When I re-watched Garth Davis’s Lion (2016) recently, the narrative punch of Saroo Brierley’s true story was still there, but what really hooked me was the technical precision. It is a masterclass in duality. Lion is effectively two films stitched together: the visceral,… Read More »Lion (2016) – Cinematography Analysis
When I look at Richard Linklater’s Boyhood, I don’t just see a coming-of-age movie I see a twelve-year logistical anxiety attack. The concept alone is terrifying. Filming a story over a dozen years with the same actors isn’t just a scheduling… Read More »Boyhood (2014) – Cinematography Analysis
Tim Burton’s Big Fish (2003) is an anomaly in Burton’s career. When it came out, the lack of gothic spirals and pale, brooding anti-heroes confused people. Where was the macabre? Instead, we got a film bathed in Southern sunlight. But looking back,… Read More »Big Fish (2003) – Cinematography Analysis
Dallas Buyers Club (2013) is a reminder that sometimes, the most effective image is the one that breaks those rules. It is a film that doesn’t just display technical craft; it physically embodies the struggle of its protagonist. While the conversation… Read More »Dallas Buyers Club (2013) – Cinematography Analysis
When Bohemian Rhapsody was released, the critical response was polarized. While audiences embraced the celebration of Queen’s music, many critics argued the narrative played it safe, smoothing over the complexities of Freddie Mercury’s life in favor of a “greatest hits” approach. But… Read More »Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) – Cinematography Analysis
Today, I want to break down the visual language of a film that shouldn’t have been as good as it is: Pixar’s Toy Story 2. Released in 1999, this movie was originally slated as a cheap direct-to-video cash grab. Instead, through… Read More »Toy Story 2 (1999) – Cinematography Analysis
I look at Life of Pi (2012) and see a benchmark. Ang Lee’s adaptation of Yann Martel’s novel was famously labeled “unfilmable” a tag usually slapped on stories that rely too much on internal monologue or abstract concepts. But Lee, alongside cinematographer… Read More »Life of Pi (2012) – Cinematography Analysis