Modern technology has both revitalized and created avenues for making movies in Hollywood. Thanks in large part to a move towards digital filmmaking, movies can now tell stories and depict visuals in a way that never have before. The green screen, for instance, as outlined by Filmmaker IQ, has allowed filmmakers like James Cameron to tell stories set in faraway planets. In fact, per Slash Film, Cameron had the idea for Avatar at the same time as Titanic but chose to pursue the latter because the special effects industry in the 90s wasn't capable of illustrating what he was imagining for Pandora.
Update September 6, 2023: This article has been updated with even more great films that have been shot on film, as well as some details on some upcoming releases for some high-profile releases shot on film.
More than anything, shooting a movie digitally is significantly cheaper than shooting on film. Of course, several filmmaking greats, like Quentin Tarantino, swear by shooting their movies on film. Additionally, we have seen directors like Christopher Nolan fight to keep film alive in Hollywood, believing in the significance of the medium that digital techniques cannot emulate. While digital filmmaking has been on the rise in the past ten years, there are still plenty of filmmakers pushing for the use of film. 2023 will see some high-profile movies shot on film, including Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, Bradley Cooper's Maestro, and Yogo Lanthimos's Poor Things. Here's a look at the best modern movies shot on film.
15 Zack's Snyder Justice League (2021)
Say what you will about the Snyder Cut; we can't deny the movie was a technical achievement that also fixed multiple issues brought on by the studio when they decided to tamper with Snyder's vision for the Justice League. Zack is a guy who knows a lot about visuals since that's his main strength, so it's no surprise his final cut of the Justice League looks gorgeous, even if his choice of display ratio is not exactly the best option. This movie was filmed in 4-Perf Super 35mm with an Arricam LT, ST, Arriflex 235, 435, and Red Monstro equipped with Panavision/Leica Summilux-C Primes and Canon Primes to achieve its glistening look.
14 Interstellar (2014)
Classic movies shot on film will never die as long as Cristopher Nolan is alive. The director has become an ardent user of the IMAX format to tell his stories. Although challenging, the world he created for Interstellar is full of his trademarks, such as practical effects, giant sets, and very little use of CGI.
Most of the wide shots in the film are natural locations captured by Nolan's frequent collaborator, cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, using carefully crafted lighting to achieve the out-of-world feeling we get from the story. The movie was filmed entirely in 35 and 65mm using IMAX MSM 9802 cameras.
13 The Old Man & The Gun (2018)
The Old Man & The Gun was the much-hyped last Robert Redford film (before he showed up in a cameo in Avengers: Endgame), and like many films by David Lowery, like Ghost Story and The Green Knight, was shot on film. The Old Man & The Gun certainly uses it the best, as the movie is very much a throwback to the idea of the bank robber as an American folklore figure. This harkens back not only to the classic 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde but also to many of the early films of Robert Redford's career. The use of film stock gives the movie the same vibe that a great vinyl record from the 1960s has on music.
12 A Love Song (2022)
An often overlooked film, A Love Song is a beautifully intimate story about two childhood friends who reconnect years later after their spouses have passed away. The use of film stock as opposed to digital gives this story a more aged feeling, matching how time as moved on for the lead characters. The nature sequences are bright and overexposed, giving the film a home video feel that shines through to make it one of the most pleasant and heartwarming films in recent memory.
11 Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Denis Villeneuve is one of the greatest filmmakers of our times, with compelling visuals matching the tones of the scripts he chooses to make. For Blade Runner 2049, the director teamed up with frequent collaborator cinematographer Roger A. Deakins. They wanted to achieve the grainy, shadowy look of the first film while doing their own thing to indicate the passing of time and the increasing power of the dystopian future where the story takes place. The movie was shot using a single Arri Alexa XT Studio camera with Zeiss Master Prime lenses in 16,14 and 32mm, to be later remixed in editing.
10 Nope (2022)
Jordan Peele has been slowly evolving into the new master of horror for a new generation, but he remains faithful and committed to the old ways of filmmaking. Nope was his last offering and latest team-up with frequent collaborator Daniel Kaluuya. To make the film an outstanding adventure worth the biggest screen you could find, he sought the assistance of Cristopher Nolan's regular cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, to get the right look for the film, which he shot in 65mm using IMAX MSM 9802 cameras.
