Best Movie Posters of 2013 (so far) - Top 10

June is creeping closer and the summer blockbuster season is now in full flow. Therefore, it seems appropriate to take a look back at some of the great (and not so great) films we've seen this year and highlight my picks for the best movie posters of 2013... so far.

All of the films in this list have had a theatrical release in the last 5 months and all boast truly fantastic posters!

See if you agree with my Top 10:  



10.) Robot & Frank


Regardless of any negativity surrounding the actual movie, this poster is fantastic. The imagery is unapologetically blunt, which serves as an excellent marketing tool. The design is simplistic yet informative and sets a very heart-warming tone, which is complemented by the tagline:

"Friendship Doesn't Have An Off Switch".

9.) I Give it a Year


The poster design for this movie resembled a generic romantic comedy, which was expertly juxtaposed with the anti-romantic title.


The film itself was a bit hit and miss at times, but there is absolutely no mistaking it for anything other than a "happy" break-up movie. Aside from some narrative faults this was a refreshing take on all aspects of a tired genre.  







8.) Mama

This film was truly terrifying and delivers on the scares and supernatural intrigue that were promised in this poster. The imagery doesn't rely on star-power, largely because this is new territory for Jessica Chastain, which meant her presence in the poster may have detracted from the terror prospect.

The poster depicts a young girl hiding behind a lanky, decaying figure, which immediately emphasises the horror themes within the film. By focusing on a child's fear and innocence, a sense of unease is established, which is highlighted by her apparent dependence on what would typically be deemed terrifying.

7.) Star Trek: Into Darkness

There is a promise of chaos in this poster, which is depicted through the stark contrast of between light and dark (cue title reference). Although there is a focus on returning characters, they are pushed to the background and the focus is shifted towards the film's main antagonist, Khan.

It is also notable that there is no focus on the space travel, which is a very bold move given the source material.

It's a fairly basic poster, but a very effective one.









6.) Spring Breakers

It's James Franco in gangster-mode surrounded by gorgeous girls in bikinis... what more do you want in a poster?

5.) Oz The Great and Powerful

Another James Franco movie, this poster was very reliant on CGI, but beautifully designed. There was no focus on star-power, but given the iconic source material, this visually engaging one-sheet was more than sufficient.

Sadly the other posters focused on star-power and were fairly bland, which is appropriate given that the film was somewhat of a disappointment.












4.) Sightseers

Sightseers was an overrated dark comedy/thriller that generally pleased critics but ultimately promised much more than it could deliver. However, this poster is an absolute gem and successfully summarises the entire film and the satirical tone.

Shockingly, this wasn't the main theatrical one-sheet for the UK but it is by far the best one.

Watch out for a poster analysis on this film in the near future!

3.) Iron Man 3

This poster epitomises everything about Iron Man 3 (good and bad) in a single image. It is a shining example of exactly how to market a summer blockbuster without alienating the majority of genre aficionados.

As a marketing campaign, Iron Man 3 was almost flawless, it effortlessly sustained The Avengers excitement and established itself as an event movie. However, the film fell flat after a certain plot point, leaving many to ponder what could have been.

Click here for a pre-viewing analysis and here for a post-viewing analysis of the poster.







2.) The Great Gatsby

As a marketing campaign, The Great Gatsby is my favourite of the year (so far) and this poster epitomises everything that it did well. It has a very unique and recognisable style that exudes class while accentuating the A-List calibre of the cast without detracting from their characters.

The film was a disappointment and relied too heavily on the visuals to disguise what was ultimately a weak narrative. However, this excellent marketing campaign deserves every bit of success it receives.

1.) Trance

It's perhaps unsurprising that this poster is at number 1, but there is no doubt that it deserves to be there. This is a shining example of a quality poster that is respectful of its audience while finding the perfect visual balance that summarised the film without revealing key plot-points.

This is a fantastic example of how to market a movie, then it's up to the film to do the rest.

Click here for my pre-viewing analysis and here for my post-viewing analysis of the poster.