20 Best Looking Movies Since 2000
2. The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Roger Deakins might have finally won his Oscar with Blade Runner 2049, but his work on The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford remains his magnum opus of the 21st century, and perhaps the best-looking Western of all time.
Directed by Andrew Dominik, The Assassination Of Jesse James.... is a sprawling account of the final weeks in the life of one of America's most notorious outlaws. It also feels like a living document of the period, with wonderful production design and attention to the timbre of dialogue of the era.
Bringing this all together is Deakins's exceptional photography, sometimes resembling the sepia-toned photographs of the times but always evocative of the wilderness in which it is set and the burgeoning civilization emerging from this landscape.
Deakins might have failed to win an Oscar for his work here, but he was facing incredibly tough competition. There Will Be Blood and The Diving Bell And The Butterfly were other contenders, the award going to Robert Elswit for his work on Paul Thomas Anderson's masterpiece.