Comments on: No Ending Is a Good Ending

By: Dohtimes

Dohtimes — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 23:19:26 +0000

The author Ken Bruen writes books I like a lot, some of them where nothing good seems to happen to anybody. But one titled The Dramatist not only has the worst ending ever, that ending may just be the worst thing ever.

By: Editor

Editor — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 16:39:28 +0000

Bacon to CrustyB for listing Intacto! I loved the blindfolded running scene!

My list:
Cheers
The Third Man
The Name of the Rose
Requiem for a Dream
The Man Who Would Be King
The Outlaw Josey Wales
Terror in a Texas Town (for the writing and the awesome harpoon(!) showdown)

By: slaphappy

slaphappy — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 15:25:07 +0000

The Monk series finale was epic.

By: Harvey

Harvey — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 14:03:40 +0000

Robocop:

“Nice shootin’, son. What’s your name?”

*look*

*pause*

“Murphy”

*smile*

*exit*

*roll credits*

By: Vaktatunnen

Vaktatunnen — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 13:51:57 +0000

Prisoner. An incomparably messy ending to an incomparably messy series. Perfect.

By: blarg

blarg — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 13:09:37 +0000

Being There
5 Easy Piecs
Dark City
Empire Strikes Back

By: Rusty

Rusty — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 11:01:57 +0000

At the risk of being looked down upon for mentioning a Leonardo Dicaprio movie…I loved the ending to Shutter Island. The twist happens very near the end, but you’re given enough time to adjust. Then the end just shuts you down. Nice emotional roller coaster, and that from a guy who doesn’t have any feelings.

By: zzyzx

zzyzx — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 07:01:37 +0000

The ending of Vanishing Point is pretty awesome too. I’m not talking the sequel I’m speaking of the original movie.

By: Derek

Derek — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 05:37:25 +0000

Mr. Sardonicus. Old movie but awesome viewer-involved ending.

By: Marcopohlo

Marcopohlo — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 03:53:58 +0000

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – Will and Elizabeth’s scene after the big battle turns an adventure into a love story.

By: Danny Boy

Danny Boy — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 03:16:36 +0000

Rocky. Heck, the ending just about won it the Oscar.
Gladiator. A classical tragic ending where all the characters (that are still alive!) come onto the stage.

By: star city k

star city k — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 02:45:53 +0000

For me, and its not a happy ending by any means, the end of The Road (book) will always stand out. I can’t bring myself to watch the movie though.

By: Bad Science

Bad Science — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 01:25:47 +0000

Two of my favorite science fiction movies, Alien and Aliens, had awesome endings: an outrageously large explosion and an alien getting pushed out an airlock.
Oddly enough, the rest of the movies in that series were almost unwatchable to me. Oh, well.

By: A. Pendragon

A. Pendragon — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 00:11:22 +0000

Since we’re allowing movies, I’m shocked nobody mentioned The Godfather. The settling of all the “family business,” the confrontation with Connie’s louse of a husband, and above all that last shot where the door slowly closes Kay off from the realities of Michael’s life while the music swells – that says everything that needs to be said and is the perfect climax to the Corleone saga. They should have left it there – and I say that despite being quite fond of the sequel and at least willing to forgive Coppola and Pacino for the third. (Not forgive them right away, mind you, but maybe, someday, eventually.)

By: calcpa

calcpa — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 23:32:58 +0000

The Sopranos

Many will disagree with me because it there were many unanswered questions, but it doesn’t matter. TONY DIED!
That’s all that matters.
Who killed Tony? Doesn’t matter, TONY DIED!
What happened to the mob? Doesn’t matter, TONY DIED!
What happens to his kids? Doesn’t matter, TONY DIED!
What happens to his wife? Doesn’t matter, TONY DIED!
They were the most narcissistic scumbags ever to live and that was all that matters.

By: mrsizer

mrsizer — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 23:16:03 +0000

Numb3rs – it was a bit too tidy and sweet, but you knew the show was done, forever, and you didn’t wonder what happened to everyone.

By: CrustyB

CrustyB — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:55:14 +0000

Intacto
Wanted (the graphic novel, not the vastly different movie)
The Stainless Steel Leech (Roger Zelazny short story about a defective robot befriending Dracula. Cool idea, perfect ending.)

By: Keln

Keln — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:43:25 +0000

One of my favorite endings in a movie ever was in a movie that isn’t anywhere near one of my favorite movies (although I liked it). But I remembered it for the ending, because it was the type of ending you want to see.

The movie was Enemy at the Gates

This whole movie sets up an inevitable confrontation between the protagonist Russian sniper Vasili Zytsev and the German ace sniper Erwin Konig during the battle of Stalingrad. According to Hollywood tradition, this should have been played out in some kind of grand before-death conversation when the two met face to face.

Instead, the pure awesomeness of the end is in that, when Vasili finally comes face to face, or rather Mosin-Nagant to face with the German, he simply shoots him. And that is it. Well, there is a short thing about finding his girl in a hospital, but that was about it.

Here is the clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Giom5_byviI

This is how all battles between good and evil in a film or book should end. None of that wimpy stuff about the hero almost dying before finally killing the bad guy, or some long bad-guy monologue before he gets what’s coming to him. Just that the bad guy gets what’s coming to him.

By: CTCompromise

CTCompromise — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:29:39 +0000

@28. zzyzx: ~~~~ How we went to #28 without that showing up is inexusable !

By: zzyzx

zzyzx — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:29:18 +0000

For TV I’d have to say it’s the end of the current season of Sons of Anarchy. I mean what is cooler then a guy biting off his own tongue?

By: zzyzx

zzyzx — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:24:00 +0000

As always I must nominate Blazing Saddles which is the only western in the history of Hollywood to end with the heroes riding into the sunset in a stretch limo.

By: itisIleclerc

itisIleclerc — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:21:08 +0000

Farscape

By: La Longue Carbine

La Longue Carbine — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:20:49 +0000

The best, bar none, ending to a short story I have ever read, and I’ve read thousands and thousands of them, was for Kieth Laumer’s Retief story “Diplomat at Arms”. The last sentence of the story changes everything. You have to read it again, looking for the hints, but hey just aren’t there. You can get it from the Baen free library in the ‘Retief!’ collection. (Google.)

Now, I’ll admit that I have a soft spot for Keith Laumer’s books and stories. Most of his writing is fun, but not too well built, which I find endearing for some reason. He especially has trouble winding up a story, which might be why this one surprised me so much.

It’ll only take an hour to find and read.

By: jw

jw — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:16:00 +0000

@23 i have read it and most of the sequels. ender’s game started life as a short story (which i haven’t read). i suspect that the short story ending was more satisfying.

By: JAGernaut

JAGernaut — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:03:13 +0000

While I haven’t read it, Ender’s Game is supposed to be part of a series of novels, rather than just a stand alone. Maybe that explains the state of the “ending”?