12. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
Harry Potter recently celebrated 20 years of the release of the first book. This movie brought an end to the amazing journey. For the people who grew up with Harry Potter, this movie was one of the toughest goodbyes. ‘The Battle of Hogwarts’ is one of the best chapters in the books and this movie does complete justice to it. Apart from the final battle, the excellent sequence involving a Dragon at Gringotts, the presence of most of the loved characters throughout the series, and the emotions displayed by the actors make it a treat to watch on the big screen.
11. 300 (2006)
Our first war movie on this list, ‘300’, is a visually stunning film. The plot revolves around King Leonidas, who leads 300 Spartans into battle against the Persian “God-King” Xerxes and his invading army of more than 300,000. The intricate war sequences shot in Zack Snyder’s unique style, along with Gerard Butler in the lead, make this movie a delight to watch on the big screen. The special effects are brilliant, and the storytelling is also quite crisp.
10. The Revenant (2015)
Alejandro G. Inarritu gave us the masterpiece that is known as ‘The Revenant, which also finally broke the jinx of Leonardo DiCaprio and Oscars. Both Innaritu and the cinematographer for the film, Emmanuel Lubezki, won back-to-back Oscars, and do they deserve it! This movie is brilliantly shot, right from the battle sequence at the beginning, to Leonardo DiCaprio’s fight with a bear and to the epic finale involving the protagonist and the antagonist (Tom Hardy). Leonardo’s line ‘I ain’t afraid to die anymore, I’ve done it already’ stays with you for quite some time even after you have left the theatre.
9. Schindler’s List (1993)
The first Steven Spielberg movie on this list, ‘Schindler’s List’ is one of the finest films ever made in Hollywood history. It is the story of a man by the name of Oskar Schindler, who, using his influence, saves the lives of over 1000 Jews by recruiting them to work in his Polish factory. The excellent star cast comprising of Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, and Ben Kingsley, along with the brilliant portrayal of the frightening World War 2 atmosphere, make this film truly iconic. Also, here’s an interesting fact about the movie: When Spielberg, a dropout, went back to complete his degree after almost 33 years, he submitted ‘Schindler’s List’ as his final project.
8. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
‘Saving Private Ryan’ is set during the Normandy invasion in World War II, and the first 27 minutes are among the most intense opening sequences ever filmed. The graphic portrayal of war, the excellent sound effects, and a star cast containing the likes of Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, and Edward Burns makes it a delight to watch in the theatre.
7. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-03)
After JRR Tolkien wrote the excellent books, few would have thought they could be made into even better movies. But Peter Jackson proved the non-believers wrong. All of us had pictured the interesting locations and characters while reading the books, and watching them come to life was a treat. The special effects, the spectacular battle sequences (especially Helm’s Deep), and the beautiful locations (in New Zealand) make the trilogy a must-watch on the big screen. Shout out to the Hobbit trilogy and its excellent Smaug sequences!
6. Titanic (1997)
‘Titanic’ makes it to this list not only because it is a cinematic marvel but also because it is one of the first movies that used special effects to great use to tell a dramatic story. The final sequences involving the iceberg look spectacular on the big screen. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s unforgettable onscreen romance and amazing cinematography made this film a true classic.
5. Life of Pi (2012)
‘Life of Pi,’ a masterpiece from the creative genius, Ang Lee, is another movie that makes it to this list purely because of its spectacular visuals that can be properly enjoyed only on the big screen. The movie follows the journey of an Indian boy who survives a shipwreck but needs to face a hyena and a Bengal tiger on the lifeboat. The visual effects, especially the sequences with the tiger, Richard Parker, and one involving a giant blue whale, are just excellent.
4. Inception (2010)
Most of Christopher Nolan’s movies deserve to be on this list, and ‘Inception’ is definitely among them. The dream sequences involving car chases, exotic locations like snowy mountains and deserted cities, paradoxes like the infinite staircase, and the overall amazing direction make this movie an absolute treat to watch.
3. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Similar to Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, this one is another must-watch on the big screen for fans of the franchise. Apart from the excellent special effects and spectacular visuals, just the appearance of well-known characters who we are seeing after a long time make the ride worthwhile. The new cast fits in easily, and the movie definitely lives up to the expectations, setting up the franchise beautifully for two more movies (apart from stand-alone movies).
2. Interstellar (2014)
‘Interstellar’ is one of the finest space movies in terms of visuals. It is definitely among Christopher Nolan’s best movies, and I don’t really think I should even explain the reason for including this film on the list. Apart from ‘Gravity’ and ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ (also on this list), this is one of the few space movies to accurately depict space travel. A must-watch for science nerds!
1. Avatar (2009)
‘Avatar’ is another movie on this list that is a combination of innovative thinking and spectacular visuals. Set in the Utopian world of Pandora, it depicts the fight for resources between humans and the inhabitants of this different world. Shot in 3D, the excellent battle sequences, the beautiful inhabitants, and the depiction of flora and fauna in Pandora make it a must-watch on the big screen.
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