My vote goes to the restaurant scene in The Godfather.

*SPOILERS*

We get a spellbinding build-up; from the moment we see Michael's...some may say dark, but I say logical side as he explains how he will kill Sollozzo and McCluskey, to the scene where Clemenza tells Mike how to do it (come out blasting, two shots in the head a piece, lower your arm and let the gun slide out), to the scene where we learn the location of the meeting and they decide to plant the gun behind a toilet box in the bathroom, to the incredibly tense scene where they try to throw Michael off by driving to Jersey, but turn around to go back to the reported meeting place.

And then it begins. Al Pacino's performance (in the entire film, not just the scene) is one of the greatest of all time (I'd say it is only edged out by his performance in Part II), and this is a great example as to why. McCluskey and Sollozzo order some Italian food, and the waiter attempts to open a bottle of wine for an awkwardly long period of time. We feel the awkward tension. Sollozzo and Michael speak in Italian for a while, and then Mike angrily bursts into English, DEMANDING no more attempts on his father's life. He then says he has to go to the bathroom. McCluskey mutters the classic comment "If ya gotta go, ya gotta go." Sollozzo, taken aback (another very tense moment), frisks his crotch before he goes, and then Michael searches behind the toilet box for the gun. For a moment, he panics at not finding it immediately (again, we, the audience, also panic for him, we're there), but then takes it into his hands. He hesitates, and then exits the bathroom. We expect a hail of gunfire. But Michael simply stops, walks back to the table, and sits down. At this point, we're going insane with suspense. WHAT IS HE DOING SITTING DOWN?! SHOOT THEM! Then Sollozzo continues to speak in Italian, and we can tell Michael is not really listening. Pacino's acting is at its very best now, as the nervousness and anticipation on his face grow and grow. Then we hear a train outside the restaurant...louder...louder...louder...BANG! Michael rises to his feet and puts a bullet right through Sollozzo's forehead. A glorious cloud of red sprays through the air and lingers as he shoots McCluskey in the neck and forehead, causing a steam of blood to trickle down his face as he struggles to breathe. McCluskey falls face first into the table, spilling food and wine across the restaurant. Michael speedily walks out of the restaurant and practically THROWS the gun across the room (again, against his instructions...a perfect portrayal of what a first-timer may do in such a situation). He doesn't have time to think, he just acts. Then a loud, discordant burst of score accompanied by an eerie shot of the two dead bodies. The score slowly descends into a catchy piano tune for the next scene, which chronicles the newly-begun war.

There never was before, and there has never been since such a perfect moment in cinema. Absolutely brilliant.

I didn't read that whole thing, but if that's a "spoiler" to anyone who reads it, then I feel really sorry for them for not having seen it before.

heeeeeeeeeere's Johnny!

Incorrect.

I have to go with the plastic bag video in American Beauty...it still gives me shivers

my vote would go to the "go to sleep" scene in PCU. The first time I ever saw that part, I had to call in sick the next day because I was still laughing...


GO TO SLEEP!!!

GO TO SLEEP!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

I'd have to say it's any given scene from Collision Course, starring Tera Patrick & Briana Banks.

Agreed. Runner-up goes to the scene at the end during Michael's christening when all of the mob bosses get taken out.

tera patrick has great tits

One of the most underrated scenes is also in American Beauty. The scene where Spacey is talking to Mena Suvari in the kitchen. Brilliant acting by Kevin Spacey. Brilliant.

They were way better about twelve months ago.

j.

Good review of the scene, although I think the baptism scene is better. Your pick is fantastic, though - there's not even a clean kill, which further illustrates his nervousness and n00bness.

Here are my top-ten all time scenes, in order:

10.



9.



8.



7.



6.




5.



4.



3.



2.



1.

Car chase in Blues Brothers.

the scene in LA Confidential

where ed exley is interrogating the night owl shooting suspects, and Russell Crowe comes in at the very end of it.

Great Scene.

my god that is a great scene, i am going home and watching that tonight

I like the scene in Carlitos Way when he unloads the gun in the hospital and sean penn gets killed

Meh, you can't expect us to not spoil Godfather!

american psycho-when the chick gets outa the apartment and patrick bateman is chasing her down the hall ass naked with a chainsaw in his hand. i laugh just thinking about it.

The lesbian sex scene in Mullholland Drive.

christopher walken and dennis hopper during the "egg plant" scene in true romance... the whole scene is fucking amazing... from the start of the interrogation to walken putting the bullet in hopper's head