Module 5
The top 100 Scenes
DreamingOutLoud
Emotional Chords
25 Movie Scenes
1)The Interpreter
After an interpreter at the UN reports over hearing the planing of an assassination on a controversial dictator about to speak at the UN, she herself falls under suspicion after the CIA starts digging into her past.
After narowingly escaping a bus bomb in Harlem, Silvia is brought back to her apartment by Secret service agent Tobin. There he confronts her about her involvement in rebel activity she was involved in her former country in her past. Here she drops her guard and lays her past bare. It feels like the first time she has ever done so in years. She admits to her former life as a rebel, her shooting a child that prompted her to leave her country, and her fear that her brother is some how involved with the assignation plan.
Silvia played by Nicole Kidman is so bare in releasing this secret life she has. The mask of this well put together woman is torn off and laid out as simple facts. No theatrics. She despite her appearance is a warrior for change in her home country and can be pushed to the extreme. But she does come back to her morals and commits to them “even if it slower than a gun.”
2)Yes
A married woman starts and affair with an Lebanese man she meets at one of her husbands dinner parties. He opens her up to her see life in all of its colors and beauty after living a life time in her unhappy dull marriage.
After he breaks up with her over the phone the two meet in a parking garage of an airport. There she confronts him in the parking lot as to why he is breaking up with her. He accuses her of buying him, using her wealth and status to use him, as a play thing, He accuses her of not treat him not as an equal like society treats his country men.
This scene carries so much that I am split between two of them.At first when Joan Allen’s character goes for a kiss and is then rejected. This woman who has always had her guard up around everyone except for this man only to have him reject her call her a bitch and say that she is unclean. That hits my little heart. Then when Simon Abkarian then starts saying that Joan Allen has just been using him like society uses him, buying him off and treating him like a plaything with out understanding who he is. That she hasn’t even taken into consideration, to learn anything about him and his background and in turn hate him.
3) The Joy Luck Club
Two generation of women tells their story of growing up. Their mothers growing up in China and their daughters growing up in America. Their stories are about over coming great odds and finding their identity in the world.
In China after mother witness her daughter being swayed by glass beads that were given to her by the cruel first wife. She kills herself by eating opeum filled buns and tells her daughter that she is willing to die and kill her weak spirit in order for her daughter to have a strong one. At the funeral the daughter looks over the her dead mother and tell her that she now has to strong spirit now. When she turns around she sees all of the other higher ranking wives then her mother and her little brother that first wife took from here mother and Her mothers husband/rapest. In a surge of energy she grabs her little brother from first wife and yells at the family about how cute they had treated her mother. Husband says that he will honor the daughters mothers if she was his first wife and honor her and her brother as his honored children the highest rank in the family. After husband pays his respects, first wife tries to do so as well but daughter yells as her and breaks that breaks that glass beads first wife had given her in font of her. First wife cowards from daughter and runs away and the daughter gives a yell “Mama!’ The scene flashes forward to American and daughter is now a grown woman telling this story to her grown daughter. And she says “and that is when I learned to shout.”
What moves me is that a child who has witness the cruelty inflicted on her and her mother is able to rise and avenge her mother and take justice in her own hands. She is able to turn the tables and make every one in the family feel shame for what they had done but at the end of it she still calls out for her mother both invoking her mother and mourning for her in the same time.
4) A Bigger Splash
A big female rock star who has lost her voice has gone on vacation with her boyfriend. When the stars former manager/lover shows up with his young sexy daughter. Sexual tension between the rock star and her former lover and the boyfriend and the sexy daughter are palpable and grows until someone is found dead in the pool.
In the scene Mary Ann and Harry have gone into town to get groceries and to explore. This is the first time the two of them have been alone together. He traps Mary Ann on a wall. Harry then starts to question Marry Ann.Does she really love Paul even though he is not exciting. What is she going to do if she doesn’t get her voice back. Is she going to reinvent herself again into a boring house wife. He says that no matter what to the two of them will aways be together.
What I love in this scene is Tilda Swinton’s Mary Ann. She cant really speak so what words she does say have to be short and direct. All she has to defend her self from the advances of Ralph Fiennes’s Harry is those few words. But her body language is so expressive you can see her being seduced by Harry and when she becomes scared of him but she can’t get away from him. She can’t cut him off. She is a mouse being played around with a big cat but can’t seem to bring its self to run away from him even though she might be consumed by him. She is between a rock and a hard place. All puns intentded.
5) Moonlight
The Movie follows the life of Chiron a gay African-American male growing up in Overtown, Miami, Florida as he comes to terms with how he sees himself in a world that has contempt for him. He has a few excepts Juan a drug dealer and father figure to Chiron and Kevin his only friend and the only person he has ever loved.
