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la_belle_laidePretty much everyone who likes Star Wars gets that shiver when Luke finds out that Vader is his dad, but I get a bigger shiver when Luke almost gives in to his hatred for the Emperor and skirts the dark side of the Force. I get a shiver when he lets himself fall down that air shaft after Vader tells him the truth, and it pissed me off that the later versions of the VHS added the sound of him screaming as he fell. Luke didn't scream. He was a Jedi, he knew what he was doing.
And most people go nuts when Indiana Jones shoots the bad guy instead of fighting him or when he's running from the boulder. Or when Hannibal Lecter tells Clarice that he's having an old friend for dinner. My best part of Silence Of The Lambs, though, was the backlit, crucified and skinned officer that Lecter left on display after his escape from the cell. That scene taught me the meaning of cinematography.
So, that in mind, what are some of your best movie moments? I'm not talking about the most famous or the most obvious, either, unless those happen to be the same. Why were they your favorites? What do you remember about them? Do you relate to those scenes or do they just turn you some kind of on? Is it a subtle thing that maybe no one else thinks about, or is it a grand scene?
Or maybe you just have favorite quotes, a kickass line from a movie that means a lot to you or that rings true or that you just remember often for some reason. And why? Was it the delivery, or the words, or the cadence, or what?
Please, share!
Here are some of mine. Spoilers probably for all of them; I'll try to cut tag the major ones.
The entire ending to Quills, but mostly Joaquin Phoenix screaming through the window, "God damn you, Abbe! A quill!" The Marquis de Sade is dead and there is a new Abbe. Coulmier (Joaquin Phoenix) is in his cell, all long hair and thousand-yard stare. I'm guessing that we're not supposed to be wildly turned on by this, but what-the-hell-ever, he's beautiful. The evil Dr. Royer-Collard has him on display in a way, to demonstrate to the new Abbe that "some men are beyond redemption." Coulmier tries--and fails--to explain that the Dr. is this cruel, vindictive man, even more perverse than the Marquis De Sade. He can't seem to explain it; he wants a quill and paper to write his story down. And when the Dr. subtly taunts him by repeating his exact words, Coulmier reaches out just as quick as a viper and grabs him by the collar. You don't see this coming, because Joaquin plays it all distracted. After the Dr. frees himself, he and the new Abbe go walking away, and Coulmier begs them to come back and bring him a quill. The coolest thing is that, when Coulmier took the Marquis's quills away, the Marquis shouted that same line to him: "God damn you, Abbe!"
Another incredible moment in this film takes place between the Marquis and the Abbe. It's when Abbe is forced to take away everything the Marquis could possibly use to write on or with, and this includes his clothes. You'd think that this'd make de Sade the vulnerable one, but it doesn't. When he's bareass nakie, it's Abbe who's completely at a loss. And just watch Joaquin's eyes in that one moment, because all he does is close them for a second. Then when he opens them again, there's all the shame and disgust and fascination and repressed lust and horror you might ever see in a movie. It's incredible. He's incredible.
The entire last 60 seconds or so of The Usual Suspects. It's too much to go into to explain the whole thing, and I don't like to talk much about the end of this movie anyway, because it must never be spoiled. It must never be spoiled.
Also Kevin Spacey's "I didn't know! I saw him die! And believe me, he's dead. Oh, Christ!" Kevin convinces me of everything he says in this movie. That's all I'm going to say. ^_^
(Also, this movie was Benicio Del Toro's first Incredible Movie. "He'll flip ya! Flip ya for real!" I die everytime he speaks in this one.)
Jim Carrey touching the 'sky' in The Truman Show.
I had no idea until I saw this movie that Jim Carrey could act. He was so good through the whole thing, but his face when he touches the "sky" is amazing; he doesn't say a word, and he doesn't have to.
In The Matrix, Neo realizing that he doesn't have to dodge bullets.
Also Agent Smith's 'I hate this place' speech. A machine hates? Smith has already lost.
In Lilo and Stitch, Stitch asks Lilo if he can surf with her by gesturing with awesomely animated hands. Also, Nani singing "Aloha 'Oe." I still cry at that part.
