The Best Scenes of the Year (as chosen by Filmhounds)

WARNING – There may be spoilers ahead.

“ALWAYS ON MY MIND” – All of Us Strangers

Chosen by Paul Klein

As troubled screenwriter Adam, Andrew Scott is the powerhouse centre of Andrew Haigh's romantic fantasy drama. As his relationship with Harry (Paul Mescal) blossoms, he's able to visit his childhood home where his deceased parents appear to still be alive, and the age they were thirty years ago. After Adam comes out to his disapproving mother (Claire Foy) he finds himself in his childhood home at Christmas, decorating the Christmas tree. His mother and father (Jamie Bell) say nothing at first until the TV begins to play Pet Shop Boys' hit Always on My Mind. Perfectly capturing what she wishes she could articulate, Foy with apologetic glances sings lines like “if I made you feel second best, I'm so sorry I was blind”. By the time Bell begins to sing with her, both assuring their son that they love him, it's clear this is going to be a film of incredible emotional intensity.

“MURDER ON THE DANCE FLOOR” – Saltburn

Chosen by Mark Carnochan

“I'M JUST KEN” – Barbie

Chosen by Henry Bulmer

Christopher Nolan's visceral recreation of The Manhattan Project or Greta Gerwig's dazzling dance number? It's hard to tell which celluloid bombshell has had the biggest impact this year, but no one can argue that “I'm Just Ken” will now forever be part of this year's zeitgeist. The unique synergy of Ryan Gosling's bleach (or should I say beach?) blonde bachelor and writer/director Greta Gerwig's singular vision created one of the best musical sequences we've seen in recent years. This emotional rollercoaster of a power ballad takes Ken and his counterparts from sparkly warfare to a technicolour dream-ballet full of modern sonic vitality. Whether it's Jennifer White's kinetic choreography or Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt's brilliant soundtrack, you simply can't help but fall in love with this true audiovisual extravaganza as much as Gerwig does.

THE GYMNASIUM SPEECH – Oppenheimer

Chosen by Gavin Spoors

There's a reason hashtag Film Twitter widely shared this singular scene as Oppenheimer became digitally available. Nolan's three-hour epic contains a multitude of great scenes but the titular Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) addressing a crowd after the dropping of the atomic bomb stands out as the filmmaker's best directed scene in his entire career. Like any great scene, it works so well because of a perfect blend of elements. Murphy's haunted performance as he grapples with the ramifications of his actions raises anxiety levels, but the editing and sound editing pushes Oppenheimer into full blown horror territory. The world falls apart and descends into chaos through Oppenheimer's eyes,but what makes it so frightening is that us audience members recognise that fallout. Maybe we'd be better off without Nolan making a fully-fledged horror feature so we can perhaps sleep soundly at night.   

RILEY'S POSSESSION – Talk to Me

Chosen by Rebecca Sayce

Horror has enjoyed a glorious 2023, with Talk To Me leading the charge. The directorial debut from Danny and Michael Philippou, the possession flick follows Mia (Sophie Wilde) navigating the loss of her mother and life that follows. Her life is irreparably changed when she attends a house party with her best friend Jade (Alexandra Jensen) where she discovers an unusual artefact – a hand used to commune with the dead.

Talk To Me uniquely combines heartfelt moments with sheer terror that makes you laugh and cry in equal measure, with none more shocking and tear-jerking than when Jade's brother Riley (Joe Bird) becomes possessed. Inhabited by what we perceived to be Mia's mother's spirit, hearts will break as Mia clings onto any interaction with her deceased parent. But the scene quickly descends into bloody chaos as Riley is violently flung around the room like a rag doll, ending in a cringe-inducing, uncomfortably closeup shot of him repeatedly banging his head on a dresser. The tonal shift in the film leaves viewers with whiplash and is the perfect summation of the film in all its shocking glory.

