27 Movie Scenes That Are So Good, They May Be The Best Of All Time

The opening scene from The Dark Knight deserved its own Academy Award, tbh.

We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us which movie scenes are absolutely perfect. Here are the awardworthy results.

🚨 Spoilers ahead! 🚨

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

Marvel

"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

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

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

Miramax Films

"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, Facebook

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

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

CJ Entertainment

"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

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

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

Columbia Pictures

"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__

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

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

A24

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

—Tubular

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

6. Casablanca (1939) — "La Marseillaise"

Warner Bros. Pictures

"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

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

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

Universal Pictures

"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, Facebook

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

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

Sony Pictures Classics

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

—marvelouscomet53

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

9. La La Land (2016) — "Epilogue"

Lionsgate

"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

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

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

Disney

"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

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

11. The Color Purple (1985) — "Everything You Done to Me"

Amblin Entertainment

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

—sallym4319a105f

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

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

Warner Bros. Pictures

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

—mattw44eeb2d95

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

13. Ben-Hur (1959) — "The Chariot Race"

MGM

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

—scottaaronm

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

14. Us (2019) — "Final Fight"

Monkeypaw Productions

"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

Watch the full scene here:

youtube.com

15. 1917 (2019) — "The Night Window"

DreamWorks Pictures

"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

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

16. Singin' in the Rain (1952) — "Singing in the Rain"

MGM

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

—marvelouscomet53

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

17. Crazy Rich Asians (2018) — "The Wedding"

Warner Bros. Pictures

"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

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

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

Universal Pictures

"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

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

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

United Artists

"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

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

20. Mulan (1998) — "Emperor's Bow"

Disney

"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

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

21. When Harry Met Sally... (1989) — "Happy Ending"

Castle Rock Entertainment

"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

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

22. Little Women (2019) — "I'm So Sick of It"

Sony Pictures Releasing

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

—anjaxmiller

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

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

Paramount Pictures

"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

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

24. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) — "Andy's Escape"

Columbia Pictures

"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. Jurassic Park (1993) – "T. Rex Attack"

Amblin Entertainment

"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

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

26. Juno (2007) – "Juno Has the Baby"

Fox Searchlight Pictures

"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

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

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

Paramount Pictures

"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

Here's the full scene:

youtube.com

Did your favorite scene not make the list? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.