Top 100 Greatest Movie Scenes of All Time

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the greatest singular scenes that have ever graced the big screen. Just so you know, this list will be focusing on live-action scenes only, so animated films will have to wait their turn. Watch out for spoilers ahead! Did we think of all your favorite iconic movie moments? Let us know what we missed in the comments below. #100: I Will Have My Vengeance “Gladiator” (2000) Some moments are just so satisfying, you can’t help but cheer. That’s exactly how this identity reveal in “Gladiator” makes us feel. For a good chunk of the movie, Commodus believes that Maximus died along with his family when he refused to swear loyalty to the new emperor. But when Maximus leads the gladiators to victory in a fight, and Commodus comes down to congratulate him, the jig is up. Compelled to unmask himself by Commodus, Maximus tells the unsuspecting ruler just exactly who he is and what he’s after. And that, my friends, is vengeance. #99: A Super Rescue “Superman” (1978) There’s nothing quite like Clark Kent ripping open his button-down to reveal that S underneath. When that moment is followed by a rescue like this? Forget about it! In this scene from Richard Donner’s “Superman,” Clark Kent looks up to see none other than Lois Lane dangling from a crashed helicopter. He immediately takes matters into his own hands, throwing on that disguise and shooting up into the sky to catch her. Considering the film was made in 1978, it still looks pretty impressive from an effects standpoint. And the performances of Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder are nothing if not iconic. #98: Harry Lime “The Third Man” (1949) There’s just something about Orson Welles’ face. But Welles alone isn’t what makes this character introduction in “The Third Man” so great. When Holly Martins comes to Vienna, it’s with the hope of accepting a job from his friend Harry Lime. When he finds out Harry has mysteriously died, he decides to stick around and investigate. One night, Martins gets the feeling that someone is watching him as he strolls down the street. He notices a man standing in a doorway. A streak of light flashes against the man’s face, and we see none other than Harry Lime himself. Everything about the shot lines up perfectly to create an indelible movie moment. #97: Down to the Basement “Parasite” (2019) Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” took the world by storm in 2019. Every frame of the film is stellar, but the moment when it’s revealed what exactly is happening in the Park family’s house is unforgettable. One night when the Parks are away, the Kim family overtakes the house. When the old housekeeper shows up claiming she left something behind, things hit the fan. We learn that the old housekeeper’s husband has been living in a bunker underneath the house and slowly going mad while trying to avoid loan sharks. Things get a little unhinged here, leaving the audience reeling with this reveal and its implications. #96: Escape to the Beach “The 400 Blows” (1959) What do you call that feeling when you get what you’ve always wanted, but don’t know what to do next? Director Francois Truffaut captured that feeling with the amazing ending of his film, “The 400 Blows.” In the movie, Antoine is a troubled young boy. Abandoned by his family to what amounts to a detention center, the movie ends with Antoine escaping and running toward the beach. He’s always wanted to see the ocean, but when he finally gets there, the film freezes on his face, his expression unreadable. We don’t know if he’s happy, disappointed, or wondering where he goes from here. Maybe, it’s a little bit of everything. #95: The Phone Call “Scream” (1996) Do you like scary movies? It was an innocent enough question before 1996. But after “Scream” came out, things would never be the same. It’s hard to open a movie with a bang, but “Scream” has done it better than most. When none other than Drew Barrymore answers the telephone during the film’s opening sequence, we think that she’s our main character. As the caller turns more and more sadistic as he quizzes her about horror films, however, things start to feel unsure. The subsequent murder of Barrymore’s character came as a huge shock to audiences and still feels subversive to this day. #94: The Crazy 88 “Kill Bill: Volume 1” (2003) Is there any outfit more iconic than Uma Thurman’s yellow jumpsuit in “Kill Bill: Volume 1?” We don’t think so. The Bride’s revenge