These Trailers Made Us Excited To Go To The Movies in 2014

This year was a great year for trailers. We got minimalist trailers, fun trailers, jam packed teaser trailers and what the eff trailers. The best kind of trailers make you want to see the movie immediately without giving too much away. So many trailers give too much away. These days we see most of the trailers online the day they come out especially for hotly anticipated movies like Star Wars: The Force Awakens. When was the last time you went to see a movie and were surprised by a trailer? Probably a while ago.

We picked some of out favourites of the year. Check it out!

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Mad Max: Fury Road

This may be the most exciting trailer on the list. The explosions, the eye candy for both people in to men (Tom Hardy) and people in to women (Charlize Theron) and a manic Nicholas Hoult, this makes our jaws drop. Jurassic World and Star Wars: The Force Awakens may have the odds to be the biggest blockbusters of 2015, but we like the idea that Mad Max: Fury Road kills them both.

Inherent Vice

Joanna Newsom’s buttery, buttery narration makes this trailer. How much does she charge for her to narrate our own lives? It shows off director Paul Thomas Anderson’s style and sets up the groovy 70’s vibe of the flick. Plus, this trailer has had us listening to Can’s “Vitamin C” on repeat since it came out.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

This trailer is the one that came the closest to breaking the internet. But, do you really believe that the Star Wars mega corporation wouldn’t have all the server back-up for everyone on the planet and galaxies far, far, away to watch this trailer all at the same time. The trailer introduced us to some of the new characters. Plus, it gave everyone enough to keep our appetites whet, and our speculation wheels turning until the next little tid bit.

Whiplash

If you don’t watch this trailer and just immediately want to see this movie, we’re sorry but we just don’t know how we can help you. The intensity of the movie is perfectly encapsulated in this two-minute clip. If you think it is squirmy watching J.K. Simmons’ jazz teacher berate Miles Teller’s drumming prodigy for 20 seconds, then just you wait until that specific scene is drawn out over what feels like 2 hours. In a good way. Yikes.

Selma

This trailer gives us chills. Just try not to jump at the 1:46 mark. This trailer, like the movie, stands-out because of the incredible way it mirrors what we have been seeing in the news lately from New York, Ferguson and other cities including Toronto. The trailer is also the first peak at how well David Oyelowo nails Martin Luther King Jr.’s voice. He is British in real life! Plus, Oprah. There is Oprah.

Gone Girl

There have been some exciting Gone Girl trailers that came out leading up to the movie’s release. But our favourite has to be the very first one. We may have just been very excited because we have been waiting to see what David Fincher would do with Gillian Flynn’s story. But, what makes this one stand out is the use of “She” by Richard Butler. It is so eerie.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The trailer for The Grand Budapest Hotel has all the style of the full length movie. But what makes this trailer memorable is the speedy run down of the movie’s cast of characters, all in perfect, colourful, Wes Anderson-esque symmetry. Each character is set in a pretty tableaux that says something about their character. Willem Dafoe on a motorcycle. Jude Law in the bath. Harvey Keitel in prison. It is perfect.

Godzilla

There are so many blockbusters that come out every year that their trailers really have to be different to stand out. The best of the big trailers has got to be the first for Godzilla. There is a lot to be said for the teaser trailer. With only a little peak at the monster himself, it leaves a lot to the imagination. Plus, it is scored with that creepy as eff “Requiem, for Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, 2 Mixed Choirs and Orchestra” by György Ligeti.

Birdman

We strongly remember the first time we saw this trailer. We all thought, “What in high heavens did we just see?” Then, “I need to watch this movie now.” The minimalist instrumental version of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” is very haunting. When he walks down the hall in to a surreal foggy ally, things really change. Plus, the first line in the trailer is, “How did we end up here? This place is horrible. Smells like balls.”

American Sniper

You may not have heard a lot about American Sniper yet but chances are you probably will. This trailer follows a tactic that we don’t see enough, simplicity. Most trailers are just jammed full of footage so when a one keeps it simple, it really stands out. The movie tells the story of the most deadly sniper in U.S. history and the trailer shows him doing just that. Or at least preparing to snipe. Very heart racing. Literally… there is a beating heart in the trailer.

Nightcrawler

This trailer is another very simple one that introduces us to the mantra of Jack Gyllenhaal’s weirdo, ambitious character Louis Bloom. This isn’t the official main trailer and was posted online under Louis’ YouTube page with the description, “My video resume.” Something about that just makes it way creepier.

50 Shades of Grey

Even people cynical about the book or the movie probably watched this 50 Shades of Grey trailer and thought, at least for 1 minute, “Okay, this might not be bad.” That is due mostly to the incredible version of Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love.” It is basically sex in a song. The movie also looks very stylish and, ahem, easy on the eyes.

Inside Out

We like it when trailers are just scenes plucked right out of the movie. It is a nice change from the way trailers normally are put together as a montage of key parts of the film. Especially in the age where it seems like so many trailers give away the whole movie. This most recent trailer for the next Pixar film Inside Out is a snapshot of what a regular family dinner table encounter is like, but with a twist. The characters are so adorable.