Now that we’ve celebrated the best in movies at the 2022 Oscars, it’s a great time to celebrate the people who wrote these famous lines of dialogue and the people who brought them to life. Here, in no particular order, are 100 of our favorite movie quotes of all time. Did yours make the list?
100 Famous Movie Quotes
“Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
– Rick Blaine (HumphreyBogart) to Captain Louis Renault (ClaudeRains), Casablanca (1942) We’re prepared to call Casablanca the most quotable movie of all time and we had a hard time choosing between “Here’s looking at you, kid," “We’ll always have Paris," “Round up the usual suspects” and so forth. It had to be this one, though, as it also stands as one of the best final words of any movie, ever.
“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”
– Rhett Butler (ClarkGable), Gone With the Wind (1939) We should all be so lucky to have the opportunity to deliver such a scathing parting shot, and this one almost didn’t make it into the movie due to the expletive. Among the alternatives suggested were “I don’t give a hoot” and “my indifference is boundless," neither of which packs the same punch. Producer David O. Selznick received special permission to include “damn.”
“I’ll have what she’s having.”
– Older woman customer at Katz’s deli (EstelleReiner), When Harry Met Sally (1989) Director Rob Reiner’s mother delivered this punchline to Sally’s (Meg Ryan) very public fake orgasm, which became the line most associated with the movie. The real-life Katz’s Deli immortalized their table.
“Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
– Dorothy Gale (JudyGarland), The Wizard of Oz (1939) It may be hard to imagine in 2022 the sheer wonder and magic in the moment Dorothy opens the door to her black and white house and steps out into Technicolor Oz, but this line has endured through the decades as a way of marking such sea changes in our own lives. While The Wizard of Oz includes many quotable, memorable lines (“There’s no place like home,” “What a world, what a world…," “It’s a twister!" and so on), it’s Dorothy’s wonder and delight in finding herself in a whole new world that sticks out most.
“I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!”
– Howard Beale (PeterFinch), Network (1976) The most enduring line from the rantings of a mentally ill anchorman exploited by his network. His entire speech is still germane in 2022.
“You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”
– Brody (RoyScheider), Jaws (1975) Scheider’s deadpan delivery, perfectly timed, is one reason this is considered one of the best movie lines ever, the go-to phrase for when what you’re working with is not in the least sufficient.
“Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”
– Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze), Dirty Dancing (1987) As romantic gestures go, this one ranks high on our list, as Johnny refuses to let Francis “Baby” Houseman (JenniferGrey) be silenced or restricted. Instead he puts her in the spotlight, declares his love, and caps it all off with a big dance number. Fun fact: Swayze originally disliked this line, deeming it too corny. He was convinced to say it for one take, which made it into the film, and he later realized it worked perfectly.
“Well, nobody’s perfect.”
– Osgood Fielding III (Joe E. Brown), Some Like it Hot (1959) The final line of Billy Wilder’s sublime comedy about two male musicians (Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis) in drag on the run from the mob is made even better by the fact that Joe E. Brown never breaks the whole time Lemmon lists all the reasons they can’t get married.
“Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here! This is the War Room!”
– President Merkin Muffley (PeterSellers), Dr. Strangelove (1964) Stanley Kubrick’s satirical take on the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union is supremely funny, and this line is a perfect example of its absurd irony.
“Get away from her, you bitch!”
– Ellen Ripley (SigourneyWeaver), Aliens (1986) The climactic moment pitting Ripley against the xenomorph queen caused audiences to erupt into cheers and cemented Weaver’s role as the Badass Queen of Sci-Fi.
“Houston, we have a problem.”
– Jim Lovell (TomHanks), Apollo 13 (1995) While the actual words spoken by astronaut Jack Swigert were “Okay Houston, we’ve had a problem here,” it’s the film version that has staying power. It works for any occasion from a simple mishap to a total FUBAR.
“When someone asks you if you’re a god, you say YES!”
– Winston Zeddemore (ErnieHudson), Ghostbusters (1984) That’s just common sense, no? From one of the eminently quotable movies of the 80s, this line stands out.
“I am no man!”
– Éowyn (MirandaOtto), Return of the King (2003) Female lead characters are few and far between in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, making this moment, when the Witch-King realizes the loophole in his declaration that no man can kill him, all the more epic.
“I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”
– Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore (RobertDuvall), Apocalypse Now (1979) This line has been quoted and paraphrased so often, adapted to sing the praises of everyday things like coffee and baked goods, that the sting of the original line, emblematic of America’s bloodlust and insatiable desire for war, has largely fallen by the wayside.
