Mahershala Ali and Nicole Kidman
All of these covers have two actors together -- and if co-stars are featured, they've been split up (for example, Casey Affleck is paired with Emma Stone, and his Manchester by the Sea co-star Michelle Williams is with Joel Edgerton; his Loving co-star, Ruth Negga, is posing with Natalie Portman). It lends itself to interesting pairs, and given that all of the covers have the headline COME TOGETHER, I suspect W also wants us to think, "huh, those two make a very attractive couple." I cannot deny that is the case here. I do not understand how Nicole had the wherewithal not to make this a more snuggly embrace.
Viggo Mortensen and Adam Driver
This is ALSO a very attractive couple, although Viggo appears to be regretting something, and Adam looks as if he will NOT ALLOW there to be any regrets. (Note: I am, as ever, deeply thrilled that Adam Driver, who I think is a wonderful actor, has become A Thing. He has such an interesting face. This sounds like a backhanded compliment, but it's not: I love his interesting face. I think people's faces are supposed to be interesting.)
Ruth Negga and Natalie Portman
This is probably the...uh, least subtle exploration of the "come together" theme, am I right? Not for nothing, however, both of these women have great profiles AND are wearing fantastic earrings. Something for everyone, truly.
Emma Stone and Casey Affleck
Here, on the other hand, I'm mostly thinking, "Emma, you can do better than CASEY AFFLECK," and then I'm thinking, "I wonder why Gosling didn't do this." (Perhaps for the same reason he never accepts People's Sexiest Man of the Year award.) Affleck, however, does look very connected with the camera here. It's a good photo of them; it looks like a still from a depressing 70s movie about a doomed marriage.
Amy Adams and Matthew McConaughey
Here, Amy looks lovely and it took me an EXTREMELY long time to realize that she's posing with Matthew McConaughey. I don't know WHO I thought he was, so don't ask. Additionally, the composition of this cover is somewhat awkward. She looks as if she's just dragged him out of a koi pond.
Michelle Williams and Joel Edgerton
For my money, this is the most awkward of all the covers. The first four feel naturalistic -- man, I would go see a romance starring Viggo and Adam Driver; I'd go see it RIGHT NOW -- but while both of these people have very attactive faces, I do not and will never understand why Joel's got his hands all up in Michelle's armpits. Is he about to try a complex dance lift? Are they in a movie about sad ballet dancers on the edge of retirement? Does he just worry that her Secret has expired? I need to know.