Posterized August 2025: By the Stream, Stranger Eyes, Harvest, and More

      Even with several sequels (Nobody 2, The Bad Guys 2, Ne Zha 2, and Freakier Friday) and remakes or reboots (The Naked Gun, The Toxic Avenger, and Highest 2 Lowest) coming to theaters, I can't say this month relies on their successes. It’s not like a month dominated by Disney or Marvel. Interestingly, the two most talked-about titles on that list are likely to earn the least (The Toxic Avenger rarely receives a release, and Spike's reimagining of Kurosawa will premiere on Apple TV+ three weeks later).

      Perhaps the distributors are embracing festival season by scheduling some alumni to finally debut in the U.S.? Or maybe it signifies the industry's creative robustness? Unfortunately, it’s likely just a consequence of the numerous blockbusters from July clinging to their screens.

      Whatever the reasoning, the posters below are set to catch attention and lure audiences away from all that spectacle. They might grab some interest, and in an ideal scenario, the work is mostly accomplished.

      **Concealing Faces**

      It begins with the beautifully illustrated poster for Stranger Eyes (limited, August 29). What should be a simple portrayal of a man and a tower of surveillance cameras is given a surreal twist by layering both elements such that the lenses effectively become the man’s eyes. One lens becomes a telescope within his line of sight, while the others act as cyborg-like extensions, suggesting his head is constantly turning to see what's behind him.

      The artistic style injects a comic book vibe into the scene, with a sinister feel emerging from the wall of windows in the background—each a possible victim of the cameras' invasion of privacy. Upon reading the synopsis, the duality of the image becomes clear: the film's protagonist is both searching for his daughter and being observed. The device that could reunite him with her is also the tool used to instill fear in him.

      A Spartan Dream (limited, August 15) transports us back in time with its vintage design. Its large central image is layered above a row of cast portraits, which are themselves above a playful title treatment, all sitting atop a textured beige background featuring visible paper fibers adding a grainy, tactile feel. It’s fitting that the film is set in the 1980s (that cursive headphone jack is telling) and that its romantic adventure utilizes magical realism to lend significance to that imposing Spartan helmet.

      I admire the screenprint quality of the sunset and the helmet’s monochrome silhouette against it, coupled with the contrast of the more photo-realistic headphones covering the helmet's metal ears. Not only are we traveling back to its era—it's also delving deeper into its symbolism. A dream of the past to clarify the present.

      Regardless of the successes of these high-concept pieces, sometimes all it takes is a photo and text to capture a film’s essence. This is the case with Andrew Bannister’s striking poster for It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley (limited, August 8).

      In this image, Buckley leans away from the microphone, hand on his head, conveying an emotional weight beyond the music itself, making it perfect for both the mood and composition. This allows for a striking, off-centered crop that remains balanced, the mic positioned just far enough from his face to keep us grounded. The text above finds just enough space to remain centered without touching his hair, while the title is boldly placed above the entirety without concern for overlap—handwritten and personal.

      There are no drop shadows complicating the superimposition with visual tricks. No artificial elements diminishing this moment of vulnerability. It requires confidence to risk some clarity for the emotional impact to resonate (despite the colors not being entirely conducive to this intent) but also wisdom to recognize that sacrificing some areas in the title block and outlet names (which are already too small) can lead to overall success.

      **Lines**

      For a film centered on an outsider infiltrating the inner circle of an up-and-coming celebrity, the claustrophobic essence of MUBI’s Lurker (limited, August 22) poster deserves appreciation. It's not just the vertically stacked letters of the title acting as small windows through a solid red background. The cropping of the two men—one in extreme close-up to catch an eyeball and smile while the other is pushed slightly out of frame to evoke voyeurism—is also significant.

      The poster showcases impressive typographic composition, with each piece of information arranged like rungs on a ladder leading us downward. The director's name rests just beneath the "U." The Sundance laurels are one letter down. The lead actors follow next. And the tagline takes us to the opposite side for balance.

      Instead of merely racing down the centerline without any reflection, our experience becomes disrupted by starts and stops, resembling a coin on a Plinko board. The decision to arrange the letters this way (rather than rotating the entire word 90°)