So after receiving a phone call form his childhood friend Kevin, Chiron drives down to Miami from Atlanta to sees his friend. He meets him at Kevins place a work. A late night dinner. Chiron drives Kevin to his apartment. Kevin asks if he remembers the last time they saw each other but al Chiron can recall is the pain and how week he felt back then. Then Chiron tries to show off his new persona that he has built since they were kids, this hard gangsta persona. He asks Kevin what did he do. Kevin cuts right through the facade and tells the truth about himself. It is then that Chiron confesses that he has never been with another man except for Kevin. In response all Kevin does is just smile.
Over the course of the last two scenes we see Chiron slowly taking his emotional walls down. In this scene Chiron take down that last wall and be so vulnerable. He is so vulnerable that if any rejection of him was to happen he would die. He would die not just figuratively but literally.
6) Kill Bill Vol.1
It is a revenge movie of the Bride who’s life was taken by her former of the the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad. The bride decides to kill each one of the members on there own turf then ultimately kill their leader and her former lover Bill.
Here we are finding out how Oren and half American half Chinese woman became the head of the Japanes Yakuza. At a board meeting of the Yakuza bosses Mr. Tanaka has a disagreement. He doesn’t see how a half breed outsider should taint the yakuza by being the leader of it. To that disagreement Oren cuts off his head and then precedes to plead her case (in English so they knows she mean business), that she is loyal and and would be a good boss and listen to criticisms but if anyone brings up her heritage as a negative they better speak up now. She does this while holding up the head of Mr. Tanaka.
For years I could have sworn that Mr. Tanaka spoke English in this scene. I remember the scene in English and I constantly have to remind myself he is speaking in Japanes. He speaks so affectionately abut the organization. He even holds it above his children and then shows how passionately he calls out the hypocritical colleges that just accepts it. He does that knowing that their will be reprocusions. That he may start a civil war in the Yakuza. He stands for what he believes in and his belief comes from a deep love and passion for the organization.
7) In the Mood for Love
After the finding out that their respective spouses are having an affair a man and a woman start to role play how their spouse affair might have be playing out. Over the course of time the two work work on a serial story for a newspaper.
After Mr Chow and Mrs. Chan meet in the rain after work before heading home. After offering his umbrella to Mrs. Chan she refuses it saying that the neighbors will recognize it as his and there will be talk about them having an affair but he should go first and she will just continue to wait until the rain stops. He decides to wait there under the awning with her to keep her company. She mentions that she thought he called her. He confesses that he called to see if she could get a ticket so he can fly to Singapore for an open-ended job. She protests. He says that he needs to leave because he can’t stand the gossip even though they are not like their spouses but now know how love slips in. Mr. Chow asks if Mrs. Chan to help him prepare. Mrs. Chen then breaks off the affair and the two part. Next we see Mr.Chow holding Mrs. Chan reassuring her that it was just a rehearsal.
Mrs. Chan throughout the scene is becomes more and more nerved. She can is trying so desparatly trying to keep her emotions in check. She is caught in an unending cycle of trying to decide what she wants to do and what she has to do. Her words are cold and direct. She tries so hard to bottle that upbeat it is spilling over. So that when the rehearsal is over all she can do is cry and release all the emotion she has tried to contain.
8) Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
After a valuable sword is stolen from a wealthy family, Yu Shu Lien a woman who leads a an security business is called to find the sword and the thief. With of the help of her dear friend Li Mu Bai, a well known skilled swordsman, finds out that is the daughter, Jen Yu, of the business man who had stolen the sword as a way to gain independence and rule over her life. Yu Shu Lien and Li Mu Bai try to gain the trust of Jen Yu to return the sword and help he find her independence.
While defending Jen from the witch Jade Fox, from poisons darts Li Mu Bai is hit with one of the deadly darts Yu She Lien send Jen to to get the antidote. Li Mu Bai and You She Lein are alone. Then with his dying breath Li Mu Bai confesses his love for Yu Shu Lien. He falls and Yu Shu Lien catches him and kisses as he dies.
Michelle Yeoh holding that unspoken love for someone and not acting on it due to the situation. Her being able to finally express it because she is assured that society will not look down on her for it or a fear of rejection
9) Dark Places
Libby Day is the lone survivor when the rest of her family was killed in a farmhouse in Kansas. Years later, Libby is forced to search for clues and her memory about what really happened that night.
After Libby escapes from Diondra and her daughters house she runs into the woods. There she is being hunted by Diondra. She hides in huddled in a creek helpless. Memories of that faithful night come to her. Memories of her hiding in the took shed after hearing gun shots in the house and the voice of her brother calling out to her. But the voice she is hearing now is not her brother but of Lyle coming to save her.
This tough woman all through out this story and is rendered helpless not because she is not capable of over powering her pursuers but because her guilt of her past is still with her in the present. She can’t move because she is stuck in the past.
10) Traitor
Samir an ex-special ops joins a terrorist organization and is linked to several attacks. Roy Clayton a CIA agent is tasked with finding him but soon questions Samir’s true loyalties.