“You had me at ‘hello.’”
– Dorothy Boyd (ReneeZellweger), Jerry Maguire (1996) While “Show me the money” became an enduring catchphrase from this movie, its romantic counterpart in which Dorothy accepts Jerry Maguire’s declaration of love is swoon-worthy and gently comedic, and has also proven its lasting power by the number of times its been referenced in other media. A recent example? The episode of Ted Lasso in which Roy Kent (BrettGoldstein) returns to the Richmond Greyhounds as a coach.
“I’m also just a girl standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.”
– Anna Scott (JuliaRoberts), Notting Hill (1999) Sometimes breaking a declaration of love down to its simplest elements is the most powerful way to do it, and this oft-repeated and adapted line proves it.
“Don’t call me Shirley.”
– Dr. Rumack (LeslieNielsen), Airplane! (1980) The pinnacle of movie parodies from the directing trio Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker, and David Zucker, Airplane! is jam-packed with hilarious quotables, most of which work because the actors are all playing it straight.
“I feel the need—the need for speed!”
– Maverick and Goose (Tom Cruise, Anthony Edwards), Top Gun (1986) You don’t have to have seen the movie to have heard this line at least once, any time someone wants to go fast.
“These go to eleven.”
– Nigel Tufnel (ChristopherGuest), This is Spinal Tap (1984) Another film stuffed with quotables, and everyone has a different fave (“It’s such a fine line between stupid and clever” and “I’m sure I’d feel much worse if I weren’t under such heavy sedation” are but two), but even those who haven’t seen the film know this one.
“By Grabthar’s hammer, by the sons of Warvan, you shall be avenged.”
– Alexander Dane as Dr. Lazarus (Alan Rickman), Galaxy Quest (1999) Rickman shows us what it might be like for an actor to be so closely associated with a single catchphrase, treating his with contempt for most of the movie, until it matters most. The result is a powerful moment that feels 100 percent earned.
“I. Drink. Your. Milkshake. I drink it up!”
– Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis), There Will Be Blood (2007) Taken out of context, this line is ridiculous, as countless parodies and YouTube mash-ups have demonstrated. In the hands of Day-Lewis playing fatally cruel Plainview, it’s chilling and disturbing, no less so because writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson lifted the line almost verbatim from the 1924 Teapot Dome congressional hearings, in which Senator Albert Fall was convicted of accepting bribes for oil-drilling rights to public lands.
“I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.”
– Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), The Godfather (1972) Johnny Fontaine (Al Martino) asks Don Corleone for help landing a role in a movie and while Don Corleone’s assurance is relatively understated, the actual offer? Anything but (in case you forgot, it involves a horse head).
“I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart.”
– Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), The Godfather Part II (1974) A legendary scene from the Godfather trilogy, in which Michael’s kiss of death seals Fredo’s fate.
“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.”
– Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), The Godfather Part III (1990) Michael Corleone has spent 30 years trying to get out from his Mafia family’s influence and go legit, and this iconic moment comes from the realization that he will never be free.
“You can’t handle the truth!”
– Colonel Nathan R. Jessup (Jack Nicholson), A Few Good Men (1992) The key line from the climactic courtroom scene outlines the horrors deemed necessary by the U.S. military to ensure democracy and freedom. It’s easy to condemn such actions when we don’t know the full story.
“I can do this all day.”
– Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Endgame (2019) As close to a catchphrase as Captain America was given in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this line has become synonymous with standing one’s ground despite the odds.
“The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”
– Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) Spock’s logic is first used to convince Kirk to resume control of the Enterprise for an important rescue mission, and packs a wallop of an emotional punch later on, when Spock sacrifices himself to save the ship.
“Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?”
– Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) We all have our weaknesses and fears. Let’s be grateful we rarely stumble into an entire pit full of them.
“I have had it with these motherfing snakes on this motherfing plane!”
– Neville Flynn (Samuel L. Jackson), Snakes on a Plane (2006) This quote makes our list for two reasons: First, it represents the power of the internet, which more or less crowdsourced this line of dialogue, capitalizing on Jackson’s usual film personae; and second, its sanitized form for network television is just as funny. Check out that one below.
“Clever girl.”
– Robert Muldoon (BobPeck), Jurassic Park (1993) There are many lines that stand out in this movie but we went with the short, sweet, famous last words of a dinosaur hunter outsmarted by a velociraptor.
“What, like it’s hard?”
