Even though 2025 is only halfway over, many films have made a large impact on the cultural zeitgeist. From hope-infused superhero movies to vampire westerns, so many 2025 movies are bound to leave a mark on the viewer. These films have also brought the most striking images that have been presented on screen all year. Whether it’s the use of color or composition, 2025 films have created long-lasting images that professional photographers couldn’t replicate.
From films like F1: The Movie that place the camera in race cars or Sinners that created new IMAX technology, there are a plethora of 2025-released films that are more than worthy of a Best Cinematography nomination at the Oscars.
These are the best-looking movies of 2025 so far.
10
‘Sinners’
Warner Bros.
There’s no denying that Sinners will be a huge Oscar player at this year’s ceremony. After dominating the box office for months and receiving some of the best reviews for a modern-day horror film, Sinners should have no trouble getting nominations in both the above-the-line and below-the-line categories. What is a deserved, but guaranteed nomination is Best Cinematography. The IMAX technology used for the film is boundary-pushing, but even the non-IMAX scenes are captured so beautifully by Autumn Durald. Whether it’s an intimate close-up or a large-scale musical number, the cinematography skillfully captures the story in inventive ways.
Ryan Coogler Is Pushing for a Cinematography Nomination
4.5
/5
Release Date
April 18, 2025
Runtime
138 minutes
Director
Ryan Coogler
Producers
Sev Ohanian, Zinzi Coogler
No one on the crew of Sinners is more passionate about the cinematography than director Ryan Coogler. When the film was released, a video went viral of Coogler discussing the different IMAX formats and ratios. In the video, he explains why each format is used and why he decided to go with a specific lens for his film. Not only did this bring more attention to Ryan Coogler as a filmmaker, but it explained how commendable the cinematography was in Sinners, and doing so is one of the big reasons why the film will receive Oscar nominations.
9
‘F1: The Movie’
Warner Bros./Apple Original Films
F1: The Movie could have easily been just another racing movie, and although in some ways it is, the filmmaking style elevated the film to new heights. Using what they did withTop Gun: Maverick, director Joseph Kosinski and cinematographer Claudio Miranda decided to put the cameras on F1 cars and film real-life racing sequences. Doing so made for the most intimate and intense racing sequences ever put to film. The angle they shoot the cars allows the audience to take in how difficult racing can be, as well as providing a relentlessly entertaining experience. The story may not be anything groundbreaking, but the cinematography is easily one of the standouts of the year.
Is Joseph Kosinski the Next Great Blockbuster Filmmaker?
Release Date
June 27, 2025
Runtime
156 Minutes
Director
Joseph Kosinski
Joseph Kosinski is building an incredible track record of films in recent years. While films like Oblivion and Spiderhead failed to make a lasting impression, his other films, like Top Gun: Maverick, F1: The Movie, and Only the Brave, have performed very well with critics and audiences. From his old-school filmmaking style to the innovative ways he captures large-scale sequences, Kosinski is slowly becoming one of the most reliable filmmakers working today.
8
‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’
Paramount Pictures
Much like F1: The Movie, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning displays some of the best action filmmaking of the decade. From tense underwater sequences to ambitious airplane scenes, the film successfully creates the thrills that this franchise is known for. The cinematography is much stronger in this entry compared to Dead Reckoning, with its vibrance and use of scale mimicking the finality that the screenplay is going for. Although the screenplay is one of the messiest in Mission: Impossible history, there’s no denying that the camerawork is anything but extraordinary.
Where Does Tom Cruise Go Next?
With the Mission: Impossible series seemingly finished, there’s a question of whether Tom Cruise will continue making action blockbusters. With his underwater action film with Ana de Armas on hold as well as his space movie, it’s difficult to tell which direction Cruise will take his career from here. Appearing in Alejandro G. Innaritu’s next film, there’s the possibility that Cruise goes back to his dramatic roots, but it’s hard to tell if he will fully give up on his action career as he has constantly spoken about his love for the genre.
Related
8 Best Action Movies From the First Half of 2025
In 2025, action movies are having a very cool moment.
