MovieGoods.com - The Best Movie Posters of 2008


	It is always difficult to choose the “Best Of” in any creative pursuit. We think movie posters are no exception. Some say that movie posters should be judged within the parameters of specific design principles. We are not designers ourselves. We do appreciate good design. Our choices come from being one of a few places anywhere that has exposure to movie posters each and every day. We have been in the movie poster business for ten years and have a website that houses more movie poster images than any other resource online. We see a few movie posters. This year has been fun because the Internet plays an ever increasing role in how campaigns are begun and judged. For the record, some of the movie posters we highlighted are actually for films that are to be released in 2009 but whose posters came out in 2008.


	The Dark Knight 01 02 Impossible to ignore the impact of this movie in the marketplace and the film business in 2008. The respective movie posters were in a league apart also. The “Why So Serious?” poster has been elevated to iconic status. There is a tendency to dismiss or overlook movie posters whose images have become as ubiquitous as this one has. We become so accustomed to seeing the movie poster image that it is almost equivalent to a popular song that has become a huge hit that you hear played over and over again. After I while you start to ignore it or tune it out despite how good the song is. This design will go down in the lexicon of contemporary movie poster design as one of the best ever. The “Why So Serious” movie poster will forever be associated with the pop culture phenomena that the “Dark Knight” has become. All of the posters in this key art campaign were well designed. Cool images within a dark foreboding landscape or backdrop. Another “Dark Knight” design favorite of ours was the movie poster that was made up of a collage of playing cards – Jokers only. View More Details				Star Trek XI 01 02 For all you Star Trek fans this isn’t about Star Trek or the new movie. This is about the design. There are two sets of four one sheets. Each poster has a different character from the film. On their own, each image is very minimalist, bland and unexciting. In fact, not only are the images murky, immersed in wrapping paper-like colors they don’t identify who each character is. When the four individual movie posters are put together they form the new stylized “Star Trek” logo, even more confusing. What were the designers thinking? Maybe they thought there was some whole new light box design to display these as a group in a theatre? What Trekkie has room left on their walls for a 54” X 80” times two display? Very weak effort here, in fact, we have seen nothing yet for theatrical designs for this film that one would call inspiring. Given how cool the latest trailer is the key art so far has really been a disappointment. Let’s hope the design firm steps up its game in the next round. View More Details				Wonder Woman 01 In late October 2008 at the website www.wonder-who.com, an artist and Wonder Woman fan created a whole site to promote the “unveiling” of the new “Wonder Woman” movie poster. In a very clever day by day revealing of more of the image each time he teased the fan boys and girls online. The final image which was released on Election Day, November 4th, showed Megan Fox of “Transformers” fame (think leaning over the engine) as Wonder Woman in the full regalia. The blog-o-sphere was abuzz with tears of joy until a Warner Brothers spokesperson confirmed that the whole thing was a hoax. BUMMER! View More Details


	In Bruges 01 Cool postcard design from Bruges a city as pretty as a postcard. Great movie, one of the year’s best.				Boarding Gate 01 02 03 Set of three styles include bad girl, Asia Argento. Innuendos abound. Bad movie, nice movie posters.				Terminator - Salvation 01 It used to be that the first time most folks saw a new movie poster was at your local cinema. Needless to say, that is certainly not the case anymore. Most of us now see new movie posters for the first time on the Internet. Great ideas always seem so simple when you see them for the first time. Why didn’t we think of that? When you see the new Flash Promo for “Terminator – Salvation” in the form of a movie poster for the first time you would be brain dead if you didn’t think it was cool. This says so much about the designers behind the idea. We are creative, we are cutting edge and we design promos that resonate with the exact demographic who will want to see this film. Don’t be surprised when we start to see a lot more promotions like this one online. View More Details


	Henry Poole is Here 01 02 Referencing iconic posters such as "Che" and Shepard Fairey's "Hope", this poster won’t make anyone want to see this movie anyway. Did anyone see this movie?				Dying Breed 01 Meat pie…makes you think, this has got to be an Australian movie. Aussies eat small meat pies like Americans eat French fries. As such, this image would even be more unsettling to the folks “Down Under”. We always want to rush out and see movies about cannibalism anyway... Don’t you? View More Details				Smoke Jumpers 01 One sheet design for movie in development with Vince Chase and Edward Norton on the HBO TV series “Entourage”.


	Beautiful Losers 01 Beautiful movie poster. The movie poster is from the documentary film of the same name. The film is about the early beginnings of a group of artists in New York (many of whom have subsequently moved on to much more notoriety). Extremely creative movie poster design is from a movie about a group of extremely creative people. View More Details				Man on Wire 01 02 03 04 Unconfirmed rumor is that there are issues over the use of the photograph on the one sheet. The photograph is of Philippe Petit making his miraculous and awe inspiring walk on the wire between the two World Trade Center Towers in 1974. Just a rumor of course but it may explain why all subsequent movie posters produced to promote the film do not use that image. This is a great movie and if nominated should win “Best Documentary”. View More Details				The Bank Job & The Strangers 01 02 Sometimes old is good. This originality lies in the reinterpretation on a former standard in one sheet design.


	Zack & Miri Make a Porno 01 02 03 Not much more we can add to this widely publicized story. The “Cliff Notes” version is that prior to the film being screened at the Toronto Film Festival (Guess then this would be a “Coles Notes” version) the producers were asked to take the one sheet down from display. Apparently the depiction on the poster of the two heads below the waistline shot from behind was considered perverse in the context of the film. What is this world coming to? The other two designs were released as a compromise and a protest. It is time for the MPAA to get a life on issues like this. View More Details				Coraline 01 02 03 View Large Gallery One for each letter of the alphabet. What’s up with these? Are they available for primary school classrooms? Not enough lightboxes in any theater to display all these.



		My Bloody Valentine 3D “Nothing says ‘Date Movie’ like a 3D RIDE TO HELL!" Cool graphics too!						The Unborn Excuse us...You know...like...Guilty Pleasure.



		The Broken / The Stepford Wives Movie poster graphic we've seen before with elements very similiar to the design concept of the 1975 version of The Stepford Wives.						Fanboys / The 40 Year-Old Virgin Movie poster with a similar concept to the poster for The 40 Year-Old Virgin.



		Jennifer's Body / True Blood Identical poster design elements resembling True Blood. What do you think? Is it possible the same design firm is responsible for both?						Pink Panther 2 Are you kidding? They actually decided to a make second one of these with Steve Martin? Talk about bankruptcy of ideas!



		Red Sonja Don’t try this at home with the butter knife!