A couple friends and I recently were discussing inspirational movie speeches. The first speech that came to my mind was Bill Pullman’s Independence Day speech ending in “Today, we celebrate our Independence Day.” I could honestly watch that scene over and over, and get goosebumps everytime.

Well, this chat got me thinking. Sure, there have been plenty of great speeches from the classics, but I want to run a through a list of goosebump causing movie speeches from movies that better apply to what I am trying to get at.  My fraternity even has a tradition of doing renditions of some of these scenes. Do not be confused, this list will not have anything from The Godfather, Full Metal Jacket, Scent of a Women, or Apocalypse Now.

This list is for inspirational speeches, for tear-jerking moments, for goosebumps, ones that you don’t forget, speeches you still quote, moments that will last forever.

Here are 10 speeches that popped up into my mind. They are in no particular order.  I included only the tagline of each speech. Click the link to the see the video of the full speech.

1. Braveheart – William Wallace – “They may take our lives, but they’ll never take…OUR FREEDOM“

2. Gladiator – Maximus – “Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And, I will have my vengeance”

3. Independence Day – The President – “We will not go quietly into the night…..today, we celebrate our Independence Day.”

Starman full movie

Landspeed movie

4. Armageddon – The President – “For the first time in the history of the planet, a species has the technology to prevent its own destruction.” (14 Brave Souls)

5.  Rocky II – Rocky Balboa – “Other than my kid being born, this is the greatest day in the history of my life….Yo, Adrian I did it”

6a. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – Aragorn – “I bid you stand, men of the West.“

• Colour Me Kubrick: A True…ish Story movie

6b . The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – King Theoden - “Ride now, Ride for ruin, and the world’s ending…Forth Eoringlas”

Deck the Halls trailer

download The Voyage That Shook the World movie

7. Miracle – Herb Brooks – “Great moments are born from great opportunity…this is your time, now take it“

8. The American President – Andrew Shepard – “My name is Andrew Shepard, and I am the President.”

9. The Replacements – Shane Falco – “Pain heals, Chicks dig scars, glory lasts forever.”

10. Any Given Sunday – The Coach (Al Pacino) – “We fight for that inch.”

What are your favorites?

American Psycho film