Banana Scoop

I love a good montage. Nothing quite says progress (or perhaps a gaping plot hole) like a quick moving, musically depicted action over a period of time. However, with the right combination of clips, soundtrack, and a satisfying end result – a montage can be inspiring, engaging, and epic. Listed below are some of my favorite whirlwinds of non-Sylvester Stallone starring movie and television montages.

1. Breaking Bad – The Meth Making Montage

Aw, yeah. The original Breaking Bad cooking montage, one of many more to come throughout the show’s five seasons. Any Breaking Bad fan who sees this again will experience a heartwarming wave of nostalgia, despite the gritty nature of the scene. Set to an edgy background of trance and spoken word, Walt assumes his role as science teacher while small-time meth dealer Jesse fumbles around and jams out to his headphones, while adding some choice commentary on Walt’s performance.  Clearly they are still novices here, but their chemistry together – excuse the pun – shows the potential for an excellent partnership. We see Walt and Jesse measuring, pouring, grinding, weighing, and finally, breaking up a smooth, pristine sheet of crystal into shards of drama-instigating, cartel-infuriating, relationship-straining, money-making awesomeness.

2. Up – The Life Story Montage

Sometimes the sweetest stories end with a good cry. That is how I finished the montage of Carl and Ellie’s lives in Pixar Animation’s 2009 movie “Up”. This sequence begins with the wedding ceremony of the young couple and we follow them as they start their lives together, eventually preparing for their first child child. It then takes a darker turn as Ellie is seen in a hospital, having lost her baby. With love and dedication to each other, they move on and into old age, their affection and devotion apparent at every turn. I surprised myself when I first saw this in a spanish class in high school – I had to excuse myself to dab my tears less than 20 minutes into an animated children’s movie most people went to see with their little siblings. The ending of the montage is fit to break your heart, yet it is only the beginning of a touching and soul-warming movie.

3. Dexter – The Morning Routine Montage

The opening sequence of Showtime’s Dexter is shiver-inducing and suggestive at every turn. Set to suspenseful yet oddly pleasant music, we are first treated to a close-up of a mosquito preparing to feast on some succulent blood, until he is smacked into a flattened pulp by a lazily smiling Dexter. This is only the first of the overwhelming motif of blood, as we watch him scrape a razor over his morning stubble, dabbing at a few nicks and watching the red droplets pool into the sink. Breakfast is made rugged and primal as he sears a slab of meat, crushes an egg, and squeezes the life out of a gory blood orange. You just know some blood’s going to be shed in this show. Some lives are going to get crushed just like that egg. But no matter, because Dexter always exits that apartment with a sly, knowing smirk that we know so well.

4. Return of the King – The Game-Changer Montage

This is one of my favorite moments in the entire 12-ish hours that make up the glorious epic that is Lord of the Rings. A beacon lights and it travels, unstoppable, across snowy mountain peaks and rocky canyons until it reaches its destination – the city of Rohan. The flaming beacons spread out in a connecting line across the land have a single meaning: help is coming. Hope is coming. Don’t worry Gandalf – “Rohan will answer.”

5. Dirty Dancing – The Love Story Montage

I just had to include it. “Hungry Eyes” dance montage from the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing. In my humble opinion, Dirty Dancing isn’t just a chick flick and its definitely worth watching. Guys, I’m sure your girlfriends will be thrilled if you suggested this for your next movie night. Its a lovely, light story that deals with some heavy topics. Not only does this montage have Patrick Swayze’s chiseled body, but the actual sequence is pretty good too! The scene shows Swayze’s character Johnny Castle teaching Frances, or “Baby”, how to dance, and simultaneously reveals their budding romance.

6. Forrest Gump – The Inspirational Montage

Last but not least, more inspirational and heart lifting to me than any Rocky work out montage, is the Forrest Gump montage where he runs. And runs, and runs, and runs. Of course its absurd, and unrealistic, but doesn’t it just make you smile? He inspires a whole cult following of runners, all wondering who this mysterious cross-country trekking man is. From people who run along next to him to newspaper articles to full news stories covering his progress, America’s eyes are on Forrest. Yet he doesn’t even seem to realize it – publicity was never his goal. He’s just running. As he so innocently drawls, “My mama always said ‘you got to put the past behind you before you can move on’ and I think that’s my run was all about.”