– Elle Woods (ReeseWitherspoon), Legally Blonde (2001) One of the Internet’s favorite GIFs, Elle says this in response to ex-boyfriend Warner (Matthew Davis) expressing skepticism that she got into Harvard Law School. The best part is that Warner himself was only accepted into Harvard Law because of his father’s connections.
“You shall not pass!”
– Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2002) The epic battle between the wizard Gandalf and the demonic Balrog on the bridge of Khazad-dûm, which buys enough time for the rest of the Fellowship to escape Moria, holds up 20 years later.
“May the Force be with you.”
– Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) Han spends most of the movie skeptical of the Jedi religion, which makes his statement to Luke, on the brink of their siege of the Death Star, all the more meaningful.
“That’s my secret, Cap. I’m always angry.”
– Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), The Avengers (2012) One of the most meme-able lines of the 21st century reveals that Hulk is always there, broiling under the surface, and we never knew just how hard Banner works to keep him at bay.
“I wish I knew how to quit you.”
– Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal), Brokeback Mountain (2005) This iconic, heartbreaking line is known even by those who haven’t seen the movie. While highly adaptable to almost any situation, in context it’s a powerful line for those who aren’t able to love each other freely.
“Get busy living, or get busy dying.”
– Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) and later Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding (Morgan Freeman), The Shawshank Redemption (1994) Andy’s mantra inside Shawshank prison is the sort of proactive motivation we could all use at times.
“Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”
– Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), The Princess Bride (1987) Rob Reiner’s cherished adaptation of William Goldman’s 1973 novel boasts so many quotable lines we could start a new list just for them (“Have fun storming the castle!”, “Anybody want a peanut?”, “Inconceivable!” and of course, “As you wish”) but this one leaves them all in the dust.
“Gretchen, stop trying to make ‘fetch’ happen! It’s not going to happen!”
– Regina George (Rachel McAdams), Mean Girls (2004) The ironic thing is, Regina George tried so hard to make “fetch” not happen that “fetch” completely happened anyway. #justiceforgretchen
“It’s 106 miles to Chicago. We got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark, and we’re wearing sunglasses.” “Hit it.”
– Elwood and Jake Blues (Dan Ackroyd, John Belushi), The Blues Brothers (1980) So begins an epic quest, a “mission from God,” to get the band back together and save an orphanage.
“Ugh, as if!”
– Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone), Clueless (1995) If you need a reason why this is on our list, look no further than the 55 million views and 10 million likes received by Silverstone’s 2021 inaugural TikTok video, in which she recreated this scene with her 10-year-old son. (Also, Clueless remains the best adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma and that is a hill we will die on.)
“A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.”
– Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), The Silence of the Lambs (1991) It’s the line we remember from Jonathan Demme’s Oscar-winning film. 30 years later you can’t mention Chianti without someone else referencing it.
“I’ll be back.”
– Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger), The Terminator (1984) Taken out of context, there’s no logical reason why this three-word sentence has endured for nearly 40 years. It’s what happens when the Terminator does come back, however, a mere beat after delivering this line, that makes it memorable.
“There’s no crying in baseball!”
– Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks), A League of Their Own (1992) Penny Marshall’s delightful homage to the all-female baseball teams of the WWII era includes this classic and highly adaptable line. Odds are you have heard “There’s no crying in [insert random activity here]” at least once.
“Coffee’s for closers only.”
– Blake (Alec Baldwin), Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) Baldwin’s part was written for the film adaptation of David Mamet’s play and instantly became the most memorable part of it.
“That’ll do, pig. That’ll do.”
– Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell), Babe (1995) This was the first time since the original Charlotte’s Web animated movie (1973) that a pig made us cry and honestly? We’re not over it.
“Bye, Felicia.”
– Craig (Ice Cube), Friday (1995) This curt dismissal has been immortalized by the Internet and myriad products, from t-shirts and coffee mugs to tabletop games.
“The first rule of Fight Club is: you do not talk about Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club is: you do not talk about Fight Club.”
– Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), Fight Club (1999) David Fincher’s adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk’s 1996 novel polarized audiences who either celebrated its depiction of brutality or praised its critique of toxic masculinity; this line transcended all that to become shorthand for inclusivity and secrecy.
“My Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get.”
– Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks), Forrest Gump (1994) Love it or hate it, you know this quote.
“Some men just want to watch the world burn.”
– Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine), Batman: The Dark Knight (2008) Initially used to explain why the Joker does what he does, the quote has come in handy to address any anarchic or destructive behavior.
