Gran Torino isn’t really a film about a car; it’s a film centered entirely around race and territory. It’s a raw look at Walt Kowalski, an aging, bigoted Korean War vet who finds an unexpected path to redemption through his Hmong… Read More »Gran Torino (2008) – Cinematography Analysis
We often talk about films that are “influential,” but Blade Runner is in a league of its own. It is a sublime fusion of stunning cyberpunk visuals and classic film noir tropes. It explores deep ideas about the nature of consciousness and… Read More »Blade Runner (1982) – Cinematography Analysis
It is a film that resonates on two levels: as an elegant exploration of a child’s psyche, and as a piece of visual engineering. While the medium is different, the discipline is the same. The principles of visual language camera,… Read More »Inside Out (2015) – Cinematography Analysis
The Coen brothers have always pushed boundaries, but with Lebowski, they created something that feels almost accidental in its brilliance, yet is technically rigorous at its core. On the surface, it’s a film about “nothing much,” where “stuff just kind of… Read More »The Big Lebowski (1998) – Cinematography Analysis
I’m used to comic book adaptations leaning on spectacle and saturation, but James Mangold and cinematographer John Mathieson went the opposite direction here. They crafted a film that is dusty, exhausted, and incredibly tactile. From the opening shot of Logan… Read More »Logan (2017) – Cinematography Analysis
When you dive into James Cameron’s 1984 original, you aren’t just watching an action movie; you’re watching a masterclass in doing more with less. For me, this is a foundational text. It’s a totally different beast than its sequel, T2, which… Read More »The Terminator (1984) – Cinematography Analysis
This film is different. It hits the ground running. There’s no exposition, no “previously on.” From frame one, you’re on a speeding train. It’s a relentless, urgent ride, and the visual choices are doing the heavy lifting to translate that… Read More »Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) – Cinematography Analysis