Cinematography is an art form that can be as bold as a gong crashing after a moment of silence or as subtle as the tide coming in. It elevates a film to the heights of accolades or becomes frustrating when it misfires.

While at the heart of cinematography is the Director of Photography or Cinematographer, to get something from the script to the final shot takes a whole team of professionals, and it is their talent that we champion today.

Our Highly Commended in 2023 are The Creator, Godzilla Minus One & John Wick: Chapter 4

Our Best TV Cinematography in 2023 are Deadloch: Season 1, Foundation: Season 2, Jury Duty: Season 1, The Last of Us: Season 1 & Ted Lasso: Season 3

So, without further ado, these moments of cinematography took our breaths away in 2023. Be warned that there may be some slight spoilers for the films in question.

The Nominees Are –

Aftersun

Using nostalgia of the past, to hide the oncoming emotion of a place that now only exists in memory.  

The Eight Mountains (Le Otto Montagne)

Capturing the beauty of the Italian Alps, grounding our story in a place and time before hitting us with the emotions.

Killers of the Flower Moon

Capturing the brutality and beauty of humankind in equal and uncomfortable measures.

Oppenheimer

A stark work shining a light that exposes the wrinkles of humanity in the stories we like to say are simple.

Sisu

Capturing the beauty of Lapland and the ugliness of war.

And the Winner is!!!!!

The Eight Mountains (Le Otto Montagne)

Directed by – Felix van Groeningen & Charlotte Vandermeersch
Cinematography by – Ruben Impens

This might have been the closest category that we had this year, with all the nominees being a hair’s breadth away from taking this win. But what just pips The Eight Mountains over the top is how it used its cinematography to help turn the mountains into characters in their own right. It is a world of beauty and sadness or comradery and solitude. We get brought into this world through the lens and get captured in its grasp.  

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

What are your favourite cinematic moments from 2023?, let us know what you thought in the comments below, feel free to share this review on any of the social medias and you can follow us Here. Check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day. 

Credits – All images used were created by the respective studios and artists of each film