In the belly of a cargo ship. After Samir has killed the leaders of the terrorist plot In the United States he and Omar are at a stand off. Samir talks to Omar. Samir reveals that he changed the instructions for the suicide bomber so they are all on the same bus. He pleads with him that killing innocent life goes against the Koran. That they have been taken advantage of. The CIA breaks in and Kills Omar and wounded Samir.
To be honest I could have picked any scene between Samir and Omar. But this scene I love so much because of Don Cheadle’s Samir. Samir knows the truth about who he is and finally reveals it to his best friend. And with all his might tries to convince him that what they are doing is wrong. From using logic to laying his own life before Omar. But what gets me the most that he does ultimately loose.
11) The Dressmaker
After living in self imposed exile Tilly has come back to her home town in rural Australia. While trying to regain her memory of the day that changed her life she uses her sowing machine and her sense of style she enacts revenge on those who wronged her.
The two of them alone for the first time after Molly has gone to sleep in a drunk coma. Teddy inquires where has Tilly been all this time and reminisce about their good times in their childhood and how the town shuns them both. At the end Teddy says that he wants to marry her if she wants him to. Tilly avoids the subject and walks away.
So I love this scene because very early Tilly knows what is going on. She is selective in her words. Keeping the conversation friendly with out moving to the romantic despite Teddy’s advances to steer towards the romantic. It is when Teddy is clear and plain the throws Tilly off. She has no defence or witty come back that would logically follow the conversation that she can use. Stuck in a corner she leave the conversation and brings up the one buzz kill of any romantic conversation. Her mother.
12) Arrival
After alien ships arrive on earth, a linguist is recruited to help the army learn the alien language. But as she is learning the language she begins to see visions. Is she going crazy or something els.
after working with the aliens for weeks learning their language Louise continues to have visions of her taking care of a little girl until the little girls death. Each vision getting stronger and more vivid thus putting her into a type of trance that seems to weaken her. Her have not gone unnoticed but her peers and commanding officer. When Ian confronts her about how she is feeling. That may be she is compromised. That she is starting to think like and dream of the aliens. She admits that she has had a few dreams but that it won’t interfere with her doing the job.
I love this scene. At its core it is a two against one game. They have come to Louise where she is the most vulnerable. Alone in her bedroom, right before she is about to go to sleep. You can tell it is the end of a really long day even by looking at Ian and how he carries himself. At this moment you can tell they are ready to convince her to drop off the team. But Louise comes back at them with such a fire you don’t doubt that she can be persuaded or manipulated in the quitting.
13) Disobedience
After running away from her Hescidic Jewish community Ronit returns to her community when she receives word that her father has died. She stay with her school friends Dovid and Esti who have married married each other. But Esti and Ronit’s attraction becomes more evident and explicit while Ronit stays for the week.
The Scene I love the most is actually near the beginning of the movie. Before we the audience find out about the attraction between Ronit and Esti. After finding out that Dovid and Esti are married Ronit retreats to smoking a cigarette out side on the porch. There she talks to Dovid about how much she wasn’t told about what was going on in her family and friends. That no one contacted her to let her know. At the end of the scene Dovid reminds Ronit that this week of mourning for her father needs to be done with honor. “Honor is the most important thing.”
What I love about they scene is that Ronit, Rachel Weise character, is a wreck and then is hit with another blow that her two best friends are married. Not only that she is only just processing that she is an outsider in the very community that she has grown up in. She knows everyone and yet is not accepted.
14) Julie and Julia
Stuck in a deadend insurance job, Julie, a self-proclaimed failed writer, decides to start writing a blog about her going through Julia Childs cookbook. At the same time we see Julia Childs as she lives through her years in Paris and Europe as she conceives and writes the book.
The scene that hits me the most is when Julia, played by Meryl Streep, is actually montage of Julia going to to culinary school. Of her chopping onions and preparing lobster. With Julia giving a voice over to the action that she is doing.
What I love about this montage in the pure joy Julia has doing these things. She is a literally a kid cheering and jumping at the excitement of what she is doing. She loves what she is doing and she can’t contain it.
15) Clouds of Sils Maria
A veteran actress Maria, played by Juliette Binoche, is rehearing for a role in a play the that made her famous over 20 years ago. But instead of playing the young ingenue she now plays the older woman that is manipulated. This forces her to re-evaluate her life and how she is to move on if she can.
To be honest there are two scenes in this movie that I love. The first is near the beginning when she describes her former relationship with Henryk Wald, an other actor who was in the same play infamous play.
The second is a scene near the end of the movie where they are in the final rehearsals when Maria stops Jo-Ann, who is playing Maria’s old role, on how she should do the scene. When Jo-Ann defends her actions Maria comes to the realization that she has to let go of her memories and preconceive notions.
The reason why I picked these two scenes because they hit me hard in to different ways. The first scene where Maria is talking to her assistant, played by Kristen Stewart, about her relationship with Henryk you see how bitter she is about it. That at every fiber of her being she doesn’t want to let go of the emotional wounds that he inflicted on her at 19/20 years old. And she denies and feeling that she may still have for him and replaces them with hate.