7
‘Ash’
Shudder/Amazon MGM
Ash is easily one of the most creative films of 2025. Flying Lotus crafts a stylistically daring film that feels extremely singular and euphoric. The ominous music and visual aesthetic make for many unforgettable images, with an incredible use of pinks and reds to give the film a signature look. The story may not be anything interesting on a thematic level, but as a visual medium, the film delivers more than most films released this year.
Let Flying Lotus Direct ‘Blade’
3
/5
Release Date
March 21, 2025
Runtime
95 Minutes
Director
Flying Lotus
Writers
Jonni Remmler
Producers
Neill Blomkamp, Matthew Metcalfe, Nate Bolotin, Aram Tertzakian, Nick Spicer, Maile Daugherty, Adam Riback
Marvel Studios’ Blade has been in production hell for nearly five years. Although Mahershala Ali is still attached to play the famous vampire hunter, the film is unable to keep a director on for the project. Flying Lotus would be an excellent choice to direct the film as his visual style would match perfectly with the darker storyline. As well as Flying Lotus’ phenomenal use of practical effects, having a visionary like Flying Lotus on a Marvel project could be just the thing the studio needs to build its momentum back.
6
‘How to Train Your Dragon’
Universal Pictures
Live-action remakes almost always fail to recapture what made the original so good, but 2025’s How to Train Your Dragon stands out by being faithful to the source material and using the fact that it is live action to its full benefit. The film uses its luscious locations to the max, expressing the large scale of the film while simultaneously capturing the most gorgeous images of the year. While its existence is more than fair to be questioned, the cinematography alone makes the film more than worthy of a watch.
Should Live Action Remakes Exist?
Release Date
June 13, 2025
Runtime
125 minutes
Director
Dean DeBlois
Producers
Marc Platt, Adam Siegel
-
Mason Thames
Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III
-
Nico Parker
Astrid Hofferson
The debate about live-action remakes will likely always be a thing as long as studios keep releasing them. Although the idea of them feels like a cash grab, that shouldn’t diminish the hard work that goes into them. Although there are lifeless examples, like 2019’s The Lion King, the newest How to Train Your Dragon shows that they can be successful if enough love and care are brought to them. Live-action remakes also allow for the younger generation to be aware of classic animated films that they otherwise wouldn’t have been. While it is perfectly understandable to be anti-live action remakes, people don’t take into consideration that they can actually do some good for the film industry.
5
‘Bring Her Back’
A24
Danny and Michael Phillipou instantly became directors to look out for after their amazing directorial debut Talk to Me, and their recent film Bring Her Back again proves that they are incredible filmmakers. Bring Her Back is another deeply disturbing horror film about grief, but it is much darker and more graphic than their previous effort. Their visuals are much stronger in this film, with dynamic camera movements and a lack of color that contribute to the disturbing nature of the film. When it comes to horror films in 2025, Bring Her Back easily brings some of the most haunting images.
‘Bring Her Back’ Proves the Directing Pair Doesn’t Need To Return to the ‘Talk to Me’ Universe
Release Date
May 30, 2025
Runtime
99 minutes
Director
Michael Philippou, Danny Philippou
Writers
Bill Hinzman, Danny Philippou
Producers
Kristina Ceyton
Although the world-building in Bring Her Back and Talk to Me is great, there is no need to expand the worlds anymore. The films tell intimate stories of suffering, so to make a sequel telling an entirely different story feels off. Even though it is nice to see Danny and Michael Philippou lined up for more projects, the originality of their short filmography proves they don’t need to go the franchise route for success.
Related
10 Potential Oscar Contenders Coming in the Second Half of 2025
While the films here have not been released yet, they are bound to make some sort of impression on Academy voters.
4
‘Mickey 17’
Warner Bros.
Bong Joon Ho is easily one of the greatest filmmakers of the 21st Century, and his work on Mickey 17 continues to prove this. Mickey 17 sees him going all-out as a director, bringing in multiple genres that make for one of the most ambitious projects of the year so far. The IMAX cinematography looks stunning, with the wide angles contributing to the massive sci-fi scale that Bong Joon Ho is going for. It may not be his best project, but the film discloses that even Bong Joon Ho’s “lesser” project is still one of the best things released in 2025 so far.
