12 Most Heart-Stopping Sci-Fi Movie Scenes Ever

There were so many moments that deserve mentioning in this list from Alfonso Cuaran's extraordinary space adventure, but it is the moment when the space station is first struck that is perfection. The cinematography in this scene is truly mind blowing, as is the incredible music score and sound design that combine to create a truly extraordinary scene.

Junior commander Ryan Stone and superior officer Kowalski find themselves in casual conversation as they work on making repairs to a satellite orbiting above the Earth. When it is revealed that some pesky Russians have blown up one of their spy satellites sending debris flying around the globe, the casual mood begins to change.

Stone's reluctance to leave without finishing her job causes the previously calm Kowalski to become increasingly terse. The moment when the debris arrives at rapid speed launches the scene into utter chaos, with Stone unable to detach from the now out of control satellite.

The acting from Sandra Bullock and George Clooney is perfect here, bringing to life the characters ever changing emotions of frustration, anger and fear. The sight of Stone out of control as she is attached to the spinning debris is amplified by the high pitched music score and Kowalski's panicked voice screaming out to her.

This is filmmaking at its absolute finest, and while there is a lot for cinephiles to appreciate on a technical level here, it is also a scene that constantly has the heart racing and deserves top place on this list.