Clint Eastwood’s 2008 Changeling is one that really sticks with you, and honestly, a lot of that comes down to a visual strategy that is remarkably disciplined. It’s a harrowing story about a mother’s search for her son against the… Read More »Changeling (2008) – Cinematography Analysis & Stills
On the surface, it’s easy to see why critics in 2006 dismissed it as just another “Tarantino rip-off” or a “quirky Guy Ritchie romp.” I’ve heard all the complaints: the plot is too convoluted, the characters are overly stylized, the… Read More »Lucky Number Slevin (2006) – Cinematography Analysis & Stills
Mission: Impossible – Fallou isn’t just a film I enjoyed; it’s the masterclass I pull up as a reference when a client asks for “gritty realism that still looks like a hundred million dollars.” Christopher McQuarrie and Rob Hardy didn’t… Read More »Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) – Cinematography Analysis & Stills
Paul Haggis’s 2004 Best Picture winner, my first instinct isn’t to rehash the narrative debates. Trust me, I’ve heard it all the “Brokeback Mountain should have won” chorus, the accusations of its simplistic take on racism, even Haggis himself admitting… Read More »Crash (2004) – Cinematography Analysis & Stills
I want to dive into a film that occupies a complex space in the Star Trek canon, but visually, is an absolute masterclass: J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek Into Darkness (2013). While the narrative choices sparked plenty of debate among the Trek faithful,… Read More »Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) – Cinematography Analysis & Stills
Ocean’s Eleven (2001) is one of those rare films I can watch on mute and still get a masterclass in visual storytelling. For many, it’s the ultimate “vibe” movie, but as someone who spends my life in the grading suite, I… Read More »Ocean’s Eleven (2001) – Cinematography Analysis & Stills
Taken isn’t interested in being pretty. It’s “badass” in the truest sense lean, mean, and completely devoid of fat. While everyone remembers the iconic monologue (and for good reason), the real heavy lifting is done by the visual language. It sets… Read More »Taken (2008) – Cinematography Analysis & Stills