Sure, an intriguing plot is one of the most important elements of filmmaking. However, there is much more to a film than an absorbing storyline. In addition to moving soundtracks, an engaging narrative, great direction, and a talented cast, visuals (including SFX, cinematography and production design) are crucial elements to keep viewers invested.
While there are more stunning movies out there than we could ever mention, some Redditors on the platform have shown their great appreciation toward these gorgeous pieces of filmmaking in particular. From Tron: Legacy to Blade Runner 2049, these are some of the most visually stunning movies to date.
Updated on September 22, 2023, by Daniela Gama:
With so many visually pleasing movies hitting the big screen (Yorgos Lanthimos‘ Poor Things, for one, premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival at the beginning of the month), it is only natural for viewers to feel extremely excited to immerse themselves in the most alluring scenarios. On the platform, several Redditors offer valuable suggestions that feature equally beautiful cinematography and production design.
20 ‘Her’ (2013)
Combining science fiction and romance dramas with extraordinary results, Her is a moving feature that explores the life of a heartbroken man (Joaquin Phoenix) who finds happiness again by forming an unlikely friendship with an operating system (voiced by Scarlett Johansson).
Reflecting on loneliness and alienation, Spike Jonze‘s masterfully crafted flick is undoubtedly a must-see. In addition to Phoenix’s remarkable performance, it also features a stunning color palette and unforgettable futuristic world-building. “I thought every scene in Her was absolutely beautiful,” CoconutTime noted.
19 ‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’ (2013)
The movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a highly enjoyable feature led by Ben Stiller, that follows the story of a man who is often found daydreaming. In his fantasies, he becomes everything he wants, including a navy commander, a successful surgeon, and a military captain. In reality, Walter is just an ordinary man who runs errands with his wife.
Reflecting on the meaning of life, this insightful self-discovery movie is well worth the watch; part of that is also due to its incredible visuals. A now-deleted account admitted that they found Stillers’ film “a pretty average movie,” but that it is “elevated by beautiful cinematography.”
18 ‘The Matrix’ (1999)
From its incredible world-building to its highly original plot, The Matrix is understandably one of the most beloved science fiction franchises out there. Starring Keanu Reeves as his iconic on-screen counterpart Neo, the first film premise illustrates a dystopian future in which humanity is trapped inside a simulation.
When asked which movies they find visually stunning, Mystro1983 could not help highlighting the Wachowski Sisters‘ film: “Blew me away the first time and is still awe-inspiring when you think back to when it was made compared to what we have now.”
17 ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ (2000)
Wuxia martial arts film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon tells the story of a young woman (Michelle Yeoh) who rebels against the norms and secretly trains herself to become a warrior. She steals the sword of the legendary master Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-fat). But when Bai witnesses her power, he offers her to become his apprentice.
Ang Lee‘s movie is many things — strikingly stunning and stylish is most definitely at the top of the list, and users on the platform seem to wholeheartedly agree. “I just think the cinematography is beautiful,” C1ashRkr wrote in a Reddit discussion.
16 ‘Arrival’ (2016)
It is not for no reason that Denis Villeneuve‘s Arrival is considered one of the best cerebral science fiction movies of the 2010s. Packed with top-notch performances and a truly captivating storyline surrounding a linguist (Amy Adams) who teams up with the military to communicate with alien lifeforms, the 2016 movie is an essential watch for fans of the genre.
Although there are countless incredible aspects of Villeneuve’s movie, one that assuredly stands out is its alluring visuals. According to tvr_god, “Arrival is an absolute goat – the combination of visually stunning and like insane audio/sound effects.”
15 ‘Tron: Legacy’ (2010)
In Joseph Kosinski‘s fan-favorite sci-fi adventure Tron: Legacy, audiences tag along as the son of a virtual world designer, who goes on a quest to find his father after his disappearance, and ends up trapped inside the digital land he has designed instead.
No matter how much one actually enjoys its premise, Kosinski’s stylish project is, no doubt, one of the best-looking movies of the genre. Some Redditors seem to think so too, including Infinity_Gore, who admitted they were “surprised I had to come this far down” to find the film among other recommendations.
14 ‘Life of Pi’ (2012)
This highly praised, gorgeous Ang Lee 2012 film narrates the story of a survivor of a shipwreck, depicting the young man’s months in a lifeboat with a large Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. In the meantime, the two delve into an epic journey of adventure.
