies were releasedlastDecember outside of the eligibility window for this list, includingTop Gun: Maverick,No Time to Die, andGhostbusters: Afterlife. So keep that in mind, and feel free to let me on Twitter which trailers released over the past 12 months were your favorite.
Before I unveil the official list below, I wanted to highlight 10 honorable mentions, in alphabetical order:Fatman,The French Dispatch,The Green Knight,The Mauritanian,Mope,Run,Shadow in the Cloud,The Shadow of Violence,Spiral: From the Book of Saw, andThe Truffle Hunters. And with that, here are the top 20 trailers of 2020.
20. Dune (WB)
The fact that this supersized trailer is more than three minutes long underscores the idea thatDuneis a true epic, replete with golden-hued studio logos. The trailer leads with its best assets upfront – rising young starsTimothée ChalametandZendaya. Within just a few seconds, this trailer has already captured the zeitgeist, set up a mystery (“what’s in the box?"), offered a grand sense of scope (ships floating in the sky), and introduced us to a galaxy of Hollywood stars, from a beardedOscar Isaacand a badassJosh Brolinto an evil-lookingDave Bautistaand a very huggableJason Momoa, the latter of whom urges his fellow warriors to “fight like demons.”
TheDunetrailer is set to an appropriately epic-sounding cover of Pink Floyd’s “Eclipse” that seems to convey the film’s life-and-death stakes (“all you feel and all that you love”) as all of civilization hangs in the balance. Introducing themes of fate and destiny, this trailer trailer does a good job of establishing that the world rests on Lord Chalamet’s small, slender shoulders, and no one, not even Aquaman on bended knee, can take his place as its savior. The trailer climaxes with abig sandworm set piece, because if you’re going to spend the kind of money that Warner Bros. and (mostly) Legendary spent onDune, you might as well advertise the spectacle. On that front, this trailer has to be seen as a success, though we’ll see if the spice flows in October, or whether a fearof theaterswill be the mind-killer.
19. Unhinged (Solstice Studios)
This is the kind of effective trailer that lets you know exactly what kind of movie you’re in for by the time it ends. The trailer opens, appropriately enough, in traffic. We’ve all been there. The blaring car horns are interrupted by the familiar opening chords from a bad cover – there are no good covers – of Nirvana’s “Heart-Shaped Box.” Then we’re introduced to a sweatyRussell Crowe, who explains with a Southern accent that he’d like an apology from a fellow motorist (Caren Pistorius) who he felt owed him a courtesy tap. She says she has nothing to apologize for, and it proves to be the biggest mistake she’ll ever make, because if she’s not sorry now, she will be soon. He’s out for revenge, and he’s going to make it hurt.
Crowe follows our heroine to a gas station where the clerk suggests he’s just “road raging.” But the truth is that he wants to teach this woman a lesson she’s never forget. General mayhem ensues, including a stabbing in a diner, before the title pops up accompanied by that iconic guitar riff. And if you didn’t know thatUnhingedmeant business before, the trailer makes sure of that when a post-title sequence sees a tractor trailer drive right through an occupied police car. Unhinged, indeed. Ticket sold!
18. Our Friend (Gravitas/UPHE)
This trailer had its work cut out for itself because it has to sell a few different tonal shifts, but it navigates those tricky waters quite well. The trailer starts out very comedic, withJason Segelbreaking downCasey Affleck’s motel door fearing his buddy is in trouble. The music is upbeat and happy-go-lucky, which seems appropriate enough for a story of three best friends – two of whom are married. Theirs is a special friendship… but then you find out that Affleck’s wife,Dakota Johnson, has cancer. The couple has a long, hard road ahead of them, but fortunately, Segel is around to help out and play Mr. Mom while Johnson undergoes treatment, even if it means putting his own life on hold.
Maybe it’s because I lost my own mother to cancer a few years ago, but this trailer hit me hard, especially when Johnson starts writing letters addressing special moments in her daughters' lives that she may not be around for in the future. That’s when you realize that this movie may not have such a happy ending. Such is life. You have to take the good with the bad, the beautiful with the tragic. To be clear, I don’t know how this movie ends, but I found the trailer to be life-affirming and wise regarding the misguided way that many folks treat sick people as if they’re already dead, as summed up by Johnson’s concern about how people don’t look at her when they talk to her anymore. That line broke my heart because I know how it’s all too true. This is the kind of feel-good film that may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I’m eager to check it out when it debuts next month.
