Perhaps the most difficult part of shaping any narrative is figuring out how to end it in a satisfying way. I am not talking about the climax of a film, but more about the denouement, the final few moments before the credits begin rolling. A great ending should keep you glued to your seat while the credits roll quietly in front of you, and your head should be lost in wonder about the incredible ending you just experienced. For your consideration, here is a spoiler free presentation of my picks for the ten best film endings I have ever seen.
10. The Thing
9. The Shawshank Redemption
8. Chinatown
7. Boogie Nights
6. There Will Be Blood
5. The Usual Suspects
4. Being There
3. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
2. Fargo
1. Magnolia
What do you think?
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I like the ambiguity of The Thing's ending but feel that the whole third act of the movie is a failure as it is just a series of explosions with no real rationale in lieu of a clever final development.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I haven't had an erection last longer than a minute in 5 years.
Its a magnolia weekend, no?
ReplyDelete-Gina
of the ones on this list which i've seen i can't even remember the endings.
ReplyDeleteI like American Beauty's ending, then again I like just about everything about American Beauty...
ReplyDelete