27 Movie Scenes Which Make Them Worthy Of Being The Best Movie Scenes Of All Time

These movie scenes span over a century and several countries of blockbuster movies.

Maryjane

• Published in Film & TV
• June 14, 2022

Even if you've not seen every classic film, there are a few famous movie scenes that you know by heart. They could be the ending part of the film, such as the defeat of the night walkers in Game of Thrones, or one of the scenes in that fans still quote word for words, such as the "Wingardium Leviosa" scene in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

The shower scene from the film Psycho might be the most iconic movie scene of all time. Because the film was shot in black-and-white, Alfred Hitchcock was able to use the chocolate syrup as the "blood" in the scene because viewers couldn't tell the difference between red and brown.

Not all of these great movie scenes are essentially crucial to the storyline. But they are the ones you have probably heard fans, and even non-fans, quote long after the movies were released.

It's clear that ranking the best movie scenes of all time is difficult, and you can never get a list that will please every movie fan. But that wouldn't stop us from giving it a try.

This ever-changing list includes scenes from box-office blockbusters to cult classics; love and ridiculous comedy; horror films to crime capers. It spans over a century and several countries of blockbuster movies.

1. "Portals" in Avengers: Endgame (2019)

"The portals scene is basically, like, 10 years of movies culminating in that one moment. The visuals, combined with the music as it finally swells into the full-blown Avengers theme, is enough to give you chills."

—leoness13

2. "Coin Toss" in No Country for Old Men (2007)

"The writing in the movie — but especially this scene — is so sharp and specific, and Javier Bardem's quiet, haunting performance will send chills down your spine."

—Elena Baldisseri

Watch the movie scene below:

3. "Peach Fuzz Ploy" in Parasite (2019)

"The peach fuzz montage from Parasite is absolutely incredible. It's so simple and clean, but there's also so much rhythm to the scene. Each shot is perfectly orchestrated to make the viewer feel every single type of emotion: One second you're laughing, the next you're confused, then you're on the edge of your seat, and then your jaw drops. It's perfection."

—Spencer Althouse

4. "Leap of Faith" in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

"The scene when Miles jumps off the building and learns to trust himself is beautiful and breathtaking. It truly inspires me every time I watch it."

—soleil__

Watch the movie scene below:

5. "I Am Your Mother!" in Hereditary (2018)

"The acting. The cinematography. The writing. It’s just perfect."

—Tubular

Watch the movie scene below:

6. "La Marseillaise" in Casablanca (1939)

"In this particular scene, the Nazis started singing their anthem, so everyone else started singing 'La Marseillaise' to drown them out. This one moment represented every character and every theme of the film so perfectly: Rick subtly (but definitively) picked a side, Sam showed his loyalty, Laszlo was fearless, Ilsa was conflicted, Renault was secretly pleased at the the turn of events, and everyone else risked their lives for a small victory over the Nazis, which expertly foreshadowed what was to come. It was beautifully filmed and acted, and few scenes will ever live up to it."

—olivia4

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7. "Racist Stereotypes" in Do the Right Thing (1989)

"It's cinematically perfect and shows how high racial tension in the area is outside of just Black vs. White. It's aged so beautifully, it's still relevant today, and I love Samuel L. Jackson's interjection as he wheels right up to the camera and shouts, 'Hold up! Time out! Y'all, take a chill! You need to cool that shit out, and that's the double truth,' before the scene cuts out."

—Izzy Manzo

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8. "Professor Perlman's Talk" in Call Me by Your Name (2017)

"It was beautiful, so well-acted, and inspiring."

—marvelouscomet53

Watch the movie scene below:

9. The epilogue in La La Land (2016)

"It's absolutely brilliant, and tugs at every single one of your emotions. It fully encompasses life, love, loss, and what could have been."

—Mariana26

Watch the movie scene below:

10. "Ego's Review" in Ratatouille (2007)

"It's my favorite scene from my favorite animated movie. For some reason, it's stuck with me ever since I saw it years ago. The scene is so powerful and existential, yet it often goes unnoticed."

—TheBricker

Watch the movie scene below:

11. This scene in The Color Purple (1985)

"When Whoopi Goldberg's character, Celie, got the courage to leave Mister... there just isn't a better scene."

