What's your favorite movie ending of all time? With a TWIST

[Traz 0]

I saw this thread on a G+ post, and I thought, why the heck not?

The OP suggested Planet of Apes. I actually got chills the first time I saw Lady Liberty sticking out of the sand. When I was like, seven years old. Now, I find it so corny that I literally blow a reflexive raspberry every time I see it. It always surprises everyone, even me, because I'm not planning to ...

Which made me think, let's make this harder. Rate how great the ending was when you FIRST saw the movie (F). Then rate it for greatness the last time you saw it (L). We're looking for the largest or smallest possible for result for F/L. The rating scale is 1-10.

Here's an example:

Aliens 4

First time - 8 I can't find the DVD, but Newt is getting into the cryo-chamber and asks something like, "Can I dream now?" Ripley says, "Yes, Baby."

Five minutes into Alien 3 - 2. Oops, Newt died in the cryo-chamber (damn you, David Fincher!)

8/2 = 4.

 

[Dadface]

An oldie but still a great film..."Some like it hot"

 

[Traz 0]

An oldie but still a great film..."Some like it hot"

You mean when Jack Lemmon rode off to gay marriage with Osgood Feeling III?

F=2: (age 12) Uh, that seems like it might be gay. Aren't we supposed to bully them?

L=8 (now) How damn progressive for 1959. Good for them!

F/L: .25

 

[256bits]

Chinatown 1 she's my sister, my daughter, my sister, my daughter, my ...
( didn't that 14 year old girl now in her 50's write a book about her caper with the director )
King Kong 1 so sad the ape died
Titanic 2 Jack, come back, and does this damn whistle work, and the boat sinks - who saw that coming

 

[arildno]

"The Sixth Sense"

F: 10
L=1

F/L=10

 

[cake of doom]

modus anomali

An English language Indonesian film. Good action sequences and the suspense is maintained all the way to the twist.

F=9 (First time) Exposition dumps in films really get on my nerves because they don't allow you to "discover" anything for yourself.

L=4 (Now) Unfortunately, it's a one time only deal. After the twist is revealed the film looses most of it's longevity.

F/L=2.25. Over all, not bad.

 

[davenn]

"The Sixth Sense"

F: 10
L=1

F/L=10

yeah that movie also got me with its twist

Dave

 

[Evo]

"The others" - 10

Once you know the ending, it's no longer a surprise, right?

Isn't that true of any movie with a surprise ending? After the first time, it's no longer a surprise. So I don't see the point in this.

 

[Traz 0]

"The others" - 10

Once you know the ending, it's no longer a surprise, right?

Isn't that true of any movie with a surprise ending? After the first time, it's no longer a surprise. So I don't see the point in this.

Well, when I started the thread, I wasn't really thinking of movies with a plot twist. I was more thinking of movies that seem different to me now than upon first viewing, because I'D changed.

Putting "TWIST" in the thread title probably did not help with that, though.

 

[edward]

Apparently I haven't changed enough. What I do notice quite frequently is seeing something that I didn't even notice the first time I saw the movie. Or I did possibly see and and didn't remember.

In particular when watching an older movie again I will notice an actor who was just getting started at the time. I say something like: "I didn't notice he/she was in that movie the first time I saw it." Or: "Hey look who that is, he/she sure was young ."

 

[Evo]

Well, when I started the thread, I wasn't really thinking of movies with a plot twist. I was more thinking of movies that seem different to me now than upon first viewing, because I'D changed.

Ok, that I can see.

Putting "TWIST" in the thread title probably did not help with that, though.

Yeah, a *surprise* ending usually only surprises you once. (well I know some people that would be surprised no matter how many times they saw it, but that's a subject for another thread.)

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

I liked the Shutter Island twist at the end

 

[DennisN]

I liked the Shutter Island twist at the end

Me too! And I really liked that movie.

My contribution: The Usual Suspects.
F=10
L=8
F/L=10/8=1,25

(though I found it hard to rate, it's been a long time since I saw it)

EDIT:

Well, when I started the thread, I wasn't really thinking of movies with a plot twist. I was more thinking of movies that seem different to me now than upon first viewing, because I'D changed.

Putting "TWIST" in the thread title probably did not help with that, though.

Nope, it didn't help, you fooled me. I'm not sure about my overall favorite ending, have to think about that...

 

[berkeman]

Along the lines of plot twists at the end of movies, I think the one that had me going back and forth the most was "The Jagged Edge" with Jeff Bridges and Glenn Close: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagged_Edge_(film )

I really got sucked into the movie watching it on cable TV at home one weekend afternoon. By the end of the movie I had no idea "who done it", and the final scene left me wondering what the heck had just happened.

 

[Traz 0]

Along the lines of plot twists at the end of movies, I think the one that had me going back and forth the most was "The Jagged Edge" with Jeff Bridges and Glenn Close: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagged_Edge_(film )

I really got sucked into the movie watching it on cable TV at home one weekend afternoon. By the end of the movie I had no idea "who done it", and the final scene left me wondering what the heck had just happened.