“You will ride eternal, shiny and chrome.”
– Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) The most recent installment of George Miller’s Mad Max series has appeared on several “best film” lists since its release. This line stands out, spoken by a tyrannical cult leader to inspire a follower to fulfill his destiny and enter the gates of Valhalla.
“Warriors, come out and play!”
– Luther (David Patrick Kelly), The Warriors (1979) You may not have seen Walter Hill’s cult classic about a turf battle between rival gangs in a near-future, dystopian New York City, but odds are you’ve heard its most famous line.
“Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!”
– George Taylor (Charlton Heston), Planet of the Apes (1968) Taylor spends a good deal of this movie unable to speak due to a shot to his throat; this is the first thing he says once he regains his voice. The impact was so great the line became an instant classic, often repeated and paraphrased, including in the 2011 remake of the film.
“Here’s Johnny!”
– Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson), The Shining (1980) Remember when Johnny Carson hosted The Tonight Show? Your kids don’t, but they know Carson’s famous introduction via this, one of cinema’s scariest scenes.
“Goonies never say die!”
– Mikey (Sean Astin), The Goonies (1985) Gen-Xers know.
“Screws fall out all the time; the world’s an imperfect place.”
– John Bender (Judd Nelson), The Breakfast Club (1985) It’s a more poetic version of “s**t happens,” and only slightly more quotable than Bender’s other great line from this movie, “Does Barry Manilow know you raid his wardrobe?
“Life moves pretty fast. You don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
– Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) So many great lines from this beloved John Hughes movie, but we like the reminder to enjoy things while we can.
“Flames. Flames on the side of my face…”
– Mrs. White (Madeline Kahn), Clue (1985) Kahn’s famous line in which Mrs. White confesses to killing Yvette was largely improvised, according to co-star Michael McKean: “All that was written was, ‘I hated her so much that I wanted to kill her,’ or something like that. But [Kahn] just kind of went into a fugue about hatred.” It lives on as one of the Internet’s most treasured GIFs.
“Open the pod bay doors, HAL.” / “I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
– Dr. Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) and HAL 9000 (Douglas Rain), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) HAL 9000 is such an iconic character that its been replicated in countless forms of media (we’re partial to AUTO the Autopilot in Pixar’s WALL-E), and even a certain female-named AI assistant will quote HAL back to you if prompted accordingly.
“A strange game. The only winning move is not to play.”
– Joshua (John Wood), WarGames (1983) In the early 80s, Cold War panic was peaking, but if a computer can learn via multiple simulations that no one wins at nuclear war, surely humans can too.
“Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K.”
– Ted “Theodore” Logan (Keanu Reeves), Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989) A Tumblr user once juxtaposed this quote with “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark” from Hamlet and we haven’t been able to forget it.
“Are you crazy? The fall’ll probably kill ya!”
– Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman), Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid (1969) Newman and Redford set a new standard for all action-based buddy films here.
“They call me Mr. Tibbs!”
– Det. Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier), In the Heat of the Night (1967) Poitier’s defiant delivery of this line in response to Chief Gillespie’s racism made such an impact on 1960s pop culture that it was eventually used for the title of the movie’s 1970 sequel.
“I see dead people.”
– Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), The Sixth Sense (1999) This line made both Osment and writer/director M. Night Shyamalan household names, and it wasn’t so long ago that you couldn’t consume a piece of pop culture media without hearing some version of it.
“If you build it, he will come.”
– Unattributed ghostly whisper, Field of Dreams (1989) This line from the lovely fairy tale-meets-baseball movie affirms the power of faith in seeing one’s vision through. It also got repeated and paraphrased a ton over the next decade.
“With great power comes great responsibility.”
– Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson), Spider-Man (2002) There have been many Spider-Man movies, and many Spider-Men, but this line will outlast them all.
“Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.”
– Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd), Back to the Future (1987) The “future” that Doc Brown whisks Marty and Jennifer to at the end of Back the the Future was the year 2015—but sadly, in the real world circa 2022, roads remain a necessity. Still a great way to end the movie, though.
“Go ahead, make my day.”
– Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood), Sudden Impact (1983) We could’ve gone with the other famous Dirty Harry quote about whether or not a punk is “feelin’ lucky,” but Ronald Reagan didn’t incorporate that one in a presidential speech like he did with this one, in a 1985 address to the American Business Conference.
“Say hello to my little friend!”
