Final Destination 2

How could I forget... Way of the Gun

25 billion what?

Talk about voter fraud!

I don’t think it’s a stretch that every man, woman, child, and baby on Earth voted for Raiders of the Lost Ark….three times each.

Served, but don't worry, you can keep the leftovers.

The voting on ROTLA has been cumulative since the beginning of time, and as such, that movie doesn't even have 25% approval.

A few I treasure:

I am Cuba (1964) - An amazing tracking shot that floats through crowds, down the side of a building, and into a pool. The entire film is eye-poppingly beautiful.




The Conversation (1974) - The long, crawling close-in to the scheming couple in the plaza, as snatches of conversation are heard amidst audio distortion.




Diamonds of the Night (1964) - Two boys leap from a train that is taking them to a concentration camp, and scamper up a wooded hill while being shot at by Nazi guards.

Miracle Mile (1989) - A quirky yet foreboding pre-credits sequence; a perfect introduction to an eccentric, brilliant film.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1990) - First of all, that jarring electronic music score, which has never gotten its due as one of the best scores in the Horror canon. Then the prowling shots of dead and disfigured female victims, while their screams of terror and pain are heard echoing on the soundtrack.

The House With Laughing Windows (1976) - The anguished screams of a strung-up victim being stabbed reverberate over the opening titles.




The Todd Killings (1971) - I love the kinetic, hyper-stylish intro to this overlooked 1970s thriller.

Seconds (1966) - The eerie distortion, bodycam, and fisheye lens as the malaise-ridden Arthur Hamilton is followed through the train station.




Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) - The prologue, and John Larroquette's pretentious reading of it, is unneeded, but the rest of the opening is perhaps the best in Horror history. The flashes of rotting flesh, grunts of grave-robbing activity heard on the soundtrack, sunstorms roiling behind the credits as the director's amazing, nightmarish musique concrète score plays.

Shout-outs should also go to The Shining's inimitable opening, as well as that of When a Stranger Calls and its sequel. Also, Koyaanisqatsi's hypnotic beginning deserves a mention. Hmm, there are more horror films on this list than I intended.

I always liked the opening to Timecop - the movie is more cheesy fun than anything, but I'd watch a whole movie about time travelers taking over the Old West/Civil War era with modern weaponry.

The best part of a crappy movie... so much promise that didn't deliver. Thankfully, we got The Wolverine and Logan and Deadpool.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Maybe some people really like watching melancholy senior citizens?

I was just going to add I am mesmerized each and every time I see John Wick 4 and Laurence Fishburne comes in with Wick hitting the post. Just thought that was terrific and his one word was perfect. that's my opinion.

if a mod can change title to sequences since people got to like more than one. if you could just add an s to sequence, that would be cool. thanks in advance.

"Somethin's Cookin'," the Maroon Cartoon that opens Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

I was at a screening of this last year. In between the camera flashes, you are in the dark for so long your irises adjust, so the white of the bulb is intense enough to momentarily blind you, making the sequence not just a visual, but physical assault.

True Lies has always been one of my favorite opening sequences.

that is a great one, especially when he is sliding on his backside sliding down the snow covered ground shooting the bad guys and the dog head bang was funny.

A lot of great ones have already been mentioned but I would add the opening of All That Jazz (1979).

I'm going to answer with my favorite opening detail: the surround sound mix of Amidala's ship when it flies from behind and over the audience's head as it enters the frame.

My original post is dead and I don't recall what it was, but I'm pretty sure it's the Matrix. Agent Smith telling the cop his agents are already dead is a helluva setup to live up to and then it cuts to Trinity doing things and kicking ass in ways we've never seen before. Utterly brilliant. Then she takes off on the rooftop chase and the two massive jumps across wide gaps that blow your mind. I also love that camera shot of the cop through the closeup of Trinity. All time favorite.

The wordless prologue of WEST SIDE STORY (1961) where the Jets and Sharks taunt, bait and dance around each other with music by Leonard Bernstein and choreography by Jerome Robbins, all shot on city streets of Manhattan about to be demolished to make way for Lincoln Center.

devilshalo, great pick. That is indeed a phenomenal opening sequence.

The super tense heist/escape in Drive.

Once Upon A Time In The West

I like the opening of Mad Max, when we see the chase and Max is cooly gearing up, not seeing his face and then when we do, it's such a great moment, I thought.