By now a lot of people have put up what their favorite movies, moments, comics, or TV shows of 2014 were. And yeah, I know IGN did a little Top 14 list of their favorite trailers, but I've had this idea since October and don't know which of us had the idea first. I doubt my list is going to be the exact same as theirs anyway, seeing as how I have two anime on my list.
Oh, I should mention something about that, too. This is a list including both movies and TV shows. The catch? It's only the ones I saw purposefully, the ones I remembered. So even if there was this mega awesome trailer that came out, if I didn't see it, it's not on the list. That said, I do think I'm able to cover several awesome trailers in this list, including a few extras.
Also, these are trailers from 2014, not for 2014. So there are actually quite a few that have to do with movies that are going to be coming out next year. And the Batman vs. Superman teaser isn't on here because there really wasn't much to it. It was cool, but, I'll wait for the real one.
Having said that, let's get three Honorable Mentions out of the way before getting into the list. Honorable Mentions, it should be noted, are in no specific order. So, let's get started with
H3: Justice League: Throne of Atlantis Trailer
The newest installment of the New 52 DC Animated Universe (that's what it is, you can't deny it) sees our Justice League heading into Atlantis because Ocean Master has essentially declared war on humanity by attacking various submarines. We aren't given much reason to that as to why they were called in, but we see in a quick shot that Mera is with the League as they head toward Atlantis, so she perhaps acts as the pseudo-Aquaman until he arrives.
The trailer also promises the origins of Aquaman, and how he comes to join the League. I'm guessing it's going to be similar to how Cyborg's origins were brought upon us in Justice League: War, where there was a greater conflict but his origin was a cool subplot. The trailer doesn't give us much on his origin other than him coming home to a seemingly kind Ocean Master and mother. Probably the coolest image of the trailer is Aquaman donning an outfit similar to Ocean Master, then sheds it to closely resemble his normal outfit. My favorite scene was when they were discussing what to call him. "Everyone online calls him Aquaman." "I hate it." "Aquaman it is!"
H2: Attack on Titan Pt. 1 English Dub Trailer
Outside of a few little clips, we were never given the voice work of the voice actors for the Funimation English Dub. I was impressed thus far with the voice work but wanted to see more action. In the Levi trailer--voiced by the awesome Matthew Mercer--we got to see some Titan action but that was it. This trailer, though, gave us everything. It gave us a haunting then action-packed score along with quick clips to give the tone of the show.
The only major players that talk are Armin, Mikasa, Annie, and then, of course, Eren as he makes his iconic attack on the Colossal Titan. The trailer adds an extra element to the show about surviving the battle against the Titans, as Annie mentions Eren can't become a pawn. A pawn? In what? Ah, but that's for you to find out (and then read about because it is way more explained in the manga following the anime, *wink wink*). Still, the trailer impressed me with the dub work and got me hyped as heck to get both parts (which I did, duh).
H1: Arrow Season 3 Extended Trailer
I would put this on the Top 10 list itself if it weren't for one glaring issue: half of it is a Season 2 Recap. I mean, it's cool as we see some standout moments from Season 2, such as Oliver versus Slade and then the arrival of the Canary, but it has little to do with the other half of the trailer. Even the Season 3 part doesn't promise much as far as plotlines go except for the Ray Palmer one. I would have liked to have seen Laurel training or images of the various archers, such as Komodo and Cupid, that enter the show throughout the trailer. We are given our first real look at Roy Harper as Arsenal as well as the return of Sara to Starling.
What makes this trailer, though, is the extended part. All of the dialogue in the show about Ra's al Ghul is played over as we get a look at the Demon Head himself. He doesn't do anything, but just his presence adds the element of "everyone is gonna die oh wow this season will be epic" to it all. The trailer itself was cool, promising some more interesting action coming from the show, but just the little nudge of Ra's was enough to give us the feeling of impending doom.
Now, for the Top 10 itself!
10. Game of Thrones Season 4 Trailer 1
When the very first image of this trailer is a dragon flying over King's Landing, you're kind of hooked onto this trailer already. And it hardly slows down from there, jumping straight into a cleaned-up Jamie Lannister talking to King Joffrey (HA YA LITTLE PUNK). Most of this trailer puts a lot of tension on Daenarys as well as Jon Snow as they face great challenges. For Dany, the challenge appeared to be building a brand new order for her growing masses. You know, the ones that, at the end of Season 3, were chanting her name and swarming her. For Jon Snow, we finally get confirmation that the Wildlings are going to attack the Wall and that there is pretty much no hope.
Looking back, having watched the season, the trailer shows off a lot of stuff. It shows the Viper versus the Mountain, it shows a bit of Tyrion's trial. I like how it only gives us a small glimpse at Stannis, because anything else could probably be a spoiler. And as much as this trailer shows, not one thing is a spoiler. Even the material they show from the finale is cleverly shown off as spoiler-free. Good job, trailer.
