Some guy once said something really clever about endings. Like, everything can suck, but if the ending is good everyone will like it. Was it Brian Cox? He was funny in Rushmore. I love Rushmore, and yes, it'll be on this list. So let's do this shit.
10. Catcher on the Rye- Holden watches his little sister on the merry-go-round, then he goes to a mental institution. Everyone knows this ending and I don't know of anyone who dislikes it. It's been out for like 50 or 60 years and no one can think up a better way for it to end.
9. Wolf at the Door from Radiohead's Hail to the Thief- There are better Radiohead songs. There are better Radiohead songs that end their albums. But there's none quite as tongue in cheek. None that put a smirk on your face the same way. It's pretty much a nonsense song, full or knives in the neck and kicking people in the teeth with steel toed boots one minute, then x-rays eyes and cold wives the next. But it's a fun song, and probably one of the most "freewheeling" Radiohead have ever done.
8. Pulp Fiction- Jon Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson eating breakfast in their "dorky" attire. Place gets robbed. "Bad Mutha Fucker". And Jackson's speech, which I consider the best speech ever to end a movie. It sums up the entire film really. And that film changed the face of movies ever since.
7. Mulholland Dr.- Old people crawling under your door is creepy. I wasn't a huge fan of this ending at first, but it's grown on me. It's a fucking weird ending, probably the weirdest, like, ever. It's hard to explain it, so I'll just throw some words out there. Naomi Watts. Gun. Hallway. Chasing. All a dream? ... yeah, not a great explanation, but... you just gotta see it yourself. And don't judge it rashly, give it some time to settle in your brain.
6. Taxi Driver- Travis Bickle is a bad bad man. He goes nuts trying to save this chick, kills lots of people and becomes a hero. But the people who made him a hero don't know the whole story. They don't know that Bickle is a sick man. Martin Scorsese once said that he believes Bickle would one day go on a worse, even more violent killing spree one day, because he believes that's what the people want. Bickle thinks he's doing the right thing, and now that he's a hero, that belief will only grow stronger...
5. Dr. Strangelove- One of the funniest movies ever. It's virtually perfect, but then the ending is coming and you're thinking "Um, how are they gonna end this?" There really is no other way to end it- everyone on Earth dies except for the people in the War Room. Also, for no apparent reason at all, Dr. Strangelove is able to walk again. It doesn't make any sense, but it's funny.
4. Curb Your Enthusiasm- "The Bat Mitzvah". Anyone who's seen this knows I'm talking about the last 60 seconds or so. For 3 or 4 episodes, Larry had been trying to win back his wife. He goes to his best friend's daughter's bat mitzvah, and takes along his house guest, a black woman who's family had been staying with the Davids because a hurricane destroyed their home. Larry dances with her, and sparks fly. We then learn that Larry started dating her, and didn't get back together with his wife. We see him at his new son's soccer game, going to the movies (there The Blacks are unable to contain themselves and act like embarrassing stereotypes, with Larry joining in), and posing for Christmas cards together.
3. The Royal Tenenbaums- Royal realizes he's "the bad guy" and decides he has to fix what he's broken. He divorces his wife so she can marry the man of her dreams (who just so happens to be Danny Glover), but the wedding is ruined by a drugged up Eli Cash, who crashes his car into the house, killing Buckley, the dog. Royal buys his grandsons a new dog, which helps to mend his broken relationship with his oldest son. Then Royal dies and everyone goes to the funeral, where we see Royal's tombstone, detailing how he died saving his family from a sinking ship (he didn't).
2. Lost in Translation- Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson were so screwed over come Oscar time. But we're not gonna go down that road yet. So anywho, the ending. These two people have developed a very deep friendship over the last few days, but it has to end. Murray has to go home to his wife and kids. They say goodbye, very awkward. Neither wants to admit to the other how much they've meant to them. Bill's driving away, sees Scarlett walking down a busy street, pulls over and walks up to her. They kiss and he whispers something into her ear, but we can't hear what it is. They finally leave each other, and "Just Like Honey" starts playing. Then we get some nice shots of Tokyo, and it's over. Probably the most memorable ending this decade.
1. Rushmore- Max fucks up everyone's life, then realizes that he can't live in his fantasy world forever, and set's about fixing everything he ruined. It ends in his most celebrated play to date. He also gets Mr. Blume and Ms. Cross back together and gets his own girlfriend. But he still gets to dance with his dream girl. Good stuff, good stuff. And yes, I love me some Bill Murray.
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2 comments:
absolutely right.
i would put strangelove above unthusiasm, but rushmore definitely has the best ending ever. it is like the story of my life. tenenbaums too.
where we see Royal's tombstone, detailing how he died saving his family from a sinking ship (he didn't), while Nico is playing in the background. - that's part of the awesomeness.
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