# Most memorable images from the past decade of film **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2009, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797 "2009-12-11T00:19:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/1 "2009-12-11T00:19:41Z")
Inspired by (i.e. stolen from) [this thread](http://www.theauteurs.com/topics/6689) at the Auteurs. There are some beautiful images here. What are the images that stick with you most strongly from your last ten years of movie watching? I’m actually a bit groggy at the moment and will post mine later, but I wanted to start this thread in the meantime. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/2 "2009-12-11T00:49:37Z")
Well, I know it’s not very deep or original, but for me it’s the image of Frodo crawling up Mount Doom. After seeing it in my mind’s eye for decades, it was a thrill, a thrill I tell you, to see it up on the big screen. It (along with many other memorable images from the LOTR films) will stay with me for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/3 "2009-12-11T01:33:42Z")
From LOTR, the long shot of the entire fellowship cresting a mountain pass. Also Gandalf riding towards Minas Tirith. The bodies littering the road in _Hotel Rwanda_. Bill Murray hitting a golf shot with Mt. Fuji in the background from _Lost In Translation_. The [trombone shot](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolly_zoom) in _Brick_ when Brendan see the mysterious black car parked in a lot he’s walking past. The silhouetted fight scene in _Kill Bill Part 1_, black against blue. The opening titles for _Catch Me If You Can_. ([See it here](http://www.artofthetitle.com/2008/03/29/catch-me-if-you-can/)) The colors in Pixar films. ---
**Author:** ![jordanr2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@jordanr2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jordanr2)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/4 "2009-12-11T05:00:19Z")
The bathroom embrace in _The Piano Teacher_ - Erika’s incredible vulnerability and power. The last few moments of _I’m Not There_ - the amused, cryptic expression on Jude’s face in the cab. Lots of moments from _Werckmeister Harmonies_, but especially the long shot toward the end in the ruined hospital. A fantastic nighttime sequence from _Woman on the Beach_ involving glorious lights reflected in water. Too many close-ups of Maggie Cheung’s haunted face in _Clean_ to name. The play of expressions across Laura Dern’s face during her last scene prior to the credits in _Inland Empire_. The opening of _Trouble Every Day_ with Beatrice Dalle wandering along a desolate highway. A smile appearing in a bowl of pasta in _Friday Night_. The wonderful stuttering of a single frame in _Where Has Your Hidden Smile Gone?_ A scene under a kitchen table involving a cigarette between toes in _The Wayward Cloud_. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/5 "2009-12-11T05:44:55Z")
_No Country for Old Men_: Llewelyn Moss sitting in the hotel room staring at the doorway waiting for Anton. _There Will Be Blood_: Daniel killing Eli Sunday with a bowling pin _Hunger_: The long shot (duration). _Oldboy_: The Hammer Fight _The Dark Knight_: disappearing pencil trick ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/6 "2009-12-11T07:09:00Z")
**Mongol:** Temugin in prison, on public display, with head-to-toe athlete’s foot **Pirate Radio:** Philip Seymour Hoffman and the other DJ climbing the mast and deciding whether they need to jump off **Casino Royale:** The chase scene on a crane **Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkeban:** Harry tries to fiddle with Hermione’s gadget and she slaps his hand away ---
**Author:** ![Flip\_Pancake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f1d935/32.png) [@Flip\_Pancake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flip_Pancake)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/7 "2009-12-11T08:55:54Z")
[Top hats strewn on the ground in _The Prestige_](http://bp1.blogger.com/_MryQii-dvu8/SFln18xvNbI/AAAAAAAACz8/Z8CIHqA4UTM/s1600-h/Hugh+Jackman+Hats+Tesla+The+Prestige+Cat.PNG). [The Mulholland sign in _Mulholland Dr_, eerily lit by passing headlights.](http://verdoux.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/mulholland-dr-sign.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/8 "2009-12-11T09:19:18Z")
Pirates of the Caribbean: skeleton pirates on the ocean floor; Davy Jones’s first appearance; Cutler Beckett walking down the stairs as his ship shatters around him. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/9 "2009-12-11T09:34:39Z")
In the Order, when Alex finds the loft covered in a stream of yellow paint, symbolizing Mara’s blood, as she was a painter Jurassic Park when they first enter the valley of the dinosaurs. Rescuers Down Under - the eagle flight. The Fountain- pretty much every scene. Ditto for many Terry Gilliam movies. The Big Blue- the underwater dream. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/10 "2009-12-11T10:12:33Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > Jurassic Park when they first enter the valley of the dinosaurs. > > Rescuers Down Under - the eagle flight. _Jurassic Park_ was 16 years ago. _Rescuers Down Under_ was 19 years ago. From the OP title: _Most memorable images from the past **decade** of film._ ---
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/11 "2009-12-11T11:04:43Z")
“I am finished!” Cue classical music. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/12 "2009-12-11T12:47:09Z")
Rorschach enters a room (at 2:17 in [Watchmen trailer #2](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB3AxenYAyU&NR=1)). That’s the character right there. As I recall Dr. Manhattan’s glass palace on Mars looked great also. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/13 "2009-12-11T13:36:27Z")
The scene establishing shot of the dusty crossroads from ‘Oh Brother Where Art Thou?’. The minute I saw that I knew what was coming. There’s only one reason to see a lonely crossroads like that in a southern movie. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/14 "2009-12-11T14:20:58Z")
**Kill Bill, vol 1** : Oren Ishi’i and her gang walking into the House of Blue Leaves **Kill Bill, vol 2** : Pai Mei indicating his emotional state by how he runs his finger through his beard. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/15 "2009-12-11T14:55:10Z")
**Let the Right One In** Oskar seen underwater as Eli extracts her revenge. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/16 "2009-12-11T15:18:30Z")
“YOU CANNOT PASS!!” Plus, the later scene where Gandalf fights the Balrog while falling. He’s definitely not the “squishy wizard” variety of wizard. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/17 "2009-12-11T16:00:43Z")
I’m actually kinda hard pressed to think of a really iconic film image in the last decade. I can think of plenty from further back, say, Trinity in the first Matrix film jumping up in the air to kick someone and getting freeze framed, or Tim Robbins character cleaning himself in the rain after escaping in Shawshank redemption, but not more recent. Maybe a film has to be around for a longer period of time for a single frame to get established that way. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/18 "2009-12-11T17:36:04Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Pirates of the Caribbean: skeleton pirates on the ocean floor; Davy Jones’s first appearance; Cutler Beckett walking down the stairs as his ship shatters around him. I’d say the opening shot of Jack on the sinking boat sailing up to the dock. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/19 "2009-12-11T18:00:23Z")
Yeah those first shots of Captain Jack Sparrow are very memorable. So much goodness in that first Pirates movie. Same for first Matrix movie - first bullet-time shot is quite memorable. (dang studios - always wanting more money and never leaving well enough alone and putting out crappy sequels) ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797/20 "2009-12-11T19:00:21Z")
> [@Typo\_Knig](#): > > Rorschach enters a room (at 2:17 in [Watchmen trailer #2](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB3AxenYAyU&NR=1)). That’s the character right there. > > As I recall Dr. Manhattan’s glass palace on Mars looked great also. Damn. Never saw that particular trailer. Spot on (and most of the rest of it gave me chills, too.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-images-from-the-past-decade-of-film/520797.md?page=2)