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You can’t have a great movie without great movie moments. Because of that, Jake Wilbanks and Jeremy Sollie have teamed up to rundown their favorite movie moments of 2012. See their picks for the year’s best after the jump.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Most of these picks don’t include major spoilers but, for the ones that do, I have marked it with a spoiler tag, so avert reading that section if you haven’t seen the film.

Jeremy’s Number 10: Prometheus—The C-Section [Spoilers]

Prometheus is a deeply disappointing film, but it was still able to occasionally wow. The highlight of the film came just before it flew off the rails and was an inverse on the classic chestbuster scene from Alien. While both scenes involve an alien coming out of someone, this time the person knows it’s in them, and hops inside a medical pod to remove it. What follows is the most disturbing and stomach churning scene I’ve seen this year, so much so that the only image I can use is the confusing one above. Even though we know an alien is going to come out, this scene is just as effective as the original chestbuster reveal because we don’t know what the alien will look like. When the alien is finally revealed, it’s frantic, the exact opposite of the scene itself, which is smoothly and masterfully directed by Ridley Scott.

Jake’s Number 10: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter—Jack Barts Throws A Horse At Abraham Lincoln

Sadly, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter wasn’t a movie that made my final Top Ten list for the year. We were blessed with two films this year about our sixteenth president, each being great in their own incredibly different ways in my mind. Timur Bekmambetov’s tale of our emancipating, proclamating, vampire-slaying president quickly sets itself up as an over-the-top romp that never takes itself too seriously despite getting lost its own needless metaphors about the confederacy in the third act. However, there’s an early action beat in the movie that easily tops everything else Bekmambetov’s ever filmed: a moment where a vampire grabs a horse by its legs and hurls it at Lincoln. It’s a delightfully zany moment that’s equal parts hilarious and awesome. In that split second you realize exactly what this movie is all about AND exactly how one of our nation’s finest presidents would react to such a situation.

Jeremy’s Number 9: Pitch Perfect—The Riff-Off

Pitch Perfect was my biggest surprise of the year. What looked like another Glee rip-off turned out to be a film that rips that show to shreds. All of the acapella performances are fantastic, but the highlight of the film comes from the riff-off. The rules are simple – a category is picked and each group sings a song, from which others can match a word and change the song. Each song is ridiculously enjoyable and swiftly move the scene along until it builds to Anna Kendrick singing hardcore rap. And no, it isn’t laughable – it’s perfection.

Jake’s Number 9: Lincoln—History is Made

In all of the glory and glamour of blockbusters and “event films”, it’s easy to take for granted the climaxes of films like Lincoln, telling stories that may be slightly dramatized, but are completely non-fiction. Steven Spielberg captured something special in Lincoln, thanks largely in part to Daniel Day-Lewis’ revolutionary performance (sorry Benjamin Walker). Spielberg had the daunting task of covering one of the most critical, world-changing events in American history, and he does an impeccable job. The movie is entirely focused on Lincoln’s effort to have slavery abolished, and by the time we reach that moment in congress when the bill is up to live or die we feel as if millions of lives really are at stake. For a split second you get so wrapped up in the story that Spielberg’s telling that you forget what the outcome was, and the end result is a climax just as exciting as Indiana Jones’ last fight against the Nazis in Raiders of the Lost Ark or Brody looking into the mouth of a great white in Jaws.

Jeremy’s Number 8: Skyfall—Shanghai Skyscraper Fight

Skyfall takes a standard action film and makes it the absolute best it can be. The key component to the film’s success is the cinematography by Roger Deakins. This is most evident near the midpoint of the film when Bond takes a trip to Shanghai. He reaches the top of a skyscraper and finds an assassin in a neon-lit glass-filled room. The silent fight that ensues is nothing special, but when shot by Deakins it becomes incredible. I was left breathless when the scene was over by just how beautiful it looked, and will be left breathless for a completely different reason if Deakins isn’t given an award for it.

Jake’s Number 8: 21 Jump Street—”That Totally Should’ve Exploded!”

Truth be told, I could pick over a dozen moments from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s big-screen adaptation of 21 Jump Street for this list. I’ll be brutally honest: this movie had absolutely no right to be as good as it was, but I was pleasantly surprised with the hilarious, sharp comedy that we got. As it stands it’s probably my biggest surprise of 2012 in the movie world. One of the moments that stand out in my mind though is the highway chase between Schmidt, Jenko, and the group of bikers that plague our juvenile heroes. It’s one of the best examples from the movie of how polished that script really was and how many jokes were tightly squeezed in. It managed to even play with a few action movie stereotypes and ends with a coop of chickens exploding. Plus, Jonah Hill’s in a Peter Pan costume; It’s almost too much funny for one scene.

