Editor's Top Picks
A personal selection of standout long takes, handpicked for their craftsmanship, emotional power, or sheer cinematic brilliance. This list will evolve over time, but here are the top scenes that continue to leave a lasting impression.
Top 1, Long Take 19-2:
This 19-2 long take is the kind of moment when you completely forget you're watching a TV show. Everything is so fluid, so masterfully executed, that you literally find yourself right in the scene, walking behind the two police officers, without even catching your breath. No dramatic music, no unnecessary slow motion—just raw reality hitting you right in the face.
And that’s exactly what makes it exceptional: it doesn’t seek to impress, but to evoke emotion. Every step, every hallway, every glance matters. It’s tense, but without any artifice.
Why does it top my list? Because it proves that a long take doesn’t need to blow up the set or spin 360 degrees for ten minutes to make an impact. All it takes is accuracy, sincerity, and flawless execution. This gem of understated elegance reminds us that in cinema—as in life—sometimes, simplicity is the greatest strength.
You can view the sequence shot in the TV shows.
Top 2 Long Takes from "Victoria":
In second place, it’s hard to overlook this masterpiece: a film shot entirely in a single take, with no tricks, no cover-ups, and no “invisible cut” hidden behind a dark wall. For that alone, it deserves eternal respect.
Two hours of single-take footage, actors on the verge of breaking down, cameras that dance without ever stumbling. Yes, you can sometimes sense a bit of improvisation, a slight waver… but that’s also part of its charm. It’s alive, it breathes, it sways—as if the entire film were balancing on a tightrope.
Why does it deserve second place? Because it embodies the thrill of pure cinema: the kind that dares to do anything, even if it means getting its wings a little singed. And frankly, when such a crazy gamble pays off, you can’t help but tip your hat to it.
You can find a scene from the movie in the category Unclassifiable.
Top 3 Long Takes from *Extraction*:
In third place, my unapologetic guilty pleasure. This long take is kind of like the fast food of cinema: you know it’s full of special effects, a bit flashy, but it’s impossible to resist. It’s spectacular, brutal, choreographed down to the millimeter, and frankly… it’s a real showstopper.
Yes, it’s a classic case of “look how good I am,” but when it’s done with such talent, you can forgive anything. Every camera movement, every stunt, every impact is choreographed like a dance. You’re left speechless, half in awe, half in disbelief.
Why does it round out the top three? Because it embodies what we also love about the long take: excess, pure visual pleasure, that moment when technique becomes a spectacle. A little guilty pleasure, sure, but devilishly effective.
You can watch the "making-of" video for the long take in the action.
Top 4 Long Takes in *Pieces of a Woman*:
In fourth place is a long take that is unfairly overlooked, yet possesses rare power. No chase scenes, no explosions, no frills: just a home birth, filmed in one continuous take. And yet, it’s one of the most intense moments you can experience on screen.
It all hinges on the actors’ performances. The camera becomes a silent, almost intrusive witness to this moment suspended between life and fear. Stress, anxiety, tenderness—it all unfolds without a single unnecessary word, without a cut to catch one’s breath.
Why does it deserve this spot? Because it reminds us that a long take isn’t just a technical feat. It’s also a way of feeling—deeply, humanly. And here, it’s simply great cinema.