4) Goodnight Mommy
For a genre often associated with its B-Movie trappings, the best of horror is usually far more artistic than detractors would suggest. Whatever you think of the final product, it’s hard to deny that Goodnight Mommy is chock full of hypnotically nightmarish images that are hard to look away from, and the trailer exploits this to full effect.
A constant sense of unease is threaded throughout the entire promo, building to a crescendo as the images of the boy’s mother become more and more disturbing. It must have been tempting to reveal the emotional finale of the film in some form, but the editors show great restraint here, instead focusing on the chilling atmosphere that Goodnight Mommy evokes, tantalizing us with horrific moments that hold no explanation.
3) The Revenant
Trailers are usually designed to tell us as much information as possible about the movies they’re showing clips from, but after watching the promo for The Revenant, I still have no idea what the story is really about. However, that doesn’t matter a damn bit when the presentation is as stunning as this. From the sweeping landscapes to the intense close-ups, every moment of the trailer is infused with a harsh beauty that stirs something primal within the viewer.
Alejandro González Iñárritu has proven himself time and time again as one of the best filmmakers of our generation, creating daring movies that few would even consider possible. If we were to judge The Revenant based on this trailer alone, Mr. Oscar would certainly come knocking on his door once again. Let’s just hope he swings by Leonardo DiCaprio’s place on the way, too. It was funny for a while, but these constant snubs can’t be good for DiCaprio’s mental health.