![\"star](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryansmoviecorner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Star-Wars-A-New-Hope.jpg?resize=820%2C350&ssl=1\" "\\"star")
<\/a>I wish I had been alive when this film premiered. It would have been incredible to experience everyone\u2019s reactions during the opening battle scene. I was grateful for the opportunity to see it on the big screen in 1997, though, when the special edition came out.<\/p>\n
After the iconic opening text crawl, we pan down to the desert planet Tatooine. Then we see a ship on the run from a much larger ship, both firing at each other. Once the Empire takes over the smaller ship, we get our first glimpse of Darth Vader. It\u2019s so perfect \u2013 seeing him move past the gun smoke, with John Williams\u2019 score in the background. This scene still gives me chills.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Raiders of the Lost Ark<\/em> (1981)<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"raiders](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryansmoviecorner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Raiders-of-the-Lost-Ark.jpg?resize=795%2C350&ssl=1\" "\\"raiders")
<\/a>Paramount Pictures. Image from IMDb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWe see a group of treasure hunters out in the jungle. The mysterious leader of the group pauses to look at a map. When a member of his party draws a gun on him, the leader whips the gun out of his hand. He steps out of the shadows, and we get our first look at Indiana Jones.<\/p>\n
Another John Williams score sets the tone for this opening scene. I love everything about this scene, and it gives the audience a taste of the adventure they\u2019re about to experience and an idea of who Indiana Jones is.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Full Metal Jacket<\/em> (1987)<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"full](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryansmoviecorner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Full-Metal-Jacket.jpg?resize=621%2C350&ssl=1\" "\\"full")
<\/a>Warner Bros. Image from IMDb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nI refuse to classify the montage of recruits getting buzz cuts as the true opening scene of Full Metal Jacket<\/em>. What happens after this sets the tone of the film. Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (R. Lee Ermey) addresses his recruits to lay down the law.<\/p>\nHe singles out a few recruits, who happen to be the main characters of the film. Privates Joker (Matthew Modine), Cowboy (Arliss Howard), and Pyle (Vincent D\u2019Onofrio) all get tongue-lashings from the sergeant. This scene is perfect because it truly sets the stage for the film as a whole, and gives you a little insight into the characters.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Goodfellas<\/em> (1990)<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"goodfellas](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryansmoviecorner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Goodfellas-2.jpg?resize=621%2C350&ssl=1\" "\\"goodfellas")
<\/a>Warner Bros. Image from IMDb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWe see three gangsters, Henry, Jimmy, and Tommy (Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci, respectively), driving in the middle of the night. Jimmy and Tommy are sleeping, while Henry is fighting to stay awake while driving. Suddenly, we hear noises from the trunk. They pull over and open the trunk, to find that the person in the trunk is somehow still alive.<\/p>\n
I understand that this scene can be disturbing to some people, but it paints a good picture of the rest of the film. Goodfellas<\/em> is the best mobster film I\u2019ve seen and provides a peek into their lives.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Pulp Fiction<\/em> (1994)<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"pulp](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryansmoviecorner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Pulp-Fiction-2.jpg?resize=512%2C350&ssl=1\" "\\"pulp")
<\/a>Miramax. Image from IMDb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nLike Goodfellas<\/em>, this is another movie about crime. Pumpkin and Honey Bunny (Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer) are having breakfast in a diner, while they discuss different robbery scenarios \u2013 it\u2019s obvious that they have experience. A diner seems an odd place to be having this kind of conversation, though.<\/p>\nUntil that is, they bring up the fact that restaurants are rarely the targets of robberies, and it would be a perfect choice. What starts as a peculiar conversation turns into an immediate action plan. This scene blows me away every single time.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Speed<\/em> (1994)<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"speed](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryansmoviecorner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Speed.jpg?resize=827%2C350&ssl=1\" "\\"speed")
<\/a>Twentieth Century Fox. Image from IMDb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis is one of the best opening credit sequences I\u2019ve ever seen. It starts on the top floor of an elevator shaft. As the camera goes down, it reveals a new credit on every other floor.<\/p>\n
Next, the film\u2019s antagonist (Dennis Hopper) plants a bomb in an elevator and detonates it. The emergency brakes activate, and a dozen people are trapped inside. The L.A.P.D. arrives, and we meet two bomb squad officers (Keanu Reeves and Jeff Daniels).<\/p>\n