The second scene I picked because it is Marie at her exact opposite. As she is holding on to memories you see her finally let go of her expectations and become open for the first time to see movement and change around her.
16) Florence Foster Jenkins
A rich socialite, Florence, played by Meryl Streep, who wanted to sing like an opera singer but that thing is that she is tone def. But with the help of her husband and organizations who want her patronage she doesn’t know. She is getting ready to sing at Carnegie Hall for her first concert for the public. Will she find out the truth and be humiliated or will she live out her dream and be happy.
The scene that speaks to me is when Florence is sitting in Carnegie Hall telling her husband St. Clair played by Hugh Grant that she has booked the hall for a concert and has given 10,000 tickets to the USO.
This scene is so precious because she is so hopeful. She is going to do what she has always dreamed of. She is in loved with her art and she wants to share it with the world. She is a wide eyed naiveté to her actual talent but she sees the stars.
17) Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
When Billionaire Thomas Crown, played by Pierce Brosnan, steals a Money from a museum in New York City Catherine Banning, played by Rene Russo, an investigator of the museums insurance company is tasked with catching him red handed. But in her investigation both Thomas and Catherine become romantically involved while they do this cat and mouse game.
The scene that sticks with me in this movie actually comes near the end of the movie. After Catherine gets to the meeting site of where she is was supposed to meet Thomas and instead she meet the butler where he hands her the other painting he stole because she said she liked it. The scene I love actually starts with her at the airport buying a ticket back to Europe and organizing a way for the newly stolen painting to be returned. Catherine is in large sunglasses that cover most of her face. The the ticket agent asks if she is alright. Despite what she feels she says that she is fine.
I love this scene for the pure fact that she is a mess. Despite doing her job, she has lost the love of her life. She has everything but yet she feels that she has nothing. She tries to cover up her sadness, like we all do by saying that she is fine. We know and most importantly Catherine know that she is not fine. Catherine may never be fine after this moment.
18) The Red Violin
A valuable violin is being put up for auction in Paris. The movie tells the story of behind the people biding for this highly valued violin. We discover the life of this violin as it moves through the ages as it passes through peoples hands and historic events. We as the audience get to find out why, besides it’s rarity, this violin so special to each person in the room.
The scene is Is near the end of the movie. Charles, played by Samuel Jackson in his most subdued role, is an appraiser. In the scene Charles confided to his assistant that the the violin in the Famed Red Violin. The two sit and talk about what each of them would do with the violin if they owned it. The Assistant talks about breaking it apart and trying to find out about its secrets. Charles has another thought. One that he does not say out loud. That it should be played.
I love this scene because, not only I feel that this is one of the most over looked characters that Samule Jackson has ever played, it is the most obsessive character that I have ever seen. Charles is well educated and runs in high end circles. But even with all of his logic and reasoning and know right from wrong you see him come fully under the violin’s spell. Before this moment he has been able to resist it and the temptation of the violin. But it is at this moment that everything washes over him and he can’t resist the violins spell.
19) Nathalie (French Version)
Catherine who is currently in a passionless marriage to her husband Bernard fears that her husband is or is about to having an affair. Catherine then hires a young prostitute Nathalie to seduce her husband and to report back to her. As this triangle goes on the relationship between Catherine and Nathalie become much closer then expected.
The scene that sticks out for me happens near the end of the movie. While at Nathalie’s apartment, that Catherine is paying for, Nathalie confesses to Catherine that all of the reports that she has been telling her for weeks are not true. That Nathalie tried to seduce her husband but he didn’t even look at her. When Catherine asks her why she would lie to her. Nathalie confesses that telling her those stories where more intimate then “doing it”. The two share a kiss and how far they go is up to interpretation.
I love this scene for a few reasons. First it shows how intimate two people can be with just words. Yes they do end up having intimate contact but that is not what gets me.(something the the American version Chloe did not get.). the whole movie is about each others fascination they have with one another. They are obsessed with one another beyond reason. Where Nathalie is full aware of this fascination. Catherine, who I identify with, doesn’t see it until she is faced with it head on and she can’t deny to herself. And by her facing it she is able to change and evolve and move forward in her life.
20) the Ghost and the Darkness
Engineer and amateur hunter John Patterson, played by Val Kilmer is tasked with constructing a bridge in Tsavo, Africa. Construction begins and at first the project is ahead of schedule. Work halts when two man eating lions start to prey on the workers in the camp. After many failed attempts to kill the lions, famed hunter Charles Remington, played by Micheal Douglas, is called to help kill the lions and to get the bridge construction back on schedule.
The scene takes place about at the midpoint of the movie. Remmington has just arrived to the camp with his group of Masai warriors. They are going a dance around the fire. Patterson asks Remmington if he likes killing. As he turns away Remmington stats that he doesn’t like killing. That he just has a knack for it.
