The best Movies for Photographers to Watch from 2010.

January 5, 2011

Well we asked for your input and we sure got a bit overwhelmed with the response so here are the best films for photographers to watch from 2010.

Well actually, thats a lie, we had to stretch the criteria a little to react to the way we view films nowadays. Like it or not, downloading is still one of the most popular ways for those that responded to our initial post to watch films. Added to this USA consistently get the releases before the UK so this form will continue to dominate. However as we know, most Photographers have an inner, or even very much outer, geek. So, though I for instance have already seen Black Swan, I know, without a doubt, I will be going to see it again, this time at the Duke of Yorks, when it opens in Feb 2011.

Next time you watch a downloaded movie it may not be as the director intended, however it is a very viable means of seeing new ideas, getting inspired and being entertained a similar user experience to viewing an image from a credible photographer on Flickr, or seeing one of their actual prints exhibited as intended.

This list now includes some movies that have crept in from 2009, and some movies that are technically out in 2011, but are on torrents everywhere. We haven’t seen every film on this list, but we intend to, as this is kind of the point. But please add any comments, or films we have missed below. Lets think of this as a work in progress.

Also soon, but with much more research and points to watch for, we will have Films of the Decade (post 2000) for Photographers to watch.

Some of the films below have been picked for their ideas, innovative cinematography, outstanding direction, lighting techniques, use of digital technology (eg Black Swan being shot on 3 Canon Cameras), dialogue with the nature of photography or image making, or that often forgotten and neglected ability to tell a story with images.

Black Swan- Darren Aronofsky
Moon - Duncan Jones
Enter The Void- Gaspar Noe
Winters Bone- Debra Granik
The Killer Inside Me- Michael Winterbottom
The American- Aton Corbijn
MicMacs- Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Fish Tank- Andrea Arnold
Peeping Tom (reissue)- Micheal Powell
Dogtooth- Giorgos Lanthimos
A Prophet- Jacques Audiard
The White Ribbon- Michael Haneke
Inception- Christopher Nolan
I’m Still Here- Casey Affleck
Animal Kingdom - David Michod

and hot tip for films coming out soon,

True Grit (the remake).

My favourite of those above, I think has to be Dogtooth, its disturbing, its bold, its decidedly “european” in its response to and portrayal of ‘the body’, it tackles some very modern issues, and it is shot and lit in a way that fully understands the style of the movie, and as an added bonus for me it has a Gummo-esque dance routine that is disturbing and funny in equal measure. Hopefully you will find something new to inspire you in this list- and don’t forget to check IMDB or similar first, as some of these films have disturbing scenes or themes.

So what did we miss? What did we (and our polled readers) get wrong? Feel free to let us know below.

This entry was posted in News and tagged films, garage studios, garagestudios, movies, movies for cinematography, movies for photographers, new films 2011, ones to watch, top films 2009, top films 2010, top films for photographers. Bookmark the permalink.

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Responses to The best Movies for Photographers to Watch from 2010.

1. TimBrighton says:

   January 5, 2011 at 4:33 pm

   So what about ‘The Fall’ I mentioned, I guess no-one else saw it, check it out in Bluray and I think you will agreee that it is very much a photographers film right from the opening monochrome prelude. I was most impressed anyway. Cheers
   Tim

   Reply
2. Graeme Fraser says:

   January 5, 2011 at 4:34 pm

   Nice list. Two others to look out for in 2011 photography wise are free of life by Terence mallick and never let me go.

   Reply
   • Graeme Fraser says:

     January 5, 2011 at 8:45 pm

     That should be tree of life

     Reply
3. kevin says:

   January 5, 2011 at 4:52 pm

   Hi Tim, Yep I have owned the Fall for a few years, some amazing scenes, but 2006 is too far back to go for a 2010 list. Maybe it will appear in the list of the decade tho?

   Reply
4. Graeme Fraser says:

   January 5, 2011 at 8:44 pm

   The fall is incredible. If you do a decade, can I suggest The Return.

   Reply
5. TimBrighton says:

   January 7, 2011 at 10:17 pm

   Goodness gracious, I didn’t realise ‘The Fall’ was an old film, I’ve only just come across it. Just shows how out of touch I’m getting as the years roll on.
   Cheers
   Tim

   Reply
6. sjfrenchie says:

   February 18, 2011 at 5:28 pm

   Peeping Tom is just brilliant! And uses Photography as major theme so I couldn’t recommend it more!

   Reply