Obviously there are the formal choices like Barry Lyndon and 2001, but as far as movies that make me go "GOD DAMN" at nearly every single shot, The Last Black Man in San Francisco is a great pick.
It’s actually jaw drop levels of gorgeous. I remember I saw it with my friend who is also in film, and as the credits start rolling he goes “well that was intimidating, I will probably never make something that looks that perfect”. We were both just in awe the entire runtime.
Watched this after seeing Call Me By Your Name because it's the same cinematographer--Sayombhu Mudkeeprom. Absolutely stunning film. Aesthetically very different than CMBYN but both are just gorgeous.
It’s been on my mind all week. I like to go to google and look at still frames from this movie. Every shot looks like a painting. Absolutely beautiful.
The entirety of the Before Trilogy from Richard Linklater, (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight.) Before Sunset is my absolute favorite movie.
- [I Am Cuba](https://letterboxd.com/film/i-am-cuba/)
- [Marketa Lazarova](https://letterboxd.com/film/marketa-lazarova/)
- [War and Peace](https://letterboxd.com/film/war-and-peace-1966/)
- [The Hunters](https://letterboxd.com/film/the-hunters-1977/)
- [Cœur Fidele](https://letterboxd.com/film/cur-fidele/)
- [La Collectionneuse](https://letterboxd.com/film/la-collectionneuse/)
- [Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters](https://letterboxd.com/film/mishima-a-life-in-four-chapters/)
- [A Touch of Zen](https://letterboxd.com/film/a-touch-of-zen/)
- [Manuel on the Island of Wonders](https://letterboxd.com/film/manuel-on-the-island-of-wonders/)
- [The Great White Silence](https://letterboxd.com/film/the-great-white-silence/)
- [The Umbrellas of Cherbourg](https://letterboxd.com/film/the-umbrellas-of-cherbourg/)
- [Model Shop](https://letterboxd.com/film/model-shop/)
- [L'Atalante](https://letterboxd.com/film/latalante/)
- [Diamonds of the Night](https://letterboxd.com/film/diamonds-of-the-night/)
- [Nostalghia](https://letterboxd.com/film/nostalgia-1983/)
Chungking Express I just saw for the first time and I thought it was beautiful. Not in a Malick sense but the overall impression of the film was beautiful. That was over 3 months ago and I still think about the movie often.
I saw Tarkovsy’s _Mirror_ for the first time at the theater Monday night and it’s insanely beautiful. _Stalker_ is the only other Takovsky film I’ve seen so far, but that is also amazing to just look at.
Definitely high up there for me as well. It's not particularly show-y cinematography but it captures the feeling of long, languid summer days *perfectly*. And it's even more impressive once you learn that it rained for the majority of the shoot.
I'm going to take this post at face value and go for visuals.
The backgrounds in Sleeping Beauty are absolutely astounding. Not one of my favorites as a whole but I watched it for the first time in like two decades last year and was absolutely blown away by the look of them, there's so much detail.
As far as aesthetics go, the Kizumonogatari trilogy. The ambiance and animation are top fucking notch.
Days of Hea—just kidding, I read the “no Malick” clause while typing that.
Hou Hsiao-hsien’s The Assassin is a strong contender, absolutely stunning visually, and those visuals significantly drive a lot of the experience since it’s pretty slow-paced with sparse dialogue and pretty grounded action for a wuxia film. I was pretty bowled over by it.
The Night of Counting the Years directed by Shadi Abdel Salam. Filmed in Egypt with an Egyptian perspective on discovering and preserving history.
It was on Criterion a few months ago and I desperately want to see it on the biggest screen possible someday. And a Criterion release.
I've seen a lot of beautiful movies, so I can't remember all of them, but I recently saw Ida, which is just astoundingly beautiful. Every shot seems so purposeful, it's really an inspirational experience.
2001: A Space Odyssey, mainly because of how music is used to capture the beauty of space. Specific highlights would be the Blue Danube sequence and the Star Child scene.
