Visually impressive movies

March 10, 2013 11:17 AM

So, I have a super-nice HD projector in my possession for the next 24 hours. What should I watch on it? (Preferably TV shows or movies)

Koyaanisqatsi already came to mind, as did the Lord of the Rings. What other visually intense/impressive movies should I put up on my 'big screen' while I have it.

posted by wrok to media & arts (35 answers total)

The Fall
posted by carsonb at 11:20 AM on March 10 [8 favorites]

TimeScapes
posted by box at 11:21 AM on March 10

Hero or House of Flying Daggers.
posted by rjs at 11:24 AM on March 10 [1 favorite]

The Fifth Element.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 11:24 AM on March 10 [1 favorite]

Baraka.

For that matter, the BBC documentary Planet Earth. Actually, your time is limited; Planet Earth it should be.
posted by chengjih at 11:25 AM on March 10 [1 favorite]

The recent BBC doucmentary series Africa is pretty spectacular.
posted by baggers at 11:27 AM on March 10

PS, I have a strong preference for things that have a plot or story in addition to their visual impressiveness, though all suggestions welcome!
posted by wrok at 11:30 AM on March 10

Thin Red Line
Sunshine
posted by bluecore at 11:33 AM on March 10 [1 favorite]

Avatar is perhaps not the greatest movie ever, but it is freaking beautiful.
posted by calistasm at 11:36 AM on March 10

Paris, Texas.
posted by Prof Iterole at 11:43 AM on March 10 [1 favorite]

Blade Runner
posted by Confess, Fletch at 11:49 AM on March 10 [1 favorite]

Something else to consider:

If you've never played your favorite video game on a big ol' projection screen, it's..... glorious.
posted by carsonb at 11:51 AM on March 10 [1 favorite]

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Samsara
The Big Blue
Brokeback Mountain
posted by Salamander at 11:52 AM on March 10

(I recommend MarioKart)
posted by carsonb at 11:52 AM on March 10 [1 favorite]

Children of Men
posted by nathancaswell at 12:02 PM on March 10

Fantasia
posted by knile at 12:04 PM on March 10

Days of Heaven
posted by nathancaswell at 12:05 PM on March 10 [1 favorite]

Apocalypse Now
2001: A Space Odyssey
The Passion of Joan of Arc
Night of the Hunter
posted by nathancaswell at 12:12 PM on March 10

This is kind of a trite movie, but I absolutely love it on a big TV: "Twister". Especially if you have a 5.1 sound system.
posted by gjc at 12:16 PM on March 10

Breaking Bad marathon
posted by Conductor71 at 12:21 PM on March 10

Casshern.

Hanna.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 12:25 PM on March 10 [1 favorite]

Definitely the Wachowski Speed Racer movie.
posted by Uncle Ira at 12:30 PM on March 10

I would kill to watch Akira Kurosawa's "Ran" on a big screen. Or Tokyo Olympiad, a purely visual sports documentary. Black Sunday is fantastic to look at if you get inexplicable warm fuzzy feelings from sepulchral ruins!
posted by geneva uswazi at 12:35 PM on March 10

The Conformist
Red Desert

Both make amazing use of colour and landscapes, as well as being great films in their own right.
posted by afx237vi at 12:40 PM on March 10

Just for looks, you'd be hard pressed to do better than the BDs of Avatar or Speed Racer.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 12:48 PM on March 10

The first episode of Planet Earth, "From Pole to Pole," which overviews the entire global ecosystem from north to south. One of the most visually spectacular things I've ever seen -- you could pause it at almost any moment and have an image worthy of a desktop background. YouTube has it available in HD for just $1.99, though I'd try to rent it in Blu-Ray for the full effect.
posted by Rhaomi at 12:52 PM on March 10

The Big Blue.

Note: the long version is long, but the short version doesn't make sense.
posted by MuffinMan at 1:00 PM on March 10

There Will be Blood

and I'll 2nd Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
posted by beau jackson at 1:44 PM on March 10

The Fall and Days of Heaven definitely.

Also, think about old extravaganzas like Lawrence of Arabia, the Wizard of Oz, or Gone with the Wind.
posted by gudrun at 2:17 PM on March 10

BBC's Planet Earth. Spectacular in HD.

Or perhaps the original Star Wars -- that was a series that was definitely made for the big screen.
posted by Scientist at 5:08 PM on March 10

The new Snow White and the Huntsman was visually excellent.
I suggest watching it on mute so you don't have to hear KStew try to act.
But it is worth watching because it is just so beautiful.
posted by rmless at 5:30 PM on March 10 [1 favorite]

I watched Finding Nemo on my parent's gorgeous television and was blown away. It was so crisp and colorful. Other beautiful movies (besides The Fall): I Am Love, Tree of Life, Edward Scissorhands, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, A Serious Man, Skyfall, The Fountain, Where the Wild Things Are, Shutter Island.
posted by theuninvitedguest at 6:06 PM on March 10

Tales of the Night.
posted by troywestfield at 7:55 AM on March 11

Jacques Tati's PlayTime
posted by Henrik at 9:13 AM on March 11

Amelie
posted by corn_bread at 9:58 AM on March 11