Justin's Movies to Watch List for 2014

These are the movies on my radar for 2014 (at the moment). Let's see how many of these actually live up to the potential, maybe even #Oscars:

1. Foxcatcher

Directed by: Bennett Miller

Starring: Steve Carrell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo

Synopsis: Based on the true story of Olympic wrestling sponsor John du Pont (Carrell) focusing on his twisted relationship with wrestler Mark Schultz (Tatum) and growing jealously towards his brother David (Ruffalo)


2. Interstellar

Directed by: Christopher Nolan

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hatheway, Jessica Chastain

Synopsis: Astronauts explore uncharted parts of the universe through a newly opened galactic wormhole


3. Whiplash

Directed by: Damien Chazelle

Starring: Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons

Synopsis: A young musician (Teller) tries to become a top level jazz drummer while dealing with a ruthless band conductor (Simmons)


4. Inherent Vice

Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Reese Witherspoon

Synopsis: A 1970's mystery film following a drug fueled detective (Phoenix) investigating the disappearance of his old girlfriend.


5. A Most Violent Year

Directed by: J.C. Chandor

Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oyewole

Synopsis: An immigrant and his family are trying to capitalize on opportunities while experiencing 1981 in New York City, statistically one of its most violent years.


6. Mr. Turner

Directed by: Mike Leigh

Starring: Timothy Spall, Paul Jesson, Dorothy Atkinson

Synopsis: A look at the last quarter century of eccentric British painter J.M.W. Turner’s life.


7. Into the Woods

Directed by: Rob Marshall

Starring: Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick, James Corden

Synopsis: A musical of intersecting fairy tales each searching for their happy endings only to learn more valuable lessons.


8. Birdman

Directed by: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Starring: Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Emma Stone

Synopsis: A washed up actor famous for playing a superhero (Keaton) attempts to stage a comeback through a play while dealing with inner demons.


9. Two Days, One Night

Directed by: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne

Starring: Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione

Synopsis: After being voted out of her high-paying job so her co-workers can get bonuses, a woman (Cotillard) must convince them to reverse their decision.


10. Gone Girl

Directed by: David Fincher

Starring: Ben Affleck, Rosemund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris

Synopsis: After a wife's (Pike) disappearance, her husband (Affleck) soon finds himself as the primary suspect of foul play.


11. Big Eyes

Directed by: Tim Burton

Starring: Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz, Jason Schwartzman

Synopsis: A look at the life of Margaret Keane (Adams), her success and the legal drama with her husband (Waltz) who claimed credit for her work.


12. American Sniper

Directed by: Clint Eastwood

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Luke Grimes

Synopsis: A look at the life of Chris Kyle (Cooper), one of the Navy SEALS' most lethal snipers.


13. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

Directed by: Francis Lawrence

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth

Synopsis: The first part of the finale as Katniss (Lawrence) joins the rebellion against the Capitol.


14. Wild

Directed by: Jean-Marc Vallee

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Gaby Hoffman, Laura Dern

Synopsis: A woman (Witherspoon) goes on a 1,100 mile solo hike to overcome a catastrophe


15. The Cobbler

Directed by: Thomas McCarthy

Starring: Adam Sandler, Dan Stevens, Dustin Hoffman

Synopsis: A New York cobbler (Sandler) discovers a family heirloom that allows him to see the lives of his customers


16. Fury

Directed by: David Ayer

Starring: Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman, Shia LaBeouf

Synopsis: A battle hardened WWII sergeant (Pitt) commands a tank crew as they push through the Nazi lines


17. The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies

Directed by: Peter Jackson

Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan, Richard Armitage

Synopsis: The conclusion of the trilogy as the group seek to reclaim the dwarven kingdom Erebor from Smaug the Dragon and other forces


18. The Imitation Game

Directed by: Morten Tyldum

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode

Synopsis: The story of Alan Turing (Cumberbatch), the British mathematician who cracked the Enigma Code and was persecuted for his homosexuality.


