This piece was written by Sir Simon Milligan

As much as I love films, I’m also an unabashed trailer junkie. Back in the pre-internet days (adjusts onion on belt) trailers were often the first time I would even hear about a film’s existence. They were an essential part of the theatre-going experience for me, and I still insist on getting to my seat in time to watch them. For me, trailers represent an optimistic microcosm in time where virtually any film can look exciting and interesting.

Picking a personal favourite trailer is nearly an impossible task, but I’m going to go with the initial teaser for Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk. In an era where most trailers are almost literally created by an AI-generated formula (not necessarily a bad thing), this teaser bucks the trend somewhat by following a more unique rhythm and incorporating dialogue from legendary author James Baldwin, whose novel was the basis for this film. The filmmakers added even more significance to the teaser by releasing it on what would have been Baldwin’s 94th birthday. Following the success of Moonlight, this trailer did a great job of previewing just how powerful this film would be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgrWtn8kXHE&ab_channel=MovieclipsTrailers

Prompt: What’s your favorite film trailer?