This film is structured as though it consists of three smaller films rolled into one. The first piece is about a bomb in an elevator, the second involves a bomb on a city bus (which serves as the main plot of the film), and the third is about pursuing the villain on a subway. That\u2019s what I love about Speed<\/em>: it\u2019s the perfect action-thriller, and it gives you more than what you expect.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Mission: Impossible<\/em> (1996)<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"mission](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryansmoviecorner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Mission-Impossible.jpg?resize=502%2C350&ssl=1\" "\\"mission")
<\/a>Paramount Pictures. Image from IMDb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nI never watched the original series, so I had no idea what to expect going into the film. The film begins with a surveillance team watching a monitor feed of two men standing over a dead woman. One of them, in a panic, tells the other the events that lead to her death. As the scene goes on, we learn that it\u2019s a sting operation to retrieve a name. Once the man reveals the name, the second man drugs him, and he passes out. The other man leaves the room and enters the surveillance area, then pulls off his face. It was Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) in disguise.<\/p>\n
Next, we get a brief montage of quick images that are seen later in the film, with the iconic \u201cMission: Impossible\u201d theme playing. I later learned that\u2019s how all the episodes from the original show began. It is the perfect beginning of an espionage movie.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Dark Knight<\/em> (2008)<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"the](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryansmoviecorner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/The-Dark-Knight.jpg?resize=621%2C350&ssl=1\" "\\"the")
<\/a>Warner Bros. Image from IMDb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe opening scene is not the only spectacular thing about how this film begins \u2013 the opening shot is outstanding, too. The camera zooms in on a skyscraper window, which explodes. Then we see two masked men, about to zipline to the roof of the bank across the street. A figure on a street corner is waiting for his ride. As the car pulls up, he puts on his mask. Everyone here is a part of a bank robbery that is about to take place.<\/p>\n
The man from the street corner is the last one standing \u2013 the other thugs were tricked into killing each other while the robbery took place. We see that the lone man is The Joker (Heath Ledger), who delivers one of the most chilling lines in film: \u201cI believe what doesn\u2019t kill you simply makes you\u2026stranger.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Argo<\/em> (2012)<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"argo](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryansmoviecorner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Argo.jpg?resize=840%2C350&ssl=1\" "\\"argo")
<\/a>Warner Bros. Image from IMDb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBen Affleck has come a long way. I thought his career was over after a series of flops, but he bounced back with a new role \u2013 director<\/strong><\/a><\/span>. Argo<\/em> is his third time behind the camera, and it is his career-best. He tells the story of the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis.<\/p>\nThe opening scene starts with a brief montage of the opulent life of the Shahs who governed Iran. The current Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, flees Iran and seeks asylum in the United States. This leads to the protest we see outside the U.S. Embassy in Iran, with the crowd eventually storming through the gates and taking everyone hostage, save for six people who quietly escape. The scene provides both history and suspense, of which Argo<\/em> has no shortage.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
American Hustle<\/em> (2013)<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"american](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryansmoviecorner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/American-Hustle-1.jpg?resize=842%2C351&ssl=1\" "\\"american")
<\/a>Columbia Pictures. Image from IMDb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/a>We see a group of treasure hunters out in the jungle. The mysterious leader of the group pauses to look at a map. When a member of his party draws a gun on him, the leader whips the gun out of his hand. He steps out of the shadows, and we get our first look at Indiana Jones.<\/p>\n
Another John Williams score sets the tone for this opening scene. I love everything about this scene, and it gives the audience a taste of the adventure they\u2019re about to experience and an idea of who Indiana Jones is.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Full Metal Jacket<\/em> (1987)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/a>Warner Bros. Image from IMDb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nI refuse to classify the montage of recruits getting buzz cuts as the true opening scene of Full Metal Jacket<\/em>. What happens after this sets the tone of the film. Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (R. Lee Ermey) addresses his recruits to lay down the law.<\/p>\nHe singles out a few recruits, who happen to be the main characters of the film. Privates Joker (Matthew Modine), Cowboy (Arliss Howard), and Pyle (Vincent D\u2019Onofrio) all get tongue-lashings from the sergeant. This scene is perfect because it truly sets the stage for the film as a whole, and gives you a little insight into the characters.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Goodfellas<\/em> (1990)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/a>Warner Bros. Image from IMDb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWe see three gangsters, Henry, Jimmy, and Tommy (Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci, respectively), driving in the middle of the night. Jimmy and Tommy are sleeping, while Henry is fighting to stay awake while driving. Suddenly, we hear noises from the trunk. They pull over and open the trunk, to find that the person in the trunk is somehow still alive.<\/p>\n
