20 Best Movie Endings

[cloudy]

interesting list/gallery here. There are also links with each one to watch the ending on YouTube.

This is my favorite - I've always been a sucker for that movie. It surprised me that I hadn't seen that many of those listed.

 

[shereads]

"The Others," definitely. Caught me completely by surprise. So did "The Sixth Sense."

Other endings that I didn't see coming until the train ran right over me:

"Memento"

"Twelve Monkeys"

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Emotionally powerful climaxes: "The Black Stallion" and the original "Rocky"

My all-time favorite movie, from beginning to end: "American Beauty."

 

[cloudy]

"The Others," definitely. Caught me completely by surprise. So did "The Sixth Sense."

"The Sixth Sense" had me doing one of those V-8 things - I couldn't believe I hadn't caught on before the end.

"The Others" was a great movie, too.

 

[shereads]

"The Sixth Sense" had me doing one of those V-8 things - I couldn't believe I hadn't caught on before the end.

"The Others" was a great movie, too.

similar theme: "Who's dead here? A show of hands, please."

 

[MagicaPractica]

Field of Dreams - I mean, come one. First James Earl Jones gets to go out with the players into the great unknown then Ray's father shows up to play catch and as they pull out from that touching scene, just the music and the lights of the cars in the dusk. One of my favorites.

Karate Kid - yes

Dead Again - Maybe it was because I was just a kid, but I sure didn't see that coming.

Casablanca - Love doesn't solve everything, but you go on. Something modern films tend to forget.

 

[rengadeirishman]

40 year old virgin was a surprise on there, because theses sorts of things seem to take themselves to seriously for a movie like that. Karate Kid was awesome to see there, but no Casablanca?

 

[amicus]

I would add Blade Runner, Harrison Ford & Rutger Haur, along with Sean Young and Daryl Hannah, if I recall...somewhat predictable I suppose, but still...

Amicus...

 

[TE999]

The ending to "Citizen Kane" where the sled 'Rosebud' is consumed in the furnace is a really dramatic. That movie broke the mold and influenced other writers and directors for a long time.

 

[OhMissScarlett]

One of my favorite endings is The Usual Suspects. Oh, and The Wizard of Oz.

 

[glynndah]

One of my favorite endings is The Usual Suspects. Oh, and The Wizard of Oz.

I like both of those.

 

[shereads]

"To Kill a Mockingbird," of course. For having one's tears jerked, it can't be topped.

"Out of Africa," ditto.

 

[cloudy]

They're showing the older Indiana Jones movies this week, and we just finished watching The Raiders of the Lost Ark (Temple of Doom is tommorrow night, 8:35 on USA channel ), and that very last scene, when the crate is being stored in that ginormous warehouse is a kicker.

 

[rgraham666]

My vote is for Paths Of Glory.

 

[shereads]

In the final moments of American Beauty, Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacy) has been murdered. And the lives of everyone involved, innocent and guilty alike, are about to be thrown into turmoil. His daughter and her boyfriend will almost certainly be suspects, and may be damned by circumstantial evidence. His wife, dumped by her lover after being caught in adultery by Lester, will be alone with her memories of the husband she used to love - and the more lovable woman she was then. Only Lester, who had come to terms what what's important in life just hours before his death, conveys an enviable sense of peace and an acceptance of what is inevitable, as he narrates the experience of dying.

I was in deep (undiagnosed) depression when American Beauty was in theaters; talked into seeing it by a friend, I felt compelled to see it again and again, sometimes just arriving during the last ten minutes so I could absorb the zen-like calm, the sanity of Spacy's narration at the end.

It worked like therapy. I'm not sure why. I think it mostly has to do with this line by dead Lester: "...and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life."

He continues, "You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you? Don't worry. You will someday."

Then the screen goes black. And there is silence.




