8 More Moments That Literally Stopped Movies

5. The Pie Scene (A Ghost Story)

Margot Robbie The Big Short
A24

A Ghost Story is a fascinating film that boldly tinkers with all kinds of cinematic conventions, from its side-letterboxed aspect ratio with the curved corners, to the fact that its lead characters don't actually have names - Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck are credited as "M" and "C" respectively.

But most relevant to this list is the strange editing and structure of the story, and, in particular, a scene that stops the film dead in its tracks for almost five minutes.

A Ghost Story begins with M losing her husband, C, in a car accident, and follows her as she struggles to cope with her grief. Like many of us would in her situation, she finds temporary comfort in eating unhealthy foods, resulting in a scene where she sits on the kitchen floor... and just eats a pie.

The camera doesn't move, she doesn't move, and nothing else happens for the next several minutes, until finally, M runs off and throws up in the toilet.

The controversial scene has been lauded and criticised in equal measure: some call it an accurate depiction of the ugliness of grief, while others believe it's too long and self-indulgent, that the director could've made his point in a quicker, more elegant way.

Whatever side you stand on, at least we can all agree that it was a brave move to bring the movie to a standstill for this long.

Contributor
Contributor

WhoCulture Channel Manager/Doctor Who Editor at WhatCulture. Can confirm that bow ties are cool.