CINEMATIC HOLY MOMENTS: 1997

by Toby

[re-upload from the now defunct thewanderingimage.tumblr.com] 

 my personal favorite moments from films to receive a 1997 U.S. release. Not all of which made my actual “Best Films of 1997” list, but at least had incredible segments that stayed with me since first viewing. Scenes that I’m sure I’ll want to re-visit again and again.

+ = was actually featured on Toby's 1997 "Best of"

The little alien pilot within the head of a synthetic human

- MEN IN BLACK (Sonnenfeld)

+

Max & Ordell's tense ride while listening to The Delfonics' "Didn’t I". One of the funniest scenes Tarantino has devised

- JACKIE BROWN (Tarantino)

+

Escape off-grid maximum security prison 

    - FACE/OFF (Woo)

+

The 5 vs Komodo / the big show-stopping fight at temple ruins.

Imagine if any of the live-action Ninja Turtle movies were this good. Ronny Yu staging a rhythmic Wuxia battle as beautiful as anything in ASHES OF TIME

- WARRIORS OF VIRTUE (Yu)

the opening moviehouse murders. Possibly even better than the 1996 original’s intro

   - SCREAM 2 (Craven)

Zorg displays the ZF1's diverse ammunition

- THE FIFTH ELEMENT (Besson)

+

1st wormhole travel sequence

   - CONTACT (Zemeckis)

+

A mother holding her infant chooses to jump overboard

   - AMISTAD (Spielberg)

+

Ending tornado montage. 

**cue Roy Orbison’s “Crying”**

    - GUMMO (Korine)

+

title ship snaps in half under its own weight

    - TITANIC (Cameron)

+

Human-sized jester puppet in the driveway and the T.V. sequence that follows

   - THE GAME (Fincher)

+

Baby Zoe may need manual tracheostomy intubation.. (with a dull pocket knife)

- THE SWEET HEREAFTER 

                           (Egoyan)

+

The re-enactment of James Dean’s car accident

   - CRASH (Cronenberg)

+

Giant stink beetle emerges.. Johnny Rico brings it down single-handedly. A Harryhausen-worthy creature moment.

- STARSHIP TROOPERS 

                    (Verhoeven)

+

Drug deal goes sour at Rahad's. "My Awesome Mix-Tape" scene

- BOOGIE NIGHTS 

    (Paul Thomas Anderson)

+

Wheelchair bound Marko on fire. Circling the Christ statue. 

       “My soul is bleeding.” 

images somehow simultaneously worthy of Fellini & Tarkovsky

- UNDERGROUND (Kusturica)

+

also;

Dr. Evil in group therapy

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Toby’s Favorite Movie Moments

2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987, 1986, 1985, 1984, 1983, 1982, 1981, 1980