There are a lot of movies out there that end in a way that just chills or astonishes, or grabs in some fashion. I'd be interested to know people's favorites and why. Here are a few of mine: Chinatown: "Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown." About as perfect a way possible to sum up the clusterfuck of Jake's experiences. And it also perfectly captures so much of how I personally see the world -- when you think things might be fucked up, might be best to assume things are very fucked up. Speaking of that, Raiders of the Lost Ark: what more can be said about the confusingly mangled complexity of the US bureaucracy. Indie finally delivers the ark, and it's last seen being lost in that massive warehouse, no doubt to be found only a thousand years hence by a new hero. The futility of everything he does and risks in the movie crashes down on us in that final scene. Last one for today, which I already discussed in another thread, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: the scene is shot and acted perfectly, and speaks volumes about the desperation of the men involved, the harshness of their circumstances. But what I like most, is when we learn that it was once again manipulated by the iconic man with no name. It's the final fuck you by Clint Eastwood and proves once and for all that he's the same person we saw in For a Fist Full of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More. Okay, who's next?
Yeah, Field of Dreams is its own category of awesome. Just about every element of that movie is magic, and the ending especially. It captures so much of how I feel about baseball and the role it plays in my relationship with my father and now with my own kids. "Dad, do you want to play catch?" "I'd like that." Always makes my eyes water up.
The Mist - Probably one of the most polarizing endings in movie history. I actually liked the ending, which took an otherwise mediocre movie and then gut-punched the audience. Fight Club - Gets two votes; one for the twist and one for the are-they-or-aren't-they gonna blow it all up? The Sixth Sense - It's a cliche now and M. Night Shalyamanamananan is washed out, but people forgot just how powerful this film's ending was when it was released. Toy Story 3 - I dare you to watch the ending and not get a tear in your eye or a lump in your throat. The Usual Suspects - Another good twist that elevates an otherwise mediocre movie. 2010 - All these worlds are yours...
Opposite for me. Took a movie I was fairly into and dropped it right into the sewer. One of the WORST endings ever. Totally agree on Chinatown, The Sixth Sense, The Usual Suspects, and Toy Story 3 (sniff!). Some more picks: The Shawshank Redemption...gotta be one of the most uplifting payoff endings in movie history. Apollo 13..."Gentlemen, it's been an honor flying with you" gets me every time, even though we know everything's gonna be okay. Spider-Man 2 - all of Peter's hardship and suffering culminates in Mary Jane running away from her wedding to be with him. "Isn't it time somebody saved YOUR life?" Rocky...Rocky loses the fight but proves he can go the distance..."ADRIAN!!!" Dawn of the Dead (the original)...we'll never know if Peter and Francine make it... Primal Fear...in real life, these events would be grounds for an immediate mistrial, but Edward Norton's transformation is still electrifying. The Blair Witch Project...it only works once, but that ending gave me a major case of the creeps. The Right Stuff..."And for a brief moment, Gordo Cooper became the greatest pilot anyone had ever seen." Cue the Tom Conti theme... Arlington Road...trying to stop terrorists planning an attack on the FBI, a professor becomes their unwitting agent. Seven..."What's in the box?" *shivers* Casablanca...Cynicism purged, Rick Blaine gives up the woman he loves and walks off to join the resistance with Louie. "This looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
Ugh. The ending of that one takes what had been a mildly entertaining creepshow and drops it into absolute crap. "Hey, I know! Let's take the very worst horror movie cliche we can and make that the ending!"
I've got to say that I never quite understood how people didn't see that one coming a mile away. I was disappointed with myself for taking half the movie to figure it out. If you rewatch knowing the ending you'll see exactly how heavy-handed and unsubtle the setup was.
YMMV. I didn't find the ending cliched. I thought it was effective because it was not only creepy, but had meaning. I saw it in a small theater just as it was starting to become the phenomenon it did and there was a lot of relieved laughter among people coming out of the theater. I remember one 20-or-so girl who was very shaken up; her boyfriend was giving her the "it's only a movie" speech. As I said, it only works once, but, for me, it was a very effective ending.
"Its too bad about the girl. Too bad she won't live. But then again, who does?" TWOK, hearing Spock say, "Space. The final frontier..." gets me every time (and not merely because I'm thinking of the abortion of a film that's too follow).
Greatest movie ending? Star Wars: Episode I I remember thinking, "thank god this shit is finally over!"
Flight Plan- The passengers and crew who were uniformly convinced that Jodi Foster's character was crazy or a terrorist (or both) watch silently as she carries her exhausted daughter. The Muslim man who thought he was being suspected by her for being Muslim courteously helps her with a suitcase.
A metaphor my ass! It's pretty much a play-by-play of my wedding night, without the circus clowns and oxen.
Angels With Dirty Faces. James Cagney's epic breakdown. Was it genuine or done to help the kids keep on the straight and narrow? Only her hairdresser knows for sure!
Not really. The Muslim guy was being pretty much a dickhead early in the movie and IIRC took an opportunity midway through the movie to give Jodi Foster a cheap shot punch in the face when the passengers and crew turned against her.
How did I know this was a Dicanu post without seeing who posted it? I have to agree with The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly., just Wm awesome standout scene with the Mexican Standoff at the end. Another has to be No Country for Old Men where at the end Anton Chigurgh walks away. You have someone you consider evil, but simply allows fate and his own sense of justice determine who loves and dies walk off.
And then after that, Tommy Lee Jones wallowing in self pity. Blah. I hated that fucking ending. Ruined it for me. RUINED it. I was screaming at the TV.
No Country does a great job of setting up a confrontation between the Sheriff and Chigurh… and doesn't let it happen. Then it cuts out right after the sheriff tells his wife about a dream he had of his father. Some movies succeed by subverting our narrative expectations.
I wasn't expecting a conflict, but I expected...SOMETHING. They could have subverted without it petering the fuck out with a whimper.
My wife HATED the ending. OTOH, I loved it. As I told her, sometimes the bad guy doesn't "get his". I liked that it didn't have a Hollywood Ending. I haven't read the novel, but my understanding is that the ending of the movie is very faithful to it. Jones' bit at the very end is apparently lifted straight from the last page of the book.