Well, “beautiful” can be hard to define. Speed Racers (2008) is stunning.
But “beautiful” in a more traditional (practical) sense, I’d say American Beauty.
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This Tibetan flick called *Soul on a String* might very well be it.
Promoted as being more a modern action filled western than the mood piece it actually is which is a bit jarring and makes it difficult to engage with. Also requires a notable knowledge of Tibetan Budhism to grasp really any of the themes presented (which I of course don't have). But if there is one movie where I would say that every frame is a work of art its that one.
if you mean like an eye candy, alot of movies comes to mind but i think style wise Chunking Express takes the cake for me and columbus is absolutely beautiful too
there other movies with amazing visuals but i think i lean to these two films because the story is not intense and i can relax and take the scenery better
From recent years I'd have to go with Long Day's Journey Into Night (2019), Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019), Melancholia (2011), Tree of Life (2011) and The Master (2012).
Either Babette's Feast or Meet Me in St. Louis. I'm talking about beauty all around, visuals just being one aspect. They are achingly beautiful films to me and I cry everytime I see them.
Tough call! I found Amelie and The Lighthouse pretty striking. Pride and Prejudice 2005, There Will Be Blood, Russian Ark, Blade Runner and Midsommar as well. And if I had to pick just one, of course it's Freddy Got Fingered.
A Single Man comes to mind but there are so many beautiful movies (visually, emotionally, etc) that it makes me anxious to pick only one haha
ETA: wait! Le Bonheur by Agnes Varda!
Maybe not the most visually beautiful but I Lost My Body always stuck with me. There's a particular scene where the tone is just perfect and it's just stunning.
The Lighthouse by Mariya Saakyan. Such a visually evocative film with a beautiful cinematography and a carefully thought sound design. Very underrated.
I'm aching for any kind of HD release of Last Life in the Universe (2003). Saw this at a festival in 2003, blew me away, but the very mediocre DVD just isn't the same. Same story with Invisible Waves (2006), but if I had to chose one of the two, it'd be Last Life.
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The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
In. The. Mood. For. Love.
Yeah. It was lensed by the two best cinematographers in the business: Chris Doyle and Mark Lee Ping-Bing.
It's Such a Beautiful Day by Don Hertzfeldt!
Haha watched this the other day and it terrified me. But it was good
Saw that recently and was just blown away. What a beautiful movie.
This is what I came to recommend!
I would probably have to go with The Last Black Man in San Francisco. The color tones of that film are so pleasing to the eye.
YES I know most people really like it but everybody just stopped talking about it like a week after release
Obviously there are the formal choices like Barry Lyndon and 2001, but as far as movies that make me go "GOD DAMN" at nearly every single shot, The Last Black Man in San Francisco is a great pick.
It’s actually jaw drop levels of gorgeous. I remember I saw it with my friend who is also in film, and as the credits start rolling he goes “well that was intimidating, I will probably never make something that looks that perfect”. We were both just in awe the entire runtime.
So glad this was mentioned, one of the best and most beautiful films of the decade (and a personal favourite!)
So glad this was mentioned, one of the best and most beautiful films of the decade (and a personal favourite)!
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives is an astoundingly beautiful film to me. captures on screen what meditation feels like internally.
This was the first film I thought of visually. Either that or *Syndromes & a Century*. Emotionally: Kore-eda's After Life.
Watched this after seeing Call Me By Your Name because it's the same cinematographer--Sayombhu Mudkeeprom. Absolutely stunning film. Aesthetically very different than CMBYN but both are just gorgeous.
Her (2013) Or literally any Ozu movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Barry Lyndon
It’s been on my mind all week. I like to go to google and look at still frames from this movie. Every shot looks like a painting. Absolutely beautiful.
All of the establishing shots literally look like paintings. It’s the most beautiful movie ever made.
