BEHIND THE SCENE
Darren Aronofsky
“It’s a very strange film because it is so linear. Normally, when you make most movies you can move scenes around and they create other meanings, and you can do a lot in the edit room. The most important part of the film, and the part I like the most is the fever dream. Reel five of this movie is a 25-minute-long sequence of escalating intensity where the world becomes more of a nightmare. Every department had to work together to create this sequence where the world is escalating and falling apart, yet the audience hopefully remains grounded because of Jennifer Lawrence and the truthfulness of her emotions.”
Bong Joon-Ho
“The essence of this film is contained in the three scenes where one character whispers into the ear of another character. Out of these three scenes, the ‘absolute key scene’ is the third and final moment where Okja whispers into Mija’s ear. It is a moment where the animal whispers into the little girl’s ear. That, to me, feels like the ‘key’ scene. You’ll understand why after you watch the film!”
Aaron Sorkin
“There’s a scene toward the end where Molly (Jessica Chastain) and Larry (Kevin Costner) are on a bench in Central Park near the skating rink. This is a moment all protagonists are required to have: a moment of self-reflection, where they realize something about themselves they hadn’t realized before, and that moment is generally catalyzed by another person. In this case, it’s her father, who has been a strong force in her life — not always for good. Aside from being beautifully performed by those actors, you get this moment of release. We don’t see much of Kevin in the movie — but we feel him because of something that happens in the beginning. So this scene is not the conclusion of the movie, but of this one story.”
Dan Gilroy
“There’s a scene where Roman (Denzel Washington), who has spent his life as a civil rights attorney and activist, is invited to speak to a group of young activists. What starts out gloriously for him as a kind of reconnecting with his roots [becomes a realization] there’s a generational divide between him and the kids he is speaking to. It’s pivotal, because Roman realizes that his connection to the activism is not as strong as he thought it was and it’s a contributing theme that leads him on a path to a different place and pushes him away from some of his beliefs.”
“The scene in the last section of the movie where Andy and Woody confront each other. Caesar [Andy Serkis] has come there to kill the Colonel [Woody Harrelson] and discovers that the Colonel is starting to devolve. The war of emotions in that scene is epic, for both of them. The idea of Caesar not letting that [need for revenge] go until he’s confronted with the fact that the Colonel is succumbing to the virus and is now in the most vulnerable position — and understanding that the Colonel also lost his son in a much darker way. You see Caesar, who’s so filled with rage. He’s relishing the moment he’s finally going to sate that revenge and suddenly he sees something he didn’t expect and then everything changes. So that was a pivotal scene for sure.”
Dee Rees
“There’s a moment where Ronsel (Jason Mitchell) and Jamie (Garrett Hedlund) have this ‘trust fall’ — Ronsel takes Jamie to this place where he likes to think, and asks, ‘Why are you being so nice to me?’ and Jamie reveals that he was saved by [an African American fighter pilot in World War II], and it’s a moment between these characters where they see each other differently. They have already had this connection of being soldiers, but in that moment you can see the regard they have for each other change.”
Stephen Frears
“Victoria realizes she’s made a mistake. It’s all to do with the Indian mutiny; she thought the Indians were responsible [and blamed Abdul, who is Muslim], and she realizes she’s made a mistake. And in making that mistake, she is embarrassed. There is always a moment where you try to get [actress] Judi Dench in a mess, and she makes a fool of herself and then she has to get out of it.”
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