In Fargo, I get such a kick out of Marge talking to the two hookers. "Oh ya? Is that useful to ya?" "Yaaaaah." But what really gets me going is the very last scene. I love it when Marge has Gaear Grimsrud (Peter Stormare, who was hilarious,) in the prowler with her and she asks him why he did what he did. "And for what? A little bit of money. There's more to life than money, ya know. Don't you know that?" She gets her eyes all teary for the first time in the movie, and says, "And here ya are. And it's a beautiful day." And then that awesome Fargo music comes on. It's one of the best movie endings ever.
The wonderful Pirates Of The Caribbean has loads of priceless movie moments, so it's hard for me to choose just one. But Jack Sparrow telling Elizabeth the truth about how he got off the island the first time does stick with me. As I've said before, Jack's totally exposed in this scene. (Unfortunately, the best scene in the movie was cut and only released on DVD, and it's when Jack shows Elizabeth his scars.) Barbossa's "I'm disinlcined to acquiesce to your request," is pure malevolent snark, and his entire "this is Aztec gold" speech is great, because Geoffrey Rush is a mad genius, but I have two Barbossa moments that I love even better than those. The first is when he tells Elizabeth, "For too long I've been parched of thirst and unable to quench it. Too long I've been starvin' to death, and haven't died. I feel nothing. Not the wind on my face nor the spray of the sea...Nor the warmth of a woman's flesh.... Ye'd best start believin' in ghost stories, Miss Turner. You're in one."
Oooh, just look at th desperation in his eyes when he says that. He means it. How can you not feel some sort of pity for Barbossa just then?
My other best Barbossa moment is when the mast of the Dauntless falls onto the Pearl, and--it's really subtle--Barbossa does nothing more than stand aside.
In The Shining, well...the whole movie is scary, but my best, most scariest part was when Jack looks into the hotel room and sees the two men from the costume party, in their creepyass animal suits with the plastic eyes. It's very brief, but you know, that gave me nightmares for months. Oh, hell, I still have nightmares over that, and animal suits still give me the creeps.
The end of Shallow Grave. Is there anything more wonderful than Ewan's wasted-yet-euphorically-sly smile and Kerry Fox's hysterics as "Happy Heart" plays in the background? It's wonderful.
In The Godfather, when Michael gets his with the thunderbolt. And the very subtle line, 'I'm with you now,' which he says to his father in the hospital.
Because when Michael comes to see the Don in the hospital and says, "I'm with you now," he doesn't just mean, "I'm with you in the hospital in your time of need." He means he's with him. He's with the family.
And the end, when he lies shamelessly to his wife and then someone closes the door right in her face. That's harsh.
The entire ending to the Rurouni Kenshin movie. Kenshin animated in fire!
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is the movie I've seen more than any other movie in my life. Last count, I'd seen it 149 times. That was back in '89. I lost count sometime that summer. And the Castle Anthrax scene still gets me going. ;)
In Mononoke Hime, San is about to stab Ashitaka, and he tells her, "You're beautiful." That just kills me. You have to see it to get why.
At the end of Arsenic and Old Lace, when the cop is getting a description of Peter Lorre's character as Peter Lorre is standing right in front of him. Then he shakes his hand and lets him go. It's hilarious. Also, the whole fight over who gets to sleep on the window seat. That still slays me everytime I see it.
I think Christopher Walken is brilliant in anything he does, and it'd take me nigh on forever to go into all of his movies that I've loved. But most often I fall in love with his delivery. Mostly I loved Gabriel from The Prophecy. Gabriel was one of his coolest characters ever. My best part of that movie was when he's trying to get Simon (Eric Stoltz) back on his side. During his quietly impassioned entreaty--which comes off sounding more like threats than a plea--he kisses Simon. It's not an erotic kiss, either, but it's still sexy and very intense. It's also very subtle. At first I wasn't sure what I was seeing.
And Johnny from The Dead Zone. Admittedly, my favorite part of that movie is most people's favorite part: "The ice is gonna break!" With the cane and the smashing the vase and all. ^_^ Of course, in Suicide Kings he stole the movie while taped to a chair, too. But I digress.
I'm sure I'll think of many more of those shivery movie moments, but off the top of my head, those are my favorites.
So what are some of yours?