American Beauty ending: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYrgHju3d-E

 

[michchick98]

I'd have to say one of the best movie endings I've seen is from The Sixth Sense. I know quite a few people who have said they knew through the whole movie what was going on, but it completely floored me when the ending finally played out. (I know a lot of people haven't seen the movie yet so I won't spoil the end....but if you haven't seen it, RENT it. Definitely worth the money.)

Oh and another good Bruce Willis movie with a great ending is The Color of Night.

 

[S-Des]

This is my favorite - I've always been a sucker for that movie.

I just got the chance to show my daughter Karate Kid for the first time, and it was really cool to watch her reaction (she immediately started trying to do the crane technique ). The hard part was trying to explain what the hell Mr. Myogi was doing to Daniel with his hands.

I'd say Sixth Sense and Usual Suspects are my favorite endings, and both caught me by surprise (but didn't leave me feeling like I'd been lied to). Brilliant writing and directing in both. Keyser Soze freaked me out! As for Sixth Sense, it's a shame that M. Night has gone off the deep end. His rhetoric about how talented he is can be quite unnerving, especially when his movies get worse and worse. The Happening opens today and the reviews range from "Not terrible" to "Terrible". One reviewer said it was like watching M.'s career die before his eyes.

There is something to be said for humility in film making (or any type of story-telling).

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Someone spoiled The Sixth Sense for me because I accidentally spoiled the end of Cruel Intentions (it's a remake of Dangerous Liaisons, watch a real movie you jerk).

I loved Usual Suspects. I didn't figure it out until his feet straightened out. My mother figured it out ten minutes earlier than I did...

I think that Lucky Number Sleven fits into that category, even though it explains itself a bit earlier in the climax than the other movies. Not one of my favorites, just worth mentioning

I'll add more when I can think a little more clearly (was up late last night).

 

[lesbiaphrodite]

My personal favorite ending is "Mulholland Dr."....of course, i'm warped, so that would explain my love of it...but it was one of those endings that you never do forget.

 

[Iamcanadian28]

My favorite movie quote ever is the ending to Silence of the Lambs. Hannibal Lector saying to Clarisse over the phone "I'm having an old friend for dinner" Truly disturbing.

I also vote for "The Game" with Michael Douglas. That movie was full of WTF moments.

 

[lesbiaphrodite]

I also really like the ending of "Malena." Very touching, inspiring.

 

[Rob_mDear]

Attonement

I ruined Sixth Sense for myself. I did figure it out, well ahead of time.

Oh, well. The idea was still great. I could at least appreciate it.

I liked the end to Courage Under Fire. It wasn't exactly unexpected, but it was moving. And I'm a guy. I like war movies. Saving Private Ryan ended well, too, for a war movie.

The ending to Attonement was also better than I'd expected. I was starting to get bored with the movie as it went on, then sat up straight at the end. And any erotica writer has to love a movie that puts the word "cunt" up on the screen in giant letters as it's typed on a typewriter.

 

[sethp]

an underated ending is Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The final action scenes are sort of a let down. But the very end when they ride of into the sunset with the theme music playing on the horses. it's very powerful and very fullfilling somehow.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

The Sixth Sense? Predictable, but generally unpredicted. A good movie, but it's faster moving counterpart, Stir of Echoes, IMO was a better flick. More unpredictable was the ending to The Village, though I won't say better. I always felt that movie was underrated by those who can't look at what was RIGHT about it. THe build-up was beautifully done, and the characters were terrifically created. THe ending just didn't ruin things for me, I guess.

As for unpredictable endings... Honestly, at the end of Seven, I truly didn't think Pitt was going to kill SPacey. When it happened, I was in awe. Maybe that's just me.

Q_C

 

[MarshAlien]

http://artfiles.art.com/images/-/Butch-Cassidy-and-the-Sundance-Kid-Poster-Card-C10280228.jpeg

 

[Rob_mDear]

Oh, yes, without question... Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Screen cap was a good way to say it, too. Sort of sums it up. Picture worth a thousand words... hey, wait... this is a writing site! What are you trying to do, put us out of business?