Great Movie Endings

[Margo]

You know, you're watching a movie and it's pretty good - say 7 out of 10. But the ending is excellent and moves it up to a whole new category.

For me, the ending of Marie Antoinette was like that - definitely one of the best movie endings of the last few years, in my book.

And, of course, then ending of the original Planet of the Apes - that's a classic one. It was a beautiful combination of shocking the audience and picking, perhaps, the ultimate symbol of the USA, and what it stands for - democracy, progress, freedom, to do it.

[Deleted]

One of my favorite movies, Thelma and Louise, had an ending that really shook me up. Several times towards the end I was thinking, "They can't possibly get out of it this time!" but they did. However, that last scene you knew that it was all over. And all I could think was, "How can this possibly end? Are they actually going to have to turn themselves in? That would be... so wrong!" And (although, like I said, it shook me up) I loved that last shot and how it didn't actually show the car crashing. It just abruptly ended showing the car soaring over the cliff.

[Fraggle Rock]

This is probably totally obvious, but the ending for The Usual Suspects is my absolute favorite. The ending of Se7en is great too. That's back when Kevin Spacey made good movies.

[iceblink]

My all-time favorite is the very last shot of Solaris. (NOT THE REMAKE. Stupid remake.) Gave me shivers in a way that I can't even describe.

[Augustus]

Ok, this movie is so campy and over the top, but I love the last half hour: Strictly ballroom.

[Laira]

Some Like It Hot had the best ending I've ever seen.


Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis, who have been posing as women for most of the movie, are, along with Marilyn Monroe, are escaping mobsters in a boat driven by Joe E. Brown, Lemmon's rich, ardent, suitor who thinks Lemmon's a woman.

He proposes to Jack Lemmon who keeps coming up with one excuse after another, then, in desperation, Lemmon rips off his wig and yells "I can't marry you because I'm a MAN!". In response, Brown shrugs and nonchalantly says, "Well, nobodies perfect". Comic Gold!

[india7]

Joan Crawford's confession at the end of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? - that's the first movie that comes to my mind when I think "what a great twist ending!"

[Margo]

Bonsai, you're right - I forgot about Thelma and Louise. One of the best parts was ending the film with the car still in the air. It was also, obviously, the only way they could finish the experience - they lived up to the transformations they went through, and took it to the very end. Them holding hands as they did it was also very powerful. Gorgeous ending.

I think my favourite endings are the ones that have an element of surprise, but which are consistent with the rest of the movie - not just surprise for the sake of a twist, but something that feels organic for the characters to do. Thelma and Louise had exactly that.

[Daisy Pusher]

Not so much a last scene, but the last few minues of one of my all-time favorite films, The Commitments. Joey's great speech, which so deftly sums up the film: "The success of the band was irrelevant. You raised their expectations of life, you lifted their horizons! Sure, we could have been famous and made albums and stuff, but that would have been predictable. This way...it's poetry. " And then Jimmy's monologue in the mirror: "We skipped a light fandango, turned cartwheels across the floor. I was getting kind of seasisck. But the crowd called out for more. That's very interesting, Jimmy, but what does it mean? I'm fucked if I know."

[Deleted]

I like when everyone from the story, alive or dead, shows up for a big party at the end. Geez, how do I now list off the movies after just spoilering? What the hell: Longtime Companion, 24 Hour Party People and O! Lucky Man!.

Also? Carrie's big scare.