IT is the moment a good film turns into a great film . . .

That second where you choke on your popcorn in shock, awe or laughter.

Happy man laughing while eating popcorn at the cinema.
The top 20 movie scenes of all time have been revealed after a vote from film fansCredit: Getty
And now the most epic moment on the big screen in the past 50 years has been voted by 2,000 film fans, with Darth Vader’s “I am your father” being crowned the favourite of all time.

The plot twist from The Empire Strikes Back claimed the top spot, narrowly beating Jack’s “I’m king of the world!” moment in Titanic.

With Alien’s graphic chest-bursting scene, the harrowing Normandy D-Day beach landing in Saving Private Ryan and the T-Rex escape in Jurassic Park also making the top five, cinema goers get a kick out of fear, too.

Here are the top 20 big-screen moments – and I also describe the scenes that take the movies from “good” to “my god”.

WARNING: May contain spoilers!

20) Godzilla vs. Kong – Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)

Godzilla and Kong battling, with blue energy surrounding them and two meteors falling from the sky.
The clash and eventual team-up between Godzilla and Kong created epic scenes in the 2021 blockbusterCredit: Alamy
CGI goes into overdrive as King Kong and Godzilla team up to kill Mechagodzilla.

The scrap virtually destroys Hong Kong but it’s the monster bromance that’s celebrated.

19) Stay Puft Marshmallow Man Finale – Ghostbusters (1984)

The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from the film Ghostbusters.
1980s favourite Ghostbusters still holds up better than any re-makeCredit: Alamy
TOLD to “choose the form of destructor” Ghostbuster Ray (Dan Aykroyd) picks the gigantic Stay Puft Marshmallow Man who begins destroying the city.

18) Motorbike Chase – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Harrison Ford driving a motorcycle with Sean Connery in the sidecar in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade."
The motorbike chase in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is one of the highs of a memorable movieCredit: Alamy
Showing some proper father/son bonding tie, Indy and his dad escape Nazi stronghold on motorbike and sidecar.

High speed action and funny father son bickering makes it a magical movie moment.

17) Say “What?” Again! – Pulp Fiction (1994)

Samuel L. Jackson as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction holding a gun.
Samuel L. Jackson’s role in Pulp Fiction solidified his case as one of the top film stars of his eraCredit: Alamy
Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) interrogates a nervous associate named Brett.

Every time Brett stammers “What?” Jules grows more aggressive, eventually daring him to say it one more time before reciting a fictionalized Bible verse and opening fire.

16) The Pig’s Blood Prom Scene – Carrie (1976)

Sissy Spacek as Carrie White, covered in blood with a blue sparkling background.
70s movie Carrie holds a very cautionary tale for school bulliesCredit: Alamy
GETTING the school bullies back never looked more bloody, with the constantly mocked Carrie finally getting her own back.

Remember to be nice to your fellow teens – they just might have telepathic powers.

15) For Frodo – The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (2003)

Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins holding the One Ring in *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*.
Elijah Wood starred in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy – and one brave moment stood outCredit: Alamy
THE pressure of taking a shot is real in this scene where Frodo must chuck the ring into the Cracks of Doom to destroy it.

In a magical moment, Aragorn looks back and whispers “For Frodo…” before charging first, on foot, into the enemy, followed by everyone else.

14) The Joker’s Interrogation – The Dark Knight (2008)

Christian Bale as Batman and Heath Ledger as The Joker in The Dark Knight.
Seeing Heath Ledger and Christian Bale on screen together as comic book foes was electrifyingCredit: Handout
HEATH Ledger’s Joker laughs at the attempts by Batman (Christian Bale) to beat information out of him.

There’s something admirable about those that smile at pain.

13) ‘‘I love the smell of napalm in the morning’’ – Apocalypse Now (1979)

Robert Duvall as Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore in Apocalypse Now.
Apocalypse Now shone a light on the brutality of warCredit: Alamy
IN this chilling scene the reveals how desensitised war can make its fighters, crazed Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore (Robert Duvall) casually discusses his love for the scent of explosives while a beach is being bombed behind him.

12) Warehouse Dance – Footloose (1984)

Kevin Bacon dancing in a light blue sweatshirt and jeans with a car in the background, from the film Footloose.
Kevin Bacon’s moves in Footloose have never been forgottenCredit: Alamy

WHAT would you do in a moment of frustration?

Head to a big warehouse with a cigarette, beer and perform a rebellious solo dance, right?

That’s exactly what Ren (Kevin Bacon) does in this iconic scene to 80s synthpop.

11) Charge Of The Rohirrim – The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (2003)

David Wenham as Faramir leading the charge on horseback in "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King."
A spine-tingling battle from The Return Of The King made it two entries in the list from the same filmCredit: Alamy
A CLASSIC scene of good versus evil, this big battle at the end of the last Lord Of The Rings film shows the Rohirrim (goodies) come to the rescue with 6,000 cavalry charging down the hill chanting into the Orc (baddies) army. Spine tingling. . .