17. Hillbilly Elegy (Netflix)
Say what you will about the movie itself, but this happens to be a great trailer, one that made me well up with emotion several times. It starts by selling the transformation of two Oscar mainstays,Amy AdamsandGlenn Close, the latter of whom is damn close to unrecognizable. It’s clear thatHillbilly Elegyis about poor people who are struggling, and the trailer positions the film as catnip for Oscar voters. Adams says she’s had a down month, but takes pride in the fact that she always seems to land on her feet… except when she’s being pinned down by the police.
Given the way the actress' voice trembles when she says “I always try,” it’s easy to sense her frustration as a mother. She’s also dangerous, and maybe even suicidal, steering her truck into oncoming traffic with her young son inside. Close’s Mamaw holds her accountable, urging her to “take responsibility!” And that’s when we get The Terminator Speech, which no matter how ridiculous you think it sounds, is one of the most quotable moments in any trailer this year. The trailer ends on a hopeful note of reconciliation as Adams promises to do better and Close reminds her grandson that “family is the only thing that means a god damn.” It’s a strong note to go out on, not just because it’s the truth, but because it communicates the idea that this is a film that is as much about family as it is about addiction.
16. The Devil All the Time (Netflix)
This trailer takes a little time to get going, as it opens with a grim-looking birthday party forTom Holland, who is gifted his father’s gun and calls it the best present he ever got. It looks like it might be theonlypresent he ever got, too. The trailer quickly introduces a narrator who sets up the ensemble, includingJason Clarkeas a perverted photographer,Sebastian Stanas a shady sheriff, andRobert Pattinsonas a manipulative preacher who might as well be a snake oil salesman.
Things pick up once Holland cocks his new gun and asks Pattinson whether he has time for a sinner. The music intensifies and so does the imagery. A couple having sex in a car. A bloody knife. A dog barking from the front seat of a car. Some kind of religious ceremony involving bugs. A fire in a wastebasket. Two feet kicking at air as their owner hangs themselves. And then the cast is introduced by name and the percussion picks up. Stan raises a gun to someone’s head in their kitchen, two people hold guns on each other in a car, and the violence rages on, culminating in a shotgun blast. The title then appears while a gentle but sinister melody plays from some kind of twisted music box.The Devil All the Timemay have ultimately been a mixed bag, but Netflix did a hell of a job cutting this trailer.
15. Candyman (Universal)
This is a terrifying trailer that in its first 10 seconds quickly reintroduces Candyman as an urban legend who will kill you if you say his name five times. Well done. Then we get a 35-second sequence inside a public bathroom where a group of girls partake in that very ritual and get exactly what’s coming to them. It seems that Candyman isn’t just some myth… he’s real, and he has returned to the Cabrini-Green housing project first seen in the original movie. By the timeJordan Peeleis introduced as the film’s producer, a creepy remix of the Destiny’s Child song “Say My Name” starts to play, and it’s a brilliant choice given how the title relates to the film.
We soon learn that “something is happening” toYahya Abdul-Mateen II. Is he turningintoCandyman? We’re not quite sure, but the mirror motif continues to play out – art can be a kind of reflection as well, mind you – and if there’s a bee in the frame, you know a bloody hook won’t be far behind. I chose the officialCandymantrailer over the black-and-white animated prologue that directorNia DaCostashared on social media because that isn’t so much a trailer as it is part of the actual movie. However, wedoget a glimpse of the prologue and it’s one of the many memorable images from the trailer, which culminates with a blood-spattered bathroom, indicating that this new film will be just as gory as its predecessors.
14. Promising Young Woman (Focus)
We actually saw the firstPromising Young Womantrailer way back in December 2019, and while everyone freaked out over the use of theBritney Spearssong “Toxic,” this second trailer is actually more effective because it draws on the discussion that this film generated at Sundance. “Every now and then, a film comes along that ignites a conversation, holds up a mirror, and jolts us awake.” That’s the kind of direct tagline you need for a movie like this, which has #MeToo themes that are obviously timely. You need to make people feel like they have to see this movie, or else they’ll be missing out on “the conversation.”
