5. 17-Minute Discussion - Hunger
Steve McQueen's debut feature depicts the 1981 Irish hunger strike, specifically that of Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender), which results in his later death. A pivotal scene in the movie occurs when Father Dorn (Liam Cunningham) visits him in prison, and over the course of a staggering 17-minute, single-take conversation, tries to talk him out of his strike. Sands responds by outlining his reasons why, and the result is absolutely jaw-dropping in terms of the conviction from both actors. Cunningham reportedly moved into Fassbender's flat ahead of shooting so that they could rehearse the sequence for at least a dozen times a day, which by the standards of movie actors is pretty goddamn insane. Those of us who attend the theatre regularly might take it for granted, but as far as movie productions go, this is some next-level acting.
How It Changed Cinema: In adapting the cinematic medium to most closely resemble a play for 17 solid minutes, Steve McQueen demonstrates that the two forms don't have to be a million miles away from one another. More to the point, this intense dialogue reinforces the power of the spoken word over action.