Movie posters are an anomalous and fascinating form of advertising. In their simplest form, they serve a fairly straightforward purpose: to inform the public of the existence of a new film and to attract potential audience members. However, advertising a movie is not like advertising a product such as a car: a film is a complex, multi-faceted work of creative expression, not a material commodity. Thus, designers have to find a clever way to condense the essence of the film into one single, concise image, while also conceding to the necessities attracting audience members - presenting credits and release dates, emphasizing the presence of famous actors or the involvement of well-known directors and producers, and so on. In their best form, movie posters are much, much more than simple advertisements: they are an extension of the film itself, as integral as the film's title in representing it as a complete work of art. Some of the best posters are works of art in and of themselves, featuring beautiful artistic renditions or otherwise strikingly clever and often times beautiful imagery meant to capture the spirit of the film they are representing. All of the posters mentioned in this article succeed in doing just that: representing the films they advertise as well as operating as beautiful works of art in and of themselves. These are the top 20 movie posters of 2012.
Honorable Mention: Stoker
I didn't want to include this one in the main list because the film it is advertising is being released in 2013. However, I simply could not ignore the intricacy and beauty of its Gothic imagery. It is a simple but striking design, with beautiful hand-drawn craftsmanship on full display. (which will be a recurring theme in this list, as you will see). Subsequent posters for the film will inevitably feature images of the film's stars front and center, but I can't help but admire the restraint and artistry in this teaser.