My Favourite Movie Posters from 2014

If you can't judge a book by its cover, then what the hell is it there for? The same goes for movie posters, and the purpose they serve. For me, a clever poster with some grabbing visuals and a great tagline is half the job when it comes to selling a movie.

For this post, I've put together a selection of the best movie posters to catch my eye this year. No rankings or 'Top 10', just a handful of those that made me sit up and take notice of an upcoming film. Be sure to let me know what you think, and tell me which 2014 posters you loved in the comments below!

Gone Girl

This poster for Gone Girl really captures the uneasy quiet of David Fincher's pulpy adaptation. The hazy blue colours reflect the eerie Missouri setting, whilst the tickertape across the bottom reveals how much Ben Affleck's character will come under media scrutiny throughout the film. 

My favourite detail, other than the really clever tagline, is the subtle inclusion of Rosamund Pike's piercing blue eyes in the top quarter. Is Amy really gone for good, or [spoiler alert] playing a bigger role in proceedings that previously thought? Lots of layers to this clever one-sheet.

Inherent Vice

I'm not a big Paul Thomas Anderson buff, but this striking poster caught my eye right away. The striking colours (I love the contrasting pink, blue and yellow) really jumps out at you, and the instantly identifiable shape makes it eye-catching in other ways as well (if you know what I mean). 

It's really capturing that 1980's Miami Vice vibe (even if it is set in LA) in a way that is simple, and efficient. I can see this one being destined for college dorm room walls for years to come.

Sin City: A Dame To Kill For

The movie may not have been well received by critics and audiences alike, but this poster for Sin City: A Dame To Kill For is easily one of the best from 2014. And no, I'm not just including it on this list because of Ms. Green's assets. 

I mean, that is one of the reasons but it's also on here because of the awesome shadows from the blinds, the blood red title and the very cool comic-book annotation "I've been especially bad". Great stuff, and it perfectly captures everything the film is about - stylish noir effects, comic-book visuals and sexy femme fatales.  

Nightcrawler

This one really jumps out also, and I particularly like the pop art influenced design. It certainly gives it that edgy, urban LA element that the film was going for. The reflection in Gyllenhaal's glasses are a nice touch, as is the extreme close-up framing.

It's fairly unconventional (it doesn't reveal much about the storyline, the characters or the film in general) but as an atmospheric teaser for one of the best independent films in years, this poster is tops.

Guardians of the Galaxy

The Guardians of the Galaxy posters have been stellar from start to finish (especially that character poster for Nebula - phwoar!) but my pick of the bunch has to be this beauty in all its crazy, space-opera glory.

Sure, it doesn't have the witty tagline from the first poster ("you're welcome"), but the sheer amount of colour and action popping from this wonderfully wacky one-sheet makes it stand out a mile away.

The character poses (I'm sure there is a term for the way they're all stood in a triangle shape) could only be more Star Wars-esque if they'd included a faded, floating version of Ronan/Thanos' head in the background. Again, it suits this film down to the ground, with each of the Guardians striking a great pose whilst surrounded by unadulterated mayhem. Fantastic.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

This one may look simplistic (which is a good thing!) but the real genius lies in the fact that it mirrors the posters from its predecessor, Rise of the Planet of the Apes. 

In both, we have a closely cropped image of Caesar's face - the difference being is that in the latter, Caesar is decked out in full-face warpaint and looks ready for battle, his steely expression hinting at a mixture of both anger and intelligence. 

When viewed as a collection, the posters for the new Planet of the Apes franchise are wonderfully easy to follow and resonant of the themes present in the individual movies. It's clever, and effective marketing that struck a chord with me right away. 

The Hateful Eight

Simple, striking and super cool - this teaser poster for Tarantino's next movie, The Hateful Eight, is destined to adorn the walls of every freshman film student next year. 

There's not much more I can say about this one - it should be instantly obvious just how cool it is!

The Little Death

Last, and by no means least, this ingenious poster for Australian comedy The Little Death gets my vote for being both cheeky and educational. 

It captures the tongue-in-cheek and irreverent tone of the film (which is devilishly witty, so check it out if you haven't already) but also gives away very little - it tells us that the film is going to be raunchy, but we're not sure how. It leaves things as a mystery, and the audience is curious to find out more. All in all, a provocative and eye-catching teaser than perked my interest for this little Aussie comedy.