Emotional Chords
25 Movie Scenes
1)The Interpreter
After an interpreter at the UN reports over hearing the planing of an assassination on a controversial dictator about to speak at the UN, she herself falls under suspicion after the CIA starts digging into her past.
After narowingly escaping a bus bomb in Harlem, Silvia is brought back to her apartment by Secret service agent Tobin. There he confronts her about her involvement in rebel activity she was involved in her former country in her past. Here she drops her guard and lays her past bare. It feels like the first time she has ever done so in years. She admits to her former life as a rebel, her shooting a child that prompted her to leave her country, and her fear that her brother is some how involved with the assignation plan.
Silvia played by Nicole Kidman is so bare in releasing this secret life she has. The mask of this well put together woman is torn off and laid out as simple facts. No theatrics. She despite her appearance is a warrior for change in her home country and can be pushed to the extreme. But she does come back to her morals and commits to them “even if it slower than a gun.”
2)Yes
A married woman starts and affair with an Lebanese man she meets at one of her husbands dinner parties. He opens her up to her see life in all of its colors and beauty after living a life time in her unhappy dull marriage.
After he breaks up with her over the phone the two meet in a parking garage of an airport. There she confronts him in the parking lot as to why he is breaking up with her. He accuses her of buying him, using her wealth and status to use him, as a play thing, He accuses her of not treat him not as an equal like society treats his country men.
This scene carries so much that I am split between two of them.At first when Joan Allen’s character goes for a kiss and is then rejected. This woman who has always had her guard up around everyone except for this man only to have him reject her call her a bitch and say that she is unclean. That hits my little heart. Then when Simon Abkarian then starts saying that Joan Allen has just been using him like society uses him, buying him off and treating him like a plaything with out understanding who he is. That she hasn’t even taken into consideration, to learn anything about him and his background and in turn hate him.
3) The Joy Luck Club
Two generation of women tells their story of growing up. Their mothers growing up in China and their daughters growing up in America. Their stories are about over coming great odds and finding their identity in the world.
In China after mother witness her daughter being swayed by glass beads that were given to her by the cruel first wife. She kills herself by eating opeum filled buns and tells her daughter that she is willing to die and kill her weak spirit in order for her daughter to have a strong one. At the funeral the daughter looks over the her dead mother and tell her that she now has to strong spirit now. When she turns around she sees all of the other higher ranking wives then her mother and her little brother that first wife took from here mother and Her mothers husband/rapest. In a surge of energy she grabs her little brother from first wife and yells at the family about how cute they had treated her mother. Husband says that he will honor the daughters mothers if she was his first wife and honor her and her brother as his honored children the highest rank in the family. After husband pays his respects, first wife tries to do so as well but daughter yells as her and breaks that breaks that glass beads first wife had given her in font of her. First wife cowards from daughter and runs away and the daughter gives a yell “Mama!’ The scene flashes forward to American and daughter is now a grown woman telling this story to her grown daughter. And she says “and that is when I learned to shout.”
What moves me is that a child who has witness the cruelty inflicted on her and her mother is able to rise and avenge her mother and take justice in her own hands. She is able to turn the tables and make every one in the family feel shame for what they had done but at the end of it she still calls out for her mother both invoking her mother and mourning for her in the same time.
4) A Bigger Splash
A big female rock star who has lost her voice has gone on vacation with her boyfriend. When the stars former manager/lover shows up with his young sexy daughter. Sexual tension between the rock star and her former lover and the boyfriend and the sexy daughter are palpable and grows until someone is found dead in the pool.
In the scene Mary Ann and Harry have gone into town to get groceries and to explore. This is the first time the two of them have been alone together. He traps Mary Ann on a wall. Harry then starts to question Marry Ann.Does she really love Paul even though he is not exciting. What is she going to do if she doesn’t get her voice back. Is she going to reinvent herself again into a boring house wife. He says that no matter what to the two of them will aways be together.
What I love in this scene is Tilda Swinton’s Mary Ann. She cant really speak so what words she does say have to be short and direct. All she has to defend her self from the advances of Ralph Fiennes’s Harry is those few words. But her body language is so expressive you can see her being seduced by Harry and when she becomes scared of him but she can’t get away from him. She can’t cut him off. She is a mouse being played around with a big cat but can’t seem to bring its self to run away from him even though she might be consumed by him. She is between a rock and a hard place. All puns intentded.
5) Moonlight
The Movie follows the life of Chiron a gay African-American male growing up in Overtown, Miami, Florida as he comes to terms with how he sees himself in a world that has contempt for him. He has a few excepts Juan a drug dealer and father figure to Chiron and Kevin his only friend and the only person he has ever loved.