I understand that this scene can be disturbing to some people, but it paints a good picture of the rest of the film. Goodfellas<\/em> is the best mobster film I\u2019ve seen and provides a peek into their lives.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Pulp Fiction<\/em> (1994)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/a>Miramax. Image from IMDb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nLike Goodfellas<\/em>, this is another movie about crime. Pumpkin and Honey Bunny (Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer) are having breakfast in a diner, while they discuss different robbery scenarios \u2013 it\u2019s obvious that they have experience. A diner seems an odd place to be having this kind of conversation, though.<\/p>\nUntil that is, they bring up the fact that restaurants are rarely the targets of robberies, and it would be a perfect choice. What starts as a peculiar conversation turns into an immediate action plan. This scene blows me away every single time.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Speed<\/em> (1994)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/a>Twentieth Century Fox. Image from IMDb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis is one of the best opening credit sequences I\u2019ve ever seen. It starts on the top floor of an elevator shaft. As the camera goes down, it reveals a new credit on every other floor.<\/p>\n
Next, the film\u2019s antagonist (Dennis Hopper) plants a bomb in an elevator and detonates it. The emergency brakes activate, and a dozen people are trapped inside. The L.A.P.D. arrives, and we meet two bomb squad officers (Keanu Reeves and Jeff Daniels).<\/p>\n
This film is structured as though it consists of three smaller films rolled into one. The first piece is about a bomb in an elevator, the second involves a bomb on a city bus (which serves as the main plot of the film), and the third is about pursuing the villain on a subway. That\u2019s what I love about Speed<\/em>: it\u2019s the perfect action-thriller, and it gives you more than what you expect.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Mission: Impossible<\/em> (1996)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/a>Paramount Pictures. Image from IMDb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nI never watched the original series, so I had no idea what to expect going into the film. The film begins with a surveillance team watching a monitor feed of two men standing over a dead woman. One of them, in a panic, tells the other the events that lead to her death. As the scene goes on, we learn that it\u2019s a sting operation to retrieve a name. Once the man reveals the name, the second man drugs him, and he passes out. The other man leaves the room and enters the surveillance area, then pulls off his face. It was Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) in disguise.<\/p>\n
Next, we get a brief montage of quick images that are seen later in the film, with the iconic \u201cMission: Impossible\u201d theme playing. I later learned that\u2019s how all the episodes from the original show began. It is the perfect beginning of an espionage movie.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Dark Knight<\/em> (2008)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/a>Warner Bros. Image from IMDb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe opening scene is not the only spectacular thing about how this film begins \u2013 the opening shot is outstanding, too. The camera zooms in on a skyscraper window, which explodes. Then we see two masked men, about to zipline to the roof of the bank across the street. A figure on a street corner is waiting for his ride. As the car pulls up, he puts on his mask. Everyone here is a part of a bank robbery that is about to take place.<\/p>\n
The man from the street corner is the last one standing \u2013 the other thugs were tricked into killing each other while the robbery took place. We see that the lone man is The Joker (Heath Ledger), who delivers one of the most chilling lines in film: \u201cI believe what doesn\u2019t kill you simply makes you\u2026stranger.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Argo<\/em> (2012)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/a>Warner Bros. Image from IMDb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBen Affleck has come a long way. I thought his career was over after a series of flops, but he bounced back with a new role \u2013 director<\/strong><\/a><\/span>. Argo<\/em> is his third time behind the camera, and it is his career-best. He tells the story of the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis.<\/p>\nThe opening scene starts with a brief montage of the opulent life of the Shahs who governed Iran. The current Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, flees Iran and seeks asylum in the United States. This leads to the protest we see outside the U.S. Embassy in Iran, with the crowd eventually storming through the gates and taking everyone hostage, save for six people who quietly escape. The scene provides both history and suspense, of which Argo<\/em> has no shortage.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
