Only a few movies can combine jaw-dropping visuals with a thought-provoking story that makes them worthwhile. There are countless blockbusters that offer entertainment without any real substance, but interesting stories without matching imagery can be just as pointless.
The best movies can make audiences think and feel in new ways. To do this requires images that work in tandem with a story, achieving things that only the medium of film can achieve. If a movie can strike the right balance, there’s a good chance people will be left thinking about it for days.
10The Green Knight (2021)
The Green Knightis based on the Arthurian legend ofSirGawain and the Green Knight,which was a 14th century chivalric romance. The poem is steeped in mystery, and the movie adaptation is just as perplexing and cryptic, asDavid Lowery recreates the mythology of the era.
The Green Knightis filled with jaw-dropping images that defy all explanation, such as when Gawain comes across a group of giants silently traversing the land, or when he dives for a severed head at the bottom of a lake. These are worth pondering after the credits roll, but the entire structure ofThe Green Knightis also designed to be provocative.
9Her (2013)
The future is commonly depicted on film as a gleaming white utopia or a burnt-out post-apocalyptic nightmare.Hercreates something new and different, drawing from elements of mid-century design to envisage an appealing and ultimately believable vision of tomorrow.
Herfeels comfortable at times, and this suits the story’s intelligent approach to artificial intelligence.Not many films understand the way that humans relate to AI in as much detail asHer.This can appear to be wholesome and therapeutic, but this merely conceals a dark truth about human desires and fears.
8Roma (2018)
Romais one ofAlfonso Cuarón’s best movies, and easily his most personal. Not only does the story take inspiration from the director’s own childhood, but it’s also his first film as cinematographer. This allows him even greater control over the fine details that makeRomafeel so authentic.
Roma’s black-and-white photography draws attention to Cuarón’s gorgeous use of light and shadow, as well as his thoughtful shot compositions. The visuals always serve to deepen the impact of the story, which has the power to resonate on a deep level.
72001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Like many ofStanley Kubrick’s movies,2001: A Space Odysseyis filled with striking imagery that’s designed to make the audience feel rather than think. From the towering black monoliths to the kaleidoscopic wormhole sequence,2001dazzles the senses.
2001is one of the most influential sci-fi movies ever made, but few have been able to match its ambition. Without ever being too direct,it inspires audiences to consider some of the big questions. At the same time, there are countless smaller details worth analyzing.
6Annihilation (2018)
Annihilationis based on the novel by Jeff VanderMeer, which often uses language to hint at concepts which are intentionally difficult to visualize. Alex Garland’s film adaptation retains this sense of cosmic horror in its own way, creating unsettling images that aren’t quite what they appear to be.
Annihilationis oddly beautiful even when it’s completely terrifying. In many scenes, these two disparate elements go hand-in-hand. This can make thetrue meaning ofAnnihilationhard to figure out, but it’s the kind of movie that’s worth watching a second time to pick up on further clues and spark new theories.
5Princess Mononoke (1997)
Studio Ghibli’s filmsare known for their gorgeous animation, andPrincess Mononokeis one of the most creative of all. It takes place in a densely populated forest, teeming with fascinating creatures just waiting to be discovered. Hayao Miyazaki’s intelligent worldbuilding never lays it on too thick, as he knows it’s best to leave some mysteries vague.
Princess Mononokeis a thought-provoking environmental fable. Although it appears to take place in an ancient fantasy world, a lot of its themes are hugely relevant. Its powerful ending is a big part of this effect, as war gives way to a fragile peace, and the question of what comes next hangs in the air.
4Birdman (2014)
Birdmanisn’t the only movie that uses long takes and clever editing to look like one continuous shot, but Alejandro González Iñárritu ensures that this is much more than a gimmick.Birdmanmaintains a rapid pace, drawing audiences into Riggan Thomson’s hectic attempts to revive his career and get his personal life back on track.
Birdmanraces past in an overwhelming blur, pausing for only a few moments of blissful levity as Riggan’s inner world leaks out into his surroundings. This creates the effect of a compelling psychological deep dive, and the supporting characters each have worlds of their own that Riggan merely sees a sliver of.
3Poor Things (2023)
Poor Thingsfollows Bella Baxter’s fast development, as her childlike mind quickly adapts to the peculiar world around her. Yorgos Lanthimos echoes her internal facilities in the music and cinematography, so thatPoor Thingsmimics a living, breathing organism.
From the dull colors and discordant piano melodies of Bella’s youth through to the technicolor marvel of her maturity,Poor Thingsis a wild ride. It’s also filled with viscerally shocking imagery, reflecting the fact that Bella has to learn society’s faux pas and norms from scratch.The layers of artistry inPoor Thingsoffer plenty to discover on a rewatch.
2The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
The Grand Budapest Hoteloverflows with Wes Anderson’s unique creative quirks, from his bright symmetrical shot compositions to his love of miniatures and his deadpan humor. This picture-book aesthetic looks cute from the outside, butThe Grand Budapest Hotelis more than just something pretty to look at.
Like many ofWes Anderson’s movies,The Grand Budapest Hoteluses its facade to smuggle in a surprisingly emotional story. In this case, it’s a tale of an orphan who gains a fortune in a foreign land, but loses everything he loves in the process. The disarming tragedy of this plot is just one of the many discoveries lying in wait.
1Oppenheimer (2023)
Oppenheimeris the kind of biopic that only Christopher Nolan could make. Not only does it use a non-linear timeline, one of his favorite hallmarks, but it has a rare sense of scale and spectacle. From the abstract expressions of particle physics to the overwhelming power of the Trinity test,Oppenheimeroffers audiences something they’ve never seen before.
Nolan’s decision to smash two periods of Oppenheimer’s life together makes it impossible to extract the creation of the bomb from the consequences. This is partly why there has been an ongoing debate over whetherOppenheimershould have shown the bomb in action. Both sides of this debate reveal their ideas about what a biopic should be and who Oppenheimer was.
