Tag Archives: Scene I Love

Scenes I Love: The Sopranos Stage An Intervention

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today would have been the birthday of the late Tony Sirico.  Sirico was a former mob associate who, after serving a term in prison, reinvented himself as an actor.  Because of his background, he was often typecast as gangsters but he also proved himself to be an intelligent performer with perfect comedic timing.  For a lot of us, he will always be remembered for playing Paulie on The Sopranos.

Today scene that I love comes from The Sopranos and it features excellent work from the entire cast, especially Tony Sirico.  In this scene from the 2002 episode “The Strong, Silent Type,” the Sopranos and their associates stage an intervention for Christopher Moltisanti and it goes about as well as you might expect.  In just five minutes, this scenes manages to capture everything that The Sopranos was about, as well as giving each member of the cast a chance to shine.  Since this is Sirico’s birthday, I’ll just recommend that viewers especially watch Paulie’s facial expressions while Adriana reads her letter to Christopher.

Scenes That I Love: The “Which Vinny?” Scene From Jersey Shore Shark Attack

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

In honor Shark Week, today’s scene that I love comes from one of my favorite shark movies!

Things can get crazy out there, especially on the Jersey Shore.  How can you fight a shark if you can’t even keep your Vinnys straight?

From 2012’s Jersey Shore Shark Attack:

Scenes That I Love: Danny Meets The Girls In Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today’s scene that I love comes from Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. 

Stephen King can whine about this film all that he wants.  It’s one of the few adaptations of his novels that can still scare the view even after numerous rewatches.

These two still freak me out.

Scenes I Love: Philip Seymour Hoffman in Punch-Drunk Love

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today would have been Philip Seymour Hoffman’s 59th birthday.

Here he is in 2002’s Punch-Drunk Love, yelling at Adam Sandler and showing how a good actor can make the simple act of yelling compelling.

 

Scenes that I Love: Walter Matthau Talks To Robert Shaw in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

101 years ago, on this date, Joseph Sargent was born in New Jersey.  Sargent would go on to become one of the busiest directors of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, working in both film and television.  Though he would never receive the type of critical attention as some of his contemporaries, Sargent was a skilled director who specialized in making entertaining, no-nonsense films.  Though his reputation was tarnished a bit by the fourth Jaws film, it should be remembered that Sargent was also responsible for films like Colossus: The Forbin Project, Tribes, Nightmares, and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.

1974’s The Taking of Pelham One Two Three has come to be recognized as a genre classic.  It’s certainly one of my favorite films about how New Yorkers will be rude to anyone in any circumstances.  You can see an example of this in today’s scene that I love.  Having hijacked a train, Robert Shaw calls in his last of demands and gets a very New York response.

Scenes That I Love: Everything’s Alright from Norman Jewison’s Jesus Christ Superstar

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

In honor of the late Norman Jewison, today’s scene that I love comes from my favorite film to have been directed by him.

In this scene from 1973’s Jesus Christ Superstar, Mary Magdalene (Yvonne Elliman) attempts to comfort Jesus (Ted Neeley) while Judas (Carl Anderson) tries to pull Jesus away from her.  This scene showcases both Elliman’s angelic voice and Anderson’s ferocious intensity as Mary and Judas present two very different sides of a spiritual journey.

Scenes That I Love: James Lovell Dreams Of The Moon In Apollo 13

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Apollo 13 (1995, dir by Ron Howard, DP: Dean Cundey)

Today we have an absolutely beautiful scene from 1995’s Apollo 13.  In this scene, astronaut Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks) takes a look at the moon and, for a minute, thinks about what could have been, if only a malfunction hadn’t scuttled Apollo 13’s moon landing and left Lovell and his two crewmates apparently stranded in space.  Though Lovell may dream of walking on the moon, he knows it won’t happen and that his only concern now is getting both himself and his crew back home.

Some critics have a tendency to dismiss Ron Howard as just being a director who makes middlebrow films but this scene shows him to be a director who instinctively understands not only what it’s like to dream but also what it’s like when reality intrudes on those dreams.  This scene features both Howard and Tom Hanks at their best.

Scene That I Love: The Opening of Starship Troopers

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to director Paul Verhoeven.  This scene that I love is from Verhoeven’s 1997 sci-fi epic, Starship Troopers.  Over-the-top, satirical, and violent, this scene epitomizes the aesthetic of Verhoeven’s American films.

“I’m doing my part!”

Scene That I Love: Donald Sutherland Discusses John Milton in National Lampoon’s Animal House

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Tomorrow would have been Donald Sutherland’s birthday.  Today’s scene that I love comes from one of my favorite Sutherland performances, as the professor who dislikes John Milton in Animal House.

“This is my job!”