And most people go nuts when Indiana Jones shoots the bad guy instead of fighting him or when he's running from the boulder. Or when Hannibal Lecter tells Clarice that he's having an old friend for dinner. My best part of Silence Of The Lambs, though, was the backlit, crucified and skinned officer that Lecter left on display after his escape from the cell. That scene taught me the meaning of cinematography.
So, that in mind, what are some of your best movie moments? I'm not talking about the most famous or the most obvious, either, unless those happen to be the same. Why were they your favorites? What do you remember about them? Do you relate to those scenes or do they just turn you some kind of on? Is it a subtle thing that maybe no one else thinks about, or is it a grand scene?
Or maybe you just have favorite quotes, a kickass line from a movie that means a lot to you or that rings true or that you just remember often for some reason. And why? Was it the delivery, or the words, or the cadence, or what?
Please, share!
Here are some of mine. Spoilers probably for all of them; I'll try to cut tag the major ones.
The entire ending to Quills, but mostly Joaquin Phoenix screaming through the window, "God damn you, Abbe! A quill!" The Marquis de Sade is dead and there is a new Abbe. Coulmier (Joaquin Phoenix) is in his cell, all long hair and thousand-yard stare. I'm guessing that we're not supposed to be wildly turned on by this, but what-the-hell-ever, he's beautiful. The evil Dr. Royer-Collard has him on display in a way, to demonstrate to the new Abbe that "some men are beyond redemption." Coulmier tries--and fails--to explain that the Dr. is this cruel, vindictive man, even more perverse than the Marquis De Sade. He can't seem to explain it; he wants a quill and paper to write his story down. And when the Dr. subtly taunts him by repeating his exact words, Coulmier reaches out just as quick as a viper and grabs him by the collar. You don't see this coming, because Joaquin plays it all distracted. After the Dr. frees himself, he and the new Abbe go walking away, and Coulmier begs them to come back and bring him a quill. The coolest thing is that, when Coulmier took the Marquis's quills away, the Marquis shouted that same line to him: "God damn you, Abbe!"
Another incredible moment in this film takes place between the Marquis and the Abbe. It's when Abbe is forced to take away everything the Marquis could possibly use to write on or with, and this includes his clothes. You'd think that this'd make de Sade the vulnerable one, but it doesn't. When he's bareass nakie, it's Abbe who's completely at a loss. And just watch Joaquin's eyes in that one moment, because all he does is close them for a second. Then when he opens them again, there's all the shame and disgust and fascination and repressed lust and horror you might ever see in a movie. It's incredible. He's incredible.
The entire last 60 seconds or so of The Usual Suspects. It's too much to go into to explain the whole thing, and I don't like to talk much about the end of this movie anyway, because it must never be spoiled. It must never be spoiled.
Also Kevin Spacey's "I didn't know! I saw him die! And believe me, he's dead. Oh, Christ!" Kevin convinces me of everything he says in this movie. That's all I'm going to say. ^_^
(Also, this movie was Benicio Del Toro's first Incredible Movie. "He'll flip ya! Flip ya for real!" I die everytime he speaks in this one.)
Jim Carrey touching the 'sky' in The Truman Show.
I had no idea until I saw this movie that Jim Carrey could act. He was so good through the whole thing, but his face when he touches the "sky" is amazing; he doesn't say a word, and he doesn't have to.
In The Matrix, Neo realizing that he doesn't have to dodge bullets.
Also Agent Smith's 'I hate this place' speech. A machine hates? Smith has already lost.
In Lilo and Stitch, Stitch asks Lilo if he can surf with her by gesturing with awesomely animated hands. Also, Nani singing "Aloha 'Oe." I still cry at that part.
In Fargo, I get such a kick out of Marge talking to the two hookers. "Oh ya? Is that useful to ya?" "Yaaaaah." But what really gets me going is the very last scene. I love it when Marge has Gaear Grimsrud (Peter Stormare, who was hilarious,) in the prowler with her and she asks him why he did what he did. "And for what? A little bit of money. There's more to life than money, ya know. Don't you know that?" She gets her eyes all teary for the first time in the movie, and says, "And here ya are. And it's a beautiful day." And then that awesome Fargo music comes on. It's one of the best movie endings ever.