spree throughout both “Kill Bill” movies is riveting at every turn. But nothing beats the Crazy 88 sequence. The Bride’s mission to kill members of her former team, the Deadly Vipers, leads her to O-Ren in Tokyo. O-Ren won’t go down without a fight, however, and she has plenty willing to do her bidding. The martial arts sequence where The Bride takes out every single member of O-Ren’s souped-up group of bodyguards is one of the best fight sequences in cinema history. #93: I Bid You Welcome “Dracula” (1931) It’s hard to imagine a movie world with Dracula. But back in the early 1930s, the most famous vampire of them all hadn’t yet made it to the big, sound screen. Tod Browning’s 1931 adaptation of “Dracula” was the first sound film version of Bram Stoker’s famous novel. It starred Bela Lugosi, who played the role on the stage. This movie would jumpstart Lugosi’s long and illustrious horror film career, ranging for more than 20 years. This moment, where he introduces himself to Renfield, marks the start of Lugosi and Dracula’s long effect on the culture. #92: Dance at the Gym “West Side Story” (1961) On their own, Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins are two of the most important figures in the worlds of cinema and theater. Put them together, and it’s no wonder they were unstoppable. Wise and Robbins co-directed the film version of “West Side Story.” The film features one of the greatest bits of choreography ever put to screen, the dance at the gym. The sequence is a feat of choreography and camerawork, encompassing the beginning of the dance, a semi-truce and then stand-off between the Sharks and the Jets, and the first meeting of Tony and Maria. Robbins’ choreography is unmatched, emotionally dynamic, and rich with story. #91: Run, Forrest! Run! “Forrest Gump” (1994) Without a doubt, there’s been a time in your life when you’ve said these words. There are so many memorable scenes and quotable moments from “Forrest Gump.” This one comes at the beginning of the film when the titular character and his friend Jenny are being chased. Jenny tells Forrest to run, and despite the leg braces that have always hindered him, he takes that advice to heart. From that moment on, the words have held a special place in pop culture. Whether you find this moment silly or moving, you can’t deny that. #90: Chased by a Crop Duster “North by Northwest” (1959) Even if you haven’t seen Alfred Hitchcock’s “North by Northwest,” we’re willing to bet one image comes to mind when you hear that title. If that image is, Cary Grant being chased by a crop duster, you’re correct. The scene is iconic for many reasons, but perhaps one of the most important ones is the desolation of the setting. The plain is completely flat and empty in a way that feels a little too eerie right from the beginning. Once the crop duster starts coming, that’s it. The landscape is completely open. There’s nowhere for Cary Grant’s character to hide. #89: Bohemian Rhapsody “Wayne’s World” (1992) #88: Odessa Steps “Battleship Potemkin” (1925) #87: No Man’s Land “Wonder Woman” (2017) #86: News Team Brawl “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” (2004) #85: Circle of Confessions “The Breakfast Club” (1985) Detention, but make it therapy. “The Breakfast Club” was a phenomenon back in 1985. The story of five teens from different cliques coming together still feels just as relevant today. This scene in particular remains one of the film’s most memorable. While spending the day in detention together, our five misfits come together and start to commiserate about their problems. From depression, to peer pressure, to abuse at home, actually talking with each other helps these kids realize that they aren’t so different after all. It’s an incredibly cathartic scene that’s tremendously well-acted. #84: KHAN!! “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” (1982) #83: Leg Cross “Basic Instinct” (1992) #82: One of Us “Freaks” (1932) #81: Battlefield Run “1917” (2019) #80: Playing Chess with Death “The Seventh Seal” (1957) When it comes to creating a literal personification of death, most moviemakers have their work cut out for them. We’re not sure anyone has really come as close to nailing it as Ingmar Bergman did with “The Seventh Seal.” The film is a fantasy revolving around a knight who challenges Death to a chess match. Death has come for him, but he believes that as long as he can keep the match going, he can continue to live. The chess game between the knight and Death is characterized