Perhaps one of the most film-defining moments in modern history – if you’ve ever seen “American Beauty,” this scene won’t be hard to recall. The film’s protagonist, Lester, is sitting in a crowded basketball gym – when he becomes obsessed with the lead cheerleader, his daughter’s best friend, played by Mena Suvari.
As he becomes fixated on the young woman, the spotlight shines on her, and all else fades to black. This scene has been paused so many times; it is embedded in our minds for good. The movie presents a different angle of the American middle-class society, shedding light on ita value of happiness, honesty, and success.
Teen Wolf (1985)
"Teen Wolf" was targeted as a family-friendly flick, but millions of viewers may disagree, and believe it or not, the scene in question happens minutes before the credits roll. During the movie's opening, an extra is seen with his pants and underwear around his ankles - a pause-worthy, gasp-inducing moment.
The exact moment happens when Michael J. Fox's character, Scott Howard, wins the basketball match when the camera catches a glimpse of the crowd cheering from the bleachers. Oops! Wonder how they forgot to edit that out. The movie was released in perfect timing and embraced the 1980s with open arms. This was soon followed by a 2011 TV series adaptation that didn't bring the same hype to the audience.
The Matrix (1999)
The first "Matrix" movie is often regarded as one of the best films of all time. It is described as a science fiction action film and significantly impacted the viewers that one movie wasn't enough. There is one scene in the Academy-award-winning installment that is both a fan favorite and, well, you guessed it - pause-worthy.
In this scene, there is a shot reflected off a doorknob. Usually, a shot would show a reflection of a camera, but the director decided to do something worthy of a double-take. They dressed the camera up to look like Morpheus. Dedication level - 100!
Titanic (1997)
One of the most epic love stories of our time has evolved from a blockbuster movie to a cultural phenomenon, capturing the hearts of many. It's hard not to fall in love with Rose and Jack's love story. Rose admires Jack's images of naked women in Paris. She asks him to draw her in what is the most-paused scene of the film.
The drawing later plays a vital role in the movie after it's uncovered from the wreckage years later. The movie, which was released in 1997, has remained one f the most heartbreaking stories in film history, and since then, no other romantic picture has managed to influence as much as Titanic did.
The Lion King (1994)
This may surprise you, but even animated movies hide many messages between the scenes and have their share of paused-worthy moments. Over the years, there have been speculations over hidden messages in many Disney movies - "The Lion King" was not exempt from such allegations.
There is a scene in which something a little eerie happens, and no, we're not talking about Mufasa's horrific death. In the movie, there is a scene in which clouds of dust briefly spell out something in the sky. While the reasoning behind this decision is still a mystery - it's one that makes many viewers pause and wonder...