– Tony Montana (Al Pacino), Scarface (1983) This line has been repeated and co-opted so many times that its original context has been stripped away, so let’s take a moment to remember that the “little friend” is actually an AR-15 assault rifle modded with a grenade launcher, Montana is a ruthless and violent drug lord being invaded by the henchman of a rival kingpin, and he utters this line moments before being gunned down himself.
“Are you not entertained?!”
– Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe), Gladiator (2000) The most recognizable quote from Ridley Scott’s Oscar-winning epic drama comes from a former soldier forced into slavery and made to fight in the arena. He delivers this line to the crowd with a mix of sarcasm and contempt, making it highly suitable for continued life as an Internet meme.
“I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that way.”
– Jessica Rabbit (Kathleen Turner), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) Thirty-four years later, this groundbreaking film feels a little like a fever dream. This meta-licious line is still used often, however, to either justify one’s actions or warn us against judging a book by its cover.
“I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.”
– Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), Blade Runner (1982) This speech, delivered by a synthetic human in his dying moments, has been hailed as one of the most moving death soliloquies in movie history. Its impact was so great that when Hauer passed away in 2019, a good number of tributes to the actor began with it.
“I have a bad feeling about this.”
– Various characters across the Star Wars franchise Said twice in the first Star Wars movie released in 1977 (first by Luke, who actually says “I have a very bad feeling about this,” later by Han when he’s trapped in the trash compactor with Leia and Chewbacca), this line became a running gag expected by fans in each movie. It reaches into nearly all the television spin-offs as well.
“You talkin’ to me?”
– Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro), Taxi Driver (1976) Is this movie quote—which De Niro improvised off a vague description of what his character was supposed to do in the scene—the most imitated movie quote ever? This supercut of 46 different instances suggests it might be.
“What’s in the box?”
– David Mills (Brad Pitt), Se7en (1995)
“Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries!”
– French taunter (John Cleese), Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) One of the funniest movies of all time is also one of the most quotable, making it incredibly difficult to pick just one line for our list. But the conclusion to the first encounter with the French knight is perfect in both its absurdity and memorability.
“I am big. It’s the pictures that got small.”
– Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), Sunset Boulevard (1950) Swanson is absolutely brilliant as the quintessential diva aiming for her big comeback in Billy Wilder’s dark comedy noir.
“That rug really tied the room together, did it not?”
– Walter Sobchak (John Goodman), The Big Lebowski (1998) To be fair, the line about the rug is bandied about by different characters in this scene and elsewhere in this Joel and Ethan Coen classic, but it’s Goodman’s measured delivery here that, well, ties them all together.
“You-you’ve got me? Who’s got you?!”
– Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), Superman (1978) Saving Lois from a helicopter fall is the first time Clark Kent/Superman shows his superpowers to the public, and the scene became an instant classic.
“We find the defendants incredibly guilty.”
– Jury foreman (Bill Macy), The Producers (1967) It may not be the most memorable line, but Macy’s deadpan delivery is the perfect capper to Mel Brooks’ satire about two musical producers who stage the worst musical they can find as part of a get-rich-quick scam. (The line also appears in slightly altered form in the 2005 film version of the Broadway adaptation of the original.)
“Funny how?”
– Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci), GoodFellas (1990) We’re including just the first part of DeVito’s badgering of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) because odds are you can take it from here, based on how often this moment has been replicated in pop culture.
“Hack the planet!”
– Dade Murphy aka Zero Cool aka Crash Override (Jonny Lee Miller), Hackers (1995) While the movie was not well received by most critics, it’s become somewhat of a cult classic, and contributed to the “Age of the Geek” zeitgeist still prevalent today.
“You cut the turkey without me?”
– Gabriel (Lou Jacobi), Avalon (1991) A standard Thanksgiving line for those of us who have seen this absolute gem of a movie about three generations of Polish-Jewish immigrants in the U.S. We all have an uncle Gabriel.
“I’m not even supposed to be here today.”
– Dante Hicks (Brian O’Halloran), Clerks (1994) It was supposed to be Dante’s day off from working at the Quick Stop convenience store, but his manager calls him in anyway and Dante proceeds to have a really bad day. This cult classic, shot on a shoestring budget, set a watermark for independent filmmaking and launched Kevin Smith’s career.
“Check out the big brain on Brett!”
– Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson), Pulp Fiction (1994) The entire scene with Jules and Vincent (John Travolta) collecting money from Brett (Frank Whaley) is arguably the most memorable one in the film, and we have a feeling that all the Bretts in the world (and Brads, which is what a lot of people hear Jackson saying) get this line quoted to them a lot.
