"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass and I'm all out of bubblegum": Best Mano-a-mano Scenes

10. Car Race: Grease 

It's true there are a lot of car chase scenes to choose from, that the jagged spikes that tear up the car Danny's driving look like they were stolen from the set of a Little Rascals movie, and that it's possible neither car broke the speed limit during the chase.  Nonetheless, if I could take one chase scene with me to a desert island, this is the one that I want.

Honorable-mention car scene: 2 Fast 2 Furious

It's probably not the best race scene in the Fast/Furious series but I think it's from the movie with the best name.  That is until 8 Fast and Furious Cylinders is released in 2018.

9. Superhero Fight: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

 

I'm not sure if Scott Pilgrim meets the standard definition of a superhero but I'd take a video game motif over a Spider-Man romcom any day.  I would say the same about Batman, but Christopher Nolan's last two are way too enjoyable to criticize.

Honorable-mention superhero: Kick-Ass

The fight scene at the end is much better but I don't want to ruin the ending.  Another borderline superhero.

8. Musical: Deliverance

Soon after E.T. premiered, Reese's Pieces sales went through the roof.  If I had to guess I'd say that banjo sales skyrocketed and that canoe sales took a hit in 1972 after the release of Deliverance. This is my favorite scene in the movie, due in part to the fact that nobody is oinking during it.

Honorable-mention musical scene: Drumline

For those of you who thought that paradiddles couldn't be cool, I present Nick Cannon.

7. Swordplay: The Princess Bride

Lots of love for Matilda and The Princess Bride on this blog so far.  I have no regrets.

Honorable-mention swordplay scene: Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

Luke has daddy issues.

Bonus: Just for fun.

6. Bust a Move: Stomp the Yard

If you could figure out the formula for making a "so bad it's good" movie you could make a ton of money, like Rebecca Black amounts, so not really a ton of money but still more than you deserve. Stomp the Yard isn't at the Troll 2 or Plan 9 level but it's definitely a guilty pleasure. I never saw frats like these in college.

Honorable-mention bust a move scene: You Got Served

Definitely so bad, not sure it's good.

Starsky & Hutch (2004)

Ben Stiller doesn't win.

Zoolander

Ben Stiller doesn't turn left.

Bonus: Just for fun.

5. Atypical Competition: 8 Mile

Poetry Slam + Expletives + Insults + DJ + Rowdy Crowd = Rap Battle.

Honorable-mention atypical competition: My Summer Story

Tops + Bullies + Physics + Circle = Kill.

American Psycho

Vice Presidents + The 80s + Difficulties With Conformity = Business Card-Off.

4. Boxing: Rocky IV

There are also a ton of choices for best boxing match but how can any other fight live up to the one that singlehandedly ended the Cold War?

Honorable-mention boxing scene: Raging Bull

In this scene, it's Jake LaMotta vs. Sugar Ray Robinson but in the movie it's Jake LaMotta vs. Jake Lamotta.

The Fighter

The Boston shots from The Departed + The drugs of Requiem for a Dream + The storyline of Every Underdog Sports Flick = A pretty solid movie.

3. Gambling: Rounders

In this scene, being John Malkovich isn't all that fun.

Honorable-mention gambling scene: Poolhall Junkies

This is the only gambling scene I have ever seen where the dialog leading up the competition is more exciting than the actual competition.

The Sting

Great scene from one of the best-written movies of all time.

Casino Royale (2006)

When Pierce Brosnan retired as Bond after Die Another Day, 007 fans worried that his shoes would not be filled.  Daniel Craig put those fears to rest in Casino Royale (2006) with an interesting story, great acting, and in this scene a hand of poker with a p-value of about .0000003. Two years later, Quantum of Solace was released and prompted two questions 1, has a Bond movie ever had this confusing a name (Answer: Yes, Octopussy) and 2, what the heck is going on?

2. Chicken Race: Footloose

Moral of the scene: If your clothes are caught during a game of chicken, you will be a hero.

Honorable-mention chicken race: Rebel Without a Cause

Moral of the story: If your clothes are caught during a game of chicken, you will die.

Gattaca

Moral of the story: If you are okay dying in a game of chicken, you will be a hero.

1. Guns: Tombstone

The pen is mightier than the sword. The shot glass is mightier than the gun. 

Honorable-mention gun scene: Dirty Harry 

If Harry Callahan had fired 6 shots, the end of this movie would be very different.