by themes of the afterlife, faith, and fate. And yet, the most mesmerizing thing about Bergman’s film is not so much the words, but the images themselves. #79: The Hills Are Alive “The Sound of Music” (1965) #78: In Line at the Movies “Annie Hall” (1977) #77: O Captain! My Captain! “Dead Poets Society” (1989) #76: Vault Break-In “Mission: Impossible” (1996) #75: Heroes Return “Avengers: Endgame” (2019) Over the years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has given us a lot of great moments. Tony Stark’s casual reveal that he is indeed Iron Man in the franchise’s first installment comes to mind. But nothing has really come close to this “Avengers: Endgame” moment. During the final battle against Thanos, there are so many moments when it feels like all is lost. But when we heard Sam’s tinny voice in Captain America’s ear for the first time, we could hardly believe our ears. Seeing all of our favorite superheroes reunite to defeat evil on a big screen brought such joy to our hearts. If those audience reaction videos are anything to go by, we weren’t the only ones. #74: Car Ambush “Children of Men” (2006) #73: The Secret “In the Mood for Love” (2000) #72: Empty London “28 Days Later” (2002) #71: The Time of My Life “Dirty Dancing” (1987) #70: You’re Tearing Me Apart “Rebel Without a Cause” (1955) “Rebel Without a Cause” might be the quintessential American movie about teenage rebellion and the rift between overbearing, repressive parents and their more sensitive children. It’s the movie that made James Dean an icon and a lot of that has to do with this particular scene. Dean’s character Jim Stark sits drunk as his parents argue over whether he’s done anything wrong and who is to blame for his behavior. At one point, Jim just can’t take it anymore. “You’re tearing me apart,” he screams out in agony, blue eyes shining with tears. With that one line, Dean helped define the thesis of a generation. #69: Whisper “Lost in Translation” (2003) #68: Forget It, Jake “Chinatown” (1974) #67: Ludovico Technique “A Clockwork Orange” (1971) #66: French Market Dreaming “Inception” (2010) #65: Aragorn’s Speech at the Black Gate “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003) “The Lord of the Rings” might be one of the most successfully adapted franchises of all time, both in terms of fan appreciation and quality of film. Peter Jackson’s trilogy has brought us such joy over the years. We’ll never get over the feeling of seeing the fellowship together for the first time. Today, though, we’re going to focus on one of our favorite moments of the whole series, Aragorn’s speech at the Black Gate. Not only does Viggo Mortensen give a truly inspired performance, but the speech itself is unforgettable. Aragorn yelling, “I bid you stand, Men of the West,” has us ready to rush off into battle. #64: Say Hello “Scarface” (1983) #63: Mark Betrays Eduardo “The Social Network” (2010) #62: Donny’s Ashes “The Big Lebowski” (1998) #61: Coin Toss “No Country for Old Men” (2007) #60: The Sunken Place “Get Out” (2017) It’s difficult to create a cinematic image that will last with audiences for years to come. But in 2017, Jordan Peele was able to do just that with the sunken place. With “Get Out,” Peele expertly blended horror and comedy to create something that felt fresh. The idea of the Sunken Place, however, was straight-up horror. In the film, the sunken place is a sort of void that characters find themselves in where they can see out of their own eyes, but aren’t in control of their body. Peele has said he wasn’t thinking of any deeper meaning when the idea first came to him, but the connections to themes of imprisonment and abduction were immediately obvious. #59: The Big Reveal “The Sixth Sense” (1999) #58: Ofelia Meets the Pale Man “Pan’s Labyrinth” (2006) #57: The Chariot Race “Ben-Hur” (1959) #56: Gunnery Sgt. Hartman’s Intro “Full Metal Jacket” (1987) #55: You Talkin’ to Me? “Taxi Driver” (1976) At this point, it’s common knowledge that one of the most famous monologues in cinema history was improvised by Robert De Niro. But that cultural knowledge doesn’t make this moment in “Taxi Driver” any less impressive. The moment happens when Travis Bickle, essentially out of his mind by this point, catches sight of himself in a mirror and says, “You talkin’ to me?” Scorsese says the scene was inspired by a similar Marlon Brando moment in “Reflections in a Golden Eye,” but the dialogue is all De Niro. His deranged energy helps set the performance apart. #54: You Can’t Handle the Truth “A Few Good Men” (1992) #53: The Black Knight “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” (1975) #52: The Great Speech “The Great Dictator” (1940) #51: Diner Conversation “Heat” (1995) #50: Magic Trick “The Dark Knight” (2008) We’re generally pretty fond of magic. But when it comes to this trick? We could take it or leave it. The Joker is one of the most demented characters in comic book history. Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the villain in 2008’s “The Dark Knight” definitely lived up to that darkly comic energy. This scene is a big reason why. In it, the Joker sticks a pencil in a table and tells everyone he’s going to make it “disappear.” He does… by slamming a mobster’s head straight into it. The quickness with which Ledger goes back and forth between humor and horror is something to behold. #49: Coulda Been a Contender “On the Waterfront” (1954) #48: What’s in the Box? “Seven” (1995) #47: The Riot “Do the Right Thing” (1989) #46: Mad as Hell “Network” (1976) #45: Merry Christmas! “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946) We dare you to get through this entry without crying happy tears! Over the years, “It’s a Wonderful Life” has become one of the most popular Christmas movies ever, even though a good chunk of the movie doesn’t take place during the holiday. That doesn’t really matter, though. George Bailey galloping through the streets screaming “Merry Christmas” is cheer personified. That plus seeing how much everyone cares about him at the end of the film when everyone lends a helping hand with their extra cast is just so special. That little bell ringing and Clarence getting his wings is just the cherry on top. #44: Learning to Swim “Moonlight” (2016) #43: The Marriage of Figaro “The Shawshank Redemption” (1994) #42: Truman Escapes “The Truman Show” (1998) #41: Tears in Rain “Blade Runner” (1982) #40: I’m Ready For My Close Up “Sunset Boulevard” (1950) Norma Desmond always dreamt she would find her way back to the big screen one day. We’re willing to bet this isn’t exactly what she meant, but hey! You’ve got to take what you can get. “Sunset Boulevard” is widely considered one of the best films ever made. The film follows a struggling writer named Joe Gillis who lands a job writing a movie for a forgotten Hollywood star. Norma, mad with the desire to be loved, ends up killing Joe when he tries to leave her. To lure her downstairs, the police pretend she’s shooting a movie. The lights, the drama, the people watching; it’s everything Norma’s been dreaming of. #39: What Now? “The Graduate” (1967) #38: Lift Off “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” (1982) #37: Motorcycle Chase “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991) #36: I Ate His Liver “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991) #35: Bamboo Forest Fight “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000) Do you ever watch something and think, now how in the world did they do that? We get that feeling every single time we watch this fight sequence from Ang Lee’s masterpiece. In “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” the answer is almost always incredible practical effects. In this sequence, characters Jen and Mu Bai battle each other on top of a bamboo forest. The actors and stunt performers make the fight choreography look effortless, but in reality, the sequence took two weeks to film and months of work in the editing room. The performers were suspended by wires, making it look as though they were really floating on air. #34: My Name is Inigo Montoya “The Princess Bride” (1987) #33: I Expect You To Die “Goldfinger” (1964) #32: Chrissie’s Last Swim “Jaws” (1975) #31: You Never Got Me Down, Ray “Raging Bull” (1980) #30: It’s Alive! “Frankenstein” (1931) Between “Frankenstein” and “Dracula,” 1931 was quite the year for classic horror. But this moment in the story of Dr. Frankenstein’s monster gave us one of the most iconic quotes in cinema history. As Dr. Frankenstein’s (played by Colin Clive) contraption begins to work its magic on the corpse that will become the monster, the electricity in the scene is palpable. But it’s Clive’s performance that really pushes things over the edge. His repetition of the phrase, “It’s alive,” is full of manic excitement. It’s a performance that has lasted for generations. #29: The Farmhouse “Inglourious Basterds” (2009) #28: Isn’t It Delicious? “The Seven Year Itch” (1955) #27: All Work & No Play “The Shining” (1980) #26: Copacabana “Goodfellas” (1990) #25: The Girl in the Red Coat “Schindler’s List” (1993) Famously, Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List” is shot almost exclusively in black and white. Except for one very key, very heartbreaking exception. At one point in the film, Liam Neeson’s Oskar Schindler sees a girl in a red coat running from the Nazis during a massacre. The girl represents the innocent cost of the war, and she’s one of the reasons Schindler can’t forgive himself no matter how many people he saves. Later, when he sees her coat on top of a mass of bodies, it represents the point of no return for the character. #24: Ezekiel 25:17 “Pulp Fiction” (1994) #23: Climbing the Empire State Building “King Kong” (1933) #22: Head Spinning “The Exorcist” (1972) #21: The Boulder “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) #20: The Standoff “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” (1966) Everyone loves a good old fashioned standoff between cowboys. The standoff is a staple of the Western, but this moment from “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” might be the most famous of them all. Everything that happens is exactly what you think of when you imagine a standoff. The way the camera flits from each man’s weapon to each man’s face. The lilting score in the background. All leading up to the big bangs. “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” created the blueprint for standoffs to come. Literally. #19: Bullet Dodge “The Matrix” (1999) How must it feel to have created one of the most iconic images in cinema history? Someone should ask the Wachowskis, because they did it with Neo’s rooftop bullet dodge in “The Matrix.” There are so many gorgeous visuals in the Wachowski’s masterpiece, but this showdown between the agents and Neo takes them all by storm. Beyond just looking cool, with “The Matrix,” the Wachowskis helped introduce what’s known appropriately as “bullet time.” To show how fast a character is moving, the camera moves through a slow-motion shot at a normal pace. This helps put the audience in the character’s shoes and is part of what makes this scene so amazing. #18: Factory Scene “Modern Times” (1936) Back in the early days of Hollywood, Charlie Chaplin was making movie magic. The Tramp had a number of amazing films and memorable movie moments, but one remains above the others. The factory scene from 1936’s “Modern Times” is still arguably Chaplin’s most iconic bit. It starts with Chaplin’s inability to understand how an assembly line works and just ramps up the ridiculousness from there. Even almost 100 years later, Chaplin’s physical comedy is unmatched by almost anyone. His over-the-top expressions and sensibilities are funny even today to a modern audience. #17: Clock Tower “Back to the Future” (1985) If you’re looking to time travel, no worries! According to “Back to the Future,” all you need is a clock tower and some lightning. “Back to the Future” has been a classic since its release in 1985, and this scene remains part of its iconic imagery. In order to travel back and forth in time, Marty McFly uses 1.21 gigawatts from a lightning strike that hits the clock tower in his town. The image of the lightning strike is just as memorable as the movie itself. Over the years, the clock tower has remained one of the most recognizable images in Hollywood history. #16: T-Rex Break Out “Jurassic Park” (1993) The slight jiggle of the water. The dead goat landing on top of the jeep. That giant head finally coming into view. All of this and more makes the T-Rex escape in “Jurassic Park” one of the most well-crafted moments in cinema history. The moment that the tyrannosaurus rex breaks out of her cage and begins attacking our heroes is one of the scariest things we’ve ever seen in a Steven Spielberg film. The combination of visual and practical effects makes the look of the movie timeless, and the construction of this moment in particular is amazing. #15: I Drink Your Milkshake “There Will Be Blood” (2007) Without any context, this famous line from “There Will Be Blood” seems a bit silly. To be quite honest, we didn’t even know milkshakes existed in the early 1900s. But when you see the scene in full, its sinister nature is unmistakable. Throughout the film, Daniel Day-Lewis’ character has an unrelenting, ruthless commitment to capitalism, culminating in the milkshake moment. The milkshake, in this case, serves as a metaphor for oil drainage and the evils of capitalism. Day-Lewis’ delivery of the moment is