Top 7- Best Movie Endings
One of the most important parts of a film is how it ends it's story. There are so many ways that a film can choose to end their story and I think it's very important that we honour the endings that do justice to their films. So to clarify, we're not looking at the happiest endings, nor the best twists because that last one is coming up in a later list. We're looking at the endings that made their films even better, that enhanced the final product further than we could ever have thought. And in case it really had to be said, there are major spoilers ahead for all of these films
7. Forrest Gump
We'll start with a classic. Everyone loves Forrest Gump and it's ending helps cement it's status as a classic. It's an ending that manages to be both tragic and heartwarming at the same time. First of all, Forrest ends up with Jenny. Then Jenny dies and every part of you dies with her, especially after Forrest reads out the letter from his son. Finally, we see little Forrest head off to school as the film references the beginning and ties the whole film into a neat little bow. It's a wonderful end and a great start to the list.
6. The Bourne Ultimatum
It may surprise you to see an action film on this list but not only is The Bourne Ultimatum a superb action film, it transcends genres and is just a wonderful film. I love the ending of this film so much because it is the perfect way to end a series. After everything Jason Bourne went through, we're lead to believe he's dead. But after seeing the report on the news, Nicky Parsons knows better and it cuts to Bourne safely swimming away. This works perfectly because it acts as an end to the story of Jason Bourne without just outright killing him off. If only they had left the series here because it's an excellent ending.
5. Toy Story 3
Hands up, who cried at Toy Story 3? Anyone without their hands up is an emotionless shell of a human. Again, this film is a perfect example of how to close out a trilogy and the mere fact that Pixar are making a fourth one saddens me. Still, this ending is incredible for how impossibly sad it makes you feel, especially if you grew up with these films like I did. To see all the toys get handed off and given on to the next generation is as symbolic as it is heartbreaking. The ending is so sad that I actually refuse to watch it whenever the film is on because it gives me too many feels. Now that is power.
4. Gone Girl
What I find so interesting about this ending is that quite a lot of people actually hate this ending but I adore it. After all the hate, misery and violence that happens in this film, you know that the two characters can never have a happy ever after. One of them is an asshole who cheated on his wife and made her life a misery. The other is a murderer who framed her husband for murder, faked her own rape and cut a guy's throat while he was inside her. Neither character deserves a happy ending and they don't get it. They end up stuck in a stalemate where they don't divorce, have a child and live miserably ever after. It's a perfect ending for a film coated in misery and anyone who says that this is a bad ending can't handle it when the ending is anything other than happily ever after.
3. 22 Jump Street
21 Jump Street was a surprise hit and it's setup for the sequel left the whole audience in hysterics. But Phil Lord and Chris Miller couldn't just leave it there. They had to top themselves and as such, they created what may well be the funniest credit sequence ever. It ends in a similar way to the first film with Ice Cube shouting "your asses are going to Medical School!" and then chaos ensues. It has to be seen to be believed as Jenko and Schmidt go through Foreign Exchange, Culinary School and Space Academy. I don't want to talk about it anymore, just go watch this film and wet yourself with laughter.
2. Whiplash
I only watched Whiplash recently but it's already high on my list of favourite films ever. It keeps you on the very edge of your seat for the whole film, waiting for something to snap. And the ending doesn't disappoint. Watch in terror and also hope as Miles Teller is put up on stage in a dramatic confrontation against J.K. Simmons. It keeps the tone of the whole film and has next to no dialogue. It's all about the music, the looks on Simmons' and Teller's face and the emotion being thrown into drumming. It's somewhat ridiculous to believe that a film about drumming could be as tense as The Hurt Locker but this film is. And the ending just makes you want to jump up and down and cheer in sheer joy. Please go watch this film.
1. Fight Club
Have I mentioned how much I love Fight Club? A big part of that is the ending and how it ties everything together. First off, there is the undeniable twist. Tyler Durden and the Narrator are the same person! Damn. But then the pieces come together and you realise that you should have seen this before. And then there's the final bits of Project Mayhem coming together. Sure, the whole "Narrator shoots himself, Tyler dies but he doesn't" thing doesn't make a huge deal of sense but it's Ed Norton's last words that cement this ending as perfect. "You met me at a very strange time in my life". Then buildings collapse, Narrator and Marla hold hands and we get one final flash of a penis from Tyler as the Pixies' "Where is my mind" plays, encapsulating the film, the moment, and the uncertain futures of the two characters left. It's a perfect ending to a perfect film and I can't compliment it enough.
