100 Great Movie Moments this Decade

I was going to do a top ten, and I might still, using this as a list of contenders, but when I went over the 1500 top movies of the 2000s (according to Flickchart), noting the 1500 I've seen, and the few I really like which don't show up for some reason, I came up with over 100 moments, so whittling that down to 10 would be pretty difficult. So instead, I've decided to post the 100 best I can remember (noting I have not seen every movie this decade, and I don't remember all of them) in absolutely no particular order, and then I'll whittle down the top ten at some point in the near-to-distant future. And remember, just because I don't have a scene listed, it doesn't for a second mean the movie isn't good.

So here we go! Here's 10 of them (in no particular order)

Also, spoilers may follow, I'll put a red S to those that spoil.

"Red Ball" - Minority Report

One of my favorite moments in a movie full of brilliant scenes (jet-pack chase, downloading from Agatha, eye surgery) is when Tom Cruise finds out that he has been predicted as a murderer, as he runs into the elevator he runs into Danny Whitworth, the FBI agent investigating his set-up. Cruise puts a gun to him, and Whitworth: "Come on John, I don't hear a red-ball" then the Red Ball alarm sounds, the look on Colin Farrell's face is brilliant. The chase and fight that ensues is great.

Here's that "chase that ensues":

"RUN!" - Minority Report (S)

The scene near the end when Cruise and his wife listen to Agatha's vision of their future with Shaun, is such a touching scene, then the haunting "run!". Its a great moment.

"I'm Finished!" - There Will be Blood (S)

A controversial ending, in that no one got it, is a great scene in the movie. It shows the extent of the madness that Plainview has suffered, he is at the point he finally wanted to be at, where he can do anything and not have to deal with people on a real level. The dark, sick ending seemed out of place, but actually makes sense, he embarrasses his enemy then does what he wanted to do for years.

"I've Abandoned my Child!" - There Will be Blood

The best scene of the movie is the scene that got Daniel Day-Lewis his Oscar. The hatred, the sadness, the anger and eventually the relief are so clear and so real. Eli takes his opportunity to embarrass and hurt Plainview, showing he is both still human, and at the same time how his humanity is leaving him.

"Burning Derrick" - There Will be Blood

The last moment I'll highlight from this great film is the explosion and Derrick fire. Its easily the most action packed and dynamic scene of the movie, and that's half the reason. Such an uncharacteristically dynamic scene stands out. The images the direction, and especially the way the smoke blackens the sky, its amazing.

"Sympathy for the Queen" - The Queen

I thought Michael Sheen's work as Tony Blair in The Queen was well deserving of an Oscar Nomination, but it was a crowded year. The pinnacle of his stand-out performance came when he is suddenly sick of his staff ripping on the Queen for not being more sad at Diana's funeral and completely snaps, here's the quote (via IMDB):

"You know, when you get it wrong, you really get it wrong! That woman has given her whole life in service to her people. Fifty years doing a job SHE never wanted! A job she watched kill her father. She's executed it with honor, dignity, and, as far as I can tell, without a single blemish, and now we're all baying for her blood! All because she's struggling to lead the world in mourning for someone who... who threw everything she offered back in her face. And who, for the last few years, seemed committed 24/7 to destroying everything she holds most dear!"

The delivery was chill-inducing and the pointed critique of the cult of Diana was a ballsy addition, because people don't like to hear it, but its absolutely right. A great scene.

"Pain... Pain... Pain..." - The Cooler (S)

I may be a little biased because I worship Jack Donaghy, but this performance was absolutely brilliant. In a fantastic low-key film, Baldwin finds the perfect balance between sympathy and hatred for his character and plays him straight forward as a relic of the past. This scene is a great part of that performance, having been insulted and shuffled out by Ron Livingston's young turk executive he now gets his revenge, sacrificing what little he had left to help a friend who rightfully deserved it. Great.

"Lunch with Owen Brewster" - The Aviator

This scene is so well done that it becomes a standout in such a huge and fantastic film. The psychological games between Brewster and Hughes are great throughout their relationship, but the brilliance of this scene, with details like Brewster putting a finger print on the rim of Hughes' glass, are what makes it great. All that of course without mentioning the great performances by DiCaprio and Alda.

"Merrin's Choice" - Dominion: The Prequel to the Exorcist

Perhaps an movie in odd company, but Dominion is far superior to "The Begining" and this is the best scene. In Nazi Germany father Lankester Merrin is placed into a position to try and diminish and embarrass the role of the Priest (many Catholics were forced into concentration camps too). It is a chilling and incredibly effective scene, which would explain Lancaster's future crisis of faith, and why he would hide himself in Africa digging in old ruins. The movie is unfortunately suffered from a reduced CGI budget, but besides that it is a fairly excellent movie.

"The End" - My Winnipeg (S)

Another odd choice, but Guy Maddin's maddeningly strange ode to his hometown comes together geatly in the end. What is guised as an attempt to escape a town he can't stand anymore, turns out to be a fascinatingly odd mix of myth, truth and fiction as Maddin recounts his life in Winnipeg, finding out in the end how he loves his hometown. Here's the trailer, I could not find a clip of the ending, but if this doesn't give you a sense of the love he has for his city, it will at least give you an idea of how strange this movie is.