I struggle with what my favorite movies are. People ask me... and I just cannot find a way to rank and sort the many movies I love for many different reasons.
On the other hand, I can put together a list of favorite scenes. Moments that leap out from film into crystallized emotion or thought or acting. Here is round two of this list with 6 more.
*****There are spoilers here. Consider yourself warned.*****
If you haven't seen a film here. Make it a goal to see it.
These scenes alone make the experience worthy of your time.
Glory (1989)
This movie has some issues, the framing of the ending scene not least, but... "I love the 54th."
Denzel Washington plays Private Silas Trip, an escaped slave who volunteers for an all colored unit raised by the North during the Civil War. Trip resists integration and rejects acceptance by his white officers and by his fellow soldiers. He is a loner, self reliant and independent. He joined for his own personal reasons, not for shared identity or goals. The story progresses, events unfold, and history is told while the characters come together.
Before the climatic engagement, the soldiers of the 54th gather to share in comraderie. There are testimonials, song, and worship. And Trip has his vulnerability and ache for companionship pulled out of him before the entire unit. He lays himself bare and joins his brothers in arms in an emotional and effective portrayal given an exclamation point by Denzel's wonderful ability to deliver a line:
"I ain't much about no prayin,' now. I ain't never had no family, and... killed off my mama. Well, I just... Y'all's the onliest family I got. I love the 54th. Ain't even much a matter what happens tomorrow, 'cause we men, ain't we? We men."
A man and a people given the freedom to display strength, pride, and character.
This is set in the early 1900s at the dawn of the Hollywood movie boom. A young immigrant girl, Alexandria, is in a hospital when she meets another patient - a stuntman named Roy. The story's outline is that Roy begins telling the girl a story of flamboyant heroes in an epic tale. This is done to entertain her and manipulate her into helping him get opium. The young actress (Catinca Untaru) is tremendously adorable as little Alexandria and just eats up screen time. Pair that with a visually stunning film - locations, costumes, colors... and it is an excellent movie.
The scene that matters comes near the end. Roy has become increasing despondent, with both his own situation and with what he has done to Alexandria. He wishes to end the story, but she insists on completing it. His sadness and angry bleeds into the narrative and hence into Alexandria. She sits by him, crying and pleading for the story (and Roy) to become bold and happy again with a power that is so moving that I fall for it every time.
The Fall (2006)
(This, IMO, is a much watch film if you have not seen it.)The scene that matters comes near the end. Roy has become increasing despondent, with both his own situation and with what he has done to Alexandria. He wishes to end the story, but she insists on completing it. His sadness and angry bleeds into the narrative and hence into Alexandria. She sits by him, crying and pleading for the story (and Roy) to become bold and happy again with a power that is so moving that I fall for it every time.
I am Legend (2007)
Okay, the movie is not faithful to the literary source but despite that, I can forgive it for being good at what it is.
Will Smith plays Robert Neville, the last 'man' left alone in a New York after a plague. (Disclaimer, in the written source it is a spread of vampirism, the movie makes it zombie-like.)
This film is wonderful at displaying Robert Neville's determined isolation, loneliness, and longing. His companion dog, Samantha, is the focal point of this and wonderfully scripted and filmed as a character in her own right holding up his sanity in the face of his stress, grief, and horror. But dogs are not immune, and when Samantha sacrifices herself to protect Neville it leads to a heart wrenching scene as his last friend leaves and becomes a foe. No other response is possible than to cry watching such sacrifice and loss.
Will Smith plays Robert Neville, the last 'man' left alone in a New York after a plague. (Disclaimer, in the written source it is a spread of vampirism, the movie makes it zombie-like.)
This film is wonderful at displaying Robert Neville's determined isolation, loneliness, and longing. His companion dog, Samantha, is the focal point of this and wonderfully scripted and filmed as a character in her own right holding up his sanity in the face of his stress, grief, and horror. But dogs are not immune, and when Samantha sacrifices herself to protect Neville it leads to a heart wrenching scene as his last friend leaves and becomes a foe. No other response is possible than to cry watching such sacrifice and loss.
