First off, we’ve added A HIDDEN LIFE, the newest film from the legendary director Terrence Malick and shot by cinematographer Jörg Widmer. As you’ll see, this film was shot almost entirely with wide angle lenses. Even in tight close-ups the characters are always placed firmly within the context of their environments instead of separated out by the shallow depth of field of a longer focal length. Although this is certainly not a new approach for Malick, who has leaned heavily on this visual tendency since 2011’s TREE OF LIFE – one of ShotDeck’s most popular films.

We’ve got CERTAIN WOMEN, the critically acclaimed 2016 drama from director Kelly Reichardt . Starring Laura Dern, Kristen Stewart, and frequent Reichart collaborator Michelle Williams, this film is an understated yet extremely evocative portrait of working class life in rural Montana. It was shot by another stalwart Reichart collaborator, Christopher Blauvelt, who came up as a cinematographer under the tutelage of the late great Harris Savides.

We’ve also added the classic Ingmar Bergman psychological drama PERSONA, shot by Sven Nykvist. One of the most beloved art films of all time, its influence can be felt far and wide, from Mulholland Drive, to Black Swan, to Fight Club, and countless others. Sometimes referred to as the “Mount Everest of cinematic analysis” – this film alludes clear definition as much as it inspires reflection. Exploring the film in still image form on Shotdeck, it is notable how much Bergman lives in close-ups and medium close-ups, a choice that amplifies the films claustrophobic psychoanalytic narrative.

And finally we have David Fincher’s iconic 1995 psychological thriller SEVEN. In this case we had a handful of images from the film on ShotDeck already, but we felt this one was worth breaking down in much greater detail given both its continued cultural relevance and the stunning cinematography from the one and only Darius Khondji. My personal favorite is the haunting desert confession sequence near the end of the film, featuring some extremely memorable long-lens and telephoto lens imagery. Rent the film using any of the links at the top of the page to find out what’s in the box!