19. The Skeleton Twins

Directed by: Craig Johnson

Starring: Kirsten Wiig, Bill Hader, Ty Burrell

Synopsis: Twin siblings (Wiig and Hader) coincidentally cheat death on the same day and use it as a way to mend their strained relationship


20. The Theory of Everything

Directed by: James Marsh

Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Emily Watson

Synopsis: A look at the relationship between famed physicist Stephen Hawking (Redmayne) and his wife (Jones)


21. Unbroken

Directed by: Angelina Jolie

Starring: Jack O'Connell, Domhnall Gleeson,Jai Courtney

Synopsis: Olympic runner Louis Zamperini (O'Connell) endures captivity in a Japanese P.O.W. camp in WWII.


22. The Drop

Directed by: Michael R. Riskam

Starring: Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, James Gandolfini

Synopsis: A robbery gone awry digs up some unwanted skeletons of a neighborhood's past


23. Nightcrawler

Directed by: Dan Gilroy

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Bill Paxton

Synopsis: A young man (Gyllenhaal) gets intwined in freelance L.A. crime journalism


24. The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them (Also Him and Her version)

Directed by: Ned Benson

Starring: Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Viola Davis

Synopsis: A look into a couple's (Chastain and McAvoy) relationship from both perspective as they try reclaim their lost love


25. Kill the Messenger

Directed by: Michael Cuesta

Starring: Jeremy Renner, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Michael Sheen

Synopsis: Based on the life of reporter Gary Webb (Renner) and the consequences he faced after exposing the CIA's involvement in arming Nicaraguan rebels.


26. Mommy

Directed by: Xavier Dolan

Starring: Anne Dorval, Antoine-Olivier Pilon

Synopsis: A widowed mother (Dorval) has her life changed when a stranger (Pilon) inserts himself into her life



27. Selma

Directed by: Ava DuVernay

Starring: David Oyewole, Tom Wilkinson, Tim Roth

Synopsis: A look at the civil rights marches that changed America


28. Men, Women and Children

Directed by: Jason Reitman

Starring: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Garner, Ansel Elgort

Synopsis: A look into the sexual frustrations of today's teenagers and adults


29. St. Vincent

Directed by: Theodore Melfi

Starring: Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts

Synopsis: A misanthropic war veteran (Murray) has his life changed when the son of a recent divorcee (McCarthy) befriends him


30. While We’re Young

Directed by: Noah Baumbach

Starring: Ben Stiller, Amanda Seyfried, Naomi Watts

Synopsis: An uptight documentary filmmaker (Stiller) and his wife (Watts) befriend a younger couple


31. Leviathan

Directed by: Andrey Zvyagintsev

Starring: Aleksey Serebryakov, Vladimir Vdovichenkov

Synopsis: A modern day Russian drama following multiple characters facing the nature of human insecurity in a "new country"


32. Trash

Directed by: Stephen Daltry

Starring: Rooney Mara, Martin Sheen, Wagner Moura

Synopsis: Three Brazilian kids make a discovery in a trash dump that brings the attention of the police.


33. Winter Sleep

(This was the closest thing I could find to an English subtitled trailer on YouTube. There's a superior version here: Winter Sleep English Subtitled Trailer)

Directed by: Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Starring: Ebru Ceylan, Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Synopsis: A family running a hotel in Anatolia finds their animosities rising during an large snow storm.


34. Suffragette

Directed by: Sarah Gavron

Starring: Helena Bonham Carter, Meryl Streep, Carey Mulligan

Synopsis: A look into the early feminist movement and the trails those involved faced

35. Manglehorn

Directed by: David Gordon Green

Starring: Al Pacino, Holly Hunter, Chris Messina

Synopsis: A Texan locksmith (Pacino) recalls his love life

Fargo (TV Series) Review

Fargo TV Series Review 

Justin and Ethan hog the spotlight to say such darn nice things about FX's Fargo. Beware of Babe the Blue Onion on your way out!

True Detective Audio Review

True Detective Review

Justin, Ethan and Christina give you the rundown for True Detective, HBO's new detective drama. Enjoy!