Jeremy’s Number 7: The Master—Slow Boat to China

By the end of The Master Freddie becomes reacquainted with Lancaster Dodd by a bizarre set of circumstances that blur reality with dreaming. When he meets with Dodd, it becomes obvious that Freddie is a lost cause and he is given an ultimatum. The poignant scene becomes even more sorrowful when Dodd begins singing ‘Slow Boat to China.’ Like most of the film, I’m not sure why it happens, but I’m enamored by it. Throughout The Master we see two damaged souls bond through the weirdest of circumstances, and here they realize this will be the last time they see each other. Much like the Cause with Freddie, this has stuck in the back of my head ever since I saw it and shows no signs of leaving.

Jake’s Number 7: Seeking a Friend for the End of the World—Friendsy’s

There weren’t many moments that I laughed out loud during Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, a criminally underrated movie from the summer. That’s not to say it’s not a funny movie, but just that Lorene Scafaria’s comedy isn’t funny, but that it focuses more on its own heavy subject matter of finding fulfillment in the end of days. One of the moments I did find plenty of laughter in was the scene where Dodge and Penny find refuge at a Friendsy’s restaurant. The elements in the scene perfectly sum up Scafaria’s entire film: a barrage of modern comedic minds, sharp, hilarious dialogue all centered on an inherently dark story. It’s a scene that doesn’t last nearly long enough, but comics like TJ Miller and Gillian Jacobs steal the stage for just a moment to make you wish you could stay longer.

Jeremy’s Number 6: The Cabin in the Woods—System Purge [Spoilers]

So much was hidden about The Cabin in the Woods that when viewers first saw all of the monsters surrounding Dana and Marty in the elevator, then saw a system purge button, it was hard to believe what they were about to see. Once the button was pressed, the entire horror genre was let loose in a glorious blood-soaked three minutes that gave the angry gods and the viewers – Hmm… maybe there’s a connection to be made here? – what they’d been wanting since the film’s start. The occasionally sketchy visuals aside, this is a masterful scene that pays off better than just about anything this year.

Jake’s Number 6: Argo—The First Table Read

Ben Affleck’s Argo is a tightly wound narrative that doesn’t loosen its grip until the time the credits roll. One of the best things about the film was its story that takes an almost comedic detour about halfway through the film as Tony Mendez is trying to get their fake movie green-lit and funded in order to save the group of journalists in Iran. While we’re shown in the first scene of the film just how dangerous the situation is, it was possible to forget just how dire it was amidst the antics and comedy of the two Hollywood executives played by John Goodman and Alan Arkin. That original side of the movie is almost hidden from us until the first table read of the film’s script, which is interwoven with a group execution going on back in Iran. It’s a chilling scene that becomes glued in your mind for the rest of the movie. It perfectly illustrates what’s going through Mendez’ mind; a reminder that their plan is so incredibly silly and hokey when the stakes are as high as they are and human lives are on the line. It’s troubling, it’s unsettling, but it gets the job done.

Jeremy’s Number 5: Django Unchained—The Regulators

Django Unchained is full of great moments, but very of them beat a group of proto-Klansmen arguing about the holes on their masks. The film rivals the campfire scene in Blazing Saddles for how effectively a single joke is repeated throughout the scene. It would be hard to go wrong with a premise that funny, but when paired with Tarantino’s dialogue you’ve got a classic scene in the making.

Jake’s Number 5: Looper—Old Joe Makes Way for the Past [Spoilers]

Looper is a movie all about consequences. Young Joe doesn’t want to face the consequences of his present actions and Old Joe is trying to create better consequences and a better future for a younger version of himself. While Old Joe eventually becomes a bit corrupt and morally gray in his quest to right Young Joe’s wrongs, about halfway through the film came an unsettling scene that perfectly showed how far Old Joe was willing to go. In an effort to make sure that the Rainmaker never saw the light of day, Old Joe began eliminating different children that could’ve turned into the rainmaker. None of the murders (aside from one piercing, audible gunshot) are seen, but the effects are seen on Old Joe where Bruce Willis gives one of his best performances of his career. Seen running behind a building just after a murder, Old Joe begins to cry. It shows Rian Johnson’s commitment as director to show the real effects of this “time travel mumbo jumbo” where any other filmmaker would’ve skipped right over the scene.

Jeremy’s Number 4: The Raid Redemption—The Final Mad Dog Fight

All of the fight scenes in The Raid: Redemption deserve to go down as some of the best in history, but there is a clear winner in the bunch, and that’s when Mad Dog let’s two brothers take him on. What Mad Dog lacks in size he makes up for in brutal strength, as he shows throughout the fight. It’s hard to describe much about any of the fight scenes in The Raid without falling into just saying how awesome everything is. My point being – The Raid: Redemption is awesome and the final Mad Dog fight is awesome. Awesome, right?

Jake’s Number 4: Skyfall—A Chase Through the Tunnels [Spoilers]

Skyfall is another one of those films I actually had trouble narrowing down what my favorite moment from that movie was. Almost every action beat is perfectly executed by Sam Mendes and you really couldn’t have asked for a better performance from any of the cast members. However, one of the film’s longest action scenes stands out in my mind now nearly a month since I saw it. In a scene that’s warmly similar to The Dark Knight’s prison escape sequence, we have Raoul Silva making a break for it through the tunnels of the London subway system and up through the streets in order to take out M once and for all. While I could easily spend hours picking apart the scene and what there is to love about it, where we end up at the end of the scene is a place that’s uniquely terrifying considering the rampant gun crimes taking place in our country and also unique in its own right. It was one of the few times I had no idea what could happen at the end of it all, or if M would or could actually make it out alive. It’s just people shooting at each other in a room, but it’s genuine, palpable tension that makes it one of the best moments of the year.