Robert Pattinson Is a Movie Star
3.5
/5
Release Date
February 28, 2025
Runtime
137 minutes
Director
Bong Joon Ho
Writers
Bong Joon Ho, Edward Ashton
Producers
Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Marianne Jenkins, Dooho Choi, Jesse Ehrman
Although Mickey 17 wasn’t a smashing box-office success, it proved that Robert Pattinson is a generational talent. With this film, as well as his work in films like The Boy and the Heron and The Batman, he has shown his immense range as an actor. From reserved, anger-fueled superhero characters to outlandish comedic characters, Pattinson has proven that he has the ability to play any character. Rumored to be in the next Dune film, Pattinson is well on his way to becoming one of the best actors of this century.
3
‘Superman’
Warner Bros. Pictures
No other comic book movie in recent years has had more pressure to succeed than James Gunn’s Superman, but luckily, the film lived up to the hype. Reinvigorating the idea of what a superhero should be as well as creating a well-rounded universe, the film succeeded about as well as it should have, and the cinematography is part of the reason why. The colors and slightly artificial appearance of the film contributed to the idea of a fantastical universe, blending fiction and reality in a satisfying manner. By avoiding the gray color scheme of most superhero movies, Superman easily stands as one of the best-looking films of the year.
James Gunn Was the Right Choice To Lead DC
Release Date
July 9, 2025
Runtime
130 minutes
Director
James Gunn
Producers
Lars P. Winther, Nik Korda, Peter Safran
The Suicide Squad instantly became one of the best DC movies due to its comic book sensibilities and self-awareness of the story’s roots. The film was so successful for critics and audiences that James Gunn was offered the role of heading DC, which was one of the best things that has happened at Warner Bros. From projects like Peacemaker, Creature Commandos, and now Superman, James Gunn has proven that he was the right man to take over the beloved comic book studio.
2
‘The Surfer’
Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions
The Surfer may lack the budget of films like Sinners and F1: The Movie, but it still manages to create some of the most interesting visuals seen all year. The film has a hypnotic quality to it, which is heavily contributed to by the cinematography. The vibrant ocean setting is soothing to the eyes, but as the film progresses, it becomes entrancing to the point that it becomes anxiety-inducing, which makes for a wholly unique experience. While the themes didn’t fully land, the visual aesthetic made for a movie worth experiencing.
Single Location Films Are the Best
Release Date
May 17, 2024
Runtime
99 Minutes
Director
Lorcan Finnegan
Writers
Thomas Martin
Movies taking place in one location may seem like they creatively restrict the filmmakers, but it actually does the opposite. Having a film shot solely in one setting allows the filmmakers, especially the cinematographers, to experiment with the medium, and The Surfer is a great example of that. From its vast use of camera angles and filters, the film constantly brings life to the frame from scene to scene. With this film, as well as ones like 12 Angry Men and Clue, it shows that setting a film in one location can bring some of the greatest films of all time.
1
‘Ne Zha 2’
Beijing Enlight Media
Animated films’ cinematography is sometimes difficult to judge, but Ne Zha 2 easily stands out as one of the best examples of cinematography done in animation due to the scale it brings to the film. The wide angles contribute to the massive scale the film is going for, with even the smallest details coming to life in the best ways possible. Not since Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has animation been so ambitious, with its lengthy runtime and dazzling colors contributing to the film’s feat. It may not change the game for animation moving forward, but its sense of scale makes it one of the better visual achievements of the year.
A24 Pushing Boundaries Once Again
Release Date
January 29, 2025
Runtime
144 minutes
Director
Yang Yu
Writers
Yang Yu
Producers
Liu Wenzhang
-
Lü Yanting
Young Nezha (voice)
-
Joseph
Youth Nezha/Jie Jie Shou Zuo (voice)
A24 is known for bringing individual voices to the big screen, and its partnership with re-releasing Ne Zha 2 is part of that. Although it became the highest-grossing animated movie of all time, it failed to make a big impact on American viewers. Luckily for the film, A24 is set to re-release the film in English with Michelle Yeoh to voice one of the main characters. Seeing a studio push a release like this brings hope to the film industry as a whole, as it shows a love for foreign cinema through its attempts at re-releasing a film for a broader audience. Although it would be better if Americans showed up to watch the film on its initial release, it is nice to see a studio show so much passion for a film.
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