So after receiving a phone call form his childhood friend Kevin, Chiron drives down to Miami from Atlanta to sees his friend. He meets him at Kevins place a work. A late night dinner. Chiron drives Kevin to his apartment. Kevin asks if he remembers the last time they saw each other but al Chiron can recall is the pain and how week he felt back then. Then Chiron tries to show off his new persona that he has built since they were kids, this hard gangsta persona. He asks Kevin what did he do. Kevin cuts right through the facade and tells the truth about himself. It is then that Chiron confesses that he has never been with another man except for Kevin. In response all Kevin does is just smile.
Over the course of the last two scenes we see Chiron slowly taking his emotional walls down. In this scene Chiron take down that last wall and be so vulnerable. He is so vulnerable that if any rejection of him was to happen he would die. He would die not just figuratively but literally.
6) Kill Bill Vol.1
It is a revenge movie of the Bride who’s life was taken by her former of the the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad. The bride decides to kill each one of the members on there own turf then ultimately kill their leader and her former lover Bill.
Here we are finding out how Oren and half American half Chinese woman became the head of the Japanes Yakuza. At a board meeting of the Yakuza bosses Mr. Tanaka has a disagreement. He doesn’t see how a half breed outsider should taint the yakuza by being the leader of it. To that disagreement Oren cuts off his head and then precedes to plead her case (in English so they knows she mean business), that she is loyal and and would be a good boss and listen to criticisms but if anyone brings up her heritage as a negative they better speak up now. She does this while holding up the head of Mr. Tanaka.
For years I could have sworn that Mr. Tanaka spoke English in this scene. I remember the scene in English and I constantly have to remind myself he is speaking in Japanes. He speaks so affectionately abut the organization. He even holds it above his children and then shows how passionately he calls out the hypocritical colleges that just accepts it. He does that knowing that their will be reprocusions. That he may start a civil war in the Yakuza. He stands for what he believes in and his belief comes from a deep love and passion for the organization.
7) In the Mood for Love
After the finding out that their respective spouses are having an affair a man and a woman start to role play how their spouse affair might have be playing out. Over the course of time the two work work on a serial story for a newspaper.
After Mr Chow and Mrs. Chan meet in the rain after work before heading home. After offering his umbrella to Mrs. Chan she refuses it saying that the neighbors will recognize it as his and there will be talk about them having an affair but he should go first and she will just continue to wait until the rain stops. He decides to wait there under the awning with her to keep her company. She mentions that she thought he called her. He confesses that he called to see if she could get a ticket so he can fly to Singapore for an open-ended job. She protests. He says that he needs to leave because he can’t stand the gossip even though they are not like their spouses but now know how love slips in. Mr. Chow asks if Mrs. Chan to help him prepare. Mrs. Chen then breaks off the affair and the two part. Next we see Mr.Chow holding Mrs. Chan reassuring her that it was just a rehearsal.
Mrs. Chan throughout the scene is becomes more and more nerved. She can is trying so desparatly trying to keep her emotions in check. She is caught in an unending cycle of trying to decide what she wants to do and what she has to do. Her words are cold and direct. She tries so hard to bottle that upbeat it is spilling over. So that when the rehearsal is over all she can do is cry and release all the emotion she has tried to contain.
8) Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
After a valuable sword is stolen from a wealthy family, Yu Shu Lien a woman who leads a an security business is called to find the sword and the thief. With of the help of her dear friend Li Mu Bai, a well known skilled swordsman, finds out that is the daughter, Jen Yu, of the business man who had stolen the sword as a way to gain independence and rule over her life. Yu Shu Lien and Li Mu Bai try to gain the trust of Jen Yu to return the sword and help he find her independence.
While defending Jen from the witch Jade Fox, from poisons darts Li Mu Bai is hit with one of the deadly darts Yu She Lien send Jen to to get the antidote. Li Mu Bai and You She Lein are alone. Then with his dying breath Li Mu Bai confesses his love for Yu Shu Lien. He falls and Yu Shu Lien catches him and kisses as he dies.
Michelle Yeoh holding that unspoken love for someone and not acting on it due to the situation. Her being able to finally express it because she is assured that society will not look down on her for it or a fear of rejection
9) Dark Places
Libby Day is the lone survivor when the rest of her family was killed in a farmhouse in Kansas. Years later, Libby is forced to search for clues and her memory about what really happened that night.
After Libby escapes from Diondra and her daughters house she runs into the woods. There she is being hunted by Diondra. She hides in huddled in a creek helpless. Memories of that faithful night come to her. Memories of her hiding in the took shed after hearing gun shots in the house and the voice of her brother calling out to her. But the voice she is hearing now is not her brother but of Lyle coming to save her.
This tough woman all through out this story and is rendered helpless not because she is not capable of over powering her pursuers but because her guilt of her past is still with her in the present. She can’t move because she is stuck in the past.
10) Traitor
Samir an ex-special ops joins a terrorist organization and is linked to several attacks. Roy Clayton a CIA agent is tasked with finding him but soon questions Samir’s true loyalties.
