"WOW!" Moments in the Movies (1 Viewer)

Jordan_E · Apr 22, 2003

I was watching CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND the other day and remember when I saw it in the theater, when the Mothership rose up from behind Devil's Tower. It was one of those moments I'll never forget. Another was sitting near the front row during THE ROAD WARRIOR and the movie "opened" up after the prologue. No matter how good the home theater, some moments can never be repeated from sitting in a big theater and having something just blow you away.

Chris Atkins · Apr 22, 2003

Some of my favorites:

1. When Indiana Jones looks behind him to see the huge boulder rolling toward him, in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK.

2. The Yoda fight scene in ATTACK OF THE CLONES

3. The overhead entrance of the Star Destroyer in A NEW HOPE.

4. The moment in THE MATRIX when you realize that Neo had been living in a completely make-believe world. The filmmakers made a smart decision to slow the pace after this, to let you think about it.

5. The parting of the Red Sea in THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

Lou Sytsma · Apr 22, 2003

The ending to the original Planet of the Apes.

The Death Star battle from the first Star Wars movie.

Pretty well all of 2001.

The Opening Prologue battle scene from Fellowship of the Ring.

...and many more!

ThomasC · Apr 22, 2003

In Episode 2, where Anakin is balancing the speeder while Obi-Wan is falling from the sky. Amazing, simply amazing.

Not really a WOW! moment, but more of a YEAH! moment. In "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", where the governor relieved the three of their crimes
. I wanted to jump up and scream and dance.

Holadem · Apr 22, 2003

Before the previews, whenever a hottie walks in

Lawrence of Arabia - The cut from the match to the desert. I wasn't really surprised to read afterward that it was a famous shot. I never even noticed it at home...

TTT - Long shot of Gandalf and the Balrog

FOTR - Prologue, Moria.

The Matrix - Trinity's first jump kick: shattered everything you thougth you knew about action.

The Sixth Sense - The end.

And the mother of them all:

Jurassic Park - Everything.

--
Holadem

Matt Pasant · Apr 22, 2003

Here are a few of mine.. Some are wows on a technical level, others are emotion.. some are both

-- In E.T., Elliot, Michael, et al lift off the group and escape to the bald part of the forest to get E.T. home. The music, imaginary, and emotion are just fantastic.

-- In Field of Dreams, when Ray Kinsella figures out what "If you build it he will come," "Go the Distance," and "ease his pain" all mean when he is reunited with his father and has a chance to right the wrongs of his past

-- In Back to the Future, when Lorraine and George kiss for the first time and Marty is re-engergized and all is well

-- In Star Trek: The Motion Picture, when Kirk and Scotty check out the refit of the Enterprise for the first time together and Kirk feeling the sense and grandeur of being home. Wonderful music.. it did all the talking in the scene

-- Omaha Beach in Saving Private Ryan

Sean Campbell · Apr 22, 2003

Brazil: The dream sequence where Sam fights the giant Japanese warrior. Brilliant stuff! Plus the final ten minutes of the movie are pretty amazing too.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly: The scene where Eli Wallach runs through the graveyard to the great Ennio Morricone music.

My Neighbour Totoro: There's something undeniably brilliant about the entire sequence by the bus-stop.

Godzilla 1985: We get a bird's eye view of a nuclear power station, thunderous footfalls as a giant creature slowly approaches. An unfortunate security guard goes out to see what the commotion is, looking upwards in fear after the ground splits open at his feet. The camera then gradually pans upwards, eventually revealing Godzilla staring downward. Pity the rest of the movie doesn't live up to this great scene.

The Road Warrior: The final fifteen minutes contains probably the greatest chase sequence ever put on film.

Solaris ( original version ): The final shot. Wow

Disney's Robin Hood: Ok, laugh if you will, but I absolutely love the entire fight sequence that follows the archery contest. Classic stuff. Sorry

Phil Kim · Apr 22, 2003

Some classics, foreign, and new (and I know I am forgetting a bunch more):

The Wizard of Oz: sepia B&W to color transition.
Notorious: crane shot to Ingrid Bergman's hand.
Singin' in the Rain: Donald O'Conner doing two flips in one take.
Once Upon a Time in the West: flashback to Men with Harmonica's past.
2001: A Space Odyssey: bone to space cut.
Day for Night: final scene revealing what's going on.
The Spy Who Loved Me: submarine Lotus.
Apocalypse Now!: helicopter attack.
Ran: the final shot.
GoodFellas: the steadicam shot following Henry to the restaurant.
Breaking the Waves: he's alive!
Christmas in August: portrait to funeral cut.

