4. 1898 - There Will Be Blood (2007)
I know this is going to prove itself to be something of a controversial choice, given that the rest of the movie is so brilliant in its entirety, but whenever I think about Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood, I always think about the first scene, with Daniel Day-Lewis' terrifying and iconic character Daniel Plainview alone in the barren nothingness, looking for a way to make a living. Eventually, of course, he strikes oil. Backed by Johnny Greenwood's phenomenal score, this collection of opening scenes are brilliant in their simplicity: Plainview's single-minded pursuit is enhanced by the fact that there's no dialogue. And it's the usage of sound effects in the background - wind, metal on stone, the breaking of bones - which mark this sequence as a true classic. It's tough to say that the movie never "beats" this scene, because it certainly doesn't get worse. When it comes the movie's truly great moments, though, there's just something about this one that tips the hat.