absurd, but that makes it all the scarier. #14: Ride of the Valkyries “Apocalypse Now” (1979) If there’s one thing Francis Ford Coppola knows how to do, it’s how to create a cinematic image that we’ll never be able to get out of our heads. The famous Ride of the Valkyries sequence from “Apocalypse Now” is just that. The movie is famous for being an unflinching take on the Vietnam War, and this scene is one of its most famous. As the helicopters (the Valkyries, if you will) start to roar off into the air, Richard Wagner’s incredible music undercuts the sound of metal. As the helicopters take off, we also see shots of the villagers they’re headed for, creating a sense of dread that’s unmistakable. #13: Faking It “When Harry Met Sally…” (1989) There are some lines of dialogue that just never get old, no matter how many times you say them. “When Harry Met Sally…” is a masterclass of a romantic comedy, and so much of its humor comes from this amazing scene. When Harry tells Sally that he would for sure know if a woman was faking an orgasm, she decides to test him out. She fakes one, right there in the middle of Katz’s Delicatessen. Quite well, we might add! After she’s done, a woman at another booth (played by Rob Reiner’s mother) says, “I’ll have what she’s having.” It’s the perfect button on an iconic scene. #12: The Statue of Liberty “The Planet of the Apes” (1968) The ending of “The Planet of the Apes” is one of those moments you never forget. This 1968 science fiction classic was groundbreaking in so many ways, from its makeup to its themes. But this moment where everything becomes clear remains its lasting legacy. For the entirety of the film, we think that the main characters are on an alien planet. Then, we see the remains of the Statue of Liberty sticking out of the sand. The reveal that everything has actually been happening on a future version of Earth changes the meaning of everything we’ve seen thus far. #11: Rhett Butler’s Exit “Gone with the Wind” (1939) From a modern perspective, there are a lot of things that are wrong with “Gone with the Wind.” But the central relationship between Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler, and all the complications that entails, is one of the movie’s most interesting components. Scarlett clearly has some attraction to Rhett, but spends nearly their entire marriage pining after Ashley. Following a terrible tragedy (and some pretty despicable behavior from Rhett), he decides to leave her. As she begs him to stay, he utters one of the most famous lines in movies. “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” It’s still a pretty great zinger to this day. #10: Rosebud Revealed “Citizen Kane” (1941) It’s amazing to think about how a 20-something Orson Welles came to Hollywood and made perhaps the greatest movie of all time on his first go round. Over the years, “Citizen Kane” has become widely acclaimed as one of the best films ever made. From beginning to end, it’s impressive. We love that opening shot of the camera winding its way through Xanadu. But the thing everyone seems to remember is the reveal of Rosebud. Kane whispers the word at the beginning, but at the end, we find out it was the name of a sled he owned as a boy. All this time, Kane was looking for love, simplicity, and comfort. #9: Chestburster “Alien” (1979) The moment in “Alien” when Kane is attacked by a small alien creature is one of the film’s first instances of true terror. But it has nothing on Kane’s next encounter with the creature. As the crew on the commercial spaceship Nostromo enjoy a meal together, Kane begins to spasm uncontrollably. Suddenly, an alien bursts through his chest, ripping it open and killing him immediately. The effect is practical. A puppeteer pushed the alien through the table and what was actually a fake torso in order to get the shot. It doesn’t get much gnarlier than that. #8: Singin’ in the Rain “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952) The song “Singin’ in the Rain’” existed long before the 1952 film. It was actually introduced in 1929 in a different film. But over the years, we’ve only come to associate it with the movie “Singin’ in the Rain,” and more specifically with this magnificent Gene Kelly scene. Many people have performed the song over the years, but Kelly’s remains the best and most memorable. Right after kissing Kathy Selden, his character Don Lockwood leaps and bounds through puddles and sheets of rain, joyously singing about falling in love. Much like it’s impossible