By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: Courtesy Focus Feaures
Cinematography is an integral part of the filmmaking process. A collaboration between a director and a cinematographer is essential. Both sides must be best friends on set.
Some of the best works from a cinematographer’s standpoint were outstanding in 2025. The hard work of framing images and using the right color palette takes a unique talent to pull it off. Here are some of the best cinematography movies of 2025.
5) Train Dreams
Period drama films often feature some of the best cinematography. The movie is based on Denis Johnson’s 2011 novel. It’s currently streaming on Netflix.
Director and writer Clint Bentley and cinematographer Adolpho Veloso worked well together to bring the image to life. Veloso is a 36-year-old who became the first Brazilian to earn a Best Cinematography nomination. His style of cinematography is minimalist and observational.
Train Dreams marked his seventh film as a cinematographer. It’s his second collaboration with Clint Bentley. Both men previously worked on the 2020 film, Mosquito. Bentley and Veloso should work together more often.
4) Sinners
Autumn Cheyenne Durand made her second collaboration with director Ryan Coogler. The first one was with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
She’s one of the cinematographers that people should look out for going forward. She earned an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography. The doors will open more for her after Sinners. Durand did a good job framing for IMAX and Ultra Panavision 65mm.
It’s the first movie to be released combining both formats. Every frame in this movie was an actual work of art. Durand has a legitimate chance of winning this category.
3) One Battle After Another
Michael Bauman and Paul Thomas Anderson connected for the second time. First, it was Licorice Pizza, and now it’s One Battle After Another.
However, before he became a cinematographer for Anderson, he worked with him as a gaffer for The Master (2012) and Inherent Vice (2014). Therefore, they have worked together for over 10 years and are well acquainted.
One of the best moments for Bauman is when he shot the car chase scene. It’s one of the scenes that elevated him to get numerous nominations.
2) The Secret Agent
Cinematographer Evgenia Alexandrova captured many great shots in this film. It’s one of the best international films of the year. The performances and framing were impeccable.
The film was not in Brazil, France, Germany, or the Netherlands. Location scouting for this movie must’ve been quite the experience.
1) Hamnet
Chloe Zhao is one of the most talented working filmmakers in the business. She’s known for shooting in natural lighting. Zhao is a brilliant director, and cinematographer Lukasz Zal continues to prove how great he is behind the camera.
Zal has done great work in the past with films such as Ida (2014) and The Zone of Interest (2023).
Hamnet has a stunning visual style: impeccable wide shots and panning. The establishing shots were incredible, and the lighting was fantastic. Hamnet gave him Sinners a run for their money for Cinematography. It’s one of the best films of the year.
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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