10) Neo Dodging Bullets – The Matrix (1999)

Keanu Reeves as Neo in The Matrix, bending backward in a fight scene.
Keanu Reeves dodging bullets in The Matrix is a scene that still looks incredible decades laterCredit: Alamy

DESPITE how far we have come with special effects, when Neo (Keanu Reeves) leans back in slow motion to narrowly avoid a volley of bullets, it still looks fresh nearly 30 years later.

A badass moment that made me want to buy a long leather jacket.

9) Maximus Reveals His Identity – Gladiator (2000)

Russell Crowe as Maximus in a gladiator helmet on a white horse, from the movie Gladiator.
Russell Crowe’s reveal in Gladiator is film-making at it’s absolute glorious bestCredit: Alamy
A SCENE that can bring goosebumps to the warmest of skin.

After winning a battle in the Colosseum, masked Maximus (Russell Crowe) removes his helmet and delivers a chilling speech: “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius. . .  father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife.

“And I will have my vengeance.” Superb.

8) Rain-Soaked Escape – The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne in the film The Shawshank Redemption, standing chest-deep in water and raising his arms in the rain.
The Shawshank Redemption is a rewarding watch for audiences once they reach the finaleCredit: Alamy
THINK you’ve had a bad day? I highly recommend you watch this scene where innocent Andy (Tim Robbins) crawls through 500 yards of sewage in a tunnel to break free from prison.

It will make all your problems wash away.

7) “Freedom!” – Braveheart (1995)

Mel Gibson, as William Wallace, shouts while wearing blue face paint and holding a shield in a scene from "Braveheart."
Mel Gibson’s Braveheart became a cultural phenomenon for millions of ScotsCredit: Getty
WILLIAM WALLACE (Mel Gibson) gallops through the land, with his dodgy Scottish accent shouting “Freedom”.

At the same time, it has just been revealed that the wife of the king’s daughter is actually pregnant with Wallace’s child.

William may get killed but he was the real winner. Mic drop.

6) Clock Tower Lightning Strike – Back To The Future (1985)

Lightning strikes a clock tower from the film Back to the Future.
The beginning of an epic trilogy in Back To The Future, a film series that captivated audiencesCredit: Alamy
TIME is not on the side of Marty (Michael J Fox).

He has to get to the Hill Valley clock tower as it is struck by lightning, propelling him back to 1985.

5) T-Rex Escape – Jurassic Park (1993)

A woman and child trapped in a truck during a dinosaur attack in Jurassic Park (1993).
There have been seven Jurassic Park films but none of the sequels deliver quite like the originalCredit: Image supplied by Capital Pictures
FROM the moving water in the cup to the goat’s leg landing on the glass ceiling of the car, this made the 11-year-old me jump and scream so much that the man sitting in front of my cinema chair complained to my mum.

And still, 33 years later, it is still as scary.

4) Normandy Landing – Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Medics attend to a gravely wounded soldier on a battlefield, while other soldiers run in the background.
There is nothing quite like the D-Day scene in Saving Private RyanCredit: Alamy
IN exquisite Steven Spielberg style, this 27-minute opening sequence depicts the D-Day invasion of Omaha Beach with harrowing realism.

The sea turns red and your heart rate rockets.

3) Alien Chestburster – Alien (1979)

Actors Sigourney Weaver, Yaphet Kotto, and Tom Skerritt watch John Hurt in a still from Alien.
Alien manages to be both terrifying and memorable all at the same timeCredit: Other20th Century Fox
ONE to put you off your dinner, Kane (John Hurt) begins convulsing on the table before a small, toothy alien creature bursts through his ribcage.

2) Jack’s “I’m king of the world!” – Titanic (1997)

Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson with arms outstretched on the bow of the Titanic.
Leonardo DiCaprio became a household name after starring in James Cameron’s hugely successful TitanicCredit: Other20th Century Fox
HOLIDAYS can make everyone go a bit nuts and it seems baby-faced Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) has hit the all-inclusive bar with this toe-curling moment that must have haunted the actor for many years.

1) Darth Vader’s “I am your father” – Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Darth Vader in "The Empire Strikes Back" with his arm outstretched on a Death Star walkway.
Darth Vader’s reveal in The Empire Strikes Back was voted as the top scene of all timeCredit: Alamy
THE ultimate way to have some serious daddy issues.

Like a sci-fi version of the Jeremy Kyle Show, villain Darth Vader has killed Luke’s aunt and uncle who raised him.

But while in a brutal lightsaber duel, Darth Vader sensationally reveals that HE is in fact Luke’s father. Time for family counselling.