Orange is the New Black Audio Review

Gut Reaction Review of Orange is the New Black

So it has been a long time coming, but our very first podcast review is here! Come listen to Ethan and Christina broadly discuss the first two seasons while Justin listens and often hijacks the review to add his own limited perspective!

2014 Emmy Nominations Reaction

So they nominees have been announced and the fanboy cries for Tatiana Maslani being snubbed again continue. You can't undo the votes though and, because I want to, I'm giving my impressions on some of the big categories this year.

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR A DRAMATIC SPECIAL

American Horror Story: Coven
Fargo
Luther
Sherlock: His Last Vow
The Normal Heart
Treme

My Thoughts: While these are probably the best available in this category, I still say His Last Vow was the weakest of the Sherlock movies this year (it should have been The Sign of Three if you ask me) and American Horror Story isn't really known for its writing. Other than that, all very deserving nominees and I'm just happy Treme is getting love after being ignored for so long.

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR A DRAMATIC SPECIAL

American Horror Story: Coven
Fargo
Fargo
Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight
Sherlock: His Last Vow
The Normal Heart

My Thoughts: Pretty much expected for every nominee, including the double nomination for two of Fargo's best episodes. Didn't expect AHS to make the cut here, though it's more believable than for writing.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE

Kathy Bates for American Horror Story: Coven
Angela Bassett for American Horror Story: Coven
Ellen Burstyn for Flowers in the Attic
Frances Conroy for American Horror Story: Coven
Allison Tolman for Fargo
Julia Roberts for The Normal Heart

My Thoughts: I knew AHS would dominate here, but Frances Conroy? No offense to her because I think she is a terrific actress, but I didn't think she was on anyone's radar for this season. I suspect it's leftover love from her previous (and deserving) nomination for the first season. Other than that, Tolman and Roberts were definitely going to make it. I'm sure Burstyn is great in that show I've never heard of too!

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE

Matt Bomer for The Normal Heart
Martin Freeman for Sherlock: His Last Vow
Colin Hanks for Fargo
Joe Mantello for The Normal Heart
Alfred Molina for The Normal Heart
Jim Parsons for The Normal Heart

My Thoughts: Shheeeeoooot! It's Angels in America all over again. I knew The Normal Heart would take a few spots, but four? I sense a win for one of them just based on volume alone. And I knew it was going to be Hanks who made the cut over Odenkirk because as great as Odenkirk was, Hanks is the other lynchpin for the "good characters" in Fargo and he managed to keep up with everyone else in the cast. And Freeman was a no brainer because come on, who doesn't love him as Watson?

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE

Helena Bonham Carter for Burton and Taylor
Minnie Driver for Return to Zero
Jessica Lange for American Horror Story: Coven
Sarah Paulson for American Horror Story: Coven
Cicely Tyson for The Trip to Bountiful
Kristen Wiig for The Spoils of Babylon

My Thoughts: I'm really not familiar with most of these movies/miniseries to say much, so I assume most of them were deserving. It is kind of funny though that the actual lead of AHS: C (obstensibly Taissa Farmiga right?) was overlooked for the two bigger stars.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE

Benedict Cumberbatch for Sherlock: His Last Vow
Chiwetel Ejiofor for Dancing on the Edge
Idris Elba for Luther
Martin Freeman for Fargo
Mark Ruffalo for The Normal Heart
Billy Bob Thorton for Fargo

My Thoughts: And the nominees for people who will lose to Billy Bob Thorton are...Ok, all joking aside, BBT should win this category. That said, this is an incredible list full of strong performers. It'll be a tight race for anyone to try dethroning BBT or even just place second in the voting.

OUTSTANDING TELEVISION MOVIE

Killing Kennedy
Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight
The Normal Heart
Sherlock: His Last Vow
The Trip to Bountiful

My Thoughts: You know The Normal Heart will win. I know The Normal Heart will win. The others are just happy to be on the list.

