People say these 20 iconic movie scenes still give them 'chills' every time
"When the paleontologists first see the live dinosaurs in Jurassic Park" 🥲
Whether "scary" chills or "emotional" chills, we love it when movies can really makes us feel something.
Nearly all of us can recall a cinematic moment that gave us “the chills.” Sometimes it's the scene that scares the bejesus out of you. Other times it's a moment so moving or beautifully crafted that you feel something shift inside you. These reactions aren’t accidental. They come from a blend of elements working together—a perfectly timed score that builds tension or wonder, performances that pull us in instantly, camera work that heightens emotion, and even the way our own mirror neurons fire when we watch someone else experience something intense.
All of this reminds us that films are often much more than passive entertainment. They can be full-body experiences that linger long after the credits roll.
Recently, u/ryleymyers asked the r/AskReddit subreddit: “What movie scene still gives you chills no matter how many times you watch it?” The answers came pouring in, spanning decades, genres, and emotional tones.
Here are some of the most unforgettable moments that Reddit users say still give them chills:
1. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
“Caesar shouting "NO!!" in Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I thought of it and watched it again earlier today. Yep. Still chills.”
- YouTube www.youtube.com
2. Inglorious Basterds
“The entire opening of Inglorious Basterds.”
- YouTube www.youtube.com
3. Interstellar
“‘Those aren’t mountains, they’re waves,’ from Interstellar, Miller’s planet scene.”
“when Cooper walks into the room and Murph is a very old lady. She tells him he can go, “No parent should have watch their own child die”. Gets me every time”
“For me it’s “I knew you’d come back…because my dad promised me.” She’s been through all the phases of grieving her dad, hating her dad, and at some point in her adulthood, she accepted his choices. As an adult who has been through a lot in my relationship with my dad, it was very meaningful to me.”
- YouTube www.youtube.com
4. Jurassic Park
“When the paleontologists first saw the live dinosaurs in Jurassic Park.”
- YouTube www.youtube.com
5. Saving Private Ryan
“Saving Private Ryan beach landing scene. Saw in theater loud sound system. Real life is much louder. 😳”
- YouTube www.youtube.com
6. Lord of the Rings Trilogy
“Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden! Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered! A sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!”
“Best horse charge in all of cinema history Hands. Down. Still gives me chills and makes my eyes water. Epic barely describes it.”
Another contender: When Aragorn tells the hobbits “"My friends, you bow to no one."
- YouTube www.youtube.com
7. Casablanca
“Singing ‘La Marseillaise’ in Casablanca.”
- YouTube www.youtube.com
8. The Terminator
“The police station in The Terminator (1984).”
- YouTube www.youtube.com
9. Platoon
“Sgt. Elias’s death in Platoon.”
10. Independence Day
“The President’s speech in Independence Day always gets me.”
- YouTube www.youtube.com
11. Annihilation
“The alien replication / mimic scene from Annihilation. That whole sequence, combined with the very subtle Moderat track, is top-notch.”
- YouTube www.youtube.com
12. Gattaca
“Gattaca. ‘I never saved anything for the swim back.’”
- YouTube www.youtube.com
13. The Princess Bride
“Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya…”
“Mandy Patinkin’s rage at the cancer that killed his father irl really comes through.”
- YouTube www.youtube.com
14. Gladiator
“That ‘I shall have my vengeance’ speech in Gladiator.”
- YouTube www.youtube.com
15. Schindler’s List
“Oskar Schindler at the end of the movie. Lamenting the fact that had he not wasted money, he could have saved more people. Always chokes me up. (I was a teacher and showed Schindler’s List once I finished WWII.)”
- YouTube www.youtube.com
16. The Shining
“The way the camera focuses on the head of Jack Nicholson’s axe as he’s slamming into the door. That whole sequence from Redrum is just fantastic cinema.”
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18. Pan's Labyrinth
"You get chills when you see the table with the Pale Man sat at the end of the decadent dinner feast."
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19. Avengers: Endgame
"Portals scene from Avengers: Endgame.I just talk about it with my friends and I still get chills up my spine thinking about it."
"Even more so now when Chadwick Boseman comes walking out and nods to Cap."
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20. Jaws
“Jaws. The head that rolls out of the boat. I know it’s coming, but that just makes it worse.”
“Quint’s monologue in Jaws. Really, one of the best moments in modern cinema.”
- YouTube www.youtube.com