9 Inception (2010)
Inception was released in 2010, directed by Nolan, and became a cultural phenomenon when it was released. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio in a leading role as a professional thief who steals information by invading his target’s subconscious. Nolan is a huge advocate for the continuation of using film in cinema, and the majority of the film is shot on either 35mm or 65mm. This is a hybrid filmmaking style that Nolan would become known for.
8 Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020)
Never Rarely Sometimes Always is a drama about a teenage girl who seeks out an abortion in New York after finding out she cannot get one in her home state of Pennsylvania without her parent's permission. She and her friend go to New York, and the film is both a takedown of the American medical system, but also a deeply moving character study about the pain a young girl must go through to get basic medical attention.
In the film's standout scene, star Sidney Flanigan is shot head-on in the abortion interview process. It never cuts, and the entire focus is on her, and shooting on film gives the entire procedure a more personal feel. The audience is asked to look into this young girl's eyes as she begins to cry, and the choice to shoot on film makes it one of the most powerful scenes in any movie released this decade.
7 The Fabelmans (2022)
Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical film is as gorgeous as many of his other films, but one element that truly sells it is the decision to shoot the movie in KODAK 35mm, 16mm, and 8mm to display the various aspects of the evolution of filmmaking within the movie. The main storyline is told in 35mm while the movies in which the lead character Sammy Fabelman (the Steven Spielberg stand-in) are done with different film stocks that he would have had as a kid. The Fabelmans is both an emotional and technical triumph and shows that Spielberg is still one of the best.
6 Little Women (2019)
The latest adaptation of Little Women was directed by Greta Gerwig and features an ensemble cast including Laura Dern, Florence Pugh, Saoirse Ronan, and Emma Watson. The film is set in the years following the civil war, following a group of sisters as they all move in different directions, whether emotionally, economically, geographically, or professionally, all the while trying to remain united. The movie received excellent reviews and the sentimental feeling is amplified by the stylistic choice of using 35mm film for key filming moments.
5 Phantom Thread (2017)
Paul Thomas Anderson has been shooting on film for his entire career, and while many of his films could qualify on this list, there is no doubt that of his post-2010 offerings, Phantom Thread is certainly the most gorgeous. The complicated romance between a fashion designer and his muse, Phantom Thread, is gorgeously shot on film, and it gives the movie both an old-fashioned feel and taps into the fragility of the characters. Film stock is sensitive and can be damaged easily, much like the two lead characters.
4 Oppenheimer (2023)
It's another Christopher Nolan film and certainly his biggest to date. Oppenheimer tells the story of Robert J. Oppenheimer and the creation of the Atomic Bomb and the fallout regarding it. The film was the surprise blockbuster event of the summer, and part of the film's appeal has been the fact that not only was it shot on film but also IMAX film. The movie had an exclusive month-long engagement in IMAX, and audiences drove out in full force to witness the display on screen.
3 Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood (2019)
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Quentin Tarantino is another director who has historically stressed the importance of film in cinema, shooting all of his movies with film as opposed to digital methods. This can be seen in his latest success, Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood. The film centers around Rick Dalton (DiCaprio), a faded star who struggles alongside his friend Cliff (Brad Pitt) to reobtain fame. The film is shot on Kodak 35mm film, and the stylistic choice pays off, adding to the overall homage to Hollywood's past.
2 Past Lives (2023)
Past Lives is easily one of the best movies of 2023. The directorial debut of Celine Song, Past Lives, tells the story of two childhood friends who, over the course of 24 years, contemplate their lives and relationship to one another. Starring Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro, the film is a thoughtful, moving exploration of what might have been and the complex relationships between partners and friends. Being shot on film gives the movie a tactile feel and an intimacy that otherwise might have been lost.
1 La La Land (2016)
La La Land was a huge success upon its release and sees Ryan Gosling star as Sebastian and Emma Stone as Mia, two people who are drawn to each other through a connection that is based on doing what they love. Their love is tested as they face the realities of the world, and their relationship becomes strained. The film is visually incredible, and one of these stylistic choices by director Damien Chazelle was to shoot on 35mm, harkening back to old Hollywood musicals, meaning everything had to be done in as few takes as possible.