If I remember correctly, there was a typewriter that proved that Jeff Bridges dunnit? And you see it in the closing shot? Or maybe that's some other movie entirely.

Speaking of other things entirely, I suggest we dump the ratings. As has been pointed out, this thread has become about plot twist endings, which are always worse once you know the surprise.

Yeah, I kinda frackked this one up ... :D

 

[leroyjenkens]

The Prestige had a great ending. So I give it a 10 for the first time, because almost the whole movie you're wondering how he does the trick. But the movie was so good that, even though the surprise factor isn't there anymore, subsequent watches are still pretty good. So I'd say like a 7 for the last time I watched it. I've only seen it twice.

As bad as the sequels have become, the first Saw movie had a good ending. I'd give it a 8. Subsequent watches aren't so bad because of the cool music, so L = 5.

 

[cake of doom]

The Prestige had a great ending. So I give it a 10 for the first time, because almost the whole movie you're wondering how he does the trick. But the movie was so good that, even though the surprise factor isn't there anymore, subsequent watches are still pretty good. So I'd say like a 7 for the last time I watched it. I've only seen it twice.

As bad as the sequels have become, the first Saw movie had a good ending. I'd give it a 8. Subsequent watches aren't so bad because of the cool music, so L = 5.

I'd give that film 11 out of ten just because it had David Bowie playing Nikola Tesla.

That's rock and roll.

 

[czelaya]

The Prestige had a great ending. So I give it a 10 for the first time, because almost the whole movie you're wondering how he does the trick. But the movie was so good that, even though the surprise factor isn't there anymore, subsequent watches are still pretty good. So I'd say like a 7 for the last time I watched it. I've only seen it twice.

As bad as the sequels have become, the first Saw movie had a good ending. I'd give it a 8. Subsequent watches aren't so bad because of the cool music, so L = 5.

A complete masterpiece that was too cerebral for the masses. When watching the film the first several times you had to really pay attention to what was going on. Especially dealing with the non linear time line.

 

[czelaya]

I liked the Shutter Island twist at the end

You knew pretty early in the film that what was unfolding with Teddy was not reality. The intense lucid dreams and beyond reality sequences like the cliff climbing scene only fortified that not all was well with Teddy. There weren't going to be any intense twist that was leading to a climatic point that you didn't already suspect.

The way I see it, Shutter Island wasn't so much a thriller but a film unfolding on what caused Teddy to become crazy.

 

[BobG]

Blood Simple.

Right up to the very end, the characters never figure out what's happening (except for M. Emmit Walsh, who was great in that movie).

F: 8

L: 7

A little of the surprise is taken out after the first time, but it's almost just as good checking the consistency of the movie. Plus, there's a little of that "Wow, that's Frances McDormand!", except it takes a while to realize it, since she seems so different. (She's actually a very good actress in that sense - that you see the character; not the actor.)

 

[krash661]

it's not my favorite that i know of,
but

inception.

 

[WannabeNewton]

2001: A Space Odyssey; it's a 10 every time I watch it.

 

[czelaya]

2001: A Space Odyssey; it's a 10 every time I watch it.

It's a great ending in a weird trippy way but what actually happens at the end.

 

[Traz 0]

You knew pretty early in the film that what was unfolding with Teddy was not reality. The intense lucid dreams and beyond reality sequences like the cliff climbing scene only fortified that not all was well with Teddy. There weren't going to be any intense twist that was leading to a climatic point that you didn't already suspect.

The way I see it, Shutter Island wasn't so much a thriller but a film unfolding on what caused Teddy to become crazy.

I caught that too. Before those, even, you could tell there was something off about how the staff and his partner were treating him.

Blood Simple.

Right up to the very end, the characters never figure out what's happening (except for M. Emmit Walsh, who was great in that movie).

F: 8

L: 7

A little of the surprise is taken out after the first time, but it's almost just as good checking the consistency of the movie. Plus, there's a little of that "Wow, that's Frances McDormand!", except it takes a while to realize it, since she seems so different. (She's actually a very good actress in that sense - that you see the character; not the actor.)

I haven't see that movie, but your comments kind of made me rethink my position on The Sixth Sense. After the twist ending, I had to watch it again, to see it from the new perspective. Also, Shutter Island. Which reminded me of Fight Club. I think I enjoyed all of those movies as much the second time as I did the first.

Speaking of Fight Club, WWTDD?

 

[turbo]

I would nominate Blade Runner, though the "twist" is subtle and lots of people might not get it.

 

[leroyjenkens]

Any movies any of you give a higher rating with every subsequent watch?

 

[Vanadium 50]

The Sting: F=8 and L=9; even knowing the twist doesn't detract from it - and it makes watching for the clues on a second viewing more fun.

 

[krash661]

2001: A Space Odyssey; it's a 10 every time I watch it.

OH my,
yes

 

[DennisN]

The Sting: F=8 and L=9; even knowing the twist doesn't detract from it - and it makes watching for the clues on a second viewing more fun.

Yes, I totally agree. The Sting is a movie I really enjoyed rewatching. I also have to mention Memento in this thread; it's a movie with a very special story structure, and I remember I enjoyed it much.