In the belly of a cargo ship. After Samir has killed the leaders of the terrorist plot In the United States he and Omar are at a stand off. Samir talks to Omar. Samir reveals that he changed the instructions for the suicide bomber so they are all on the same bus. He pleads with him that killing innocent life goes against the Koran. That they have been taken advantage of. The CIA breaks in and Kills Omar and wounded Samir.
To be honest I could have picked any scene between Samir and Omar. But this scene I love so much because of Don Cheadle’s Samir. Samir knows the truth about who he is and finally reveals it to his best friend. And with all his might tries to convince him that what they are doing is wrong. From using logic to laying his own life before Omar. But what gets me the most that he does ultimately loose.
11) The Dressmaker
After living in self imposed exile Tilly has come back to her home town in rural Australia. While trying to regain her memory of the day that changed her life she uses her sowing machine and her sense of style she enacts revenge on those who wronged her.
The two of them alone for the first time after Molly has gone to sleep in a drunk coma. Teddy inquires where has Tilly been all this time and reminisce about their good times in their childhood and how the town shuns them both. At the end Teddy says that he wants to marry her if she wants him to. Tilly avoids the subject and walks away.
So I love this scene because very early Tilly knows what is going on. She is selective in her words. Keeping the conversation friendly with out moving to the romantic despite Teddy’s advances to steer towards the romantic. It is when Teddy is clear and plain the throws Tilly off. She has no defence or witty come back that would logically follow the conversation that she can use. Stuck in a corner she leave the conversation and brings up the one buzz kill of any romantic conversation. Her mother.
12) Arrival
After alien ships arrive on earth, a linguist is recruited to help the army learn the alien language. But as she is learning the language she begins to see visions. Is she going crazy or something els.
after working with the aliens for weeks learning their language Louise continues to have visions of her taking care of a little girl until the little girls death. Each vision getting stronger and more vivid thus putting her into a type of trance that seems to weaken her. Her have not gone unnoticed but her peers and commanding officer. When Ian confronts her about how she is feeling. That may be she is compromised. That she is starting to think like and dream of the aliens. She admits that she has had a few dreams but that it won’t interfere with her doing the job.
I love this scene. At its core it is a two against one game. They have come to Louise where she is the most vulnerable. Alone in her bedroom, right before she is about to go to sleep. You can tell it is the end of a really long day even by looking at Ian and how he carries himself. At this moment you can tell they are ready to convince her to drop off the team. But Louise comes back at them with such a fire you don’t doubt that she can be persuaded or manipulated in the quitting.
13) Disobedience
After running away from her Hescidic Jewish community Ronit returns to her community when she receives word that her father has died. She stay with her school friends Dovid and Esti who have married married each other. But Esti and Ronit’s attraction becomes more evident and explicit while Ronit stays for the week.
The Scene I love the most is actually near the beginning of the movie. Before we the audience find out about the attraction between Ronit and Esti. After finding out that Dovid and Esti are married Ronit retreats to smoking a cigarette out side on the porch. There she talks to Dovid about how much she wasn’t told about what was going on in her family and friends. That no one contacted her to let her know. At the end of the scene Dovid reminds Ronit that this week of mourning for her father needs to be done with honor. “Honor is the most important thing.”
What I love about they scene is that Ronit, Rachel Weise character, is a wreck and then is hit with another blow that her two best friends are married. Not only that she is only just processing that she is an outsider in the very community that she has grown up in. She knows everyone and yet is not accepted.
14) Julie and Julia
Stuck in a deadend insurance job, Julie, a self-proclaimed failed writer, decides to start writing a blog about her going through Julia Childs cookbook. At the same time we see Julia Childs as she lives through her years in Paris and Europe as she conceives and writes the book.
The scene that hits me the most is when Julia, played by Meryl Streep, is actually montage of Julia going to to culinary school. Of her chopping onions and preparing lobster. With Julia giving a voice over to the action that she is doing.
What I love about this montage in the pure joy Julia has doing these things. She is a literally a kid cheering and jumping at the excitement of what she is doing. She loves what she is doing and she can’t contain it.
15) Clouds of Sils Maria
A veteran actress Maria, played by Juliette Binoche, is rehearing for a role in a play the that made her famous over 20 years ago. But instead of playing the young ingenue she now plays the older woman that is manipulated. This forces her to re-evaluate her life and how she is to move on if she can.
To be honest there are two scenes in this movie that I love. The first is near the beginning when she describes her former relationship with Henryk Wald, an other actor who was in the same play infamous play.
The second is a scene near the end of the movie where they are in the final rehearsals when Maria stops Jo-Ann, who is playing Maria’s old role, on how she should do the scene. When Jo-Ann defends her actions Maria comes to the realization that she has to let go of her memories and preconceive notions.
The reason why I picked these two scenes because they hit me hard in to different ways. The first scene where Maria is talking to her assistant, played by Kristen Stewart, about her relationship with Henryk you see how bitter she is about it. That at every fiber of her being she doesn’t want to let go of the emotional wounds that he inflicted on her at 19/20 years old. And she denies and feeling that she may still have for him and replaces them with hate.
