What movies have closing minutes that really, really stick with you. I love the last five minutes of Crank 2 so that inspired the topic.
But I would the best closing minutes of any film I've ever seen are Jaws, and The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada. The last 5-10 minutes of both movies are incredible.
The latter is a western directed by Tommy Lee Jones, and it's kind of clumsy in the beginning, but the setup, peak, and the falling action at the very end were outstanding.
It's a movie about an mexican who gets shot accidentally, and (Tommy Lee) Jones can't arrest his killer so he kidnaps him, and takes him and his friend's dead body, to his one time home in Mexico, to force his killer to bury him there. The editing and atmosphere, when they get there, are incredible.
Jaws is Spielberg's best movie.
[ December 18, 2012, 02:13 AM: Message edited by: umberhulk ]
Posted by Stone_Wolf_ (Member # 8299) on :
Shawshank.
Posted by umberhulk (Member # 11788) on :
Redemption.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I love the ending of ROTK, where they are at the Grey Havens. LOTR is NOT a happy ending, and I love the fact that there is a balance there. Some wounds never fully heal, not in this world. But not everyone is wounded to the quick, some move on and live full lives, like Sam and Rosie.
Posted by Zotto! (Member # 4689) on :
The Fountain, Sunshine, The Tree of Life.
Posted by Stone_Wolf_ (Member # 8299) on :
Sunshine?!?!? Don't get me wrong, I loved that movie...right up to the last 20 min or so. Worst ending since I am Legend.
Posted by ricree101 (Member # 7749) on :
Princess Mononoke. The rest of the film is good too, but I love how well the last couple minutes blends loss, hope, and optimism.
Also doesn't hurt that I really like the song playing over it (Ashitaka and San).
Posted by Wingracer (Member # 12293) on :
The Usual Suspects.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
Days of Being Wild The Royal Tennenbaums No Country for Old Men 2001 The Shining Hunger
Hobbes Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
One of my favorites is Fight Club.
Can't beat "Where is my Mind" during that final scene. Still one of my favorite songs once I hunted it down after seeing the movie.
I do agree with Shawshank Redemption, was pretty much perfect. I'd disagree with No Country for Old Men, unless you really like that it doesn't have an ending. I suppose many critics did love that. Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
I admit that it took me by surprise the first time I saw it, but I liked it the second time, and everytime I saw it I loved the little speech Tommy Lee Jones gave ("He was fixin' to make a fire out there in all that dark and all that cold. And I knew that whenever I got there, he'd be there.")
Hobbes Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
It's more than just the last five minutes, but I think the last chunk of Barton Fink absolutely make that movie.
Posted by AchillesHeel (Member # 11736) on :
Pandorum. The expected plot twist is trumped by the one I never saw coming.
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
quote:Originally posted by AchillesHeel: Pandorum. The expected plot twist is trumped by the one I never saw coming.
The sci-fi/horror movie with Dennis Quaid? I've actually been meaning to watch that for awhile now.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
I thought the premise for that movie was great, but really disliked the end product. It was so...empty. I would've liked the twist more if I had cared at all about anyone in the movie at that point. But I didn't.
Barton Fink does have a good ending. Coen Brother and Kubrick have a lot of good endings (the endings for Kubrick's Paths of Glory, Barry Lydon, 2001, and Dr. Strangelove all rise pretty far above, and I'm not sure any of his movies have a trivial ending).
Hobbes Posted by AchillesHeel (Member # 11736) on :
Quaid is almost an after thought of the film, that movie belongs to Ben Foster.
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
quote:Originally posted by Hobbes: Barton Fink does have a good ending. Coen Brother and Kubrick have a lot of good endings. . .
A lot of the Coen Brothers' movies have non-endings akin to No Country for Old Men. It amuses me when I see people complain about the ending of that movie because it isn't exactly uncharacteristic of the Coen Brothers.
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
Well, its not like everyone watching a movie is going to be familiar with the creator's body of work. It won 'best picture' at the Oscars, so many wanted to see what all the fuss was about. To have the best picture lack a real ending would have been quite jarring.
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
quote:Originally posted by Xavier: To have the best picture lack a real ending would have been quite jarring.
I'm not sure I follow.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
I disagree that it was a "non-ending" or "lacked a real ending". It wasn't an ending we were expecting or one typical of modern movies (or really, movies in general) but I think it was both a good and a powerful ending. Same with Fargo... but I'm having trouble thinking of other Coen brothers films that have similar endings. Maybe A Serious Man?
Hobbes Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
quote:Originally posted by Hobbes: I disagree that it was a "non-ending" or "lacked a real ending". It wasn't an ending we were expecting or one typical of modern movies (or really, movies in general) but I think it was both a good and a powerful ending. Same with Fargo... but I'm having trouble thinking of other Coen brothers films that have similar endings. Maybe A Serious Man?
A Serious Man was what initially came to my mind, yeah. I think Barton Fink ends sort of similarly, without the closure people so desperately desire. Fargo and Raising Arizona both come to my mind too. In retrospect, I think "non-ending" wasn't the best way to describe them, but they do, as you said, end in a way unlike what a viewer expects. They don't generally provide closure, but I think it's good.
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
quote:I'm not sure I follow.
You said that the reaction is amusing because its common of Coen Brothers movies. Well many people who saw No Country did so without being familiar with their other movies.
I myself had only seen Fargo, which had a more traditional climax/denouement.
Edit: Looking at their filmography, I'd also seen The Hudsucker Proxy, which I enjoyed. It too had a satisfying ending.
Posted by Destineer (Member # 821) on :
Oh wow, you're one of these Crank 2 lovers. One of my grad school buddies is like that. He once told me part of what he loves about the movie is how racist it is (he's not racist, but he likes a good racist movie, as do I sometimes I suppose).
quote:Originally posted by Zotto!: The Fountain, Sunshine, The Tree of Life.
