Happy first weekend of the New Year, folks!
Everyone loves lists right, and since we’re entering a new decade, it’s a great excuse to make loads and loads of lists 😀 I’ll be working on various Best of the Decade throughout the year, and I thought I’d start with cinematography since Brittani just listed her 10 top best of 2018 over at Rambling Film blog (hey it’s also her blog 10th anniversary so head over and wish her a blog anniversary!)
I chose these images based on instinct… the one I think is the most indelible and leaves a lasting impression, as a film likely has a bunch of beautiful visuals (esp. those shot by the legend Roger Deakins!) Most of these films have the best cinematography of the decade, but I consider these images iconic in that people would likely know right away where it’s from. Now, it’s tough to whittle it down to just 10 and as we’re entering the [roaring] 20s, there’ll be plenty of Top 20s list this year.
So without further ado, here are my picks in the order of the film’s year of release:
Inception (2010)
Life of Pi (2012)
Skyfall (2012)
Gravity (2013)
Ex Machina (2014) – dance
The Assassin (2015)
Sicario (2015)
Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015)
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
La La Land (2016)
Moonlight (2016)
Rogue One (2016)
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Dunkirk (2017)
Shape of Water (2017)
Cold War (2018)
Black Panther (2018)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
A Hidden Life (2019)
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019)
Hope you enjoy my list. Now it’s your turn, what’s some of your favorite shots of the past decade?
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So many good shots here… I couldn’t be able to choose from Mad Max though, that movie is filled with amazing shots and could fill up the entire decade really.
Rogue Nation pick is epic.. that is such a powerful moment. I have to give it to Tom, he always manages to have badass ladies accompanying him – MI and Edge of Tomorrow for example!
You’re so right about Fury Road!! There are SOOO many iconic shots. But I love Furiosa and even that was tough to pick just one iconic shot of hers!
Yeah Tom sure like his strong woman in his movies! I’m just thrilled to keep seeing Ilsa in the Mission movies!
Those are cool picks, the films I haven’t seen in that list are: A Hidden Life, John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum (which I will see eventually as it’s going to be on HBO tonight), Cold War (which I got as a Xmas present), The Assassin, and Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation.
I think A Hidden Life opens soon, I’m curious to hear what you think of it Steven. Hey, cool that you got Cold War as a Christmas present! Such a beautiful and heartbreaking film!
Those are great shots. I don’t remember that film The Assassin at all and pretty sure didn’t see it either. I couldn’t recall all of the films I’ve seen in the last decade but if I was to choose my favorite shots, these are some of my favorite films that has great shots: INTERSTELLAR, SKYFALL, AD ASTRA, DJANGO UNCHAINED, THE HATEFUL EIGHT, THE HANDMAIDEN, BLADE RUNNER 2049, TRUE GRIT, OBLIVION, X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, FURY ROAD, SILENCE, HUGO and THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATOO remake.
Hi Ted! Nolan made some iconic shots doesn’t he? For some reason I don’t remember any from Interstellar however. Oh man, forgot about HUGO!! I have that film and that shot of the kid on the clock is definitely iconic.
How awesome of you to include The Assassissin which I think is one of the prettiest films of the decade. I approve of all your choices!
Yay!! Glad you’ve seen The Assassin, Cindy! It’s indeed a beautiful movie. Happy New Year, my friend!
Great selection here, Ruth! Definitely some of the most iconic images of the last few years. The one from Gravity is my personal favorite, but I also have a soft spot for that Ex Machina dance sequence. Oscar Isaac looks so sexy in that scene!
Hi there Fernando! I LOVE Gravity, sooo many great shots from that film. As for Oscar, he’s such a sex bomb in that movie, and that dance is iconic!
You, too!
I hope you blog more in 2020. 😉
I hope so too, Cindy! 😀
These are great!
Thank you, Abbi!
SO much gold here. Really happy A Hidden Life made the cut, because despite being brand new, that thing looks stunning. And that hotel sequence from Inception will be talked about for decades.
Hey, thanks Alex! I’ve always loved the visuals in Malick’s film, but this one I also love the story. Yeah, I rewatched parts of Inception recently as it’s on Netflix and there are SO many iconic scenes, but that hotel room scene is really indelible.