Life of Piastonished many back in the day; Redditors, for one, are still quite fond of its stunning visuals. “Life of Pi is my go-to movie whenever I get a new TV or Blu-Ray player,” a Redditor understandably admits. “The colors, content, and camera work were fantastic,” iRainMak3r remarks in another post.
13 ‘The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford’ (2007)
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is one of those movies that spoils it all by its title alone; however, what viewers aren’t initially expecting is the fantastic cinematography it features. In Blonde director Andrew Dominik‘s Western, Brad Pitt plays the infamous Jesse James, who plans his big next heist. Among his newest recruits are Robert (Casey Affleck) and Charley (Sam Rockwell), both growing terrifyingly jealous of him.
When asked what are some of the best visually stunning movies they have ever seen, administratos wrote, “The Assassination of Jesse James.” In a reply, a now-deleted Reddit account highlighted how the film is “honestly a perfect movie. Everything about it is exceptional.”
12 ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ (2019)
Also among the most beautiful movies ever made is Céline Sciamma‘s Portrait of a Lady on Fire, an astounding French gem that follows two women: Marianne (Noémie Merlant), a young painter who is commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of a wealthy aristocrat on an isolated island at the end of the eighteenth century, and her sitter, Héloïse (Adèle Haenel), with whom she starts a passionate affair.
Featuring otherworldly cinematography on top of great performances and an impeccable score, it is only logical that the outstanding period drama piece Portrait de la jeune fille en feu takes a deserved place on this list. As a Redditor rightfully puts it, “Every single frame of that movie is like a painting.”
11 ‘The Fountain’ (2006)
Darren Aronofsky‘s sci-fi thriller The Fountain is a time-traveling type of film focusing on Hugh Jackman‘s Tomas, a man who travels through time with the intent to find immortality and consequently save Izzi (Rachel Weisz), the one woman he loves.
Although the movie is slightly confusing, there seems to be no doubt about how aesthetically pleasing it is, especially considering “how much they relied on practical effects” as ignoresubs mentioned. Many Reddit users agree. “I know not a lot of people like it, but I thought the visuals were amazing,” BreakSage remarked.
10 ‘Hero’ (2002)
Set in ancient China, divided into seven kingdoms, the visually absorbing Hero tells the story of the founding of China’s first dynasty, as well as follows a defense officer and nameless hero (Jet Li) who was terminated three warriors. In the film, he is summoned by the King of Qin (Daoming Chen) and tells his success story.
There are, in fact, many great things about Yimou Zhang‘s marvelous Hero, but its incredible usage of colors surely leaps out. “This,” dreamnightmare remarked when a Redditor mentioned the film. “Every scene in that movie is gorgeous. The scene where they fight among the fallen leaves stands out.”
9 ‘The Fall’ (2006)
Alexandria (Catinca Untaru), a child recovering from a broken arm at a Los Angeles hospital in the ’20s, befriends an injured movie stuntman (Lee Pace). He then proceeds to tell her a detailed fantastical story about six men who seek to kill a corrupt provincial governor.
Tarsem Singh‘s 2006 motion picture is not fit for everyone’s taste. But if there is one thing all can agree on, is that The Fallfeatures spellbinding visuals. “Even though I wasn’t a big fan of the film, had some of the most outstanding visuals I’ve ever seen,” RandyJackson said.
8 ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ (1968)
One of Stanley Kubrick‘s finest pieces of cinema, 2001: A Space Odyssey stands among the most remarkable sci-fi films, even after all these years. The visually alluring movie centers on a spacecraft sent to Jupiter to find the origins of a mysterious artifact buried beneath the Lunar surface.
It’s no wonder the 1968 film is severely mentioned on the website when the topic is stunning features – it was way ahead of its time both stylistically and plot-wise, as the director’s portrayal of space travel was very innovative. “I watched 2001 last year on Netflix, and tbh I didn’t like it,” Certified-Malaka started. However, the user later admitted that while watching it, they thought “There is absolutely no way this movie was released in the 60s.” In another comment, TheRealClose wrote: “2001 is shockingly good. Looks better than any sci-fi film made today.”
