6. Magneto's Memory Of His Mother - X-Men: First Class
Coming in the wake of two movies so bad they threatened to bury the franchise forever (X-Men 3: the Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, lest we forget), 2011's X-Men: First Class had a huge responsibility on its shoulders to lift the X-movies back to their former glory. Not only did Matthew Vaughn's film accomplish this; it also wound up the finest film yet made in the series. And a huge part of that came from exploring the emotional core of the characters. Building on the brief but unforgettable Auschwitz prologue of the 2000 original (which is an emotional gut bunch by itself), First Class follows future Magneto Eric Lenscherr into adulthood as, fueled by an entirely understandable rage, he seeks vengeance on the Nazis who killed his family. However, whilst honing his skills under the tutelage of his new friend Charles Xavier (James McAvoy), the genial professor encourages him to access the light within him - and, to facilitate this, Xavier uses his psychic powers to draw forth Eric's happiest memory. The brief moment that follows achieves unbelievable poignancy through Fassbender's magnificent acting, his face washed over with pure emotion in seconds, and clever editing, as footage of his younger self and mother by candlelight cross-fades into the main action. The single tear that McAvoy stoically brushes away in the following shot is just the icing on the cake.
