Watching Ben-Hur forces me to shift gears completely. It requires a different mindset, one that appreciates a time when the “look” wasn’t something you dialed in later—it was baked into the negative on the day, under the blazing sun. When I watch… Read More »Ben-Hur (1959) – Cinematography Analysis
I want to talk about a film that most people hear rather than see: The Sound of Music (1965). It’s easy to write this one off as just a nostalgic classic or a holiday staple, but for a filmmaker, it is a… Read More »The Sound of Music (1965) – Cinematography Analysis
Richard Linklater’s Before Sunset (2004) remains a touchstone for me precisely because it seems to have no “look” at all. It doesn’t scream for attention with flashy gimbal work or stylized grading. Instead, it relies on a rigorous, almost invisible discipline. Watching… Read More »Before Sunset (2004) – Cinematography Analysis
Hotel Rwanda (2004) requires a different mindset it’s a study in restraint.This film presents a terrifying challenge for any visual storyteller: how do you balance historical gravitas with cinematic accessibility? How do you visualize one of the darkest chapters of human… Read More »Hotel Rwanda (2004) – Cinematography Analysis
Soul isn’t just another entry in the Pixar canon; it is a piece of visual art that challenges the very notion of what animation can do. Usually, I’m analyzing live-action footage, but watching Soul felt like a reset button. It grapples with purpose… Read More »Soul (2020) – Cinematography Analysis
When Rob Reiner’s The Princess Bride hit screens in 1987, it wasn’t an instant blockbuster, yet today it stands as a pillar of modern fantasy. It manages to be a love story, a revenge tale, a comedy, and an adventure, all wrapped… Read More »The Princess Bride (1987) – Cinematography Analysis
Rain Man isn’t the film you reference for flashy, groundbreaking VFX or wild camera moves. It doesn’t try to dazzle you like the blockbusters of the late 80s. Instead, John Seale’s work on Barry Levinson’s 1988 film is a lesson in… Read More »Rain Man (1988) – Cinematography Analysis