Jeremy’s Number 3: The Avengers—Hulk Smashes Loki [Spoilers]



If anyone besides Joss Whedon was behind The Avengers, when the Hulk finally approaches Loki, there would have somehow been an extended fight with both sides equally matched. Instead, Whedon takes the kid-in-a-sandbox approach and has Hulk pick up Loki and smash him like a ragdoll. The moment is classic Chuck Jones and the best comedic misdirect since the gun/swordfight moment in Raiders of the Lost Ark. I saw The Avengers three times in theaters, and for the second and third time I spent the entire film waiting for that moment. And each time it delivered.

Jake’s Number 3: The Dark Knight Rises—The Dark Knight Returns

After four years of waiting, the Dark Knight’s return to the screen is equal parts sly teasing and brilliantly execution. It’s almost 40 minutes into the film, but it sure is worth it once we hear the familiar hum of the Batpod whir past the cruiser in pursuit of Bane’s goons. I’d like to think the sole reason for including the EMP gun in Dark Knight Rises was simply for that perfect shot of darkness creeping through the tunnel. If that’s the case, I’ll say on behalf of all Batman fans that it was totally worth it. Seeing Batman break the EMP out, obviously weary and even exhausted at the notion of dealing with Gotham City police is a telling sign of things to come. You could almost feel the burden lifted off of the shoulders of Batman fans seeing their hero finally back in the cowl and knowing he’s back in the game. Plus, lifting the line “you’re in for a show tonight” directly from Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns was just icing on the cake. You couldn’t ask for a better welcoming for the caped crusader.

Jeremy’s Number 2: Looper—Cid’s Outburst [Spoilers]

For most of its runtime, Looper is a fun action-filled sci-fi film, but there comes a point near the middle where the audience becomes completely silent. Very few moments in any film have shocked me more than when Cid uses his telekinesis to completely eviscerate a gatman. The moment is played completely silent and the spray of blood is almost beautiful. It’s been months since I’ve seen the film and I still can’t get the haunting image out of my head.

Jake’s Number 2: The Grey—Ottway Challenges His God [Spoilers]

These final two moments for me are very different from the rest. Instead of focusing on spectacle or a thematic boom, these two moments were of actors leaving every ounce of themselves on the screen. It’s a point where the story and their performances come together in one beautiful moment that MADE that movie. The #2 spot goes to Liam Neeson’s gut-wrenching performance in The Grey, more specifically in the final moments of the film where Neeson’s character, Ottway, is left alone to survive after all of his fellow survivors have ceased to exist. Ottway is lying in the snow having just lost Hendrick, who died one of the most agonizing deaths via drowning while Ottway had no idea how to save him. With the movie (and the other survivors) constantly referencing ideas of religion and hope, Ottway (a man who doesn’t believe in a higher power) takes the opportunity to confront God. Screaming at God to “just do something”, to take his life, or to “prove his power”, Neeson completes his work on the masterpiece that he has created: the tortured soul of Ottway.

Jeremy’s Number 1: The Master—Processing

There are many reasons this is the best film moment of the year, but chief among them are the performances. Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman give two of the best performances in FILM HISTORY, and the combination of Phoenix’s wild animal and Hoffman’s calm figurehead is a match made in cinema heaven. The scene is cold but mesmerizing, much like the entire film. I have a feeling this will be a scene that is analyzed for years to come.

Jake’s Number 1: Les Miserables—I Dreamed A Dream

When it came down to me trying to choose the best film moment of the year, one of my most recent experiences in the theater immediately sprung to mind. I’ve only experienced a few times in my entire life where an entire theater crowd was silent with awe. It’s not a normal silence of boredom or attention being paid to the screen, but it’s a silence where you can just hear amazement itself ringing through people at what it is they’re seeing. One of those times this year was during Les Miserables, more specifically during Anne Hathaway’s masterful rendition of “I Dreamed A Dream”. Hathaway is only in the film for a short amount of time, 30 minutes max, but she makes it count. The entire sequence leading up to her show-stopping sing-along is dauntingly impressive enough, seeing Hathaway lose her own hair or slowly make her transition into the woman that she’s become in order to help her daughter Cosette. But once she begins singing Director Tom Hooper switches almost exclusively to one long shot of Hathaway’s performance, the camera close and tight-pressed on every one of Hathaway’s inflections. It’s a scene that gave me goose bumps for three solid minutes, and it’s easily one of the highlights of a near-perfect film. It’s a moment that lives or dies on the performance of one actress, and the end result is nothing short of flawless.

And there you have it, our favorite movie moments from 2012. What are yours? Make sure to let us know in the comments!

-Jake & Jeremy