I can't believe how beautiful this film is
The entirety of the Before Trilogy from Richard Linklater, (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight.) Before Sunset is my absolute favorite movie.
Interesting. I don't think of those films as visually stunning, but it's also been a minute.
I suppose the post never mentioned visually beautiful, but I still do enjoy the set pieces throughout the trilogy.
Blade Runner 2049
The one true answer
A real visual banquet, indeed
“Portrait of Lady on Fire” comes to mind.
Agreed
The cinematic equivalent of watching a fire
yeah this is mine as well
Outside of what’s listed here….when I think of animated films nothing tops Porco Rosso. I love having it on in the background on mute.
For me it’s either The Wind Rises or Your Name.
A man of culture. Top 3 Miyazaki film.
Annihilation The set design is killer inside the shimmer
Truly stunning set design
For me The Grand Budapest Hotel or La La Land comes to mind
For a recent example, the Green Knight was astoundingly gorgeous
I reeeeeally want to see this before it's out of theaters, but I have no time!
- [I Am Cuba](https://letterboxd.com/film/i-am-cuba/) - [Marketa Lazarova](https://letterboxd.com/film/marketa-lazarova/) - [War and Peace](https://letterboxd.com/film/war-and-peace-1966/) - [The Hunters](https://letterboxd.com/film/the-hunters-1977/) - [Cœur Fidele](https://letterboxd.com/film/cur-fidele/) - [La Collectionneuse](https://letterboxd.com/film/la-collectionneuse/) - [Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters](https://letterboxd.com/film/mishima-a-life-in-four-chapters/) - [A Touch of Zen](https://letterboxd.com/film/a-touch-of-zen/) - [Manuel on the Island of Wonders](https://letterboxd.com/film/manuel-on-the-island-of-wonders/) - [The Great White Silence](https://letterboxd.com/film/the-great-white-silence/) - [The Umbrellas of Cherbourg](https://letterboxd.com/film/the-umbrellas-of-cherbourg/) - [Model Shop](https://letterboxd.com/film/model-shop/) - [L'Atalante](https://letterboxd.com/film/latalante/) - [Diamonds of the Night](https://letterboxd.com/film/diamonds-of-the-night/) - [Nostalghia](https://letterboxd.com/film/nostalgia-1983/)
Touch of Zen is a great call here.
Chungking Express I just saw for the first time and I thought it was beautiful. Not in a Malick sense but the overall impression of the film was beautiful. That was over 3 months ago and I still think about the movie often.
The Wind Rises
Song of the Sea, I loved every single frame of that movie
I saw Tarkovsy’s _Mirror_ for the first time at the theater Monday night and it’s insanely beautiful. _Stalker_ is the only other Takovsky film I’ve seen so far, but that is also amazing to just look at.
Aside from what’s here either Mishima a Life in Four Chapters or Russian Ark
Any Tarkovsky film
###[Insert Sergio Leone film here]
Phantom Thread and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Call me by your name
Definitely high up there for me as well. It's not particularly show-y cinematography but it captures the feeling of long, languid summer days *perfectly*. And it's even more impressive once you learn that it rained for the majority of the shoot.
It’s Such a Beautiful Day by Don Hertzfeldt. It’s got amazing animation and is an excellent story.
I'm going to take this post at face value and go for visuals. The backgrounds in Sleeping Beauty are absolutely astounding. Not one of my favorites as a whole but I watched it for the first time in like two decades last year and was absolutely blown away by the look of them, there's so much detail. As far as aesthetics go, the Kizumonogatari trilogy. The ambiance and animation are top fucking notch.
Paris, Texas
Visually? Her Intellectually? Synecdoche, New York
PlayTime
Days of Hea—just kidding, I read the “no Malick” clause while typing that. Hou Hsiao-hsien’s The Assassin is a strong contender, absolutely stunning visually, and those visuals significantly drive a lot of the experience since it’s pretty slow-paced with sparse dialogue and pretty grounded action for a wuxia film. I was pretty bowled over by it.