to be unhappy when you’re falling, it’s impossible to watch this without smiling. #7: I Am Your Father “Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) If there’s one movie we wish we could go back in time to see, it might be this one. The moment when Darth Vader reveals that he is Luke’s father in “The Empire Strikes Back” is so well known at this point. If you haven’t seen any “Star Wars” movies, you definitely know this twist. But in 1980, there was no concept of what “Star Wars” might turn into, and nobody had any idea that this was coming. The fight between Luke and Vader leading up to this moment is an emotionally fraught one, and the choice to essentially end the film with this reveal is daring. Audiences must have left feeling gutted. #6: Omaha Beach “Saving Private Ryan” (1998) It might be one of the hardest scenes in movie history to make it through, but it’s also one of the most important. “Saving Private Ryan” opens up with the Normandy invasion, and what follows is a roughly 24-minute sequence of unfettered violence. The length and unrelenting onslaught of the sequence as men storm onto the beach draws out the horror to an almost unbearable degree. Yet, even as the sequence goes on, Steven Spielberg never allows you to become numb to the terror you see in front of you. #5: Dawn of Man “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968) The first time one watches “2001: A Space Odyssey,” the experience can be a bit disorienting as you jump from sequence to sequence. But it’s also completely unforgettable, and a lot of that has to do with the film’s riveting opening scene. We start years in the past as a group of humanoid apes discover a giant monolith in their midst. The arrival of the monolith brings with it the discovery of weapons and therefore the discovery of war, beginning a journey into the themes that the film explores. The visuals are stunning, but the most memorable part of the sequence is the use of “Also sprach Zarathustra” for the score. #4: Here’s Looking at You, Kid “Casablanca” (1942) What do you even say about “Casablanca?” Over 80 years have gone by, and it’s still one of the most romantic movies ever made, despite the fact that its central couple don’t end up together. Ilsa and Rick’s bittersweet goodbye, however, forms the essence of the movie. It definitely makes the film’s end so beautifully indelible. On a plane runway, Rick urges Ilsa to leave him behind and stay with her husband Laszlo. He knows she loves Laszlo, and even though he loves her he won’t let her give that up. As he sends her off, he says, “Here’s looking at you, kid.” That sound you hear is heartbreaking around the world. #3: I Believe in America “The Godfather” (1972) Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather” trilogy has given us a plethora of quotable and memorable moments. “I know it was you, Fredo” still gives us chills to this day. But the highest high of the trilogy actually comes the moment it begins. The first “Godfather” film starts with a scene-setting monologue from humble undertaker Amerigo Bonasera, who has come to ask Marlon Brando’s Vito Corleone for a favor. The “I Believe in America” speech sets the tone for the entire franchise. It tells the audience exactly what to expect from the Corleone family, and it’s delivered beautifully. #2: Taking a Shower “Psycho” (1960) Alfred Hitchcock had already made a slew of movies before 1960, even winning an Oscar for Outstanding Production for 1940’s “Rebecca.” But in 1960, he would solidify himself as a master of the thriller genre with “Psycho.” One scene in particular more than left its mark. The first half of the film centers on Janet Leigh as she finds herself in a remote motel while on the run. When she’s taking a shower, out of nowhere a shadowy figure attacks her with a knife and kills her. Everything about this shot, from the editing style to the music, has made its way into the cultural lexicon. #1: Entering Oz “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) “The Wizard of Oz” wasn’t the first film to be shot in color. But it certainly has the most memorable use of color, even nearly a century later. The film begins in sepia tone, not quite black and white, but devoid of all color as Dorothy wishes she could go somewhere far away. She ultimately gets her wish and is whisked off by a tornado until she lands in Oz. After all these years, the effect of Dorothy stepping out of her drab world into a world of amazing technicolor is still unbelievable to behold.