Top 5 Exhilarating Scenes in Cinematic History

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.