The ending of Tree of Life is the only substandard part of the movie, IMO. In fact, I used to think that period on the beach was like half an hour long, when it's actually more like 5 min, because I had such a hard time sitting through it.
The final scene in Heat, which lasts about 5 minutes, is truly excellent.
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
quote: Fargo and Raising Arizona both come to my mind too. In retrospect, I think "non-ending" wasn't the best way to describe them, but they do, as you said, end in a way unlike what a viewer expects. They don't generally provide closure, but I think it's good.
Hadn't seen your post (looks like we wrote them at the same time).
What makes the ending of Fargo so surprising? Seemed like everything was wrapped up (and on screen no less!) to the viewer's satisfaction.
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
Admittedly, the ending of Fargo is among the more traditional endings in the Coen Brothers' filmography. But I also don't think it's wrapped up with a bow on it nearly as much as most movies are.
Posted by umberhulk (Member # 11788) on :
quote:Originally posted by Destineer: Oh wow, you're one of these Crank 2 lovers. One of my grad school buddies is like that. He once told me part of what he loves about the movie is how racist it is (he's not racist, but he likes a good racist movie, as do I sometimes I suppose).
It's just a really fun, over the top, deranged movie. And the last five minutes has two or three key pieces of imagery that won't ever leave my memory.
I have a friend who loves Gerard Butler's Law Abiding Citizen.
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
quote:Originally posted by Xavier:
quote:I'm not sure I follow.
You said that the reaction is amusing because its common of Coen Brothers movies. Well many people who saw No Country did so without being familiar with their other movies.
I actually meant I'm not sure I follow the reasoning it would be jarring for a Best Picture winner or nominee to lack a "real ending." Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
quote:Admittedly, the ending of Fargo is among the more traditional endings in the Coen Brothers' filmography. But I also don't think it's wrapped up with a bow on it nearly as much as most movies are.
I'm not looking to hijack the thread, but I am having trouble thinking of something that wasn't wrapped up with a bow. So for my own curiosity more than any attempt to argue...
****SPOILERS****
The husband got arrested, the wife died, the father died, one kidnapper went in the wood chipper, the other got arrested.
Is it just that the money wasn't recovered that you are referencing?
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
quote:Originally posted by Xavier:
quote:Admittedly, the ending of Fargo is among the more traditional endings in the Coen Brothers' filmography. But I also don't think it's wrapped up with a bow on it nearly as much as most movies are.
I'm not looking to hijack the thread, but I am having trouble thinking of something that wasn't wrapped up with a bow. So for my own curiosity more than any attempt to argue...
****SPOILERS****
The husband got arrested, the wife died, the father died, one kidnapper went in the wood chipper, the other got arrested.
Is it just that the money wasn't recovered that you are referencing?
It's honestly been awhile since I've seen that one. I remember thinking the ending was similar to some of their other movies, but that could just be me misremembering the ending.
Posted by Darth_Mauve (Member # 4709) on :
Sixth Sense--the ending is the movie.
Animal House--the ending pioneered the "Where are they now" trope.
Posted by AchillesHeel (Member # 11736) on :
Sleepaway Camp.
One of the few b-horror flicks that creep out the orange blood fountain crowd.
Posted by umberhulk (Member # 11788) on :
I would probably add Fellowship of the Ring, Hot Fuzz, and The Departed.
Posted by Stone_Wolf_ (Member # 8299) on :
quote:Originally posted by AchillesHeel: Sleepaway Camp.
I was just about to post this as my wife's suggestion.
Also, Six Sense.
Posted by Aros (Member # 4873) on :
Love Actually, Return of the Jedi, Inception (for good or ill).
Pretty much every Tarantino movie? I'm really looking forward to Django Unchained -- the reviews are super positive.
Posted by AchillesHeel (Member # 11736) on :
The ending of Punch Drunk Love was just plain impressive.
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
Inception.
Oh, and Breaking Dawn Part II. Posted by umberhulk (Member # 11788) on :
I'm going to object to Return of the Jedi.
Especially the new editions. "Meesa am free!"
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
quote:Originally posted by advice for robots: Oh, and Breaking Dawn Part II.
Because that ending meant the movies were at an end?
Posted by Aros (Member # 4873) on :
quote:Originally posted by umberhulk: I'm going to object to Return of the Jedi.
Especially the new editions. "Meesa am free!"
What are you talking about? You know, Return of the Jedi? 1983 film?
Posted by umberhulk (Member # 11788) on :
The latest rerelease of the DVDs adds a montage of different planets celebrating the fall of the empire, among them being Naboo, and you hear Jar Jar yell "Meese am free!". And we all loose a little bit of faith in humanity.
Posted by Dan_Frank (Member # 8488) on :
quote:Originally posted by umberhulk: The latest rerelease of the DVDs adds a montage of different planets celebrating the fall of the empire, among them being Naboo, and you hear Jar Jar yell "Meese am free!". And we all loose a little bit of faith in humanity.
I let my faith in humanity loose when I was a kid, but I managed to find it and recapture it.
I recommend you hold onto it. It's a dangerous world out there for a little loose faith in humanity.
Posted by Sean Monahan (Member # 9334) on :
I was a little too young to understand it at the time I first saw it, but I think the ending to Raiders of the Lost Ark has to be one of the best movie endings ever.
Posted by umberhulk (Member # 11788) on :
lulz
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
quote:Originally posted by SteveRogers:
quote:Originally posted by advice for robots: Oh, and Breaking Dawn Part II.
Because that ending meant the movies were at an end?
Well, that. Plus it didn't end quite like the book, which was a good thing.
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