Warning: There may or may not be some spoilers in here!
The Dark Knight (2008) — “Bank Robbery”
“The opening scene when you’re introduced to Heath Ledger’s Joker is unmatched. It should make every ‘Best Movie Scene’ list.”
(Note: There are just too many incredible scenes to put them all in this one article. Please, feel free to add your favorite movie moments in the comments below!)
No Country for Old Men (2007) — “Coin Toss”
“The writing in the movie — but especially this scene — is so sharp and specific, and Javier Bardem’s quiet, haunting performance will send chills down your spine.”
Parasite (2019) — “Peach Fuzz Ploy”
“The peach fuzz montage from Parasite is absolutely incredible. It’s so simple and clean, but there’s also so much rhythm to the scene. Each shot is perfectly orchestrated to make the viewer feel every single type of emotion: One second you’re laughing, the next you’re confused, then you’re on the edge of your seat, and then your jaw drops. It’s perfection.”
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) — “Leap of Faith”
“The scene when Miles jumps off the building and learns to trust himself is beautiful and breathtaking. It truly inspires me every time I watch it.”
Hereditary (2018) — “I Am Your Mother!”
“The acting. The cinematography. The writing. It’s just perfect.”
Casablanca (1939) — “La Marseillaise”
“In this particular scene, the Nazis started singing their anthem, so everyone else started singing ‘La Marseillaise’ to drown them out. This one moment represented every character and every theme of the film so perfectly: Rick subtly (but definitively) picked a side, Sam showed his loyalty, Laszlo was fearless, Ilsa was conflicted, Renault was secretly pleased with the turn of events, and everyone else risked their lives for a small victory over the Nazis, which expertly foreshadowed what was to come. It was beautifully filmed and acted, and only a few scenes will ever live up to it.”
Do the Right Thing (1989) — “Racist Stereotypes”
“It’s cinematically perfect and shows how high racial tension in the area is outside of just Black vs. White. It’s aged so beautifully, it’s still relevant today, and I love Samuel L. Jackson’s interjection as he wheels right up to the camera and shouts, ‘Hold up! Time out! Y’all, take a chill! You need to cool that shit out, and that’s the double truth,’ before the scene cuts out.”
Call Me by Your Name (2017) – “Professor Perlman’s Talk”
“It was beautiful, so well-acted, and inspiring.”
La La Land (2016) — “Epilogue”
“It’s absolutely brilliant, and tugs at every single one of your emotions. It fully encompasses life, love, loss, and what could have been.”
Ratatouille (2007) — “Ego’s Review”
“It’s my favorite scene from my favorite animated movie. For some reason, it’s stuck with me ever since I saw it years ago. The scene is so powerful and existential, yet it often goes unnoticed.”
The Color Purple (1985) — “Everything You Done to Me”
“When Whoopi Goldberg’s character, Celie, got the courage to leave Mister… there just isn’t a better scene.”
Ben-Hur (1959) — “The Chariot Race”
“The entire chariot race scene was a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat spectacle that still amazes over 60 years later.”
Us (2019) — “Final Fight”
“It’s simply chilling. The score itself will give you goosebumps, but when you add Adelaide’s screams and Red’s movements (plus the flashback scenes of them dancing), it’s just absolutely incredible.”
1917 (2019) — “The Night Window”
“This is the scene that takes place immediately after George MacKay’s character gets knocked out. While he’s trying to escape the abandoned village, gun shots and bombs shift the light and shadow around him. The tension is high, the cinematography is excellent, and the soundtrack by Thomas Newman is chilling. They all help to make this scene visually gorgeous.”
Singin’ in the Rain (1952) — “Singing in the Rain”
“It’s iconic. No other description is necessary.”
Crazy Rich Asians (2018) — “The Wedding”
“The whole scene was just so touching, especially with the soft cover of ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love With You’ in the background. It was so beautifully shot, and the decision to cut the sound when we first saw the bride was absolutely brilliant. I was captivated.”
Inglourious Basterds (2009) — “The Jew Hunter”
“The opening scene is 20 minutes of pure dialogue, yet it puts you on the edge of your seat the whole time. That’s what brilliant writing and acting can do. It’s perfection.”
Avengers: Endgame (2019) — “Portals”
“The portals scene is basically, like, 10 years of movies culminating in that one moment. The visuals, combined with the music as it finally swells into the full-blown Avengers theme, is enough to give you chills.”
The Apartment (1960) — “Office Christmas Party”
“The last scene of the movie is absolutely perfect, but this one is especially good, too. Fran hands Baxter her broken mirror, and he suddenly realizes just where he’s seen it before. This is the moment when things REALLY start to unravel.”
Mulan (1998) — “Emperor’s Bow”
“I get chills when the Emperor bows, and then you can see everyone in China bowing too. The whole scene is so powerful and emotional, especially when the Emperor gives her the sword and says, ‘And this…so the world will know what you have done for China.'”
When Harry Met Sally… (1989) — “Happy Ending”
“This is the scene when Harry tells Sally that he loves her and wants to spend the rest of his life with her. It makes you believe in true love, and it gives you hope. I cry every single time.”
Little Women (2019) — “I’m So Sick of It”
“In this scene, Jo gives a powerful speech about the worth of women. It’s so simple, but so good.”
Psycho (1960) — “The Truth About Mother”
“The entire scene is so haunting. You finally see Norman in his mother’s dress, with a knife, and you realize that it was him the entire time.”
The Shawshank Redemption (1994) — “Andy’s Escape”
“One of the best scenes ever is when Andy Dufresne crawls through shit and comes out clean. The whole movie is amazing, but watching his full escape from prison for a crime he didn’t commit is enough to give you chills.”
Jurassic Park (1993) – “T. Rex Attack”
“The scene where the T. rex escapes, right up until it pushes the car over the edge, is sheer perfection. It seamlessly blends animatronics, CGI, and stopgap animation techniques to create one of the greatest moments in cinematic history.”
Personally, my favorite scene from Jurassic Park has to be the “Raptor Kitchen” scene. It’s incredible how well that entire movie still holds up today.
Juno (2007) – “Juno Has the Baby”
“The scene after she has the baby is pure perfection. As she lies in the hospital bed, her dad softly gives her a pep talk about how she’ll be there again one day, but on her own terms. Then her lover, Paulie, comes in. He has a moment with the father, the dad leaves, and Paulie just silently gets into bed with Juno and holds her as she cries. There’s hardly any dialogue, but the music is so emotional, and the acting from all three is superb. You feel every emotion. It brings me to tears every time I watch it.”
The Truman Show (1998) — “At World’s End”
“His final line, smile, and bow are incredible. They let the viewer know he’s okay and ready to walk into the unknown world.”
LOTR: The Return of the King (2003) – “Ride of the Rohirrim”
I remember getting chills the first time I saw this in theaters. I had to restrain myself from jumping out of my seat to scream “Death” along with Théoden and the Rohirrim.
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Die Wacht am Rhein, which would have definitely been offensive to any present French, was at most an inofficial anthem. The official national anthem since 1922 was Das Lied der Deutschen, since 1933 reduced to the first stanza (which might have been just as offensive to the French), after 1940 followed by the Horst-Wessel-Lied. The latter was stricken in 1945, the current version of the Deutschlandlied (third stanza) was made the national anthem in 1952 and 1990.
As for "the Nazis" (in contrast to: the Germans) – the NSDAP used the Horst-Wessel-Lied as a party hymn, not Die Wacht am Rhein.
You're welcome. ;)