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Twelve coolest movie posters

Anatomy of a Murder movie poster

– by Regan Payne

Each Cannes Film Festival boasts heavy favorites when its line-up is announced sometime in mid-April. This past year, Mike Leigh’s Another Year and Abbas Kiarostami’s first filmmaking foray outside his native Iran, Certified Copy, were considered early frontrunners. As the festival itself wound down, critics were divided between the two films, along with a few others, as to which would nab top honors.

The Croisette, in all its sun-blocked glory, was stunned when Thailand’s Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives stole the show when it walked away with the Palme D’Or, leaving those who had bothered to see it a little bemused, and somewhat befuddled.

The film, directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul (no, I didn’t just make that up), about the delicate balance between this life and what may or may not lie beyond, has voraciously divided critics (as all good art films should). Damon Wise, reviewer for Empire, summed up his feelings shortly after Boonme was announced victorious: “It’s a film that has people in it, and doing things, and there’s all sorts of camera shots and music. Then there’s some end credits which tell you who was in the film, and who made the film. So I think that’s something obviously the jury were looking for.” (The jury was headed by Tim Burton)

Weerasethakul is currently seen as one of the world’s most important film directors, though his films can be maddening in their insistence on its audience to surmise what they will from what they have witnessed. As Wise iterated, things happen, though their greater significance is not determined by carefully choreographed plot points, as many movie going audiences around the world are used to.

With Uncle Boonmee set to brave theatrical distribution, American cartoonist Chris Ware was commissioned to deliver his take of the transcendental qualities of the film. And in so doing, he released this brilliant poster to help trick people into seeing the film.

Chris Ware's poster for the Thai movie Uncle Boonme Recalls His Past Lives

Chris Ware's poster for the Thai movie Uncle Boonme Who Can Recall His Past Lives

As inspiration we offer a dozen of the coolest artist-created movie posters.

12. Dr. Strangelove, Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb – Stanley Kubrick, 1964

Dr. Strangelove movie poster

11. Shoot the Piano Player – Francois Truffaut, 1960

Shoot the Piano Player movie poster

10. Billy Jack – Tom Laughlin, 1971

Billy Jack movie poster

9. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari – Robert Wiene, 1920

Cabinet of Dr Caligari movie poster

8. Le Mepris – Jean-Luc Godard, 1963

Le Mepris movie poster

7. Anatomy of a Murder – Otto Preminger, 1959

(see top)

6. Chinatown – Roman Polanski 1974

Chinatown movie poster

5. Watchmen – Zach Snyder, 2009

Watchmen movie poster

4. Sullivan’s Travels – Preston Sturges, 1941

Sullivan's Travels movie poster

3. The Gold Rush – Charlie Chaplin, 1924

The Gold Rush movie poster

2. Palindromes – Todd Solondz, 2004

Palindromes movie poster

1.  Man with a Movie Camera – Dziga Vertov, 1929

The Man with the Movie Camera movie poster

Don’t see your favourite here, or think we’re nuts? Let us know!

Meanwhile, here’s another very cool list of the best movie posters ever.

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