American Hustle<\/em> (2013)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/a>Columbia Pictures. Image from IMDb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/a>I refuse to classify the montage of recruits getting buzz cuts as the true opening scene of Full Metal Jacket<\/em>. What happens after this sets the tone of the film. Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (R. Lee Ermey) addresses his recruits to lay down the law.<\/p>\n He singles out a few recruits, who happen to be the main characters of the film. Privates Joker (Matthew Modine), Cowboy (Arliss Howard), and Pyle (Vincent D\u2019Onofrio) all get tongue-lashings from the sergeant. This scene is perfect because it truly sets the stage for the film as a whole, and gives you a little insight into the characters.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We see three gangsters, Henry, Jimmy, and Tommy (Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci, respectively), driving in the middle of the night. Jimmy and Tommy are sleeping, while Henry is fighting to stay awake while driving. Suddenly, we hear noises from the trunk. They pull over and open the trunk, to find that the person in the trunk is somehow still alive.<\/p>\n I understand that this scene can be disturbing to some people, but it paints a good picture of the rest of the film. Goodfellas<\/em> is the best mobster film I\u2019ve seen and provides a peek into their lives.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Like Goodfellas<\/em>, this is another movie about crime. Pumpkin and Honey Bunny (Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer) are having breakfast in a diner, while they discuss different robbery scenarios \u2013 it\u2019s obvious that they have experience. A diner seems an odd place to be having this kind of conversation, though.<\/p>\n Until that is, they bring up the fact that restaurants are rarely the targets of robberies, and it would be a perfect choice. What starts as a peculiar conversation turns into an immediate action plan. This scene blows me away every single time.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This is one of the best opening credit sequences I\u2019ve ever seen. It starts on the top floor of an elevator shaft. As the camera goes down, it reveals a new credit on every other floor.<\/p>\n Next, the film\u2019s antagonist (Dennis Hopper) plants a bomb in an elevator and detonates it. The emergency brakes activate, and a dozen people are trapped inside. The L.A.P.D. arrives, and we meet two bomb squad officers (Keanu Reeves and Jeff Daniels).<\/p>\n This film is structured as though it consists of three smaller films rolled into one. The first piece is about a bomb in an elevator, the second involves a bomb on a city bus (which serves as the main plot of the film), and the third is about pursuing the villain on a subway. That\u2019s what I love about Speed<\/em>: it\u2019s the perfect action-thriller, and it gives you more than what you expect.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I never watched the original series, so I had no idea what to expect going into the film. The film begins with a surveillance team watching a monitor feed of two men standing over a dead woman. One of them, in a panic, tells the other the events that lead to her death. As the scene goes on, we learn that it\u2019s a sting operation to retrieve a name. Once the man reveals the name, the second man drugs him, and he passes out. The other man leaves the room and enters the surveillance area, then pulls off his face. It was Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) in disguise.<\/p>\n Next, we get a brief montage of quick images that are seen later in the film, with the iconic \u201cMission: Impossible\u201d theme playing. I later learned that\u2019s how all the episodes from the original show began. It is the perfect beginning of an espionage movie.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The opening scene is not the only spectacular thing about how this film begins \u2013 the opening shot is outstanding, too. The camera zooms in on a skyscraper window, which explodes. Then we see two masked men, about to zipline to the roof of the bank across the street. A figure on a street corner is waiting for his ride. As the car pulls up, he puts on his mask. Everyone here is a part of a bank robbery that is about to take place.<\/p>\n The man from the street corner is the last one standing \u2013 the other thugs were tricked into killing each other while the robbery took place. We see that the lone man is The Joker (Heath Ledger), who delivers one of the most chilling lines in film: \u201cI believe what doesn\u2019t kill you simply makes you\u2026stranger.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben Affleck has come a long way. I thought his career was over after a series of flops, but he bounced back with a new role \u2013 director<\/strong><\/a><\/span>. Argo<\/em> is his third time behind the camera, and it is his career-best. He tells the story of the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis.<\/p>\n The opening scene starts with a brief montage of the opulent life of the Shahs who governed Iran. The current Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, flees Iran and seeks asylum in the United States. This leads to the protest we see outside the U.S. Embassy in Iran, with the crowd eventually storming through the gates and taking everyone hostage, save for six people who quietly escape. The scene provides both history and suspense, of which Argo<\/em> has no shortage.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nGoodfellas<\/em> (1990)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>Pulp Fiction<\/em> (1994)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>Speed<\/em> (1994)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>Mission: Impossible<\/em> (1996)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>The Dark Knight<\/em> (2008)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>Argo<\/em> (2012)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>American Hustle<\/em> (2013)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>