“They’re heeeeeeeere.”
– Carol Anne Freeling (Heather O’Rourke), Poltergeist (1982) The sing-songy playful delivery of this line belies the horrors that await the Freelings, straight from their television. This moment has been replicated many times, including for a Direct TV commercial, but these days? We’d do better to be wary of the spirits in our cell phones, instead.
“My whole life is a darkroom. One…big…dark…room.”
– Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder), Beetlejuice (1988) Ryder nailed the disaffected goth teen vibe in this movie.
“Put. The candle. Back!”
– Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, Inga (Gene Wilder, Teri Garr), Young Frankenstein (1974) Many fans of Mel Brooks’ brilliant parody call this their favorite scene, in which Dr. Frankenstein (pronounced “Fronken-stine”) and his assistant discover a secret passage and hilarious physical comedy ensues.
“You’re killing me, Smalls.”
– Hamilton ‘Ham’ Porter (Patrick Renna), The Sandlot (1993) The expression of sheer exasperation with someone who just doesn’t get it has been quoted and marketed in myriad ways, but Renna says he doesn’t mind being forever associated with this catchphrase: “The cool thing about it is when people say it, it just means I did my job as an actor, and there’s something so lasting that has been part of so many people’s lives that you can’t help but be honored and flattered by it.”
“You’ll shoot your eye out, kid.”
– Santa (Jeff Gillen), A Christmas Story (1983) You’d expect your mom and other parental figures to be overly cautious when it comes to toy weapons, but when Santa refuses to grant your greatest wish? Oh, the betrayal!
“Boy, that escalated quickly.”
– Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) Its original context is in reference to a midday brawl between the anchors of Channel 3 News and their rivals from KQHS, and thanks to widespread applicability has developed a life of its own via memes and animated reaction gifs.
“You don’t wanna get mixed up with a guy like me. I’m a loner, Dottie. A rebel.”
– Pee-Wee Herman (Paul Reubens), Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985) A decade and a half later this line became the title of a song by Kansas City, Missouri rock band The Get Up Kids, and still occasionally bounces around the Internet in meme form.
“Hey Johnny, what are you rebelling against?” “Whaddaya got?”
— Johnny Strabler (Marlon Brando) to Mildred (Peggy Maley), The Wild One (1953) Brando’s look in this movie and this line would be the pinnacle of cool for decades.
“I know kung-fu.”
– Neo (Keanu Reeves), The Matrix (1999) This line got repeated and mimicked frequently after the movie’s release, but that doesn’t detract from how cool it would be to gain proficiency in any skill by simply downloading it into your mind instead of training for years. Seriously, what a time-saver.
“We don’t talk about Bruno.”
– Various, Encanto (2021) Look, my kid made me put this in here. Considering how fast the song went viral on YouTube, however, can you blame him? And now it’s in your head. (You’re welcome–wait, that’s a different catchy Lin-Manuel Miranda-penned Disney tune.)
“You’ve got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know… morons.”
– Jim, aka The Waco Kid (Gene Wilder), Blazing Saddles (1974) Rumor has it that Wilder improvised the last part of this line, causing Cleavon Little to break character, but it worked so well that the scene stayed in.
“Now I have a machine gun, ho ho ho.”
– Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), reading off a sweatshirt, Die Hard (1988) The first film in the Die Hard franchise has several memorable quotes (“Welcome to the party, pal!” is another good one) but considering how many fans rank this (ironically or not) as their favorite Christmas movie, this one felt fitting.
“What is your damage, Heather?”
– Veronica (Winona Ryder), Heathers (1988) The first words spoken aloud by Ryder’s character, this became a classic ’80s line still used to sarcastically assess someone’s vibe.
“What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.”
– The Captain (Strother Martin), Cool Hand Luke (1967) This line, used to rationalize the beating Captain gave rebellious prisoner Luke Jackson (Paul Newman), has been adapted many times over the years, including a Washington Post opinion piece in 2013 about parents and teachers disagreeing over standardized testing.
“I gave her my heart and she gave me a pen.”
– Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack), Say Anything (1989) The sting of one’s first real heartbreak, captured succinctly in one sentence. Cue the boombox blaring “In Your Eyes.”
“Face it, girls. I’m older and I have more insurance.”
– Evelyn Couch (Kathy Bates), Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) Anyone who’s dealt with a supermarket parking lot on a Saturday morning feels this scene, deeply. Next, plan a movie marathon weekend—we ranked the 100 best movies of all time!
