Oscars 2014: 18 Sublime Moments That Define Best Picture Nominees

9. Let's Go Home - Gravity

After some spiritual inspiration and a hallucinatory conversation with her dead partner, Ryan is determined to make it back to Earth dead or alive. First off, maintaining a conversation with yourself and making it look believable is quite possibly one of the hardest acting feats to pull off, but Sandra Bullock nails it, making you feel every emotional beat. "Let's go home," she forcefully exclaims before ejecting herself from the Soyuz, using nothing but a fire extinguisher to help propel herself towards the Tiangong shuttle. She is successful but still not out of danger yet, allowing for more extravagant special-effects - like flaming debris heading towards her pod as it plummets towards Earth. At one point during the descent there is an overhead shot capturing both space and Earth that is the very definition of breathtaking. Simply put, this is the moment where your heart races fastest as the suspense blurs the line between perfection and overbearing. Soon after, the shuttle lands in a lake, signaling both Ryan and audiences to breathe a sigh of relief; that is until water starts flooding and sinking the shuttle. In one last act of desperation she successfully struggles to rid herself of the cumbersome astronaut suit, allowing her to easily swim to land. Home at last!