THE FINAL SCENE – Scrapper

Chosen by Jamie Rooke

Lola Campbell puts on such a mature performance wel beyond her years as Georgie, in Charlotte Regan's masterful feature debut Scrapper. Then she takes it to a new level when she says the following words that are oh so powerful and devastating. ‘Now that I know you, I can't really not know you. I don't need you to replace mum, but I need someone.'  Scrapper showcases a side of British culture that isn't always seen on the big screen and whilst the whole film hit home for me personally, this scene in particular really struck a chord. Campbell opposite the brilliant Harris Dickinson makes for such a great double act and it truly is a rollercoaster of emotions watching this film. There are a lot of laughs and smiles but it is this scene, towards the end, that stands out when such a gut-wrenching quote is delivered, showing the strength of Georgie's character and what she's had to go through at such a young age.

ARCHE DE TRIOMPHE – John Wick: Chapter 4

Chosen by Kat Hughes

This year stuntman-turned-director, Chad Stahelski, claimed the action crown for 2024. Trying to pick just one sequence during the three hour epic that is John Wick 4 is a near impossible task, but the Arc de Triomphe set piece might just edge out the rest. After setting terms for a duel at dawn, Keanu Reeves' eponymous hitman has to make it through one last night safely. However, Wick finds himself chased across Paris. After fleeing the Guild he arrives at the Arc de Triomphe and John Wick 4 kicks up a notch. Bullets fly, punches land, and cars crash in five minutes of pure adrenaline soaked action. There is even a sly nod to Reeves' iconic Speed as Wick narrowly avoids getting knocked down by a speeding bus. Also – sorry Han – this scene proved John Wick is the ultimate Drift King.

BATHTUB – Beau is Afraid

Chosen by Elizabeth Bishop

2023 has truly been the year of the bath. After finding out that his mother has been killed, Beau runs himself a hot bath to relax. As he closes his eyes and leans back his head, we think he may finally be awarded a moment's peace from the constant anxiety plaguing him (figuratively and literally). Then comes a drop of liquid on his face… and another… and another…

When it's revealed that an intruder has suspended himself above the bath, sweating nervously onto Beau's horrified face, and trying not to fall, it is truly hard to know just how to react. On the one hand, an adult man spiderman-ing on the ceiling is bizarre and hilarious, but on the other hand, imagining myself in that situation – naked, wet, and completely vulnerable – made it one of the most shockingly terrifying scenes of the year. 

NORA AND HAE SUNG'S FINAL GOODBYE – Past Lives

Chosen by Ethan Soffe

Past and Present collide and drift apart as two childhood friends: Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) share a two decade-spanning relationship. This is the story of one of 2023's greatest stand outs: Past Lives. One particular scene encapsulates why: Nora and Hae Sung's final goodbye.

Silence is key to this scene. Both characters are just glancing at each other and share a final hug. But it is more than just a goodbye. It is a farewell that speaks many volumes. The tragic underlining beauty of this scene showcases subtlety so profoundly with no dialogue at all. It perfectly demonstrates the overwhelming sentiment of letting go and the realisation of what could have been. From their silent final glance as Hae Sung leaves in his Uber to Nora crying in her husband's arms, fate subsequently materialises. A once in a lifetime encounter depicted flawlessly in this one scene.

“EVERYTHING IN IT'S RIGHT PLACE” – The Creator

Chosen by Charlie McGivern

Ever just see a specific scene, one that looks so simple, but wonder how it was achieved? There certainly is one in the opening act of Gareth Edwards' The Creator. Set to Everything in its Right Place by Radiohead, the scene follows the protagonist on a ship as he flies across the land of New Asia in search of his lost wife. The song choice adds so much to the scene as it sets the tone for the rest of the film & establishes the setting while also being accompanied by Greig Fraser & Oren Soffer's gorgeous visuals and cinematography. 

It is a small scene, only around ninety seconds in length, but does so much in that span of time and the use of Radiohead is much more fitting for that moment over Hans Zimmer's score. It is a short scene but one that carries a lot of meaning for the rest of the movie. 

THE CATHEDRAL PERFORMANCE – Maestro

Chosen by Aaron Gillingham

Bradley Cooper's tour de force Maestro delivered some of the best performances, direction and cinematography of the whole year, but nowhere was all three of these elements utilised to their fullest potential than in this masterful scene set within Ely Cathedral. This scene singlehandedly showcases what makes this film work in a concise nutshell. As Leonard Bernstein, played by Cooper, conducts Gustav Mahler's Resurrection Symphony, the camera guides the audience gradually through every stage of the performance, from the ferocious playing of the violinists to the sweat dripping down Bernstein's face as he throws every ounce of himself into the moment. This one scene alone will leave your jaw on the floor from both a filmmaking and acting perspective. It's simple in concept but handles it with so much passion that it can't go ignored.

