8 Movies To Watch Because Of Great Architecture

by Dara Morgan

8 Movies To Watch Because Of Great Architecture

16 Oct 2024

Image: IMDb

Sometimes in film, the real star isn’t an actor — it is the building behind them. Cinematographers love to create worlds so fascinating that the settings often steal the show. Whether fictional or rooted in reality, these backdrops capture our imagination, offering a poetic lens on the world. We have rounded up eight films where architecture plays a starring role — perfect for your next aesthetically pleasing movie night.

Dune (2021)

Denis Villeneuve's Dune treats architecture as not just a backdrop, but a key to its world-building. The imposing, monolithic designs mirror the epic scale of the story, full of palace intrigue, messianic prophecies, and, of course, space worms (though they have got little to do with architecture). Let the sandy, minimalist vibes wash over you as you ponder how anyone manages to decorate in this future.

Image: IMDb

Wings of Desire (1987)

In Wings of Desire, Berlin isn't just a city, but a melancholic angel’s playground. Wim Wenders’ masterpiece sees angels wandering through iconic landmarks like the Berlin State Library and the Brandenburg Gate, pondering human existence while the architecture looms large and serene. The film’s real star, however, might just be Hans Scharoun’s State Library, looking more philosophical than any building has a right to.

Image: IMDb

Megalopolis (2024)

Imagine New York as an alternate utopian dream — this is Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis. It is all about visionary architect Cesar Catilina battling to build a gleaming new world, heavily influenced by Roman history, but with a sci-fi twist. If you have ever thought the Roman Empire could do with a little more glass and steel, this film’s slick, futuristic take on urban utopia is one to watch. And don’t listen to critics that say the movie is no good — only time will tell who is right.

Image: IMDb

Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol (2011)

Yes, the plot involves nuclear launch codes, but let us be real: it is all about Tom Cruise scaling the Burj Khalifa like a man who is really committed to his real estate fantasies. With Cruise dangling from the world's tallest building, you are left marvelling less at the stunt and more at how anyone polishes those windows. If you like your architecture dizzyingly high and death-defying, this one is for you.

Image: IMDb

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel is the pastel dreamscape in a fictional Central European country called Zubrowka you didn’t know you needed. The eponymous hotel is so perfectly quirky and symmetrical it could only exist in Anderson’s world. An Art Nouveau meets alpine fantasy, the pink-hued hotel is as central to the plot as Ralph Fiennes' absurdly charming Monsieur Gustave. If you ever wanted to holiday in a dollhouse, here is your chance.

Image: IMDb

In Bruges (2008)

Colin Farrell's character in Martin McDonagh’s black-comedy-drama-crime-thriller might be having a personal crisis, but sometimes it is hard to follow without getting distracted with the stunning Gothic architecture of Bruges, which makes even existential dread look picturesque. The mediaeval buildings, winding canals, and those cobblestone streets will have you Googling flights to Belgium before the credits roll. Who knew a hitman’s getaway could be so postcard-perfect?

Image: IMDb

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Denis Villeneuve strikes again, this time taking us to a dystopian, brutalist future in Blade Runner 2049. The film is stark, monumental cityscape is a love letter to concrete and glass. Whether it is the sprawling industrial wastelands or the sleek interiors, this film will have you contemplating the future of urban design — while also questioning if neon lights (and Ryan Gosling) really make everything better.

Image: IMDb

Inception (2010)

In Inception, architecture quite literally bends to the whims of the mind. As Leonardo DiCaprio’s dream thief hops from one elaborate subconscious maze to the next, the film uses architecture as a metaphor for control and chaos. From gravity-defying Paris streets to Escher-like staircases, this movie is an architect's fever dream — or nightmare, depending on how you feel about logic.

Image: IMDb

Missing out on the coolest events in Dubai? We know where you’ll be in November: The Crowd Test Festival — the very first Art and Music Festival by The Sandy Times.

The lineup is incredible: Mainline Magic Orchestra from Spain, Eden Burns from New Zealand, and a lot of your favourite DJs like Hani J, Hassan Alwan, Bazzzuk, and more.

Mark your calendar, snag your tickets, and get ready: November 16, 2024, from 5 PM to 3 AM at Monkey Bar, Dubai.

by Dara Morgan