Top 10 Movie Scenes That Were More Important Than You Realize

“Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” (2005)
“Revenge of the Sith” is full of memorable moments… for better or worse. One of the most crucial scenes in the film is often overlooked. Maybe that’s because it’s also among the subtler moments, using clever visuals to foreshadow the falling out between a master and an apprentice. As Obi-Wan heads off to Utapau, he parts with Anakin on good terms, assuring him he’ll be a great Jedi eventually. When Obi-Wan says, “Goodbye, old friend,” he doesn’t realize that he’s saying farewell forever. This is the last time Obi-Wan sees Anakin before he becomes Darth Vader. This is hinted as Obi-Wan steps out into the light while Anakin remains under the area’s dark side, concealing the anger, hate, and suffering within.

“The Terminator” (1984)
Even without its lower half, the T-800 is relentless in its pursuit of Sarah Connor. After multiple fake-outs, Sarah finally gets the upper hand by crushing what’s left of the Terminator in a hydraulic press. The only part of the machine that’s left in decent shape is its right arm, which was mere seconds away from choking the life out of Sarah. When the film premiered in 1984, the arm’s preservation wasn’t even an afterthought. Little did we know that this plot point would leave the door open for a sequel. In “Judgement Day,” Skynet’s creator, Cyberdyne Systems, tries to reverse engineer the T-800’s arm, as well as the CPU that got left behind. It may’ve been terminated, but this machine still can’t be stopped.

“The Big Lebowski” (1998)
As much as we love this cult comedy, we share the Stranger’s sentiment when he says that he didn’t like seeing Donny go. One of the reasons Donny’s death is so hard to swallow is because it comes out of nowhere… or does it? Donny’s demise was actually foreshadowed when he failed to bowl a strike for the first time. Donny appears puzzled and the audience is equally confused. Why was that little moment included in the movie? Right after missing, Donny checks his right hand, suspecting something is off. The situation is even more serious than Donny thinks, as arm pain is a symptom of an imminent heart attack. Moments later, Donny’s heart can’t take it when a fight breaks out with the nihilists.

“The Thing” (1982)
The opening of this sci-fi horror film immediately sucks the audience in, but a few major things often get lost in translation. While in pursuit of a sled dog, a Norwegian man accidentally blows up his own helicopter. As the dog rushes to a nearby research team, he yells something at them in Norwegian. Unable to get past the language barrier, the Norwegian man starts shooting, causing Garry to fire back. What the Americans - and most viewers - don’t realize is that the Norwegian was saying, “Get the hell away from that thing! That’s not a dog, it’s some sort of thing! It’s imitating a dog, it isn’t real! Get away, you idiots!” The big reveal was hidden in plain sight from the get-go.

“Home Alone” (1990)
We all remember the scene in this Christmas classic when Buzz eats Kevin’s cheese pizza, sparking a chain reaction that leaves the kitchen in disarray. This creates a distance between Kevin and his family before an even greater distance is created. Even if you watch this film every holiday season, though, there’s a key detail that you likely missed. Amid all the commotion, Kevin’s ticket gets thrown out with some wet napkins. If his ticket wasn’t disposed of, the McCallisters would’ve realized before getting on the plane to Paris that Kevin got left home alone. This comes back in the sequel when Mrs. McCallister passes out everyone’s tickets, asking where Kevin is. Who knew spilt milk could be such a big deal?

“The Shawshank Redemption” (1994)
In one of this Oscar-nominated drama’s most poignant conversations, Andy tells Red where he’d like to live the rest of his life if he ever gets out of prison. Red, meanwhile, is afraid to leave the big house, worried that he won’t be able to make it on the outside. Of course, this ties into the film’s ending where the recently released Red meets up with Andy in Zihuatanejo. Really listen closely to the sly dialogue here, though. Red tells Andy that his dream of escaping to a Mexican beach is a pipe dream, or more specifically … Andy decides to get busy living, ultimately escaping from Shawshank through a sewage pipe that smells of human feces. Ah, we see whatcha did there.

“Hereditary” (2018)
The devil is in the detail in “Hereditary,” inviting multiple viewings to catch everything. Attending a support group following her mother’s funeral, Annie discusses her brother who took his own life. In his suicide note, Annie’s brother claimed that their mother tried putting other people inside him. At first, this just seems to be establishing her family’s history of mental illness, making us question Annie’s own sanity throughout the film. In this brief moment, however, Annie alludes to the eventual fate of her son, Peter. In the end, Peter’s body is taken over by his deceased sister Charlie, who hosted the demon Paimon. Annie’s mother was part of a coven and long before putting Paimon in Peter, they tried doing something similar to Annie’s brother.

“Fargo” (1996)
Movies by the Coen brothers usually have a few moments that appear pointless on the surface. Upon further investigation, however, they turn out to be vital clues. Take Marge’s awkward dinner date with Mike Yanagita for example. It’s uncomfortably funny, but many audiences at the time were left wondering why this seemingly random scene wasn’t left on the cutting room floor. As Roger Ebert pointed out in a retrospective review, Mike plays a greater role than most realize. After finding out that Mike lied about having a wife, amongst other things, Marge realizes that she might’ve missed something when she interviewed Jerry. This motivates her to revisit him for a follow-up interrogation, exposing Jerry for the liar he is. Does that answer your question?

“The Wolverine” (2013)
Although it’s billed as the final entry in a trilogy, you don’t really need to watch the first two standalone “Wolverine” movies to follow “Logan.” Nevertheless, there is a touching parallel between “Logan” and 2013’s “The Wolverine” that’s lost on most viewers. Possessing precognitive powers, Yukio tells Logan that he’s going to die on his back with blood everywhere and his heart in his hand. Given the franchise’s messy continuity, we didn’t expect this scene to go anywhere. In “Logan,” though, the titular mutant does indeed die grasping his heart. Not his literal heart, but his symbolic heart, which comes in the form of his daughter Laura’s hand. As if this goodbye wasn’t devastating enough already, the foreshadowing only makes it more powerful.

“Jurassic Park” (1993)
Few scenes in “Jurassic Park” are more spine-chilling than when raptors enter the kitchen with Tim and Lex inside. Fortunately, Tim lures one raptor into an open freezer. The melting ice on the floor causes the dino to slip, allowing the siblings to quickly lock it inside. But wait, why was the freezer carelessly left wide open? We thought John Hammond spared no expense. Well, think back to an earlier scene where Hammond has some ice cream with Ellie. Hammond tells her that the ice cream was melting, seeing how the power’s out. This minor detail is overshadowed by the conversation that ensues, but it explains why the freezer wasn’t shut. Hammond must’ve left it open while getting the ice cream, inadvertently saving his grandchildren.