7. Forrest Gump
We'll start with a classic. Everyone loves Forrest Gump and it's ending helps cement it's status as a classic. It's an ending that manages to be both tragic and heartwarming at the same time. First of all, Forrest ends up with Jenny. Then Jenny dies and every part of you dies with her, especially after Forrest reads out the letter from his son. Finally, we see little Forrest head off to school as the film references the beginning and ties the whole film into a neat little bow. It's a wonderful end and a great start to the list.
6. The Bourne Ultimatum
It may surprise you to see an action film on this list but not only is The Bourne Ultimatum a superb action film, it transcends genres and is just a wonderful film. I love the ending of this film so much because it is the perfect way to end a series. After everything Jason Bourne went through, we're lead to believe he's dead. But after seeing the report on the news, Nicky Parsons knows better and it cuts to Bourne safely swimming away. This works perfectly because it acts as an end to the story of Jason Bourne without just outright killing him off. If only they had left the series here because it's an excellent ending.
5. Toy Story 3
Hands up, who cried at Toy Story 3? Anyone without their hands up is an emotionless shell of a human. Again, this film is a perfect example of how to close out a trilogy and the mere fact that Pixar are making a fourth one saddens me. Still, this ending is incredible for how impossibly sad it makes you feel, especially if you grew up with these films like I did. To see all the toys get handed off and given on to the next generation is as symbolic as it is heartbreaking. The ending is so sad that I actually refuse to watch it whenever the film is on because it gives me too many feels. Now that is power.
4. Gone Girl
What I find so interesting about this ending is that quite a lot of people actually hate this ending but I adore it. After all the hate, misery and violence that happens in this film, you know that the two characters can never have a happy ever after. One of them is an asshole who cheated on his wife and made her life a misery. The other is a murderer who framed her husband for murder, faked her own rape and cut a guy's throat while he was inside her. Neither character deserves a happy ending and they don't get it. They end up stuck in a stalemate where they don't divorce, have a child and live miserably ever after. It's a perfect ending for a film coated in misery and anyone who says that this is a bad ending can't handle it when the ending is anything other than happily ever after.
3. 22 Jump Street
21 Jump Street was a surprise hit and it's setup for the sequel left the whole audience in hysterics. But Phil Lord and Chris Miller couldn't just leave it there. They had to top themselves and as such, they created what may well be the funniest credit sequence ever. It ends in a similar way to the first film with Ice Cube shouting "your asses are going to Medical School!" and then chaos ensues. It has to be seen to be believed as Jenko and Schmidt go through Foreign Exchange, Culinary School and Space Academy. I don't want to talk about it anymore, just go watch this film and wet yourself with laughter.
2. Whiplash
I only watched Whiplash recently but it's already high on my list of favourite films ever. It keeps you on the very edge of your seat for the whole film, waiting for something to snap. And the ending doesn't disappoint. Watch in terror and also hope as Miles Teller is put up on stage in a dramatic confrontation against J.K. Simmons. It keeps the tone of the whole film and has next to no dialogue. It's all about the music, the looks on Simmons' and Teller's face and the emotion being thrown into drumming. It's somewhat ridiculous to believe that a film about drumming could be as tense as The Hurt Locker but this film is. And the ending just makes you want to jump up and down and cheer in sheer joy. Please go watch this film.
1. Fight Club
Have I mentioned how much I love Fight Club? A big part of that is the ending and how it ties everything together. First off, there is the undeniable twist. Tyler Durden and the Narrator are the same person! Damn. But then the pieces come together and you realise that you should have seen this before. And then there's the final bits of Project Mayhem coming together. Sure, the whole "Narrator shoots himself, Tyler dies but he doesn't" thing doesn't make a huge deal of sense but it's Ed Norton's last words that cement this ending as perfect. "You met me at a very strange time in my life". Then buildings collapse, Narrator and Marla hold hands and we get one final flash of a penis from Tyler as the Pixies' "Where is my mind" plays, encapsulating the film, the moment, and the uncertain futures of the two characters left. It's a perfect ending to a perfect film and I can't compliment it enough.
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