Sean Campbell · Apr 22, 2003

Ran: the final shot.

The battle sequence about an hour into RAN is superb - completely forgot to mention it earlier. I especially love the way the entire thing is initially done without sound effects - just a musical backing. The way the sudden sound of gunfire breaks the score is seriously jolting - fantastic!

Click to expand...

Seth Paxton · Apr 22, 2003

The Road Warrior: The final fifteen minutes contains probably the greatest chase sequence ever put on film.

I think you meant "greatest ACTION sequence", f**k that chase only shit. An astounding opening.

Click to expand...

Patrick McCart · Apr 22, 2003

Metropolis: When the Moloch machine goes crazy. Also, the False Maria transformation scene.

BarryS · Apr 22, 2003

I saw The Two Towers again today, and I'd say that the shot of Saruman walking on the balcony of Orthanc in front of the thousands and thousands of Orcs is definitely a WOW scene. Also, pretty much any huge overhead shot during the battle of Helms Deep.

Scott Kimball · Apr 23, 2003

Blowing the Bridge on the River Kwai
Wallace's execution in Braveheart
Bombing of the camp in Empire of the Sun
"I think we're gonna need a bigger boat" - Jaws
The key death in "Life is Beautiful"
Confronting the Balrog in FOTR
The Awakening in The Matrix
The Tango scene from Moulin Rouge
The end of Planet of the Apes (original)
Omaha Beach in Saving Private Ryan
The Sixth Sense payoff
"Just you, Ace" (the standoff between Gordy and Ace in Stand by Me

Several scenes in several Hitchcock films (Psycho, Strangers on a Train, Vertigo......)

There are so many "WOW" moments, especially if you don't further define the moment. It can be emotional, FX, surprise...

These were just a few off the top of my head.

-Scott

Tim Abbott · Apr 23, 2003

The Matrix - Trinity's first jump kick: shattered everything you thougth you knew about action.

This was the FIRST thing that came to mind. I have never been in a theater (before or since) and heard the ooos and aahhs that I did after this scene.

Gladiator

There were about six times during this movie when I said "Holy Cow!!" The opening battle scene...when he escapes...the battle/show where he singlehandedly defeats all of the other warriors. It was an amazing movie.

Click to expand...

Craig S · Apr 23, 2003

Many of my favorites already mentioned here, but I have a few additions:

The Two Towers: The charge of Gandalf, Eomer & the Rohirrim into Helm's Deep. My jaw literally dropped.

Dark City: The reveal of the giant city in space.

On a strictly emotional basis:

Schindler's List: The scene at the end of the real Schindlerjuden at the gravesite.

Finally (this one just seen last night) - Kieslowski's Red: The final scene (and I will say no more but those who have seen it know what I'm talking about).

JonathonSan · Apr 23, 2003

My favorite WOW scene:

ID4: When the "smaller" ships reveal themselves through a firey cloud...the music is chill inducing. Goosebump city.

Jonathon

Jordan_E · Apr 23, 2003

This is what makes movie watching such a social thing, even if you're not there with the person you automatically know what they're talking about! I've seen virtually all of the scenes described above and agree with all.

More of my own.
The Trench - STAR WARS
The End (song) sequence - THE DOORS
Almost the entire movie - THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

Jeremiah · Apr 23, 2003

Apocalypse Now - The Massacre on the civilian boat and Sheen finalizing the deed.
Full Metal Jacket - The bathroom scene
Lethal Weapon - When Riggs pulls the trigger but the hammer is blocked my Murtach
The Usual Suspects - the end

MarkHastings · Apr 23, 2003

18 posts and no Star Wars, "No, I am your father!"

Woah!

Jeff Pounds · Apr 23, 2003

Definitly the "I am your father" from EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

The scene when the T-1000 "morphs" through the bars while chasing the Connors and Arnold in TERMINATOR 2.

When the T-Rex bounds through the huge fence/structure and roars at the two parked Explorers in JURASSIC PARK.

John McClaine jumping off the roof of the Nakatomi Plaza just before it explodes in DIE HARD.

The face melting at the end of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK.

The Gordon Gecko "greed works" speech in WALL STREET.

Pretty much every scene in GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS.

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