Support NeoGAF

[L4DANathan]

I don't even think it makes it 15 minutes. How far in is that stupid couch gag?

I think The Two Towers has an awesome opening. 28 Days Later is another one that comes to mind.

28 Days Later's opening is absolutely fantastic.

The Dawn of the Dead remake from 2004.

I don't like country, but I loved the use of Cash's 'The Man Comes Around' during that montage.

 

[Androidsleeps]

Adding my vote to the rest:
The Dark Knight
Inglorious Basterds
UP
Children of Men

 

[Sojgat]

Batman V Superman

First 30 minutes are really strong.

 

[HarryKS]

Guardians of the Galaxy. After 20 mins, it just becomes boring and predictable.

 

[blazenumb1]

Dark Knight starts out very strong,

Spoiler

but also gets stronger as the movie goes

 

[Erevador]

I don't even think it makes it 15 minutes. How far in is that stupid couch gag?

I think The Two Towers has an awesome opening. 28 Days Later is another one that comes to mind.

Two Towers opening is amazing, but for me the movie just continually tops itself for the rest of the running time.

I mean wow...

Even better...

Jesus...

 

[JimmyRustler]

Matrix has the GOAT opening.

From what it's know it was good enough that WB funded the rest of the movie (the Wachowskies blew the entire original budget for the opening).

 

[Fox318]

Hard Boiled

 

[MisterR]

Can't believe that we don't have more mention of Full Metal Jacket in here. The first hour is one of the best films ever made. I don't even remember what happens in the second half of the movie. It's not even that the second half is bad, it just can compare to the first hour.

 

[daveo42]

28 Days Later
28 Weeks Later
The Watchmen
Way of the Gun - a personal favorite of mine

I don't even think it makes it 15 minutes. How far in is that stupid couch gag?

I think The Two Towers has an awesome opening. 28 Days Later is another one that comes to mind.

The whole seen would have worked better if they had stuck with the whole "single shot" up until the building explodes. That unnecessary cut right after gets to the ledge to take aim ruined such a wonderful opening shot.

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

Miami Vice

 

[Darth Pinche]

Star Trek 2009

This. It had me cheering then in tears all within a few minutes.

 

[ScreenSplitter]

Guardians of the Galaxy. After 20 mins, it just becomes boring and predictable.

The second part you said is untrue, but yeah it does have an excellent opening. The weirdly emotional open for a comedy, the seamless use of the Marvel logo, then the GOAT dancing beneath the title.

 

[eXistor]

Taratino movies like Pulp Fiction, Inglourious Basterds.

 

[RedSwirl]

I feel like the majority of big Hollywood movies I see these days start off a lot stronger than they finish. A relative few finish off well. It's like most of them can't figure out how to do a third act.

In my opinion even the more "meh" Hollywood blockbusters do a pretty good job of world-building and setting things up in acts 1 and 2, but for some reason act 3 just becomes a mishmash of contrivances. It's like they know how to set up intriguing problems but can't think up equally interesting solutions. Sometimes it just comes down to pure action and a lot of movies don't shoot pure action extremely well.

 

[Ledhead]

Children of Men's intro is quite something. Really sets the tone for the rest of the film

 

[bennywhatever]

Rocky. I love that gritty fight with Spider Rico.

Up
Wall-E

 

[Violence Jack]

I forgot one, probably the best for me.

Kill Bill Volume 1

That Vernita vs Beatrix fight.....

 

[iPaul93]

Saving private Ryan.

 

[shadowkat]

Up.

The first few minutes told an entire lifetime without words. It made me cry. It was incredible and the best part of the movie. The rest of the movie was just okay.

Saving Private Ryan is another one that comes to mind.

 

[CD'S BAR]

The Force Awakens. It's not bad but movie definitely gets weaker as it progresses. First 15 minutes or so are great.

"So edgy" etc.

 

[Owari]

10 Cloverfield Lane is the most recent one I can think of. That beginning. :whew:

Only it doesn't get weaker throughout. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

 

[poppabk]

I really enjoy the cold openings on movies, generally 'Zombie' movies, like dawn of the dead remake, world War z, where everything is normal and then goes to shit in real time.

 

[FortuneFaded]

Die hard with a vengeance

I was watching an episode of Diagnosis Murder with Dick Van Dyke and they opened with this explosion and it took me a few seconds to realise where I had seen it from. I couldn't believe that they had the balls to just steal from a well known film, especially one set in New York when the episode was based in Los Angeles. The show usually did not have that big a budget for practical effects.

 

[Lonely1]

The first Minutes of Watchmen are great. Then it goes downhill really fast.+

As for the best opening on a consistently good movie, nothing tops A Clock Work Orange imo.

 

[Rudimental]

Strange Days

 

[Lord Virgin]

Also going with Drive. That shit was perfection.

 

[Harry Stewart]

Strange Days

Good one! Bigelow is such a great action director. Why hasn't she been given a superhero movie yet.

 

[Makai]

Training montage in Bloodsport

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnYDrs2ykcI