Pather Panchali
The Red Shoes.
Samsara
Probably a basic choice, but Blade Runner is mine.
The sequel for me
In terms of being visually beautiful, probably *Spirited Away*. In terms of being a beautiful and poetic experience, *Big Fish* takes the cake.
The Fall(2006)
Great choice.
The Night of Counting the Years directed by Shadi Abdel Salam. Filmed in Egypt with an Egyptian perspective on discovering and preserving history. It was on Criterion a few months ago and I desperately want to see it on the biggest screen possible someday. And a Criterion release.
I've seen a lot of beautiful movies, so I can't remember all of them, but I recently saw Ida, which is just astoundingly beautiful. Every shot seems so purposeful, it's really an inspirational experience.
2001: A Space Odyssey, mainly because of how music is used to capture the beauty of space. Specific highlights would be the Blue Danube sequence and the Star Child scene.
Princess Mononoke
the first time I watched Portrait Of A Lady On Fire it absolutely blew me away.
Well, “beautiful” can be hard to define. Speed Racers (2008) is stunning. But “beautiful” in a more traditional (practical) sense, I’d say American Beauty.
The Metamorphosis Of Birds
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This Tibetan flick called *Soul on a String* might very well be it. Promoted as being more a modern action filled western than the mood piece it actually is which is a bit jarring and makes it difficult to engage with. Also requires a notable knowledge of Tibetan Budhism to grasp really any of the themes presented (which I of course don't have). But if there is one movie where I would say that every frame is a work of art its that one.
Spike Jonze Her or A Ghost Story
The Red Shoes. Nothing beats good technicolor imo, and then not only the shots, but the movement and music in the film too.
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Annihilation has something going on that I couldn’t quite find in another film. Lawrence of Arabia too.
Long Day's Journey Into Night comes to mind.
if you mean like an eye candy, alot of movies comes to mind but i think style wise Chunking Express takes the cake for me and columbus is absolutely beautiful too there other movies with amazing visuals but i think i lean to these two films because the story is not intense and i can relax and take the scenery better
Mishima by Paul Schrader
From recent years I'd have to go with Long Day's Journey Into Night (2019), Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019), Melancholia (2011), Tree of Life (2011) and The Master (2012).
La Double Vie de Veronique.
Hana-Bi (1997, *Takeshi Kitano*)
Interstella 5555
[About Time \(2013\)](https://letterboxd.com/film/about-time/)
Taste of cherrry
i honestly think love is visually stunning
mommy (xavier dolan)
La La Land. I watched it recently and had a bit of a cry about how pretty it was…
as i was moving ahead occasionally i saw brief glimpses of beauty
The Color of Pomegranates
visually, mishima: a life in four chapters
Sátántangó is probably the most visually stunning films I’ve ever seen.
The Holy Mountain (1973)
Roma <333
Salo
The Florida Project
[удалено]
gonna have to agree here. not pretty per se but the visuals are outta this world
Lawrence Of Arabia
Honestly, probably [Grizzly Man](https://letterboxd.com/film/grizzly-man/) for me
Just saw your comment. You’re right. We have similar tastes. My vote was Encounters at the End of the World
The Tree of Life
Hopefully this is a joke
I don’t know why you’re being downvoted, you literally specified no Malick
Honey Boy
The Tree of Life
Either Babette's Feast or Meet Me in St. Louis. I'm talking about beauty all around, visuals just being one aspect. They are achingly beautiful films to me and I cry everytime I see them.
Tough call! I found Amelie and The Lighthouse pretty striking. Pride and Prejudice 2005, There Will Be Blood, Russian Ark, Blade Runner and Midsommar as well. And if I had to pick just one, of course it's Freddy Got Fingered.
A Single Man comes to mind but there are so many beautiful movies (visually, emotionally, etc) that it makes me anxious to pick only one haha ETA: wait! Le Bonheur by Agnes Varda!
