OPENING: The Prestige Michael Caine is so great he makes magic tricks seem interesting.
FIRST ACT:High and Low Best played out moral dilemma I've ever seen in a movie. Makes you really think about what kind of person you are.
BUILD UP: Diabolique Enjoy with confusion as the basic thriller you thought you were watching slowly turns into a supernatural film...or does it? Does this movie have ghost? Is this a zombie film in disguise? Hitchcock with Pyscho couldn't even top this.
"I may be reactionary, but this is absolutely astounding - the legal wife consoling the mistress!"
DNM: Raging Bull The montage sequence. Beautiful. La Motta becomes "normal", a happy man living the married life. All the stuff you want for the crew they get over the years, but the American Dream only last 2 minutes for us. After which, we're right back to the darkness. Enjoy it, because it's one of the only times you can smile during the movie.
CLIMAX: On The Waterfront In The Godfather, Goodfellas, Pulp Fiction, Scarface, Little Ceaser, White Heat really any other movie Terry Malloy would've been shot and sleeping with the fishes in a matter of minutes. But here Terry calls out the boss Johnny Friendly and it results in a fair, one-on-one, no guns, and no interference fight between two man. Doesn't get any better than that.
ENDING The Searchers
Our anti-hero just turned hero. He saved the day and everyone is happy. Inside he sees the life he wants, all he has to do is walk in.
But he knows there's no place for him in their world.
So he stops at the cabin door without entering and heads back out unto the Texas plains all alone.
ENDING Credits Song Napoleon Dynamite You know in the end, I'll always be there