OUTSTANDING MINISERIES

American Horror Story: Coven
Bonnie & Clyde
Fargo
Luther
Treme
The White Queen

My Thoughts: Bonnie & Clyde? I didn't think anyone really cared for that show. I guess there will always be one popular WTF choice every year (like The Bible a while back). And I'm happy Treme is finally getting the recognition it has been missing for so long. Still, I'm putting my money on Fargo.

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Uzo Aduba for Orange is the New Black
Laverne Cox for Orange is the New Black
Joan Cusack for Shameless
Tina Fey for Saturday Night Live
Natasha Lyonne for Orange is the New Black
Melissa McCarthy for Saturday Night Live

My Thoughts: Wow! Talk about showering Orange is the New Black with a butt load of love this year. It's all very deserved though and all three of these actresses were great on the show. The other three nominees are kind of expected on this list, so not much to comment there.

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Steve Buscemi for Portlandia
Louie C.K. for Saturday Night Live
Gary Cole for Veep
Jimmy Fallon for Saturday Night Live
Nathan Lane for Modern Family
Bob Newhart for The Big Bang Theory

My Thoughts: Wow....this was a pretty great selection. Some of the best comedy talents on TV all on one shortlist. I'm not even sure who to pick!

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES

Episodes
Louie
Orange Is The New Black
Silicon Valley
Veep

My Thoughts: I guess I should actually watch Episodes at some point since it keeps getting nominated for writing and directing. All great picks here, so it wouldn't be a bummer to see any of them win.

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES

Episodes
Glee
Louie
Modern Family
Orange Is The New Black
Silicon Valley

My Thoughts: I'm glad there was some newcomer love given to Silicon Valley this year and it wasn't just Orange that dominated. I'm still baffled at why Glee keeps making the cut, but whatever. Everyone else I'm fine with.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Mayim Bialik for The Big Bang Theory
Julie Bowen for Modern Family
Anna Chlumsky for Veep
Allison Janney for Mom
Kate McKinnon for Saturday Night Live
Kate Mulgrew for Orange Is The New Black

My Thoughts: Who the heck is Kate McKinnon and how come I've never heard of her before now? I'd like to be happy for her nomination, but I seriously just don't know a thing about her. Bowen and Bialik are the safe picks so of course they made the cut. However, I am SO happy Mulgrew is on the list because I adore her on Orange. It's going to be a very tough race this year!

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Fred Armisen for Portlandia
Andre Braugher for Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Ty Burrell for Modern Family
Adam Driver for Girls
Jesse Tyler Ferguson for Modern Family
Tony Hale for Veep

My Thoughts: There is a part of me that's really sad that Eric Stonestreet has fallen out of Emmy favor over the last two years. That said, these are all very worthy picks (though I don't know a thing about Fred Armisen). It depends on if they want a reliable favorite or go the route last year and pick a worthy newcomer like Braugher.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Lena Dunham for Girls
Edie Falco for Nurse Jackie
Julia Louise-Dreyfus for Veep
Melissa McCarthy for Mike and Molly
Amy Poehler for Parks and Recreation
Taylor Schilling for Orange Is The New Black

My Thoughts: Are people seriously not tired of Melissa McCarthy yet? I'm sorry, but I don't think she deserved to be on this list over other more worthy nominees. And while I still can't understand the unending love for Edie Falco and Lena Dunham, I'm happy for the other three being recognized. Schilling was the breakout performer of the year in this category and I will never tire of Louise-Dreyfus in anything!

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Don Cheadle for House of Lies
Louie C.K. for Louie
Ricky Gervais for Derek
Matt LeBlanc for Episodes
Jim Parsons for The Big Bang Theory
William H. Macy for Shameless

My Thoughts: Holy heck! Gervais and Macy out of nowhere for the surprise nominations. Hooray! I am super happy they got in over freaking Andy Samberg. I don't know why they keep nominating Cheadle for a show no one seems to watch, though I could say the same for Episodes. And please....please...someone explain to me why Parsons keeps being nominated. Why does he just get some kind of automatic pass for that show every year? I mean, The Normal Heart I can take because it is something different from him, but maybe give someone else a chance. Louie is Louie so I have no qualms there.