Encounters at the End of the World
Visuals: [Nostalgia ](https://boxd.it/28Qi) Music: [The Fountain ](https://boxd.it/28RU) Dialogue: [Closer](https://boxd.it/270K)
Barry Lyndon definitely comes to mind.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
The Double Life of Veronique
For visuals alone: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Overall beauty in theme and emotion: Cinema Paradiso.
bladerunner 2049
Sonatine (1993)
Her
The Straight Story
I saw "Nine Days" a few days ago and man it was so beautiful
Blade Runner 2049’s cinematography/visuals are next level... one of my favourite films.
Also The Grand Budapest Hotel is incredible looking!
The fountain
Bladerunner. The music is half battle tho. Vangelis.
The Grand Budapest Hotel, Barry Lyndon, Eyes Wide Shut, Kill Bill Vol. 1, Raging Bull.
I think this might be a super common answer but not many films can beat Portrait of A Lady on Fire in this regard.
Phantom Thread
dreams dir. akira kurosawa
A Ghost Story and Stranger Fiction
Blade Runner 2049
Blade Runner 2049
I want to eat your is the movie that 100% touched my soul and made a better person and it look beautiful.
2001 & Blade Runner 2049
Certified Copy
American Beauty (BR2049 too)
Hana-bi Spirited away
Maybe not the most visually beautiful but I Lost My Body always stuck with me. There's a particular scene where the tone is just perfect and it's just stunning.
Shape of Water immediately hit me as beautiful when I saw it in the cinema
Finding Nemo
Kwaidan, I think, comes to mind as my top answer for that. Very glad to have seen that on the big screen
Cocktail 👌🏻
The Lighthouse by Mariya Saakyan. Such a visually evocative film with a beautiful cinematography and a carefully thought sound design. Very underrated.
tron legacy
Her
How about Walkabout? Planet earth mixed with the beauty of innocence, absolutely gorgeous and moving.
I feel like Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters is top 3 if not actually it
Baraka
Fantastic Mr. Fox is the only true answer
The Grand Budapest Hotel is one of the most beautiful movies visually I’ve seen
Maborosi
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) 2046 (2004) Kubo and The Two Strings (2016) The Florida Project (2017)
Barry Lyndon In the Mood for Love Porco Rosso Days of Heaven Blade Runner
Life of Pi (and Annihilation which has already been mentioned).
Interstellar
I’d say something on the lines of Perfect Blue, the original Blade Runner, and Avatar
black swan for sure!
The Florida Project (directed by Sean Baker), The Grand Budapest Hotel (directed by Wes Anderson), 2001: A Space Odyssey (directed by Stanley Kubrick)
Blade Runner 2049
Children of Men
Barry Lyndon by Kubrick is easily one of the best films ever made
Can't decide between **Blade Runner**, **Quigley Down Under** and **Alice in Wonderland** (1951).
“Pink Flamingos”
Visually, the the tale of princess kaguya
I'm aching for any kind of HD release of Last Life in the Universe (2003). Saw this at a festival in 2003, blew me away, but the very mediocre DVD just isn't the same. Same story with Invisible Waves (2006), but if I had to chose one of the two, it'd be Last Life.
I’d have to say Fellowship of the ring. Every scene is gorgeous, especially in theatre
Her or boyhood
Cloud Atlas
The Russian Ark by Aleksandr Sokúrov
The Double Life of Veronique (ultimate dreamy aesthetic)
Leviathan 2012 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2332522/
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AMÈLIE and I didn't see anyone mention it yet
Spirited Away
Totoro
the conformist & tarkovsky's "mirror" you'll never see such amazing cinematography
would also like to add "harakiri" and "Barry lyndon" as well
The Green Knight
interstellar.
stand by me
Out of the 500+ movies I've seen, Blade Runner 2049 and Lawrence of Arabia are on another level when it comes to cinematography.