2014 Most Memorable Movie Scenes

Instead of a top ten list I'm writing about my most memorable scenes. Some of the films I love,some I only liked elements of but the scenes stayed with me.

What makes a movie scene memorable? A recognized reflection; an image that moves you; a witty and smart line of dialogue. Sometimes you get all in one scene. Sometimes a scene encapsulates the movie or it can stand out separately and still be memorable.Sometimes it can be a performance or a piece of music that sticks in the mind. Here are few of my most memorable scenes from 2014 movies in no particular order.

Beware spoilers aplenty ahead.

Two Days One Night

Setup: A woman, deeply depressed, is at the end of her rope. Against all her instincts she found a way to fight for her job and here at last she's been given the good news. Except the price is to betray the solidarity of the community that has been behind her recent strength. She refuses and walks away.

Why: What a whopper of an ending from the Dardenne brothers. At once optimistic, sad, believing in the strength and innate goodness of people while accepting the utter awfulness of the economic reality of our cruel world. And Marion Cotillard walks out defiantly with new strength. For the last hour and half we watched her defeated, resigned with her shoulders hunched, now finally she found the fire within and is walking tall.What a performance.

Foxcatcher

Setup : Dave Schultz is the real coach of the Foxcatcher wrestling team. Yet he's being asked to pretend that the man who pays his salary is his mentor and coach. The cameras are on. He tries to say the words. He fails. He can't lie.

Why : Foxcatcher is a movie about details while being economical in its storytelling. The actors, the set design, the costumes, the frame give you a lot of details while the screenplay and direction are austere, minimal and not fussy. In this scene it's all about Ruffalo, he makes us understand who Dave is, why everybody respects him, why he made the choices he made and later on at the end why his fate was inevitable.

Gone Girl

Setup: Amazing Amy wants to get back to her husband, Nick Dunne. In her way is her current beau, Desi, who's been crowding her lately. An elaborate scheme ensues. Seduction, sex, slit throat.

Why: I read the book so I knew what was coming. Yet it still got me big time. The soundtrack, the steely gaze on Rosamund Pike's face just before she reaches out for that razor. Then the blood, copious amounts of blood. The most thrilling scene of the year and once again in this movie completely turns the plot upside down.

Pride

Setup : Two old friends are preparing sandwiches for their fellow protesters. The man comes out to his friend. The woman acknowledges with love and understanding while getting on with the job at hand.

Why : I feel I've seen a version of this scene before. There's nothing new. But the easy rapport and deep love that Bill Nighy and Imelda Staunton bring to their characters is what makes it unique.

Mr Turner

Setup: The housekeeper goes in search of her missing master. Even though he's been abusing and ignoring her, she misses his company. She finds him keeping house with another woman. She leaves without announcing herself.

Why: What a heartbreaker! Dorothy Atkinson's quiet acknowledgement and sad acceptance of her loneliness got to me. It's a crescendo of a performance that she builds by being a silent observer, mostly in the background of scenes. Until she hits this final big sad moment.

Into the Woods

Setup : The Baker's wife is seduced the Prince. They kiss. She sings of her joy, confusion and guilt.

Why : All those emotions mentioned above appear simultaneously on Emily Blunt's beautiful expressive face. And those fantastic Sondheim words :

One peculiar moment

Must it all be either less or more

Either plain or grand

Is it always "or"

Is it never "and"

Under the Skin is my favorite 2014 movie however there is no one scene that is memorable. That whole movie still haunts me.

What are some of your most memorable scenes? Do you agree with mine? Tell all in the comments.

A Birdman walks Into the Woods

Blunt with James Corden in Into the Woods

These two movies have nothing in common except they both dropped trailers today. And they star two actresses we are very fond of around these parts and who we think have yet to show their best. We are talking about charm machines Emily Blunt and Emma Stone.

Blunt is first up. We fell in love hard after The Devil Wears Prada (2006). Eight years later that remains our favorite performance of hers. Yes she was a charismatic and believable action star just this summer in Edge of Tomorrow (2014). But no movie has yet built on that promise in Prada. She's the number #1 reason we are excited about Into the Woods (2014). And that's a tall order since we consider Sondheim and Streep Gods. She's not in much of this teaser trailer, but we remain optimistic since The Baker's Wife is a plum part.



And now it's time for another lovely lady, Emma Stone.

Love this shot of Stone in Birdman

Stone has also not delivered on the promise of her early work in Easy A (2010). But at least she has become a global superstar thanks to the Spiderman reboot. She even made us watch those 2 movies just to see her. Stone is the type of actress whose snappy line delivery, warmth and chemistry with co-stars (she sizzles opposite Andrew Garfield) makes us wish Billy Wilder was still alive. Give us that The Apartment (1960) remake we don't need but would love if it starred Stone.

We are hoping her 1-2-3 punch of collaborating with Woody Allen, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Cameron Crowe will gave her the showcase she deserves. Well #1 didn't quite work out. While she was charming and got her own way with Allen's lines in Magic in the Moonlight (2014), the movie was minor Allen at best. Still there's his next movie in 12 more months. #3 was postponed to next year. So Mr. Inarritu our hopes are on your very capable shoulders.

Below is the second trailer from Birdman  and Stone gets to yell at Michael Keaton. Reportedly she's playing his recovering addict daughter. So maybe she gets to show range? Maybe she even gets her first Oscar nod? Hopes are high over here.




We have faith in both Blunt and Stone. Do you? Are you looking forward to these movies? What did you think of the trailers? Tell all in the comments.

Best of 2012 - Supporting Actress

Conventional wisdom and major award bodies see this as Anne Hathaway's year. However while I think she's the best thing about that movie I still found another 5 performances that I liked more. Here are my top 5 in alphabetical order:

Emily Blunt in Looper

For grounding a most fanciful premise in a simple story about a mother's love for her child.

For showing that love to be scary, tender and fierce all at the same time.

Lizzy Caplan in Bachelorette

For being both new and familiar as the not-ready-to-grow up party girl.
For showing us the hurt and hidden vulnerability behind the smug and awful.
For portraying the hurt of first love so eloquently.


Jennifer Ehle in Zero Dark Thirty

For having lots of spark and personality behind the dogged devotion to her job.

For showing the excitement of the hunt when the prey is near.

Helen Hunt in The Sessions

For shedding all pretense along with her clothes. 

For showing us honesty that love can be conflicting and emotionally dangerous. 

For that moment in her car.

Lorraine Toussaint in Middle of Nowhere

For the most realistic portrait of a mother's simultaneous disappointment and hope in her children.

 For showing years of weariness and knowing-it-all in a simple look.

Thoughts? What were some of your favorites? Did any of these ladies blow you away as they did me?