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES

The Big Bang Theory
Louie
Modern Family
Orange Is The New Black
Silicon Valley
Veep

My Thoughts: Now if only one more great new comedy could have bumped Big Bang Theory off the list (why couldn't it have been Brooklyn Nine-Nine?) then this would have been a flawless selection. Glad to see the love given to Silicon Valley and Orange!

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

Kate Burton for Scandal
Jane Fonda for The Newsroom
Allison Janney for Masters of Sex
Diana Rigg for Game of Thrones
Kate Mara for House of Cards
Margo Martindale for The Americans

My Thoughts: A solid list of solid actresses that could all stand an equal chance of winning. No complaints.

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA

Dylan Baker for The Good Wife
Beau Bridges for Masters of Sex
Reg E. Cathey for House of Cards
Paul Giamatti for Downton Abbey
Robert Morse for Mad Men
Joe Morton for Scandal

My Thoughts: As much as I have fallen off of Downton Abbey, I do love seeing Paul Giamatti get love here. Such an underrated performer! I'm not terribly familiar with the rest of the nominees' work on their shows, but I'm happy to see that they seem very deserving.

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES

Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad
Game of Thrones
House of Cards
True Detective

My Thoughts: Is there any good reason why Mad Men isn't here anymore? Are people just that tired of seeing it win all the time? It's not like the show became badly written at any point! Other than that though, all four of these shows deserve every bit of recognition for respective episodes.

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES

Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
House of Cards
True Detective

My Thoughts: Mostly great picks. I'm surprised that Tim Van Patten (Boardwalk Empire) continues to be nominated for being Tim Van Patten (as talented as he is) and that Downton is still getting all this recognition. However, I say it's a fight to the death between Cary Foji Fukunaga for True Detective and Vince Gilligan for Breaking Bad no matter who else is nominated. Also, I'm so happy that Watchers on the Wall was the episode picked from Game of Thrones for this category. The amount of staging and coordination to pull off that episode deserves kudos.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Christine Baranski for The Good wife
Joanna Froggatt for Downton Abbey
Anna Gunn for Breaking Bad
Lena Heady for Game of Thrones
Christina Hendricks for Mad Men
Maggie Smith for Downton Abbey

My Thoughts: Could we just retire Maggie Smith from this category? Everyone loves her and I understand that, but seriously. Other than that, big surprise for finally giving Heady her overdue love and solid picks everywhere else.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Jim Carter for Downton Abbey
Josh Charles for The Good Wife
Peter Dinklage for Game of Thrones
Mandy Patinkin for Homeland
Aaron Paul for Breaking Bad
Jon Voight for Ray Donovan

My Thoughts: I know Carter and Patinkin are the glues that hold their respective shows together, but seriously one of them should have been pushed aside for Dean Norris to get recognition for Breaking Bad. Other than that, everyone else deserves their recognition before Dinklage wins the Emmy again this year.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Lizzy Caplan for Masters of Sex
Claire Danes for Homeland
Michelle Dockery for Downton Abbey
Julianne Margulies for The Good Wife
Kerry Washington for Scandal
Robin Wright for House of Cards

My Thoughts: I think Dockery is one of the most classically beautiful women I have ever seen and a terrific actress, but maybe it was time to actually give Tatiana Maslani her due instead. Oh well...everyone else is absolutely deserving, even Danes for the remarkably diminishing returns for Homeland.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Bryan Cranston for Breaking Bad
Jeff Daniels for The Newsroom
Jon Hamm for Mad Men
Woody Harrelson for True Detective
Matthew McConaughey for True Detective
Kevin Spacey for House of Cards.

My Thoughts: All terrific actors and all equally terrific in their parts. It's McConaughey's to lose though no matter who was nominated. Maybe Hamm will finally win next year once McConaughey and Cranston are out of the picture.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES

Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
House of Cards
Mad Men
True Detective

My Thoughts: I wish something else took Downton Abbey's place, but I'm happy for all of the nominees. It just goes to show how much good television is out there.

