20 Movie Scenes That Are Totally Flawless
10. No Blinking - The Master (2012)
Though a decidedly tough watch in parts, Paul Thomas Anderson's searing drama The Master is nonetheless a powerful cinematic experience, following the exploits of troubled WWII vet Freddie (Joaquin Phoenix) as he joins a cult led by the terrifying Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman).
Early on in the film, Freddie is given a chance to interview with Dodd in what the magnetic cult leader refers to as "Processing," an exercise that forces Freddie to answer a series of disturbingly personal questions without blinking or looking away from his new mentor.
As a scene, the entire Processing sequence is a masterstroke of mood and tension, held together by the all-powerful acting prowess of Phoenix and Hoffman. It's discomforting, revealing and strangely hypnotic, forcing you to keep your eyes open with Freddie as he reveals the full extent of his tragic and deeply flawed life.