7 ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ (2018)
Not only is Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse one of the best Marvel movies to date, but it also is one of the most well-crafted animated films ever. Directed by Peter Ramsey, Bob Persichetti, and Rodney Rothman, the captivating movie depicts the upbringing of Miles Morales, who becomes the Spider-Man of his universe after being bitten by a radioactive spider from Alchemax.
When the category is “visually stunning movies,” there is nothing but countless praise for the animated superhero feature on Reddit, and for good reason. “Into the Spider-verse has some of the best animation I’ve ever seen,” Eastofsaga says. “Some seriously creative people behind this movie. Good story too.”
6 ‘Dune’ (2021)
Adapted from the famous Frank Herbert epic sci-fi dystopian book of the same name, Dune was one of the best surprises to come out of 2021. The plot centers around Timothée Chalamet‘s Paul Atreides, a brilliant young man from a noble family who is born into a destiny bigger than himself.
In addition to an astounding soundtrack, Villeneuve’s incredible film also features countless flawless scenes, including the “silent shot of the one Sarkadur looking over that abandoned silo thing, then all of them silently floating to the ground,” OhStugots mentioned. “That movie blew me away. The sound was incredible too,” another Redditor added.
5 ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ (2014)
The Grand Budapest Hotel is one of Wes Anderson‘s colorful masterpieces. Set in the 1930s, this picturesque film centers around the adventures of concierge Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes) and Zero (Tony Revolori), a junior lobby boy who becomes his friend.
“Any love for the Grand Budapest Hotel? Every scene started off as a work of art,” joz699 rightly remarked. “You could literally take a screenshot at any given time and have something beautiful to set as a wallpaper.” Surely, the incredible film is possibly one of the most stylish features to date, not to mention it is also extremely entertaining.
4 ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Trilogy (2001 – 2003)
Standing the test of time as one of the most beloved movie franchises out there, The Lord of the Rings trilogy kicks off with The Fellowship of the Ring, directed by Peter Jackson and adapted from J. R. R. Tolkien‘s book of the same name. The first film invites viewers on a ride through the mesmerizing Middle-Earth and introduces audiences to numerous intriguing characters.
It seems that the treasured movies are just as big on a compelling narrative as they are in world-building, and cinephiles can’t help but highlight that. “Just captures the world beautifully. It’s not as crazy or boundary-pushing artistically as some movies mentioned in this thread, but it’s a very straightforward beauty,” kurapikachu64 said. “It’s like watching a fantastic and magical epic come to life in another world.”
3 ‘Barry Lyndon’ (1975)
Stanley Kubrick’s awe-inspiring period drama Barry Lyndon is set in 18th-century England and depicts the rise of an Irish rogue (Ryan O’Neal) who wins over the heart of a rich widowed countess, Lady Lyndon (Marisa Berenson), and takes on her dead husband’s aristocratic role.
Frankly, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the 1975 film takes a place in this list, for it is pretty well-known how much of a, in Calm_Strength‘s own words, “work of art” it is. There’s actually no way to describe the film’s visuals better. “Every frame looks like a masterpiece painting. Most beautiful film ever,” another Redditor added.
2 ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ (1962)
A David Lean classic that endures as a very beloved movie today stars the unforgettable Peter O’Toole as Lieutenant T.E. Lawrence, sent to Arabia in order to find Prince Faisal (Alec Guinness) and to persuade the Arabs into forging an alliance.
On Reddit, many cinephiles swear by Lawrence of Arabia‘s stunning visuals, including gr8snd, who remarked that “you won’t believe the cinematography.” In a different post, a Reddit user highlighted how the memorable film is “one of the most expertly designed movies and literally every single shot is thought out and absolutely breathtaking.”
1 ‘Blade Runner 2049’ (2017)
Blade Runner 2049 is likely one of the most mentioned movies when it comes to astounding visuals. The film is set 30 years following the events of the first Blade Runner – which premiered in 1982 and starred Harrison Ford – and follows Ryan Gosling‘s K, a Blade Runner who digs up a long-buried secret.
With impressive world-building, Denis Villeneuve’s hypnotizing movie has managed to steal many hearts. On the platform, BlogDog123 said, “Popular answer, but Blade Runner 2049. So many shots in that movie had me saying under my breath ‘Damn.'” In a similar post with the same question, another Redditor was surprised that nobody had mentioned the film, adding that it is “one of the most beautiful movies” they’ve ever seen.
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