Because I don't want to ruin anything for anyone who hasn't seen these movies, I'll just give you a brief scene description that should make it obvious which moments I'm talking about.
Here are ten of my favorite movie moments:
10. Leap of Faith
Obscure, yes, but a good movie. It's one of those Steve Martin dramas (I think The Spanish Prisoner is the only other one). Martin masquerades as a faith healer, scamming people across the country. Then he sees the error of his ways. Yes, it's a common story, but the way the ending plays out: fantastic! "Yessir. Yessir."
9. Field of Dreams
I know this one's obvious, that's why it's at number nine. But really, Kevin Costner finally finds out what it was all for, and he gets to have a catch.
8. Crash
I didn't love this movie as a whole but it had some great scenes. The most powerful: (1) Matt Dillon saves the woman from the car, and (2) The scenes with the invisible cloak.
7. Shall We Dance
The tuxedo, the rose, and the escalator.
6. Life Is Beautiful
The radio scene and the march, while the boy looks on from the letter box.
5. The Kid
The discussion between Bruce Willis and Jean Smart in the bar. (And this scene almost ended up on the cutting-room floor.)
4. Serendipity
The groom's gift. The look on John Cusack's face says it all. Brilliance.
3. Unstrung Heroes
Andie MacDowell goes to fix the skipping record while the family makes pancakes. Brilliant direction by Diane Keaton and wonderful acting from everyone involved (especially John Turturro).
2. I Am Legend
Will Smith sings Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds" to his dog. Then the director takes the perfect close-up of Smith's face -- immaculate acting.
1. Children of Men
Clive Owen guides the baby through the warzone. If this doesn't make you feel something then you have no heart.
4 comments:
Can I have a turn? A few come right to my mind.
Saving Private Ryan: After they try to take the machine gun in the field and Wade the Medic was hit, and Tom Hanks is sitting by himself reading either Wade's death letter or the map (I can't remember which) and he finally cracks from what he has seen in the war and weeps.
You're going to think I'm gay for saying this, but in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants when America Ferrara finally tells her father how she feels about him divorcing her mom. I was blown away by the honesty in those questions and the emotion behind them. I am not a child of divorce, but I can see myself asking similar questions if I were.
I know you probably didn't like it, but The Passion of the Christ when he is being nailed to the cross and intercutting it with the scene at the last supper. In my opinion, one of the greatest pieces of editing and film sequences ever.
Schindler's List when Liam Neeson weeps at the end that he "could have done more". You REALLY have no heart if that scene has no effect on you.
The scene in Glory that got to me was when Denzel was being disciplined and just kept looking into Matthew Broderick's eyes as a tear or two came from his own.
I'll end with Good Will Hunting, and you know the part I'm talking about: Robin Williams tells Matt Damon "It's not your fault".
Fantastic post, Chris. One thing I really like about movies, is the ability for different scenes to affect us, even if we don't like the film as a whole. In fact, you could probably find good stuff in any movie this way, but I digress.
I don't have a list to share (maybe in a future blog post where I could link back to you), but I was with you when we saw Children of Men, and that scene is amazing. It is such a powerful contrast of tone and imagery that I was weeping. It's incredible that a series of originally unrelated images (maybe even shot months apart) can be strung together in a faked realtime and evoke that kind of emotion. It's one reason I love film.
I love your lists. I just added a few movies to my 'queue' over here that I haven't seen. Why haven't I seen Leap of Faith?! pathetic.
You forgot about Three Men and a Baby when they get to keep the baby. Tear jerker!! :)
The scene in Castaway as the ball floats away from him and he knows he can't get to it, at which point Alan Silvestri's most beautiful, most Horner/Barry-esque song comes in. It's haunting, gut-wrenching, truthful, and beautiful all at the same time. If that scene doesn't make you cry no scene will.
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