The wonderful Pirates Of The Caribbean has loads of priceless movie moments, so it's hard for me to choose just one. But Jack Sparrow telling Elizabeth the truth about how he got off the island the first time does stick with me. As I've said before, Jack's totally exposed in this scene. (Unfortunately, the best scene in the movie was cut and only released on DVD, and it's when Jack shows Elizabeth his scars.) Barbossa's "I'm disinlcined to acquiesce to your request," is pure malevolent snark, and his entire "this is Aztec gold" speech is great, because Geoffrey Rush is a mad genius, but I have two Barbossa moments that I love even better than those. The first is when he tells Elizabeth, "For too long I've been parched of thirst and unable to quench it. Too long I've been starvin' to death, and haven't died. I feel nothing. Not the wind on my face nor the spray of the sea...Nor the warmth of a woman's flesh.... Ye'd best start believin' in ghost stories, Miss Turner. You're in one."
Oooh, just look at th desperation in his eyes when he says that. He means it. How can you not feel some sort of pity for Barbossa just then?
My other best Barbossa moment is when the mast of the Dauntless falls onto the Pearl, and--it's really subtle--Barbossa does nothing more than stand aside.
In The Shining, well...the whole movie is scary, but my best, most scariest part was when Jack looks into the hotel room and sees the two men from the costume party, in their creepyass animal suits with the plastic eyes. It's very brief, but you know, that gave me nightmares for months. Oh, hell, I still have nightmares over that, and animal suits still give me the creeps.
The end of Shallow Grave. Is there anything more wonderful than Ewan's wasted-yet-euphorically-sly smile and Kerry Fox's hysterics as "Happy Heart" plays in the background? It's wonderful.
In The Godfather, when Michael gets his with the thunderbolt. And the very subtle line, 'I'm with you now,' which he says to his father in the hospital.
Because when Michael comes to see the Don in the hospital and says, "I'm with you now," he doesn't just mean, "I'm with you in the hospital in your time of need." He means he's with him. He's with the family.
And the end, when he lies shamelessly to his wife and then someone closes the door right in her face. That's harsh.
The entire ending to the Rurouni Kenshin movie. Kenshin animated in fire!
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is the movie I've seen more than any other movie in my life. Last count, I'd seen it 149 times. That was back in '89. I lost count sometime that summer. And the Castle Anthrax scene still gets me going. ;)
In Mononoke Hime, San is about to stab Ashitaka, and he tells her, "You're beautiful." That just kills me. You have to see it to get why.
At the end of Arsenic and Old Lace, when the cop is getting a description of Peter Lorre's character as Peter Lorre is standing right in front of him. Then he shakes his hand and lets him go. It's hilarious. Also, the whole fight over who gets to sleep on the window seat. That still slays me everytime I see it.
I think Christopher Walken is brilliant in anything he does, and it'd take me nigh on forever to go into all of his movies that I've loved. But most often I fall in love with his delivery. Mostly I loved Gabriel from The Prophecy. Gabriel was one of his coolest characters ever. My best part of that movie was when he's trying to get Simon (Eric Stoltz) back on his side. During his quietly impassioned entreaty--which comes off sounding more like threats than a plea--he kisses Simon. It's not an erotic kiss, either, but it's still sexy and very intense. It's also very subtle. At first I wasn't sure what I was seeing.
And Johnny from The Dead Zone. Admittedly, my favorite part of that movie is most people's favorite part: "The ice is gonna break!" With the cane and the smashing the vase and all. ^_^ Of course, in Suicide Kings he stole the movie while taped to a chair, too. But I digress.
I'm sure I'll think of many more of those shivery movie moments, but off the top of my head, those are my favorites.
So what are some of yours?
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no subject
Date: 2003-12-10 07:39 pm (UTC)(beware of *mild* spoilers)
1. The ending of Memento.
2. Tied closely with the ending of Usual Suspects.
3. The scene in Being John Malcovich with the job orientation tape. (bwah!)
4. The near kiss in the X-files movie
5. The extended edition scene in Fellowship of the Ring where we see Sam tenderly planting some flowers. (I'm a sap, ok?)