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For a complete rundown of all the nominees, check out the Emmy website here: http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners

Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special - See more at: http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2014/writing-movie-miniseries#sthash.2FssX9I3.dpufOUT

Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special - See more at: http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2014/writing-movie-miniseries#sthash.2FssX9I3.dpuf

The Best 20 Trailers of E3 2014

This is a late article, but better to get it done now than even later...

E3 has come and gone. And I got to say...it was a pretty great year. The emphasis was almost exclusively on the games (though very few PC or 3DS games as friends have noted), which was great after last year when it was all about the new consoles. The conferences on the whole were really fun too, except for EA of course (either have finished games to show off or don't show them at all!).

So for this post, I will list my picks for the twenty best trailers and five best demos I saw at this E3. To distinguish, I define demos by substantial time given to the gameplay that highlights someone actually playing it. A trailer can include gameplay clips, but if it is edited to be more a trailer in presentation. Other than that, a trailer is pretty easy to define, whether it is a gameplay footage, live action, pre-rendered cinematics or whatever the case.

So with that, let's watch some trailers:

Top 20 Trailers


20. The Last of Us Remastered


This one, along with the next trailer, is at the bottom for technically cheating. It seems a bit underhanded to pimp out remastered versions like this at a big convention like E3. It’s still a solid trailer if you can handle the fact that they spoil huge moments from the game (which they specify in the trailer for some weird reason(…then SPOILER ALERT.

19. Grand Theft Auto V (Remastered)

Hey look, another Rockstar trailer. These guys are among the best trailer editors in the business and even a remastered version of their recent hit gets a special trailer. Great song choice, imagery and overall flow to highlight what will make this version great.

18. Destiny

Ok…so after getting my hands on the alpha for Destiny (thank you Ethan), I’m a little more positive in Destiny’s capabilities to be fun. I haven’t quite been blown away yet though and the trailers aren’t doing much to improve it. Not to say they are bad trailers, but they are just solid if unremarkable previews of the gameplay.

On the flipside, it is great news to learn that everyone’s favorite Lannister Peter Dinklage will be your guide through the entire game! I had just assumed he would be a bit part like most celebrity roles in these kinds of games, but was I proven wrong. He was the highlight of the trailer and made it more memorable in my eyes.

17. Halo: The Master Chief Collection

The Halo 5 trailer last year was my best in show pick just for how epic, beautiful, and well crafted it was. This one…less so.

Not that it isn’t pretty to look at, nor that it isn’t a happy surprise that Keith David is reprising his Arbiter role. It’s just that seeing a remastered version of the Halo 2 cutscene where Master Chief destroys the Covenant cruiser is good, but nothing spectacular. It’s more a promo than a proper trailer, but it does get you super excited for this incredible deal!

16. The Crew

It’s a trailer that excels almost exclusively in its simplicity. All we do is watch a fast motion clip of cars driving, but something about this image blended with the soft music is disarmingly soothing. It really gives the feeling of being on a road trip/race with your friends, which I assume is the developer’s exact intention.

15. Magika 2

It is easily one of the funniest trailers to come out of the convention. It manages to keep the cheeky vibe of the Magika series while promoting the values of the upcoming game flawlessly. Plus, you got to feel sorry for the poor kitty!

14. No Man Sky

This is only not a demo because it wasn’t really played when it debuted at its press conference and because of how the music combined with the compressed footage. There, that’s my reason.

This is certainly one of the strangest titles to come out of E3, but not for bad reasons. Other than almost making me go blind by its bold color choices, it also highlights incredible ambition with the gameplay on display. I may not be in love with it like everyone else, but I am intrigued.

13. Ori and the Blind Forest

It’s not a radically terrific trailer, but it has the visual style and playful tone that makes me eager to see how this game turns out. For some reason, I got a very distinct Miyazaki vibe.

