Visually Stunning Movies So Beautiful They Belong In A Museum

Year it came out: 1982

Memorable moment: Villian Roy Batty delivers a deathbed speech about how memories “will be lost in time, like tears in rain.”

Cinematographer: Jordan Cronenweth

Where it takes place: Blade Runner is set in Los Angeles in the year 2019.

Ridley Scott's brilliant Blade Runner combines science-fiction and film noir into an irresistible package. Harrison Ford plays Rick Deckard, a “blade runner” whose job is to eliminate a group of escaped “replicants” - android beings who easily pass for human. The plot is filled with compelling twists and turns, especially as Deckard confronts the villainous replicant Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer). Groundbreaking visual effects make futuristic Los Angeles a place whose griminess is neon-lit, which is a cool contradiction. Even the scenes without effects are stunning to look at. Chief among them is an atmospheric moment in which Batty eulogizes himself, rain pouring on his face and smoke billowing behind him. Blade Runner's visual opulence makes this a science-fiction detective story that hooks you from the beginning and doesn't let go. 

Year it came out: 2001

Memorable moment: Frodo and cohorts are attacked by Ringwraiths. He puts on the One Ring and becomes invisible.

Cinematographer: Andrew Lesnie

Where it takes place: Like the J.R.R. Tolkien work it's based on, the film is set in Middle-earth, an imaginary continent.

The Fellowship of the Rings is the first part of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It set the bar high for the two subsequent sequels. The story establishes the mission hero Frodo (Elijah Wood) must go on, namely to take the One Ring and throw it into a volcano. Although the visual effects are certainly impressive, Andrew Lesnie's cinematography helps to make the fictional world immersive and credible. Middle-earth becomes a place viewers easily get lost in. That sense of authenticity is a big part of why the movie was hugely popular around the world. Tolkien's beloved tale transitions to the screen in an eye-popping manner that truly transports you to a magical world. 

Year it came out: 1968

Memorable moment: Astronaut David Bowman goes through a colorful, kaleidoscopic star gate, then emerges on the other side as a fetus in a bubble.

Cinematographer: Geoffrey Unsworth

Where it takes place: The majority of the film takes place inside the Discovery One, an American spacecraft on its way to Jupiter.

Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey is one of the most seminal science-fiction movies of all time. The plot concerns a group of astronauts seeking to discover the origin of a strange artifact buried under the lunar surface. Their ship's onboard computer system, HAL, seems intent on sabotaging the mission. Kubrick takes the audience on a visually captivating ride with 2001. Groundbreaking special effects and a surplus of trippy imagery have long made this a favorite of sci-fi buffs and people who like to partake in illicit substances. It's more than a movie, it's an experience, filled with big ideas that get your mind working overtime. 

Year it came out: 1999

Memorable moment: As bullets fly toward him, hero Neo bends over backwards, allowing them to zip overhead in slow motion.

Cinematographer: Bill Pope

Where it takes place: As the title suggests, the film occurs inside the Matrix, a simulated reality created by sentient machines to fool human beings so their bodies can be harvested for energy.

In The Matrix, intelligent machines have trapped humans inside a non-existent virtual world. A man named Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) is prophesied to be the one who can shut off the Matrix and liberate humanity. The film is a trippy mix of science-fiction and philosophy that repeatedly asks how we can be sure anything we experience is real. Groundbreaking action sequences add a level of excitement. Bill Pope's cinematography goes a long way toward creating this fictional world. It's sleek, stylish, and alluring. The story is undoubtedly compelling, but you could theoretically watch the film with the sound off and still be mesmerized.

Year it came out: 2021

Memorable moment: A massive sandworm emerges from the desert, dwarfing the humans standing in front of it.

Cinematographer: Greig Fraser

Where it takes place: The 2021 film adaptation of Frank Herbert's landmark sci-fi novel is set on the desert planet of Arrakis.

David Lynch famously adapted Dune back in 1984, to less than satisfactory success. Denis Villeneuve had more luck with the first part of his adaptation, which came out in 2021. It introduces the character of Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet), who will become the central figure in a battle for control of Arrakis's valuable spices. Villeneuve shot on beautiful desert locations, then added first-rate special effects that integrate seamlessly with the live-action footage. In other words, they don't look like visual effects, they look real within the world of the movie. That helps Dune achieve the sweeping feel that earned it an Oscar nomination as Best Picture. This is an elaborate and intelligent sci-fi adventure that also happens to look extraordinary.

Year it came out: 1962

Memorable moment: A slow-burn sequence in which Ali emerges from a mirage in the desert, shoots a man who drank from his well, and meets Lawrence.

Cinematographer: Freddie A. Young

Where it takes place: This classic epic takes place in several Middle Eastern locations, most notably the Nefud Desert.

Lawrence of Arabia follows British Lieutenant T.E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole) as he treks to Arabia in order to aid the Arabs and the British, who are in conflict with the Turks. Running a whopping three hours and thirty-six minutes, this is an old school Hollywood epic, with tons of storytelling nuance, interpersonal drama, and visual lushness. Scenes in the desert are especially potent, thanks to the majestic cinematography that captures its vastness. Authentic costumes and sets add to the impact. Lawrence of Arabia is considered an all-time classic because of the way it marries human drama with history, then wraps everything together in a package with a magnificent sense of scope.