The trailer also promises “a day of reckoning for everyone,” and that includes other women who are complicit when it comes to matters of sexual assault. Seeing as how the trailer opens with a scene inConnie Britton’s office, it’s clear thatPromising Young Womanis not necessarily aboutCarey Mulligangetting revenge on men, it’s about her holding the entire system accountable. The trailer ends with the title in hot pink font, which implies a certain edginess that this movie certainly has in spades.
13. Never Rarely Sometimes Always (Focus)
From the opening chords ofSharon von Etten’s “Seventeen,” this trailer just hits all the right notes. It starts with newcomerSidney Flanigantelling her friend (Talia Ryder) that she went to the doctor because of “girl problems.” That’s right, she’s pregnant. Her eyes seem to wince as she listens to the sound of her baby’s heartbeat, knowing she’s not ready to be a mom and plans to have an abortion. She feels helpless, as there’s nowhere she can go in Pennsylvania without her parents finding out, which sets up a journey – they’ll have to go someplace else. And when you live in Pennsylvania, that someplace else is New York.
At first, they’re alone and overwhelmed in a big city. She can’t quite get that subway swipe right on the first try. Men leer at both the girls, and later, as one boy kisses Ryder, her hand searches for Flanigan’s in support. We see Flanigan dealing with a nurse who explains that she knows this is hard, and the young actress sells that moment with an absolutely devastating look, at which point “Seventeen” intensifies and the trailer is off to the races. The trailer climaxes with the girls on the beach, indicating that there’s hope for them, and a happy ending awaits no matter what Flanigan decides to do. Finally, we learn the title and its meaning –Never Rarely Sometimes Alwaysrefers to the possible answers to the nurse’s intake questions. The movie itself can be challenging at times, but I can’t imagine anyone cutting a better trailer than the one Focus released.
12. Boys State (Apple)
I never would’ve seenBoys Stateis not for this impressive trailer, which does a good job of selling the unique concept of this documentary while hinting that what’s at stake is nothing less than the future of this country. Do we want a leader who listens to others but stands behind what they think is right, or someone willing to say anything to secure someone’s vote, even if they don’t believe in what they’re saying? Should politicians tell people what theyneedto hear, or just what theywantto hear? It’s also fascinating to see the kinds of young men who are attracted to politics, because they aren’t your “average” teens. I mean, one even has aRonald Reaganaction figure for chrissakes!
These boys may come from different backgrounds, but they all have a passion for politics, even if that means getting their hands dirty from time to time. “A message of unity, as good as it sounds, is not winning anyone any elections,” says one young man. This trailer promises a real eye-opener, and offers a window into how young people think. One leader describes another as “a fantastic politician, but I don’t think a fantastic politician is a compliment either.” The critical quotes are also spot-on, asBoys Stateis at once “compelling,” “entertaining” and “rowdy.” You could say “that’s politics” and you wouldn’t be wrong, but whatever side of the aisle you’re on, Apple did right by this acquisition with this intriguing trailer.
11. Minari (A24)
This is just a beautiful trailer that showcases the heart and humor ofLee Isaac Chung’s period film. Driven by the film’s lovely score, this trailer conveys the hope and the hardship behind the American dream, as the film follows a Korean family who move to Arkansas. Dad (Steven Yeun) is excited, but Mom (Yeri Han) is mortified, giving him a look that says, “what have you gotten us into?” It’s clear that this family doesn’t quite fit in, but it’s not for a lack of effort. And when those dual Sundance cards come up publicizing its Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award wins, you know to sit up and pay attention to this one.
Then the piano kicks in and this kind of enchanting music takes over, and all of a sudden, it’s like you’re watching a Korean-American fairytale. The critical quotes sell the tone – “intimate,” “sweeping,” “it will break your heart.” It’s the small moments that elevate this trailer. You can see Dad’s frustration when he kicks the crate, but then there’s tenderness in the way he touches his wife’s arm in the bathtub. The music swells just as the trailer cuts to the barn burning, and the trailer ends on a comedic note showcasing its secret weapon. That would be the film’s young leadAlan S. Kim, who earlier complained that his Grandma (Yuh-jung Youn) smells like Korea and walks around swearing in her underwear and snoring through the night instead of baking cookies like she should be, and later insists that he’s not a pretty boy, he’s just good looking! Talk about a charming crowdpleaser.