—sallym4319a105f

Watch the movie scene below:

12. "Bank Robbery" in The Dark Knight (2008)

"The opening scene when you're introduced to Heath Ledger's Joker is unmatched. It should make every 'Best Movie Scene' list."

—mattw44eeb2d95

13. The chariot race in Ben-Hur (1959)

"The entire chariot race scene was a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat spectacle that still amazes over 60 years later."

—scottaaronm

Watch the movie scene below:

14. The final fight in Us (2019)

"It's simply chilling. The score itself will give you goosebumps, but when you add Adelaide’s screams and Red’s movements (plus the flashback scenes of them dancing), it's just absolutely incredible."

—haightashbury1967

15. "The Night Window" in 1917 (2019)

"This is the scene that takes place immediately after George MacKay's character gets knocked out. While he's trying to escape the abandoned village, gun shots and bombs shift the light and shadow around him. The tension is high, the cinematography is excellent, and the soundtrack by Thomas Newman is chilling. They all help to make this scene visually gorgeous."

—melonette000

16. The movie, Singin' in the Rain (1952)

"It's iconic. No other description is necessary."

—marvelouscomet53

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17. The wedding in Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

"The whole scene was just so touching, especially with the soft cover of 'Can't Help Falling in Love With You' in the background. It was so beautifully shot, and the decision to cut the sound when we first saw the bride was absolutely brilliant. I was captivated."

—j458091739

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18. "The Jew Hunter" in Inglourious Basterds (2009)

"The opening scene is 20 minutes of pure dialogue, yet it puts you on the edge of your seat the whole time. That’s what brilliant writing and acting can do. It's perfection."

—riccilee

19. "Office Christmas Party" in The Apartment (1960)

"The last scene of the movie is absolutely perfect, but this one is especially good, too. Fran hands Baxter her broken mirror, and he suddenly realizes just where he's seen it before. This is the moment when things REALLY start to unravel."

—JoshLemmings

Watch the movie scene below:

20. "Emperor's Bow" in Mulan (1998)

"I get chills when the Emperor bows, and then you can see everyone in China bowing too. The whole scene is so powerful and emotional, especially when the Emperor gives her the sword and says, 'And this...so the world will know what you have done for China.'"

—HappyChicGeek

21. When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

"This is the scene when Harry tells Sally that he loves her and wants to spend the rest of his life with her. It makes you believe in true love, and it gives you hope. I cry every single time."

—GigiMomster

Watch the movie scene below:

22. This scene from Little Women (2019)

"In this scene, Jo gives a powerful speech about the worth of women. It's so simple, but so good."

—anjaxmiller

23. "The Truth About Mother" in Psycho (1960)

"The entire scene is so haunting. You finally see Norman in his mother’s dress, with a knife, and you realize that it was him the entire time."

—makinl

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24. Andy's escape in The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

"One of the best scenes ever is when Andy Dufresne crawls through shit and comes out clean. The whole movie is amazing, but watching his full escape from prison for a crime he didn't commit is enough to give you chills."

—Nameless

25. The T-Rex Attack in Jurassic Park (1993)

"The scene where the T. rex escapes, right up until it pushes the car over the edge, is sheer perfection. It seamlessly blends animatronics, CGI, and stopgap animation techniques to create one of the greatest moments in cinematic history."

—benw42ca1207d

26. Juno having the baby in Juno (2007)

"The scene after she has the baby is pure perfection. As she lies in the hospital bed, her dad softly gives her a pep talk about how she'll be there again one day, but on her own terms. Then her lover, Paulie, comes in. He has a moment with the father, the dad leaves, and Paulie just silently gets into bed with Juno and holds her as she cries. There’s hardly any dialogue, but the music is so emotional, and the acting from all three is superb. You feel every emotion. It brings me to tears every time I watch it."

—francescao3

Watch the movie scene below:

27. "At World's End" in The Truman Show (1998)

"His final line, smile, and bow are incredible. They let the viewer know he's okay and ready to walk into the unknown world."

—briannareneep

Watch the movie scene below:

If some movie scenes leave an impression on the viewers, then these scenes must have been pretty good. "Pretty good" is an understatement; these scenes were quite powerful.

Even with all of this information, this list of great movie scenes is unlikely to please every reader. You may not be pleased with us, but that's what lists are for, right?

Which of those movie scenes do you love most? Let us know in the comments section.

Maryjane