One of the most consistent movie production companies in the world is Focus Features. They might not have put out any massive blockbusters that broke box office records but almost every film they've released was met with strong critical acclaim and they've won or been nominated for some major awards.
While there are plenty of reasons why their movies have been successful, including screenwriting and casting, a big one is that almost all of them have memorable or iconic moments. These are the legendary scenes that have helped turn Focus Features' films into truly special projects.
It only took a few releases before Focus Features found themselves among the distributors to produce a Best Picture Academy Award nominee. That was The Pianist, which tells the story of a Polish Jewish musician's harrowing experiences during the Nazi occupation of Warsaw.
After the audience witnesses so much suffering, there's a pivotal scene where protagonist Władysław Szpilman (Adrien Brody) is found hiding by a Nazi soldier. He lets him play the piano and Szpilman plays like it's the last time he ever will. The man looks like he's on the brink of death but his performance moves the soldier to do the unthinkable and actually help him survive.
There have been so many Pride & Prejudice adaptations over the years but it could be argued that the 2005 iteration is the best ever. The main crux of the story is always the relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, which develops into something special over the course of the film.
Their highlight comes during the scene where they dance together. There is obvious reluctance to do this but you can tell that both really actually want to be there. Despite their pride and differences, they become so enthralled with each other that the rest of the room disappears and all they see is each other.
There are still strong debates going on today that Brokeback Mountain should've won Best Picture over Crash. The film focuses on two cowboys who fall in love with each other while working together, which complicates their relationship back home and their lives.
While the moment when the two first make love could be considered, there's a very emotional scene near the end that stands out. After Jack's death, Ennis visits his childhood home and discovers that he had the shirts both men wore when they first met hanging up in his closet. It really hits home just how special their bond is.
On the surface, a scene where a mother and daughter go shopping together doesn't seem like it could be anything special. However, leave it to the brilliant Greta Gerwig to turn that into one of the most poignant moments of one of the best films of the decade. In this scene of Lady Bird, Lady and her mother Marion shop for a dress and have an important conversation about whether or not Marion likes her.
She loves Lady but she can't bring herself to say that she likes her, instead opting for wanting her to be the best version of herself. When Lady asks, "What if this is the best version?" it sparks an awkward but vulnerable moment that shines a brighter light on their complex and contentious relationship.
In Atomic Blonde, Charlie Theron plays one of the greatest female movie assassins ever in Lorraine Broughton. There are plenty of scenes in the film that showcase her impressive skills as an MI6 agent but one stands out above the rest due to how much it rattles the viewer.
It's a 10-minute fight scene that is done to look like it was one take and it's breathtaking. Lorraine has to take on a slew of baddies and does so in the most brutal fashion possible. It also feels realistic as she doesn't just plow through them with ease, instead taking a beating along the way herself.
Almost every scene in BlacKkKlansman is powerful and holds some serious weight from the early speech by a civil rights leader to the one told by the KKK Grand Wizard later on. However, the true highlight comes when Connie, the wife of a KKK member, sets off a bomb at the house of Patrice, a Black civil rights activist.
Protagonist Ron Stallworth attempts to stop her but the cops pull up and just see a Black man on top of a white woman. They ignore his pleas of the truth and only change their tune when Ron's partner shows up, who they don't even question simply because he's white. The kicker is that it all happens too late, resulting in deaths.
Yes, it's another film adapted from a Jane Austen novel and it's another scene where two main characters dance. There is a clear difference here though and that comes from the fact that Emma and Mr. Knightley are friendly when they start doing so.
After plenty of fun is had in Emma, things get serious on a romantic level during this dance. It sees the friends find romantic feelings awakened in ways they didn't expect and it changes the course of the rest of the movie and their lives. It helps that it is a beautifully shot scene too.
The Best Original Screenplay Oscar winner is obviously great for its writing but the powerhouse performance of Carey Mulligan is what really makes Promising Young Woman tick. The film sees her go on a quest to get revenge for her friend who was sexually assaulted and took her own life because of it.
The movie delivers a huge twist as once Cassie gets the culprit in her sights, he turns the tables and suffocates her to death. It's jarring and hard to watch while also making viewers believe that evil wins out. Thankfully, the film ends with the reveal that Cassie had a backup plan, letting the truth out and leading to the arrest of those behind it all.
At its core, Belfast is a story about family. There are plenty of moments throughout its runtime where that is evident including Buddy bonding with Granny on the bus, Pop and Buddy talking at the hospital, or the family's choice to move after the riot.
The one that truly shines though comes after Pop's funeral. There's no doubt that Pop's death is sad but the family is then shown celebrating together in a heartwarming moment. It proved that despite the somber situation, this family connection conquered all.
Unlike the two aforementioned dance sequences, this one has nothing to do with romance or two characters exploring a new aspect of their relationship. Instead, the dance scene in Last Night in Soho is incredible because of the remarkable editing and Edgar Wright's skill as a director.
In the scene, Ellie is transported to the '60s while dreaming and when looking in the mirror, she suddenly sees Sandie, a singer from that era. As Sandie dances with a man, the film seamlessly switches from her to Ellie anytime she steps out of view, cementing how connected yet different these two ladies are.
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