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Best Film Moments of 2011

December 31, 2011 By Mike B

There are scenes that just elevate a film and stick with you well after the film is over. These scenes are the spark of the movie, the crest of the wave of celluloid. Below are several that come to mind.

Warning, there will be spoilers (obviously)…

Drive– Elevator scene.

Ryan Gosling, playing a character simply known as the Driver, is the epitome of cool. Towards the end of the film, he’s stuck in an elevator with Irene, his love interest, and a thug that wants him dead. The Driver shares a deep kiss with Irene, accompanied with slick music; however, the poetic scene seamlessly transitions to one of beautiful brutality, as the Driver turns around to kick the thug’s ass. The cherry on top is when the thug’s skull is broken after multiple stomps by the stuntman.  The scene plays out like some sick, bloody Opera.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes– “No!”

Caesar’s intelligence is growing, and he’s on the verge of leading the apes to freedom. Draco Malfoy, aka Tom Felton, is beating on Caesar and vomits out a classic line from the original, when Caesar responds with a powerful, thunderous “no.”  It’s the kind of projection that silences the crowd instantly.

Melancholia– the “magic cave”

Justine, Claire and Leo find out that the planet Melancholia is actually heading straight towards Earth, rather than passing by it. There’s no hope left for survival, but Justine tells Claire’s son, Leo, that if the build a “magic cave” they’ll be perfectly fine. The last scene is of the three of them sitting down underneath a few sticks that is the “magic cave” with the planet just about to collide. Watching the scene is like experiencing the surreal moment.

50/50– Driving the car

The entire film is consistently funny, but Adam, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, always has that inevitable fear of death that he tries to hide throughout the film. When he finally decides to drive a car, he nearly crashes, and then finally flips out, venting all that pent up anger and frustration. The look on his face is all too authentic to not deeply feel for him (none of that Lifetime movie crap).

X-Men: First Class– the coin trick

Magneto’s revenge is savory and emotional, tying up the beginning with the end very nicely. Sebastian Shaw is frozen in place, and Magneto pulls out the coin that he couldn’t move as a teenager, leading to his mother’s death,and says “I’m going to count to three. And I’m going to move the coin.” Death by coin going through head. Can’t beat it. Erik’s revenge fully converts him to Magneto.

There are many more, but these are the ones that first came to mind.

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