6. The beginning of Two Towers, with Gandalf fighting the Balrog. I forgot to breathe.
7. The flash-forward scene of Aragorn's death in Two Towers.
8. Schindler's List, the girl in the red coat.
9. Spirited Away- "I knew you were good!"
10. Heavenly Creatures "Its okay, mom. Treat yourself"
11. Matrix's "Bullet time"
12. Empire Strikes back. "I love you!" "I know."
13. Being John Malcovich, the chimp flashback, and uh, the date.
14. Annie Hall "I'm into leather"
15. The Royal Tenenbaums Royal and Etheline's chat in the park.
no subject
Date: 2003-12-10 07:56 pm (UTC)*sigh*
no subject
Date: 2003-12-10 07:59 pm (UTC)*sigh*
Loved that scene as well... ^_^
no subject
Date: 2003-12-10 08:10 pm (UTC)Seriously though, that might be one of my best scenes in the movie. Admittedly, when I bought my goddaughter the wizard staff that she wanted for Xmas, I took it out of the stoor, stood on the corner and shouted "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" at the cars. O_o Because how can ya not?
Oh, and when Aragorn throws the torch. And when he's looking out the window at the inn and the Nazgul come riding in and, I don't want to say much more b/c I don't have spoiler space. And when he says, "not nearly frightened enough; I know what hunts you."
no subject
Date: 2003-12-10 09:12 pm (UTC)You NEED to do a parody of LOTR. Please!
no subject
Date: 2003-12-11 08:47 am (UTC)Really? It made me want to vomit blood. CC was fucking with us, and not in the awesome and twisted Joss Whedon way.
You don't like that moment? Cuz really, who can remember what else went on in that movie? Did it even have a plot? Oh, and believe me, Joss can be just as teasing and souless as CC.
no subject
Date: 2003-12-11 12:05 pm (UTC)Yeah, the Scene was one of the last dregs of true Mulder Scully chemistry. I can still look at that scene and think "Hot" while disgarding the rest of that movie. Og and Grog? Oh fuck. The Neanderthals. Thanks for reminding me.
no subject
Date: 2003-12-10 08:59 pm (UTC)I'm with Min on the almost-kiss in the XF movie. 'Course, then I ate my hand, but hey.
The middle section of the big Sailor War in the Sailor Stars Sera Myu, in the middle of "La Moon," when all the senshi are kneeling in a little pile and all raise their hands up at the same time. Another combo of music and action. *.* And a few minutes later when Eternal Sailormoon comes out and holds out her hand to Galaxia after she gets the smackdown. *gasp*
I find, with me, that it's a big combo of moment and music. Unless the music is working, the moment will rarely catch me. ^^ I guess that makes me an aural person.
no subject
Date: 2003-12-11 09:14 am (UTC)Yes. Every single time I was just about to think 'god, that little blue alien is such a brat!!', one of these moments occured. and yes, Kevin Spacey is just awesome. and YES, TRUMAN. I didn't understand why people were making noise about Carrey not getting nominated for some award for that, but after watching it I understand why. I like his rubber-face funny movies, but Truman was as though he realised he could rubber his face into an expression that would make people cry harder than they could laugh at the others. I wish he'd do something like that again.
my movie moments.. I don't know if you've watched 28 Days Later yet, surprisingly there was one scene in that movie which was very moving in a horrible, terrible, I-hope-this-should-never-have-to-happen sort of way.
cowboy bebop - Jupiter Jazz #2, when Lin commits his ultimate act of loyalty. and the very last moment of the entire series - 'Bang.'
blade of the immortal plays in my head like a movie, does that count? hehe. I can think of a lot of good moments from that series.
no subject
Date: 2003-12-11 11:44 am (UTC)O_o
How do you like being inside my head? I just saw that movie the other night; I was going to blog on it sometime soon. Ooh, which scene was it? You don't have to name names. And, did you see the alternate ending?
blade of the immortal plays in my head like a movie, does that count?
I think so, yes. :) How about Rin's face when she sees her mother's head? ^_^
no subject
Date: 2003-12-11 12:19 pm (UTC)Oh, shit. And then she's laid out with paint and he's gonna kill her, but Manji comes?
This has to be a movie someday.
no subject
Date: 2003-12-11 12:36 pm (UTC)Or!!!!! When Manji's poisoned and all his limbs are coming off! That scene was brutal.
(Please don't get me started on the line, "Hisoka, will you be my wife?" I'll giggle for the rest of the day.)