Gladiator (2000)
The opening sequence to Gladiator is visually stunning. The might of Rome intruded upon a wilderness, grinding the woods of Germania to mud and tree stumps in an inevitable tide. The tribes shout their defiance, and the legion stares unmoved.
And then the real organization, determination, efficiency of Rome is displayed as the technology, planning, & logistics are artfully portrayed with slick direction and stunning force. There is no doubt why Rome strode the Earth as they did.
(And I think they did know they were conquered. But what choice did they have?)
"A people should know when they're conquered"
And then the real organization, determination, efficiency of Rome is displayed as the technology, planning, & logistics are artfully portrayed with slick direction and stunning force. There is no doubt why Rome strode the Earth as they did.
(And I think they did know they were conquered. But what choice did they have?)
Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one."Trapped and certainly doomed, as for once Scotty cannot work a miracle to save the ship, Spock seals himself in a certainly deadly situation and proceeds to save the ship. The joy of survival is destroyed as Kirk comes to face the dying Spock through a window, and he is powerless. Spock places his hand against the window in the classic Vulcan position and dies saying "Live long and prosper."
Years of shared experience as a viewer of the series encapsulate all the emotional investment into show, setting, and characters in that one moment. It benefits from nice pacing of the moment, and a brevity of dialogue delivered with some of the best acting those involved ever managed together. I admit I teared up the first time I saw it, and I still do today.
(They never should have brought Spock back. It was one of the truly great character deaths on screen.)
(Oh, and JJ Abrams can just suck it.)
Star Trek: The Next Generation "Family" S4:E2 (1990)
Okay, this is not a "movie scene", I know, but it is a scene worthy of being highlighted in this list without question.
The Season 3 Finale and Season 4 first episode is as fine a dramatic and action filled story in all of Star Trek. And Episode 2 is a critical component of that story arc, it is the heart and soul of what makes the previous episodes' succeed in my opinion.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard has recently been rescued from incorporation within the Borg (Season 3 finale and Season 4 first episode in as fine a dramatic and action filled story in all of Star Trek). The Enterprise returns to Earth for repairs, and Picard takes leave to the surface and returns to the family vineyards now run by his brother Robert. He connects with his nephew, his sister-in-law, and struggles with the idea of leaving Starfleet after his recent travails. Robert stalks around the scenes gruff and dour as any Klingon...
And then the scene: the brothers come to blows, wrestling in the mud of a French vineyard. When they stop to talk, there is a powerful heartfelt brother-to-brother conversation that rings far too true-to-life. Picard sobs and cries, pouring out his humanity and weakness in some wonderful acting:
and his brother says the things that need to be said, in the way they need saying.
Depth of character, family dynamics, and tough love classically depicted.
And the definitive moment for me in what makes Jean-Luc Picard The Best.
The Season 3 Finale and Season 4 first episode is as fine a dramatic and action filled story in all of Star Trek. And Episode 2 is a critical component of that story arc, it is the heart and soul of what makes the previous episodes' succeed in my opinion.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard has recently been rescued from incorporation within the Borg (Season 3 finale and Season 4 first episode in as fine a dramatic and action filled story in all of Star Trek). The Enterprise returns to Earth for repairs, and Picard takes leave to the surface and returns to the family vineyards now run by his brother Robert. He connects with his nephew, his sister-in-law, and struggles with the idea of leaving Starfleet after his recent travails. Robert stalks around the scenes gruff and dour as any Klingon...
And then the scene: the brothers come to blows, wrestling in the mud of a French vineyard. When they stop to talk, there is a powerful heartfelt brother-to-brother conversation that rings far too true-to-life. Picard sobs and cries, pouring out his humanity and weakness in some wonderful acting:
"They took everything I was. They used me to kill and to destroy and I couldn't stop them. I should have been able to stop them. I tried. I tried so hard. But I wasn't strong enough. I wasn't good enough! I should have been able to stop them. I should... I should..."
and his brother says the things that need to be said, in the way they need saying.
"So... my brother is a human being after all.
This is going to be with you a long time, Jean-Luc.
A long time."
And the definitive moment for me in what makes Jean-Luc Picard The Best.
