This piece is dedicated to the top five (according to
me, at least) most euphoria-causing, goosebump-inducing scenes in cinema. The
ones that make you shout out with joy, that give you the sensation of warmth
spreading through every pore of your body, the ones that can make you laugh and
cry at the same time. Of course, I can’t claim to have seen all films, so you
may have a difference of opinion and you may want to add on another scene. All
suggestions are most welcome. Let the movie buffs unite!
SPOILER ALERT: You are being informed beforehand that all
the movies listed below are downright awesome. If you have been living under a rock and haven’t already
seen one or more of them, you are advised to skip the portion about that
particular movie and immediately watch it. I don’t want anyone accusing me of having spoiled a wonderful film for them because
they knew half the story beforehand!
#5 The Dark Knight Rises
The finale of this legendary trilogy is epic through and
through, so it is next to impossible to single out one scene from it. So there are two!
Bruce’s
Escape From The Pit
The audience has already suffered a collective mini heart
attack when Wayne fails in his first attempt to get out of the pit. So, we have
our hearts in our mouths as he begins his second attempt. As the other prison
inmates continue to root for him, our tension mounts. When Bruce finally
reaches the ledge and closes his eyes for a second, we’re all praying with him,
and he finally jumps! He seems to be flying in slow motion and as he finally
crosses the last obstacle, an enormous cheer emanates from the others below as
well as the ones across the screen from Wayne. And when he emerged from the
pit, it felt as if I too had just regained my freedom.
The Ending
The city of Gotham has been saved from annihilation, but at
a terrible cost. It has lost its greatest hero. Or has it? Just when
the viewer is about get up from his seat, thinking that the fate of The Dark
Knight has been sealed, the story is turned around with one last, wonderful
twist. As Alfred sits sipping his coffee in a café in France, he looks over to
an adjoining table to see Bruce sitting there with Selina. They don’t talk;
they only share a smile and then go their separate ways. This scene not
only affirms that our beloved superhero is alive and kicking, but also leaves
an opening for the story to continue. Pure bliss, this!
#4 Taare Zameen Par: The Final Scene
This overall wonderful movie culminates with the scene
depicting a painting competition being held in Ishaan’s school, where the Principal
announces the winner of the painting competition. Ishaan winning the
competition, albeit predictable, has been portrayed wonderfully by Darsheel
Safary, as he first tries to hide amid the commotion but finally heads
towards the stage as Nikunj urges him to come forward. As he is handed the
certificate, Ishaan starts crying, rushes to an equally emotional Nikunj and
hugs him tight. This scene would definitely melt your heart.
#3 Shawshank Redemption: The Great Escape
The previously shown series of events leads Red (and us) to believe that Andy’s spirit is broken irreparably and he is about to end
his life. Then comes a twist absolutely no one could have anticipated – he
escapes! The story of his jailbreak is literally awe-inspiring. Makes you want
to give a standing ovation to Andy for coming up with such an ingenious way of
making a break for freedom, a plan which had been underway ever since the day
he had set foot in Shawshank and had been so meticulously planned that it took
every tiny detail into account. As he finally reaches the open and rips off his
clothes, the torrential rain that lashes at him is a harsh symbolism of the
freedom he has finally achieved.
#2 Lagaan: The Winning Six
Aamir Khan FTW once again!
The Indian team has almost lost the match as Kachra plays the last ball
of the match.The British side begins celebrating in full swing, when suddenly a
voice says, “No ball!”. As both sides incredulously look at the umpire, he repeats his
words. So with renewed hope, Bhuvan takes the crease and hits the ball with all he's got. Russell catches it and begins to celebrate, only to
realize he is doing so alone. Confused, he looks around and sees that he has
crossed the boundary and Bhuvan had scored the boundary required for his team to
win. The viewer can almost feel Bhuvan's relief as he falls to the ground and the villagers dance around him with joy.
#1 Pursuit of Happyness: Chris Gets the
Job
On the last day of his training in Dean Witter, when the bosses tell Chris that the job that he had been fighting for tooth-and nail, was finally his, he struggles to hold back tears. As he steps outside, he finally breaks down with "happyness". He rushes to his son's daycare and hugs him, knowing that after all the hardships they had gone through, things will be alright. Will Smith does an amazing job of portraying this bittersweet moment. No one else could've done it better than him. Our hearts go out to him as his life finally takes a good turn. This scene's emotional impact went beyond most of the movies I've seen.
