Best movie openings: Which is your favorite?

"Best-of" lists are always fun to read, even those that are clearly one person's opinion and — often — just wrong. I can never resist reading them, especially when they include links to the movies (or movie scenes) in question.

That's why I'm posting a link to this Tasteofcinema.com story that purports to list — rather pompously — "The 20 Greatest Movie Opening Scenes in Film History." Talk about click bait.

But it does start the kind of conversation that I used to have as an undergraduate with my fellow movie-minded friends. Over beers and cigarettes, usually after having watched something by Kurosawa or Fassbinder or even Andy Warhol.

And at least this "best-of" list — which I spotted on John Waite's Facebook page — is something that everyone can enjoy because it doesn't involve spoilers. That's not something could say of a "best-of" list of Greatest Movie Endings.

BTW, the movie "Phoenix" — which continues its run at the Magic Lantern — has one of the best endings I've ever seen. But don't take my word for it. Go and see yourself.