9. Attack on Titan No Regrets OVA 1 Trailer
Yes, we did get the Attack on Titan trailer earlier, but there is a significant difference here with this one. That one was stuff we'd already seen. This one was coming off the hyped heels of a very awesome mini-series and the trailer promised nothing short of it. It featured the same exact, same beautiful animation Attack on Titan has given us and introduced us to the major players in the mini-series: Levi, Farlan, Isabel, and a younger Erwin Smith.
Sure, the stakes aren't nearly as high as the previous trailer, but this one was a breath of fresh-air admist the myriad of confusion over when the next AOT season was going to premiere. It was like it never really left. It's also the first of the mini-series to get an anime adaptation. Fingers crossed for "Before the Fall," by the way. It also, unlike a trailer coming up, features music straight from the show, adding to the fast-paced, action-packed shots we get. It also has one of my favorite AOT soundtrack themes in there, and even showcases the battle between Levi and Erwin in the underground. Talk about hype!
8. X-Men: Days of Future Past Trailer 3
I will freely admit that the first trailer for DOFP was better, but that came out in 2013. Still, though, whereas that one promised an epic battle to save a franchise, this one showed us the action we were guaranteed, as well as some comedy. It gives us sneak-peek into the speedster Quicksilver as well as some of the funny moments between Wolverine and Beast that go on throughout the movie. We also get our first look at the Sentinels.
Overall, this trailer gives off a pretty good feeling of scope. By that I mean it shows the fighting in both the past and future and the struggles both sides face. The highlight of the whole thing, though, is the background music. It's a spin off of Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" that keeps building as the trailer goes on. It's an incredible rock tune, from the 1970s of course, that perfectly matches the atmosphere this trailer is creating. I mean, if Zeppelin is involved, it's probably gonna be good anyway.
7. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Final Trailer
I think of all the trailers on this list (for movies released so far), this one suffers the most. Because it's a really cool trailer, for a really lame movie. There are so many promising things about this trailer, as well as some epic background music to give a grand feel for this movie. It's going to be Spider-Man's biggest battle thus far against an out of control man who can control lightning, as well as balancing a relationship with Gwen Stacey. A quintessential Spider-Man story, that continues some of the events of the first movie with his parents.
The trailer plays to all of this masterfully, as well as some great bits of action thrown throughout. The fight in the clock tower against Green Goblin, the battle at the power plant against Electro, it all looks so cool! It does just what a trailer is meant to and gets me excited for the really intense moments. When the music shifts, too, to a more epic score it helps highlight the big fight that Spider-Man faces. This trailer, too, doesn't give away Gwen's fate like the others kinda do. This one, instead, gives us a better look at some of the villains. But like I said, the pay-off for this...not good.
6. Captain America: The Winter Soldier Trailer 2
They could have easily renamed this the "Winter Soldier" trailer instead of "trailer 2" because that's really what it is. I was very excited when I found out this movie would feature, heavily, the coming of the Winter Soldier, and seeing him in this trailer got me all the more pumped. Most of it is showing off what he is capable of, the danger and mystery that surrounds him. It doesn't give away much about him besides the fact that he poses a major threat to S.H.I.E.L.D.
The trailer also gives us this mysterious thought in the back of our mind that not everything is as it seems, that there is an extra element. Why is the Winter Solider here, we must ask ourselves? The mystery of the first trailer was how the Winter Soldier was able to catch Cap's shield. This one is more along the lines of what the endgame of all of this is, and it was completely unpredictable. It does not at all sacrifice the great power that the Winter Soldier possesses, either, showing him constantly leading troops or going toe-to-toe with Cap. And unlike the previously mentioned trailer, the pay off for this movie was way better.
5. Godzilla Official Trailer
This trailer was very...haunting. Throughout the entire thing, thanks to Brian Cranston's narration, there is a feeling of complete doom and despair. The shots of destruction play to it. And the music that keeps building and building until we get the big Godzilla roar is chilling. Because up until that point, the trailer is only showing us the after-effects of what happens when a giant, killer lizard lays waste to the Western seaboard of the United States.
I really like the references to the past Godzilla films here as well, talking about the 1954 movie and trying to tell us that it is canon. That alone makes someone want to see the movie, just to see how the two movies relate. The trailer also promises a large emphasis on monsters and nature, showing us how they are a part of the world and constantly reflecting on how they are unstoppable, just as nature itself is unstoppable. My favorite moment was when the soldiers shoot the flares and you see the belly of the beast and just how big Godzilla is. All you're left with is, "Well. We're all gonna die."
4. Fate/Stay Night (Unlimited Blade Works) Trailer 3
I'd just watched Fate/Zero a little while ago, and I was wondering how in the heck I was going to watch Fate/ Stay Night as well as if any of those moments were going to reference the newer show. It worried me. But, then, just months later, I found something on the Internet. Yeah, it's entirely in Japanese with no subtitles, but the trailer does an excellent job of conveying what it is about without ever needing subtitles.
