You have 15 minutes. The best movie is...?

[Username taken]

Dawn of the Dead Zack Snyder's version.

[Scott Taylor]

Dawn of the Dead Zack Snyder's version.

A worthy contender. Wonder how much that first 15 minutes costed to put on film.

[K7P5V]

Definitely, my choice would be...

The Castle of Cagliostro
(ルパン三世 カリオストロの城)

[caj]

I would go with Jaws but since someone else has listed it already, I'll go with:

Scream

Not only is it a great, intense, scary scene but you just couldn't believe they would kill her off that early in the film.

[Jim Kelly]

Not the best movie, but the best part of THE WHITE NIGHTS (1985) is in the first 15 minutes.

The movie has an amazing cast, led by Gregory Hines and Mikhail Baryshnikov. And the concept of "white nights" (nights without full darkness, like in the north and in the south, during their respective summers) is something a great director could really take advantage of--look what Chris Nolan did with it for INSOMNIA--but the plot of the movie never really comes together and it seems to be just an excuse to have Baryshnikov and Hines share a movie.

When they dance--together or separate--the movie is amazing. And it begins with Baryshnikov and Florence Faure dancing "Le Jeune Homme et la Mort." The story of the ballet is from Jean Cocteau--so I already knew of it from having studied Cocteau in film class. Seeing this in the theatre, as the movie opened, I felt like I was levitating above my seat. The idea of the ballet is one of Cocteau's great obsessions--the young artist and death.

I went back to the theatre again, a few weeks later, just to watch that part of the movie and then I left once that part was done.

[Castle]

Well saving private ryan is an obvious. so that. Although the last 20 minutes of that movie is just as amazing.

[Username taken]

A worthy contender. Wonder how much that first 15 minutes costed to put on film.

I'm sure a good chunk of the film's budget (and effort) went into the scenes.

It's one of the better film openings that I've seen.

[Username taken]

Some of the Final Destination movies had some awesome opening scenes (the premonition thing)

I think part 2 had the best in the series.

[Kirby101]

The opening action scenes for many of the James Bond movies should qualify.

[Gaius]

Goodfellas.

[Vakanai]

Someone already mentioned Raiders, so I'll go with The Dark Knight. That opening sequence with Joker robbing the mob bank and killing his own crew along the way will definitely get you invested to watch more.

[Batman Begins 2005]

What is the best movie based on its opening?

Not the whole thing.

Opening credits included, what movie is best based on its first 15 minutes?

The Dark Knight.

Honourable mention to Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

[DrNewGod]

The opening action scenes for many of the James Bond movies should qualify.

I'm biased in favor of From Russia With Love, but yeah, several have great openers. Living Daylights opened really strongly (IMO).

[Kirby101]

I'm biased in favor of From Russia With Love, but yeah, several have great openers. Living Daylights opened really strongly (IMO).

Free fall in Moonraker and motorcycle off the cliff in Goldeneye.

[AnakinFlair]

The first 15 minutes of The Graduate is pretty great.
2001, of course.
Saving Private Ryan

Dear God, no. I barely make it past the damn monkeys every time I try to watch that movie. It's only when they get into space that the movie picks up somewhat.

I'd say The Dark Knight, with the bank robbery.

I'd also say Quantum of Solace. Say what you want about the movie as a whole, but that opening act- the car chase, 'We have people everywhere...', then the chase through the celebration was a great hook.

Also- Transformers: The Movie. An opening that kills off the majority of the characters you knew and loved.