TRAINING MONTAGE – Creed III

Chosen by Reece Beckett

Following the announcement that Sylvester Stallone would not be involved in its production, Creed III had a mountain to climb to impress fans. However, debut director Michael B. Jordan made an immediate impression with his detailed character work and his more visually dramatic vision of the Rocky franchise.

What still stands out most, alongside the exciting opening and the climactic battle between Adonis and Dame, is Creed III‘s stunning montage. Set to an original J. Cole verse and incredible orchestral work from Joseph Shirley, the scene is tightly edited and deeply emotional. Taking the traumas of both Dame and Adonis and physically releasing them, at the same time as elevating the film's drama from troubled interpersonal relationships to Adonis literally dragging a plane across a runway and punching the bark off of a tree, is exhilarating and thrilling in a way that few films this year managed to match.

“AM I DOING THIS RIGHT” – Asteroid City

Chosen by Jennie Haines

“I still don't understand the play,” our hero Augie admits before he exits through a door in the asteroid crater, re-entering the black-and-white narrative layer of the Asteroid City theatre production. In this sudden breaking of character, a wide-eyed Jason Schwartzman delivers his best performance to date, balancing the metatextual complexities of his role – an actor playing an actor playing a grief-stricken war photographer – with seeming ease and absolutely piercing vulnerability. As he faces the camera to ask, “Am I doing him right?”, one feels as if it's not just Jones who is asking, but Schwartzman and Anderson too. Alexandre Desplat's bright, insistent piano score complements the urgency of Schwartzman's performance and infuses the scene with an ineffably enchanting quality. Together with fleeting but poignant appearances from Jeff Goldblum and Margot Robbie, this scene epitomises Asteroid City at its most affecting and effective.

MILITARY PARADE – Queendom

Chosen by Tyla Fergusson-Platt

For me, the best scenes are the ones that you think about long after the film has finished. They are even more memorable when the scene is real, playing out before your eyes. In Queendom, we are shown exactly this. In protest of Russia's strict LGBT laws, Gena (a flamboyant transsexual artist), decides that a military parade in the heart of Moscow is the perfect place to speak out. In a fearless act of defiance, Gena, dressed in lingerie and high heels, walks through the crowds of the Russian serviceman. The scene ends with a very real threat of violence, as one Russian squares up to her, demanding to know why she is dressed the way she is. Gena as usual brushes off the confrontation cooly with humour and keeps on walking down the road, undeterred by anyone not allowing her right to self-expression.

GOOD BOY – When Evil Lurks

Chosen by Cara McWilliam-Richardson

No matter how brutal or relentless a horror is, there are certain lines that the audience expects will not be crossed and certain visuals that the camera will shy away from. Not in the case of When Evil Lurks.

As a desperate family tries to flee their demon possessed town, unbeknownst to them, their pet dog has already succumbed to the possession. Whilst the adults argue, they leave the dog unattended with a young child. The camera lingers so the audience knows something is going to happen but when the dog then savagely attacks, the action stays trained on the carnage. This scene is so absolutely shocking that it feels like the very definition of horror. Vicious, horrifying and gut wrenching – this is undoubtedly one of the best scenes of the year.

ESCAPE FROM THE CITADEL – Nimona

Chosen by Katie Hogan

Hitting on small screens back in the Summer, no one was ready for Nimona. The shapeshifting gender fluid hero with vengeance on their mind but instead finds friendship and forgiveness told through mesmerizing animation that both honoured the original graphic novel and gave us something new that wasn't Disney or Pixar. The key scene in the film that truly introduces us to Nimona (Chloe Grace Moretz) and what they are capable of is when they and Ballister (Riz Ahmed) escape from the citadel. Shapeshifting into several forms as they escape, Ballister finally gets to see what Nimona is capable of, as do we. Although everyone around them is terrified, we are able to revel in Nimona's excitement and wonder as they display their abilities as well as entertained by the display. A pivotal and action-packed scene from one of the best films of the year.