12. Inside

Limbo is a terrific little indie game; so hearing that its developers have a new game coming immediately draws my attention. And sure enough, this moody, artful and suspenseful trailer has got me so eager to check it out.

11. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

This game continues to look like a heck of a lot of fun. While the trailer didn’t exactly do anything wow worthy, it is a solidly put together glimpse into the story and play style of this acclaimed action series. Plus, it looks freaking pretty in motion and there’s still another year of polish to go!

10. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Metal Gear trailers should wow us in the very least. Whether it’s the story, the characters, the set pieces or just the visuals alone, we should walk out of a trailer feeling like we saw something we never have before. And while this one does have some gorgeous visuals and the frightening image of Big Boss rubbing someone’s ashes on his face (the heck?), it was a great trailer but it lacked those memorable moments.

The biggest issue, in my opinion, has been the whole jukebox style of trailers Kojima has done for this game. Most of the trailers have been highly stylized, visually impressive displays of gameplay set to whatever song Kojima has on his iPod. It ends up being a pretty music video rather than a trailer that sells us on gameplay and story, which there’s surprisingly little of in this trailer. Where last year’s highlighted a lot of ambitious story bits and gameplay concepts, this one is just a reminder that it looks pretty.

That said, that pretty factor is still as impressive as it ever has been. The facial animations, the camerawork, the lighting effects and everything else is jaw-dropping. Metal Gear games pride themselves in pushing a console’s hardware to the limits and this game will do just that. All that the game has to do now is sell us on the story and maybe I’ll have a bit more enthusiasm.

9. Rise of the Tomb Raider

This reboot’s first entry was a fantastic game that is finally getting the love it should have gotten from the get-go. With all the talk about how it “underperformed” in sales, I feared we would never get a sequel to see where the story goes from here. Happily, I stand corrected.

It’s a very well produced cinematic, but it scores points mostly from the emotional content. We see Lara talking to a shrink about the stuff that happened in the first game, which is good because her shift into psycho killer mode was a bit surreal in terms of story. However, it is clear that this Lara is evolving into the version we remember from the early games minus the sex appeal. Just listening to her final lines makes me excited to see what directions this story goes.

 

8. The Division

This is another of those games I’m not entirely sold on, but the trailer is definitely a labor of love. The time-lapse mechanic is used with some refreshing twists to show the emotional trauma of whatever it is that caused this apocalypse. And while it never showcased any one character, it did give a good feel of the cooperative element the game is banking on.

It looks as gorgeous as any pre-rendered trailer should too. Every little effect is rendered superbly here, whether it’s snow, fire, or the gruesome looking blood. It also shows how far we’ve progressed in facial animations in even smaller games, though there’s one trailer later on that will top anything else on the list.

So yeah, still not sure about the game, but I’m glad this trailer was as good as it was.

 

7. Abzu

If there were a video game trailer equivalent for soothing elevator music, this would be it. The moment the music picks up and the stunningly artistic visuals are put on display, I felt a sense of calm wash right over me. You really feel like you’re pulled into this underwater world full of colorful images. I still have no clue what it’s “about” (if it’s about anything), but it was one of the standouts in the artsy trailer crowd.

6. Valiant Hearts

Of all the “sad and poetic” trailers that came out this year, this one was the most effective. Oddly, it’s the cartoon design that made it more emotional. Where most trailers get their pathos from the de-saturated look, this one uses an expressive and “cute” palette to contrast the horrors of WWI as they really are. It doesn’t hurt that the animation is just gorgeous, almost like Castle Crashers without the exaggerated comedy designs.

And while the game doesn’t really make the actual gameplay clear (is it an adventure game or what?), it sells itself on emotion and story. There’s a definite War Horse vibe in following this service dog as he’s passed from soldier to soldier, recounting their stories and letters of their experiences. Or at least I’m assuming that’s the gist of what’s going on. Either way, it sounds like a compelling presentation of an era we don’t see enough of in gaming.

5. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Talk about gorgeous trailers. I almost couldn’t hear the dialogue being spoken because I was in such awe over how breathtaking the visuals were. Naughty Dog has been a frontrunner in this department for a decade and this is just...I don’t know how they do it. These were some of the most realistic and expressive facial animations I have ever seen…and I played The Last of Us.

The only thing that knocks this trailer slightly is that it’s too short. It’s just a teaser, but I still don’t really have a feel on what kind of game this will be just yet. The one thing I want most is for this to feel different than the last game, which I feel slightly suffered from a “been there already in Uncharted 2” problem. The title “A Thief’s End” is certainly ominous though, so we shall see what happens.

4. Dead Island 2

Simple in its concept and elegant in execution, this is one of those fun trailers that keeps you entertained even when you remember that it’s just another zombie game. Unlike the excellent but misleading trailer for the first game, this one exactly sells the tone for what to expect. It just feels like fun as we watch this neighborhood and our central character slowly transform into a zombie nightmare. So yeah, it didn’t really wow me, but it is just fun to watch.

3. Assassin's Creed Unity
 

It’s definitely an Assassin’s Creed trailer with everything we expect them to have (pretty pre-rendered visuals, an anachronistic song choice, lots of stabbing, at least one jumping moment). However, where last year’s trailer failed to gel these elements together into a memorable trailer, this one stood out for creating a haunting, mesmerizing look at the French Revolution.

The biggest praise for this has to go to Lorde’s cover of “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” While it is a bit counter intuitive to the motive of the assassins, it somehow fits the bleak vibe the story of the trailer is going for. The minimalist music and chant-like pacing feel scary when mixed with this scene of a civilian uprising against what I assume is the Bastille or something similar. The trailer is also edited fantastically to hit all the right beats of the song to emphasize narrative points. Aesthetically, the song was an inspired choice.

However, the trailer is also effective in selling the co-op experience this new game is aiming for. I’m not sure how well it will play out, but it really gave the feeling of a united experience to tackle an objective. It also continued to sell the idea of these assassins being the greatest fighters ever, even if the actual gameplay isn’t always as hectic.

2. Bloodborne

While I am not a huge Dark Souls fan (not because they’re bad but because it tests the patience of a usual patient man like me), this trailer had my full attention when it debuted. Something I’ve always admired about the games of Hidetaka Miyazaki (the Demon/Dark Souls mastermind) is the gothic art design he infuses into them. This was probably the freshest and best work I’ve seen so far, with a Victorian nightmare aesthetic that looks like the nightmarish alleys behind Sweeney Todd’s barbershop. And when you see the creature design…*shudder* chillingly effective.

Once we see the main character come into play, however, things continue to pick up. The sight of hacking monsters with that giant shaving razor (tell me you didn’t think that when you saw it) and the blunderbuss shotgun shows off some much potential for fun. If it’s maybe slightly more forgiving than Dark Souls in telling you where to go, I may have to actually try it out.

 
1. Far Cry 4

It started the Ubisoft convention with a bang and I’m still thinking about it since then. One of the many great things about this trailer is how much it gets you into the story. In the five minutes we watch, we understand where we are, who we are, who the villain is and how brutal things will become. All trailers should get you to care about what’s happening and this one sells its premise in spades.

All of this is aided by a spectacular performance from Troy Baker as the new big bad Pagan Min, an obvious but welcome stand-in for Vaas from Far Cry 3. Unlike that psychotic pirate though, Pagan seems to be a different kind of evil that feels more powerful. He’s not just some ruthless hobo with a shotgun. He’s the leader of this whole area. You can feel it in the way he acts, the way the soldiers respond to him and his…fabulous attire. Also, it takes a bold criminal to take a selfie of the two of you while completely covered in blood from a fresh murder.

And, needless to say, the trailer was so gorgeous. Not THE most impressive visual display of the year (that’s between Batman and Uncharted), but it shows a lot of promise for what is to come. Fluid animations, dynamic lighting, a solid frame rate and expressive character design really go a long way in any game.

So all of this combined, plus a nice end song choice, made this the trailer that most impressed me this year.