Movies

10 Most Beautiful Movies You Can't Take Your Eyes Off

10 Most Beautiful Movies You Can't Take Your Eyes Off
Image credit: MGM, Warner Bros, 20th Century Studios, New Line Cinema, Paramount Pictures, Orion Pictures

Every shot from these lookers belongs in only two places: a huge 8K screen and an art gallery.

10. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

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Whenever Stanley Kubrick is involved, you know there has to be something outstanding. 2001: A Space Odyssey follows an adventure to Jupiter where the astronauts have to oppose their board computer that tries to stop them…

But more than a good movie, it’s an unforgettable visual experience, an experiment in bizarre.

You can watch 2001: A Space Odyssey on Max, Netflix, and Prime Video.

9. Once Upon A Time In America (1984)

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Sergio Leone’s Once Upon A Time In America isn’t special due to its captivating story of a small-time criminal turned mafia kingpin. The movie's sensational visuals could have been less impressive in our eyes, too — if not for the fact that in 1984, there was no CGI, and its stunning shots were all done with practical effects alone.

You can watch Once Upon A Time In America on Netflix and Prime Video.

8. Life of Pi (2012)

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Who could have anticipated that a story of a young shipwreck survivor floating in the ocean in a boat with a Bengal tiger would be so unbelievably, otherworldly beautiful? Ang Lee’s Life of Pi doesn’t feature spectacular shots; it consists of them. You can pause this movie at any time, make and print the screenshot and hang it on the wall.

You can watch Life of Pi on Apple TV, Disney Plus, and Prime Video.

7. The Cell (2000)

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Our world; other worlds… How about the inner world of an insane serial killer? In Tarsem Singh’s The Cell, a psychiatrist enters the mind of a comatose murderer to learn the location of his last, still undiscovered victim. Instead, she gets trapped in the monster’s nightmare realm that, while sickening, looks spectacular on big screens.

You can watch The Cell on Prime Video.

6. Interstellar (2014)

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Nothing looks better than an upcoming apocalypse, and Interstellar proves it all over again. Following the crew of a spaceship sent to find a new habitat for humankind, Christopher Nolan takes his viewers on a journey through new planets and the endless void, and each shot makes you wish you could be there to see it in person.

You can watch Interstellar on Max, Netflix, and Prime Video.

5. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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Remember what we just said about the beauty of the upcoming apocalypse? Well, believe it or not, the apocalypse and its consequences can be stunning, too — especially, if it’s George Miller making a movie about the harsh realities of surviving in a post-nuclear world with scarce resources but a ridiculous desert aesthetic.

You can watch Mad Max: Fury Road on Max, Netflix, and Prime Video.

4. Dune ( 2021)

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Denis Villeneuve might have gone overboard with his Dune movies. Barely scraping by on the most notoriously inhospitable and murderous planet in the galaxy has no business looking this good — and yet, it does. If you’ve watched Dune or Dune 2 and still don’t have a wallpaper from these movies, we envy your iron will, truly.

You can watch Dune on Max, Hulu, Netflix, Apple TV, and Prime Video.

3. Dances With Wolves (1990)

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Kevin Costner knew exactly what he was doing when he got to filming Dances with Wolves. The director took his viewers to a remote western Civil War outpost in his own company and started showing the raw and brutal beauty of Northern America. Even if this movie had no plot, we would have still watched it for the scenery.

You can watch Dances With Wolves on Prime Video.

2. Blade Runner ( 1982)

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The original Blade Runner was notoriously beautiful, and that even took some of the “cursed world” feeling away: how can something so mind-blowingly captivating be cursed? Ridley Scott outperformed himself in this movie and its newer sequel, making a stand that if anyone knows how to make cyberpunk attractive, it’s him.

You can watch Blade Runner on Max, Netflix, and Prime Video.

1. Avatar ( 2009)

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Even if superhero movies taught you to hate CGI with burning passion, James Cameron ’s Avatar will make you change your mind. These movies are notorious for their otherworldly beauty, and their bizarre box office success can be entirely attributed to their breathtaking — we’ve been saving this word for Avatar! — visuals.

You can watch Avatar on Apple TV, Disney Plus, and Prime Video.