Diabolical Vengeance

The end of Johnny Got His Gun (more than makes up for some of the more ridiculous scenes in the movie)

The Grey Zone-When one of the inmates beats another jew to death for his watch and then this nazi guard gives him the watch with this oh so subtle smirk. and the ending as well

A Clockwork Orange-Someone already mentioned the intro, I'd like to add the scene when Alex is strapped and watching all those ultra-violence videos. I'm not sure whats more shocking, what you're seeing or that you're actually starting to sympathize with Alex.

The end of Immortal Beloved

Paths of Glory in its entirety

the first half hour of Saving private Ryan

Rosemary's Baby-the ending, incredible acting! ("he has his father's eyes!")

The ending of The Good the Bad and the Ugly (I'm referring to the shootout between Tuco, Setenza and Joe), Hitchcock couldn't have done it better!

thats all I can think of for now

bradw

Superman: When Superman flies up to catch Lois in one hand and the falling helicopter in the other. And when he turns back time to save Lois.


Forrest Gump: As Jennie lays dying, Forrest tells her of all the beautiful things he has seen in the world.

Jenny says "I wish I had been there."

Forrest says "You were."

And the next scene, as he stands over Jennie's grave, wondering if there is meaning to life.


The closing scenes of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.


The closing scenes of Affliction.


The closing scenes of Sunset Boulevard ("I'm ready for my close-up")


Oh, and the one I just saw again yesterday. The closing scene of the 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, when the woman finds out too late that she is the only human left.

Rusting Car Bumper

The trial scene in A Man for All Seasons.

DC

Doctor X

On the Waterfront--often imitated "I coulda been a contenda"--it demonstrates the consequences of knuckling under.

Taxi Driver--yes, the whole "You talkin' to ME?" captures Travis' attempt to justify his insanity--make himself a victim and play-act that he is a hero. He will create the conflict just so he can feel he has power.

Dirty Harry--no, not the "this is a 44 magnum scene," but the scene where he tortures Scorpio as the camera pans away in the stadium. Has he become the monster or is he justified trying to hurt the creep as he has his victims?

. . . while we are on Dirty Harry . . .

Sudden Impact--over-quoting "Go ahead . . . 'make my day.'" robs it of its context--he has had a truly rotten day watching criminals walk because he "does not play by the rules"--unfortunatley, the rest of the film rather goes down the tubes. . . .

A Clockwork Orange--many good scenes . . . "It's Not Dim No More, It's 'Officer'" Dim finding the beaten Alex . . . the slow pan away from the raving husband playing the Ninth on the stereo as Alex screams . . . and we see the others bored waiting for Alex to commit suicide for their political benefit. Returning to the "Ludovico Technique" scene--Alex strapped in--when he screams, "I'm CURED! PRAISE GOD!!" "You're not cured yet, boy!"

The Usual Suspects--has a number of scenes--most are rather subtle rather than "powerful" but I prefer when "Mr. Kobayashi" changes from "frightened" over his impending execution to demonstrating that he has control of the whole situation and all of the efforts of "the usual suspects" is, at most, a minor inconvenience in his commute to work. "Good day, gentlemen."

--J.D.

jman0904

Requiem for a Dream-
The whole movie was incredibly powerful. But the most gut wrenching and powerful scene for me was the series of views of the characters in the end scene. Seeing Jennifer Connely curl up on the couch with her drugs just made me want to scream "NOOO!" and cry.

riddlereader

What inspires me about Cabaret is the scene that I have only imagined.

I saw the movie when it first came out (some decades ago), and saw the stage version a couple of years ago. Both times I left feeling really bad, and thinking that some drama students, perhaps steeped in the works of Camus and the like, should be recruited to re-write the ending, so as to conclude on a note of tragic defiance.

However inevitable the defeat, when faced with evil so pure, the only decent response is to resist to one's last breath.

Ed

wonkothesane

I loved this whole scene, from when Gandalf slams down his sword and staff and yells "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" to the final words - something like "Run, you fools!" - to the screaming, crying Hobbits being dragged from the cave, then the silence and the looks of anguish on Frodo's and Pippin's face...Boromir's death scene was pretty good too, and when Aragorn says, sincerely to Frodo "I would have followed you into the very fires of Mount Doom."...

I also like some of the scenes toward the end of Two Towers, like the one where the - oh so Shakespearian King Theodin - asks, "And do you trust your king?" and breaks into the "Where is the horse and rider? speech scene, the weapons being given to mere children - putting the oversized helmet on the child - the scence where Aragorn tries to give the young boy some hope, the argument with Legolas ("Then I shall die like one of them!") and the utterly hopesless look on the king's face when he realizes that Helms Deep has fallen, and he just looks lost ("What can men do against such reckless hate?") and Aragorn says "Ride out with me, ride out and meet them!" King:"Yes, for death and glory.", and the "Now for wraith, now for ruin, and the red dawn!"....

Even Gimley's mere "He fell" is said with such emotion...they got some fucking good actors for these movies...sure, it's not "My Dinner with Andre", but I get a kick out of it...

And I like Samwise's sappy speech toward the end, about the "stories that really counted", and you know they are also refering to *this* story!

Oh, and I cry everytime I see the end of "Never Cry Wolf" when he says "And I let them leave, and did not watch them go." (Or something like that.)

I liked Ellie's speech at the hearing at the end of "Contact", and despite some disapointment with the "alien" scene, I for some reason always cry at the end of that movie...maybe it's the "For Carl" bit - I was at my then wife's inlaws house watching it when it first came out on video, and I had to pretend to be sleepy so that I could hide my face in her lap and cry...

And I like the "I want my father back you son of a bitch!" in Princess Bride (In the book, he stabs the guy repeatedly and the bad guy screams something like "What are you doing!?" and Inigo says something like "Cutting out your heart like you did to me!"...equally good...)

Gosh, I could probably think of a million more even better ones if it wasn't almost 5a.m. here...

- bryce

Gregg

"Dances with Wolves! I am Wind in His Hair! Do you know that I am your friend? Do you know that I will always be your friend?"

dangin

8 Million Ways to Die - The scene where Jeff Bridges trades the coke for Rossanna Arquette. (ends in a gun battle)

The Magdelene Sisters - The "YOU ARE NOT A MAN OF GOD" scene.

xorbie

I was surprised it took so long for Requiem to be mentioned. In case any of you have seen it, the ending of White Squal where Ryan Philipe's character goes back to get the photo of his dead brother and ends up drowning, and then seeing the dead bodies of all the people who drowned.

I personally was moved by a lot of the scenes in Gladiator, but my favorite one was when Maximus turns around before the Commodus and takes off his mask and says "My name is Maximus whatever whatever, Commander of the Northern Army, father to a dead son, husband do a dead wife, and I shall have my revenge" (paraphrased).

I also really love the scene in A Beautiful Mind where he is sitting in the bar and he finally gets it, and the music starts playing and for that minute when the "Kleidoscope of Mathematics" song is playing and you just see him doing the math there. But it probably gets me 'cuz I love da math.

More to come, methinks.

***
Joel