James Cameron’s epic interstellar adventure became one of the highest-grossing movies of all time, owing to its stunning visuals. The impressive CGI and effects became a phenomenon, so much so that people reportedly clamoured to the theatre just to see what the hype was about. Starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver and Michelle Rodriguez, the story was set many years into the future. Humans have discovered the far-off planet Pandora, where humanoid creatures called Na’avi live. Jake (Sam Worthington) is a paraplegic soldier who takes the place of his twin brother in a unique space program that’s aim is to colonise Pandora. Director James Cameron invented a new camera and developed special motion capture technology to get the right effect for the Na’avi people. He successfully created a new world that was detailed and changed the course of filmmaking and visual effects. The movie won several awards including three Academy Awards for Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects and Best Art Direction.
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The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
There couldn’t be a list of visually appealing films without a mention of Wes Anderson. The director has become associated with a unique aesthetic that involves a lot of symmetrical shots and pastels. One of his best-known movies, and perhaps the most beautifully shot one, is The Grand Budapest Hotel. The film featured a star-studded cast, including Ralph Fiennes, Bill Murray, Saoirse Ronan, Adrien Brody, Jude Law and Tilda Swinton. The story is simple: the head concierge of the titular hotel has been framed for the murder of a guest and now he must prove his innocence. This has been elevated with incredibly meticulous cinematography by Anderson’s frequent collaborator Robert Yeoman. According to Yeoman, this was Anderson’s homage to the old school, vintage cinema. Every shot of the movie is symmetrical, the colour palette is tasteful, and there are several characteristic one-point perspective shots that focus on a character’s viewpoint.