For many of us, the true meaning of Christmas is kicking back on the sofa and enjoying a good movie with the family. But there's only so much Frozen and Moana a grown-up can take, before you're desperately craving some more serious fare.
So when the kids have gone to bed, and you're sat with a glass of mulled wine in your hand, it's the perfect time to catch up with some of the great films you didn't get a chance to catch in the cinema this year.
Luckily, this year it's a win-win for any camera enthusiast. Because this year there are not just one, but three newly minted movies that are both fantastic entertainment and have a lot to say about photography. I loved them so much, I plan to watch them again over the holidays… so why not join me?
Whether you're looking for a serious meditation on visual storytelling, a nostalgic dive into the analogue age, or a blockbuster thrill with a reflective twist, you'll find something to wow you here. So, grab your favourite snacks, and prepare to be inspired and entertained in equal measure.
1. Lee (2023)
Lee offers photographers a rare treat: a serious examination of both the technical and psychological aspects of photography. Adapted from the 1985 biography The Lives of Lee Miller by Antony Penrose, it stars Kate Winslet as Second World War journalist Lee Miller. The impressive cast includes Marion Cotillard, Andrea Riseborough, Andy Samberg, Noémie Merlant, Josh O'Connor and Alexander Skarsgård in supporting roles.
Cinematographer-turned-director Ellen Kuras brings her deep understanding of visual storytelling to the film, creating a work that's as much about the act of seeing as it is about its subject. Unusually for Hollywood, the film actually pays attention to Miller's evolution behind the camera.
We witness her transition from fashion photography at Vogue to war correspondence, showing how her early experiences informed her unique perspective. And the film demonstrates Miller's keen eye for composition; from her intimate portraits of women on the home front to her groundbreaking war documentation. In particular, it recreates several of her most famous shots, including her work at Dachau and her iconic Hitler's bathtub photograph, showing the circumstances and decisions that led to these historic images.
Throughout the drama, Pawel Edelman's cinematography thoughtfully mirrors Miller's own visual style, particularly in the war sequences where the color palette shifts to reflect the psychological weight of what she's documenting. Meanwhile, through Kate Winslet's nuanced performance, we see how Miller balanced technical precision with emotional engagement, and the toll that bearing witness takes on the photographer.
In short, this is not just a biopic, but a meditation on the craft's power to document, reveal and transform both subject and artist. The general public clearly liked it too: it's Sky's highest-grossing original film at the UK box office to date. (Already seen it? Then check out our list of movies about real photographers for further ideas.)
Watch Lee in the USA:
Rent it on Prime
Rent it on Apple TV
Watch Lee in the UK
Stream it free on Sky Cinema
Stream it free on NOW.
(Alternatively, of you’d rather watch Lee live, Sky is broadcasting it on Sky Premiere.)
Watch Lee in Canada
Rent it on Apple TV
2. Camera
Looking for more heartwarming, family-oriented fare this Christmas? Then I recommend Camera, the touching tale of a nine-year-old, non-verbal boy named Oscar who moves to a struggling fishing town with his mother Evelyn.
After he discovers an old twin-lens reflex camera, he forms an unlikely friendship with Eric, a repair shop owner who mentors him in photography. As Oscar documents the town's life through his lens, family tensions rise with his uncle Victor's arrival.
Not only does the story hit all the right emotional notes, it truly understands and celebrates the craft of photography, particularly the mindful approach required by analogue shooting. Director Jay Silverman, drawing from his own 35-year career as a photographer, brings authentic technical detail and emotional depth to the tale of a vintage twin-lens reflex camera that bridges two unlikely friends.
A particular highlight is cinematographer Andrew Jarrett's ingenious use of still lenses to create a visual style that merges motion pictures with static photography. This thoughtful approach creates a visual language that photographers will immediately recognize and appreciate.
More broadly, what makes Camera compelling is how it explores photography as a form of non-verbal communication. Through Oscar's journey with his vintage camera, the film illustrates photography's power to transcend traditional communication barriers and reveal beauty in unexpected places – something every photographer strives to achieve. The mentorship relationship between Oscar and Eric (beautifully played by Beau Bridges) will resonate with photographers who remember their own early guidance in the craft.
The movie takes time to explore the mechanics and artistry of analogue photography, making it both nostalgic for experienced photographers and educational for digital natives. Indeed, given that it was shot in just 18 days, the film itself demonstrates the same kind of efficiency and precision that good photography demands.
In other words, Camera offers photographers more than just entertainment. It's a reminder of why we fell in love with photography in the first place; namely, its power to connect, communicate, and reveal the extraordinary in the ordinary. (Already seen it? Then check out our list of movies about fictional photographers for further ideas.)
Watch Camera in the USA
Stream it for free on Prime
Watch Camera in the UK
Stream it for free on Prime
Watch Camera in Canada
Rent it on Apple TV
03. Civil War
Is an action-packed blockbuster with a huge budget, lots of explosions and a far-fetched plot more your style? Then check out Alex Garland's Civil War. This epic movie is set in a near-future USA, which is engulfed by civil war. Veteran war photographer Lee and her journalist colleagues journey to interview the president before rebels seize Washington, D.C.
This was one of the biggest movies of the year, grossing $124 million around the world. And while that in itself is no guarantee of quality, you can take it from me that it's both a decent watch and an artistic exploration of the power and perils of photography in a conflict zone.
That's said, it's by no means perfect. As you might expect from mass-market Hollywood fare, it's not especially realistic in its portrayal of photojournalists. In general, these characters seem largely motivated by personal ambition and ego, and fairly unconcerned with the wider impact their images will have on the world. This cartoonish depiction is, in my experience, the reverse of how real-life photojournalists actually think and operate.
More broadly, though, the film does capture the visual and emotional intensity of documenting war. Its stunning cinematography immerses viewers in the chaos and quiet despair of a nation in turmoil, making it a masterclass in the use of light, composition and movement to tell a story. Photographers will also find inspiration in the way the camera becomes a character itself; both a witness and a shield for its wielder.
In short, this multiplex-friendly epic serves up an adrenaline-pumping visual treat with a side order of philosophical challenge. While I don't like the way the photojournalists are portrayed on a personal level, it does a good job of conveying the extraordinary risks they face and prompts us to think deeply about the power—and responsibility—of documenting humanity at its most vulnerable.
Watch Civil War in the USA
Rent it on Prime
Rent it on Apple TV
Watch Civil War in the UK
Buy it on Apple TV
Buy it on Amazon
Buy it at the Sky Store
Watch Civil War in Canada
Rent it on Apple TV
Also check out guides to
30 best films about fictional photographers
29 best films about real photographers
