Denis Villeneuve turns 55 and what a great career he has had. Coming from small budget productions like Polytechnique to directing some of the most revered sci-fi epics of modern times in Blade Runner 2049 and Dune, Villeneuve just gets the idea behind what makes a film engaging and perfect. Having stellar writing mixed in with character work that asks some really ambiguous questions, Villeneuve’s are always mixed in with a human element that never gets lost within the spectacle. Dune Director Denis Villeneuve Expresses His Desire to Make a James Bond Film.

Over the years since his breakout film Incendies came out, Villeneuve has always delivered that one scene which always defines his film. From the first sandworm reveal in Dune to Arrival’s ending, he has made us gasp, look at the screen in awe, and made us sit at the edge of our seats. So, to celebrate this modern icon’s birthday, after heavy consideration, we are taking a look at six of his films scenes that have proved he is a master at visual storytelling.

Highway Shootout (Sicario)

Sicario’s highway shootout is a masterclass in building tension. When the hitmen from cartel try to get a jump on the Delta force who are stuck in the traffic, an operation starts on the highway border to take out the gunmen. With the camera swiftly moving out and Denis building up the tension with the positioning of the characters, a sigh of relief is felt when the triggers are pulled.

Ending (Arrival)

Bringing the tears, Villeneuve frames the ending of Arrival perfectly. With the movie itself being a palindrome as it begins the same way it started; we learn that all of Louise’s visions with her daughter were visions of the future. Knowing where the journey ends, she still decides to go through with it, and it’s something that will definitely have your tears be misty by the end.

1+1 (Incendies)

Talking about the gasps that Villeneuve is able to bring, Incendies’ ending is something that had me traumatised for a good day. Shock factor that actually delivers on the shock with some great substance, the realisation that Jeanne and Simon’s brother and father are the same person will never not be shocking. With some great acting and direction by Villeneuve, this is definitely one of his finest moments as a director.

The Sandworm Reveal (Dune)

We all thought Denis would never be able to replicate the tension of Sicario’s highway shootout, and with Dune he proved all of us wrong. When a party goes out to check the Spice Harvester’s on Arrakis, they are met by a huge sand worm that in IMAX was just a glorious spectacle. With Chalamet acting out the scene wonderfully and Greg Fraser’s cinematography just being putting on a jaw-dropping display, this a wonderful scene. Dune Movie Review: Timothee Chalamet’s Sci-Fi Film Is a Visual Treat! (LatestLY Exclusive).

Sea Wall (Blade Runner 2049)

After having his entire life questioned as he realises he isn’t the chosen one, K is forced to make a decision that can actually retain his humanity. Knowing everything was a lie, he sets out to save Deckard in an enthralling and exciting scene that is boosted wonderfully by Hans Zimmer’s score and Roger Deakins’ cinematography. A sequel to Blade Runner had no right being this good, but Denis still pulled through.

Saving Anna (Prisoners)

Coming to the final entry of our list, the entirety of Prisoners has been leading up to this one moment. Driving Anna to the hospital with a gunshot wound to his head, Loki swirls through the traffic as the snow trickles down from the sky and the blood blurs his vision. With the late Johan Johannsson’s somber soundtrack blaring in the background with Deakins pulling with an overtime in his cinematography, this is downright the best moment from any of Villeneuve’s films. Hugh Jackman Birthday Special: From Logan to Prisoners, 5 Best Films of the Wolverine Actor Ranked According to IMDb.

Denis Villeneuve truly is a modern auteur and we genuinely can’t wait to watch Dune: Part Two. With this, we finish off the list and wish him a very happy birthday.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 03, 2022 11:27 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).