Martin Scorsese once said: "Cinema is a matter of what's in the frame and what's out." It seems a little like stating the obvious, but that doesn't make it less true. Cinematographers have been working for years to prefect the art of what's in the frame and what's out, and when they are successful it's easy to notice- you're watching refined art, not a slapped-together student project. Without specifically looking for this, however, many people would barely notice it, and the effects would be experienced on more of a subconscious level. Nevertheless, the aesthetic viewpoint of some movies is something that deserves time to admire, and these are a handful of those movies. I realize that choosing still pictures removed from context may be offensive to film purists, who go by the textbook definitions of what cinematography means, but they exist to provide a quick glance at the beauty of the film, not to replace the actual work.
The Fall (2006)
The Fall is undoubtedly one of the most visually stunning films ever created. When it first came out, Roger Ebert said "You might want to see this for no other reason than because it exists. There will never be another like it." Each shot is beautifully composed with Tarsem Singh's stamp on it: vivid colors, interesting lines, and deep contrast, and it was all done without the use of CGI. The only CGI used in the movie was to remove modern artifacts from ancient sites filmed on. It took four years to complete shooting, but it was incredibly worth it. There is not a wasted second of screen time in terms of beauty.
Skyfall (2012)
It's nearly impossible to talk about cinematography without mentioning Roger Deakins. He's the reigning king of the subject, with movies like No Country for Old Men, Fargo, The Shawshank Redemption, and A Beautiful Mind under his belt. Any of those movies could have easily been incorporated into this list, but I chose Skyfall (partly because of the accessibility to the stills) mostly because I enjoy the color palette and use of light so much more than any of the previously mentioned films.
A Single Man (2009)
A Single Man is a particularly interesting case to look at, and there's a reason why. The entire film has a very graphic, intimate feeling to it, and most of that can be attributed to the fact that it was directed by a man famous for creating the same feeling through clothing. Tom Ford had already gained international fame for the turnaround of the house of Gucci long before he made his directorial debut with A Single Man. The result is a visually luxurious film that manages to keep depth within the world of the characters.
Gattaca (1997)
For the most part, I feel that Gattaca doesn't get the credit it deserves- visually and as an overall movie. The color palette relies heavily on blues, greens, and yellows, which helps to solidify the idea of a dystopian environment. There is also some great use of cross-cutting, particularly at the end, which maximizes the emotional takeaway (and has even left some of my male friends in tears).
Black Swan (2010)
Black Swan's cinematography is an ugly beauty, but beauty nonetheless. Unlike most big-budget films, it's shot on handheld cameras, which not only adds a layer of intimacy to the production, but movement that helps add to the psychotic deterioration experienced by the main character. Male point-of-view is also employed well to create a sexy, macabre, world that continually shocks the audience over the course of the film.
Under the Skin (2014)
One of the great things about Under the Skin is actually a nod back to Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. Many of the shots use eyelights- an almost completely dark face except for eyelights and the lighter of the lower third of her face. In the context of the movie, it's brilliant, the eyelights were originally used with Rachael, someone who thought she was human but wasn't- and now they are utilized by Johansson's character- someone struggling with assimilation into the human race. Most of the film is shot in near-grayscale, but there are some very graphic (in both senses of the word) scenes that would be visual porn for the likes of David Lynch.