The best part of the trailer is the animation, which takes a step forward from the amazing animation from Fate/Zero, as we see all of our main characters sort of just walk by each other. There are subtle references and hints to characters from F/Z returning, such as showing Shirou in the Fuyuki fire and a possible hint at Ilya, but who knows, watch the show. Seeing Saber back was just so darn cool as was the return of Kirei and the redesign of Lancer. The action was fast, the score was intense to add to the action. It promised a great continuation on one of the greatest shows of all time.
3. Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens Teaser 1
This trailer, really, is not very much. Heck, I would have been satisfied had this trailer been solely the Millenium Falcon flying over the sands of Tatooine and it still would have wound up on the Top 10. Why? Because it's freaking Star Wars! But, luckily, the rest of the trailer still has "Star Wars" elements to keep us busy. It features the suspenseful themes of John Williams in the past movies as well as some of the new characters.
Plus, the Excalibur light-saber. At first I was cautiously optimistic of the new design, but when I saw Stephen Colbert explain it to us all, I was optimistic. I can't wait to see whoever it is, I don't remember his name I'm sorry, square off against Luke...if that happens. It has to. We need another Obi-Wan vs. Darth Vader moment in the series. The best part of the trailer, though, is obvious: the "Star Wars" theme playing as the Millenium Falcon dives and flies straight toward TIE Fighters that are screaming through the air like they normally would. Every time I see that I want to get up and scream that it's really happening. Episode Seven is REAL!
2. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Trailer 1
As the final trailer for Middle-Earth, the final installment of "The Hobbit" trilogy needed to have something epic to entice us to go. As if Smaug weren't enough, right? Instead, we get quick glimpses at what is to come in the home-stretch for our company of Dwarves and Bilbo, as the five armies are all gathered for battle on the Lonely Mountain.
Since this is the final piece of the Middle Earth saga, we need something to combine the two stories. So, how about that song that plays when Faramir charges toward Osgiliath at the behest of his father, the one Pippin sings? Just like in "Return of the King," it perfectly matches the scenes being played. This is it, the last stretch, and it's a big battle that could consume all who are involved. Seeing the Dwarves march toward the battle and all of the armies ready could only be matched with such a song. It added an element that put this trailer over the top, for me at least. On its own, without the score, it's a great trailer, showing some of the battle scenes that are to come in the movie as well as a quick shot of Smaug laying waste to Laketown. But it's Pippin's song that unites this trailer to the final installment of the LOTR franchise, and with that connection, it's hard to go wrong.
1. Marvel's The Avengers: Age of Ultron Teaser 1
If you weren't scared because of this trailer, if you didn't feel the impending doom that was coming to Earth's Mightiest Heroes, then I don't know what trailer you were watching. This is the most haunting trailer of 2014, and it captures the tone of everything Ultron is to a pique. It promises nothing more than the end of the Avengers as we know it. From the shots of Bruce Banner running half-naked in a forest to Cap walking among destruction and Scarlet Witch falling to her knees in despair, there is nothing more to get out of this trailer.
The spin on "No Strings on Me" is a memorable one, obviously meant to capture the essensce that is Ultron. I think that Ultron has the ability, and probably will, succeed Loki as everyone's favorite Avengers villain. Because whereas Loki was cool and well-played, Ultron is just going to destroy everything. The image of Thor laying sprawled out and Captain America's broken shield is, in my opinion, possibly not a dream. Ultron is capable of doing those things.
And this trailer teased so many awesome things to us. A possible introduction to Black Panther through his villain Claw, showing off Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch's ability, giving us reason as to why the Baron von Strucker subplot is in the movie. Of course the Hulkbuster suit looks great and I can't wait to see how that fight goes. We're teased a lot of stuff for Bruce Banner, who seems definitely not in the correct mindset to be fighting a robot bent on killing all of humanity.
But by far, by far, the best part of the trailer is the final shot. Ultron, who seems to be towering over everyone, turns to someone, and simply says the words, in his extremely menacing voice, "There are no strings...on me." BOOM CUT TO THE LOGO AND OH MY GOODNESS.
Ultron, my favorite Avengers villain, had a silly look at first, I thought, until I kept watching this trailer. And I realized, pft, his look will probably morph to the typical look. What matters is that this guy is horrifying. And because of that, this trailer hyped me for Avengers 2 like it's nobody's business. I knew it was the best trailer of 2014 way back when it was released, there was no doubt in my mind. It was just a matter of placing everything else.
And so, that's it. The best trailers of 2014. You already know what my favorite movie of the year was (and my least favorite...), so it's only right to give a little more to this year. It was a good one, but there is still one more thing to talk about: seeing as how tomorrow is Tuesday, it's only fitting that I discuss what my favorite anime of 2014 was tomorrow! See you then.
If you want to stay up to date on when I post, follow me on Twitter @seanovan13 and on Instagram @seanovan10.
Also, I'll be starting a new blog that looks at all episodes of the anime Sword Art Online one-by-one, an episode per day, so if you're interested in that, check it out when it starts up on January 1st (wordofsao.blogspot.com).
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