Nina Forever
Like the film it is showcasing, the trailer for Nina Forever is a little offbeat, but there really is no other way to describe Ben and Chris Blaine’s romantic horror dramedy. From the moment Nina (Fiona O’Shaughnessy) enters the picture the trailer enters a gloriously manic state until its perfect final shot.
Blair Witch
Say what you will about the film (I liked it quite a bit), but you can’t deny that the trailer revealing that, The Woods was actually Blair Witch is one of the best moments in horror history. With this and 10 Cloverfield Lane, it was a banner year for surprise trailers. The trailer is an effective, if a little spoiler-y, piece of marketing. The moment when the title is revealed inspires genuine chills.
The Invitation
I was fortunate enough to see Karyn Kusama’s The Invitation (my favorite horror film of the year) back in 2015 before it saw a release. In the months leading up to its release this year I became more and more worried that the trailer would spoil moments from the film’s climax. The film is incredibly slow, so it could have been tempting for a studio to show some of the money shots. Luckily the trailer for the film didn’t go that route, opting to mirror the film’s escalating dread perfectly.
