The Godfather
In the chosen scene, we see Sonny Corleone heading home after an incident where he threatens his brother in law with death if he continues to abuse the sister of Sonny. On his drive back, he stops at a toll booth; however, cars pull up behind him, and to each side boxing him in. The passengers of all 3 vehicles open fire on Sonny resulting in his tragic death. I believe that this scene in particular helps to embody the movie as a whole due to its tragic and violent nature.
For instance, earlier in the movie Don Corleon attempts to help his Godson, Johnny Fontane, by influencing an abrasive studio yet through the death of his prized stallion. However, a few scenes afterwards it can be seen that outside forces conspire to box the Corleone family in as they attempt to pursue their own agenda. This feeling of being “boxed in” and the tragedies that followed, is similar to what happened to Sonny and can be seen throughout the film as the Corleone family has no choice but to fight back to survive.
Taxi Driver
I believe that the best scene in the movie is the part where Travis confronts the pimp, the gangster and the bouncer in the brothel, shoots them, attempts to commit suicide, yet finds out that he was no bullets. He then patiently waits for the police to arrive, and then proceeds to form his hand into a gun shape and pretended to shoot his head. This particular scene is in my opinion, awesome since it perfectly depicts the tone of the movie and showcases the real feelings of the character.
When it is revealed that the main character is honorably discharged Navy Seal and when examining his actions throughout the entire film, it becomes obvious that the character has a death wish. It could be because of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) or some form of survivor’s guilt, regardless of the reason, it can be seen that he is not mentally stable and could be the reason why he was discharged in the first place. The mere fact that he was willing to put his life on the line and kill himself afterwards shows that he wants to die, yet, he wants to die in a way that is memorable so that he will not be forgotten (hence the fact that he initially wanted to try and kill the Presidential candidate).
Pearl Harbor
For me, the best scene in the movie the memorial scene where the pilots, air force personnel and nurses have to attend the memorial service for all the people that died in the Pearl Harbor attack. I believe that this scene in particular truly captures the devastation, destruction and sadness that the true attack brought on both in reality and in the fictionalized account created within the movie. The pain, the sorrow and the desire for revenge that is reflected in the eyes and faces of the attendees helps to set the stage for the subsequent scenes in the movie where the bombing run on Japan occurs.
While I do have to admit that there are an assortment of better scenes in the movie such as the scene where Danny dies and tells Rafe with his last breath that Rafe will be a father or the ending scene where Rafe and his young son ride off in a small plane, the fact remains that these scenes could be attributed to any other fictional movie while the memorial scene truly embodies the spirit of Pearl Harbor
Dances with Wolves
When looking at the film, Dances with Wolves, I believe that the best scene is the one where the main character plays with the wolf “Two Socks”. The reason behind this assertion is connected to how the scene showcases how the civilized (embodied by the main character) and the wild (embodied by the wold which is symbolic of the Indians) can actually coexist properly together. As such, it is a tragedy that in the end this coexistence is never manifested resulting in the destruction of the livelihood of the Indian people.
Pretty Woman
The main theme of the film is the concept of “transformation” wherein a cold corporate investor can be transformed into a caring individual while a prostitute can be changed into an elegant and beautiful woman. It is with this in mind that the best scene that exemplifies the core aspect of the film is the part where Vivian returns on her shopping spree looking extremely elegant and snubbing the shopkeeper who initially thought that she was low class refused to initially help her. This scene showcases the epitome of transformation wherein a woman who had nothing was transformed into the epitome of someone who had everything.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
The best scene in the movie is the one where the Chief smothers McMurphy who has been lobotomized and escapes by throwing a massive piece of furniture into a window in order to escape. I believe that this part of the film truly embodies the spirit of the movie since it shows how freedom is the most valued asset of all and that we should oppose any attempt for it to be taken away from us.