The second scene I picked because it is Marie at her exact opposite. As she is holding on to memories you see her finally let go of her expectations and become open for the first time to see movement and change around her.
16) Florence Foster Jenkins
A rich socialite, Florence, played by Meryl Streep, who wanted to sing like an opera singer but that thing is that she is tone def. But with the help of her husband and organizations who want her patronage she doesn’t know. She is getting ready to sing at Carnegie Hall for her first concert for the public. Will she find out the truth and be humiliated or will she live out her dream and be happy.
The scene that speaks to me is when Florence is sitting in Carnegie Hall telling her husband St. Clair played by Hugh Grant that she has booked the hall for a concert and has given 10,000 tickets to the USO.
This scene is so precious because she is so hopeful. She is going to do what she has always dreamed of. She is in loved with her art and she wants to share it with the world. She is a wide eyed naiveté to her actual talent but she sees the stars.
17) Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
When Billionaire Thomas Crown, played by Pierce Brosnan, steals a Money from a museum in New York City Catherine Banning, played by Rene Russo, an investigator of the museums insurance company is tasked with catching him red handed. But in her investigation both Thomas and Catherine become romantically involved while they do this cat and mouse game.
The scene that sticks with me in this movie actually comes near the end of the movie. After Catherine gets to the meeting site of where she is was supposed to meet Thomas and instead she meet the butler where he hands her the other painting he stole because she said she liked it. The scene I love actually starts with her at the airport buying a ticket back to Europe and organizing a way for the newly stolen painting to be returned. Catherine is in large sunglasses that cover most of her face. The the ticket agent asks if she is alright. Despite what she feels she says that she is fine.
I love this scene for the pure fact that she is a mess. Despite doing her job, she has lost the love of her life. She has everything but yet she feels that she has nothing. She tries to cover up her sadness, like we all do by saying that she is fine. We know and most importantly Catherine know that she is not fine. Catherine may never be fine after this moment.
18) The Red Violin
A valuable violin is being put up for auction in Paris. The movie tells the story of behind the people biding for this highly valued violin. We discover the life of this violin as it moves through the ages as it passes through peoples hands and historic events. We as the audience get to find out why, besides it’s rarity, this violin so special to each person in the room.
The scene is Is near the end of the movie. Charles, played by Samuel Jackson in his most subdued role, is an appraiser. In the scene Charles confided to his assistant that the the violin in the Famed Red Violin. The two sit and talk about what each of them would do with the violin if they owned it. The Assistant talks about breaking it apart and trying to find out about its secrets. Charles has another thought. One that he does not say out loud. That it should be played.
I love this scene because, not only I feel that this is one of the most over looked characters that Samule Jackson has ever played, it is the most obsessive character that I have ever seen. Charles is well educated and runs in high end circles. But even with all of his logic and reasoning and know right from wrong you see him come fully under the violin’s spell. Before this moment he has been able to resist it and the temptation of the violin. But it is at this moment that everything washes over him and he can’t resist the violins spell.
19) Nathalie (French Version)
Catherine who is currently in a passionless marriage to her husband Bernard fears that her husband is or is about to having an affair. Catherine then hires a young prostitute Nathalie to seduce her husband and to report back to her. As this triangle goes on the relationship between Catherine and Nathalie become much closer then expected.
The scene that sticks out for me happens near the end of the movie. While at Nathalie’s apartment, that Catherine is paying for, Nathalie confesses to Catherine that all of the reports that she has been telling her for weeks are not true. That Nathalie tried to seduce her husband but he didn’t even look at her. When Catherine asks her why she would lie to her. Nathalie confesses that telling her those stories where more intimate then “doing it”. The two share a kiss and how far they go is up to interpretation.
I love this scene for a few reasons. First it shows how intimate two people can be with just words. Yes they do end up having intimate contact but that is not what gets me.(something the the American version Chloe did not get.). the whole movie is about each others fascination they have with one another. They are obsessed with one another beyond reason. Where Nathalie is full aware of this fascination. Catherine, who I identify with, doesn’t see it until she is faced with it head on and she can’t deny to herself. And by her facing it she is able to change and evolve and move forward in her life.
20) the Ghost and the Darkness
Engineer and amateur hunter John Patterson, played by Val Kilmer is tasked with constructing a bridge in Tsavo, Africa. Construction begins and at first the project is ahead of schedule. Work halts when two man eating lions start to prey on the workers in the camp. After many failed attempts to kill the lions, famed hunter Charles Remington, played by Micheal Douglas, is called to help kill the lions and to get the bridge construction back on schedule.
The scene takes place about at the midpoint of the movie. Remmington has just arrived to the camp with his group of Masai warriors. They are going a dance around the fire. Patterson asks Remmington if he likes killing. As he turns away Remmington stats that he doesn’t like killing. That he just has a knack for it.